Futures (Cedar Falls, IA) articles from November 2004

Futures (Cedar Falls, IA) archives from November 2004

Madness of crowds.(EDITOR'S NOTE)
November 1, 2004... Somehow, I've missed the Dr. Phil boat. Can't say I've seen him on TV, never read his book, don't really care what he has to say. Commercials are about as much as I know, other than osmosis from how he's permeated the airwaves. This lack of...

Spread 'em!(Sound Off!)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2004... Your article on "Spreads for the fall" [September 2004] was very good. However, on page 56, the sugar/cocoa spread has not the slightest hint of when to enter or exit. Does Joe Ross have any comment on that? Thank you. J.F. Milanowski ...

You're welcome.(Sound Off!)
November 1, 2004... Thank you for posting Phantom's Gift [at www.futuresmag.com/futuresclassroom/phantom/phantom. html]. I really appreciate it. What incredible helpful insights. What I have observed about futures traders like "POP" and Bill Williams, [for...

Volatility enabled.(Sound Off!)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2004... In the article "A hands-on approach to volatility trading" in [the] September 2004 issue, the author has mentioned a beautiful idea for trading options using [the] Vix. It's a good indicator that shows when to sell and buy options. I am...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
November 1, 2004... In "Spreads for the fall" (September 2004), the sentence about the best hog spreads should have read: "There are several good trades for the second week of October, but the best one is to be long October hogs/short December hogs." Futures...

Gold rush: is Nymex game for fight?(Trendlines)(New York Mercantile Exchange)
November 1, 2004... The New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex) has taken what many consider a passive approach to defending its Comex division precious metals contracts from a Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) challenge. On the eve of the CBOT launching its full-sized,...

Fraud buster busted? CFTC authority over forex in doubt.(Trendlines)
November 1, 2004... The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) continues to aggressively target fraud cases involving forex dealers despite a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit that brings the regulator's jurisdiction over forex into...

Spreading the wealth: NFA proposes forex amendment.(Trendlines)(National Futures Association)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The explosive growth in forex trading has been fueled to some extent by the promise of low margins and low or no-cost trading. However, sometimes the "no-cost" perception is just that--a perception. Critics say that when bid/ask spreads are...

Lay off! Regulators tussle over CPO/CTA regs.(Trendlines)
November 1, 2004... In a comment letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission, the NFA reminded the securities regulator that commodity pool operators (CPO) and commodity trading advisors (CTA) already have a regulator and asked them to provide a carve out in...

Chartview: T-bond systems riding high.(Trendlines)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Many of the best-performing commercial trading systems for the first half of 2004 are active in the Treasuries, according to independent testing by Futures Truth Co. These results are based on performance from January through June 2004. Return...

When it rains it pours.(International News)(OneChicago)(appointments and resignations)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... William Rainer is stepping down as OneChicago's chairman and CEO at the end of November. The move, which comes just a few weeks after OneChicago's main competition in single stock futures NQLX said it was closing shop, is for "personal...

All washed up.(International News)(cases on United Kingdom companies)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The CFTC may be focusing on forex lately, but it hasn't taken its eyes off other areas. The CFTC filed and settled charges that Fimat International Banque SA, Refco Overseas Ltd. and Credit Lyonnais Rouse Ltd. knowingly participated in illegal...

CME v. S & P. round three.(International News)(McGraw-Hill Inc. and Chicago Merchants' Exchange)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... After McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. filed a lawsuit against the Chicago Mercantile Exchange this August that claimed, among other things, that the CME's plan to create its own volatility index would constitute a material breach of the S & P/CME...

They're back!(International News)(Chicago Merchants' Exchange)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Despite a failed attempt by the CBOT a couple of years ago, the CME has reintroduced X-funds this fall. The funds consist of positions in four CBOT or CME contracts, long or short, that trade for a two-week duration and are designed by managers...

32 years of Futures ...(Trendlines)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Futures has thrived for more than three decades by providing unbiased tips, news, profiles, advice and current market analysis. Here, we spotlight some events Futures has covered during its 32 years. This flashback includes some articles from...

It keeps growing and growing and ... forex growing exponentially: BIS report.(Trendlines)(Bank for International Settlements)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Make that a $2 trillion a day market. The world's 52 largest central banks and monetary authorities, at the behest of the Bank for International Settlements, released the results of their every-three-year review of the foreign exchange...

Heim new CFO at Rand.(Trading Places)(chief financial officer)(appointments)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Rand Financial Services has promoted Mary Ellen Heim to chief financial officer and financial regulation will be her focus. She says there has been a major shift in the importance of regulatory reporting in the past 10 years. "The...

Does SEC have authority?(Managed Money Review)(Securities and Exchange Commission )
November 1, 2004... Approximately 160 comment letters were written to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding its proposal to register hedge funds. Some letters supported the SEC's proposal, some opposed it, some asked certain entities be exempted...

Notes rebound.(Hot Commodities)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... A funny thing happened as the Federal Reserve Board reversed course and began tightening interest rates: 10-year notes rallied. The Fed's punch was so telegraphed--and relatively mild--that speculators got ahead of themselves. ...

Coffee breakout?(Hot Commodities)(Coffee Industry)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Early October rain took some steam out of the coffee rally but wasn't substantial enough to allay weather concerns over the 2005-06 Brazilian coffee crop. Coffee neared a significant top prior to the correction as inconsistent moisture has...

Not so nifty fifty.(Hot Commodities)(Petroleum industry)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... When we last looked at crude oil, it was pushing $45 on its way to $49 before correcting some. Now it has hit $53 and those daily reminders of new all-time highs seem much less urgent as the world adjusts. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Alaron...

Demand in the driver's seat.(MARKETS)(grain industry)
November 1, 2004... After a volatile summer, the grain markets have come down from their highs and are predicted to head even further south over the next several months. With the given knowledge of large crops, demand has stepped up as the key factor to watch. And...

Tech talk: what goes around, comes around.(MARKETS)(grains industry)
November 1, 2004... From a cyclical perspective, this year's declines in the grains and oilseeds were not surprising. Timing long projected that most markets in this complex would likely mark major lows in the late 2004 through early 2005 period. With cyclical...

Raising your forex intelligence quotient.(Forex Trader)
November 1, 2004... Consider the following sequence of numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. What's the next number? Of course, the answer is 7. The ability to predict the next number seems trivial, but it demonstrates a core factor in developing successful prediction in...

Beginner's guide to grain trading: if you're going to tackle the potentially volatile grain markets, you need a concrete trading plan. Here's an approach that any trader can implement.(TRADING TECHNIQUES)
November 1, 2004... Grain trading offers tremendous opportunities for the seasoned trader as well as the neophyte. Grain prices behave much as any other commodity, with wide price swings in times of shortage or oversupply. Grain price cycles may last a few weeks...

Day-trading with candlesticks and moving averages: the centuries-old technical analysis patterns known to candlestick traders are finding new avenues for profitable trading when combined with more recent analysis tools.(TRADING TECHNIQUES)
November 1, 2004... Candlestick signals, a trading method that has worked successfully for the past few centuries, is now being augmented by the application of techniques that could not have been considered just 15 years ago. Correct trade ratios can be greatly...

Identifying trends with price and breadth: trading systems for the stock market do not have to be complicated, but they do have to measure the right market attributes. Here is where you should focus your analysis.(TRADING TECHNIQUES)
November 1, 2004... In 1999, it was widely accepted the Nasdaq was the sure way to preserve and grow capital. We all know how that ended. Many investors are still shell-shocked and afraid of the market, but there always will be bull markets and bear markets. ...

Does volatility matter? If you don't think that volatility affects option prices, and that help in yvolatility analysis doesn't our potential profit/loss scenario, then reading this article could save you lots of money.(EQUITY TRADING TECHNIQUES)
November 1, 2004... Volatility is a misunderstood concept. Often individual equity option traders consider volatility an afterthought, if they consider it at all. Here, we'll show you how volatility analysis can make a big difference in your bottom line. ...

In the mood, or how to profit from socionomics.(FUTURES INTERVIEW)(Robert R. Prechter)(Interview)
November 1, 2004... The madness of crowds often is examined in relation to cultural movements and stock market crashes. Robert R. Prechter, author and renowned interpreter of Elliott Wave, describes here how social moods are the cause, rather than the effect, of...

Trading patterns in the sand: taking our pattern analysis to the next level, we examine the success of several permutations of some popular strategies in a portfolio of markets.(TECHNOLOGY & TRADING)
November 1, 2004... Last month, in the first steps of implementing a pattern-based mechanical trading system, we covered the broad concept of pattern-based trading and the need to understand why a particular pattern works. We looked at using game theory and group...

Ten questions to ask a broker: it may seem easier for new traders searching for their first online broker to go with the one advertising the lowest commissions, but there's much more that goes into a positive and successful trading experience.(FUTURES 101)
November 1, 2004... The perfect online broker does not exist, and perhaps is not meant to exist. An absolute must for one trader in terms of service offered by a broker may not be as important to another trader as all traders are on different levels and have...

Technology, functionality and patents.(Online Trading)
November 1, 2004... Independent software vendors (ISV) have been connecting traders to the markets through all sorts of events and now may be expanding their services by adding application service provider (ASP) to their resumes. At the heart of this latest...

Back office: the backbone of a successful CTA; As difficult as it is to create a trading program that can consistently produce positive risk-adjusted returns in multiple market conditions, emerging commodity trading advisors are just as likely to be tripped up by operational issues as trading losses.(MANAGED MONEY)(commodity trading advisors)
November 1, 2004... One of the most consistently repeated points at managed futures industry conferences and seminars is that that to be a successful money manager, commodity trading advisors (CTA) and commodity pool operators (CPO) must realize that they are...

2004 public funds returns (through September).(Funds Review)(Illustration)
November 1, 2004... Date Name of fund Trading advisor(s) started U.S. Closed Dean Witter Cornerstone Northfield Trading; J.W. Henry Jan-85 Fund II...

The new liquidity providers: proprietary trading shops and high-end arcades have established themselves as the new locals and exchanges are embracing this new paradigm--much to the chagrin of many of its members--by courting these critical new players.(TRADE TRENDS)
November 1, 2004... More than a decade after the London International Financial Futures Exchange (Liffe) shuttered its trading floors, you can still hear the floor echo in Marbella, Spain, where a boutique trading arcade called "Trading In the Sun"...

A hands-on look at hands-off trading: software developers are offering new options for futures traders who can't keep their emotions out of their trading decisions--fully automated trading. Here's an overview of some products that do the trading for you.(SOFTWARE REVIEW)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2004... It's the dream of most any trader. Turn on your computer, launch your trading software, log into your brokerage account, sit back and watch your money make more money--all without further input from you. Computerized trading systems, both...

Interactive Data Corp.(Services)(purchases FutureSource LLC )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Interactive Data Corp., a global provider of securities pricing, financial information and analytic tools to institutional and individual investors, announced its purchase of FutureSource LLC and its subsidiaries, for $18 million in cash....

Patsystems, a global supplier of electronic trading and exchange systems, and eSignal.(Services)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Patsystems, a global supplier of electronic trading and exchange systems, and eSignal, a provider of streaming, real-time financial market data, news, analytics and decision support tools to professional and individual traders, have linked...

DTN, a provider of real-time information services has partnered with RealTimeTraders.(Services)(Data Transmission Network Corp.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... DTN, a provider of real-time information services has partnered with RealTimeTraders, a provider of market data and trade news. The partnership will enhance current DTN services by offering customers in-depth, real-time news coverage of both...

PortfolioCenter.(Services)(Schwab Performance Technologies portfolio management system )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Schwab Institutional's Schwab Performance Technologies' next generation portfolio management system for independent investment advisory firms, PortfolioCenter, is now available. PortfolioCenter is a scalable desktop portfolio management system,...

Howard Simons, long familiar to Futures magazine readers, has launched Simons Research.(Internet)
November 1, 2004... Howard Simons, long familiar to Futures magazine readers, has launched Simons Research, which will concentrate on intermarket spreads, a class of trades offering numerous hybrid fundamental-technical trading opportunities. The goal is to take...

Townsend Analytics' RealTick.(Internet)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Townsend Analytics' RealTick, a market analysis and direct-access trading platform, has launched a Spanish-language Web site for the financial markets at www.realtickglobal.com. The site will support a number of traders and institutions across...

Contract dates.(Dateline)(Calendar)
November 1, 2004... 1 FND: BM & F Crystal sugar F, Alcohol F, Nybot FCOJ F, Nymex Palladium F, Platinum F. LTD: BM & F Alcohol OF, Euronext-Liffe White sugar OF. 3 FND: BM & F Conillon coffee F. 4 LTD: Safex Bonds F. 5 LTD: CME Currencies OF, Dollar...

Events coming up.(commodity exchanges)(Calendar)
November 1, 2004... Call the numbers listed for more information. For other seminars, see the classifieds on pages 94-99. Portfolio Diversification with Commodity Assets. NOV 15-16. The Stanhope Park Hyatt, New York. E-mail: katie.westray@iqpc.co.uk. +44(0)...

Profiting with index options.(Trader Profile)(Ralph Hassenpflug working experience with Conservative Concept Inc)
November 1, 2004... Ralph Hassenpflug. principal at Conservative Concept Inc., a commodity trading advisor, has been in the futures industry for 20 years, a stint he describes as "something that chose me instead of me choosing it." He studied economics,...