Data Provider for ^TICK and ^TICKQ

[rezamerik]

What's the best data provider that's also not extremely expensive to load ^TICK and ^TICKQ, and how can I purchase that? I already use Rithmic but it doesn't come with ^TICK data.

[NinjaTrader_Kennedy]

Hello rezamerik,

Thank you for your post!

I've provided our Data by Provider guide and our Connection guides below with all of our supported data providers:

• https://ninjatrader.com/support/help...y_provider.htm
• https://ninjatrader.com/Help-Connection-Guides

I would recommend contacting a couple of the ones on this list that you might be interested in directly to see what their pricing structure is like.

Please let us know if further assistance is needed!

[rezamerik]

Thanks so much for your response NinjaTrader_Kennedy. According to the table of data providers, Rithmic should be showing ^TICK chart, but it doesn't! How can I know which of these will plot ^TICK and ^TICKQ charts?

[bltdavid]

According to the table of data providers, Rithmic should be showing ^TICK chart, but it doesn't! How can I know which of these will plot ^TICK and ^TICKQ charts?

Uh, no. I don't think so. Let's discuss.

On the Data by Provider webpage, look at the 'Instruments Supported' column.

Rithmic shows only 'F' -- which means 'Futures' -- see bottom of the page.

Thus, Rithmic does not provide ^TICK data. Do you agree?

-=o=-

What you're looking for are providers with a capital 'I' in that column.
The legend shows 'I' means 'Indexes'.

What is an 'Index'?
The main difference is that an Index can be charted, but not traded.
Things like the ES, NQ, YM, and RTY are Futures instruments, based
upon underlying stock indexes. But ^TICK and others are actually raw
index data, but they are data only, and not tradeable instruments.

A Futures instrument based upon an index is a tradeable instrument, but
an Index instrument based upon an index is not a tradeable instrument.
An Index instrument is data only.

[EDIT:
Ya gotta be careful when ya see the word 'index' -- when solo, that word
is very general and quite overloaded. The phrase 'index instrument' has a
very specific meaning inside NinjaTrader, which is different from the phrase
'index futures' -- see that? -- it's all in the context.]

To prove to yourself that 'Indexes' encompasses (non-tradeable) instruments
like ^TICK and ^TICKQ, open the Instruments window and select 'Index' in
the Search dropdown box in the upper left. See attached.

CC > Tools > Instruments brings up the Instruments window.

You'll need to scroll down for ^TICK and ^TICKQ.

Both CQG & Continuum show 'F,I' -- sooo, all NinjaTrader Brokerage
customers should (presumably) be able to load up a chart with ^TICK
or ^TICKQ data -- unless, there's an extra fee or something, I dunno.

But Rithmic? Uh, no ... they're Futures only.

Obviously, I'm making the huge assumption that most NTB customers
are using Continuum, which I think is generally the case. Even though
in the past NTB also offered Rithmic, it required an extra monthly fee,
like $10 or so, but you had to ask for that specifically -- thus most
folks probably opted for the free Continuum option. [I would imagine
most NTB customers already enjoy access to a certain number of
Index instruments, just because they (blindly?) opted for Continuum.]

However:
It's not clear that providers with 'I' in their 'Instruments Supported' column
support all the Indexes listed in the Instruments window -- I mean, for ex,
I know some NTB customers who also have an IQFeed for access to the
^VIX, so maybe NTB's Continuum connection does not offer ^VIX data?

[I mean, if NTB offered ^VIX data (because CQG/Continuum both have
an 'I' in that column) seems like it would be cheaper overall to have a
funded NTB account. Why do that? To get access to 'free' ^VIX data,
of course! Think about it: a funded NTB account is surely cheaper than
the monthly fee to IQFeed. Remember, data is not really free, it takes
money for a data aggregator to acquire and distribute it. Thus, we the
customers have to play the game and find the cheapest data source
available.]

Maybe CQG/Continuum does not offer every Index instrument. Maybe
they give access to only the most popular ones for free, and maybe
others you have to pay for, I don't know. But I digress.

-=o=-

A data feed business like IQFeed should (I suspect) offer just about
every Index you see in that Instruments window. For a fee, naturally.

My point is:
if a funded NTB/Continuum account provides ^TICK & ^TICKQ data,
maybe opening such an account would be the cheaper option.

Again, I dunno, so do your due diligence until you get the answers.

Just my 2˘.

[rezamerik]

bltdavid Wow thank you so much for the detailed explanation! Really appreciate it!