I thought I would post a year-end wrap-up in this "long in the tooth" blog to let those who still check it once in a while can see that I'm still alive and trading. Most of my attention has been focused on my personal trading and supporting some up-and-coming niche hedge funds. In both avenues my efforts have been successful.
It was a good year in most aspects. No thanks to current politicians and anti-market types. Socialism and other "high control" governments are trying to make it as difficult as possible for free markets to operate as they should.
Notwithstanding, we've got some real market trends in place. The dollar is strong vs. almost any currency out there: AUD, NZD, JPY, EUR, CHF, GBP, CAD, MXN (Mexican Peso) and precious metals.
Trading OneNightStand and trailing a portion of the positions on strong follow-through trades after the beginning of July resulted in very reasonable gains. At one point in mid-October, the account was at $1,289.21. With a lot of back and forth towards year-end some reduction in return was inevitable. Currently, the forex side of the Challenge account is $1,156.60.
Not so good on the silver side of the Challenge account.
The 1330 ounces of silver carried over from last year currently have a liquidation value of $20,841.10 (based on the 12/31/14 spot price of $15.67).
Commodity prices, of which oil is a huge percentage, have all dropped significantly this year relative to the dollar. Since May, Crude Oil prices have dropped in half. Which didn't help silver and gold values at all. It is really amazing that silver didn't fall more with the fallout in commodities. Maybe it will. Either way, I have no interest in liquidating any of the silver the Challenge account has accumulated.
Large shifts in value between asset classes and capital inflows into others (like the US stock market as of late) cause new trends to begin and existing trends to continue. So keep selling that Euro for awhile yet.
Quick summary:
Silver value: $20,841.10
Forex account: $1,156.60
----------------------------------
Total: $21,997.70
This year I may trade some additional breakout setups to increase returns on some of these trends we're seeing. I'll post something if/when I start.
ONS is still working of course. A number of hardy ONS and FirstStrike followers have been in steady contact with me and have also had a decent year. It is pretty obvious that there are trends going when a currency is falling vs the dollar for 8 weeks like we saw in the Euro. Still, many traders had a hard time believing the moves were just more than simple corrections.
A person needs a method that has limited risk and open ended outlier potential to profit from markets primarily dictated by chaos theory. Which forex and commodity markets most definitely are.
Best wishes on 2015.
I will be thinking of you.
Joel
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
2013 Ends and The Forex Markets are Back - With Silver In the Tank! Challenge Account at $26,382
It's been a long while since I've been regular here. It's good to be back. There are some great opportunities facing us this next year.
It has been 316 weeks since the Challenge account had its first trade. Or 6 years, 24 days. So the challenge of getting to $150K + in a shade less than 4 years is still on. It would have helped tremendously if I had any idea what this socialist-leaning presidency had in mind for us traders, but ultimately, as long as the freedom to trade forex is not limited any further, the odds strongly favor hitting the mark and then some. In fact, if silver hits $113 an ounce in the next four years, which wouldn't surprise me at all -- success will be automatic.
People forget that governments at best only approach being "useful", but Big Government is absolutely not necessary for human existence. Traders tend to survive even awful governments. They adapt as necessary.
And thanks for all the great emails sent to me by readers of prior posts here, most of which I didn't get to answer properly. I was busy -- but I still would have preferred keeping up with those who are interested in the Challenge Account and the concepts we talk about here. I have always maintained-- and have even more proof gathered in the last 3 years -- that profiting in the forex, futures, and even stock markets-- is primarily a function of premise. More about this in the coming weeks.
Forex trading has been getting better throughout the last half of 2013 because money finally was forced to move. Now we, as opportunistic traders, have much better potential than the previous years of stagnation because of Big Money's (governments and investment banks) willingness to commit.
Personally, I've been trading much smaller size since the contraction in trading volume that we've been dealing with since 2010. And trading full size on only the best and highest value trades.
Does this mean that methods like FirstStrike and OneNightStand were relegated to the trash bin? Far from it. Half of my best trades in 2013 were FS or ONS trades levered up to full size positions.
One of the greatest developments in 2013 was the intense weakening of the Japanese Yen which still continues. All you need(ed) to profit is to get long just about any currency originating above the equator vs. the Japanese Yen. There was nothing better than the Chf/Jpy and Eur/Jpy OneNightStand trades taken by followers of that method.
When numerous forex markets start taking out weekly and monthly highs on a regular basis-- I KNOW that something is going on and it is time to get geared up to profit. So I got seriously intrigued in late 2012, especially with increased profits coming in-- and started trading a bit bigger in February 2013.
I had a very decent year in my personal account by trading long positions in Euro/Jpy, Chf/Jpy, Gbp/Jpy, and Usd/Jpy. Also by trading some great OneNightStand and FirstStrike entries with large size. As I had a balance of $4,583 at the end of 2012 in the Challenge account, I did a few of these for it too, profiting $2,490.97 on just 18 trades. I knew that we were in a massive rush into northern currencies vs. the yen and it was not likely to last forever at the pace it was setting. Maybe it'll keep it up longer. Time will tell.
Anyway, on the second of December, 2013, on an intense one day dump in the silver market---I took $6,560.40 from the remaining balance of the Challenge account and bought 330 ounces of silver (3 - 100 oz. bars & 3 - 10 oz bars) at an average price of $19.88. So the Challenge account now has a total of 1330 oz. which will be valued at spot for the duration.
This year the Challenge account will start back up with the remainder of $513.57 for fuel. I also reserve the option to liquidate some silver for additional capital if the markets get particularly robust.
I intend to trade it with OneNightStand trades for the duration with higher leverage according to the concept of the Kelly Criterion. Reference: Fortune's Formula by William Poundstone. And you can follow along or just watch. It should be a very interesting ride.
(WARNING!!! If you've read the book, which I encourage you to do; or have done any research about trading via Kelly money management methods, you already know that extreme drawdowns are GUARANTEED - not just possible. If you can't afford to literally light a match to your trading account, don't even consider following the risk percentages the Challenge account will be using.)
A method with a definable edge and the will to trade it can make a man with $500 a very dangerous entity. More about this and the version of OneNightStand that I'll be trading -- next week.
I am in close contact with a couple of dozen traders who keep putting in ONS and FS trades. Among them 5 who made between $50K and $250K on the silver move which culminated in early 2011 - using a special trading system. I informed a number of them about my choice to expand the account's silver position. I got asked: Why did I consolidate almost all the available capital in the Challenge account in silver?
Great question.
Here's some of the background. Most of you already know about my interest in silver and the fact that it and gold represent 2 unique currencies with the same trading (actually better) characteristics of typical fiat currencies. And the fact that the metals are truly finite, while government greed is definitely infinite, typical fiat currencies are heading for a chaotic showdown on a number of fronts. Also, I had some long term cycle lows due in the metals which gave me an added nudge.
Besides, I believe it is quite possible that my plan of using OneNightStand trades with enhanced position sizing could by itself hit the $150K 10 year goal, with a "free" position in silver along for the ride. I also think it will make the challenge a bit more intellectually accessible to newer traders than seeing some already "big" account just get bigger. (There will be more discussion about this in the next week or two)
But before I go, a short discussion about something that, tangentially, also has precious metal implications. I want to make a serious mention about a currency all traders have at least heard about, which trades 24/7 -365 days a year.
Bitcoin.
A Real Six Million Dollar Man.
kind-of
A single dollar invested in Bitcoin just a few years back at one point in 2013 was worth $124,000.
I know a guy in Minneapolis who bought 5,000 bitcoins in early 2010 for $100 from a local "miner" (which back then meant anyone who had an extra PC with the time and the simple program it took to crank out the bitcoins) back when they were just a couple of pennies each. He stored them on his backup HP Pavillion laptop and didn't even think about it when the hard drive crashed a year later. He just threw it away. And the digital records for his 5,000 bitcoins.
Currently, he is beside himself. Inconsolable.
I really do sympathize with him.
If he could only remember the 32 digit random password he used on his bitcoin wallet.... He even has gone to 3 different hypnotists to try to remember his original password. I'm sure he is not alone. Probably millions of bitcoins are lost or irretrievable never to surface. Doesn't make him feel any better though.
Anyway, I just think it would be good for you to inform yourself a bit about these new currencies like Bitcoin. They have absolutely no more intrinsic value than a dollar or a euro, but because they have the advantage of being transferred instantly with no nanny-state interference..., they have actual value because enough people have agreed it is so. A very interesting development.
Precious metals share similar advantages of course, but large transactions with metals are almost always done face-to-face. But then again, so are large transactions in Bitcoin. Imagine if Bitcoin or a similar crypto-currency was intertwined somehow with precious metals. Governments and their monetary controls would be shut out very quickly. With astounding reprisals no doubt. Just some thoughts.
As an aside -- I somehow don't think the guy in Minneapolis would have tossed out a few million dollars worth of silver..., or gold. Or even $100 of precious metals.
The overall Bitcoin saga is interesting enough to give you food for thought about what will likely be a future with cryptocurrencies existing beside or even eliminating the current fiat offering from governments.
To see what a modern Bitcoin mine looks like, check out the short video below:
I currently have a (very) small percentage in a mining operation, have a little Bitcoin return every month. Not a lot, but my growing contacts in the cryptocurrency community are giving me a good idea of what others in the business are doing. It is turning into a serious business by serious people. All I can say is do a little investigating. It can only be advantageous to precious metals down the road.
Trading account equity: $ 513.57
Silver position value: $ 25,868.50
(Current XAG price: $19.45– 1330 unit position average: $14.40)
TOTAL Equity: $ 26,382.07
Well, that's it for the end of the year summary.
I'll be back next week.
Joel Rensink
www.infiniteyield.com
It has been 316 weeks since the Challenge account had its first trade. Or 6 years, 24 days. So the challenge of getting to $150K + in a shade less than 4 years is still on. It would have helped tremendously if I had any idea what this socialist-leaning presidency had in mind for us traders, but ultimately, as long as the freedom to trade forex is not limited any further, the odds strongly favor hitting the mark and then some. In fact, if silver hits $113 an ounce in the next four years, which wouldn't surprise me at all -- success will be automatic.
People forget that governments at best only approach being "useful", but Big Government is absolutely not necessary for human existence. Traders tend to survive even awful governments. They adapt as necessary.
And thanks for all the great emails sent to me by readers of prior posts here, most of which I didn't get to answer properly. I was busy -- but I still would have preferred keeping up with those who are interested in the Challenge Account and the concepts we talk about here. I have always maintained-- and have even more proof gathered in the last 3 years -- that profiting in the forex, futures, and even stock markets-- is primarily a function of premise. More about this in the coming weeks.
Forex trading has been getting better throughout the last half of 2013 because money finally was forced to move. Now we, as opportunistic traders, have much better potential than the previous years of stagnation because of Big Money's (governments and investment banks) willingness to commit.
Personally, I've been trading much smaller size since the contraction in trading volume that we've been dealing with since 2010. And trading full size on only the best and highest value trades.
Does this mean that methods like FirstStrike and OneNightStand were relegated to the trash bin? Far from it. Half of my best trades in 2013 were FS or ONS trades levered up to full size positions.
One of the greatest developments in 2013 was the intense weakening of the Japanese Yen which still continues. All you need(ed) to profit is to get long just about any currency originating above the equator vs. the Japanese Yen. There was nothing better than the Chf/Jpy and Eur/Jpy OneNightStand trades taken by followers of that method.
When numerous forex markets start taking out weekly and monthly highs on a regular basis-- I KNOW that something is going on and it is time to get geared up to profit. So I got seriously intrigued in late 2012, especially with increased profits coming in-- and started trading a bit bigger in February 2013.
I had a very decent year in my personal account by trading long positions in Euro/Jpy, Chf/Jpy, Gbp/Jpy, and Usd/Jpy. Also by trading some great OneNightStand and FirstStrike entries with large size. As I had a balance of $4,583 at the end of 2012 in the Challenge account, I did a few of these for it too, profiting $2,490.97 on just 18 trades. I knew that we were in a massive rush into northern currencies vs. the yen and it was not likely to last forever at the pace it was setting. Maybe it'll keep it up longer. Time will tell.
Anyway, on the second of December, 2013, on an intense one day dump in the silver market---I took $6,560.40 from the remaining balance of the Challenge account and bought 330 ounces of silver (3 - 100 oz. bars & 3 - 10 oz bars) at an average price of $19.88. So the Challenge account now has a total of 1330 oz. which will be valued at spot for the duration.
This year the Challenge account will start back up with the remainder of $513.57 for fuel. I also reserve the option to liquidate some silver for additional capital if the markets get particularly robust.
I intend to trade it with OneNightStand trades for the duration with higher leverage according to the concept of the Kelly Criterion. Reference: Fortune's Formula by William Poundstone. And you can follow along or just watch. It should be a very interesting ride.
(WARNING!!! If you've read the book, which I encourage you to do; or have done any research about trading via Kelly money management methods, you already know that extreme drawdowns are GUARANTEED - not just possible. If you can't afford to literally light a match to your trading account, don't even consider following the risk percentages the Challenge account will be using.)
A method with a definable edge and the will to trade it can make a man with $500 a very dangerous entity. More about this and the version of OneNightStand that I'll be trading -- next week.
I am in close contact with a couple of dozen traders who keep putting in ONS and FS trades. Among them 5 who made between $50K and $250K on the silver move which culminated in early 2011 - using a special trading system. I informed a number of them about my choice to expand the account's silver position. I got asked: Why did I consolidate almost all the available capital in the Challenge account in silver?
Great question.
Here's some of the background. Most of you already know about my interest in silver and the fact that it and gold represent 2 unique currencies with the same trading (actually better) characteristics of typical fiat currencies. And the fact that the metals are truly finite, while government greed is definitely infinite, typical fiat currencies are heading for a chaotic showdown on a number of fronts. Also, I had some long term cycle lows due in the metals which gave me an added nudge.
Besides, I believe it is quite possible that my plan of using OneNightStand trades with enhanced position sizing could by itself hit the $150K 10 year goal, with a "free" position in silver along for the ride. I also think it will make the challenge a bit more intellectually accessible to newer traders than seeing some already "big" account just get bigger. (There will be more discussion about this in the next week or two)
But before I go, a short discussion about something that, tangentially, also has precious metal implications. I want to make a serious mention about a currency all traders have at least heard about, which trades 24/7 -365 days a year.
Bitcoin.
A Real Six Million Dollar Man.
kind-of
A single dollar invested in Bitcoin just a few years back at one point in 2013 was worth $124,000.
I know a guy in Minneapolis who bought 5,000 bitcoins in early 2010 for $100 from a local "miner" (which back then meant anyone who had an extra PC with the time and the simple program it took to crank out the bitcoins) back when they were just a couple of pennies each. He stored them on his backup HP Pavillion laptop and didn't even think about it when the hard drive crashed a year later. He just threw it away. And the digital records for his 5,000 bitcoins.
Currently, he is beside himself. Inconsolable.
I really do sympathize with him.
If he could only remember the 32 digit random password he used on his bitcoin wallet.... He even has gone to 3 different hypnotists to try to remember his original password. I'm sure he is not alone. Probably millions of bitcoins are lost or irretrievable never to surface. Doesn't make him feel any better though.
Anyway, I just think it would be good for you to inform yourself a bit about these new currencies like Bitcoin. They have absolutely no more intrinsic value than a dollar or a euro, but because they have the advantage of being transferred instantly with no nanny-state interference..., they have actual value because enough people have agreed it is so. A very interesting development.
Precious metals share similar advantages of course, but large transactions with metals are almost always done face-to-face. But then again, so are large transactions in Bitcoin. Imagine if Bitcoin or a similar crypto-currency was intertwined somehow with precious metals. Governments and their monetary controls would be shut out very quickly. With astounding reprisals no doubt. Just some thoughts.
As an aside -- I somehow don't think the guy in Minneapolis would have tossed out a few million dollars worth of silver..., or gold. Or even $100 of precious metals.
The overall Bitcoin saga is interesting enough to give you food for thought about what will likely be a future with cryptocurrencies existing beside or even eliminating the current fiat offering from governments.
To see what a modern Bitcoin mine looks like, check out the short video below:
I currently have a (very) small percentage in a mining operation, have a little Bitcoin return every month. Not a lot, but my growing contacts in the cryptocurrency community are giving me a good idea of what others in the business are doing. It is turning into a serious business by serious people. All I can say is do a little investigating. It can only be advantageous to precious metals down the road.
Trading account equity: $ 513.57
Silver position value: $ 25,868.50
(Current XAG price: $19.45– 1330 unit position average: $14.40)
TOTAL Equity: $ 26,382.07
Well, that's it for the end of the year summary.
I'll be back next week.
Joel Rensink
www.infiniteyield.com
Monday, December 31, 2012
2012 Be Gone! Challenge account at $34,733--
In all my 30+ years of trading, 2012 is the one I am most glad to have behind me. I have yet to hear of one of my trading contemporaries who feels differently. If you feel differently, I'd appreciate your email.
I've gotten a variety of emails from earlier followers of this blog who wondered when I would post a follow-up. I thank you for your contacts.
There is a good reason why I haven't been busy updating this site. I will explain.
(more to come---)
I've gotten a variety of emails from earlier followers of this blog who wondered when I would post a follow-up. I thank you for your contacts.
There is a good reason why I haven't been busy updating this site. I will explain.
(more to come---)
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
2011 - A Nasty Trading Year for Forex Traders - Infiniteyield Forex Challenge Account:$34,183
I've had a very tumultuous year in trading, and so has the Challenge account. Not bad, but tumultuous.
tu·mul·tu·ous
adjective
1. full of tumult or riotousness; marked by disturbance and uproar: a tumultuous celebration.
2. raising a great clatter and commotion; disorderly or noisy: a tumultuous crowd of students.
3. highly agitated, as the mind or emotions; distraught; turbulent.
Yes, it fits.
When I started out the year, silver was at the $29 - $30 level, same as it is now. The Eur/Usd was at the 1.3250 level and it got up to 1.4700 and now is back down at the 1.3000 level --below the start of the year.
Of course silver had its big move up early in the year to the $49/oz. area.
How did the Challenge account do? It depends on an individual's point of view who's interested, but from mine-- it did quite well.
We started out the year with $26,522.00 in the Challenge account. We were holding 1000 ounces of on the Oanda platform, which made it possible to hold it with less than $1000 margin. When silver got over $49/oz. at the end of April, the Challenge account had a total value of over $51,000. I backed way off my trading size on FirstStrike and OneNightStand positions because the volatility of silver and the volatility of the currencies was parallel and there was no need to increase my risk.
I sold 500 ounces at 48.90. WOW! I just couldn't help it. The volatility was insane, the market was ticking up and down 20 to 50 cents every few minutes. I decided if silver decided to go above $50 I would put the 500 ounces back on. It didn't happen.
To not describe in detail the ensuing 10 weeks of painful volatility is a bonus for you and me (I'm not interested in reliving it or reminding you of the nightmare you dealt with too), as I was trading much larger silver positions on Comex and the cash markets. Equity swings of $100k a day, sometimes an hour - are not fun even if you have done it many times before. My personal year has worked out fine, while most money managers are posting red ink. This year reminds me of the famous Kenny Rogers song with the lyrics:
You've got to know when to hold 'em.
Know when to fold 'em.
Know when to walk away,
know when to run....
I ran from all my silver by the time silver dropped through $45/ounce.
Back to the Challenge account. A couple weeks after the 500 ounce sale, I sold the other 500 remaining ounces at Oanda in the mid 30's, took a disbursement and bought 1000 ounces of silver in bar form. Why?
Thanks to the idiots who are behind the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
This is the notice that Oanda account holders received:
Effective the end of Friday, July 15, 2011, Retail Foreign Exchange Dealers (RFEDs) registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) will be prohibited from offering leveraged retail trading in commodities, including precious metals such as gold and silver. This change in the U.S. law is being enforced by the CFTC as an outcome of The Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
Yes, OANDA offers 1:1 non-leveraged Gold and Silver trading. That defeats the whole purpose of a speculator like you or me using Oanda or other similar firms for profiting via gold and/or silver -- we want the leverage.
Anyway, so now the Challenge account has 1000 REAL ounces of silver, valued momentarily at $29,600, and $4,583 left over to position in the forex markets if something great happens. Maybe after the first of the year. So, a total current value of $34,183.
Not bad performance in 4 years from a meager $500. Only have to double the account a little over two more times within the next 6 years.
I'll have to get the chart up above updated. The spike over $50K and back down is the kind of thing that makes people (and wives) think you are crazy for trading.
The question I always get after a drawdown, if I am stupid enough to even mention it to my non-trading friends, is: "Why didn't you sell when it topped...?" As if you always miraculously know that the top they see after fact is obvious when it is happening.
But the public thought process is why we have so much opportunity when we trade. Others cannot or will not do what has to be done at the times the right trade has to be executed.
Looking forward to more updates.
Joel Rensink
www.infiniteyield.com
tu·mul·tu·ous
adjective
1. full of tumult or riotousness; marked by disturbance and uproar: a tumultuous celebration.
2. raising a great clatter and commotion; disorderly or noisy: a tumultuous crowd of students.
3. highly agitated, as the mind or emotions; distraught; turbulent.
Yes, it fits.
When I started out the year, silver was at the $29 - $30 level, same as it is now. The Eur/Usd was at the 1.3250 level and it got up to 1.4700 and now is back down at the 1.3000 level --below the start of the year.
Of course silver had its big move up early in the year to the $49/oz. area.
How did the Challenge account do? It depends on an individual's point of view who's interested, but from mine-- it did quite well.
We started out the year with $26,522.00 in the Challenge account. We were holding 1000 ounces of on the Oanda platform, which made it possible to hold it with less than $1000 margin. When silver got over $49/oz. at the end of April, the Challenge account had a total value of over $51,000. I backed way off my trading size on FirstStrike and OneNightStand positions because the volatility of silver and the volatility of the currencies was parallel and there was no need to increase my risk.
I sold 500 ounces at 48.90. WOW! I just couldn't help it. The volatility was insane, the market was ticking up and down 20 to 50 cents every few minutes. I decided if silver decided to go above $50 I would put the 500 ounces back on. It didn't happen.
To not describe in detail the ensuing 10 weeks of painful volatility is a bonus for you and me (I'm not interested in reliving it or reminding you of the nightmare you dealt with too), as I was trading much larger silver positions on Comex and the cash markets. Equity swings of $100k a day, sometimes an hour - are not fun even if you have done it many times before. My personal year has worked out fine, while most money managers are posting red ink. This year reminds me of the famous Kenny Rogers song with the lyrics:
You've got to know when to hold 'em.
Know when to fold 'em.
Know when to walk away,
know when to run....
I ran from all my silver by the time silver dropped through $45/ounce.
Back to the Challenge account. A couple weeks after the 500 ounce sale, I sold the other 500 remaining ounces at Oanda in the mid 30's, took a disbursement and bought 1000 ounces of silver in bar form. Why?
Thanks to the idiots who are behind the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
This is the notice that Oanda account holders received:
Effective the end of Friday, July 15, 2011, Retail Foreign Exchange Dealers (RFEDs) registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) will be prohibited from offering leveraged retail trading in commodities, including precious metals such as gold and silver. This change in the U.S. law is being enforced by the CFTC as an outcome of The Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
Yes, OANDA offers 1:1 non-leveraged Gold and Silver trading. That defeats the whole purpose of a speculator like you or me using Oanda or other similar firms for profiting via gold and/or silver -- we want the leverage.
Anyway, so now the Challenge account has 1000 REAL ounces of silver, valued momentarily at $29,600, and $4,583 left over to position in the forex markets if something great happens. Maybe after the first of the year. So, a total current value of $34,183.
Not bad performance in 4 years from a meager $500. Only have to double the account a little over two more times within the next 6 years.
I'll have to get the chart up above updated. The spike over $50K and back down is the kind of thing that makes people (and wives) think you are crazy for trading.
The question I always get after a drawdown, if I am stupid enough to even mention it to my non-trading friends, is: "Why didn't you sell when it topped...?" As if you always miraculously know that the top they see after fact is obvious when it is happening.
But the public thought process is why we have so much opportunity when we trade. Others cannot or will not do what has to be done at the times the right trade has to be executed.
Looking forward to more updates.
Joel Rensink
www.infiniteyield.com
Friday, December 31, 2010
The Infiniteyield Challenge account is now at $26,522.00
It has been an incredible year for the Infiniteyield Forex Challenge.
I've had a number of you call me recently and ask how well the account has been doing because you've been doing well yourselves -- thanks for the calls and interest. I figured I better post the year's results before the coming of the new year in a few hours.
In the 159 weeks since I started the $500 Challenge account with Oanda it has grown through a combination of OneNightStand trades, the weekly FirstStrike trades, and a relatively small position in silver.
Currently it has doubled 5 1/2 times. From here, I only have to double the account less than 3 times to achieve my goal of $150,000 or more.
With 7 years to go.
(Completion of the post is in progress....)
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Now--- 2090 % increase since December 2007
A hearty hello to the most determined traders I've ever known.
I have no doubt that some of you thought I would never post again.
I've been busy trading, traveling to Chicago and other cities for consulting with hedge funds..., but mostly trading.Because of the tremendous move in silver over the last month – we have again hit new equity highs. The Challenge account shows a 2090 % increase since December 2007 when I started the blog and the account with just $500. This is equivalent to a 761% annual average return.
Pretty incredible, but I still expect some hard, negative equity swings in the future. When silver dropped to $14.66 last February the account dropped to around $4300 – and I began to believe that I might have to dump some if it dropped another dollar. It didn't.
The Challenge Account 1000 oz. silver position has been a lifesaver over the last year. It definitely helps that silver has climbed over $21.00/oz. Now it seems that all you hear on the financial news networks is that gold and silver are being recommended by this bank or that analyst – if I didn't know that silver had a much larger distance to go long term..., I would be inclined to exit some just because of contrary opinion reasons.
And there has been a definite change in the attitude of the voting public about the”change” that has come to Washington. Not many are happy about – no jobs – lower prices for their homes – tough to get credit.
Don't expect too much REAL “change” in the near future.
Things might “appear” better soon – if just because people get tired of being afraid and start doing things, starting up more business, and because the banks will finally figure out a way to liberate (lend out) the Trillions of dollars put into their coffers.
Banks hate to have capital that is only making ½ % a year - lending it back to the same guys who gave it to them (who thought that up?).
It can't be soon enough for me.
The forex markets have been very choppy.
I don't need to hammer that point too hard for those of you trading FirstStrike and One Night Stand along with me. ONS has done a little better overall than FS but that is what happens ever so many years. Trading systems go into drawdowns and we have to wait patiently until things get exciting again.
Maybe that will be soon.
This last year was very good to me, trading-wise.
I've had the move in silver, of course, but had great moves (some of them historic!) in wheat, corn, cotton, coffee and sugar. These markets made me 4 times what silver and the currencies did.
I've made no secret of the fact that I believe forex trading is a great place to start trading and learn to trade properly with a small amount of capital. After you get competent, it is ridiculous to miss the huge moves that are possible in the other derivative arena, the futures markets.
This week we have a few decent FirstStrike trades working.
Week of Sept. 20, 2010---FirststrikePlus trade executions:
eur/usd: Long @ 1.3183, currently profitable
gbp/jpy: Short @ 132.06, currently w/small loss
gbp/usd: Short @1.5557, stopped at 1.5709
usd/chf: Short @1.0042, currently profitable
usd/jpy: Short @ 84.77, currently profitable
(Current XAG price: $21.16– 1000 unit position average: $12.59)
TOTAL Equity: $ 10,966.54
-----
Congratulations to all of you who have stuck to their trading and weathered the drawdowns that inevitably show up when you trade a long-term plan.
I know that feeling too.
Looking forward to more updates.
Joel Rensinkwww.infiniteyield.com
PS: To receive the FREE! trading rules for the Infiniteyield Forex Challenge ($499 value) and the semi-monthly newsletter about this challenge, send an email to: newsletter@infiniteyield.com and tell me to which address you would like it sent. Please do not use AOL, Hotmail or Yahoo addresses. They've been known to filter out more good mail than actual spam. Try a Gmail address. It's free, simple and perfect for traders!
Monday, September 7, 2009
1185 % increase since December 2007
I'm glad to have a chance to make an update.
Sorry about my long absences. But, trading is what I do for a living and when duty calls..., it usually takes the form of an early morning Eur/Usd or coffee trade.
This year has been one of my busiest and most personally profitable. Last year was terrific for me in my personal trading - especially the last half - so this year is a unsuspected bonus. All markets have ebbs and flows, and right now the majority of the world's money is sitting on the sidelines waiting for confirmation of something to make a commitment.
When volatility starts to increase due to that commitment, I have to get involved. You already know the drill.
Since the last update in April --- in the Challenge account I have made 108 FirstStrikePlus and ONS trades and added 600 ounces to the long XAG position. The previous position of 400 ounces had an average of $10.95.
The 3 silver additions were: 200 ounces @13.04, 200 ounces @ 13.70 and 200 ounces @14.31.
This makes an average position of 1000 ounces of XAG @12.59.
Due to this enhanced position and the beneficial price action of the last month in silver – we have hit new equity highs. The Challenge account shows a 1185 % increase since December 2007 when I started the blog and the account with just $500. This is equivalent to a 677% annual average return.
That even impresses me.
At the time I started this site very few believed it was possible to get such percentage increases, especially after publicly declaring that intent. Now that many others following this Challenge have had similar gains, it isn't so unreasonable in people's minds.
Nevertheless, if one wishes to follow along on some or all of the trades taken here, remember that pure risk capital be used. If your lifestyle and that of your family will not be hampered by the loss of the money risked, it usually qualifies as risk capital.
Last week we had another week of losses in FirstStrikePlus.
Week of Aug. 31, 2009---FirststrikePlus trade executions:
eur/usd: Long @ 1.4342, stopped at 1.4262 for 80 pip loss.
gbp/jpy: Long @ 152.30, stopped at 150.06 for 224 pip loss.
gbp/usd: Long @1.6355, stopped at 1.6206 for 149 pip loss.
usd/chf: Short @1.0553, stopped at 1.0626 for 73 pip loss.
usd/jpy: Long @ 93.29, stopped at 92.55 for 74 pip loss.
-----
OneNightStand trades executed Friday, Sept. 4, 2009:
-None-
Trading account equity: $ 2,816.41
Loss from previous week: $ 214.56.
Silver position equity: $ 3,610.00
(Current XAG price: $16.20– 1000 unit position average: $12.59)
TOTAL Equity: $ 6,426.41
There is a strong difference between investing and trading. Especially when you are willing to put up with substantial drawdowns despite constant trading..., while waiting for your “edge” to reassert itself.
This last week we saw a sharp move up in silver and gold. A significant part of the Challenge account could be considered by many an "investment" in silver. It really is a trade, just a very long term one - I will be happy to sell when volatility becomes extreme at higher levels. As long as inflation demons lurk in the shadows, the trade should prosper easily.
As most of you know, I've been bullish silver since the $8.40 low. Time and price (Gann indications) came in very strongly then and I have more personal certainty that silver low will never be seen again than the USA will remain capitalist for the next 4 years. (I do believe that even if we should have to suffer socialism, it will be as short-lived as Prohibition was. And it will end badly for the perpetrators.)
I've calculated that with the current equity and a modest 60% increase per year for the next 7 years will build the Challenge account into over $160K. Of course, increases like we experienced over the last year and a half can't be expected all the time. But if I do just a fraction as well as I've done already-- I could hit a million+ in those 7 years.
Some have emailed me commenting on how dismal the current returns have been trading First Strike Plus and OneNightStand.
Yes, I know.
That is definitely the way trading is, you keep taking trades that have a statistical edge and get hammered (experiencing losses) until you don't. If that is what you've been experiencing, congratulations! You've been trading the same markets I have.
The spectacular gains I've enjoyed in the last month (as already mentioned) were due primarily to my silver position. I expect that a significant amount of the Challenge account's gains for the next few years will be from silver enhancement. Silver is increasing the account size while currencies are just holding their own.
Eventually the currency markets will take off and we should profit as we have in the past. That's one of the reasons there is so much latent profit potential in proper trading of markets. The vast majority of market watchers/traders get sick and tired of getting hammered (experiencing more losses) and stop trading. The market, now clear of side currents – starts trending again. (By then, that majority has found a new “shouldn't lose” system and they repeat the process.)
For those of us in the USA, have a good Labor Day holiday.
Best of wishes to you all. I cautiously look forward to the FSP trades this week. The ranges have narrowed tremendously and the potential for large profits is here. Or just our usual containable losses.
Joel Rensink
www.infiniteyield.com
PS: To receive the FREE! trading rules for the Infiniteyield Forex Challenge ($499 value) and the semi-monthly newsletter about this challenge, send an email to: newsletter@infiniteyield.com and tell me to which address you would like it sent. Please do not use AOL, Hotmail or Yahoo addresses. They've been known to filter out more good mail than actual spam. Try a Gmail address. It's free, simple and perfect for traders!
Sorry about my long absences. But, trading is what I do for a living and when duty calls..., it usually takes the form of an early morning Eur/Usd or coffee trade.
This year has been one of my busiest and most personally profitable. Last year was terrific for me in my personal trading - especially the last half - so this year is a unsuspected bonus. All markets have ebbs and flows, and right now the majority of the world's money is sitting on the sidelines waiting for confirmation of something to make a commitment.
When volatility starts to increase due to that commitment, I have to get involved. You already know the drill.
Since the last update in April --- in the Challenge account I have made 108 FirstStrikePlus and ONS trades and added 600 ounces to the long XAG position. The previous position of 400 ounces had an average of $10.95.
The 3 silver additions were: 200 ounces @13.04, 200 ounces @ 13.70 and 200 ounces @14.31.
This makes an average position of 1000 ounces of XAG @12.59.
Due to this enhanced position and the beneficial price action of the last month in silver – we have hit new equity highs. The Challenge account shows a 1185 % increase since December 2007 when I started the blog and the account with just $500. This is equivalent to a 677% annual average return.
That even impresses me.
At the time I started this site very few believed it was possible to get such percentage increases, especially after publicly declaring that intent. Now that many others following this Challenge have had similar gains, it isn't so unreasonable in people's minds.
Nevertheless, if one wishes to follow along on some or all of the trades taken here, remember that pure risk capital be used. If your lifestyle and that of your family will not be hampered by the loss of the money risked, it usually qualifies as risk capital.
Last week we had another week of losses in FirstStrikePlus.
Week of Aug. 31, 2009---FirststrikePlus trade executions:
eur/usd: Long @ 1.4342, stopped at 1.4262 for 80 pip loss.
gbp/jpy: Long @ 152.30, stopped at 150.06 for 224 pip loss.
gbp/usd: Long @1.6355, stopped at 1.6206 for 149 pip loss.
usd/chf: Short @1.0553, stopped at 1.0626 for 73 pip loss.
usd/jpy: Long @ 93.29, stopped at 92.55 for 74 pip loss.
-----
OneNightStand trades executed Friday, Sept. 4, 2009:
-None-
Trading account equity: $ 2,816.41
Loss from previous week: $ 214.56.
Silver position equity: $ 3,610.00
(Current XAG price: $16.20– 1000 unit position average: $12.59)
TOTAL Equity: $ 6,426.41
There is a strong difference between investing and trading. Especially when you are willing to put up with substantial drawdowns despite constant trading..., while waiting for your “edge” to reassert itself.
This last week we saw a sharp move up in silver and gold. A significant part of the Challenge account could be considered by many an "investment" in silver. It really is a trade, just a very long term one - I will be happy to sell when volatility becomes extreme at higher levels. As long as inflation demons lurk in the shadows, the trade should prosper easily.
As most of you know, I've been bullish silver since the $8.40 low. Time and price (Gann indications) came in very strongly then and I have more personal certainty that silver low will never be seen again than the USA will remain capitalist for the next 4 years. (I do believe that even if we should have to suffer socialism, it will be as short-lived as Prohibition was. And it will end badly for the perpetrators.)
I've calculated that with the current equity and a modest 60% increase per year for the next 7 years will build the Challenge account into over $160K. Of course, increases like we experienced over the last year and a half can't be expected all the time. But if I do just a fraction as well as I've done already-- I could hit a million+ in those 7 years.
Some have emailed me commenting on how dismal the current returns have been trading First Strike Plus and OneNightStand.
Yes, I know.
That is definitely the way trading is, you keep taking trades that have a statistical edge and get hammered (experiencing losses) until you don't. If that is what you've been experiencing, congratulations! You've been trading the same markets I have.
The spectacular gains I've enjoyed in the last month (as already mentioned) were due primarily to my silver position. I expect that a significant amount of the Challenge account's gains for the next few years will be from silver enhancement. Silver is increasing the account size while currencies are just holding their own.
Eventually the currency markets will take off and we should profit as we have in the past. That's one of the reasons there is so much latent profit potential in proper trading of markets. The vast majority of market watchers/traders get sick and tired of getting hammered (experiencing more losses) and stop trading. The market, now clear of side currents – starts trending again. (By then, that majority has found a new “shouldn't lose” system and they repeat the process.)
For those of us in the USA, have a good Labor Day holiday.
Best of wishes to you all. I cautiously look forward to the FSP trades this week. The ranges have narrowed tremendously and the potential for large profits is here. Or just our usual containable losses.
Joel Rensink
www.infiniteyield.com
PS: To receive the FREE! trading rules for the Infiniteyield Forex Challenge ($499 value) and the semi-monthly newsletter about this challenge, send an email to: newsletter@infiniteyield.com and tell me to which address you would like it sent. Please do not use AOL, Hotmail or Yahoo addresses. They've been known to filter out more good mail than actual spam. Try a Gmail address. It's free, simple and perfect for traders!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
