Do Strategies Interact When Using the Same Ticker in TradersPost?
When multiple strategies trade the same ticker in a single TradersPost account, they interact because positions are tracked by symbol, not strategy. Learn how to prevent conflicts and ensure smooth strategy execution.
A common issue among TradersPost users is whether multiple strategies trading the same ticker in the same account can interact with or affect each other. This guide explains why this happens, how TradersPost treats positions, and how to avoid conflicts when using multiple strategies on the same ticker.
Why Strategies Conflict When Using the Same Ticker
In TradersPost, a position refers to any open quantity of a single symbol within your account. If you have multiple strategies trading the same symbol in the same account, they will conflict because:
- TradersPost tracks positions by symbol, not strategy.
- If one strategy opens a position, the system sees it as an open position for that ticker across the account, even if another strategy placed it.
- When an exit signal is sent, TradersPost looks up the total position size with the broker and determines how much to liquidate.
This can cause order rejections or unexpected exits when different strategies try to manage their positions independently.
How to Prevent Strategy Conflicts
1. Use Different Expiration Dates (For Futures)
If trading futures, you can avoid conflicts by using different contract expiration dates.
For example:
- One strategy trades ESZ2024 (December 2024 contract).
- Another trades ESH2025 (March 2025 contract).
Since these are different symbols, TradersPost will not merge their positions.
2. Separate Strategies into Different Accounts
The best way to ensure full strategy independence is to use separate broker accounts for each strategy.
- Many brokers allow you to open multiple accounts.
- Moving capital into separate accounts prevents TradersPost from merging positions under the same ticker.
- Each strategy then manages its own trades without interference.
3. Adjust Position Management in TradersPost
If multiple strategies must trade the same ticker in the same account:
- Be aware that exit signals will apply to the entire ticker position in the account.
- Consider manually managing position exits instead of relying solely on automated strategy exits.
- Ensure your strategies account for this limitation to avoid unexpected behavior.
Conclusion
TradersPost does not separate positions by strategy within the same account. Instead, it treats all open positions under the same ticker as a single entity. To avoid conflicts:
- Use different expiration contracts if trading futures.
- Separate strategies into different broker accounts.
- Carefully manage exits when trading the same ticker in the same account.
Understanding how TradersPost handles positions can help you optimize your strategy execution and avoid unexpected trading conflicts.
