Futures Magazine October 01, 2010
Cover Story
Boone: The man with a big plan
T. Boone Pickens likes the “Big Deal” and at the age of 82 his biggest deal — the Pickens Plan for American energy independence — is queued up waiting for Congress to act
Trading Techniques
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Biting off profits with the Rattlesnake Breakout Method
Using the rattlesnake breakout method to exploit explosive true breakouts while ignoring false ones.
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Steel futures: Ready for prime time?
Steel futures and options may be coming your way — like it or not. Here’s where they fit into the metals market landscape.
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Options are open to seasonal patterns
There are fundamental reasons markets follow patterns over the course of a season. However, taking advantage of those patterns is not the sure thing history may suggest.
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Options writing mistakes to avoid
Selling option premiums is easy to understand but difficult to master. As a strategy, it is alluring and can be extremely profitable, but new traders often make these common errors.
Technology & Trading
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The trend isn’t your only friend
The market doesn’t always move nicely in one direction or the other. These periods are ripe for counter-trend strategies
Forex Trader
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Forex chop requires new strategies
Currency price movements have been very challenging in the past few months with wider than usual ranges.
Futures 101
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Trading’s Holy Grail: Your calculator?
How to use simple math to determine if your trading strategy is a winner.
Industry Trends
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Dodd-Frank: What it means to you
It took nearly two years after the collapse of investment bank Lehman Brothers — the defining moment of the credit crisis — before financial reform was passed and it may take another year to see the important details of how it is implemented.
Markets
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Energy outlook: Economy rules
In the topsy-turvy world of energy markets, inventories are at record highs, but they’re not quite in the spotlight when it comes to prices. So what’s moving crude oil and natural gas?
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Heavy metals
Copper prices bottomed in June because of a de-stocking cycle in China when inventories were cut
Editor's Note
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Sometimes it takes a man
Monthly editor's note by Ginger Szala. Here she discusses T. Boon Pickens' energy plan for America.
Book Reviews
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Smart Growth
Review of "Smart Growth" by Edward D. Hess
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Market Upside Down
Review of "Market Upside Down" by Vinh Q. Tran
Market Analysis
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As the monetary policy pendulum swings...
My, how things have changed on the monetary policy front
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Corn on a tear
Wheat isn't the only grain that has grown this summer. Corn has kept pace, too
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I want sugar
Global harvest questions have left analysts split over sugar
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Yen: The land of the rising currency
The Japanese yen has strengthened as investors sought a safe-haven
Managed Money
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Hot New CTAs: What new managers can teach the old pros
Performance in the managed futures space has been uneven in 2010 and that goes for experienced programs as well as emerging managers. Those newbies that have excelled tend to be short-term and discretionary.
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Forex managers come into the fold
The final rules recently announced by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) regarding retail forex trading will require more trading programs to register as commodity trading advisors (CTAs) and commodity pool operators (CPOs)
Options Strategy
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Credit spreads in a choppy, volatile market
Credit spreads are a great strategy for taking advantage of choppy and volatile markets
New For Traders
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New For Traders: Commodities
New commodities products
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New For Traders: Options
New options products
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New For Traders: Forex
New forex products
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New For Traders: Financials
New financial products
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New For Traders: Technology
New technology products
People
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Davie named CEO of SwapClear at LCH.Clearnet
New employees and promotions in the trading industry
News
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CBOE to launch C2, finally
Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) is set to launch C2 Options Exchange (C2), a new electronic options exchange, in late October that will feature a maker-taker pricing model
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CFTC’s new rules for forex
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) issued new rules regarding the forex markets
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High frequency problem
Ever since the May 6 flash crash there has been an attempt by some to paint high frequency trading (HFT) and its practitioners as evil market manipulators
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ISE challenges options fees
The battle for order flow among options exchanges is in full swing
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EFF battle stuck on hold
The CFTC ruled, again, that ELX’s exchange of futures for futures (EFF) transactions are not wash sales and are consistent with commission precedent
Trader Profiles
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Cervino: Managing a mountain of risk
Cervino Capital Management, operated by Davide Accomazzo and Mack Frankfurter, used a combination of futures and options positions to capture the long beta of gold. (Cervino closed its program shortly following the PFG bankruptcy.)
CTAs
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Top CTAs July 2010
Top CTAs for July 2010
Hedge Funds
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Hedge Funds July 2010
Hedge Funds peformance through July 2010
Public Funds
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Public Funds August 2010
Public Funds through August 2010
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Funds Review July 2010
Funds review through July 2010
