When it comes to the various hidden costs of futures trading, slippage is the undisputed king of the hill. When a market or stop-market order is filled at an inopportune moment, it can be a drain on both your trading account and patience. Aside from detailed plans governing position management and market entry and exit, some… Read more.
Tips & Strategies
Energy Futures: A Look at the Crude Oil & Natural Gas Trade
The global energy futures marketplace facilitates the trade of a diverse array of participants. No matter if a producer is hedging systemic production risks or a trader is aiming to capitalize upon rapid pricing fluctuations, energy products are opportune vehicles for achieving a broad spectrum of market-related goals.
Trading Currencies: Futures vs. Forex
Perhaps the oldest standardized mode of trade involves the swapping of foreign currencies. Exchanging one form of money for another has long been an unavoidable aspect of travel, as well as a speculative endeavor. Whether you’re a professional arbitrager or simply striking out abroad, the currency trade is an indispensable component of international commerce.
Learning the Basics of E-Mini Futures Trading
The U.S. equities market is the largest in the world, boasting more than $25 trillion in value. Led by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the NASDAQ, U.S. markets are the global benchmark for liquidity and stability. Although U.S. equities are an attractive alternative for high-net-worth and long-term investors, they present several challenges to… Read more.
3 Ways to Achieve Low Latency Trading
The contemporary futures marketplace is a fast-moving, ultra-competitive environment. Orders are sent to the market remotely via internet connectivity and executed at near-light speeds. From sophisticated institutional participants to live futures trading newbies, low latency trading within the marketplace is a key determinant of profitability. Before the markets went digital, the time it took to… Read more.
Live Futures Trading: Pre- and Post-market Session Planning
Live futures trading is a taxing endeavor that requires extensive preparation and analysis. Dedicating adequate time to the discipline of active trading, and all it entails, is essential to approaching the market from a position of strength. Modern futures markets exist as digital venues, open for business 23 hours a day, five days a week.… Read more.
How to Manage Your Risk with Stop and Limit Orders
According to a 2010 study published by the University of California, 80 percent of short-term traders new to the market quit within two years. In financial circles, the general consensus estimates that 95 percent eventually opt for an early exit from the market. No matter which statistic is closer to the truth, probability appears to… Read more.
Leveraging IRAs As Part of Your Futures Trading Strategy
Using funds salted away in an IRA is a time-tested futures trading strategy that may enhance your returns, although it’s by no means a riskless approach. Investing IRA funds in the world of futures — from commodities to stock indices to financial instruments — can be a smart way to add a solid new branch… Read more.
The Ins and Outs of Trading On Margin in Futures
Perhaps the most dreaded phrase in any trader or investor’s vocabulary is “margin call.” Margin calls are a broker’s request for the deposit of additional funds to bring the trading account above the initial or maintenance margin. Whether you’re trading equities, currencies or futures products, receiving a margin call is never a good thing.
Low Latency Trading: Staying Competitive by Optimizing Speed
The futures markets are dynamic atmospheres where business is conducted at near light speeds. To succeed in this hypercompetitive arena, low latency trading is critical to engage the marketplace with maximum efficiency. As anyone that has traded futures can attest to, abrupt and swift pricing fluctuations are commonplace. In order to stay on the lead… Read more.