The best advice I can offer is to check a broker very carefully. Don't believe the advertising. Make sure the broker is a ECN (Elictronic Communications Network) broker. Then look into them closer. Being an ECN doesn't mean they will never cheat you, but it reduces the chances by 98%. An ECN should not have any effect on the spread, because the trades only flow through them, but a true ECN does not touch the trade. They do not trade against you. They do not trade at all. But they chage a commission per trade. That is where they make their profit. Believe me, paying a small commission is better than getting involved with a company that stretches the spread so you can't get out, or who takes your money.
vintage