Futures traders use stop losses to minimize financial risk and prevent unexpected catastrophe. A stop loss is like an insurance policy. As the name implies, its purpose is to stop losses. A powerful money management tool, stop losses allow the savvy futures trader to manage his losses, to keep them small and contained. Properly applied stop losses can mean the difference between success and failure for futures traders. (more…)

Commodities, like the market, are cyclical in nature, rising and falling according to the current business cycle. Like other market vehicles, commodities are influenced by economic forces. However, unlike other market vehicles, futures traders can trade commodities profitably even in bad times. (more…)

Playing the commodity market is viewed as (and can be) a risky game. Many investors consider commodities the market’s riskiest asset. The truth is that commodities are no riskier than stocks. Certainly there is risk, as there is in any investment. But the risk is no greater in the commodity markets than it is in any other market. (more…)

“Your actions affect your attitude and your attitude drives your actions. It can indeed be powerful to get your actions and your attitude working consistently in the same direction.”

As we enter a new year, I find these words from the Daily Motivator of particular import to my life as a futures trader. More than anything else, your daily attitude affects your ability to perform successfully as a futures trader. If you stay positively focused, you will be able to assess your position will confidence and pull the trigger at the precise moment to ensure maximum profitability. Allow negativity or self-doubt to eat away at your confidence and you will fail. (more…)

There is an art to pulling the trigger that futures traders must learn if they are to achieve success. Setting up and learning your system, studying and knowing the market, reviewing your charts and watching your indicators — all these important elements of futures trading come together in that critical moment when you pull the trigger. (more…)

There are a number of qualities that define a successful futures trader — the keys to success.

1. Discipline. Discipline is the primary key to successful futures trading. You must have the discipline to learn your system, study it daily and tweak it to perfection. You must have the discipline to keep a trading log that records your trades, as well as the market conditions, thought processes and external influences that affected each trade. Without such a log, you are doomed to repeat your mistakes, rather than learning from them. You must have the discipline to do your homework, to study and keep up with the market, to keep your system current.
2. Patience. You must be patient if your trading system is to be effective. By trading too soon, you negate the value of your trading system. You must exercise patience and give your system time to work.
3. Loss. Loss is part of the trading game. You must be able to take losses in stride and get right back in the game. When your system dictates that a loss be taken, you must have the discipline to follow your system, take the loss quickly, minimize the damage and move on.
4. Perseverance. There are no overnight success stories in futures trading. Success is a matter of building experience, working and perfecting your system, minimizing losses, and capitalizing on small gains. Success, particularly at the beginning, is more often a series of small steps than giant leaps.
5. Confidence. Above all, a futures trader must have confidence in himself. You must have confidence in your system and your ability to work your system — to pull the trigger. Futures trading is a game of risk. You can’t be afraid to act. You must have confidence in your ability to read your system and act. Those who hesitate are doomed to lose in the futures trading game.
6. Flexibility. The market and market forces are ever-changing. You must have the flexibility to change with the times, to make changes to your system so it remains viable and in tune with current market conditions.

Even when the world is at its most turbulent, commodities provide a safe haven for futures traders. Commodities are inelastic goods. In economics, elasticity quantifies how price changes affect supply and demand.

Elastic goods exhibit a high correlation between price and demand. When the price of the good goes up, demand decreases. Elastic goods are generally less-essential goods, meaning that you can live without them or at least use less of them or substitute a less expensive option. The dance between price and demand can be complex. For example, when the cost of milk rises, people buy less milk and fewer milk products. Some people will stop buying milk altogether until the price comes back down. Families with young children who still need milk will serve their children less milk or milk with a lower fat content and, therefore, cheaper price tag. They may substitute enriched soy milk or calcium supplements and calcium-fortified breads and cereals to ensure their children get a full dose of bone-building calcium. Sales on cheese, ice cream and other dairy products will plummet in concert with how necessary they are perceived to be. Ice cream is considered a luxury so when ice cream prices rise, sales fall. (more…)

We’ve been talking about charting basics lately and the signals charts give the futures trader. But signals are worthless if you fail to act. To be a successful futures trader you must not only know when, but have the courage to act. In futures trading, we call this pulling the trigger. (more…)

Continuing our blog series on charting basics, today we talk about tails. It is essential for futures traders to be able to read and understand various charting forms and patterns at a glance. The ability to instantly decipher charting information is one of the hallmarks of a successful futures trader. When the market is moving, futures traders must have the ability to make split-second decisions. Successful futures traders learn to read and understand their charts at a glance. In this continuing series, we are explaining charting basics that are important to futures traders. (more…)

We’ve started a blog series on charting basics. Quickly understanding various charting forms and patterns is one of the most valuable skills for futures traders to develop. When you’re trading, you need to be able to decipher as much information from your charts as quickly as possible before you make your trade. If the market is as volatile as it’s been lately, you may have only fractions of a second to make your decision. Successful futures traders learn to read and understand their charts at a glance. In this continuing series, we’ll be covering charting basics that are important to futures traders. (more…)