Tag Archives: commodity

General Business

Trading Commodity Futures Via The Internet

Before online commodities and future trading became the high-rolling, high-stake investment ground that it is today, its early proprietors were farmers of the 1800’s.

These farmers would grow their crops and bring these to the market come harvest time in the hope of selling them. But the main concern then was that without an indicator, they could not efficiently gauge how much of their goods are needed therefore resulting either to shortages or excesses, both causing losses for the farmer.

With shortages causing loss of the opportunity to earn more and excesses causing meats and crops to rot and dairy products to spoil. Also, when a certain produce is out of season any product made from them would be priced so high due to its scarcity.

A central marketplace was subsequently created for farmers to take their harvests and sell them either for immediate or forward delivery. Immediate delivery is what is known now as the spot or cash market and forward delivery is now called futures market.

This concept helped stabilize prices for commodities that were out of season as well as served as an effective indicator of supply and demand therefore saving farmers thousands of dollars that would otherwise go to spoilage.

From forward contracts evolved commodities and futures contracts. Forward contracts are effectively agreements to buy now for payment and delivery at a specified date in the future, which is usually three months from the date of the contract.

These were originally only for food and agricultural products but now they have expanded to include financial instruments. Forward contracts have evolved and have been standardized into what we know today as futures contracts.

Basically, when dealing in online commodities or futures trading, a contract must have a seller (the producer) and a buyer (the consumer). If you purchase a futures contract, you are agreeing to buy a commodity that is not there yet for a specific price.

Although most futures contracts are based on an actual commodity, some futures contracts also are sold based on its future value based on stock market indices.

Unless you are a businessman who is into the trade of the actual commodity you purchased, you won’t actually use the goods (if you’re the buyer) or actually provide the commodity (if you’re the seller) for which you’re trading a futures contract.

Remember, buyers and sellers in the futures market primarily enter into futures contracts to minimize risk or speculate rather than to exchange physical goods.

On the other hand, online commodities differ from futures trading in that commodities trading may involve the physical delivery of the goods. In which case a receipt is issued in the favor of the buyer. This receipt enables the buyer to take the commodity from the warehouse.

Traders in online commodities and futures market can use different strategies to take advantage of rising and declining prices. The most common are known as going long, going short and spreads.

When an investor enters a contract by agreeing to buy and receive delivery of the commodity at a set price – it means that he or she is trying to earn from an anticipated future price increase, he or she is going long.

When he or she is looking to make a profit from declining price levels, this is going short. The speculator sells high now so he or she can repurchase the contract in the future at a lower price.

When one makes a spread, however, he or she is trying to benefit from the price difference between two separate contracts of the same commodity.

As an online commodities or futures trader, therefore, you should be armed with a firm grasp of how the market and contracts function.

General Business

Day Trading Commodity Markets

Traders who trade for a living are generally swing traders or day traders. If you are planning to day trade in commodities, then you need to get hold of a reliable trading system that gives good results consistently. Despite having such a system, there are a few things you may want to know about day trading in the commodity markets.

Day Trading Defined

Those who trade and complete all their trades within the period of a day’s trading session are known as day traders. Day traders have to square off all their trades by the end of the 24-hour period. That is their time limit. If they hold their positions for any longer, they can then be called position traders, and not day traders. They are the most common form of traders to be found in commodity markets.

Day traders like to churn their capital on a day to day basis to maximize its return. They prefer not to lock in capital for extended periods of time. More often than not, they have very limited capital to leverage, and cannot afford to block it all. Speed is the name of the game where day trading in commodity futures is concerned.

Facts About Day Trading

It has been observed that you stand a better chance of earning money in day trading commodity markets if you are prepared to invest a bigger amount of money. This is because more money gives you the option to diversify your investment and manage the risks better.

An important component of commodity futures trading, is using charts that allow you to decide what you want to do. Secondly, those who follow trends taste success.

As in all things, there are limitations that day traders face. The most important one is that they trade in a single day’s session. Hence, they cannot let their profits run any longer even if they want to – they are limited by time. They prefer by choice to take the money and run. Time is money, and time is limited. Another issue that crops up at some time or another for day traders is their stops. They cannot have too large a stop for fear of losing a lot of money. Therefore, they have to keep narrow stops, and thus increase their chances of being whipsawed out of a trade early. Ask any old hand about being whipsawed, and they will tell you that it is a part of the game. Daily ranges also limit targets, as the luxury of hanging on is not available. Quick profits are targeted, and many a time commodity day traders have to get out of a trade at the end of the day having made very little or no money from it.

However, day traders are not to be under estimated in any way. They truly form the volume numbers of the commodity market. Many intraday movements are because of day traders. They cause sudden spurts in commodity prices with heavy buying or selling. An integral part of the market, they form the backbone of the commodity market.

General Forex

How to Become a Successful Commodity Trader

The major league of trading

Being a commodity trader is like playing in the major leagues. You better have the proper training and experience, or you simply do not have a prayer of being successful in the long run. This market tends to move fast, and there is incredible leverage. As an example, if you acquire one futures contract of corn, you actually control 5000 bushels. This means every one cent move is worth $50.00. I see the stock market as the minor league, but it still has a high degree of difficulty. I trade both the futures market, and the stock market. In this article, I will share with you some good, solid information on how to make money as a commodity trader.

The big 3

You need to have a successful trading plan. It is important to have the plan fit your personality, as much as possible. The trading plan is your blueprint for success in the market. It will encompass all aspects of trading.

Money management is a crucial element. You simply must cut your losses short, if you want to be a winner in the long run. Keep all losses small, and let your profits run. If you follow this golden rule of trading, your future as a commodity trader is bright.

Proper trading psychology is what separates the fairly good trader from the best traders in the world. You must keep emotions such as fear, greed, and hope, out of your trading equation. Emotions will cloud your thinking, and not allow you to trade in a logical, objective manner. The various trading markets are human nature and crowd psychology on display daily. Many of the successful trading principles are contrary to normal human nature. That is a main reason why most traders and investors ultimately fail.

The price chart is a valuable tool

The price chart is an important tool for the market technician. The successful commodity trader must implement the proper interpretation of chart patterns. This is a key to winning big. As an example, you can trade the breakout of the daily, weekly, or monthly chart. Always trade with the trend on the breakout. Once you are proven correct by the price action of the market, you may then add to your position.

Volume will tell you plenty

Volume is a great measure of supply and demand. It can give you clues to help you recognize whether a commodity or stock, is under accumulation or distribution. If a commodity shows a big price jump to new highs, on much heavier than normal volume, this tells me the big buyers are causing the jump in price. Price and volume action like this bodes well for the continuation of higher prices.

During a major price advance, volume tends to increase on rallies, and decrease on reactions. During a major price decline, volume tends to increase when the price goes down, and decrease when the price goes up. Many times as bottoms and tops are approached, volume will expand sharply. As a commodity trader, being able to properly interpret price and volume action gives you a major advantage.

Forex Trading Articles

The Role Of A CTA, Commodity Trading Advisor

Commodity Trading Advisor, Genuine Trading Solutions, a registered CTA with the CFTC, says the responsibility today of a CTA is a constantly evolving role in today’s market place.

Not so long ago a Commodity Trading Advisor was content to be known as a Portfolio Manager trading commodities and futures for a managed futures fund.  There is no question today’s investor has become more sophisticated.  In response, today’s selection of investment products has become ever more complex and varied, the need for the CTA to understand the uses and management of these products becomes even more acute.

 

So what exactly is the role of today’s Commodity Trading Advisor.  Certainly trading of derivative products for a managed futures fund continues to be as important as before.  A CTA has also become more involved with derivative analytics.  This role is essentially focused upon becoming an analyst to structure and analyze the more multi-faceted requirements demanded by hedge funds, pension funds and structured products.

The use of derivative analytics to manage the adverse risk of an equity or bond portfolio brought about by adverse market conditions is critical in preserving asset growth.  The uses of hedging to prevent volatility has long been understood by the largest institutions but is now available to the smaller sized company and to the individual investor.  No doubt as products continue to evolve so too will the CTA evolve to meet the need of today’s professional money manager.

Derivative products are no longer limited to exchange traded commodities futures and options.  There continues to be an ever expanding list of over-the-counter derivative products.  These are SWAPS.  SWAPS and privately transacted products transacted without the use of a recognized exchange.  The difficulty is the buyer and seller must find each other to undertake such an arrangement, not always easy.  The second problem is no liquidity.  There is no one to sell this too should one of the parties wish to terminate the transaction prior to the agreed upon date.

A Commodity Trading Advisor’s role is no longer sufficient to be limited to trading.  It is now imperative to understand the industry in a new light so to understand the changing investment environment.  Analysis now becomes the catalyst to include a value added service to retain customers.  This includes structured products, risk management and OTC derivatives.  Continuing education has been and continues to be the hallmark of the best in the industry.

General Business

Commodity Trading – Reliable Investments For The Savvy

For those who have been experienced in stock markets and those with exposure to ways and means of maximising returns on investments through innovative ways, commodity trading may not sound as something new or odd. Commodity trading is meant specifically for those who are known to be nimble, agile and savvy, capable of moving around quickly and making decisions that would mark the difference between a profit and loss. However, commodity trading in itself is by no means a new phenomenon, but one that has been around for many years, and has come to mean business to people who are up to it.

For the beginners, thought, commodity trading might sound a bit complex, if not entirely Greek and Latin. The inherent uncertainty present in commodity trading would make the novice to baulk and hesitate before they make their moves. And in some cases, it is the lack of proper knowledge on ways of going about commodity trading that puts people off even before they get started. On the contrary, for those who know the tricks of the trade, commodity trading is an option that is promising and highly rewarding.

To be sure, commodity trading is by no means rocket science. To put it across in a simple way, commodities are stuff that an average Joe buys and sells, uses and consumes, on a daily basis. Commodities include the daily materials that you use, such as the grains of rice and wheat, the cup and saucer that you have your tea in, the glass, aluminium and the plastic that goes into your vehicles, and every other thing that you would have otherwise taken for granted for using it day in and day out. Commodity trading is done in markets and places that are defined and officially designated for trading purposes and are regulated through strict mechanisms to instil a sense of stability and fairness among traders.

While commodities, as the name suggests, could be anything that would come under the broad definition of the term, there are new commodities that are constantly being added to the list of commodity trading, with advances in information technology and new scientific discoveries and inventions. And regulations are getting adapted to the needs, requirements and developments in the market, which makes commodity trading the ‘in thing’ to be embarking on, towards wealth maximisation.