Topstep has emailed traders saying Combines and XFAs cannot open positions 5 minutes before/after the CPI release scheduled for August 12. Equity products only (ES, NQ, etc.). This is notable because Topstep's FAQ does not restrict news trading on sim accounts. Non-equity products are unaffected, and positions opened before the window may be held through the news.

Alpha Futures payout update: the Premium payouts that were showing as "Voided" are now marked "Premium Pending," and Alpha says they'll be paid in batches. According to Alpha: - First batch, 10% of outstanding Premium payouts, went out today. - Zero and Advanced payouts return to same-day tomorrow. - Active Premium accounts are still being refunded. The announcement only covers approved payouts. It says nothing about Premium payouts that were still waiting to be approved when the plan closed, so traders stuck in that stage don't yet know where they stand. Alpha is offering this as the resolution to the earlier voided-payout reports. As of this post, 90% of Premium payouts are still outstanding.

Alpha Futures and Tradovate have both put out public statements about the end of their partnership. They contradict each other on the balance, the reason, the timeline, and who pulled Tradovate first. What both sides confirm: - the agreement is terminating, and Alpha is moving existing Tradovate users to AlphaTrader this week. - Tradovate says traders who want to stay on Tradovate can do so at another firm. Full breakdown below.

JUST IN: FundedNext just launched their new Flex Plan - It has the lowest profit target in the industry 🚨 @fnfutures has officially entered the Flex category. These accounts feature the lowest targets on the market and a "one-time fee" model with zero activation costs. At the $69.99 promo price, it is currently the cheapest $50k account in the industry. Here’s what you need to know 👇: 1️⃣ New Launch Promo (use code “PIP”): - $50k Flex: $69.99 (From $139.99) [Profit Target $2,500] - $100k Flex: $129.99 (From $249.99) [Profit Target $5,000] - $150k Flex: $249.99 (From $483.99) [Profit Target $8,000] 2️⃣ Key Features: ✅ Lowest Profit Target In The Industry ($500 less than competition) ✅ One-Time Fee ✅ No Activation Fee ✅ EOD Drawdown: End-of-Day Max Loss Limit (MLL). ✅ No Daily Loss Limit (DLL) ✅ Consistency Rule: 40% (Evaluation Only). No Consistency once funded. ✅ News Trading Allowed 3️⃣ Payout Rules: - Profit Split: 80/20 (Base) | 90/10 (Add-on available). Min Payout: $250. - Max Withdrawal: 50% of Balance (Capped at $1.5k / $2.5k / $4k based on size). - Min Days of Profit: 5 days of $200 (Fixed for all accounts size) This is currently the most affordable evaluation available. The promo price of $69.99 is the cheapest in the industry for a $50k Account. Even without any offers, it is still equally priced with the LucidFlex account coming in as the joint lowest price. While the payout caps and lower leverage (3-8 contracts) are more restrictive than the competition, the low entry price and lenient rules make it very accessible to traders.