Reality for an Individual Trader

[sle]

Derivatives ex-transaction costs are a zero sum game. It's nothing more then a tool to transfer risk to players with a different utility curve or exposure profile.

On the other hand, equity is a leveraged bet on the growth, at micro and maco scale. When you buy common stock, you place your self in position to share in the value added by the company. If you buying an tracker, you doing exactly the same but in a diversified manner. So no, market overall is not a zero sum game.

 

[Vindago]

You need not compete with Pro, you just need to follow their tracks and profit with them. In Fact I would say that the Retail trader has way more flexibility than Pro and can make way more money (in % of the account size, of course) than the Pro.

But, there is always a BUT... you need to put in the time and work to gain the necessary experience before you can reach consistency, which is the Keyword as it matter not to make big money in a short time if you are going to lose them soon after...

 

[Illini Trader]

I am interested in trading commodity futures, but I question whether it is realistic for an individual investor to compete with pro traders who have decades of experience. I have a genuine interest in this investment vehicle and not interested in a get rich quick scheme. I am willing to put in the time and hard work to educate myself. However, I don't want to be naive when it comes to thinking I or anyone who hasn't worked as a professional trader on the inside can be profitable in the long run.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

It appears from the tone of your thread that you are starting from square one. If that is the case you need to gain access to a teacher and mentor. One such teacher is an Australian named Nial Fuller and his website learntotradethemarket.com -- He has regular "free" teaching articles as well as an inexpensive trading course. The attached link is his latest free article and it is powerful.

http://www.learntotradethemarket.com/forex-trading-strategies/pull-back-trading-strategy

The gist of this article is that most traders (my weakest trait) will chase a trade instead of being patient and waiting until it retraces and then resumes the trend by rejecting a prior support area such as horizontal resistance or the mean. A generally accepted definition of the mean is the 21 interval Exponential Moving Average.

Get on his site and read the archives of all his free articles. You will benefit from his many years of experience and not have to learn "everything" from the school of hard knocks.

Every trader on ET will tell you how they all lost in the beginning. You are very smart to make this inquiry. There are some things that you will only learn by trading and losing but there are many principles that you can learn from those that have gone before.

Best Wishes to you.

 

[Gotcha]

It appears from the tone of your thread that you are starting from square one. If that is the case you need to gain access to a teacher and mentor. One such teacher is an Australian named Nial Fuller and his website learntotradethemarket.com -- He has regular "free" teaching articles as well as an inexpensive trading course. The attached link is his latest free article and it is powerful.

http://www.learntotradethemarket.com/forex-trading-strategies/pull-back-trading-strategy

The gist of this article is that most traders (my weakest trait) will chase a trade instead of being patient and waiting until it retraces and then resumes the trend by rejecting a prior support area such as horizontal resistance or the mean. A generally accepted definition of the mean is the 21 interval Exponential Moving Average.

Get on his site and read the archives of all his free articles. You will benefit from his many years of experience and not have to learn "everything" from the school of hard knocks.

Every trader on ET will tell you how they all lost in the beginning. You are very smart to make this inquiry. There are some things that you will only learn by trading and losing but there are many principles that you can learn from those that have gone before.

Best Wishes to you.

Oh come on. This website reeks of scam-central. I love the standard testimonials like "this course is worth so much more" and "best $350 I ever spent". LOL And they say they are so busy with people signing up that they need hours to prepare your member area. God, I swear, these learn to trade websites are all based on some template cause they all look the same every time. Utter bullshit.

 

[Vindago]

Yep, Gotcha got it right, if you can't trade you teach... so beware

 

[Illini Trader]

Oh come on. This website reeks of scam-central. I love the standard testimonials like "this course is worth so much more" and "best $350 I ever spent". LOL And they say they are so busy with people signing up that they need hours to prepare your member area. God, I swear, these learn to trade websites are all based on some template cause they all look the same every time. Utter bullshit.

I hear what you are saying in principle and for the most part what you say is true. However, there is a whole lot of value in the principles that Nial teaches and I have learned so much from him over the years. Regardless of the "counsel you give without knowledge" in this specific situation, there is a lot of help that a new trader can learn from clicking the link for some "free" information.

 

[JackRab]

I would be "this guy" in your post JackRab And you are correct. If you are new too trading, I suggest you don't try what I am simply displaying at YM MAGIC. I am far from new to this my friend. Furthermore, I had a less than average week. I would tell you I usually go 6 to 8 weeks without a losing trade. But that would probably sound so improbable and unrealistic to you. So stick around and follow me for a few weeks. I will make you eat those words. Or maybe you won't. But I would gladly make an open wager with you about my performance. Please stay tuned. Make a liar out of me.

You're trading about 750k with a 10k account... I don't find 75x leverage very magical...

How long have you been trading mate? Far from new? So what are you doing with a 10k account?

 

[jk90029]

You're trading about 750k with a 10k account... I don't find 75x leverage very magical...

How long have you been trading mate? Far from new? So what are you doing with a 10k account?

It is perfectly legal to trade 750K with 10K cash.

The more one trade, the more comm+tax will be accumulated, in the long run.

I am interested the annual average cost (comm+tax) of the guy.

 

[JackRab]

It is perfectly legal to trade 750K with 10K cash.

The more one trade, the more comm+tax will be accumulated, in the long run.

I am interested the annual average cost (comm+tax) of the guy.

I'm not saying it's illegal... just that's it's stupid.

And then trading on your phone, claiming that you will make 100% /month... while probably on a sim-account.... then opening (also 10k) an account with Nadex, trading binaries???

That makes it even more stupid, assuming this is even real to begin with.

 

[vanzandt]

I want 75 to one leverage.
I'll just buy puts on SNAP.
Dealmaker... Pencil me in for one of those sweet CA cribs. Waterfront please.