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Set Margin Cushion Alerts

The Alerts window is composed of two sections. The first is the Conditions area, where you define the conditions which must be met to activate the alert. The second is the Actions area, where you define the action that will occur when the conditions are met. Create alerts based on price movement, time and date, trading volume or the state of your margin cushion. Alert actions include sending a notification such as a pop-up message on your trading screen, an email or a text message, or initiating an order, specifically a buy or sell order.

Margin Alerts

Margin Cushion alerts are based on the status of an IB-calculated "margin cushion" derived using current values from your account. You can find these values on the Account screen. The margin cushion is calculated as follows:

(Equity with Loan Value - Maintenance Margin)/Net Liquidation Value

To set a Margin Cushion alert

ClosedFrom Mosaic
  1. Right-click an instrument from your Portfolio, Watchlist or other window.
  2. At the end of the quick-trade button bar, click the "Alert" bell icon.
  3. In the Configure Price Condition box, click Advanced Settings in the bottom right corner.
  4. Begin to set the alert conditions by selecting Margin Cushion in the Choose Condition section of the Create Condition box, then click Next.
  5. In the Operator field, choose from "greater than or equal to" or "less than or equal to."
  6. In the Cushion (%) field, enter the value that will be acted on by the operator defined above, and click the Finish button.
  7. To define multiple conditions, select And or Or from the Logic drop-down list, and add another contract on the next line following the above steps 3 - 7.
ClosedFrom Classic TWS
  1. On the Analytical Tools menu select Alerts.
  2. Click the New button, and enter a descriptive title in the Name box. The <unnamed> tab takes the name you enter.
  3. Define an asset in the Conditions area by dragging and dropping one from your trading screen, or click the Add button.

  4. Begin to set the alert conditions by selecting Margin Cushion in the Choose Condition section of the Create Condition box, then click Next.
  5. In the Operator field, choose from "greater than or equal to" or "less than or equal to."
  6. In the Cushion (%) field, enter the volume value that will be acted on by the operator defined above, and click the Finish button.
  7. To define multiple conditions, select And or Or from the Logic drop-down list, and add another contract on the next line following the above steps 3 - 7.

Your alert conditions are described in the Preview box at the bottom right of the window.

Now specify the action(s) that the alert will trigger. You can select from email, SMS, pop-up message and audio alerts, and elect to have an order triggered.

Alerts Duration

Allow the alert to remain active even after it has triggered by selecting the "Repeatable" box.

By default, the alert will remain active until you cancel it. You can elect to have the alert remain active through a specific date and time by selecting Alert active until... and setting a date in the format YYYYMMDD hh:mm:ss.

If you want the condition(s) to be able to trigger outside regular trading hours, check the "Allow condition to be satisfied..." box.