Interactive Brokers adds new windows for Dividend Schedule and Interest Rate in TWS platform
As companies continue to report their financial metrics for the first quarter of 2018, the TWS platform makes it easier to view the Dividend Schedule.
Online trading major Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:IBKR) has bolstered the navigation capabilities of its TWS platform. Traders will now find it easier to access data about dividends and interest rates.
The latest (production) build of the trading platform sees the addition of new standalone windows to view the Dividend Schedule and Interest Rate Term Structure. Previously these tools were only available via the Model Navigator, where they are still available. As a result, traders should find it easier to access these data.
The broker notes that the tools are also editable, allowing traders to enter their own values.
- To view the Dividend Schedule for a selected asset, use the New Window drop-down and select Option Analysis, then Interactive Analytics then Dividend Schedule.
- To view the Interest Rate structure, use the New Window drop-down and select Option Analysis, then Interactive Analytics then Interest Rate.
- Alternatively, traders can select both tools from the right-click menu within the Implied Volatility Viewer.
Interactive Brokers regularly updates its platform. Earlier this month, FinanceFeeds reported about a new feature introduced in the latest (beta) version of the platform – the Unbalanced Butterfly spread which is available in the pre-defined strategies list in the Strategy Builder. The pretty poetic name stands for an option strategy. In contrast to a Butterfly spread where the strikes for the two “wings” are equidistant from the middle strike, the Unbalanced Butterfly has one “wing” farther out from the middle strike. For instance, where a Butterfly might have strikes of $72.00/$74.00/$76.00, the unbalanced version might have strikes of $72.00/$74.00/$79.00.
In February, Interactive Brokers’ TWS platform enabled traders to build complex strategies via the Predefined Strategies pick list in the Strategy Builder.
When a trader selects a strategy and hovers over the price for the initial leg, TWS highlights the other legs that will be included in the strategy. One simply has to click the first leg and see the fully-editable strategy come together in the Strategy Builder.
In order to create a predefined strategy, a trader has to open an option chain (select a symbol and use the right-click menu to choose Trading Tools and then Option Chain). Toggling on the Strategy Builder tool at the bottom of the chain will result in displaying the predefined strategies. Then one has to select a strategy, and hold the cursor over the Bid or Ask price of the put or call for the first leg in the option chain. The other legs that will be included are highlighted. Clicking the price will lead to adding the highlighted legs to the Strategy Builder.
