Choice of a Discount Brokerage Firm

If you are familiar with the modus operandi of the financial market, and are able to carry out your financial decisions at an independent level, opt for a discount brokerage firms to carry out all activities on your behalf. This type of brokerage firm is different from a full service firm. They roll out limited services and it is cost effective at the same time. But there are not going to simply carry out transactions on behalf of the client. Limited amount of services are offered at price. To sum it up discount brokerage is someone who can make their own decisions on what stock to buy and sell without the help of a broker.

Do explore the vast array of discount brokers that are available in the market. It could be difficult to come across one that matches your requirements. The choice of the right one assumes a lot of importance as a small difference could make a lot of difference in terms of commission, fees etc.  Do explore the following major pointers before you go on to make a decision

• The decision has to be based solely in the manner by which you intend to trade. Say for example if you are a day trader you need to ensure that the brokerage firm provides you with maximum intraday speed. There is access to day time trading software so as to analyse the trends, figures and then arrive at a decision. If you happen to be a swing trader you need to have relevant tools for technical analysis. This would help you come across stocks that is going to provide you with short term momentum
• Once you are a trader it does not make sense to limit your activities to a single discount brokerage firm. The reason being one single trader would not be able to provide services on all aspects of trading. There are some firms who provide option trading, but do not have the facility of option 2 quotes. The successful traders are the ones who go on to hire a couple of discount brokerage firms.
• The main advantage of choosing a discount broker or a full time broker is that you can save considerably on the amount of commission as well as fees. As saving does appear to be part of the investment portfolio, customers would need to figure out the charges of the brokerage firms and what are the rates a discount brokerage firm is charging. A comparative study would provide more inputs on the same. Do observe whether the firm does not have any hidden fees as these extra charges can push up the charges considerably and dent your profits.
• Do check out whether the firm has relevant experience and it is properly licensed with certifications along with the relevant training
• Check of the stock forums on the internet. Discuss with your friends or relatives about the firms they have gone on to conduct trading it is better to stick to firms where you get referrals.