In backtesting, it assumes that all stocks were shortable at the time, which isn't necessarily correct. There's more improvements we can make to the backtester and I think this is one of them!

Thanks. When the algorithm is actually running, I assume I'll know what can't be shorted simply because the order will go unfilled. Will there be any more info than that?

Do you mean in live trading? When your algorithm is paper trading or real money trading with Interactive Brokers, the algorithm will attempt to place a short order. If it's accepted by the broker, the order will get filled. If the stock is not available for short sale that day, then the order will get rejected and the message will appear in your live trading dashboard.

Is there a way to place a contingent order where by if I'm pair trading, the 'long' side of the pair will only execute iff the 'short' side is executed?

How I would go about doing this is to setup a boolean in initialize that keeps track of my short sides so something like:

def initialize(context):  
      context.stock_to_long = symbol("AAPL")  
      context.stock_to_short = symbol("SPY")

      #: Instantiate some variables that will be used to store our states  
      context.short_executed = False  
      context.short_order_id = None

def handle_data(context, data):

      #: Order my short and store the order id in a context variable  
      context.short_order_id = order(context.stock_to_short, -1)

      #: Check if my short order has been executed so far  
      if get_order(short_order_id)['filled'] == -1:

            #: Revert my variables to the state I want them to be in  
            context.short_executed = True  
            context.short_order_id = None

      #: If my short has been executed, then go ahead and long  
      if context.short_executed == True:  
            order(context.stock_to_long, 1)

            #: Change my short_executed boolean back to False  
            context.short_executed = False  

Something like this should work well for minutely mode given you have all your order conditions in place

Alan,

I'm no expert, but I did a quick google search and found that IB has a list:

We make the stocks listed under the following links available for shorting:
https://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/index.php?f=shortableStocks&p=shortable

I'd definitely dig deeper, since again, I have no expertise in this area.

Grant

Thanks, Grant -- that's useful and interesting. The list would be easy to capture and pull in as data. The "check availability" function should be reverse engineer-able, but on quick inspection they don't make it easy.

For those with the IB Portfolio Margin accounts, it can be checked in AQS Marketplace. Those with RegT can check the borrow rates within account management -> suport -> tools -> SLB (short stock availability tool).
If you can't automate this verification, my tip is to not short illiquid, volatile or heavily shorted stocks, as you can end up not being filled or getting bad execution.

Hello everyone,

I am attempting my first pairs strategy and happened to have this exactly question. Figured id just bump this . The thread is now 4 years old so I am just wondering if any enhancement have been made to this topic. I know Q has introduce the trading universes but are is there a way to confirm that all assets in them are shortable.