Paper trading platform

[long]

I'd be interested your take on how the HG copper futures behave when compared to the yield you get from the ag futures.

Haven’t traded copper in many years. I am by no means an expert and I don’t like to give trading advice over the internet (or anywhere else for that matter). My most profitable speculative trades have always started out as hedges for my production. The market moved big in my favor and I decided to take profit and change production plans. I’ve made a little money with trading systems over the years but not much. If you only figured the time I actually had a position on I might have averaged 20%. If you figure by calendar years including the time my money was parked I’d be lucky to match the s&p in returns. I’m not an advisor, just an enthusiast.

 

[easymon1]

Haven’t traded copper in many years. I am by no means an expert and I don’t like to give trading advice over the internet (or anywhere else for that matter). My most profitable speculative trades have always started out as hedges for my production. The market moved big in my favor and I decided to take profit. I’ve made a little money with trading systems over the years but not much. If you only figured the time I actually had a position on I might have averaged 20%. If you figure by calendar years including the time my money was parked I’d be lucky to match the s&p in returns. I’m not an advisor, just an enthusiast.

When speculative trades that started out as hedges unfold to be profitable, how does something like that go. One single entry? Additional contracts stacked on later?

It sounds like you've been known to trade for other than hedging purposes ... curious whether you find ag futures to be less or more amenable to your daily bar trading style given a back of the envelope estimate on the last few years worth of daily bars, than HG.

 

[NinjaTrader_Ray]

As I understand it, Ninja is only free if I open a margin account with them.

Account not needed. NinjaTrader is always free for simulated trading and market analysis.

https://ninjatrader.com/LicenseComparison

 

[CannonTrading_Ilan]

I'm not going to open another margin account to have access to a simulated account. After watching the turtorials I'm not that impressed with the platform.

We have over 10 different platforms, all offer LIVE REAL TIME data for sim trading, not delayed.
Depends on traders needs, some platforms may be better than others.

 

[long]

When speculative trades that started out as hedges unfold to be profitable, how does something like that go. One single entry? Additional contracts stacked on later?

Let's say that I'm a soybean grower thinking about next year's production. My farms yield potential has proven to be 40 bu/acre and the current futures price for NOV23 soybeans is $15.00. My estimated cost per acre to produce a soybean crop is $500/acre. If I lock in $15/bu for my production that will give me $100/acre profit. This hedge position can happen in one single trade or multiple shorts that average out to that price. Now fast forward a bit, price on the board for NOV23 soybeans has dropped to $12.50 sometime before my planting date (usually sometime in May). For example, we'll say that price dropped to $12.50 the first week of April. I now have the choice of maintaining my hedge and produce the crop and risk the weather and other perils. Or......I can close my hedge and collect my $100/acre profit in April! Without planting a crop or incurring any of the costs associated with it! I can choose to leave the ground fallow for the season or grow a different crop that might still have a profitable price available or possibly rent it out to a neighbor for an additional income of $150/acre. This is my favorite way to farm.

It sounds like you've been known to trade for other than hedging purposes ... curious whether you find ag futures to be less or more amenable to your daily bar trading style given a back of the envelope estimate on the last few years worth of daily bars, than HG.

I am much more comfortable with ag futures. With the ag markets (and oil and the S&P) I am familiar with all of the supply and demand reports and rely on them heavily to decide whether I want to be in the market or not. I use technical analysis to help me set entry and exit points but I'm not using gut feeling to decide to whether to enter a market. All of my previous trades in the metals have been based on technical analysis and gut feeling. I get less sleep when I trade like that.

 

[long]

We have over 10 different platforms, all offer LIVE REAL TIME data for sim trading, not delayed.
Depends on traders needs, some platforms may be better than others.

I'll try to check them out