Search results

They are also sitting on a ton of customer capital. Like any bank or financial institution, they have great latitude to buy what they want with that capital (as long as it's AAA rated). MF certainly didn't go into the distressed market; they also only held AAA rated bonds.... levered up...

The level of leverage is the big concern. They say they invest conservatively... And you hope that's the case. With MF, I've heard it said that them going public was the beginning of the end. They became earnings driven, and Corzine amplified that. And you start squeezing for more yield...

I've heard a lot of chatter this week that the MF story would be devastating to smaller FCMs.... And well, they are right. If the regulators can't do a better job of guaranteeing the security of our assets, I for one wouldnt mess around with anything but the more "secure" firms. I still...

Correlation does not equate causation. If you are unclear how to distinguish between the two, go google it. I'd actually argue the HDI surveys show something else: wealth developed nations prefer to be democracies. If you don't know how to statistically test/distinguish between these two...

Wow. Major suckage. Glad I don't have to deal with this, this week: November 1, 2011 Proposed Guidance for CPOs with Pool Funds Held at MF Global, Inc. NFA recognizes the need for our CPO Members to keep their pool participants informed as to what has occurred with MF Global, Inc...

This is really not true. When you're speaking of correlations + study, which ones? When I look at correlations, I see any number of incredibly poor nations across the third world who aspire to "freedom"... and yet haven't reached them. There are more democracies in Africa, today, than...

Very good question. And how do you account for this when calculating your strategy's performance... Hopefully you can get things moved quickly. I'd call other FCMs you already clear with, and see if they can expedite the account/position transfer process.

By the way, China's space capsule is being launched (for a rendez-vous with China's proto-space station) as we speak. You can watch live here: http://news.qq.com/zt2011/shenbazhibo/index.htm

Not sure about water supply... I mean, intuitively it makes sense as an issue, but I'd have to see the math on it. (It's a lot like the discussion about "peak oil"; it "makes sense" as a theory, but I suspect a lot depends on how you calculate compounding over time... I really don't know the...

Not sure why you want to make this a personal fight. If you have a point, make it. If you don't have one, shut up. I'll just throw a few points out there... even though, again, not my intention to make this discussion about ME. First of all, I own a home in China, and I'm frequently...

The best minds are flocking to the US because a) the US has the best universities in the world, b) the US has a far higher standard of living + pay than China. Is this really a surprise? Is there anyone debating this specific point with you? We're talking about where (we think) China is...

Effective immediately, and until further notice, CME's Emergency Financial Committee, in accordance with rule 975, is limiting all trading for customers of MF Global for liquidation only. In addition, and until further notice, CME Group will no longer recognize MF Global or any of its...

Japan is a much better example.

No I understand the demographics math. My parents had 4 siblings each, and yet I + most of my cousins are only children. Our kids have four grandparents each fighting for their attention... So obviously when they get older, they directly/indirectly will have to provide for them. I still say...

I'm definitely not a perma-bull on China, I think there are all sorts of challenges. But the demographics argument, I really don't get. (I see it used sometimes to compare China vs India.) Try applying it to a family down the street: "boy, its a shame those Johnson's are so poor ... They...

I suspect you'd be completely wrong. I havent looked at this guys credentials, but if he's 50 or younger, I'd bet he has a graduate degree from an overseas university. And if he is over 60, I would say with 100% certainty his kids are studying/working in the US or Europe; that's standard...

I'm not even sure why I'm engaging in this "discussion" here... I guess it's a lazy Sunday afternoon, why not. Do you really think its a question of "choice"? If we transported you to China and got rid of your Western passport, would you still "choose" to work smarter and be more...

I'm Chinese, and perhaps predictably, very sympathetic of his point of view. Want to maintain your standard of living? Rather than complaining and hoping to distribute what's left of a small and diminishing pie, work twice as hard. Want to have money after retirement? Work harder now and...

What's there to simulate? You can't simulate the spreads. A true melt down would just be like the Flash crash... total chaos. For me, I try to manage my risk by keeping my positions within 1 standard deviation. Nothing far OTM. A huge move in either direction, I hedge with the underlying...

Heating oil moved $0.25 in early May, so caused the lock-up... crude was close to moving $10. About a 10% move in each case. (DOWN, not up.) Yea, if another USDA report comes in like last year... I'll still be down, but with my new risk management approach, (hopefully) no worse than a drop...