Traders' Roundtable

Hi roundtable members,

so far I used a rather arbitrary portfolio of about 50 markets, and am currently in the process of systematically expanding it. I stumbled across the strange 69 cap of CSI. I'd be interested in your experience with CSIs "number of market in parallel use" cap at 69 for private traders. I read what CSI says about it (which is not very much). Expecially they don't tell what happens if you violate it, other that you will not be considered a private trader any more.

- Is it of concern for you? If not, why not? 69 does not strike me as a really high number for LTTF diversification, at least if you look internationally. I read here that there are at least some who trade a larger universe of markets.

- Any experience what happens when they classify you as professional?

- Any other way to circumvent it? For example from what I read possibly one could use two portfolios on alternate days, and still be within the limit of 69 markets in parallel. Not very practical, but conceivable for LTTF. It may be possible to make that automatic, if necessary. I wouldn't like it, though, too much fiddling in a process already complex enough.

- I'm a bit puzzled that I don't find any discussion about that topic on the roundtable. I don't understand why you don't run into that limit, once you start expanding the portfolio. Do you use other data vendors in parallel?

Regards,
Asamat

I think you just have to pay for additional markets.

I purchased 11 more for my use, it wasn't very much money to add.
but you don't need to pay extra and it was the csi guy that told me how to do it.
update your 69 markets, delete 10(or 50), add the 10(or 50) you want and update them. your files will now have 79(or 119) markets with updated data for use in blox.
I used that process to get data for the old s&p contract pre ES, same for DJIA pre YM, to use for testing.
but on a daily basis that process seemed too time consuming so I just paid up, the csi guy seem surprised.

I was also told my back up computer could have a whole different portfolio. so 138 markets, 69 update at 6:30 and your second computer updates 69 at 7:30. run blox on both and you're set.

7432 wrote:I was also told my back up computer could have a whole different portfolio. so 138 markets, 69 update at 6:30 and your second computer updates 69 at 7:30. run blox on both and you're set.

I confirm this is indeed possible. I've seen it done.

It suggests creating numerous different definitions of "back up computer" and implementing them. Maybe, among the ones that actually work, some are far simpler / cheaper / less annoying than others.

Thanks for your answers, I got the picture. This is indeed really as CSI describes on its site; I just didn't believe it.

Thanks again,
Asamat

I was on CSI's pricing page(am going to try out their correlation studies) and saw a new to me subscription.
the deluxe world futures package, about $300 more to upgrade, not only increases the number of markets to 150 from the standard 69 but gives you access to the full history of the database for the markets vs paying $20 per year for anything past 10 yrs and being limited to 20 yrs max.

cotton and sugar go back to the 60's, and silver to 63, gold to 75, eurodollars to 71 and currencies to 70. pork bellies to 63! corn to 49!

clicking on the exchange on the below page link will give you the start date price history.
http://www.csidata.com/cgi-bin/newspape ... itle=World Futures Factsheet

three cheers for CSI!