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Depth of Market (DOM) Tab

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The DOM (Depth of Market)

The DOM or Depth of Market is comprised of a multi-colored, multi-column trading tool, where the user can see a sliding scale of market prices and trading activity.

On either side of the market price scale, are columns, one representing the Bid, and the other representing the Ask.  The Bid, or Sell side of the market is represented in Red, and the Ask side, or Buy side of the market is represented in green.  The numbers listed within these columns display the number of trades waiting at each price. The numbers seen at the bottom total the values in the columns.

The market Volume column is on the far right of the price ladder, and represents the volume of contracts traded at that price, throughout that particular trading session, and highlights in blue the volume as a chart.

You may create trades directly from your DOM. Double-click a line within the Bid/Sell column to create a sell order at that specific price. Double-click a line within the Ask/Buy column to create a buy order at that specific price. Order quantity is determined by the Order Qty section directly above the DOM.

 

 

Depth of Market (DOM) Tab

Quote Window: This will display the live quotes stream coming directly from the clearing house. The graph will display the Bid in red, the Ask in green, and the Last in white.

The top of the Quote Window will display the current contract symbol, the Bid(sell) price, the Ask(buy) price, and the Last(most recent) price.

The bottom of the Quote Window labels your current Spread(distance between bid/ask price), the Avg(Average) spread since opening this chart, the High or largest spread since opening this chart, and the Low or smallest spread since opening this chart.

Chart Open P/L: Will display your currently profit/loss(P/L) for contracts held in this specific symbol only.

Total Open P/L: Displays your current profit/loss for all open contracts held in all symbols.

Realized P/L: Displays your profit/loss for all trades that have closed.

*Note: Chart, Total and Realized P/L will display in dollar ($) value by default. Left-click the blue dollar sign $ to change to %ROM(Percent Return on Margin), Tics/Pips, or %Total (total account percentage gain/loss).

Portfolio Margin: Shows the currently used margin for all open contracts. You may left-click Maintenance which appears by default in blue to choose between viewing the Maintenance, Initial, or Day margin used.

Usable Margin: Displays the quantity of contracts you can create, along with the account balance you still have available. You may left-click Maintenance which appears by default in blue to choose between viewing the Maintenance, Initial, or Day margin used.

Cash Balance: Balance available before closing currently open trades.

Equity/Margin: Equity/Margin Ratio is calculated by dividing current Account Equity (Net Liquidation Value) by the Portfolio Initial Margin Amount. If you want to place a trade or hold open positions, the Equity-to-Margin ratio in your account must be greater than 5%. If the Equity/Margin ratio drops below 5%, or the Account Equity drops below $500 (whichever comes first), your account may be locked by the clearing firm and/or open positions may be liquidated by the clearing firm in an attempt to prevent the account balance going negative.

Account Equity: Current account value including the dollar value of all open trades.

Long, Short, T-Long, T-Short:  Will display the number of long or short contracts open in this symbol, or the total number of long or short orders (T-Long/T-Short) in all markets.

PnL/Tic: Displays the dollar value of each minimum move (tic/pip) for this open symbol. Day margin will also be listed as a quick reference.

Order Qty: Here you select how many contracts you wish to create while using any of the order creation buttons listed below and while creating trades within the DOM. You may type the order quantity into the window, click the up/down arrows to incrementally change the quantity or you may click the quick order quantity buttons: 1 / 3 / 5 / 10 / 15/ 20.

To learn about the red/green Buy(B)/Sell(S) button, open the Place Order Button section. To learn about the clock face button, open the Time Release Order Button section.

STOP / LIMIT: Will attach a stop/limit order to your cursor as you move your mouse back into the chart window. Left-click within the chart window to create a new stop/limit order at the price selected.

Buy MKT / Sell MKT: Will create a new order to either buy or sell at the current market value.

Exit CHART: Will close all open orders in the symbol you are currently viewing, in Multi-Chart mode, verify symbol that is listed in the Quote Window.

Exit ALL: Panic button or just to end trading for the day, Exit ALL will close all orders(pending and open), across all markets, immediately.