Are Default Watch Lists Updated or Maintained?

[aligator]

I notice that many listed symbols for SP500 watchlist of my NT8 installation (latest version) are no longer updated and have been dropped from the Index and new symbols are missing.

Does Ninja keep SP500 list and other lists, i.e. NASDQ 100, etc, up to date? Is it possible to simply import an updated SP500 list (or any other list) to Ninja without having to type in one symbol at at a time? How do I get the most recent symbols list?

Thanks.

[NinjaTrader_BrendanC]

Hello aligator,

Thank you for your post.

It sounds like a reset of your instruments would solve this behavior.

To reset your instruments, please take the steps below.

1. First, disconnect from any data providers by navigating to the Control Center > Connections menu, and left-click on “disconnect” that appears to the right when hovering your mouse over any active connection
2. Next, reset your instruments by navigating to the Control Center > Tools > Database Management
3. In the Database Management window, under the “Update instruments” section, ensure that “General properties”, "Futures expiries" and “Symbol mappings” options are checked and then click Update
4. Lastly, restart NinjaTrader for the changes to occur

If you reset your instruments, do you find that the watch list with the S&P500 and NASDAQ 100 lists update?

Thank you in advance, I look forward to hearing the results.

[aligator]

Hello aligator,

If you reset your instruments, do you find that the watch list with the S&P500 and NASDAQ 100 lists update?

Thank you Brendan.

No, I checked SP500 list only and did not get updated. It still lists approximately 504 symbols including 17 symbols that are no longer part of SP500 symbols and do not get data updates(APC, BBT, BHGE, CBS, CELG, DWDP, HCP, HRS, JEC, LLL, RHT, STI, SYMC, TMK, TSS, VIAB, WCG,

I am using TDA data, but I have checked the list against the mother ship Standard & Poors list. The above items are not included the current SP500 index.

I recall I had similar issues in the past years that I discussed with your support staff, but apparently there was no follow through. Now I am wondering if NinjaTrader maintains and updates the default watch lists at all. For example CBS was acquired longtime ago more than once (by Viacom and Disney) yet still appears on your SP500 list.

Can you please shed some lights on whether you actually maintain the accuracy of these watch lists for those of us who depend on them in Market Analyzer for screening purposes.

Thanks.

Ref: SP500 List

https://www.barchart.com/stocks/indices/sp/sp500

Post Edit:

I have noticed that having a dud symbol (one that is obsolete and no longer receives data) in a watch list used in market analyzer for screening based on an indicator causes major issues. Specially, if the indicator calculates a historical index value used in a formula (that was my main issue.)

I have deleted the 17 obsoleted symbols from the SP500 list and this issue was resolved. However, now the SP500 default list contains only 489 symbols.

My observation is that the default SP500 watch list may have not been maintained by NinjaTrader for a long time, thus containing a bunch of obsolete symbols and missing at least 11 (500-489=11)new symbols added to the index since some times ago.

Cheers!

[NinjaTrader_BrendanC]

Hello aligator,
Thank you for your response.

We periodically update these lists, however there are times that a symbol is not included in an index, and it will need to be manually set up by the user in this case. It is possible to edit and customize any instrument list as you desire. Additionally, if there is an instrument found to no longer be functioning, it is possible to delete it from the instrument list.

Thank you for including that additional information regarding the symbols you found to be obsolete. I have passed this information along to our Product Management Team for review.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any additional questions or inquiries regarding NinjaTrader.

[aligator]

Hello aligator,
Thank you for your response.

We periodically update these lists, however there are times that a symbol is not included in an index, and it will need to be manually set up by the user in this case. It is possible to edit and customize any instrument list as you desire. Additionally, if there is an instrument found to no longer be functioning, it is possible to delete it from the instrument list.

Thank you for including that additional information regarding the symbols you found to be obsolete. I have passed this information along to our Product Management Team for review.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any additional questions or inquiries regarding NinjaTrader.

Thank you Brendan,

Similar response as in the past. That is exactly what I did, deleted the symbols that are obsolete. The problem is that we have no idea what those 11 missing new symbols are to complete the SP500.

Please note that all index lists are dynamic and change as new symbols are added/deleted. It is difficult and almost impossible to monitor and manually make adjustments, especially for long lists such as SP500, Russell 2000, etc.

I use two other serious trading platforms that their numerous index lists are dynamically updated with input from the main source as the composition of these index lists change, and not periodically as is the case with NinjaTrader. Perhaps, NinjaTrader product management may want to consider adopting a similar automated approach to updating these index lists.

Cheers, and good luck!

[aligator]

Dear Support,

As a follow up on this unmaintained NT default watchlists issue, I was hoping that with the move to NT8.1 this issue will be resolved. It would be a major improvement and saving a lot of customer headaches, by NT adopting an automated under-the-hood approach, similar to other major platforms, to dynamically maintain the default watchlists (SP500, Russell 2000, etc.)

Obviously, NinjaTrader is not even manually updating these watchlists as claimed above by the Support. Any feedback on plans by your Product Management to resolve this serious issue is apreciated?

Thanks.

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

Hello aligator,

This feature request is being tracked under SFT-5546 as per the forum thread below.

https://forum.ninjatrader.com/forum/suggestions-and-feedback/suggestions-and-feedback-aa/1211232-default-watchlists-need-updating

Unfortunately we can't offer an ETA or promise of fulfillment.