Futures Magazine June 01, 2010
Cover Story
Stanley Haar on grains: Why markets exist
Stanley Haar has participated in the grain markets as a commercial hedger, small speculator and money manager over nearly 40 years. Here’s what he has learned.
Trading Techniques
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Options and the Pareto set
Multiple criteria are typically used to analyze potential individual equity option trades. In this first of two parts, we introduce the most efficient approach for selecting these criteria: the Pareto-optimality.
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Hedging options with a static replicating portfolio
Continuously modifying the weights of an options portfolio — dynamic hedging — suffers from high transaction costs and the existence of price gaps. A better way to hedge may be with a static-replicating portfolio.
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Opportunities in E-mini wedge price action
Wedge patterns are a favorite of intermediate-term traders. However, these simple price patterns also develop on the smallest of time frames, offering up numerous scalping opportunities throughout the trading day.
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Stocks, mutual funds and ETFs: Defined cycles
Each stock, index, commodity, mutual fund or exchange-traded fund trades within a cyclical context. Defined time cycles can help you analyze and trade the markets.
Technology & Trading
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Money management: Understanding the game
Money management is a powerful ingredient to trading success. Tackling it the right way is the first step to getting there.
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Technology & trading: Volatility sizing codes
Code that sets the position size for each market based on each market’s relative size and volatility.
Forex Trader
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Correlation trading: Opportunities and tactics
In forex, price action often emulates wavelike forces in nature.
Futures 101
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Spread trading: Tricks of the trade
Today’s volatile markets call for less risky trading strategies such as spreads. Here are some common spread techniques and how to use them.
Industry Trends
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Carbon allowances: Tomorrow’s game today
It’s been five years since the EU launched emissions trading, and now it’s the fastest-growing market on the planet. Here’s how it works.
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Asian commodities volume boom missing Japan?
Being left behind in the Asian boom is not in Japan’s nature, so bringing down some walls could boost volumes as well as modernize this ancient land.
Markets
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Grains offer long opportunity by thinking short
The grain complex has been in a slow price decline since the huge whipsaw in 2008 and with ideal planting conditions this spring, bulls are hard to find.
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Tech Talk: Corn, soybeans and wheat trends
Current corn, soybean and wheat trends
Editor's Note
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Pointing the (fat) finger
A look at many of the dramas on the current business front -- the BP oil spill, the "flash crash" of May 6, and the financial troubles in Greece and the rest of Europe.
Book Reviews
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A Trader’s First Book on Commodities: An Introduction to the World’s Fastest Growing Market
A review of "A Trader’s First Book on Commodities: An Introduction to the World’s Fastest Growing Market" by Carley Garner.
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Far From Random: Using Investor Behavior and Trend Analysis to Forecast Market Movement
A review of "Far From Random: Using Investor Behavior and Trend Analysis to Forecast Market Movement," by Richard Lehman.
Market Analysis
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Soybean oil: Ready for a breakout?
Soybean oil might be ready for a breakout. Here's why.
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Crude anomalies
Analysts don’t expect crude oil to move much higher in June, despite the BP explosion.
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Sugar futures: sweet and low
After hitting a 29-year high in 2009 and spiking in February 2010, sugar took a nosedive and analysts expect bearish prices to continue.
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Euro trashed
The bailout for Greece helped global equity markets but may not have a long-term positive impact on the euro.
Managed Money
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Money management and new regulations: Are you ready?
Money managers need to prepare for an investment landscape with more cops on the beat.
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CFTC charges Moore Capital and Goldman Sachs
The SEC and CFTC pursues a couple big companies -- Moore Capital Management and Goldman Sachs.
Options Strategy
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Options strategy: Buying downside puts to collar exposure
What to do when your long position is far above the historical mean but appears to have room to the upside.
New For Traders
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New For Traders: Financials
New financial products
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New For Traders: Forex
New forex products
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New For Traders: Technology
New technology products
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New For Traders: Commodities
New commodities products
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New For Traders: Options
New options products
People
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Lukken named CEO of NYPC
Walter Lukken was named chief executive officer of New York Portfolio Clearing (NYPC).
News
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Regulatory debate nears final stages
The Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act of 2010 looked likely to pass in early May.
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ICE buys Climate Exchange
The Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) reached an agreement with Climate Exchange Plc (CLE) to acquire the emissions market-trading giant.
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Exchanges investigate stock market plunge
Exchanges and regulators investigated the May 6 mysterious market plunge.
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Movie futures bring on drama
Drama is heating up over the quest to establish futures based on box office receipts.
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Chartview: Figuring the Fed
Figuring the Fed
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Editor's note: Frank McGhee cover story
A note on a reader comment on our May 2010 cover story on metals trader Frank McGhee.
Trader Profiles
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Kapp and trading the carbon markets
A Virginian by birth, Bob Kapp’s lived in London for more than a decade and is now the senior carbon trader at Macquarie Bank, a career that began while studying government and economics at the College of William and Mary in the early 1990s.
CTAs
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Top CTAs March 2010
Top CTAs March 2010
Public Funds
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Public funds April 2010
Public funds April 2010
