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A margin call is one of the phrases that scares a new futures investor the most. Often, they picture life savings getting wiped out in seconds, as it does in movies. The truth is not nearly as intimidating. Margin is simply a tool. One that educated investors often love. After all, if you expected your […]

What makes a futures program great? Obvious answers include excellent performance, low drawdowns, a high Sharpe ratio, or consistent returns. While everyone searches for those qualities, large money managers know that the secret to producing all of those is to build portfolios that target those goals using multiple strategies. After all, high returns and low […]

Futures investors often wonder, “If the equity markets are going up, why aren’t we following that trend and making money?” The truth is that many markets can be trending at once or very few at all. Oftentimes, the best trade is in another market completely. One of the best trades recently is long cattle. Yet, […]

My great-grandfather built a cottage on the shores of Lake Michigan almost 100 years ago. Five generations later, we still spend our summers relaxing on the beach. Some of the best days, however, can take a sharp turn. Despite perfect weather on shore, we sometimes see dark clouds gather and lightning bolts light up the […]

All traders use rules. Some program it into their systems. Others use guidelines that relate to their profit goals and risk levels and implement them with each new position. While many investors see the danger in futures, the best traders use the market features to their advantage. One thing they all share is a healthy […]

*PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT NECESSARILY INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS. THE RISK OF LOSS IN TRADING COMMODITY FUTURES, OPTIONS, AND FOREIGN EXCHANGE (“FOREX”) IS SUBSTANTIAL. Users all around the world visit our site for many reasons. Often, they want to learn more about the choices available and how our traders compare to the ones they currently […]

Politicians like to pick and choose their economic schools of thought to justify their policy and spending decisions. Elected liberals like to point to the Keynesian effects of government spending, whereby each dollar inserted into the economy drives multiples of that value in growth. Conservative officials often use the Austrian theories, which posit that free […]

It is often said that trend followers provide “crisis alpha.” This means that market stress often benefits their strategies. This follows logically as moves get larger, coordinate together, and run consistently, trading becomes easier. These managers quickly caution that they do not always provide this negative correlation. Price action can swing unpredictably against long-standing trends […]

A common complaint about politicians is that they avoid critical decisions because they only care about keeping their job. Much like a middle manager at a bank, taking a daring chance and failing gets you fired, but doing the bare minimum keeps you employed. Donald Trump is not a normal politician. In a continuing trend, […]

Success in business and elsewhere is often gained with years of experience through trial and error. Battlefield conditions necessitate a different approach that prioritizes good decision-making under the most stressful and high-stakes situations imaginable. In a different way, trading is similar. Moving millions of dollars in and out of positions while competing against the best […]

Investor psychology is an important aspect of trading. Understanding human emotions and their corresponding actions can give us a leg up in improving our trading and capitalizing on the mistakes and foibles of others. Volatile markets show this play out in real-time as panic ensues and massive moves are forgotten weeks later. The beginning of […]

I often tell aspiring traders looking to launch their programs that trading is hard, but it is only half the battle. Running a business that manages customer accounts and expectations, complies with regulations, and grows assets is just as vital. The CFTC is set to make that job a bit more difficult starting on March […]

In World War II, Germany pioneered a revolutionary tactic to spearhead an attack at a specific point in the enemy lines to overwhelm their defenses and create chaos. Donald Trump is taking the lessons of those battles and performing his own blitzkrieg as he re-enters office for a second term. Unlike his first term, in […]