Why Trade Futures?

[oldtime]

Quote from Random.Capital:

That statement is incorrect. Professionals trade across all those asset classes, often simultaneously.

oh well now, if you are going to talk about "professionals' that is a whole different matter

If you are just talking about us little podunk retail traders

we pick out a market we like and are having good results in

and we sitck with it until it burns us

But I hear ya

The big trader has the luxury of getting flat

until he see's the next big opportunity

 

[oldtime]

Quote from oldtime:

oh well now, if you are going to talk about "professionals' that is a whole different matter

If you are just talking about us little podunk retail traders

we pick out a market we like and are having good results in

and we sitck with it until it burns us

But I hear ya

The big trader has the luxury of getting flat

until he see's the next big opportunity

but it's all just really a matter of time

for you, getting flat for a year, is the same as me getting flat for 24 hours

 

[oldtime]

that's why I like forex

it is still actively traded by small retail traders

some reports say 90% of all the money moved everyday is just by small retail traders like me

the way the stock market used to be driven 100 shares at a time

 

[oldtime]

hard to make money when it's just you and the other hedge fund

and very little interest from the poor guy that is out there working a real job

 

[ofthomas]

misinformation is a bit of a strong word... and what you are asking him to ponder below is nothing more than what one should do to identify what is best for one to trade, nothing more... I would have presumed anyone has asked themselves that question before ever trading...

Quote from oldtime:

lot of misinformation so far

just ask

what is better for you?

ES or SPY?

and then ask

what is better for you?

Individual stocks?

or an index?

 

[ofthomas]

you would be the first and only one, assuming you are not regulated, that would not trade on close knowledge/information about a business... I know that if I breathed/lived beans, I would trade nothing but beans... so if I breathe/live bellies... then I would trade bellies...

Quote from oldtime:

Like the man told me, "Don't ever try to buy or sell a stock unless you have inside information."

But it can work both ways, that's why I never traded Pork Bellies.

I don't like trading on inside info.

 

[oldtime]

Quote from ofthomas:

you would be the first and only one, assuming you are not regulated, that would not trade on close knowledge/information about a business... I know that if I breathed/lived beans, I would trade nothing but beans... so if I breathe/live bellies... then I would trade bellies...

yes well, you would think that

but when these men came into the office

and back then they had cattle and a field of beans

you would ask them, and the answer was always "I don't have a clue"

and they would ask you, "What do you think about Navistar?"

and very often walk out of the office long NAV.

 

[ofthomas]

I can understand what you are saying... but I am thinking we have different definitions as to what entails inside information... I think broader when it comes to the markets I trade(aggrs)... like yields, conditions, etc... more than dealing with just a single or few farmers that will give a narrow view of the market... but again, I've never been a broker or worked for one... so take what I say with a grain of salt.

Quote from oldtime:

yes well, you would think that

but when these men came into the office

and back then they had cattle and a field of beans

you would ask them, and the answer was always "I don't have a clue"

and they would ask you, "What do you think about Navistar?"

and very often walk out of the office long NAV.

 

[oldtime]

Quote from ofthomas:

I can understand what you are saying... but I am thinking we have different definitions as to what entails inside information... I think broader when it comes to the markets I trade(aggrs)... like yields, conditions, etc... more than dealing with just a single or few farmers that will give a narrow view of the market... but again, I've never been a broker or worked for one... so take what I say with a grain of salt.

I gurandammteeyou, the guy that works his field everyday knows a hellofolot more than any anaylyst you pay for.

and if you are really serious about it, you need to get out there and walk those fields for yourself

farmers worry a lot more than they need to

and speculators often have unrealisitic expecatations

 

[rknas]

More TA and less dependent on news. A single company earnings (typically) doesn't gap down the ES. No need to monitor a ton of stocks or scan for signals. You can pick up a chart or two of the chosen instrument and focus. On the other hand, you need a lot of patience, cause the chosen instrument may not have any optimal signals on a given day or even consecutive days.