Problem with "Invalid Prices" on Trades

I have noticed that when the PA is hot and heavy and I attempt to place an order (demo acct) that I keep getting the message "Invalid Prices". Why and what does that mean? Is it normal or unusual?

In addition, I get requote after requote in the same situation, sometimes alternating with "Invalid Prices". Is all this normal during heavy trading?

Note that I am talking about market orders with no SL or TP.

Thanks for any explanations.

Lew

That must be a good demo, whose is it? Most demo platforms don't simulate trading in real market conditions, they fill everything perfectly without slippage, going live can come as a shock!

In a 'fast market' when prices are volatile requotes and invalid price messages are perfectly normal (I prefer requotes as it gives me a choice to accept or not). It's due to the time it takes your order to reach the broker's servers and if it's a busy time it has to wait in the queue. By the time your order is ready to be processed the price you clicked might have changed, hence the invalid price message or requote. The worst platforms, the ones to avoid, accept the market order, lock it, and fill at whatever price they like without requoting!!

If you're experiencing requotes and invalid price messages regularly in 'normal' market conditions then there may be a problem, either with the broker trying to get an extra pip or two out of you or with your connection to their server (maybe a firewall or something slowing things up).

Thanks Pipmutt for the info. I am not having any problems under normal trading conditions, only those where the volume is very heavy and the PA is hot; like the 110 pip drop in the EU today after the FOMC statement.

The demo is from Alpari US (MT4).

lol, that was crazy wasn't it!

There's an option on the order ticket to 'enable maximum deviation from quoted price', in effect you're saying you don't mind x number of pips slippage. I can't say I'd like to use that as it's like an invitation to give me slippage but it may be useful when it's volatile, give it a try!


http://i30.tinypic.com/1zwnhap.jpg

Thanks pipmutt. Appreciate the reply and info.

Good trading.