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Swing Trader’s Insight Futures Watch List for February 2

Scott Hoffman — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:36:14 +0000

Comments from Chinese Premier Wen helped the Euro – he said China is “still researching the best way to participate in the EFSF”. The more outside support the better. Every day we hear that Greece and its creditors are close to an agreement and then the day ends with no deal. The continued lack of [...]

Swing Trader’s Insight Futures Watch List for February 1

Scott Hoffman — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:38:24 +0000

Asia saw good January PMI reports. His is cause for some economic optimism although there’s a thought that economic growth may forestall easing. A Chinese business newspaper said that January’s loan growth may have been weaker, reflecting slower economic activity. German and EZ PMI also showed relative strength in January and reports that Greece is [...]

Swing Trader’s Insight Futures Watch List for January 31

Scott Hoffman — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:43:59 +0000

EU leaders completed a fiscal-discipline treaty that will speed sanctions on high-deficit countries and will require members to enact laws to limit budget shortfalls. Policy makers also decided to bring the region’s permanent bailout fund, the ESM, into operation on July 1, a year before schedule. Greek PM Papademos said he’s “strongly committed” to reaching [...]

Swing Trader’s Insight Futures Watch List for January 30

Scott Hoffman — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:48:35 +0000

The “risk on” markets were lower overnight as China came back from the New Year holiday in a selling mood – there was no easing talk from the PBOC. The Greek government may be balking at the degree of oversight that the German government wants as a prerequisite for more bailout funds. Portuguese debt is [...]

Swing Trader’s Insight Futures Watch List for January 27

Scott Hoffman — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:59:01 +0000

Markets continue to be supported by stories that Greece is near an agreement to reformat their debt. After two good days for “risk on” assets we’re due for some correction but I thought yesterday’s shallow correction showed underlying strength in equities. Grains were mixed on South American weather and good demand, but higher prices will [...]

Gold Futures, the Fed, and the Taylor Trading Technique

Scott Hoffman — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:42:10 +0000

Yesterday afternoon I was talking to another trader about the gold futures. We were talking strategy for it today in light of today’s FOMC meeting. I told him I wanted to buy it today. Yesterday was a down day, a Sell Short day according to the Taylor Trading Technique. That meant today was a TTT [...]

Swing Trader’s Insight Futures Watch List for January 25

Scott Hoffman — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:28:37 +0000

Greek debt talks continue, no results, but there’s more contention from some key players. The IMF wants the ECB to take a haircut on its Greek holding, but the central bank is not keen to do that; the IIF negotiator also thinks the ECB should play along. January’s reading of the German IFO index of [...]

Swing Trader’s Insight Futures Watch List for January 24

Scott Hoffman — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:41:51 +0000

Greek debt talks have reached a stalemate as private investors are unwilling to take as large a haircut as the Greeks are seeking. This is weighing on the financial services sector. Traders are also looking at Portugal again, seeing if Portugal would be the next domino to fall. January PMI reports for Europe came in [...]

Swing Trader’s Insight Futures Watch List for January 23

Scott Hoffman — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:47:51 +0000

It’s the Chinese New Year; this is taking some of the liquidity out the markets. Talks about Greek debt restructuring have failed to reach a deal. Traders aren’t worried about this yet although it had been hoped they would get a deal wrapped up in time for the Ecofin meeting today and tomorrow. It’s also [...]

How to Find Trade Entries on Trend Days in Futures Markets

Scott Hoffman — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:01:00 +0000

One of the most common questions I get asked is what trading sessions I use, both for charting and for trading. When things were solely pit traded it was easy; there was only one set of trading hours. Electronic trading makes for two sets of trading hours and charts so it’s harder to define what [...]