Results of Monday’s Best S&P Futures Turning Points: Buying 4551 filled in the Globex session early this morning running for 9.50 points so far, still open. 

Today’s Best S&P Futures Turning Points (consider wider stops and less size in fast moving markets): 

Buy 4521.00 stop 4517.00. Short 4598.50 stop 4604.25. 

The World Index: (+100/-100) rises from -43 to -29 with most major world markets mildly Bearish. 

Catalysts: Home Price Index @ 9:00. Consumer Confidence, Richmond MFG Index, and Fed’s Goolsbee @ 10:00. More Fed speakers @ 10:05, 10:45, 13:05, and 15:30. 

Quick Tip: Mastering Trading

George Leonard noted in his book Mastery that “Our culture has become hooked on the quick fix, the life hack, efficiency. Everyone is on the hunt for that simple action algorithm that nets maximum profit with the least amount of effort.”

Sounds like “Lottery Mentality.” And unfortunately, those are the kinds of teasers you read in your emails every day. Don’t fall for them. 

To master anyt...

Results of Wednesday’s Best S&P Futures Turning Points: No trades triggered. 

Today’s Best S&P Futures Turning Points (consider wider stops and less size in fast moving markets): 

Buy 4551.00 stop 4546.25. Short 4598.50 stop 4604.25. 

The World Index: (+100/-100) drops from +7 to -43 with most major world markets mildly Bearish. 

Catalysts: New Home Sales @ 10:00. 

Quick Tip: Lead or Lag?

The never-ending challenge in trading is forecasting future price direction using lagging information from technical indicators. Better than nothing but not good enough!

Significant research has proven that there are two superb Leading Indicators of stock price. Insider buying and Unusual Options Activity. 

Combining the two is the perfect addition to your stock/options trading plan. Learn how in this free training session. Click here. 

No disappointments!

Trade Fearlessly,

Mike Siewruk

P.S. Pass this free training offer along to your trading buddies! 

Results of Monday’s Best S&P Futures Turning Points: Neither trade triggered. 

Today’s Best S&P Futures Turning Points (consider wider stops and less size in fast moving markets): 

Buy 4547.50 stop 4543.25. Short 4598.50 stop 4604.25. 

The World Index: (+100/-100) drops from +7 to -29 with the major world markets flat or modestly Bearish on low volatility. 

Catalysts: Existing Home Sales @ 10:00. FOMC Meeting Minutes @ 14:00. NVDA earnings after the close. 

Quick Tip: Be Different

“If you set out to be successful at something and you don’t know how to do it, look around at what everybody else is doing, and don’t do that…” Earl Nightingale

This advice is especially true with trading. If everyone traded the same way there would be no counter parties. We need plenty of different styles and opposing viewpoints for the markets to exist. 

If you’re still struggling it’s a good idea to stop trading live money and start looking at alternative trading styles. Be open-minded. I’ve met to...

Results of Friday’s Best S&P Futures Turning Points: Buying 4517.00 caught the bottom of the day and offered 17.50 maximum before closing the session +11.00 points.

Today’s Best S&P Futures Turning Points (consider wider stops and less size in fast moving markets): 

Buy 4521.00 stop 4517.00. Short 4598.50 stop 4604.25. 

The World Index: (+100/-100) eases from +14 to +7 in a world of mixed sentiment and low volatility.   

Catalysts: Nothing important on the economic calendar. 

Quick Tip: Insider Buying? 

Back on May 3rd of this year I blogged about how effective using Insider Buying is for future stock performance. On that day there was widespread Insider buying in the banking industry during the plunge from a few bank failures. 

Here’s how those trades worked out: 

TCBI +38% before settling +17% now.

LKFN +18% now. 

ZION +62% before settling +49% now. 

USB +31% before settling +22% now. 

How does that compare to the overall market? During the same time SPY reached a high of...

Results of Tuesday’s Best S&P Futures Turning Points: The short at 4498.00 stopped out. The breakout ran for 19.25 points. 

Today’s Best S&P Futures Turning Points (consider wider stops and less size in fast moving markets): 

Buy 4430.00 stop 4425.75. Short 4598.50 stop 4604.25. 

The World Index: (+100/-100) soars from +7 to +64 with all major world markets solidly Bullish. 

Catalysts: PPI, Retail Sales & Empire State MFG Index @ 8:30. Fed’s Barr @ 9:30. Crude Oil Inventories @ 10:30. 

Quick Tip: Parabolic Moves

Yesterday was as fun as trading can be if you were long. Day, swing, or position trades all printed green.

For day trades you’re ready for a continuation or a reversal today. No worries. But for swing and position trades you have a tough decision to make. 

The S&P is in a near parabolic move up. These simply don’t last forever, sometimes not for long at all. Yes, we’ve all heard the advice “Let your winners run” but for how far? 

You should have some targets for exit o...

Results of Monday’s Best S&P Futures Turning Points: There was a typo on the short yesterday, well below price. The long didn’t trigger. 

Today’s Best S&P Futures Turning Points (consider wider stops and less size in fast moving markets): 

Buy 4364.75 stop 4360.75. Short 4498.00 stop 4502.25.

The World Index: (+100/-100) drops from +21 to +7 in a world of continuing mixed sentiment and low volatility. 

Catalysts: CPI (watch Core) @ 8:30. Fed’s Barr @ 10:00. Fed’s Goolsbee @ 12:45. 

Quick Tip: Big Picture

What’s your Big Picture? The correct answer depends on your time horizon (intended holding period) and trading chart time interval. 

If you’re a day trader using a 5 or 10-minute chart, you’d be out by the end of the day and watching the behavior of the 30 or 60-minute chart. 

If you’re a swing trader using a 60-minute chart, you’d be out in a several days or weeks and watching the Daily chart. 

If you’re a position trader using a Daily chart, you’d be holding long term and wa...

Results of Monday’s Best S&P Futures Turning Points: There was a typo on the short yesterday, well below price. The long didn’t trigger. 

Today’s Best S&P Futures Turning Points (consider wider stops and less size in fast moving markets): 

Buy 4364.75 stop 4360.75. Short 4498.00 stop 4502.25.

The World Index: (+100/-100) drops from +21 to +7 in a world of continuing mixed sentiment and low volatility. 

Catalysts: CPI (watch Core) @ 8:30. Fed’s Barr @ 10:00. Fed’s Goolsbee @ 12:45. 

Quick Tip: Big Picture

What’s your Big Picture? The correct answer depends on your time horizon (intended holding period) and trading chart time interval. 

If you’re a day trader using a 5 or 10-minute chart, you’d be out by the end of the day and watching the behavior of the 30 or 60-minute chart. 

If you’re a swing trader using a 60-minute chart, you’d be out in a several days or weeks and watching the Daily chart. 

If you’re a position trader using a Daily chart, you’d be holding long term and wa...

Results of Thursday’s Best S&P Futures Turning Points: Neither level triggered.

Today’s Best S&P Futures Turning Points (consider wider stops and less size in fast moving markets): 

Buy 4336.25 stop 4332.50. Short 4397.50 stop 4402.25.

The World Index: (+100/-100) plummets from +29 to -71 with all major world markets very Bearish. 

Catalysts: UofM Consumer Sentiment @ 10:00. Hangover from Powell’s comments.   

Quick Tip: Stops

To survive and thrive in trading managing risk is critical. The basic component in your risk management plan is the stop loss (how much you are willing to lose on each trade). 

There are many types of stop loss methods including:

1. Dollar

2. Maximum Adverse Excursion 

3. Volatility

4. Moving Average

5. Time

6. Opposing signal 

7. Percent Retracement

Like your choice in style of trading, your stop loss method needs to resonate with your personality. You must trust, even like it. 

Given that markets change in volatility constantly the volatility st...

Results of Wednesday’s Best S&P Futures Turning Points: Neither level triggered and remain on the chart. 

Today’s Best S&P Futures Turning Points (consider wider stops and less size in fast moving markets): 

Buy 4336.25 stop 4332.50. Short 4433.25 stop 4436.75. 

The World Index: (+100/-100) jumps from -14 to +29 with most major world markets Bullish.  

Catalysts: Jobless Claims @ 8:30. 30-year Bond Auction @ 13:01. Powell speaks on a panel discussion titled "Monetary Challenges in a Global Economy" @ 14:00. 

Quick Tip: Trade THIS Way

Should you trade multiple strategies? Or focus on one? 

Given a big enough account diversification becomes mandatory. You’ve never heard of a hedge fund that ran “one” strategy. But what about those of us with relatively smaller trading accounts? There are pros and cons. 

Pros: 

More trading opportunities. When one strategy is waiting for entry, another may be active. This means more efficient use of your capital and time. You'll have an "abundanc...

Results of Tuesday’s Best S&P Futures Turning Points: In a relatively narrow, choppy session, neither level triggered and remain on the chart. 

Today’s Best S&P Futures Turning Points (consider wider stops and less size in fast moving markets): 

Buy 4336.25 stop 4332.50. Short 4433.25 stop 4436.75. 

The World Index: (+100/-100) jumps from -57 to -14 in a world of mixed sentiment and low volatility. 

Catalysts: Fed Speakers @ 9:15 (Powell), 13:40, and 14:00. 10-year Bond Auction @ 13:01. 

Quick Tip: Hot Lists

Stock traders and investors have a challenge that futures and Forex traders don’t have. How to winnow down your trading candidates from around 9500 stocks. 

There are some common filters that are easy to implement like price and volume. Picking stocks that are between $10 and $50 reduces the selection to 4500. Add in average volume over 1 million daily and you’re down to 710. 

You can keep adding filters to get to a manageable number, but you still don’t have any idea about...