Futures Trading Brokers

How to Open a Commodities Trading Account

February 11th, 2014 Filed under Commodity Trading, Future Trading News, Future Trading Platform, Futures Broker, Futures Trading | Comments Off on How to Open a Commodities Trading Account

Considering Futures Commodities Trading?

What is FCT? When buying futures you are entering into what is called a futures contract. This contract is an agreement to buy or sell the commodities at a fixed price at a later date. The fixed price is determined by the commodity profile of the exchange upon which you are trading. The commodity profile determines what is called the contract size. By using various strategies on the exchange you can profit or lose from either a drop or an increase in the price of the underlying commodity. There are two core positions you can take when trading futures, long and short depending upon whether you think the price will rise or fall. The advantage of trading in futures is that your investment is only a percentage of the price of the value of the contract, this is buying on margin. Typically, margins are anywhere from 3-20%.

The strategy is then to gain an increase on your margin investment based upon the daily price fluctuation of the underlying commodity. In taking a long position you agree to buy the contract at a later date at the fixed price with the option to sell early in the event the price per share goes up, adding to your margin. In taking a short position you agree to sell the contract at a later date with the option to buy back the contract at its decreased value in the event the price per share goes down, again, adding to your margin investment. Traditionally, what is described here is the process of two interwoven financial instruments; options contracts and futures contracts. The two are distinguished by the obligations put on the buyers and sellers.

Whereas futures contracts obligates the buyer to buy and the seller to sell unless the holder’s position changes prior to the set delivery date, the options position holds that the buyer has the option, yet is not obligated to, buy or sell the contract at a set price at any time during the duration of the contract up until expiration. Another feature contributed by the options position is the marginal investment, also known as a performance bond. Both long and short position holders are required to contribute this security deposit to ensure their position on the contract. Depending upon the daily market fluctuation of the price of the underlying commodity, the performance bond acts as a leverage vehicle that credits and debits a trader’s account on a twice daily basis from the pre-deposited funds. A broker may also perform a margin call to the client when the margin investment account falls below predetermined performance requirements set for the contract. Singular positions on futures contracts, in and of themselves are the riskiest investments in futures trading. Certain strategies can be employed to minimize risk and maximize returns on marginal investments. Another way to hedge you against unfavorable changes in the market is by utilizing a spread. One spread is to go long a nearby month and go short a later month. Another spread is to utilize related commodities/ contracts. Long wheat, short corn or long ten year bonds, short 30 year bonds. More on commodity spreads at: https://www.cannontrading.com/community/trading-futures-spreads.

Read the rest of this entry »

5 Mistakes of Commodity Trading & Futures Levels & Economic Reports 12.05.2013

December 4th, 2013 Filed under Commodity Trading, Future Trading News, Future Trading Platform, Futures Broker, Futures Trading | Comments Off on 5 Mistakes of Commodity Trading & Futures Levels & Economic Reports 12.05.2013

Connect with Us! Use Our Futures Trading Levels and Economic Reports RSS Feed.

1. Market Commentary
2. Futures Support and Resistance Levels – S&P, Nasdaq, Dow Jones, Russell 2000, Dollar Index
3. Commodities Support and Resistance Levels – Gold, Euro, Crude Oil, T-Bonds
4. Commodities Support and Resistance Levels – Corn, Wheat, Beans, Silver
5. Futures Economic Reports for Thursday December 5, 2013

Hello Traders,

For 2013 I would like to wish all of you discipline and patience in your trading!

5 Common Mistakes of Commodity Trading by Joe Easton Senior Commodity Broker with Cannon Trading

As a broker who serves different types of clients with different backgrounds, risk capital and risk appetite, I have observed the following 5 common mistakes traders make, in hopes you can learn and avoid!

Trading with lagging indicators. As a Broker, I get to see the whole range, from traders making their first trade, to traders making their last trade, and everything in between. The beginner traders almost always start along the same path. Using MACD, Williams %R, Stochastic, RSI and most other indicators you can find to predict price is a very common mistake. These indicators often follow price movement, not predict future price movement. Sure when looking at a chart in hindsight, they match up great, but in real time they are lagging. This style of trading will more than likely lead to losses.
Trading Undercapitalized. This mistake should be placed in the premarket (before opening an account) because an account shouldn’t even be opened without proper capitalization. Assuming you did open an account, trade within limits. Each Trader has different risk tolerance, but across the board, no one should be trading with funds they cannot afford to lose. When trading with limited funds or overleveraged 1 day can end your trading career before it began. Cannon offers aggressive day trading margins, as do our competitors, but by no means do we endorse taking advantage of all that leverage. In futures trading some markets are leveraged 100:1 or even more. Meaning you are controlling a lot more capital then you may think. For example: The ES is trading at 1695 right now. You are controlling 1695*50= $84,750.00 with a mere $500 or approximately 170:1 leverage. With all that leverage account balances can fluctuate rapidly. When Trader’s take losses psychology shifts, when a shift in psychology meets lack of funds or overleveraged trading decisions are affected. Trading on low balance or outside reasonable limits is a sure recipe for losses.
Overtrading. This mistake is common among beginner and advanced traders. Until it is overcame, significant profits will be lost to commissions. More importantly, your trading profit potential will be limited. Whether trading 1 lot or 1000 lots per order there is still only so many moves a market can make in a given trading period. Intraday trading typically results in three moves or less. Sure there are days that bounce between the high and the low all day, but that is one move, sideways. Other days include trend days (one direction), or 3 move days, which I believe to be most common. A 3 move day is up then down (usually a retracement) then up, or down then up then down. A two move day would be up then down or down then up. If most days fall under these formats, what reason would a 1 lot trader have to make 100 trades? Not a good one, I’ll tell you that.
Losing Days. About every Trader has losing days, it is part of the business. The key is to limit losses, similarly to trading. You should monitor your account balance like you monitor your trades. When you see it going the wrong way, you should become impatient and look to cut it short. There are infinite factors why you are having a losing day, the fact is you are and you need to know in advance where the bleeding stops. Many skilled and professional traders regularly take profits from the market day in and day out only to blow the account up the one day the market doesn’t react the way they expect. Often ego or anger can block rational thoughts and averaging in and reversing is all too easy. Having hard rules like maximum lot size and maximum daily loss can preserve your capital and prevent losing days from burying your account.
Chasing the market. There are so many mistakes, it is hard to only choose five, but chasing the market will conclude this list. Markets do not move in straight lines. Aside from major news there are very few large moves without retracements. Depending on the market a “big” move can be calculated by taking the average daily range and multiplying by 2 or 3. Market conditions are constantly changing, but in all circumstances, when a market makes a big move, it is more likely to retrace or reverse before continuing. Traders that buy the ES after 15 points up or sell gold after a $50 move down are behind the ball and more times than not will be stopped out with a loss. Wait for the retracement or play the other side, this will help limit loses by chasing.

Read the rest of this entry »

What to Look For When Comparing Futures Brokers

November 25th, 2013 Filed under Commodity Trading, Future Trading News, Futures Broker, Futures Trading | Comments Off on What to Look For When Comparing Futures Brokers

Great risks and great rewards are two of the main principles founded in trading. Since 1848, where resides the world’s oldest and largest functioning options exchange, individuals have made fortunes and lost companies, behind this fickle industry. In the futures market, these two linked together, can lead to greater success, but how? Firstly, let us look at the components of a futures market, and futures brokers. In short, the futures market can be compared to the stock market, but with a focus on the future rise or fall, particularly in commodity prices (the price of raw materials and primary products) such as:

Cocoa
Oil
Coffee
Gold
Copper
Wheat

To name a few…

The above aforementioned goods form what is considered to be the commodities market. Though Cocoa and wheat are considered soft commodities, and lumber oil and electricity are hard commodities, these both are secured by futures contracts, which entail physical assets. Futures broker diligently watches commodity markets, assesses two indicators, supply and demand. As a general rule, the determination of supply and demand, generally dictates the amount of money to allocate to a certain position in the commodities market. Once this position is held, the futures broker can predetermine the value of a commodity. Moreover, if the forecast was apt, you sell high and receive a larger profit, on the converse, a wrong forecast could lead to a loss of your initial risk capital. Losses in general, are hard to accept, however, without a great risk, yes the potential gain is greater, but we always have to calculate the loss.

When we talk about a loss in investment, inherently, it is a part of the mind, which is usually ignored. Accepting a loss, to survive in this industry requires fortitude and discipline. Why? The first instinct, when you lose money, is to double-down. Briefly, to double down depend mainly on if you see a future in the market that you are investing in, and if not, simply cut your losses. Consequently, with great uncertainty in the commodity markets, and a brief overview of this vast aspect of the financial sector, how can you choose a prudent, savvy, yet, sage futures broker?

Read the rest of this entry »