Please visit our E Mini Futures Day Trading Course site at: www.Easy-Emini.com
Did you know that you can trade a mini crude oil futures contract? Before you put down you money, check out the facts:
Oil Futures FAQ
Oil Futures FAQ
Futures contracts including trading in crude oil futures are financial instruments and carry with them legally binding obligations. Buyer and seller have the obligation to take or make delivery of an underlying instrument at a specified settlement date in the future. Oil futures are part of the derivatives family of financial products as their value ‘derives’ from the underlying instrument. These contracts are standardised in terms of quality, quantity and settlement dates.
About NYMEX, ICE and WTI
There are futures markets for a number of instruments ranging across currencies, bonds, equities, interest rates and commodities. In the case of crude oil, the main futures exchanges are the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) where West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and North Sea Brent crude oil are traded respectively.
These exchanges trade what is referred to as ‘light- sweet’ crude oil and a single contract, or ‘lot’, calls for the purchase or sale of 1,000 barrels of oil. Traders can buy and sell oil for delivery several months or years ahead.
The bulk of activity in commodity futures markets is typically concentrated on oil for delivery in the next three months. However, in the past five years, activity has increased substantially for deliveries much further into the future as more investors put money into commodity indices.
How Are Oil Futures Traded?
Futures contracts are traded on regulated futures exchanges. Trading can take place through electronic dealing systems, open outcry around a pit or a combination of both. To trade on an exchange, you need to be a member of that exchange. Exchange members can trade on their own account or they can execute orders for hedgers or speculators.
In the latter case, exchange members are acting as brokers and will collect a fee for their service. Each futures exchange has a clearing house which ensures that trades are settled in accordance with market rules and that guarantees the performance of the contracts traded.
The Role of Clearing Houses
The NYMEX operates its own clearing house. In the UK, the London Clearing House (LCH.Clearnet) is a recognised house that clears business for many different exchanges. The ICE exchange as well is recognised as a clearing house by the UK regulator, the Financial Services Authority (FSA).
In the US, the equivalent government regulator is the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). When a buyer and a seller agree to trade on futures exchanges, their transaction is recorded and the clearing house then steps in between them, in effect breaking the ‘bond’ between the buyer and the seller to become counterparty to both sides – the process of creating a trade in the name of the clearing house to each of the parties is often referred to as ‘novation’.
The clearing house, among other roles, is responsible for the management of the risk on transactions on the exchange – it establishes margin levels, default rules and ensures the settling of individual positions.
When market participants buy futures, they do not pay the full amount of value of the contracts they purchase. Rather, they pay an initial margin that acts like an insurance deposit (the amount is determined by the clearing house).
This initial margin represents a percentage of the value of the transaction. At the end of each trading day, individual positions are evaluated relative to the closing price of the market published by the exchange – participants are then said to be ‘marked to market’.
If their position is profitable, that profit will accrue into their account. In contrast, if the position is not profitable, the loss will be deducted from the initial deposit and the participant will be given a ‘margin call’ (called the variation or maintenance margin) to make up the difference.
On the settlement date or the expiry of futures contract, the buyer and seller have the obligation to make or take delivery of the instrument. In the case of oil, settlement can be carried out in two ways: through the actual delivery of oil into a predefined location or through a cash settlement.
In the case of the NYMEX WTI contract, physical delivery is possible and entails delivery into the oil hub of Cushing, Oklahoma. On the ICE Brent contract, there is no physical delivery but a cash settlement is available – the value of the position is assessed relative to the settlement price and a correponding financial payment is made.
In reality, very rarely does physical delivery take place in commodity futures. At the same time, market participants do not necessarily need to wait for the expiry of their contract to settle their obligation vis-à-vis the exchange.
Positions are often closed by taking an offsetting position for an equal and opposite amount of contracts. For example, a buyer of a certain futures can therefore sell an equal amount of that futures, making their net obligation relative to the exchange zero.
Crude Oil Futures Definition
The world’s most actively traded commodity based on crude oil, which is unrefined oil that is a popular source of energy and energy-related products. Contracts on many different types of oil are traded on exchanges throughout the world. In the United States, the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) is the major trading exchange for crude oil futures contracts. In the United Kingdom, the major trading venue is the International Petroleum Exchange.
Light sweet crude oil is preferred by refiners because of its ability to yield high levels of gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, and jet fuel. Other trading exchanges throughout the world also trade futures and options on many different varieties of crude oil. The benchmark light, sweet crude oil contract that NYMEX bases its contract on is the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil that is delivered in Midland,
Texas. Cash prices for WTI are quoted at Cushing, Oklahoma, which is a major crude oil shipment point that has extensive pipeline connections to oil producing areas and Southwest and Gulf Coast-based refining centers.
Please visit our E Mini Futures Day Trading Course site at: www.Easy-Emini.com
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors
A simple yet powerful home study course for E-Mini futures traders www.Easy-Emini.com
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Is Walmart the Barometer for the Economy?
Please visit our E Mini futures day trading course web site at: www.Easy-Emini.com
I read an interesting article by Greg Farrell in New York and James Politi in Washington on www.FT.com about the divergence of success between luxury retailers like Tiffany’s and Neiman Marcus and mass-market retailers like WalMart and Zales.
The high-end retailers are seeing an upsurge in growth and revenue at a time when the mass-market stores are headed in the opposite direction. For example, according to the article “On Friday, Tiffany, the luxury jeweler retailer, reported a 9 per cent increase in sales for the second quarter of 2010 over the comparable period a year ago.
By contrast, Zale’s, a mass- market chain of jewelry stores, has seen its 2010 sales lag behind its comparable figures for 2009.
Neiman Marcus, the luxury department store chain, reported a 7.6 per cent jump in revenues for the quarter ended July 31. Earlier this month, Walmart reported that same-store sales for the second-quarter of 2010 had declined from the previous year’s levels.”
What are we to come away with from this data? In my opinion, I think this is a negative indicator for the coming near-term economic climate. Most likely, these figures are tied to the woeful unemployment picture. Even the vaunted Walmart is hurting? The economy will be lead higher by the middle of the country. Call it Main Street. Until that sector of the population is out spending again with dollars earned from a job (not a government program) the economy is going to continue to be mired in this ditch. The rich will still buy diamonds in a good economy and apparently buy them when it is bad. The bottom line is not focus on the health of the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum for the barometer, not the top.
Please visit our E Mini futures day trading course web site at: www.Easy-Emini.com
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors
I read an interesting article by Greg Farrell in New York and James Politi in Washington on www.FT.com about the divergence of success between luxury retailers like Tiffany’s and Neiman Marcus and mass-market retailers like WalMart and Zales.
The high-end retailers are seeing an upsurge in growth and revenue at a time when the mass-market stores are headed in the opposite direction. For example, according to the article “On Friday, Tiffany, the luxury jeweler retailer, reported a 9 per cent increase in sales for the second quarter of 2010 over the comparable period a year ago.
By contrast, Zale’s, a mass- market chain of jewelry stores, has seen its 2010 sales lag behind its comparable figures for 2009.
Neiman Marcus, the luxury department store chain, reported a 7.6 per cent jump in revenues for the quarter ended July 31. Earlier this month, Walmart reported that same-store sales for the second-quarter of 2010 had declined from the previous year’s levels.”
What are we to come away with from this data? In my opinion, I think this is a negative indicator for the coming near-term economic climate. Most likely, these figures are tied to the woeful unemployment picture. Even the vaunted Walmart is hurting? The economy will be lead higher by the middle of the country. Call it Main Street. Until that sector of the population is out spending again with dollars earned from a job (not a government program) the economy is going to continue to be mired in this ditch. The rich will still buy diamonds in a good economy and apparently buy them when it is bad. The bottom line is not focus on the health of the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum for the barometer, not the top.
Please visit our E Mini futures day trading course web site at: www.Easy-Emini.com
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
E Mini Futures How-To: Using Moving Averages
Please visit our E Mini Futures Course site at http://www.easy-emini.com/
Our "How-to" for the day involves applying a simple moving average to an E Mini futures (E Mini FAQ) chart to help give us some clues as to what the direction the market might be heading. In my video below I used a five-minute chart and applied both a 14 and 50 period exponential moving average. While it takes some trial and error to find the right combination for your style of trading I believe that this is one of the simplist ways to determine which direction the market is headed. As with all trading and indicators, there is no gaurantee.
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors
Please visit our E Mini Futures Course site at http://www.easy-emini.com/
Our "How-to" for the day involves applying a simple moving average to an E Mini futures (E Mini FAQ) chart to help give us some clues as to what the direction the market might be heading. In my video below I used a five-minute chart and applied both a 14 and 50 period exponential moving average. While it takes some trial and error to find the right combination for your style of trading I believe that this is one of the simplist ways to determine which direction the market is headed. As with all trading and indicators, there is no gaurantee.
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors
Please visit our E Mini Futures Course site at http://www.easy-emini.com/
Monday, August 23, 2010
Best IPhone App for Futures Traders
Please visit our E Mini futures trading course web site at www.Easy-Emini.com
I have surveyed the landscape of IPhone and IPad apps for futures traders and in my opinion; the one that comes to the top is Tap & Trade. There are other clever App’s out there but most revolve around tracking your portfolio or track various markets or exchanges. Still others provide for quotes (The CME Group has an excellent one) both real time and delayed. All of that is great, but what if you actually wanted to do all of that and trade futures? Tap & Trade lets you do that on a very intuitive and elegant platform.
Designed for professional traders, brokers, and FCM’s this platform is at the high end of sophistication and will probably not suit a novice.
From the Tap&Trade web site, here is the detailed look at what they can bring to your trading:
Real-time Commodity Trading and Risk Management on your IPhone and iPod touch.
Tap and Trade is the first IPhone and iPod touch application designed specifically for Professional Commodity Traders, Risk Managers, FCMs and Brokers.
Tap and Trade is an integrated, fully functional application with a single entry design that is extremely user-friendly and intuitive. You can Tap and Trade exchange-traded futures and OTC contracts including global crude oil, refined products, natural gas, coal, agriculture, foreign exchange/financials, metals, and other related marketplaces. For a complimentary desktop solution, you can try our powerful flagship product suite, exchange tools.
With Tap & Trade you can trade:
• Agriculture
• Crude Oil Futures
• Energy
• FX/Financials
• Gasoil Futures
• Heat & Gas Futures
• Indexes
• Metals
• Natural Gas Futures
• OTC Markets
• and more…
With our innovative suite of products, renowned technology expertise, fast delivery, and straight through processing experience, we give you the ability to trade when you want to and wherever you are. We give commodity trading professionals the assurance in their market decisions and a real-time advantage in creating trading opportunities.
Tap and Trade Summary of Functionality
• Trade Futures Contracts across Multiple Exchanges, including the ICE, CME, NYMEX, DME, and more.
• Powerful Risk Management and Credit Controls with real-time alerts including Quantity Limits, Commodity Restrictions, Per Commodity Daily Long & Short Position Limits, Daily Risk Assessment Value (RAV) Limits, and more.
• Trade OTC Contracts including full support for bilateral orders and Cleared OTC orders.
• Real-time trader summary reports of open orders and completed trades.
• Quick and simple set-up of custom trading screens for easy viewing of multiple trading strategies and commodities.
• Full Depth of Market Display along with Completed Trades and Volumes.
• Full Implieds Functionality including support for Implied orders on the ICE and CME Exchanges.
• View Multiple Commodities Simultaneously from the same screen including Energy, Agriculture, FX/Financials, Indexes, Metals, and more.
• Straight Through Processing of concluded trades directly into user’s front-middle-back office trading systems as well as dumps to Excel.
You can check out a demo on their site as well at www.tapandtrade.com.
Please visit our E Mini futures trading course web site at www.Easy-Emini.com
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors
I have surveyed the landscape of IPhone and IPad apps for futures traders and in my opinion; the one that comes to the top is Tap & Trade. There are other clever App’s out there but most revolve around tracking your portfolio or track various markets or exchanges. Still others provide for quotes (The CME Group has an excellent one) both real time and delayed. All of that is great, but what if you actually wanted to do all of that and trade futures? Tap & Trade lets you do that on a very intuitive and elegant platform.
Designed for professional traders, brokers, and FCM’s this platform is at the high end of sophistication and will probably not suit a novice.
From the Tap&Trade web site, here is the detailed look at what they can bring to your trading:
Real-time Commodity Trading and Risk Management on your IPhone and iPod touch.
Tap and Trade is the first IPhone and iPod touch application designed specifically for Professional Commodity Traders, Risk Managers, FCMs and Brokers.
Tap and Trade is an integrated, fully functional application with a single entry design that is extremely user-friendly and intuitive. You can Tap and Trade exchange-traded futures and OTC contracts including global crude oil, refined products, natural gas, coal, agriculture, foreign exchange/financials, metals, and other related marketplaces. For a complimentary desktop solution, you can try our powerful flagship product suite, exchange tools.
With Tap & Trade you can trade:
• Agriculture
• Crude Oil Futures
• Energy
• FX/Financials
• Gasoil Futures
• Heat & Gas Futures
• Indexes
• Metals
• Natural Gas Futures
• OTC Markets
• and more…
With our innovative suite of products, renowned technology expertise, fast delivery, and straight through processing experience, we give you the ability to trade when you want to and wherever you are. We give commodity trading professionals the assurance in their market decisions and a real-time advantage in creating trading opportunities.
Tap and Trade Summary of Functionality
• Trade Futures Contracts across Multiple Exchanges, including the ICE, CME, NYMEX, DME, and more.
• Powerful Risk Management and Credit Controls with real-time alerts including Quantity Limits, Commodity Restrictions, Per Commodity Daily Long & Short Position Limits, Daily Risk Assessment Value (RAV) Limits, and more.
• Trade OTC Contracts including full support for bilateral orders and Cleared OTC orders.
• Real-time trader summary reports of open orders and completed trades.
• Quick and simple set-up of custom trading screens for easy viewing of multiple trading strategies and commodities.
• Full Depth of Market Display along with Completed Trades and Volumes.
• Full Implieds Functionality including support for Implied orders on the ICE and CME Exchanges.
• View Multiple Commodities Simultaneously from the same screen including Energy, Agriculture, FX/Financials, Indexes, Metals, and more.
• Straight Through Processing of concluded trades directly into user’s front-middle-back office trading systems as well as dumps to Excel.
You can check out a demo on their site as well at www.tapandtrade.com.
Please visit our E Mini futures trading course web site at www.Easy-Emini.com
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors
Friday, August 13, 2010
E Mini Grain Futures
Want to learn more about E Mini Futures trading? Check out our course at http://www.easy-emini.com/
When anyone refers to E Mini trading (E Mini FAQ), the first thing that springs to mind is smaller sized cousin to the big S&P500 or other stock index futures contract. Did you know that you can trade small grain futures contracts? With the Russian wheat crop withering under a brutal drought, wheat futures are attracting a lot of attention. The Chicago Board of Trade offers mini (1/5 sized) contracts of wheat, soybeans and corn futures. All the same potential advantages of trading mini stock index contacts come into play. Versatility, ability to scale in and out of larger positions, and for those new to grain trading, the ability to dip your toe in the water without committing to a larger size contract.
Want to learn more, check out the CME Group’s site here: http://www.cmegroup.com/
Want to learn more about E Mini Futures trading? Check out our course at http://www.easy-emini.com/
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors
When anyone refers to E Mini trading (E Mini FAQ), the first thing that springs to mind is smaller sized cousin to the big S&P500 or other stock index futures contract. Did you know that you can trade small grain futures contracts? With the Russian wheat crop withering under a brutal drought, wheat futures are attracting a lot of attention. The Chicago Board of Trade offers mini (1/5 sized) contracts of wheat, soybeans and corn futures. All the same potential advantages of trading mini stock index contacts come into play. Versatility, ability to scale in and out of larger positions, and for those new to grain trading, the ability to dip your toe in the water without committing to a larger size contract.
Want to learn more, check out the CME Group’s site here: http://www.cmegroup.com/
Want to learn more about E Mini Futures trading? Check out our course at http://www.easy-emini.com/
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Futures Trading Tip – Taking your Winnings Home
Please visit our E-Mini Trading Course web site at www.Easy-Emini.com
Do you plan to win? Do you have a plan when you win? I understand how many, if not all traders have “the dream” of what to do with untold fortunes derived from trading E-Mini futures or any other investment vehicle. The Ferrari, the Aspen vacation house, the Rolex all come to mind, but what I am referring to is ideally a written plan should their futures trading produce a 10%, 20% or more return in a reasonable time.
Futures investors must have a downside plan but in my opinion most don’t know what to do when all their hard work, research and a pinch of luck get them into the black. Typically, they merely increase their trading or worse, change the way they trade! What if they set an alarm so that when their account grew to a certain realistic level, they took that money home and maybe diversified into another investment or perhaps applied it to some debt?
I think it is important to write this plan out. It can be a heady time when winnings roll in, if they do at all. If you don’t have a written plan I believe it is easy to be cavalier about the increasing fortunes in your E-Mini futures trading account and squander the hard earned profits.
Please visit our E-Mini Trading Course web site at www.Easy-Emini.com
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors
Do you plan to win? Do you have a plan when you win? I understand how many, if not all traders have “the dream” of what to do with untold fortunes derived from trading E-Mini futures or any other investment vehicle. The Ferrari, the Aspen vacation house, the Rolex all come to mind, but what I am referring to is ideally a written plan should their futures trading produce a 10%, 20% or more return in a reasonable time.
Futures investors must have a downside plan but in my opinion most don’t know what to do when all their hard work, research and a pinch of luck get them into the black. Typically, they merely increase their trading or worse, change the way they trade! What if they set an alarm so that when their account grew to a certain realistic level, they took that money home and maybe diversified into another investment or perhaps applied it to some debt?
I think it is important to write this plan out. It can be a heady time when winnings roll in, if they do at all. If you don’t have a written plan I believe it is easy to be cavalier about the increasing fortunes in your E-Mini futures trading account and squander the hard earned profits.
Please visit our E-Mini Trading Course web site at www.Easy-Emini.com
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Mobile E-Mini Futures Quotes
Please visit the Easy-Emini.com web site to learn more about the Easy Emini Futures Day Trading Course
www.Easy-Emini.com
Want to get E-Mini (E Mini FAQ) and out futures quotes on your Smart Phone, PDA, Blackberry, or IPhone? In response to our client’s inquiries I surveyed the marketplace and found a service from Barchart.com to be one of the best. This completely free service (for delayed quotes) allows you to access futures, stocks, and forex with charts, quotes, and much more.
Here is the link to check this out for yourself: http://www.barchart.com/mobile/info.php
Please visit the Easy-Emini.com web site to learn more about the Easy Emini Futures Day Trading Course
www.Easy-Emini.com
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors.
www.Easy-Emini.com
Want to get E-Mini (E Mini FAQ) and out futures quotes on your Smart Phone, PDA, Blackberry, or IPhone? In response to our client’s inquiries I surveyed the marketplace and found a service from Barchart.com to be one of the best. This completely free service (for delayed quotes) allows you to access futures, stocks, and forex with charts, quotes, and much more.
Here is the link to check this out for yourself: http://www.barchart.com/mobile/info.php
Please visit the Easy-Emini.com web site to learn more about the Easy Emini Futures Day Trading Course
www.Easy-Emini.com
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
What Economic Recovery?
Please visit our site and learn about the Easy Emini Futures Day Trading Course at www.Easy-Emini.com
Friday will bring in yet another Jobless Claims report and the ensuing rise or fall in the E Mini futures, stock market, et al. It appears as if the market is gearing for a negative report as stocks have been declining ahead of the report.
Pundits, writers, and analysts constantly put forth the notion that “investors are jittery as they look to determine if the economic recovery will be sustained.” The eternal optimism is great, but what about reality. My personal opinion is that if we simply look to unemployment as a barometer then we are in for more bad times before it gets better. I am not an economist, not am I a quant master. What I am is a business person who knows a good amount of other business professionals. Why does this matter? I follow my own index. Let’s call it the Scot Index. In the Scot Index, I evaluate the level of unemployment of college educated professional people in my circle of friends and business associates. Right now my Index is very near its lifetime high mark. Out of my closest circle of about fifty professionals/friends, I know of eight that are out of work. Some of these people have been out of work for over a year.
Is this a recovery? While you could make a case for being at the bottom and “we can only go up from here” mentality, I personally can’t embrace that thinking. I think we have more bad times ahead until the Scot Index vastly improves.
What can you do if the Scot Index is at low ebb? Focus on investing methods that can flourish in both up and down markets as opposed to trying to buy stocks or that are cheap, hoping for a recovery.
Please visit our site and learn about the Easy Emini Futures Day Trading Course at www.Easy-Emini.com
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors
Friday will bring in yet another Jobless Claims report and the ensuing rise or fall in the E Mini futures, stock market, et al. It appears as if the market is gearing for a negative report as stocks have been declining ahead of the report.
Pundits, writers, and analysts constantly put forth the notion that “investors are jittery as they look to determine if the economic recovery will be sustained.” The eternal optimism is great, but what about reality. My personal opinion is that if we simply look to unemployment as a barometer then we are in for more bad times before it gets better. I am not an economist, not am I a quant master. What I am is a business person who knows a good amount of other business professionals. Why does this matter? I follow my own index. Let’s call it the Scot Index. In the Scot Index, I evaluate the level of unemployment of college educated professional people in my circle of friends and business associates. Right now my Index is very near its lifetime high mark. Out of my closest circle of about fifty professionals/friends, I know of eight that are out of work. Some of these people have been out of work for over a year.
Is this a recovery? While you could make a case for being at the bottom and “we can only go up from here” mentality, I personally can’t embrace that thinking. I think we have more bad times ahead until the Scot Index vastly improves.
What can you do if the Scot Index is at low ebb? Focus on investing methods that can flourish in both up and down markets as opposed to trying to buy stocks or that are cheap, hoping for a recovery.
Please visit our site and learn about the Easy Emini Futures Day Trading Course at www.Easy-Emini.com
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Top E Mini Futures Blog Posts
Please visit our E Mini Futures Day Trading Course site at www.Easy-Emini.com.
As our readership and postings grow we can see where very popular posts get buried under more recent items. I thought you would enjoy seeing our ten most popular E Mini (E Mini FAQ) or other futures posts.
1. A Billion E Mini Trades?
A Billion E Mini Trades?
2. Investor Power through Education - The Manifesto
Investor Power through Education - The Manifesto
3. E Mini Futures FAQ
E Mini Futures FAQ
4. Gold Futures Versus Leveraged Metals
Gold Futures Versus Leveraged Metals
5. Simple Trading Tip with a Big Payoff
Simple Trading Tip with a Big Payoff
6. Futures Data (Real-Time, End-of-Day, Historical, and Delayed) Futures Data (Real-Time, End-of-Day, Historical, and Delayed)
7. E Mini Traders go Head-to-Head Learn What They Think E Mini Traders go Head-to-Head Learn What They Think
8. Easy-Emini Futures Course has Been Updated
Easy-Emini Futures Course has Been Updated
9. Using Volume to Improve your E Mini Trading
Using Volume to Improve your E Mini Trading
10. IPhone Apps for Futures Traders
IPhone Apps for Futures Traders
Please visit our E Mini Futures Day Trading Course site at www.Easy-Emini.com.
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors
As our readership and postings grow we can see where very popular posts get buried under more recent items. I thought you would enjoy seeing our ten most popular E Mini (E Mini FAQ) or other futures posts.
1. A Billion E Mini Trades?
A Billion E Mini Trades?
2. Investor Power through Education - The Manifesto
Investor Power through Education - The Manifesto
3. E Mini Futures FAQ
E Mini Futures FAQ
4. Gold Futures Versus Leveraged Metals
Gold Futures Versus Leveraged Metals
5. Simple Trading Tip with a Big Payoff
Simple Trading Tip with a Big Payoff
6. Futures Data (Real-Time, End-of-Day, Historical, and Delayed) Futures Data (Real-Time, End-of-Day, Historical, and Delayed)
7. E Mini Traders go Head-to-Head Learn What They Think E Mini Traders go Head-to-Head Learn What They Think
8. Easy-Emini Futures Course has Been Updated
Easy-Emini Futures Course has Been Updated
9. Using Volume to Improve your E Mini Trading
Using Volume to Improve your E Mini Trading
10. IPhone Apps for Futures Traders
IPhone Apps for Futures Traders
Please visit our E Mini Futures Day Trading Course site at www.Easy-Emini.com.
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
10 Things You Can Do to Become a Better E Mini Futures Trader
Please visit our site and check out the Easy Emini Futures Day Trading Course: www.Easy-Emini.com
Guaranteed to be a better trader? Well, there are no guarantees; however below you will find ten things that in my opinion can only improve on your knowledge. If your knowledge quotient goes up, perhaps that puts you in a better position to become the E Mini futures trader you wish to become.
1. Read at least one thing each trading day about strategy. Learn about how a particular tool, method or strategy works. Do you have to apply each one? No! But learn as much as you can.
2. Build your investment book library.
3. What kind of trader do you wish to be (or already are)? Write it down. If you can’t identify your trading style or path it will be difficult to be successful. Be able to articulate this to anyone.
4. Focus on a sector or specific market. In my opinion, the Live Cattle futures trade differently than the E Mini S&P 500 futures. While it is possible to become knowledgeable about a diverse range of futures markets, if you are a new trader try to sharpen your focus.
5. Keep a trading journal. I have written about this before and I think it bears repeating. It is critical to keep track of your trading. Note the winners and the losers. What happened to cause each result?
6. Develop a method. If you can articulate why you entered or exited a futures trade then you probably should not have done the transaction to begin with.
7. Practice sound money management. Understand how much of your investment you are putting at risk. So many times I see clients come in and leverage the entire account for one trade. Its great if the trade works out, but if not you can be wiped out in a matter of minutes or days.
8. Get educated. There are countless courses out there that may improve your trading skills. Do they all work, no. Is it possible that there are some which may be in line with your trading style and current knowledge base, probably? Even the best and most experienced traders will tell you that they learn something new all the time.
9. Practice as much as possible. If you are working with a new strategy or technique, practice by paper trading. Don’t put up your investment capital to experiment with something new.
10. Have a positive attitude! Before you sit down to trade (or contemplate trading) focus on going in with a good, positive attitude. In a bad mood, not focused, distracted? Go for a walk, do anything but sit down and fork over your hard earned money.
Please visit our site and check out the Easy Emini Futures Day Trading Course: www.Easy-Emini.com
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors
Guaranteed to be a better trader? Well, there are no guarantees; however below you will find ten things that in my opinion can only improve on your knowledge. If your knowledge quotient goes up, perhaps that puts you in a better position to become the E Mini futures trader you wish to become.
1. Read at least one thing each trading day about strategy. Learn about how a particular tool, method or strategy works. Do you have to apply each one? No! But learn as much as you can.
2. Build your investment book library.
3. What kind of trader do you wish to be (or already are)? Write it down. If you can’t identify your trading style or path it will be difficult to be successful. Be able to articulate this to anyone.
4. Focus on a sector or specific market. In my opinion, the Live Cattle futures trade differently than the E Mini S&P 500 futures. While it is possible to become knowledgeable about a diverse range of futures markets, if you are a new trader try to sharpen your focus.
5. Keep a trading journal. I have written about this before and I think it bears repeating. It is critical to keep track of your trading. Note the winners and the losers. What happened to cause each result?
6. Develop a method. If you can articulate why you entered or exited a futures trade then you probably should not have done the transaction to begin with.
7. Practice sound money management. Understand how much of your investment you are putting at risk. So many times I see clients come in and leverage the entire account for one trade. Its great if the trade works out, but if not you can be wiped out in a matter of minutes or days.
8. Get educated. There are countless courses out there that may improve your trading skills. Do they all work, no. Is it possible that there are some which may be in line with your trading style and current knowledge base, probably? Even the best and most experienced traders will tell you that they learn something new all the time.
9. Practice as much as possible. If you are working with a new strategy or technique, practice by paper trading. Don’t put up your investment capital to experiment with something new.
10. Have a positive attitude! Before you sit down to trade (or contemplate trading) focus on going in with a good, positive attitude. In a bad mood, not focused, distracted? Go for a walk, do anything but sit down and fork over your hard earned money.
Please visit our site and check out the Easy Emini Futures Day Trading Course: www.Easy-Emini.com
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors
Monday, August 2, 2010
FAQ – Gold Futures
Please visit our E Mini Futures Day Trading Course at www.Easy-Emini.com
While much of our focus on this blog is E Mini stock index trading I know that there is a huge following for gold futures. To that end I thought I would supply you some assistance on getting your questions answered when it comes to trading gold futures. First, let’s start with the basics:
WHERE ARE GOLD FUTURES TRADED: COMEX Gold futures are traded on the COMEX division of the NYMEX under ticker symbol GC in U.S dollars and cents per troy ounce.
Its precious metals volume exceeds that of all other futures exchanges put together and it attracts world-wide participation, with many traders in Europe, the Middle East and East Asia remaining in their offices until COMEX closes. This gives COMEX unique liquidity, which in turn is much of the reason for its success. Trading hours reflect this and the exchange has opened progressively earlier to suit overseas clients.
WHAT ARE GOLD FUTURES TRADING HOURS: Trading hours futures and options: 8.20 am to 2.30 pm New York time.
After hours futures trading are also available on the NYMEX ACCESS SM electronic trading system, beginning at 4.00 pm on Monday to Thursday and concluding at 7.00 am the following day. On Sundays the electronic session begins at 7.00 pm. All times are New York time.
ARE THE NYMEX AND COMEX THE SAME THING: In 1994, COMEX merged with the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and is officially the COMEX division of NYMEX, but it is always referred to as COMEX.
WHAT ARE THE CONTACT SPECIFICATIONS FOR GOLD FUTURE: COMEX Futures
• The COMEX gold futures contract was launched on 31 December 1974.
• The COMEX gold futures contract is based on 100 ounces of gold.
• Prices are quoted in multiples of ten cents per ounce, or $10 per contract.
• COMEX futures are listed on the current calendar month and the next two months and every February, April, June, August, October and December in a 23 month period.
• The June and December contracts are listed out to 60 months to provide expanded trading opportunities for hedgers and speculators.
• Last day of trading for a gold futures contract is the third last business day of the delivery month.
• Delivery is made in registered depository receipts issued by exchange-approved depositories in New York.
• Deliverable gold must be cast in one 100-ounce or three one kilo bars by an exchange-approved refiner and assayed at no less than 995 fineness.
• Turnover on the exchange is usually eight to nine million contracts annually, but in 1999 rose to 9.58 million.
• Open Interest is published daily. It indicates the number of contracts which have not been fulfilled, either by making or taking delivery or by liquidation. The level of open interest is an important signpost to both liquidity and the activity in a given trading month.
Please visit our E Mini Futures Day Trading Course at www.Easy-Emini.com
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors
While much of our focus on this blog is E Mini stock index trading I know that there is a huge following for gold futures. To that end I thought I would supply you some assistance on getting your questions answered when it comes to trading gold futures. First, let’s start with the basics:
WHERE ARE GOLD FUTURES TRADED: COMEX Gold futures are traded on the COMEX division of the NYMEX under ticker symbol GC in U.S dollars and cents per troy ounce.
Its precious metals volume exceeds that of all other futures exchanges put together and it attracts world-wide participation, with many traders in Europe, the Middle East and East Asia remaining in their offices until COMEX closes. This gives COMEX unique liquidity, which in turn is much of the reason for its success. Trading hours reflect this and the exchange has opened progressively earlier to suit overseas clients.
WHAT ARE GOLD FUTURES TRADING HOURS: Trading hours futures and options: 8.20 am to 2.30 pm New York time.
After hours futures trading are also available on the NYMEX ACCESS SM electronic trading system, beginning at 4.00 pm on Monday to Thursday and concluding at 7.00 am the following day. On Sundays the electronic session begins at 7.00 pm. All times are New York time.
ARE THE NYMEX AND COMEX THE SAME THING: In 1994, COMEX merged with the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and is officially the COMEX division of NYMEX, but it is always referred to as COMEX.
WHAT ARE THE CONTACT SPECIFICATIONS FOR GOLD FUTURE: COMEX Futures
• The COMEX gold futures contract was launched on 31 December 1974.
• The COMEX gold futures contract is based on 100 ounces of gold.
• Prices are quoted in multiples of ten cents per ounce, or $10 per contract.
• COMEX futures are listed on the current calendar month and the next two months and every February, April, June, August, October and December in a 23 month period.
• The June and December contracts are listed out to 60 months to provide expanded trading opportunities for hedgers and speculators.
• Last day of trading for a gold futures contract is the third last business day of the delivery month.
• Delivery is made in registered depository receipts issued by exchange-approved depositories in New York.
• Deliverable gold must be cast in one 100-ounce or three one kilo bars by an exchange-approved refiner and assayed at no less than 995 fineness.
• Turnover on the exchange is usually eight to nine million contracts annually, but in 1999 rose to 9.58 million.
• Open Interest is published daily. It indicates the number of contracts which have not been fulfilled, either by making or taking delivery or by liquidation. The level of open interest is an important signpost to both liquidity and the activity in a given trading month.
Please visit our E Mini Futures Day Trading Course at www.Easy-Emini.com
Futures trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors
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