That really isn't the topic here, unless you have low returns because you're doing something to prepare for a major correction, in which case I'd love to hear about it.
Banked my accumulated profits late Jan as the correction started, made January my best ever month. Since then not so good, as I assume the rotation of capital the correction triggered is what's behind so many forex trends being disrupted. Would have had a better February if I'd stayed in cash for the last month but hey ho.
Well 2 months have past and there is another 10 to go for 2018. While ultimately the outcome is important, how we get there is even more important. There is an old Wall Street saying "Bulls make money, bears make money, pigs get slaughtered". It doesn't matter whether you have a good start or a slow start, if you trade like a pig (or some would refer monkey) then you deserve what is handed out to you. Some might have luck on their side but eventually that runs out.
So the question is - if you have a good start how are you planning to maintain it? Conversely, if you have a bad start, how do you plan to get back on track? What are your 2018 trading goals? Do you have personal performance KPI's that you track? What are they? Are they both quantitative and qualitative? What are your trading weaknesses that you intend to work on in 2018? How are you going about it? In my view, without a structure and process in place, any early success in 2018 will not last because pigs don't survive in this business.
So the question is - if you have a good start how are you planning to maintain it? Conversely, if you have a bad start, how do you plan to get back on track? What are your 2018 trading goals? Do you have personal performance KPI's that you track? What are they? Are they both quantitative and qualitative? What are your trading weaknesses that you intend to work on in 2018? How are you going about it? In my view, without a structure and process in place, any early success in 2018 will not last because pigs don't survive in this business.
I've beat the market for 5 out of the last 6 years without keeping any KPIs. I do this part-time, devoting maybe 5 hours a week to it. It really comes down mainly to common sense and self-control.
Sure you can argue that those were 6 years of a bull market and that I would be lost in a bear market, but, thinking long-term, all you have to do in a bear market is sit it out.
Good for you. If you had found success in your approach then that is a credit to you and we would certainly not denigrate it in any way. However for mere mortals like us, we have to work at it to improve our trade performance. Philosophically the market is not an entity to be beaten, the issues are always about the trader.
"Reuters reports that the fund, which held assets of $812 million at the beginning of the month and dwindled by more than 80%, will close by March 29, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission this week.
Numerous industry insiders as well as Reuters have pegged losses in certain LJM programs at 80% or more."
http://www.futuresmag.com/2018/03/01/chicago-based-ljm-suspends-trading-closes-fund
Numerous industry insiders as well as Reuters have pegged losses in certain LJM programs at 80% or more."
http://www.futuresmag.com/2018/03/01/chicago-based-ljm-suspends-trading-closes-fund
you asked this
"Who here is very happy with how they handled the recently volatile US markets?"
i am happy i didnt have any money invested in these funds
mpups
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what about those that pick stocks mr brumby sir? they are all about beating the market by picking the best stocks
otherwise they would buy a "world market" index fund etc
what about those that pick stocks mr brumby sir? they are all about beating the market by picking the best stocks
otherwise they would buy a "world market" index fund etc
A good point.
I don't like adopting the notion of "beating" the market simply because it frames the market and the trader as in some form of "adversarial" relationship. Such an idea reinforces an unhealthy attitude that the market is out to get you every time a trade is placed. Frankly the market doesn't care one way or other about our existence or whenever we placed a trade. Very often we become the problem the moment we placed a trade.
Philosophically I subscribe to the following quote attributed to Musawer Ijaz.
"There is no such thing as being right or beating the market. If you make money, it is because you understood the same thing the market did. If you lose money, it is simply because you got it wrong. There is no other way of looking at it."
In simple terms it means the market is neither a friend or foe. It is not the bogeyman. I learn to live with it and flow with it.
Understood. I don't use the phrase "beating the market" in an adversarial way though, I just use the overall market as a benchmark for my own performance. If the market is up 8% and I'm also up 8% I'm happier than if the market is up by 2% and I'm up by 5%, even though I've "beat the market" in the latter case and merely copied it in the former.
In the end it's all about making money, the rest is our ego, greed or fear playing tricks on us.
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I always try to focus on a thing which I like the most about this market is that the Forex market is full of opportunities. Every day, every week, every month, and every year will be yours if you have a good grip on the trading strategy you made for yourself.
I like it. Its true.
This morning I took a 1% loss on a (low probability) trade. I reckon this leaves me with the remaining 99% which I didn't lose and to do what I like with.
NVP
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As tom says .....do what the charts tell you to do......it’s not rocket science :smart:
NVP
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Agreed ......unspderstanding market behaviour and going with the flow is key
First create a decent model to understand market behaviour.....look for profitable patterns within it and exploit them .....use MM and risk management techniques to minimise the losers and maximise the winners you trade
So simple to say but so hard to do :smart:
N
