Newsworthy Reads

Mastering swaps

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:51:00 -0500

According to Reuters, the SEC and CFTC are moving toward finalization of a definition for “swap dealer.”

In a swap trade, Party A exchanges the cash flows of its financial instrument for that of Party B. According to the Financial Regulatory Reform Center, a “swap dealer” is any person that:

· Holds itself out as a dealer in swaps

· Makes a market in swaps

· Regularly enters into swaps with counterparties in the ordinary course of business for its own account

· Engages in any activity causing the person to be commonly known as a dealer or market maker in swaps in connection with the CFTC-regulated swaps

In Derivatives Demystified: A Step-by-Step Guide to Forwards, Futures, Swaps and Options, author Andrew M. Chisholm enables readers to gain a solid working knowledge of these concepts.

The SEC/CFTC “swap dealer” tag is expected to come with more oversight and increase the cost of such trades. The designation also will give firms latitude to exempt swaps for hedging.

Reuters notes that the Dodd-Frank financial oversight law, which was first proposed in December 2010 in reaction to the financial crisis, has changed dramatically. While it originally allowed firms to be designated swap dealers if they traded more than $100 million in swaps over a 12-month period. As Reuters reports, energy companies and commodity traders lobbied to alter the provision to bump the threshold to $8 billion for most asset classes as an initial phase-in. In time, the threshold could drop to $3 billion.

Both regulatory agencies face legal challenges over the rules. There also are concerns that the SEC and CFTC have not fully analyzed the economic impact and rule formulation processes.

To learn more about swaps, futures, options and other financial instruments affected by Dodd-Frank, go to TradersPress.com. There, you’ll find everything priced to meet or beat those you’d find on Amazon and you’ll receive free S&H when you spend $25 or more.

THIS WEEK’S PENNY SALE is for Ticker Technique and Roadmap to the Markets. Between now and April 29, you can pick up either—-or both—-of these titles for only 1 cent* each!

In addition, Wasendorf & Associates offers an array of free trader resources. Sign up for Traders Press Weekly, SFO magazine, SFO Weekly and SFO’s webinar series!

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Around the Horn -- a sure bet dinger

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 17:02:19 -0500

Some girls dream of being ballerinas or princesses.

Not me. As I sat at my grandpa’s knee and learned about baseball, I nurtured dreams of being a Major League Baseball umpire.

I’m not kidding —- not even a little. I love almost everything about the game. I’d tell you about the “almost,” but it’s such a minor, nit-picky thing that would make me sound nutty.

So will this: I’m a long-suffering Chicago Cubs fans. Today marks the opening of the 2012 Cubs season and puts me in mind of a unique book filled with useful trading insights.

Around the Horn: A Trader’s Guide to Consistently Scoring in the Markets by Adrian Manz notes the similarities between baseball, America’s pastime, and trading, an American institution.

Like baseball, trading requires sound coaching, honest self-knowledge and shrewd understanding of “the game.”

“They both started as relatively informal endeavors in New York and grew into massive institutions,” he writes. “Organized trading started under a tree along a wall that protected a city. The wall gave name to a street, and the street later became home to one of the most venerable institutions on earth. Organized baseball started in fields around the same city. Its popularity grew, and it spread to fields around the country.”

Shop Traders Press® for the lowest prices on this and other titles. We’ve done all the leg work; if you find it Amazon has it priced lower, send us a link, and we’ll beat it! In addition, all orders of $25 or more delivered to addresses within the continental United States will ship for free!*

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Financial independence for all!

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 10:47:06 -0500

March is Women’s History Month, a worldwide observance of the contributions we’ve made in the past and present.

More women than ever trading and taking control of their investments. And philanthropy expert Margaret May notes that women spend $5 trillion per year and control more than 75% of the total wealth in the United States. We also influence and/or make 84% of household financial decisions.

So while I’m all for celebrating our history and remembering where we came from, my priority is to ensure we all have access to information to grow personal wealth.

A few good resources:

· Option Trading in Your Spare Time: A Guide to Financial Independence for Women by Wendy Kirkland and Virginia McCullough—an essential resource for the woman who believes the daily grind will forever keep her from learning to trade options

· SFO magazine—a digital publication for stocks, futures, foreign currency and option traders that’s always free. It’s a great way learn and start building confidence, plus it’s edited by women!

· Carley Garner—one of my favorites, period. Her latest book is Currency Trading in the Forex and Futures Markets.

· Kira McCaffrey Brecht—another fave, because she’s a versatile financial journalist who’s as smart as she is awesome. Check out her video reports from the floor of the CME, trading reports and work for SFO magazine.

Order Options Trading in Your Spare Time and the other titles mentioned in today’s blog. No need to use a promo code; just take advantage of the better-than-Amazon pricing at TradersPress.com and enjoy free S&H* when you spend $25 or more.

Wasendorf & Associates Inc. also offers a broad array of free educational resources for financial traders. Sign up for Traders Press Weekly, SFO magazine, SFO Weekly and SFO webinars!

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eBooks: eco-friendly, handy & awesome

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 10:15:00 -0600

I know. I know.

The whole eBook thing is sore subject among bibliophiles. We love our books, from the actual content right down to the way they look—and feel.

So as commonplace as eBooks are—and as much as their popularity is growing—some diehard bookworms aren’t sold.

Things are changing. Many customers stop me at trade shows to ask about the growing selection of eBooks offered by Traders Press®. We’re happy to keep adding at a steady pace. This includes our latest titles, like Robert James Waller’s The Summer Nights Never End…Until They Do: Life, Liberty, and the Lure of the Short-Run.

Technology in ePublishing has improved reading devices, making the experience more like reading printed books. But “cuddle with my Kindle” doesn’t quite roll off the tongue—yet.

I was definitely a hold out on eBooks, largely because I’ve been wrestling with the darn things since their infancy. Early on, they weren’t great.

Then I held a Kindle a few years ago. I was nothing short of covetous.

Ultimately, I got an iPad. My reaction? Pure joy. I have actually hugged the thing—more than once.

My iPad hasn’t changed the way I read. I still bookmark, highlight, make notes and look up words. I also can continue reading several books at a time, but without lugging them all around.

What did I give up for the iPad? Well, paper, and I’m better off. And until the voluminous, complete set of the human experience finally makes it to iBooks, I’ll keep hoofing it to the library. I also purged thousands of books from my home—another thing for the win column.

Still unconvinced? Then check out these articles: 5 reasons eBooks are awesome, even for the most reluctant and Top 10 reasons why eBooks are better than printed books.

Commodity Customer Protections, Regulations

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:21:59 -0600

In my opinion, there’s no bigger news this week than the publication of Commodity Customer Protections and Regulations History and Potential Solutions for the Future 1938-2012.

The white paper was commissioned by PFGBEST at the request of Russell R. Wasendorf Jr., president for the Commodity Customer Coalition. It offers solutions to be considered by the Commodity Customer Coalition, which strives to ensure that any government policy responses are appropriate and cost effective to protect customers and maintain the integrity of futures markets.

I believe the white paper speaks for itself and encourage you study it closely.

If you want to follow up with a solid resource about regulatory reform, I suggest We’re ALL Screwed! How Toxic Regulation will Crush the Free Market System by Stephen A. Boyko. Use the blog code KGBLOG0212 and receive 20% off We’re ALL Screwed!, plus free* U.S. S&H!

*Some restrictions apply.

Buy & Hedge

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:40:49 -0600

The S&P 500 has experienced 16 violent declines in the past 18 years. Ouch.

Professional and institutional investors weather those upsets by using hedging techniques, according to authors Jay Pesterichelli and Wayne Ferbert. In Buy and ~~Hold~~ Hedge: The 5 Iron Rules for Investing over the Long Term, the investment experts outline ways to use hedging as part of a long-term plan for growing and preserving portfolio assets.

“The (2008) market crash was precipitous and calamitous,” they write. “Think about the investment decisions you faced with your portfolio.”

Did you “curl into the fetal position and hope it would all go away”? Blame your investment adviser and demand results? Sell everything? Look for tax advantages among your investing losses?

“(O)f these four actions, the only one that was even modestly productive was the last one,” Pestrichelli and Ferbert explain. “At least the investor who looked for tax efficiency from the losses might have saved himself a bit of money. But it’s hard to save on taxes when you don’t have any gains to offset the losses. You can at least admire the person who tried to find tax efficiency for his ’glass half-full’ attitude.

Pestrichelli and Ferbert co-founded ZEGA Financial LLC, where they are the principals. Pestrichelli has 20 years of experience in business management, with 12 years in the online brokerage field. Ferbert has been in financial services for 18 years and 10 years in the online brokerage field.

The book begins by introducing the concept of hedging as it relates to financial markets, explaining risk-and-return decisions, psychology and other considerations. It goes on to cover investing laws, the rules of buy and hedge, the basics of hedging and advanced tactics.

In all, the book is a good, basic primer for anyone who wants to understand how buy and hedge works, simply ways investors can hedge their portfolios and common mistakes individual investors make.

“Maintaining a long-term outlook for your investments is a key success factor in a Buy and Hedge portfolio,” Pesterichelli and Ferbert write. “However, we could easily rewrite this rule as ‘Avoid having a short-term outlook.’ The reality is that the benefits of a long-term outlook are as powerful as the problems resulting from a short-term outlook. Let’s start by examining the destructive powers of a short-term outlook and then return to the advantages of a long-term outlook.”

Buy and ~~Hold~~ Hedge isn’t strictly for full-time money managers—or those who want to become one. Instead, the bookcan be useful to anyone willing to educate him or herself using its straightforward easy to understand distilling of sophisticated investing techniques.

Purchase Buy and ~~Hold~~ Hedge today and use my blog code, KGBLOG0112 to receive 20% off the cover price, plus free U.S. S&H.*

-Karris

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Confession: I don’t heart Jim Cramer

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 12:36:30 -0500

Some people say they “love” Jim Cramer.

When I hear this, I smile politely. I just don’t get it.

This isn’t a case of a writer railing against the imprecise use of language. I profess to “love” many things you might consider implausible. Can I really love bad pop songs from the 1980s and 1990s? Insensible shoes? Peanut butter?!

Doubt all you want. My love is true—especially where peanut butter is concerned. So I respect another’s right to love Cramer. Free country and all that. Plus, he offers some great information. His books, like Getting Back to Even and Mad Money, are good.

And now the “but” you’re waiting for: Cramer’s flaws are glaring and often insurmountable. When someone with a public, worldwide forum regularly flaunts his inconsistencies, irresponsibility and hypocrisy, that’s a fairly big deal.

For example, Cramer’s latest crusade is against crude oil speculators. He wants them indicted for driving up the price of gas. He wants more and better regulation. He made his outraged case on his TV show, Mad Money.

He’s clearly angry. But it doesn’t ring true, because a month ago he advocated the same trading practices that he now derides when advising viewers on how to trade gold.

Sometimes, Cramer just can’t help but rat himself out; he seems to be one of those guys who needs you to know he got away with something naughty. Cramer was at the center of a 2007 controversy because he explained how, as a hedge fund manager, he used admittedly illegal practices to manipulate stock prices. He bragged about it—to USA Today.

Influential financial TV personalities will probably always make wildly irresponsible statements, and some individuals will suffer. Your best, safest bet is to develop a solid understanding and learn how you can best to interpret all the available information.

I’m still learning and will be for the foreseeable future. That’s OK. My primers include SFO (Stocks, Futures, Options) Magazine and related products, as well as books like Michael Lewis’ The Big Short and Essentials of Trading by Larry Pesavento and Leslie Jouflas.

Save on the titles mentioned in today’s blog and more by using promo code KGBLOG911 to receive 20% off sitewide and free U.S. S&H* at TradersPress.com.

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Burn after reading

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:14:18 -0500

From time to time, I participate in some harmless joking around on Twitter.

Playing Twitter hashtag games probably marks me as a big nerd, but it’s a nice break from gazing at my Star Trek: Deep Space Nine memorabilia. (Just kidding; I’d never be so careless as to expo my collectables to direct light.)

One hashtag I use in some tweets is #lessinterestingbooks.

The idea is to take the well-known title of a beloved book and make it “less interesting.” A few of my gems:

· The Chronicles of Narnia = The Chronicles of Norman

· Lord of the Flies = Lord of the Fries

I’m not particularly great at it, largely because my mind usually strays to the double entendre. Those are hardly less interesting. For example, I became stuck on this, which isn’t dull:

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe = The Lampost, The Whip, and The Bathrobe

Of course, a book’s title is serious business. It must be so many things—intriguing, meaningful, interesting, memorable and more.

Tongue-in-cheek titles certainly do that. Several grace the Traders Press® catalog. My quick list:

· Safe Sex on Wall Street

· Jackass Investing

· Option Profits: The Naked Truth

· We’re ALL Screwed!

Then there are those that require a ton of explanation, which really flies in the face of Book-Naming 101. As far as I’m concerned, Where are the Customers’ Yachts? tops this list.

If you’re disappointed to learn I waste brain cells conjuring silly book titles, consider there are others far worse than I. When I polled staffers on the topic, I discovered a few people who can make anything sound “questionable” just by stressing the right words.

What titles have I overlooked? Which are your favorites? Send me yours at karris@traderspress.com.

Save on the titles mentioned in today’s blog and more by using promo code KGBLOG911 to receive 20% off sitewide and free U.S. S&H* at TradersPress.com.

*Some restrictions apply. Shipping is free to residents in the continental United States. International shipping will be applied at our regular shipping rates.

Volatility is your edge

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:56:53 -0500

Volatility isn’t as scary as some would have us believe.

For the long-term investor, time and diversification dampen market volatility, notes U.S. News & World Report. For the individual trader, volatility can be an important tool, when used carefully.

Consider this: According to Financial Times, volatility will shake up the currency market more than price declines. For gold, historical volatility and implied volatility are the highest they’ve been since 2009, reports Financial Times. Silver volatility has jumped, too.

How can you use this volatility to your advantage? A simple search of articles from SFO (Stocks, Futures, Options) Magazine offers a wealth of information on the topic. This month’s issue includes “Learn to Use” StockTwits by Paul, which offers insights on how to get real-time information.

As always, the online bookstore offered by Traders Press® offers a plethora of related resources, such as Day Trading and Swing Trading the Currency Market: Technical and Fundamental Strategies to Profit from Market Moves, Trading Options in Turbulent Markets and Irrational Exuberance.

To view the full selection of related titles, click here.

In addition to the array of free trading resources from Wasendorf & Associates Inc., such as Traders Press Weekly, SFO magazine, SFO Weekly and SFO’s webinar series, TradersPress.com offers 20% off sitewide and free U.S. S&H* at TradersPress.com if you use my blog code: KGBLOG911.

*Some restrictions apply. Shipping is free to residents in the continental United States. International shipping will be applied at our regular shipping rates.

U.S. futures look bright

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 12:08:12 -0500

U.S. stock futures are on the rise.

According to the Associated Press, Forbes, and Bloomberg Businessweek, G.E., Bank of America Corp., Citigroup Inc., Caterpillar Inc. and Alcoa Inc. were among those that increased 1% or more on Wednesday, following a rally in European lenders.

Greek, German and French leaders will meet today to discuss ways to contain Greece’s debt crisis. Speculators believe China may be willing to buy the bonds of nations hit by the debt crises, as reported by Businessweek.

Not everyone supports such a plan, according to the English-language Caijing magazine. Some advisers to China’s central bank believe the nation’s willingness to purchase euro bonds is little more than an ill-advised “bleeding heart” response to the global debt crisis.

“What today’s world needs is not a ‘bleeding heart’; instead, it needs investors with a senseo fo reform and cooperation,” Li Daokuu, academic adviser to the central bank, told Caijing. “I believe (China) will perform a role of a real good guy rather than a ‘bleeding heart.’”

In the article, he advises diversification of China’s foreign exchange reserves with solid investments.

This issue and other recent events drive home the importance of closely monitoring world events. Robert Hsu’s China Fireworks: How to Make Dramatic Wealth from the Fastest-Growing Economy in the World is an excellent primer on how and why to develop a China strategy in your investing.

In addition, Traders Press offers an ever-expanding array of books on foreign exchange trading. From Getting Started in Currency Trading to Profiting with Forex, you’re sure to find something that suits your needs.

Who doesn’t appreciate free assistance? Wasendorf & Associates Inc. offers an array of resources, including our newsletter, Traders Press Weekly, and SFO (Stocks, Futures, Options), its informative monthly magazine. Subscribing to any SFO is easy, fast and always free! Just click here.

You can order the books mentioned in this column—-or anything else on the site!—-at TradersPress.com. Use my promo code, KGBLOG911, and you’ll receive 20% off sitewide and free U.S. S&H.*

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At Least Peek through Your Fingers

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 15:53:48 -0500

I know. I know! How much bad news can you possibly read?

Sure, it’s tough not to wince when someone says anything that sounds remotely like “market.” But we have to power through—stiff upper lip and all that.

My mantra the past few weeks has been, “You can’t run from your problems.” I mean, of course I can, but they chase me. And they’re fast.

So I’m not running. I stopped covering my eyes with my hands. I’m diving in!

I started with this month’s SFO (Stocks, Futures, Options) Magazine, which includes several great articles that can firm up your resolve:

· Risky Business? Gauge FX Trades Using Risk Management by Brian Dolan

· Hot Currencies to Watch by Paul J. Kavanaugh, CTA

· Trading with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) by Kenneth Reid, Ph.D.

· And more!

At SFOmag.com, check out Gold’s a Winner Out of Bleak Jobs Data—But Don’t Chase; It’s Still a Rangeby Kira Brecht andStock Watch: Has the Market Folded? Banks are My ‘Tell’ by Joe Donohue (LOVE this one!). You also might consider attending Greg Michalowski’s free webinar, Forex: It’s Not as Foreign as You Think.

In addition to the array of free trading resources from Wasendorf & Associates Inc., such as Traders Press Weekly, SFO magazine, SFO Weekly and SFO’s webinar series, we’ve upped our blog code discounts! From now on, use any Traders Press blog codes to receive 20% off sitewide and free U.S. S&H* at TradersPress.com. (I’m partial to promo code KGBLOG911, and I hope you are, too.)

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Do You Suffer—or Benefit—from ‘Crisis Mentality’?

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:02:44 -0500

There’s no better fuel for a crisis than more crisis.

According to Bloomberg, James W. Paulsen, chief investment strategist at Wells Capital Management, says “crisis mentality” is so widespread that swings in U.S. stocks can be attributed mainly to the level of investor concern.

Crisis of mentality’s byproduct is volatility. According to CNBC, major averages flounder, affected by heavy market volatility due to fears of another global recession.

Some are using the volatility to their advantage, including Louis Basenese, who sees bullish signs in the recent rout.

Day Trading & Swing Trading the Currency Market: Technical and Fundamental Strategies to Profit from Market Moves (Second Edition) by Kathy Lien is a great resource for those who want to profit from volatility. The book retails for $70, but you can get it today for $42 and free U.S. S&H* if you click here.

In addition, you can save 10% and receive free U.S. S&H* with promo code KGBLOG911. This includesall resources that offer strategies for taking advantage of market volatility, such as Paul Forchione’s ACE Program series, Trading Options in Turbulent Markets and The Secret Keys to Smart Investing. For a full list, click here.

Check out the full array of free trading resources from Wasendorf & Associates Inc. by signing up for Traders Press Weekly, SFO magazine, SFO Weekly and SFO’s webinar series!

*Some restrictions apply. Shipping is free to residents in the continental United States. International shipping will be applied at our regular shipping rates.

None of Our Books Have Been Banned—Yet

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:32:00 -0500

Apparently, Sherlock Holmes was a bit off in his calculations.

The solution to a puzzle isn’t always elementary. Sometimes, it’s a matter best left to middle school children.

Or, at least, their parents. That’s the case in the Albemarle (Va.) County School District. As reported earlier this week by the LA Times, Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet is no longer considered suitable reading for middle schoolers.

It’s not that the 1887 book by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle contains explicit sexual content or foul language. Instead, parents objected to the book because they say it portrays Mormons in a negative light.

I’m little miffed. It’s not because the book has been banned. I love it when books are banned, because it makes them popular (or in this case, popular again). And I’m not mad because this is yet another case of adults underestimating kids and their intellectual abilities. I know there will always be parents who behave irrationally, just as there will always be school boards to give in to ludicrous demands to ban books.

What upsets me is that we’ve never had one of our books banned; I’d like the publicity! Between Traders Press® and W&A Publishing, we have more than 40 years in the publishing industry. In that time, none of our publications have been deemed ban-worthy.

We have a few that rise to the possible occasion, so I’ll just have to wait. A girl can dream, I guess.

Submitted for the disapproval of the Albemarle (Va.) County Board of Education is Trading in the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes: Balancing Probabilities for Successful Investing by Dr. Anthony Trongone. There isn’t controversial content (as far as I can determine), it doesn’t take potshots at anyone’s culture, ethnicity or beliefs (at least, I don’t think it does) and it’s not in any other way offensive (not to me, anyway).

It is, however, fun and informative. It is worthy of the publicity that follows a book banning, which is to say, is a great book.

Order it today, before The Man shuts down our website. This week, I doubled my blog-code discount, so you’ll receive a 20% discount and free shipping* sitewide! Just use promo code KGBLOG811.

Check out the full array of free trading resources from Wasendorf & Associates Inc. by signing up for Traders Press Weekly, SFO magazine, SFO Weekly and SFO’s webinar series!

*Some restrictions apply. Shipping is free to residents in the continental United States. International shipping will be applied at our regular shipping rates.

Screw Hope; How's About a Plan?

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 11:19:42 -0500

Today’s financial news headlines don’t inspire much hope:

Stock market tanks; Obama ‘recovery’ is a fantasy

U.S. Stock-Index Futures Decline; S&P 500 May Fall for 8^th Day

Jobs report: Better than horrible

These and other stories are enough to leave even the calmest feeling a bit rattled.

This morning while getting my oil changed, I was annoyed by a waiting room companion who was watching the news. The guy had the nerve to give me a conspiratorial wink and say, “Well, at least things can’t get any worse.”

As he was an elderly gentleman, I refrained from asking if he remembered the Great Depression.

A solid plan is the best course for individual traders and investors. I know I make better decisions when I’m armed with as much information as possible.

Information also puts me at ease. Even if a problem is big, bad and beyond my control, getting reading information from a trusted, reputable source, helps me feel like I have a handle on the “why,” “how” and “what next” of a situation.

When I heard there are traders who anticipate bear markets and profit from them, I was confused and interested. To learn, I read. Resources that have proved invaluable in that regard include “The Bear Book,” “Profiting in Bull or Bear Markets” and “The Art of Short Selling.”

I’m currently reading Marilyn Cohen’s wonderful “Surviving the Bond Bear Market” and Dr. Alexander Elder’s “The New Sell and Sell Short”—an extensive update of his earlier book. A few months ago, I finished the invaluable “The Great Deleveraging: How to Take Profits, Cut Losses and Benefit from Price Declines” by Chip Dickson and Oded Shenkar.

Check out the full array of free trading resources from Wasendorf & Associates Inc. by signing up for Traders Press Weekly, SFO magazine, SFO Weekly and SFO’s webinar series.

For the full Traders Press® inventory, click here. Order the resources mentioned today and/or others, and receive a 10% discount and free shipping* by using promo code KGBLOG811.

*Some restrictions apply. Shipping is free to residents in the continental United States. International shipping will be applied at our regular shipping rates.

Cautiously Optimistic

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 12:12:30 -0500

U.S. Federal Reserve leaders said recently that they’ll revisit derivatives rules if a global agreement on margin requirements couldn’t be reached.

It’s about time, but I reserve the right to be skeptical. I’m optimistic about nearly everything, but this whole situation receives a cynical snort of derision from me.

As Financial Times notes, oppressive rule-making in the United States has harmed to the over-the-counter derivatives markets. Meanwhile, Reuters reported that global financial lobbies warned U.S. and European Union authorities that inconsistent regulation of derivatives trading will drive up costs and harm the economy.

Several resources describe how derivatives work and outline how to use futures contracts, forward contracts, options and other common derivatives.

Options Strategies for Sophisticated Traders by Mitch Crask explains how to combine derivatives to increase profitability and option debt spreads.

For the true account of the multibillion-dollar bidding war for the Chicago Board of Trade, check out Zero Sum Game: The Rise of the World’s Largest Derivatives Exchange by Erika S. Olson.

SFO (Stocks Futures Options) magazine offers nearly 1,000 archived articles on a variety of topics related to derivatives, including “Regulators’ Unintentional Effect on Markets” from July 2011 and “France’s Sarkozy urges global community to regulate agricultural futures.” SFO is always free, and subscribing takes just a few minutes.

For the full Traders Press® inventory, click here. Order the resources mentioned today and/or others, and receive a 10% discount and free shipping*! Use promo code KGBLOG811.

Check out the full array of free trading resources from Wasendorf & Associates Inc by signing up for Traders Press Weekly, SFO magazine, SFO Weekly and SFO’s webinar series!

*Some restrictions apply. Shipping is free to residents in the continental United States. International shipping will be applied at our regular shipping rates.

Technically Speaking

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 12:54:18 -0500

This month’s SFO (Stocks, Futures, Options) magazine offers “Stop Chasing Trades: The 10-Week Average Can Help.” In the article, RealMoney columnist Kate Stalter explains the ins and outs of using 10-week moving average—a “key benchmark professional investors monitor.”

“When professional investors … have ownership in a particular stock, they’ll often swoop in to grab more shares at a lower price when they see a pullback,” Stalter writes. “Because they presumably have confidence that the stock has more room to run higher, the strategy makes sense. Individual investors can watch this support as it is unfolding and follow in the pros footsteps.”

If you’re interested in utilizing the strategies Stalter explains, were do you begin?

SFO is a great start, and it’s a free source of great educational tools and tips. The magazine also offers the Trading the Indicators Series, an inexpensive digital resource that outlines the basics. You also can check out The Encyclopedia of Technical Market Indicators by Robert W. Colby, which evaluates myriad investment timing models.

Traders Press offers a variety of resources on Economic and Technical indicators. Use the promotional code KGBLOG711 and receive 20% off your purchase plus free U.S. S&H* until midnight CDT tonight. (It will then revert to the regular 10% off plus free U.S. S&H* discount I usually offer.)

Wasendorf & Associates Inc. makes available several free trading resources. It only takes a few minutes to subscribe to Traders Press Weekly, SFO magazine and SFO Weekly. SFO webinars are also free.

It’s no secret that the other Traders Press bloggers and I are in a promotional code contest, and it’s no surprise I’m winning!

As I mentioned previously, the discount is currently 20% off—double that which we normally offer on all purchases at TradersPress.com, plus free U.S. S&H.* Just use promo code KGBLOG711 to save! (Yeah, you’ll get 20% off using the other bloggers’ codes, too.) In addition and as always, you’ll earn your rewards points, which adds up to savings on future purchases!

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Pitch Your Printer

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:20:15 -0500

I’m an information addict.

Please don’t tell any of my Facebook friends I admitted that. Or my Twitter followers. Or the folks in my Google+ circles. I’m not ready for them to know I’ve taken the first step by admitting I may have a problem. (They’re just about ready to organize an intervention and take away my Android.)

I’m torn. Part of me doesn’t believe compulsively reading books, blogs, magazines, newspapers and newsletters is really that bad. I don’t sacrifice work or family/friends time for my possible addiction. However, if it’s a choice between sleep or reading, I’d rather do the latter.

Not too long ago, I was rarely without a stack of books in my living room, had more than a dozen magazine subscriptions and received eight daily newspapers. (That doesn’t begin to cover my digital information consumption, either.)

While little has changed about the amount I read, the format of my “feed” has. I had an awakening, because a lot of what I read tells me to stop wasting so much paper.

Don’t misunderstand me. From a nice cotton bond to delightfully noisy newsprint, I like paper! But it’s not always necessary.

It’s for this reason that an article in today’s Seattle Times caught my interest. It highlights ways we can reduce or even eliminate our dependence of personal printers.

As the article points out, personal printers can be expensive to use. In addition, printers haven’t benefited from the brisk pace of technological innovation. Finally, the ease and proximity of an at-home printer often lead us to print when we could PDF.

At the very least, we should have choices. If you prefer paper, you should get it. And if you want plastic (with a little bit of metal and glass), that should be available, too. For example, in addition to our catalog of printed materials, Traders Press® offers scores of eBooks and other digital publications and resources.

You can check out our eBook selection and receive 10% off your purchase by using the promotional code KGBLOG711.

Incidentally, I’m in a competition with the other Traders Press® bloggers to see which blogger’s discount code is most used.

So please help me remind everyone here what a winner blogs like. Go to TradersPress.com, use KGBLOG711, and receive 10% off your purchases and free S&H.*

*Some restrictions apply. Shipping is free to residents in the continental United States. International shipping charges will be applied at our regular shipping rates.

US Economy on the Rise? Regulators Easing Up?

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 08:54:00 -0500

According to the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, 2008 U.S. Justice Department guidelines allow leniency to companies that investigated and reported their own wrongdoing. This self-policing led prosecutors to use “a softer approach.”

However, the Journal also notes the June U.S. jobs report lists unemployment at 2011 high of 9.2%, with only 18,000 jobs created last month.

For in-depth analysis of the current state of affairs in Washington, D.C., and what may be on the horizon, check out the July issue of SFO (Stocks, Futures, Options) magazine.

This month, stories include “Regulators‘ Unintentional Effect on Markets” by Kathryn M. Kaminski; “US Economy Limps Along, Glass Half Full for Stocks” by Sean Lusk; and “What Pumps up Oil Costs?” by Dan McMullin.

And as always, the July issue includes stories like “Stop Chasing Trades” by Kate Stalter and standing features, such as “Technical Strategy,” “Ask Dr. Duke,” and “Eye on Futures.”

SFO is always free. Just click here to subscribe and start reading today.

Go to the Traders Press® website, www.traderspress.com, to receive 10% off sitewide—and free shipping!* Use Promo Code KGBLOG711.

If you don’t already subscribe to Traders Press Weekly, our free newsletter, you should! Click here for details!

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Will FX, Power Rates hurt Japanese Manufacturing?

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 10:46:53 -0500

Japanese governmental officials are concerned its runaway currency and energy rates will harm its ability to retain businesses based there.

According to Reuters, Japanese Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda said the nation must prevent currency rates and electricity costs from driving companies abroad.

In particular, business leaders question the reliability of supplies and availability of power in the wake of the March 11 earthquake. As the Wall Street Journal reports, Noda believes Japan must prevent manufacturers from abandoning Japan at this critical time.

Noda told Reuters he’s is ready to act if there are sharp swings in the yen but believes such actions, if necessary, won’t target any specific levels for the yen. (In mid-March, Japan and its G7 partners intervened, when the yen hit an all-time high of 76.25 yen to the dollar.)

Japan’s current struggles reflect the perennial opportunities such fluctuations might possibly provide traders and investors—as well as the need for education on these and other markets.

“The invisible hand of the foreign currency market affects everyone, from governments and corporations to investors and citizens,” writes Russell R. Wasendorf Jr. in his introduction to SFO Personal Investor Series: Forex Trading. “The investor educated with the knowledge to understand these markets can find opportunities. The changing currents will put those without the knowledge at the highest risk for damages.”

Investing in energy also requires a sound education. Roger Conrad’s Power Hungry: Strategic Investing in Telecommunications, Utilities and Other Essential Services provides a framework you can use to construct a model portfolio of stocks.

Another great source for news and information on these markets that’s always free is SFO (Stocks, Futures, Options) magazine, as well as SFO Weekly and SFO Webinars. Click here to check out these products and subscribe!

Order these and other books today and receive a 10% discount and free shipping*! Use Promo Code: KGBLOG711.

If you don’t already subscribe to Traders Press Weekly, our free newsletter, you should! Click here for details!

*Some restrictions apply. Shipping is free to residents in the continental United States. International shipping will be applied at our regular shipping rates.

Buy or Hold? Buy & Hold? Buy, don't Hold?

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 13:38:21 -0500

Forbes writer Marc Gerstein recently took a snipe at buy-and-hold investors.

He told blogger Chris Barth, “Buy and hold, to me, equals negligence.” Gerstein added that three months is the longest you should hold an investment.

That’s the headline. Now here’s the small print: He qualifies his dislike of buy-and-hold investing with the admission that he will and sometimes does hold investments for long periods.

In other words, Gerstein isn’t really anti-buy and hold. He’s against buy, cover your eyes and pray.

Gerstein is pro “buy and review.” If you’re a buy-and-hold devotee, he believes you must regularly review new data and evaluate your choices.

He added that he believes many traders and investors “use long term to avoid a mistake.” Instead, you must look at market movements and evaluate your positions.

I received my buy-and-hold education from Mike Tosaw’s Go Long: New Options Strategies for Buy & Hold Investors. In it, he shows why buy-and-hold options strategies aren’t scary; they’re doable!

Mike is great breaking down complex concepts and terms in an easy to understand manner. In Go Long, he shows exactly why buy-and-hold options strategies are not unsafe, unwise or “too risky.”

In the end, any buy-and-hold advocates would agree that such investments must be carefully watched. That evaluation begins with education.

Order your copy of Go Long today and receive a 10% discount and free shipping*! Use Promo Code: KGBLOG611.

If you haven’t already, sign up for our free newsletter, Traders Press Weekly!

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Newsworthy Reads

Mastering swaps

Around the Horn -- a sure bet dinger

Financial independence for all!

eBooks: eco-friendly, handy & awesome

Commodity Customer Protections, Regulations

Buy & *Hedge*

Confession: I don’t *heart* Jim Cramer

Burn after reading

Volatility is your edge

U.S. futures look bright

This issue and other recent events drive home the importance of closely monitoring world events. Robert Hsu’s China Fireworks: How to Make Dramatic Wealth from the Fastest-Growing Economy in the World is an excellent primer on how and why to develop a China strategy in your investing.

In addition, Traders Press offers an ever-expanding array of books on foreign exchange trading. From Getting Started in Currency Trading to Profiting with Forex, you’re sure to find something that suits your needs.

At Least Peek through Your Fingers

Do You Suffer—or Benefit—from ‘Crisis Mentality’?

None of *Our* Books Have Been Banned—Yet

Screw Hope; How's About a Plan?

Cautiously Optimistic

Technically Speaking

Pitch Your Printer

US Economy on the Rise? Regulators Easing Up?

Will FX, Power Rates hurt Japanese Manufacturing?

Buy or Hold? Buy & Hold? Buy, don't Hold?

Buy & Hedge

Confession: I don’t heart Jim Cramer

None of Our Books Have Been Banned—Yet