thinkorswimWeb is a browser based trading platform that offers traders a streamlined experience for trading stocks, futures, forex, and options.
thinkorswim Web gives traders access to trading stocks, options, futures, and forex
The thought of taking a few days off from trading may seem refreshing. But it may be difficult to relax when you completely detach yourself from what you love doing. Maybe you hear something on the news about a stock you often trade. You want to place a trade, but without your trading platform within reach, you feel at a loss.
Good news! You can use the new web-based thinkorswim® platform from TD Ameritrade (thinkorswim Web) and sneak in a trade or two. thinkorswim Web may not have all the intricate bells and whistles of the parent thinkorswim desktop platform, but you can analyze stock, futures, forex, and options trades and place them if you think they have potential.
Here’s a taste of thinkorswim Web features. After you login from thinkorswim.com, you’ll see the default screen divided into three sections—Account Summary, Watchlist, and All Account Positions.
Let’s say you’re considering trading options on a specific stock. Enter the symbol in the symbol box (see figure 1). A middle window opens up that displays quote details, the option chain, and a price chart.
FIGURE 1: THINKORSWIM WEB DEFAULT SCREEN. This streamlined version of the parent platform allows you to trade from anywhere. You have access to your watchlists and can trade individual stocks and their options. Chart source: the thinkorswim® platform from TD Ameritrade. For illustrative purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
It’s simple to switch between your live and paperMoney® account; from the menu in All Accounts select the account you want to use. If you’re trading from a public computer, you can hide your account value by selecting the eye icon next to Account Summary.
Expand any option chain, and you’ll seethe different strikes (see figure 2). If you want to see more than what’s displayed, select More. If you want to rearrange things a little, any column in thinkorswim Web can be customized by dragging and dropping the column headings.
FIGURE 2: OPTION CHAIN. Expand any option chain to see the details of different strikes. Columns can be changed to display whatever variable you want to analyze. Chart source: the thinkorswim® platform from TD Ameritrade. For illustrative purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
If you’re considering a strategy that’s listed below the Trade ticket window—you’ve got a few choices—select one, and thinkorswim Web will build the trade for you. But you can also build the trade manually if you prefer.
Suppose you’re considering trading a calendar spread. Select it from the Strategy drop-down list, and thinkorswim Web will display the trade risk profile with its different legs (see figure 3).
FIGURE 3: TRADING WITH THINKORSWIM WEB. You can either build a trade manually or select one of the provided strategies. Either way, the risk profile will be displayed next to the price chart. Chart source: the thinkorswim® platform from TD Ameritrade. For illustrative purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
You can make adjustments to any of the trade parameters, either manually or by using the menus. Below the Trade ticket window, you’ll see the price chart and risk profile. If you hover over a price bar, you’ll see the estimated profit and loss (P&L) on the risk profile (and vice versa). And if you roll positions, you’ll see the P&L profile after rolling the position. If all looks good, you can review the trade before sending it. When a trade is executed, it will populate in the Account Position window. You can keep track of open positions on any device; your account stays synced.
Isn’t it comforting to know that you can always peek at your account and maybe even place a few trades using thinkorswim Web?
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Content intended for educational/informational purposes only. Not investment advice, or a recommendation of any security, strategy, or account type.
Be sure to understand all risks involved with each strategy, including commission costs, before attempting to place any trade. Clients must consider all relevant risk factors, including their own personal financial situations, before trading.
Market volatility, volume, and system availability may delay account access and trade executions.
Past performance of a security or strategy does not guarantee future results or success.
Options are not suitable for all investors as the special risks inherent to options trading may expose investors to potentially rapid and substantial losses. Options trading subject to TD Ameritrade review and approval. Please read Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options before investing in options.
Supporting documentation for any claims, comparisons, statistics, or other technical data will be supplied upon request.
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