TWS Release Notes


These release notes document the major enhancements and bug fixes distributed in the current TWS version 937.

Mosaic Spread Builder for Options Combos

The options Spread Builder allows you to quickly create option spreads within the option chain by clicking the bid or ask price of the desired options to add them as legs. Access Spread Builder from within Mosaic by selecting New Window, and then Spread Builder in the Trade section of the New Window list. Follow the prompts to specify an underlying and then click the Bid or Ask price of an option in the chain to add it to the Spread Builder as a leg. As each leg is added, the Spread Builder creates the combo order. When completed, you can elect to either submit the order, or use the dropdown arrow on the Submit button to save the spread order to the Mosaic Orders panel to submit at a later date.

Spread Builder

You can also enable the Spread Builder from within the Option Chain window by clicking the Spread Builder title at the bottom right of the Option Chain tool.

Index CFDs, Commodities and Forex use Midpoint

Instead of displaying the "Last" traded price, index-based CFDs will show the midpoint value in the Last field. Currently commodities and forex tickers use the midpoint.

Option Portfolio Allows Limit Orders

The Option Portfolio window has been enhanced to allow users to create limit orders as well as market orders. Once you have submitted your query, you now have the option to "Trade Using Limit Orders." In addition, a new "Orders" tab has been added to the tabset. Created orders can be reviewed and modified on the Orders tab before they are transmitted.

The Query Results table has also been modified to include a new column, Impact, which shows the half-spread plus commissions on the total query. Also, the Total cost field at the bottom of the query has been renamed Trade net value to better reflect that this is a net value realized by the trades.

For more information on the Option Portfolio, see the TWS Users' Guide.

Change Font Size for Mosaic

You can now change the font size for the Mosaic separately from the TWS font size. Use the "lock" icon to lock the size ratio between Advanced Order Entry and Mosaic font sizes. For example, if current sizes are 11 and 13 and you change "11" to "12," the font size for Mosaic will automatically change from "13" to "14" to keep the ratio intact. Both changes are made via the Global Configuration>Display>Style page.To access Global Configuration, from the TWS Edit menu select Global Configuration.

Chart Enhancements

Bar Selection Modes- New "mouse" and "keyboard" modes allow you to navigate the charts in the way that is most comfortable for you. By default, the chart is in "mouse" mode. When you mouse over a candlestick, you will see all of the price details. You can change to keyboard mode by clicking the right or left arrow keys. This will allow you to move through each bar to the right or to the left using just the arrow keys. The details tooltip box appears in mouse mode and in keyboard mode. To reinstate mouse mode, simply click a bar with the mouse.

Date and Last Trade Highlighted - Along the bottom axis of the chart, a new date label that includes the date or start date (if longer than one day) or time of the selected candlestick or line location appears highlighted in a yellow box. Also, the last trade price is highlighted along the vertical price axis of the chart. In the details box that appears when you mouse over a bar, the date and time display have been modified to show the start date and/or time.

Updated "Close All Positions" Dialog Box

The Close All Positions dialog box (which can be accessed from the Trade menu in Advanced Order Entry, the Account menu in Mosaic and from the right-click menu in the Portfolio section of the Account Information window) has been updated to provide more flexibility in executing closing orders. Specifically, the Limit price and offset for buy orders is now read-only and is set programmatically based on the selection for sell orders (but using the opposite side and amount). Possible choices for Time in Force (TIF) are DAY, GTC, and Default. The "Default" selection pulls the Time in Force from the order presets. The Limit Price drop-down selections include None, Bid, Ask, and Bid/Ask Midpoint. "None" is valid only if the order type is set to REL. You can elect to have your settings remembered and used any time you elect to close all positions. The dialog box can be re-enabled via Global Configuration by selecting Messages and then checking the "Confirm Close Positions" checkbox.

Newswire Tickers Improved

The newswire symbols functionality has been streamlined to make it more apparent that the newswire tickers are clickable links. In addition, when the ticker is clicked the exact ticker is loaded rather than a list of tickers being presented for choosing.

Model Portfolios: Support for Non-Guaranteed Combos

Advisors who use Model Portfolios to allocate shares and manage client strategies can now use non-guaranteed combination orders in their models. Non-guaranteed combos are exposed to the risk of partial executions. To create a combo, from the Quote Monitor right-click in a blank line and select Generic Combo (if this item is hidden use the expand arrow to display the selection). Define a combo in the Combo Selection box. Previously only IB-guaranteed combos were supported for Model Portfolios.

The risk of loss in online trading of stocks, options, futures, currencies, foreign equities, and fixed income can be substantial. Options are not suitable for all investors. For more information, read the "Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options".

Your capital is at risk and your losses may exceed the value of your original investment.

Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FCA Reference Number 208159.

Interactive Brokers LLC is regulated by the US SEC and CFTC and is a member of the SIPC (www.sipc.org) compensation scheme;
products are only covered by the UK FSCS in limited circumstances.

Before trading, customers must read the relevant risk disclosure statements on our Warnings and Disclaimers page.

For a list of IBG memberships worldwide, see our exchange listings.