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	<title>Hedging Options &#187; Investing</title>
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	<description>Hedge your bets...</description>
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		<title>The Volatility Edge in Options Trading: New Technical Strategies for Investing in Unstable Markets [Hardcover]</title>
		<link>http://hedgingoptions.net/the-volatility-edge-in-options-trading-new-technical-strategies-for-investing-in-unstable-markets-hardcover</link>
		<comments>http://hedgingoptions.net/the-volatility-edge-in-options-trading-new-technical-strategies-for-investing-in-unstable-markets-hardcover#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:21:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Option Trading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Edge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hardcover]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Investing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Markets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Options]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Strategies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technical]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Unstable]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Volatility]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://hedgingoptions.net/the-volatility-edge-in-options-trading-new-technical-strategies-for-investing-in-unstable-markets-hardcover</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[




   “Jeff’s analysis is unique, at least among academic derivatives textbooks. I would definitely use this material in my derivatives class, as I believe students would benefit from analyzing the many dimensions of Jeff’s trading strategies. I especially found the material on trading the earnings cycle and discussion of how to insure against price [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Volatility-Edge-Options-Trading-Strategies/dp/0132354691/ref=sr_1_11/179-1169302-4319718?ie=UTF8&#038;s=books&#038;qid=1276293871&#038;sr=8-11?ie=UTF8&#038;tag=optitradbasi-20"><img style="float:left;width: 150px;height:150px;margin-right: 10px;" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5129m8IxAeL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" alt="The Volatility Edge in Options Trading: New Technical Strategies for Investing in Unstable Markets" /></a></p>
<p>   “Jeff’s analysis is unique, at least among academic derivatives textbooks. I would definitely use this material in my derivatives class, as I believe students would benefit from analyzing the many dimensions of Jeff’s trading strategies. I especially found the material on trading the earnings cycle and discussion of how to insure against price jumps at known events very worthwhile.”  —DR. ROBERT JENNINGS, Professor of Finance, Indiana University Kelley School of Business     “This is not just another book about options trading. The author shares a plethora of knowledge based on 20 years of trading experience and study of the financial markets. Jeff explains the myriad of complexities about options in a manner that is insightful and easy to understand. Given the growth in the options and derivatives markets over the past five years, this book is required reading for any serious investor or anyone in the financial service industries.”  —MICHAEL P. O’ <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Volatility-Edge-Options-Trading-Strategies/dp/0132354691/ref=sr_1_11/179-1169302-4319718?ie=UTF8&#038;s=books&#038;qid=1276293871&#038;sr=8-11?ie=UTF8&#038;tag=optitradbasi-20" title="More at Amazon">(more&#8230;)</a></p>
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		<item>
		<title>Trade Currencies Like Stock and Make More Money</title>
		<link>http://hedgingoptions.net/trade-currencies-like-stock-and-make-more-money</link>
		<comments>http://hedgingoptions.net/trade-currencies-like-stock-and-make-more-money#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 24 Jan 2010 07:02:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Option Trading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Commodity Trading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hedge Fund]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Investing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Investment Fund]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Offshore Hedge Fund]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://hedgingoptions.net/trade-currencies-like-stock-and-make-more-money</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[



The title is deceptive actually. What is being talked about is that if you are holding substantial amounts of Pounds, or Dollars or the Euro, or other currency, you can use that currency to make money on your currency by trading.
Currency Trade is where the currency is bought and sold. Just like stocks and shares [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The title is deceptive actually. What is being talked about is that if you are holding substantial amounts of Pounds, or Dollars or the Euro, or other currency, you can use that currency to make money on your currency by trading.<br />
Currency Trade is where the currency is bought and sold. Just like stocks and shares  are traded in the NYSE or the NASDAQ.<br />
The difference in the two is only one. In stocks and shares, you are buying into or exiting from the companies in which you are holding stocks and shares, based upon the stock movements in the Stock Exchange, again based on supply/demand equations. You bought low and sold high, depending upon your perception of how much you wanted to cash in, and how much you wanted to retain in the long term. This depended on the individual company AND the way the market indices were moving. Currency trading works exactly the same way as the stock market does, based on demand and supply, but was earlier restricted to banks only. They traded on currencies based on values and requirements and whether the economic situation in that currency was good or likely to be good or bad, etc.<br />
Today with the world having gone global, and individual countries freeing up foreign exchange regulations, even private companies (corporates) can trade in currencies. For this they have set up separate funds. Today, if the US dollar is fetching say 2 British Pounds Sterling, and it is expected that since the US economy is going down, then the holding of that dollar would fetch only 1 British Pound Sterling. So you have lost one British Pound Sterling. Conversely, if it is felt that the economy of the US is doing better than the British economy, one US Dollar could fetch as much as 2.5 British pound sterling.<br />
So you now have an opportunity to use the ETFs or your portfolio manager to go in for currency trading. If you put in say $100 you would be getting 200 British Pounds sterling. But if the dollar is going down, you would get much less, say only 100 pounds. Normally in currency trading, a long term option is used. Because, it is based on long term indications of the currency of the country using it. Generally, the managers use a basket of currencies to trade, that smoothens the ups and downs of the currency market. Basket here means holding multiple currencies against which the dollar values goes up or down, and trade is accordingly conducted.<br />
As an individual, you will have to check whether you can yourself trade in the currency market. That depends upon your countries Foreign  Exchange Policy. You will have to check it out with your investment group. If you are allowed, you can do pretty well. But start slowly and hedge your bets always. It requires a lot of reading, keeping track of the global economy, your own economy, and of course your personal economy!<br />
Try it through your investment manager, and see for about six months what your return is. Meanwhile, you can read up about it on various media, such as books, the internet, etc. </p>
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		<title>FOREX &#8211; Use Options to Reduce Your Risk</title>
		<link>http://hedgingoptions.net/forex-use-options-to-reduce-your-risk</link>
		<comments>http://hedgingoptions.net/forex-use-options-to-reduce-your-risk#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 23 Jan 2010 19:12:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Option Trading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FOREX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[forex trading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Investing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Learn Forex]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Make Money Online]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stock Trading]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://hedgingoptions.net/forex-use-options-to-reduce-your-risk</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[An option is a contract to that gives the holder the right to buy or sell currency at a pre-determined price at a specific price.  The holder of the contract has the right to exercise the option but is not obligated to.  Options are used as a hedge in FOREX transactions; they are [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>An option is a contract to that gives the holder the right to buy or sell currency at a pre-determined price at a specific price.  The holder of the contract has the right to exercise the option but is not obligated to.  Options are used as a hedge in FOREX transactions; they are frequently used by companies that trade in oversea goods to reduce their risk. </p>
<p>	Options come in two different flavors.  Call options give the contract holder the right to buy the currency.  Put options give the contract holder the right to sell the currency to someone else. </p>
<p>	When the contract expires the actual value of the options is whatever the holder will get by actually exercising the contract.  If the holder will gain nothing by exercising the option then the actual value of the option is zero.  The value of the option at any other time during the contract is what is called the intrinsic value, that is the value if the holder were to exercise the option at that time. </p>
<p>	The intrinsic value is partially based on the set price of the contract, which is also known as the &#8220;strike price&#8221;.  A call option has an intrinsic value if the current price of the currency is higher than the strike price.  This would allow the contract holder to buy the currency at less than the current value and then re-sell it for a profit.  A put option has an intrinsic value if the current price is less than the strike price of the option. </p>
<p>	Any time an option has a positive intrinsic value it is said to be &#8220;in the money&#8221; if the intrinsic value is negative then the option is considered to be &#8220;out of the money&#8221;. It can also have a value of zero which means that the current price is the same as the strike price in which case it is considered to be &#8220;a the money&#8221;.  Options should only be exercised when they are &#8220;in the money&#8221;. </p>
<p>	There are complicated formulas used to calculate the intrinsic value of an option, these formulas take into consideration both the current price as well as the time value.  The time value is calculated based on the market conditions, including things like interest rates on both currencies as well as the time left in the contract.  The pricing of options is delicate; they must be low enough to attract buyers but also high enough to attract the sellers as well. </p>
<p>	Options are primarily used to minimize risk in FOREX trades.  They help to protect against unexpected fluctuations in the market.  When you buy an option your potential loss is limited to the price of the option.  When you sell options your potential loss can be significantly higher.  The seller gains the premium for selling the option but depending on how the market moves their loss could be unlimited. </p>
<p>	As a hedging tool, there are many different types of options available.  They are often used to minimize the potential for loss due to fluctuations in the foreign exchange market by companies that trade overseas. </p>
<p>In the FOREX market there is a special option known as a digital option. A digital option pays a specified amount at expiration if certain criteria are met.  If the criteria are not met there is no payment.  </p>
<p>To us a digital option the trader must first decide which way the market is moving.  They then decide on a payoff amount if the market moves as expected within a certain time frame.  Using this information they can then calculate the price of the digital option. </p>
<p>For example: </p>
<p>The price of the euro is currently trading at about 1.2400 and you expect it to rise to 1.2800 within 3 months.  You decide to buy a put digital option with a payoff of $5000.  The cost of the option is $800. </p>
<p>If at the end of the 3 months the euro is more than 1.2800 you get $5000.  If the price is less, you lose $800. </p>
<p>Options can be a valuable trading tool for all FOREX traders. </p>
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		<title>Seasonal Spread Trade for Consistent Returns</title>
		<link>http://hedgingoptions.net/seasonal-spread-trade-for-consistent-returns</link>
		<comments>http://hedgingoptions.net/seasonal-spread-trade-for-consistent-returns#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Jan 2010 06:57:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Option Trading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Commodities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Futures]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Investing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Options]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Seasonal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spread]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trading]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://hedgingoptions.net/seasonal-spread-trade-for-consistent-returns</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[￼
www.TransWorldFutures.com
Seasonal Spread Trade for Consistent Returns
Spread trading is a unique trading concept not all that familiar to the average commodity investor. The typical commodity trader analyzes a particular market, either from a technical or a fundamental standpoint, sometimes combining the two; makes a determination as to whether the market exhibits either a bullish or bearish [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>￼</p>
<p>www.TransWorldFutures.com</p>
<p>Seasonal Spread Trade for Consistent Returns</p>
<p>Spread trading is a unique trading concept not all that familiar to the average commodity investor. The typical commodity trader analyzes a particular market, either from a technical or a fundamental standpoint, sometimes combining the two; makes a determination as to whether the market exhibits either a bullish or bearish bias, and then wagers by going long a futures contract or purchasing a call option, or by going short a futures contract or buying a put option. There are a number of variations on the theme, but the idea is basically the same. </p>
<p>The following demonstrates the inherent disadvantages, in the above two  scenarios, of an outright futures position or the purchase of an option; </p>
<p>1. Size of account. The average investor has a limited account size, and can only withstand a certain amount of drawdown associated with any particular trade. The limited size of trading account necessitates the placement of a protective stop order above or below the position. The premature assumption of a position and the inherent volatility associated with commodity markets leaves the position vulnerable to a one or two day move that triggers the stop order, sidelining the trader as the position oftentimes turns back around. As the market moves in the trader’s favor, the advisability of using trailing stops, adjusting the protective stop in the direction of the trade makes sense in theory, but oftentimes the market will open well above or below the stop order, blowing out the stop and oftentimes taking away a substantial amount, if not all of the profit that was being locked in. </p>
<p>2. Time. In the case of an options purchase, you are basically purchasing time. As the purchaser of an option, the time clock and the calendar become your worst enemy. The value of your option depreciates as you wait for the market to move in your direction. Typically the purchaser of an option witnesses the market go up and down, as the value of his option changes, all along the remaining time value decaying on an accelerated curve as the option expiration day grows nearer. </p>
<p>Spread trading on the other hand, is a way of effectively combating the above two problems. Time no longer is an enemy and volatility, to a certain extent, is effectively reduced. Margins are substantially less due to the relative conservative nature of the “hedged” trade, which the commodity exchanges themselves recognize. Margin requirements, for a spread, can be reduced anywhere from 20% to 90%  </p>
<p>Spread trading has no directional bias. The market can go up or down, the trade is based only the relationship between the long and the short position, i.e.- as long as the long side of your spread outperforms the short side you will be profitable. Spread trades can be in the same commodity with different delivery months (i.e. buy July Lean Hogs and sell December Lean Hogs), or different commodities (i.e. buy March Swiss Franc and sell March Australian Dollar). Generally speaking, both sides of the trade will have the same overall directional bias, as in being both long and short in the Grains (long July Corn/short March Corn) , or in the Meats (long Live Cattle/short Feeder Cattle), or in the Metals (long Gold/short Silver). This allows for the built in &#8220;hedge&#8221;. </p>
<p>Seasonal spread trading is another opportunity to take advantage of this manner of trading. As there are many seasonal tendencies associated with various commodity markets, there are also seasonal tendencies associated with seasonal spread trades. Seasonality is a seasonal cycle that forms a similar, reliable pattern every year for many years. </p>
<p>Reliable seasonal tendencies are all around us. </p>
<p>Everyone is familiar with weather seasonality. In the winter months the temperature is colder than in the summer months. </p>
<p>Farmers will plant crops and harvest crops at about the same time every year. </p>
<p>In the summer months, Crude Oil is usually higher than in winter (because people drive cars more in summer). </p>
<p>In the winter months heating oil is usually higher than in the summer (because more people are trying to stay warm in winter). </p>
<p>At TransWorld Futures, www.TransWorldFutures.com, we go back over 15 years of research and analyze high percentage seasonal spread trade patterns. If a commodity doesn’t exhibit a high seasonal correlation, it is tossed out of the data base.</p>
<p>Any spread trade that has been successful 80% of the time or better over the past 15 years is certainly a possible candidate for exhibiting a seasonal tendency and worth analyzing further. Once the high percentage entry and exit dates are determined, it is time to examine the trade on the technical setup. Is the spread overbought or oversold, what are the resistance points? Basically does the trade look technically as well as fundamentally sound. There are a number of advisory services that offer seasonal spread trade recommendations based on historical analysis, but, by ignoring the technical set up, may result in entering the trade too early, resulting in unnecessarily large draw downs, or in entering too late, missing the trade altogether. We attempt to alleviate the stress, and do the leg work for you. The results from this unique form of trading have to be seen to be believed. Please contact one of our friendly brokers today, and learn about one of the most consistent trade indicators.</p>
<p>Rob Rutger</p>
<p>Senior Analyst</p>
<p>TransWorld Futures</p>
<p>Rob@TransWorldFutures.com</p>
<p>Toll free: 1-877-843-4519</p>
<p>International: 011-813-241-1902</p>
<p>Fax: 1-813-241-1927</p>
<p>www.TransWorldFutures.com </p>
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		<title>Hedging â What is It, and Itâs Uses in Risk Management</title>
		<link>http://hedgingoptions.net/hedging-a%c2%80%c2%93-what-is-it-and-ita%c2%80%c2%99s-uses-in-risk-management</link>
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		<pubDate>Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:27:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://hedgingoptions.net/hedging-a%c2%80%c2%93-what-is-it-and-ita%c2%80%c2%99s-uses-in-risk-management</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The second of a two part articleâ¦. Before I discuss the use of hedging to off-set risk, we need to understand the role and the purpose of hedging. The history of modern futures trading begins in Chicago in the early 1800âs. Chicago is located at the base of the Great Lakes, close to the farmlands [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The second of a two part articleâ¦. Before I discuss the use of hedging to off-set risk, we need to understand the role and the purpose of hedging. The history of modern futures trading begins in Chicago in the early 1800âs. Chicago is located at the base of the Great Lakes, close to the farmlands and cattle country of the U.S. Midwest making it a natural center for transportation, distribution and trading of agricultural produce. Gluts and shortages of these products caused chaotic fluctuations in price. This led to the development of a market enabling grain merchants, processors, and agriculture companies to trade in contracts to insulate them from the risk of adverse price change and enable them to hedge. The first commodity exchange was the creation of the Chicago Board of Trade, CBOT in 1848. Since then, modern derivative products have grown to include more than the agricultural industry. Products include Stock Indices, Interest Rates, Currency, Precious Metals, Oil and Gas, Steel and a host of others. The origins of the commodity and futures exchange was created to support hedging. The role of speculators is beneficial as they add trading volume and important volatility to what would otherwise be a small and illiquid market place. You can view a complete listing of the worlds different exchanges at: http://www.genuinecta.com/World_Exchanges_Commodities_Trading_Advisors.htm  A bona-fide hedger is someone with an actual product to buy or sell. The hedger establishes an off-setting position on the futures or commodity exchange, thereby instituting a set price for his product. Someone buying a hedge is known as being âLongâ or âTaking Deliveryâ. Someone selling a hedge is known as being âShortâ or âMaking Deliveryâ. These positions known as âContractsâ are legally binding and enforced by the exchange. Entering your trades either for speculation or hedging is done through your broker. Commodity Trading Advisor, Genuine Trading Solutions President Dwayne Strocen, states that âCommodity and Futures exchanges are distinct from Stock Exchanges, although they operate using the same principals. They are regulated by different agencies such as the Commodity Futures Trading Commission who are responsible for regulation of retail brokers in the USA as well as Commodity Trading Advisors such as us.â Now letâs view some real life examples of hedging or mitigation of risk by using exchange traded derivatives. Example 1: A mutual fund manager has a portfolio valued at $10 million closely resembling the S&amp;P 500 index. The Portfolio Manager believes the economy is worsening with deteriorating corporate returns. The next two to three weeks are reports of quarterly corporate earnings. Until the report exposes which companies have poor earnings, he is concerned of the results from a short term general market correction. Without the privilege of foresight, he is unsure of the magnitude the earnings figures will produce. He now has an exposure to Market Risk. The manager thinks of his options. The greatest risk is to do nothing, if the market falls as expected, he risks giving up all recent gains. If he sells his portfolio early, he also risks being wrong and missing further rallyâs. Selling also incurs substantial brokerage fees with additional fees to buy back again later. Then he realizes a hedge is the best option to mitigate his short term risk. He begins by calling his CTA (Commodity Trading Advisor) and after consultation places an order to sell short the equivalent of $10 million of the S&amp;P 500 index on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange âCMEâ. Now his result is when the market falls as expected, he will off-set any losses in the portfolio with gains from the Index hedge. Should the earnings report be better than expected, and his portfolio continues upward, he will continue making profits. Two weeks later the fund manager calls his CTA and closes the hedge by buying back the equivalent number of contracts on the CME. Regardless of the resulting market events, the mutual fund manager was protected during the period of short term volatility. There was no risk to the portfolio. Example 2: An electronics firm ABC has recently signed an order to deliver $5 million in electronic components of next years model to an overseas retailer located in Europe. These components will be built in 6 months for delivery two months after that. ABC instantly realizes they are exposed to two risks. 1. the rising and volatile price of copper in 6 months may result in losses to the firm. 2. the fluctuation in the currency could easily add to those losses. ABC being a young firm cannot absorb these losses in view of the highly competitive market from others in the field. Losses from this order would result in lay-offs and possibly plant closures. ABC telephones their CTA and after consultation places an order for two hedges, both for an expiry in 8 months, the date of delivery. Hedge #1 is to buy long $5 million of copper effectively locking in todayâs price against further price increases. ABC has now eliminated all price risk. The risk of plant closures is greater than the lure of increased profit should copper price fall. After all, ABC is not in the business of speculating on copper prices.  Hedge #2 is to sell short the equivalent of Euro Currency vs US Dollars. Since ABC is effectively accepting EC in payment, a rising US dollar and a weak EC would be detrimental and erode profits further. The result of the hedge is no risk and no surprises to ABC in either copper or currency levels. A risk free transaction and full transparency is the result. In 8 months with the order completed and the customer accepting delivery, ABC notifies the CTA to close the hedge by selling the copper and buying back the Euro Currency contacts. Many examples exist to demonstrate the mitigation of risk to an institution or financial portfolio. Dwayne Strocen states that new products are constantly created and available on both over-the counter and exchange traded markets. If would be wise to consult with a qualified Commodity Trading Advisor or broker to discuss the analysis for an on-going risk management solution or a one time only hedge. </p>
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		<title>Forex Trading&#8230; Let Robots Trade Largest Market 24 Hours</title>
		<link>http://hedgingoptions.net/forex-trading-let-robots-trade-largest-market-24-hours</link>
		<comments>http://hedgingoptions.net/forex-trading-let-robots-trade-largest-market-24-hours#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:58:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Option Trading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Candlestick Charting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Currency Trading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Day Trading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FOREX]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[penny stocks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pink sheets]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[Software that Fights Insomnia There are two definitions for the word Forex. It is, along with FX an anagram for foreign exchange market which trade’s currencies. In a forex trade, you buy one currency while simultaneously selling another &#8211; that is, you&#8217;re exchanging the sold currency for the one you&#8217;re buying. The foreign exchange market [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Software that Fights Insomnia There are two definitions for the word Forex. It is, along with FX an anagram for foreign exchange market which trade’s currencies. In a forex trade, you buy one currency while simultaneously selling another &#8211; that is, you&#8217;re exchanging the sold currency for the one you&#8217;re buying. The foreign exchange market is an over-the-counter market. The other Forex is a major conglomerate that is, in their own words, a global provider of online trading services, servicing customers in more than 140 countries. In the next few minutes I will attempt to educate you on both of these terms, and what they can mean to your future. For an awful long time the  foreign exchange market had been one of the  financial world&#8217;s best kept secrets. This is hard to believe considering it is the largest market in the world and accept for weekends trades 24 hours a day. It was mostly the playground for large banks, corporations and hedge fund managers. Currencies are trade in pairs, like the Euro-US Dollar (EUR/USD) or US Dollar / Japanese Yen (USD/JPY). Unlike stocks or futures, there&#8217;s no centralized exchange for forex, so all transactions happen via phone or electronic network. That electronic network path is the reason for this astounding day trader like mentality, and also the reason that perhaps you are reading this in the first place. Your computer allows you to tap into this market, and take advantage of fact  that it does indeed trade 24 hours. With average daily turnover of US$3.2 trillion, forex is without a doubt the most traded market in the world. Starting  Sunday 5:00 P.M. ET to Friday 5:00 P.M. ET, forex trading begins in Sydney, and moves around the globe as the business day begins, first to Tokyo, London, and New York. So trading currencies is unlike other financial markets, because investors can respond immediately to currency fluctuations, whenever they occur &#8211; day or night. I guess that means getting involved with FX will mean you’ll get very little sleep. Until the massive access to affordable software, that might have been the scenario. So that leads us to the next Forex. With the right platform Forex day trading can be almost like a vacation for the trader who deals with other financial products in other markets. Not only are there less governing bodies to deal with, it means less binding rules and regulations to pay heed to when making your trades as well. For instance, in the Forex world, there is no such thing as &#8220;insider trading.&#8221;  If you know something either harmful or beneficial to the exchange rate of the Euro, then feel free to capitalize on that information at will. The equivalent information at the stock exchange, might very well lead to an investigation by the SEC. Always keep in mind that 95% of currency trades are speculative. What that means is that this is a very risky venture. Without correct and through training and the right kind of software to trade on, you can very easily lose your investment. To be affective the platform should meet at least a minimum of three qualifications. 1. It must be able to offer live streaming technical data.    (Otherwise the program is merely educational)   2 Visually it has to be large enough for all the data to be seen easily. (Many of the online brokerage’s technical data is too small to be useful) 3. It must be cost effective. (Most good systems can be purchased for between one and two hundred dollars)The Forex  platforms not only meet but exceed these qualifications. They not only offer live streaming technical data, but you can view real-time prices in 37 currency pairs and spot gold. Also you can execute market orders with just one mouse click and choose from eight available order types. Remember we are trading currency, which is vulnerable to political and economic news, so all of the platforms have access to view up to the minute news headlines and market commentary. I don’t profess to being an expert, but I do know of some. I obviously don’t have the time to go into all the details now, but at my site  Market Mentalist  you will find all you need to know about investing online. There is access to some of the top trading systems available including Forex  software, books, newsletters, and Forums. Whether you are an inquisitive novice or a seasoned pro Market Mentalist offers the online investment resource you just might be seeking. </p>
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		<title>Why Day Trade Futures Instead of Stocks or Options</title>
		<link>http://hedgingoptions.net/why-day-trade-futures-instead-of-stocks-or-options</link>
		<comments>http://hedgingoptions.net/why-day-trade-futures-instead-of-stocks-or-options#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:10:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Option Trading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[daytrading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[futures contracts]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[I don&#8217;t doubt the legion of day traders who claim great success with options and stocks.  But neither of these investments meets the criteria for a great day trading instrument for me.   Why? The real issue in day trading stocks for me is the lack of leverage available to maximize profits.  Regulation T is currently [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I don&#8217;t doubt the legion of day traders who claim great success with options and stocks.  But neither of these investments meets the criteria for a great day trading instrument for me.   Why? The real issue in day trading stocks for me is the lack of leverage available to maximize profits.  Regulation T is currently set at 50%, which means your margin account must contain at least 50% if the net value of your holdings at all times.  You have some leverage, I suppose, but not enough to satiate my appetite for profits.  Generally speaking, stocks are not nearly as volatile as the index futures contracts, and the one essential prerequisite for earning profits, substantial profits, is volatility.  In other words, if the stock doesn&#8217;t move substantially, you are forced to wait until it does.  I don&#8217;t hold any day traded equities overnight, so commission costs are a real concern in trading stocks.  No, I need something with some real volatility to day trade.You might argue that Penny Stocks provide the needed price movement to day trade.  They do, as a matter of fact.  But many penny stocks are of dubious value, and getting accurate information about a penny stock can be an arduous adventure.  Further, the market maker in a penny stock might well be the company itself, or proxy market maker closely tied to the penny stock company.  The end result can be some fairly wide bid/ask pricing, which is very common.  No, I want publicly traded investment instruments with a high degree of transparency for my trading.Options are a wonderful way to hedge a current holding in your portfolio, but they can be less than adequate for a novice trader, or even an intermediate trader.  There are some very adept traders who quite well with options, but generally speaking, my experience with options traders finds a very unhappy crew.  With good reason.  There are many variables to deal with in options trading; strike prices, expiration dates, price decay, to name a few.  I don&#8217;t like the odds, and options traders are often disappointed in their results.  For years we read about former baseball great Lenny Dykstra and his genius in options trading, ads trumpeted his acumen in this field&#8230;.until he declared bankruptcy a few months back, 60 million in the red.  Case closed.Futures give me an instrument with adequate liquidity, a transparent market, and plenty of price action to profit.  Of course, because there is plenty of price movement should not be a promise of profits.  You have to be on the right side of the price movement to make money, and that chore can be difficult.  But the potential is there, and I have made a living many years in the futures markets with good success.  I cannot say my endeavors with stocks and options, in a day trading sense, are nearly as successful.I would say that I do buy and hold a small basket of stocks, but I am concerned, in this article, with strict day trading, and stocks don&#8217;t provide me with enough price movement to profit in a way I find acceptable. </p>
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		<title>How To Start A Home Business With Options Trading And Credit Spreads</title>
		<link>http://hedgingoptions.net/how-to-start-a-home-business-with-options-trading-and-credit-spreads</link>
		<comments>http://hedgingoptions.net/how-to-start-a-home-business-with-options-trading-and-credit-spreads#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:58:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Option Trading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Calls]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit Spreads]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Currency Trading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Exchange]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FOREX]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Iron Condors]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[If you are like most people, in these times of economic uncertainty you are looking for a way to earn extra money, that doesn&#8217;t take a lot of time, preferably from home and that doesn&#8217;t require a lot of capital to get started. If you fall into this category then options trading might be just [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you are like most people, in these times of economic uncertainty you are looking for a way to earn extra money, that doesn&#8217;t take a lot of time, preferably from home and that doesn&#8217;t require a lot of capital to get started. If you fall into this category then options trading might be just what you are looking for. Although trading is a simple business to get started in, it is far from easy and be wary of anybody who tells you differently. Also you may have heard that trading options is risky, and while nothing in life is risk free, there are ways to substantially reduce the risk. </p>
<p>How much money do I need to start? </p>
<p>One of the beautiful things about options trading is it&#8217;s one of the few businesses that you can take for a free test drive to see if you can be successful at it. By trading in a simulator you can start your business with no money. Obviously you won&#8217;t be earning anything either, but you will be gaining valuable knowledge. You can find a simulator at CBOE.com. After you&#8217;ve traded in the simulator for a few months and become consistently profitable you can start with as little as $2,000. </p>
<p>Finding a broker </p>
<p>The first step in getting started in an options business is finding a broker. There are many (excuse the pun) options available, a few of the good ones include, OptionsXpress, TradeStation and Interactive Brokers. These are all members of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), which are two organizations that protect you against fraud from financial brokers. </p>
<p>Putting the Odds in your favor </p>
<p>While this isn&#8217;t a comprehensive list there are a few things that you can do to stack the odds in your favor when dealing in stock options. First of all rather than buying puts and calls you can use credit spreads. This method of selling a higher priced option and purchasing a lower priced option alone will stack the odds enormously in your favor simply because this method can allow you to make money whether the markets go up, down or sideways. As a matter of fact using this method can allow you to win as much as 80-90% of the time, which is why professional traders use this type of trade to generate consistent income. The next thing you want to do is a bit of technical analysis and look at the S&amp;P stock index. If the index is moving above it&#8217;s 200 day moving average you generally want to be purchasing stocks or using bull put credit spreads. If the index is moving below it&#8217;s 200 day moving average you should short sell stocks or use bear call spreads. How much can I earn? This can fluctuate depending on market conditions but by using credit spreads you can make anywhere from 5-20% a month. So with $10,000 you can generate anywhere from $500-$2000 in extra income a month. </p>
<p>Reducing Your Risk </p>
<p>1.Start off by trading in a simulator at CBOE.com </p>
<p>2.Always use a stop loss or have your positions hedged. </p>
<p>3.Never trade with money that you need to pay for you day to day expenses with such as rent and bills. Nervous money always loses. </p>
<p>If you&#8217;d like to find out more about options trading and credit spreads click on the link in the resource box below and sign up for a free 10 part course. </p>
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		<title>Options Trading Strategy &#8211; An Economic Ecosystem</title>
		<link>http://hedgingoptions.net/options-trading-strategy-an-economic-ecosystem</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:24:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Option Trading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Financial Investing]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Make Money]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[There is much talk today about the earth&#8217;s ecosystem, how human activity has destroyed much of it and continues to do so at an alarming pace. Most of us know by now that human activity, as it is practiced today, is not sustainable in the long run. As a species we are loosing our home [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>There is much talk today about the earth&#8217;s ecosystem, how human activity has destroyed much of it and continues to do so at an alarming pace. Most of us know by now that human activity, as it is practiced today, is not sustainable in the long run. As a species we are loosing our home because the earth&#8217;s ecosystem is dangerously out of balance. </p>
<p>The financial markets are a similar system. It works best for the investor when trading practices are in balance, and Options Trading is the way to achieving balance for sustained, long-term returns. </p>
<p>If you have invested in the stock market for a while, you are probably pretty frustrated by wrongly guessing a stock&#8217;s move more often than not. Psychologically, most investors will bet on an upward move, and there certainly are a lot of researchers and advisors out there who will tell you things like &#8220;you can&#8217;t miss with this one &#8211; the fundamentals are just that good.&#8221; The problem is that there are so many things that can happen to a company that are simply not predictable: A product recall, an insider scandal, unexpected regulatory problems &#8211; the list goes on. Options trading takes this into account and hedges the bet. </p>
<p>Options trading is similar to a gambler hedging his bets on the roulette table by splitting his money between red and black, odd and even, certain series and other alternatives. Playing in this manner does not result in a sudden huge win, but rather in steady, sustained profits. That&#8217;s the difference between a novice and a professional. </p>
<p>The psychology of investing is similar to betting on a crap game. You can win by betting that you&#8217;ll win, or by betting that you&#8217;ll loose. There are only a few gamblers who bet on the latter, and that is similar to short-selling in the markets, i.e., betting on a stock&#8217;s downward move. If you are a more sophisticated investor, you may have tried that. How did that work out for you? </p>
<p>The point is, you are only betting in one direction, and that&#8217;s the problem. Options are an exciting alternative and the perfect way of hedging your bets and moving from guessing to safe investing. If you are a beginning investor when it comes to options trading, you would do well to subscribe to a reputable service that will do all the research and give you recommendations as to what moves to make and when. </p>
<p>Options research includes many different elements &#8211; not just &#8220;the stock will move either up or down&#8221;, but scenarios that take into consideration how long the stock may trade in a certain range, whether it will stay low for a few months but rise in the long term, whether it will trade cautiously until earnings are achieved, and then take off or fall dramatically. What&#8217;s more, with options you can always adjust your trade and change your strategy to fit the current market trend. What more can you ask for? </p>
<p>Options are like a balanced ecosystem that shield you from the wild up-and-down gyrations of financial markets that are so prevalent right now. If you are interested in more information, visit www.tradegreeks.com and opt in to the TradeGreeks Options Traders Newsletter. Then if you like what you see and want to participate, we invite you to become a member of TradeGreeks. </p>
<p>You are currently reading an article from our article series &#8216;Covert Life of Investment&#8217;. </p>
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		<title>Option Trading Strategies Can Make Investing Safer</title>
		<link>http://hedgingoptions.net/option-trading-strategies-can-make-investing-safer</link>
		<comments>http://hedgingoptions.net/option-trading-strategies-can-make-investing-safer#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:37:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Option Trading]]></category>
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