S&P500 Yearly Returns
I haven’t generated an updated set of yearly returns for the S&P500 so with nothing better to do in lockdown.
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The Definition of a Trader
I came across the following definition of a trader the other day and it has been bouncing around the back of my mind ever since. Trader/ˈtreɪdə noun: a person who loves problem solving and the challenge of competing against others The first part I find some common ground with – there are some functional problems…
The Worst Ever….Yeah Not Even Close
Sometimes you see comments that make you put your head on the side and develop a quizzical look, much like a labrador contemplating the origin of calculus debate….was it Leibniz or Newton? The comment that caused this was a throwaway line saying that this was the worst market depression we had ever seen, I immediately…
One Trader Started The Day With $77,000 In His Account; By The End He Owed $9 Million
Well, doesnt this suck. That will teach you to try and be a clever dick…. The April 20 historic oil price crash that sent the prompt May WTI contract plunging to the unheard of price of negative $40 per barrel now seems like ancient history with oil back in the $20s (at least until the…
Does It Add Anything?
Trading is a profession of uncertainty – the window into tomorrow is opaque as such our decisions are merely bets made on a series of potential outcomes. This uncertainty is essential since it brings the potential for profit, if there is no uncertainty then there is no chance of profit. Claims of no risk trades…
Real Versus Absolute
As you know I am a bit of a fan of people lifting really heavy things – the Worlds Strongest Man Competition is compulsory viewing in my house. Who doesn’t love a sport that has the worlds lowest participation rate but also the worlds highest injury rate? Over the weekend an Icelandic giant who has…
Lets See How That Works Out For You.
The chart below appeared on my LinkedIn feed and it shows the comparison between Zoom Technologies and Zoom Video Communications since the beginning of the pandemic. The image was also accompanied by this post – Its a somewhat snarky dig at investors who confused the two groups with the wonderful advice that you should…
Trading in the Time of Covid-19 Part Two
I was wrong…..this is actually trading in the time of Covid-19
Talking Heads Fear of Music
Fear of Music, the third album by Talking Heads, begins at maximum velocity and minimum warmth. Congas, funk guitar, chirping synths: Everything is in motion, and yet curiously, nothing seems to be moving. A guitar figure like a crying baby keeps tripping the song’s downbeat, and in the closing seconds, a phased guitar line comes in played by Robert Fripp,…
The Switch in Your Brain That Turns Down Stress
Wouldn’t it be great if there was a technique that would allow us to vanquish fear and beat back stress? There just might be. In his latest book, The Wedge, bestselling author Scott Carney explains that when humans face challenging situations, our automatic responses tend to make us feel terrible. But the good news is that there are…
Where To Now?
As we weather the COVID-19 storm thoughts invariably turn to what life will look like after the storm passes and as luck would have it there is no shortage of economists to tell us what life will be like. Most of their prognostications seem to fall somewhere between being the last person on the Titanic…
‘Letting Go’ – The Superpower of Great Performers.
A few years ago, when coaching a group of senior traders at a large US investment bank, one of the participants revealed to me that he was also a tournament poker player and was ranked in the world’s top 200 players. Curious to know more, I asked him what he felt gave him an edge…
Why I sold my Zonda – Harry’s Garage
Harry’s Garage is, in my opinion, the best motoring show going around at present. As to why he sold his Zonda – wait till you hear the servicing costs and that might give you a clue….
