Euro Pacific Bank

December 2016 New Products & Platform Updates

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Product Updates

Holiday Trading Schedule

During the Christmas and New Years period, markets and exchanges around the world will be operating under modified schedules. Please bear in mind that exchanges may be closed and thus unavailable for trading. More information will follow.

Removal of Market Orders for ETOs

Market orders on Exchange-Traded Options (ETOs) have now been removed in the trading platforms.

Generally, market orders are subject to immediate execution, but can sometimes be delayed due to high-volume, fast markets or very low liquidity. When a market order is entered on Options, traders cannot control the price at which this order is executed. One way to minimize the risk of trades being executed at a price significantly different from the last trade/quote is to enter a limit order.

GTS-Web support of IE 10 discontinued by the end of 2016

GTS will no longer be supported through the Internet Explorer 10 browser from January 2017. Internet Explorer 11 will continue to be supported for the foreseeable future.

Platform Enhancements

Trade Button Colors in GTS Pro

Trade button colors for Stocks, Stock CFDs, Futures and ETOs

In GTS Pro, the trade buttons for Stocks, Stock CFDs, Futures and ETOs have been modified to indicate market status:

  • Yellow – live prices and market is open
  • Purple – delayed prices or market is closed

Trade buttons for these instruments are now aligned with the new Order Driven Execution FX/CFD color conventions and the GTS platform as follows:

  • Red/Blue – live prices and market is open
  • Grey – delayed prices or market is closed

A more neutral blue trade button color is also available as an alternative to the bright red/blue colors in GTS Pro. The trade buttons colors will be red/blue by default, but you can switch to the alternative colors from Options -> Colors.

New Chart Features

Logarithmic Charts

Logarithmic charts are now available in GTS, on both Live and Simulation.

Normal charts use a linear price scale where prices are plotted equally on the y-axis. Logarithmic charts, on the other hand, plot prices so that there is an equal % change between two prices levels.

For example: on a linear chart, a $5 price distance from $20 to $25 is the same distance as from $30 to $35. When plotted on a logarithmic chart, however, the distance will be shorter, as a change from 20 to 25 represents a 25% increase, whereas from 30 to 35 is an increase of only 16.67%.

Logarithmic charts can be useful when analyzing price movements with large ranges, where the data is skewed towards the large values.

In this chart of the Dow Jones Industrial Index since 1984, the blue chart is plotted on a linear axis, and the white chart is plotted on a logarithmic price axis.

Notice that the 40% market drop in 1987 looks smaller on the linear chart, and much larger on the log chart. Similarly, the market crash during the financial crisis in October 2009 doesn’t look as impressive on the log chart compared to the 1987 crash. Also, some of the major market movements in the 1970s are barely recognizable on the linear chart but stand out on the log chart.

To switch to a log chart

To switch to a logarithmic price scale, click the log chart icon in the chart toolbar.

FX chart Mid-price option

A new Mid-price option is now available on FX charts in GTS.

By default, the FX charts use the Bid Price but traders could also use the Ask price under the chart settings. Now, the Mid-price between the Bid and Ask is also available from the chart settings.

To use the Mid-price for an FX chart:
  1. Go to the chart configuration menu.
  2. Select Mid from the Default price dropdown menu.

New PDF Portfolio Reports in GTS

Our new PDF Portfolio Reports allow traders to download a consolidated report of a portfolio’s performance for a specific period.

To generate a PDF Portfolio Report

The PDF Portfolio Report can be generated under Accounts > Reports in the GTS web-based platform.

To generate a report:

  1. Select an account (or all accounts).
  2. Specify a date range.
  3. When the report has been generated, click the download button to download the PDF.

October 2016 New Products & Platform Updates

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Platform Enhancements

Upcoming Product Additions

Platform Enhancements

​​Partial Fill Confirmations

From 11 October, it will be possible to configure how GTS delivers trade/order confirmations on partial fills. Users can now choose to receive confirmations for each partial fill or only for the first and last partial fill under Options & Confirmations.


Trade Tile Behaviour in 2-Click Trading Mode

In 2-click mode, a trade is enabled by clicking ‘Enable’ which then enables buttons to trade the instruments. From 11 October, the time from clicking ‘Enable’ until the trade buttons are clickable will be reduced from 1.5 seconds to 0.5 seconds.

Improved Usability in 2-Click Trading Mode

In 2-click trading mode after clicking to enable a trade, we have added a message reminding traders to click again to perform the trade.


New Close Position Module and Improvements

When closing a position directly from the Position List, a new unified Close Position module will be available in GTS, based on the Trade Ticket.

Important information, including the amount, current price, and profit/loss, is located at the top of the Close Position ticket. Secondary information, including the Net position size, the Margin impact and Position ID, are located in a secondary collapsible info panel at the bottom.

Traders can also choose to close positions:

  • On a quoted price for FX and CFD trades
  • Using a limit order to close at a specific price
  • Using a market order to close at the price available in the market

New Dedicated Close Button in Positions

To improve usability, a new dedicated Close position button will be introduced in a separate column. Previously, positions could be closed by clicking on a button in the Close Price column:


Reduce Exposure from the Square Net Ticket

It will be possible to reduce, as well as close, Net positions from the Position List in GTS. When clicking the Close button on a Net position, the Square Net Position dialog will allow traders to specify the amount they want to close – the action button changes to REDUCE POSITION.

Upcoming Product Additions

Rolling out a Fully Digitized Bond Value Chain

​We are proud to announce a paradigm shift in the way bonds are being traded by launching the first fully digital solution for trading bonds online, on October 24th.

You will be able to access the global bond markets in a direct, competitive and efficient manner, and benefit from:

  • A fully digitalised value chain
  • Price optimisation from global liquidity providers to reduce spreads
  • Significant cost reductions
  • Fast execution within seconds (24/5 when markets are open)
  • Corporate and government bonds from all major global markets

​​Launching Option Chain in GTS

We are pleased to announce that we are launching an Option chain on the GTS platform. The new Option chain will allow trading of FX Options and Exchange Traded Options on stocks, indices and futures.

Option Chain Features

Features of the new Option chain will include:

  • Option chain can be linked to the Watchlist, allowing fast switching between instruments from the Watchlist
  • FX Vanilla and FX Touch Options
  • In-the-money highlighting of strikes
  • Shows the underlying instrument price information
  • Collapsable strikes
  • Customizable number of strikes shown for each expiry
  • Customizable columns, including Greeks and volatilities for US stock options

Initially, the Option chain will be available in GTS Pro, and later with the GTS web-based platform.

Value of Option Positions to be itemised separately in Account Overview

To improve breakdown of the Account Value across cash, margin and Option positions, the value of Option positions will be itemised separately in Account Overview.

Today, the value of FX Options is included under P/L, Margin Positions and the value of Exchange Traded Options is included under Market value, Cash Positions in the Account data in GTS and GTS Pro.

To improve the breakdown and consistency of Account Summaries, a new dedicated Market Value, Option Positions field will be added and the values of FX and Exchange Traded Options moved to this new field.

More detailed information will follow in next month’s notification.

September 2016 New Products & Platform Updates

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Chart Updates

New Studies

Trade all Instruments from Trade Board

Trade Panel Removed

Chart Updates

New Display Options

Instrument Symbol/Description

A new option allows you to display instrument names as a symbol (ticker) or description:

Price Label

The last price indicates whether it is an uptick or downtick by red or green background colouring; a blue colouring indicates no price activity for 3 seconds.


The price for FX charts also emphasizes the pips in alignment with the rest of the platform.

Fill colours for candlesticks and studies

We have added new colour options where you can define the line, border and fill colours for candlestick charts and studies such as Bollinger Banks.

You can also configure hollow candlesticks by selecting no colour.

Similarly, for studies such as Bollinger bands, you will be able to define or remove the fill colour between the bands.

Fibonacci adjustment to the right

The length of the lines on Fibonacci Annotations can now be adjusted left/right. Select the Fibonacci you want to adjust and grab the handle and drag the lines left or right.

In the Settings for the annotation, you can adjust the end time and date or extend them infinitely.

Vertical line extension

It is now possible to extend vertical line annotations through to sub-panels by clicking on the configuration icon and selecting Extend vertical line.

Copy Annotations

You can now copy annotations by clicking the copy icon on the annotation.

Individual snapping

Now you can also select or deselect snapping in each individual annotation in the specific annotation configuration settings.

Percentage Comparative Chart

A new % Comparative chart type is now available allowing you to compare the relative performance of two instruments.

​To use the Comparative chart, add the second instrument, click the + button next to the instrument finder, then search for the second instrument, then select % Comparative as the Chart type.

The % Comparative chart shows values relative to the reference point bar. You can drag the reference bar to move the reference point on the x-axis. To use the left of the chart as the reference point, deselect the ruler on the toolbar – note that if you zoom, scroll or manipulate the x-axis, the reference point will change to the new left-hand side of the chart.


New Studies

(Chaikin) Accumulation Distribution Oscillator

Chaikin Accumulation Distribution Oscillator (ADO) is a momentum indicator which is similar to the previously released Chaikin Accumulation Distribution Line (ADL) but using the exponential moving average formulas used by MACD.

ADO is essentially the difference between 3 and 10 periods Exponential Moving Averages. For example, for a daily chart it would be the difference between the EMAs for 3 days and 10 days.

ADO is used to detect directional changes in ADL by measuring the momentum of the movements – the first signal for a change of a trend. ADO generates a signal when the line crosses below or above the zero line.

ADO can also indicate bearish or bullish divergence:

  • If the price is rising and AD is falling (negative divergence) can indicate a bearish market
  • If the price is falling and AD is rising (positive divergence) can indicate a bullish market


Williams Alligator Indicator

Developed by Bill Williams, the Alligator Indicator is a trend following and trend change indicator. It uses three different Smoothed Simple Moving Averages (SSMAs) which slow the turn of the indicator and uses 5, 8 and 13 periods as default – you can change the calculation method from SSMA to SMA (Simple Moving Average) or EMA (Exponential Moving Average) in the configuration dialog.

The three Smoothed Moving Averages comprise the Jaw, Teeth and Lips of the Alligator where:

  • Jaw (blue line) – starts with the 13-bar/candle SSMA and is smoothed by 8 bars/candles on subsequent values
  • Teeth (red line) – starts with the 8-bar/candle SSMA and is smoothed by 5 bars/candles on subsequent values
  • Lips (green line) – starts with the 5-bar/candle SSMA and smoothed by three bars/candles on subsequent values

The Alligator Indicator helps you to determine trends and trend changes and direction of the trend where:

  • Uptrend: Jaw at bottom, Teeth in the middle, Lips at the top
  • Downtrend: Jaw at top, Teeth in the middle, Lips at the bottom

When the above rules are not in place – when the lines are not in any of the above orders and intertwined – the Alligator “sleeps” with its mouth closed. When it wakes up and is hungry, it opens its mouth in the correct order above, and that is when a trend starts. When the Alligator is no longer hungry and the three lines intertwine again, that signals the end of a trend.

Using the Alligator Indicator, you should not take a position when the Alligator is sleeping as the market is indecisive without a clear trend.

Awesome Oscillator

Awesome Oscillator (AO) was developed by Avrum Suodack and Gene Quong. It uses both volume and price to measure buying and selling pressure in an instrument. The output values ranges from 0 to 100 and works like an RSI – the Awesome Oscillator is also known as volume-weighted RSI.

Investors use the Awesome Oscillator to look for divergence when the MFI moves in the opposite direction of the price.


Correlation

Now you can analyze the correlation between two instruments using the Correlation study in the Indicator selector and add it when you have two instruments.

Spread

The Spread study is used with comparable instruments that are trading with a spread between them such as:

  • A and B share for the same company
  • 2 equities in the same industry sector
  • 2 commodities futures

The spread can widen and narrow and can be used for Spread Trading where the trader sells one instrument and buys the other when the spread is wider than historical norms for example.


Ratio

The Ratio (RTO) Indicator shows the current and the historic price ratio between two instruments. Ratio is similar to the spread but shows the price difference as a ratio between the two instruments – the first divided by the second.

Trade all Instruments from Trade Board

Stocks, CFDs and Futures through the Trade Board

SaxoTrader now allows you to trade exchange-traded instruments through the Trade Board, including Stocks, CFDs (all CFDs), Futures and ETOs. Previously, only instruments FX and CFD indices (on green prices) were tradable through the Trade Board.

To trade an instrument from the Trade Board, you must be subscribed to live prices for the instrument from the exchange – instruments on delayed prices cannot be traded through the Trade Board and the trade buttons will launch a Trade Ticket instead.

Trading as Market Orders

If you do not specify a tolerance for the instrument, the trade buttons will place a Market order for the instrument, to be filled at the price available on the Market.

Trading as Limit Orders

If you specify a price tolerance, the trade buttons will place a limit order instead, ensuring you are not filled at more than your price tolerance from the market price.

Access to the Trade Board

The Trade Board is part of the Watchlist and is accessed by clicking the Trade Board icon in the Watchlist.

Trade Panel Removed

As part of a usability clean-up, the Trade Panel at the bottom of the Watchlist has been retired due to low usage.

If you miss this functionality, we recommend that you open a Trade Ticket in you view and link it to your Watchlist – the instrument in the Trade Ticket will update with selected instruments in the Watchlist in the same way as the Trade Panel.

August 2016 New Products & Platform Updates

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Product Updates

Operational and margin changes

Product Updates

Greeks and implied volatility on US stock options now available

Greeks and Implied Volatility are now available on US stock options in the GTS Pro platform in the Option Chain and Trade Tickets.

To add Greeks and Implied Volatility to the Option Chain:
Right click on the table header, select Column Selector, then add the Greeks/Volatility columns in the Call and Put tabs.

Operational and margin changes

New equity rating model

In a string of improvements within the area of Market Risk Management, Global Trading will now introduce a new model for equity rating.

The model

The new equity rating model provides continuous daily assessment (and potential re-ratings) for up to 11,000 unique shares. The model is relatively simple and straightforward, building on the following factors:

  • Market Capitalisation (Large, Mid or Small)
  • Volatility (Low, Moderate, High or Extreme)
  • Credit Rating (Excellent, Good, Regular or Poor)
  • Gap tendency (Negligible, Marginal, Critical or Catastrophic)
  • Liquidity (High, Medium or Low)

In order to transition to this new model, Global Trading will make two overall changes:

1) Limit the number of “risk buckets” to five

2) Re-rate all instruments to suit the new limited number of risk buckets

Global Trading’s new standard will be as follows:

Next steps:

Please observe the below deadlines and roll-out dates:

  • The re-rating will be taking effect as of 12 September, 2016.

July 2016 New Products & Platform Updates

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Product Updates

Platform Enhancements

Product Updates

News Offering Update

Termination of Dow Jones news feed

As of July 2016, the Dow Jones news feed will be removed from the GTS platform.

Introducing NewsEdge

NewsEdge is a new offering on GTS that gathers news from numerous providers.

In addition to Macro and Corporate coverage, which is available in the platform immediately, NewsEdge also provides product-specific news feeds.

All subscriptions are free and the offering includes:

  • NewsEdge Macro
  • NewsEdge Corporate
  • NewsEdge Forex
  • NewsEdge Commodities
  • NewsEdge Futures
  • NewsEdge Bonds
  • NewsEdge Central Banks
  • 11 regional news streams with local coverage in local languages

Find subscriptions in the trading platform under Account > Subscriptions > News services.

Ruble (RUB) Options & Forwards and Extension of Trading Times

FX Options and Forwards are now available for USDRUB and EURRUB on live (green) prices.

Trading in RUB FX crosses has also been extended from 16.00 GMT to 19.00 GMT.

Platform Enhancements

New Chart Features

Accumulation Distribution Line (ADL) Study

The Accumulation Distribution Line (ADL) developed by Marc Chaikin is now available from the Studies menu.

Chaikin ADL is a volume-based indicator designed to measure the cumulative flow of money into and out of a security, essentially measuring the buy and sell pressure and confirming the strength of a trend.

The ADL indicates both bullish and bearish signals and relies on divergence and confirmation:

  • a bullish signal is when the price is in a downtrend and the ADL is moving up.
  • A bearish signal is when the price is in an uptrend and the ADL is moving down.

This study relies on trade volume so it is only available on exchange-traded products and is not available on OTC products such as FX.


Triple Exponentially Smoothed Moving Average (TRIX) Study

Triple Exponentially Smoothed Moving Average (TRIX) is a momentum oscillator developed by Jack Hutson and shows the % change in a triple-exponentially-smoothed moving average. It filters out insignificant prices and if you add a normal exponentially moving average to the TRIX study panel it works in a similar way to MACD. However, since it is triple-smoothed it is more smoothed than MACD.

Similarly to MACD, the lines fluctuate around 0 (zero) and when adding an EMA you look for divergence where the signal line crosses over for buy/sell and zero crossover line.


Money Flow Index (MFI) Study

Money Flow Index (MFI) is an oscillatior developed by Avrum Suodack and Gene Quong, which uses both volume and price to measure buy and sell pressure on a security. The output value ranges from 0 to 100 and works like an RSI – MFI is also known as volume-weighted RSI.

Investors are looking for divergence – when the MFI moves in the opposite direction of the price.


Study Offsets

A new Offset feature is now available from the configuration dialog for studies where you can move a study left into the past or right into the future by up to -100 to 100 periods. The underlying calculation does not change this feature, only moves the study left or right on the chart.


Fibonacci Projection annotation

A new Fibonacci Projection annotation is now available from the annotation menu in the chart.

Previously this was available through the Fibonacci Extension annotation by placing the two last placements at the same level, but it can now be added more efficiently in two clicks.


Snap Annotation option

Previously, snap for annotation was only available in the configuration settings, controlling snap on all annotations. You can now also select / de-select snap on each individual annotation in the annotation configuration settings.

New Periodic Overview Report

Now available on GTS, the new Period Overview report shows account value development itemized as profit and loss per traded instrument and cash bookings, and allows analysis of broader, long-term trading trends.

The Period Overview report will be available in the Account section of the GTS platform and will show the development of a selected account or across all accounts.

The info icon (i) on each post gives access to full details of the post including:

  • the value of the position at the start and end of the period
  • a summary of all individual bookings for the instrument throughout the period

Excel Export

The extended Excel function allows you to export each booking in the period showing the value at the start and end of the period and offers granularity and flexibility of the data.

The report can also be exported as PDF.

New Exposure Bar and Value Change Charts

The Performance report in the Account Overview now contains new Exposure and Value Change bar charts, which provide a breakdown of exposure and value change in each asset class for the selected period, and make it possible to drill-down into the exposure and change in underlying securities.

For the account, or all accounts, selected in the account drop-down, the exposure bar chart shows exposure per asset class at the end of the selected period.

Short positions are shown as red negative values and long positions will be seen as green positive values.

Margin Products

For margin products like CFDs, Futures and FX, the exposure is equal to the value of the underlying positions.

Cash Positions

For cash products like Stocks and Bonds, the exposure is equal to the market value of the position.

Options Premiums

For Options, the exposure is equal to the premium which can be both positive if long and negative if short.

All values are converted into the currency of the selected account.

Exposure to underlying securities

The Exposure Chart also makes it possible to drill-down into the underlying securities by clicking on the bar for each asset class, which shows holdings at the end of the last trading day in the selected period.

Value Change Chart

The Value Change chart shows the contribution to the account value for each asset class for the selected period and gives an overview of the same data shown in the period report.

Positive contributions are shown in green and negative contributions in red.

All values are converted into the currency of the selected account.

Cash activity

Cash activity is also itemised with its own bar and shows the net cash activity in the selected period. This can include cash transfers, interest and subscription fees.

Underlying Security Contributions

The Value Change chart also makes it possible to drill-down into the contributions from underlying securities by clicking on the bar for each asset class.

This shows the contribution for each security for the selected period and NOT over the full lifetime of the position.