In recent years, record-breaking stock volume plus major new trading vehicles such as stock index futures contracts and options on futures have made Wall Street history. In ten year’ time, the new options market has grown from an idea to a major marketplace. Thos who understand how to use these new markets either for speculative gain or conservative income strategies are already reaping the financial rewards. This book, by a Chicago floor trader, tells how you too can join the boom in options trading and play the market to your advantage. “The notion that you can buy stock and hold it indefinitely is one that simply doesn’t work anymore. Today’s investor wants and needs an investment tool that will enable him to change with changing economic times. Options are flexible. They provide a suitable challenge for those who want to be master of their own destiny.”

Trading is generally far more difficult in practice than in theory. The reality is that no trade set up or individual trader or system can identify profitable trades in advance with complete certainty. In A Year of Trading, long-time trader Peter Brandt reveals the anxieties and uncertainties of trading in a diary of his 2009 trades. He explains his thought process as he searches for trading opportunities and executes them. Each trade includes charts, an analysis of the trade, and a play-by-play account of how the trade unfolds.

The world has changed and so too has investing. The market is shell shocked and yesterday's momentum stocks are today's slow-motion stocks. But in the new reality of low-growth investing, commodities are hot and getting hotter. A rapidly industrializing and urbanizing Asia will be demanding lots more copper, zinc, iron ore, coal, fertilizers, gold and oil to transform their societies. Commodities are it and that's great news for investors who want to profit from the next great bull market in commodities. In fact, commodities may be about the only asset class that is likely to outperform the broad market in the future. Although they are without a doubt important to the global economy, commodities are among the most misunderstood of all asset classes. Stocks, bonds and real estate all have legions of followers and plenty of experts agree on their importance within an investment portfolio, but venture into the world of commodities and you are into an area that's intimidating to the average investor, where suspicions run deep and understanding is limited. As a result, commodities get short-shrift in most investment accounts and investors miss out on some important opportunities. The Little Book of Commodity Investing is an indispensible guide to learning the ins and outs of commodity investing. It's about identifying opportunities to profit from the coming bull market in commodities. It explains the benefits of commodities as part of a well diversified investment portfolio; covers all of the major commodities markets; what makes commodities and the companies that produce them tick; why commodities sometimes zig and then zag; what to buy and when to buy it; and why commodities are the next big thing. Today's world is a very different world-a world where an understanding of commodities is a prerequisite for investment success. And The Little Book of Commodity Investing is the roadmap you need to discover where the opportunities of the future lie, and what to do about it.

a groundbreaking look at trading the markets with one of the most important forecasting tools available . . . "If you've ever wondered about the validity of seasonals or how to trade them, buy this book now!" --Glen Larson, Genesis Data Services "Jake does it again. This time his extensive research really leaps out as he makes seasonal trading easy to understand and a very useful tool for any commodity trader." --Jeffrey H. Fox, Fox Investments. Is there a "holy grail" of price prediction? Traders have long been in pursuit of one, and while a handful of strategies, techniques, and methodologies have proven noteworthy, the search continues for the ultimate forecasting instrument --if one does indeed exist. The theory and methods of seasonality may well prove to be a step in the right direction to this goal. In this unique new book, a leading seasonal trading analyst examines seasonality in-depth, elucidating the concise principles, numerous advantages, and enormous potential that make it one of the most important --and effective --methods currently available for targeting futures price trends. Over the years, considerable attention has been paid to the effects of interest rates, money supply, earnings, inflation, and other key factors on stock and commodity prices. Yet, the immense impact of seasonal price tendencies has been either grossly underestimated or completely ignored. Often overlooked, but equally significant, seasonality is based on the assumption that seasonal influences cause biases in the movement of market prices. Among its many advantages, seasonality allows the trader to formulate objective decisions founded on a logical, verifiable, and operational methodology, creating a backdrop of probable market trends in most time frames and in most markets, and providing historically valid input for use as an adjunct to other analytical methods and timing indicators. The essence of seasonality is found in its lengthy history and statistically testable methodologies. However, seasonal correlations are not 100 percent foolproof. Using seasonal data to time the market involves an unavoidable degree of subjectivity --unless you have a firm grasp of seasonal timing concepts and techniques. Now, in the first resource devoted exclusively to the subject, Jake Bernstein gives you the foundation necessary to implement this powerful tool effectively and with confidence. Balancing theory and practice, Bernstein provides a thorough, real-world understanding of seasonal timing concepts and techniques. Along with results of his own extensive research, he integrates the work of numerous market analysts, such as W. D. Gann, Art Merrill, Burton Pugh, Samuel Benner, and Yale Hirsch, among others, to create a pragmatic and highly functional analytical framework. With his accessible, comprehensive coverage of significant concepts such as seasonal spread relationships, key dates, and cash tendencies, you'll be able to discern seasonal patterns in monthly and daily cash and futures data. Once the basics are firmly in place, Bernstein leads you step by step through the essential process of formulating a seasonal trading program that incorporates important timing strategies and risk management tools. An ideal overview for any trader, investor, or analyst, this lucidly written and clearly organized resource emphasizes the validity and significance of seasonality. Jake Bernstein has compiled a comprehensive guide to the effective use of seasonal concepts and methods in the futures markets. This is a major work that belongs on the shelves of all serious traders.

This fascinating book is loaded with practical information designed to help you in the commodity market. The author's method...proven by his million dollar success...does not involve complicated math or subjective evaluation. There are two completely systematic methods; %R and Momentum. The essence fo these methods is that they tell you if the super powers are long or short; when the super powers expect a major move to start; what commodities are in true bull or bear markets; when to start buying and when to sell for gargantuan profits. This book is a must if you're a stock or commodity trader. It will expose to you an exciting new approach to trading and thinking--the same approach that has made Larry Williams a millionaire.

The next bull market is here. It’s not in stocks. It’s not in bonds. It’s in commodities - and some smart investors will be riding that bull to record returns in the next decade. Before Jim Rogers hit the road to write his best-selling books Investment Biker and Adventure Capitalist, he was one of the world’s most successful investors. He co-founded the Quantum Fund and made so much money that he never needed to work again. Yet despite his success, Rogers has never written a book of practical investment advice - until now. In Hot Commodities, Rogers offers the low-down on the most lucrative markets for today and tomorrow. In late 1998, gliding under the radar, a bull market in commodities began. Rogers thinks it’s going to continue for at least fifteen years - and he’s put his money where his mouth is: In 1998, he started his own commodities index fund. It’s up 165% since then, with more than $200 million invested, and it’s the single-best performing index fund in the world in any asset class. Less risky than stocks and less sluggish than bonds, commodities are where the money is - and will be in the years ahead. Rogers’s strategies are simple and straightforward. You can start small - a few thousand dollars will suffice. It’s all about putting your money into stuff you understand, the basic materials of everyday life, like copper, sugar, cotton, corn, or crude oil. Once you recognize the cyclical and historical trading patterns outlined here, you’ll be on your way. In language that is both colourful and accessible, Rogers explains why the world of commodity investing can be one of the simplest of all - and how commodities are the bases by which investors can value companies, markets, and whole economies. To be a truly great investor is to know something about commodities. For small investors and high rollers alike, Hot Commodities is as good as gold . . . or lead, or aluminium, which are some of the commodities Rogers says could be as rewarding for investors.

A well-researched guide to the most profitable spreads in the futures market The Encyclopedia of Commodity and Financial Spreads is divided by product category-energy, natural gas, meats, soybeans, corn/wheat, currencies, interest rates, and metals. The precise performance of each spread is identified-over the previous 20 years-and combined with a graph that displays visually the price performance of the spread. For each of the 175 trades identified, there is an explanation of the trade, its history, and advice on how traders should approach the trade. Steve W. Moore (Eugene, OR) has been trading and researching the futures markets for more than 25 years. He formed Moore Research in 1990 to provide traders with historical research and seasonal analysis to better trade the commodity markets. Jerry Toepke (Eugene, Oregon) is Editor of Moore Research Center, Inc. Nick Colley (Eugene, Oregon) is Research Director of Moore Research Center, Inc.

Vols. for 1977-1983 accompanied by a supplementary issue: Reference guide to future markets.

Currency trading offers immense potential to stock and futures investors seeking new speculative opportunities. However, there are several ways to trade in currencies, and many unsuspecting traders have been burned by aggressive marketing campaigns and gimmicks luring them into unfavorable trading environments. In this book, best-selling trading author Carley Garner covers everything new currency traders need to know to avoid those pitfalls and start earning big profits. Currency Trading in the Forex and Futures Markets begins by demystifying all the essentials, from quotes and calculations to the unique language of Forex trading. Readers learn all they need to know about choosing trading platforms and brokerage firms; working with leverage; controlling transaction costs; managing liquidity, margins, and risks; and much more. Garner thoroughly explains the currency spot market (Forex); currency futures traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME); and currency ETFs. She candidly discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each, cutting through the "smoke and mirrors" often associated with currency trading. Readers will also find a full section on currency market speculation, including a clear introduction to fundamental and seasonal analysis in currency markets. With her guidance, new currency traders can identify the markets and approaches that best fit their objectives, and avoid the pitfalls that have often victimized their predecessors.