A Renko Trading Strategy with Multiple IndicatorsThis study will walk through several concepts in analyzing crude oil. The primary chart type will be a Renko chart with the block size (ticks) set to 25 (0.25 in TV) and with a timeframe set to 15 minutes. The significance of timeframe is that in TV, it will take this amount of time for the price to maintain a full block change (25 cents) in order for it to be ‘printed’. In times of high volatility, a 15-minute window can allow for more than one block to print at the same time. While this may be a disadvantage in trading CL futures either day or swing trading, it helps filter out noise in the type of trading I do. The basic strategy I’m wanting to establish using this setup is the buying of options, either puts or calls, that are as near to the market as possible and to limit risk to a % of the value of the purchase price of the option. So, for example, if I pay $2,500.00 USD for a CLQ24 85 Call, I will limit my loss to 10% of that price should the market go against what I had expected.
The chart setups and scenarios in this study will be based on Renko charts along with various indicators that will be discussed (for the most part individually).
A view of 2024 based on the Renko setup.
I will start with this basic view that has the Renko chart configured as outlined above with two linear regression drawings manually drawn on it. There is an indicator for LR which will follow each block change and change accordingly based on the lookback configuration. With the drawing tool, you can start and end the LR based on your strategy. In mine, I want to base the LR on price from a major low to a major high and then adjust based on if a new high or low is obtained. In this chart, I picked the low as that of late December (the first long black arrow). As an exercise, you can hit the new highs from this point to see how the LR adjusted and how future price flowed within it. There are two LR drawings on this chart; one with an upper and lower deviation set to 2/-2 and the second with a upper and lower deviation set to 1/-1 (these are the ones with dots for a boundary). In this specific chart, I’ve started with the latest high to be that on 01-March and with the LRs both extended to the right, you can see the price movement against these LR into the future. As price broke through the top of the LR recently, a new high was put in on 24-March and the adjustment of the LR will be shown next.
With this new high confirmed, the LRs are both move to end at this high while keeping the original starting point the same. In this view, price pulled back to the top of the LR 1std and close here. With the LR extended, you can see where the mean is and a potential price target if just considering the LR itself.
An expanded view of above:
Next, I’ll introduce the DEMA and simple MA on the chart. There are two DEMAs added to the chart with one set to a period of 12 and one set to a period of 20. The significance of the two is that when the 12 (black on this chart) is above the 20 (red on this chart), then the trend is bullish and when the opposite, the trend is bearish. I use these two more for confirmation than for timing. If you study these, you’ll see that they lag for the most part but there are key times that they will provide insight to the direction of a market during times of consolidation.
The next two indicators that I’ll introduce are the Stochastic and Directional Movement Index (DMI with the ADX). The experience of using these indicators on a Renko chart is like that on a candle chart except that the period is not for time but the number of bars that have been printed or committed. There are two Stochs used (5,3,3 and 25,3,3). The intent of the 5,3,3 is to provide a fast-moving change in momentum while the 25,3,3 is designed to provide insight to the momentum of the longer trend. Insight as to timing the entry and exit of trades may be possible with an in-depth understanding of the crossover of the 25,3,3 between the %k and the %d.
The DMI can be used like it is against a candle chart but with settings at 5,5. This provides a faster moving indicator and, with some study, can determine the importance of the interactions between the 3 lines. There is one key aspect of this indicator with the Renko that works similar to the candle and that is of identifying pending consolidation of the market. In a traditional setup of the DMI on a candle chart, the settings are 14,14 and the line of 20 in the indicator is traditionally the line of strength. Meaning that when the ADX falling at or below the 20 line, then the trends are weak and the market is entering consolidation. During this time, the guidance from various sources is to look for patterns on the market and signs of a breakout. For the Renko charts, the are to watch for trend strength and consolidation is between the 35 and 20 area based on the analysis I’ve done. On the following chart, I’ve highlighted some of these areas of consolidation.
Additionally, there is a notion of a high-swap of the +/-Dis which is when price has started moving strongly in one direction and then pivots to change direction and build into a strong trend from this. While in hindsight these look compelling, they can be difficult to trade in real-time, it’s difficult to differentiate between a high-swap and a future degradation of the trend that leads to consolidation. I think that the more reliable setup is finding the longer points of consolidation and prepare to trade in the breakout direction. As you can see on the close Friday, price has moved off of a new recent high and could now be trending down into a period of consolidation (if one were to use just the combination of the DMI and ADX).
If you’ve not read “Secrets of a Pivot Boss” by Franklin O. Ochoa, I would encourage you to do so as it has many extremely valuable and innovative ideas in trading off volume, value, and pivots. The following discussions will be based on concepts from this book.
The first covered will be that of volume area. I will not dig into the specifics of this but to just show one of the many indicators available in TradingView for these concepts. The volume indicators will work with Renko charts and the specific one I’m using allows me to set the increment of volume based on rows or ticks. I’ve chosen ticks and set the number to 5. With a 25 tick Renko chart, this will allow for a granularity of 5 rows per block for displaying the volume profile. In the chart below, I’ve highlighted a concept outlined in the book of the volume area that is extended out to the next trading day and is what forms the basis for 2-day volume area analysis. There are 6 scenarios that go with this analysis and the pink channels on the chart are intended to enable this view. The volume profile I’ve picked in the indicator is for the week so the analysis I do is for the week and not daily. One of the key setups from the book is an ‘inside day’ which you can see at the black arrow. An inside day is a day to watch for breakout (in this case it would be an inside week) and, after support was found, the price went higher.
The last set of indicators that I’ll cover is the Camarilla Pivots. These too are covered in depth in the book referenced above as well as a wealth of details on the web. These pivots do not work on Renko charts so I will create a candle chart with an 8hr setting and then set up the monthly and yearly pivots on it. From this chart, I’ll copy key lines over to the Renko chart.
This first chart is a view of the 25 tick, 15 minute chart going back to the beginning of 2024. I’ve labeled some of the key lines on this chart for both the year 2024 and the month of March.
This is zoomed into the month of March.
I believe a key concept that makes these pivots on the Renko with the timeframe powerful is the ability to see the tests that happen around the various pivots for both support and resistance. There is an entire trading strategy that is outlined in the book referenced above. The current price action seems to imply that price should come back to either the March R3 or the 2024 R3 (which is also the top of the value area for 2023). If price action does come back to these lines, careful attention should be paid to how support plays out and if a buying or selling opportunity arises from it.
Next, I’ll provide a view with all of the reviewed items in one view.
I’m standing aside on trading this for now until the current price action plays out and a cleaning view of potential trade comes into focus. Some observations considering what’s been discussed individually in this study:
The DEMA is currently swapped to the bearish trend.
The -DI is over the +DI which is a bearish trend. However, The ADX has been dropping to the 35 line but has not dropped in the 35 to 20 range to indicate a consolidation phase.
The Stoch has not completely bottomed out long term and could see more downward movement.
While price is at the top of the 1std of the LR, it could drop further.
A drop and hold of the 2024 R3, March R3, top of the 2023 volume area, and the median of the current LR (all would be within proximity of each other) could be a strong buy setup. A break below these lines with an ensuing test from the bottom could be a strong sell setup.
The relationship of the past two weeks’ volume area is bullish.
Energy Commodities
A Renko Trading Strategy - A Look at a ChartThis is a current view of CL and some details on the consolidation that is showing up on the 50 and 25 tick charts. February resistance levels are getting tested again. The 10-tick short-term chart has shown some strength but now showing divergence as price hits the larger blocks resistance levels.
10-tick chart
25-tick chart
50-tick chart
A Renko Trading Strategy - Part 7Part 7: Some Examples of Analysis with Indicators
First, let’s look at some of the key indicators that are included in the charts. Regardless of the brick size (10,25, or 50), all charts will have the same configuration.
DEMA (12-period and 20-period) : These moving averages are designed to react more quickly to price changes than a traditional simple moving average (SMA). The 12-period DEMA is black, and the 20-period DEMA is red. We would look for the 12-period DEMA to cross above the 20-period as a potential bullish signal and below as a bearish signal. As you examine the charts going forward, pay close attention to these two when comparing them to the dynamics of the brick patterns.
SMA (20-period) with Blue Dots : This moving average is plotted with blue dots and provides a visual indication of the longer-term trend. It's smoother and slower to react to price changes compared to the DEMA.
WMA (9-period) on the 20-period SMA (Purple Line) : The WMA is used to confirm trends and reversals. When the WMA is above the SMA, it may indicate an uptrend, and vice versa for a downtrend.
In terms of support and resistance, Renko bricks make it easier to spot these levels as they smooth out minor price fluctuations. Support and resistance would be identified by areas where the price has repeatedly reversed direction.
When comparing the 12 and 20-period DEMA to the Renko bricks, look for areas where the DEMAs act as dynamic support or resistance to the price action indicated by the bricks. Similarly, the 20-period SMA and the 9-period WMA would be assessed for their interaction with the Renko bricks.
For breakout patterns, we would look for a consolidation of Renko bricks, indicated by a tight clustering of bricks without clear direction, followed by a breakout above or below this consolidation with a corresponding move in the moving averages.
Let’s identify any notable patterns or signals on the chart. We will look for:
Crossovers between the DEMAs
The relationship between the DEMAs and the Renko bricks
Potential support and resistance levels
Any consolidation patterns that might indicate breakout points
The Average Directional Index (ADX) is used to determine the strength of a trend. The value of 35 that is used is higher than the standard 20 or 25, which implies the reduced noise in Renko charts.
Here’s how you might interpret the ADX in conjunction with the DI lines:
Consolidation : If the ADX is dropping and has crossed below the 35 level, it may indicate that the trend strength is weakening, suggesting a period of consolidation or range-bound market.
ADX Below DI Lines : When the ADX drops below both the +DI (positive directional indicator) and -DI (negative directional indicator), it further suggests that neither buyers nor sellers are in control, reinforcing the consolidation signal.
Watching for a Trend Change : If after dropping, the ADX starts to turn upward while below the DI lines, it could be an early sign that a new trend is starting to form. The direction of the trend would be indicated by which DI line the ADX crosses. If it crosses the +DI, it may signal the start of an uptrend; if it crosses the -DI, a downtrend might be beginning.
To apply this to your Renko chart, you would look for periods where the ADX dips below 35 and pay attention to its direction relative to the DI lines. You'd also consider the brick color change on the Renko chart for confirmation of trend direction if the ADX starts to rise after the dip.
Keep in mind that technical indicators should not be used in isolation; they are more effective when used in conjunction with other analysis tools and techniques. Renko charts themselves filter out smaller price movements, so the ADX on a Renko chart might not react the same way as it would on a traditional candlestick chart.
Here's some ideas on how to analyze and correlate the given indicators to price action:
Renko Bricks : Renko charts focus on price changes that meet a minimum amount and filter out minor price movements, thus highlighting the trend over time. A 50-tick Renko chart will only print a new brick when the price moves by 50 ticks, thereby smoothing out minor fluctuations and making trends easier to spot. The 1-hour timeframe means that each brick represents an hour's worth of price movement.
Linear Regression Channel (1st and 2nd degree) : This tool is used to identify potential support and resistance levels and the overall trend direction. The 1st degree (linear) regression trendlines show the mean price movement, while the 2nd degree could show a parabolic trend which accounts for acceleration in price movement. The price often oscillates around the mean trendline, and deviations can be used to identify overbought or oversold conditions.
Double Exponential Moving Average (DEMA) 12 and 20 : The DEMA is a faster-moving average that reduces lag time compared to traditional moving averages. In your setup, the DEMA 12 would be more reactive to price changes, potentially serving as a short-term trend indicator, while the DEMA 20 could be used to confirm medium-term trends.
Simple Moving Average (SMA) 20 with 9 period Weighted Moving Average (WMA) : The SMA 20 is a common indicator for medium-term trend direction. When combined with the 9-period WMA, which gives more weight to recent prices, you could use crossovers between the two as potential buy/sell signals.
Stochastic Oscillators (5,3,3 and 50,3,3) : Stochastic oscillators compare the closing price of a commodity to its price range over a certain period. The 5,3,3 stochastic is a fast indicator that can signal short-term overbought or oversold conditions. The 50,3,3 stochastic, being much slower, could be used to assess the longer-term momentum of the market.
Average Directional Index (ADX) with the Directional Movement Index (DMI) : The ADX is used to measure the strength of a trend, whether up or down. The DMI includes both the Positive Directional Indicator (+DI) and Negative Directional Indicator (-DI), which help determine the trend direction. A rising ADX indicates a strong trend, while a falling ADX suggests a weakening trend.
When analyzing the chart, consider the following correlations and insights:
Renko and Regression Channel : Look for periods when the Renko bricks consistently stay on one side of the mean regression line. This could indicate a strong trend. If the price breaks through the regression channel, it might signal a potential reversal or a breakout.
DEMA, SMA, and WMA : Watch for crossovers between these moving averages. A crossover of the DEMA 12 above the SMA 20 and WMA might indicate a bullish short-term momentum, while a crossover below could signal bearish momentum.
Stochastic Oscillators : Look for divergence between the price and the stochastic oscillators. If the price makes new highs/lows but the stochastic does not confirm (known as a divergence), it could indicate a weakening trend.
ADX and DMI : If the ADX is rising and the +DI is above the -DI, the uptrend is strong; if the -DI is above the +DI, the downtrend is strong. If the ADX is falling, the trend is considered weak or the market may be ranging.
For trade setups, you might consider the following:
Long Entry : A new Renko brick in the direction of the trend, a bullish crossover in moving averages, the stochastic coming out of oversold territory, and a rising ADX with +DI above -DI.
Short Entry : A new Renko brick opposite the trend direction, a bearish crossover in moving averages, the stochastic coming out of overbought territory, and a rising ADX with -DI above +DI.
It's crucial to back test these indicators and their correlations with historical price data to validate their predictive power. Additionally, always manage risk appropriately, as indicators are not foolproof and should be used in conjunction with other forms of analysis and sound trading principles.
Part 8: Working Through Some Examples
to-follow
A Renko Trading Strategy - Part 6Part 6: How to Incorporate a Stop/Loss Strategy
Incorporating stop-loss strategies into trading using Renko charts and options involves careful consideration of market dynamics, the specific characteristics of options trading, and the unique aspects of Renko charts. Here are some approaches tailored to this trading strategy:
1. Setting Stop Losses Based on Renko Chart Reversal
Renko Brick Reversals : Since Renko charts are designed to filter out minor price movements, a reversal (change in brick color) can be a significant indicator. For options trading, consider setting a stop-loss order if there's a reversal that contradicts your position. For instance, if trading calls based on an uptrend indicated by Renko charts, a stop-loss could be triggered by the appearance of a certain number (e.g., two or three) of consecutive red bricks, signaling a potential downtrend.
Percentage of Option Value : Determine a percentage loss of the option's value that you're willing to tolerate (e.g., 30-50% of the premium paid). This approach requires monitoring the option's value relative to market movements and Renko chart signals.
2. Volatility-Based Stop Losses
Average True Range (ATR) Adjustments : Although traditional Renko charts do not incorporate time or volume, you can use an additional indicator like the Average True Range (ATR) of the underlying futures contract to set volatility-adjusted stop losses. This method involves setting a stop loss at a point where the option's underlying asset moves against your position by an amount that is significant based on recent volatility, indicating the trend might not be as strong as anticipated.
3. Time-Based Exits
Option Time Decay : For options, time decay (theta) is an important consideration. You might set a time-based stop-loss strategy where positions are evaluated for potential exit if there hasn't been favorable movement within a certain timeframe, considering the decay's impact on your option's value, especially as it approaches expiration.
4. Technical and Fundamental Stop Losses
Renko Chart Patterns : If your Renko charts show pattern breakouts or breakdowns (e.g., failure of a breakout pattern you traded on), use these as a basis for stop-loss orders.
Fundamental News: For commodities like crude oil, fundamental news (e.g., geopolitical events, supply changes) can dramatically impact prices. If such events occur and are likely to adversely affect your position, consider them as triggers for your stop-loss strategy.
5. Dynamic Stop Losses
Adjust According to Market Conditions: As market conditions change, regularly review and adjust your stop-loss levels. This dynamic approach ensures that your strategy remains aligned with the current market environment and Renko chart developments.
6. Mental Stop Losses
Disciplined Execution : While physical stop-loss orders placed with a broker are automatic, mental stop losses rely on the trader's discipline to execute a trade when certain conditions are met. This approach allows for flexibility in response to market conditions but requires strict adherence to predetermined exit criteria to be effective.
Conclusion
Creating stop-loss strategies for options trading based on Renko charts involves a blend of technical analysis, understanding of options' characteristics, and disciplined risk management. By combining Renko chart reversals, volatility adjustments, time-based considerations, and both technical and fundamental factors, traders can develop a comprehensive stop-loss strategy that protects against undue losses while allowing room for the natural ebb and flow of the markets. Regular review and adjustment of these strategies in response to market changes are crucial for maintaining their effectiveness.
Part 7: Some Examples of Analysis
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A Renko Trading Strategy - Part 5Part 5: Devising a Strategy Based on Buying Calls/Puts
When trading crude oil (CL) using options like puts or calls, the strategy involving Renko charts and pattern recognition can be finely tuned for option trading. The choice between puts and calls will depend on the identified trend and pattern signals across the three brick sizes. Here are scenarios that illustrate when to buy puts or calls based on the described strategy:
Scenario 1: Buying Calls
Signal : All three Renko charts (short-term, medium-term, long-term) show a clear uptrend with consecutive green bricks. The medium-term chart breaks out of a consolidation pattern upwards, and the short-term chart shows a reversal pattern from a minor pullback, indicating a continuation of the uptrend.
Action : Buy calls as the uptrend signals an expectation of higher prices ahead.
Example : If the long-term chart has been in a consistent uptrend, the medium-term chart shows a breakout, and the short-term chart indicates a reversal or continuation pattern, it suggests strong bullish momentum, making it an optimal time to buy calls.
Scenario 2: Buying Puts
Signal : All three charts indicate a downtrend with consecutive red bricks. A double top pattern appears on the short-term chart, suggesting a reversal from a minor rally within the downtrend. The medium-term chart starts trending downwards after a consolidation, aligning with the long-term downtrend.
Action : Buy puts as the combined signals suggest a continuation of the downtrend.
Example : After a brief rally indicated by a double top on the short-term chart, if both the medium and long-term charts reinforce a bearish outlook with consistent red bricks, it's an indication to buy puts, expecting the price to fall.
Scenario 3: Buying Calls on a Reversal
Signal : The long-term chart shows a downtrend, but the medium and short-term charts indicate a reversal pattern (e.g., an inverse head and shoulders or a double bottom). The medium-term chart starts showing green bricks, suggesting the beginning of an uptrend.
Action : Buy calls to capitalize on the early stages of a potential reversal and uptrend.
Example : Even if the long-term trend is down, a clear reversal pattern on the short and medium-term charts that aligns with an emerging uptrend suggests a shifting momentum, making it a strategic point to buy calls.
Scenario 4: Buying Puts on a Failing Rally
Signal : During an uptrend on the long-term chart, both the medium and short-term charts show a rally running out of steam, evidenced by a pattern of consolidation followed by a breakout to the downside on the medium-term chart, and a double top on the short-term chart.
Action : Buy puts as the failing rally suggests a potential short-term downtrend, even within a larger uptrend.
Example : If the long-term trend remains bullish but short-term indicators suggest a temporary reversal, buying puts can be a strategic move to profit from the expected downturn.
General Approach for Options Trading with Renko Charts:
Timing : Use short-term and medium-term charts for timing your entry into options trades. The short-term chart provides early signals, while the medium-term chart offers confirmation.
Direction : The long-term chart sets the overall direction for the trade. Even in a bullish long-term trend, short-term downtrends provide opportunities to buy puts, and vice versa.
Volatility : Consider the implied volatility of options before entering a trade. High volatility can increase option premiums, affecting the risk-reward ratio.
Expiration : Choose expiration dates that give the trade enough time to work out. Longer expirations for calls in an uptrend or puts in a downtrend can be beneficial, allowing the market trend to fully develop.
By aligning option buying strategies with Renko chart signals across different time frames, traders can enhance their ability to enter and exit trades with a higher probability of success, leveraging the clarity provided by Renko charts to navigate the volatility of the crude oil market.
When buying puts or calls for Crude Oil (CL) futures with an approach akin to trading futures contracts but aiming to mitigate risk, particularly concerning options' time decay and other unique characteristics, a strategic approach is crucial. There are several key strategies to consider:
1. Choose the Right Expiration
Time Horizon of Your Analysis: Align the expiration of the options with the time horizon of your market analysis. If your analysis based on Renko charts suggests a trend or reversal might play out over several weeks or months, consider options that expire at least 1-3 months beyond your anticipated trend reversal or continuation point. This buffer accommodates the time needed for the market to move in your favor while accounting for time decay.
Avoid Short-Term Expiries: Short-term options are more susceptible to time decay (theta). While they may be cheaper and offer higher leverage, they also require the market to move quickly in your favor. Given the nature of Renko charts to filter out minor fluctuations and focus on more significant trends, a medium to longer-term option is generally more aligned with this strategy.
2. Consider Implied Volatility (IV)
High IV: When IV is high, options premiums are more expensive, reflecting greater expected volatility. Buying options in high IV environments can be risky as you're paying a premium for the expected volatility. However, if your analysis strongly suggests a significant market move, this could still be profitable.
Low IV: Buying options when IV is low can be advantageous because the premiums will be cheaper, reducing the cost of entry. If the market moves in your favor and volatility increases, the value of your option could rise both due to the directional move and the increase in IV.
3. Delta and In-The-Money (ITM) Options
Delta : Consider the delta of the options. Delta close to 1 (for calls) or -1 (for puts) means the option price moves nearly in lockstep with the underlying asset, similar to owning the futures contract but with limited risk. Options with higher deltas are typically more expensive but less affected by time decay relative to their intrinsic value.
ITM Options: Buying ITM options can be a strategic choice for mimicking futures trading. ITM options have intrinsic value and behave more like the underlying asset, with a higher delta and less sensitivity to time decay (theta) compared to out-of-the-money (OTM) options.
4. Rolling Options
Strategy : To maintain a position in the market while managing time decay, consider rolling options. As the expiration date approaches and if your market outlook remains unchanged, you can sell the nearing expiration option and buy a further out expiration option. This strategy requires careful consideration of transaction costs and potential slippage but allows you to stay in the trade with a fresh time horizon.
5. Hedging and Risk Management
Diversify Expirations : Instead of buying all options with the same expiration, consider staggering expirations. This diversification can help manage risk if the market moves against your position in the short term.
Adjust Positions: Be prepared to adjust your position based on market movement and upcoming economic events. Use stop-loss orders or consider buying options with different strike prices to hedge your bets.
Conclusion
When treating options on Crude Oil futures like trading the futures themselves but with reduced risk, selecting the right expiration date is vital, taking into account your market outlook, time decay, and implied volatility. Medium to longer-term options with consideration for delta and ITM status can more closely mimic the behavior of trading futures while offering the risk mitigation benefits of options trading. Always incorporate risk management strategies and be prepared to adjust your positions as market conditions evolve.
Part 6: How to Incorporate a Stop/Loss Strategy
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A Renko Trading Strategy - Part 4Part 4: Incorporating Patterns with Strategy
Incorporating pattern recognition into a trading strategy using three different brick sizes for Renko charts can enhance decision-making by providing multiple perspectives on market momentum and trend reversals. Applying this to the WTI (CL) market, using short-term, medium-term, and long-term views with different brick sizes.
1. Short-term Brick Size (e.g., 10 ticks, 1min)
Entry Signal : Look for breakout patterns or reversal patterns like a double bottom or an inverse head and shoulders pattern. This brick size will be more sensitive to recent price movements, offering early entry points.
Confirmation : Use this chart to get an early indication of a trend change or to catch the beginning of a new trend. However, due to its sensitivity, it's essential to wait for confirmation from the medium-term chart to reduce the risk of false signals.
2. Medium-term Brick Size (e.g., 25 ticks, 1min)
Entry Signal : This chart size is great for confirming trends identified in the short-term chart. If the medium-term chart starts to show a series of green bricks after a reversal pattern in the short-term chart, it's a stronger signal that the trend is reversing.
Strategy : Use this chart to solidify your decision for entry. For example, if you notice a consolidation pattern that breaks out in the same direction as the short-term trend, it can be a good entry point. The medium-term chart helps in filtering out the noise and focusing on more sustainable trends.
3. Long-term Brick Size (e.g., 50 ticks, 1min)
Entry Signal : Long-term charts are excellent for identifying the overall market trend. A clear pattern of consecutive bricks (either uptrend or downtrend) can indicate a strong market direction.
Strategy : Use the long-term chart for setting the direction of your trades. Enter trades that align with the long-term trend for higher probability outcomes. The long-term trend can also serve as a backdrop for assessing the strength of medium-term signals.
Combining Signals for Entry
Confluence Entry: The strongest entry signals will occur when patterns or trends align across all three brick sizes. For example, if the short-term chart shows a reversal pattern, the medium-term chart begins to trend in that direction, and the long-term chart supports this with a consistent trend, it's a strong signal for entry.
Breakout Entry: A breakout from a consolidation pattern (rectangle) on the medium-term chart that is also supported by a long-term trend can be a robust entry signal. The short-term chart can be used to fine-tune the entry point, such as entering after a small pullback following the breakout.
Risk Management
Stop-Loss Orders : Place stop-loss orders based on patterns from the medium or long-term charts to give your trades more room to breathe while still protecting against significant losses.
Take-Profit Points: Set take-profit levels based on significant resistance or support levels identified in the long-term chart to capitalize on the overall market movement.
Example Scenario
Scenario : The long-term chart shows a steady uptrend with consecutive green bricks. The medium-term chart shows a breakout from a consolidation pattern, and the short-term chart shows a double bottom, indicating a potential reversal from a recent minor pullback.
Action : Enter a long position after the double bottom on the short-term chart, with the medium-term breakout providing additional confirmation. The long-term uptrend supports the overall bullish outlook.
Risk Management : Place a stop-loss below the most recent low on the medium-term chart and set a take-profit near a significant resistance level identified on the long-term chart.
Conclusion
By using Renko charts with three different brick sizes and recognizing patterns across these timeframes, traders can develop a nuanced and layered approach to entering the crude oil market. This strategy allows for early detection of trends, confirmation across multiple timescales, and robust risk management, leading to potentially more informed and strategic trading decisions.
Part 5: Devising a Strategy Based on Buying Calls/Puts
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A Renko Trading Strategy - Part 3Part 3: Patterns in Renko Charts
Renko charts, like other charting methods, have identifiable patterns that traders look for as indicators of potential market movements. These patterns are appreciated for their simplicity and effectiveness in highlighting trends and reversals without the noise of minor price movements. Here are some common patterns observed in Renko charts, applicable across various markets:
1. Trend Patterns
Uptrend/Downtrend: Consecutive bricks of the same color indicate a trend. An uptrend is shown by a series of green (or white) bricks, while a downtrend is depicted by red (or black) bricks. The more consecutive bricks, the stronger the trend.
2. Reversal Patterns
Double Top and Double Bottom: These patterns occur when the price reaches a certain level twice but fails to break through. In Renko charts, a double top is indicated by the bricks failing to move higher after reaching a high point twice, suggesting a potential reversal from an uptrend to a downtrend. Similarly, a double bottom indicates a potential reversal from a downtrend to an uptrend.
Head and Shoulders (and Inverse): This pattern is harder to spot in Renko charts due to their simplified nature but can still be identified. A head and shoulders pattern indicates a reversal from an uptrend to a downtrend, while an inverse head and shoulders suggests a reversal from a downtrend to an uptrend.
3. Consolidation Patterns
Rectangles: These occur when bricks alternate colors within a range, indicating market consolidation or a period of indecision. A breakout from this pattern can indicate the direction of the next significant move.
4. Breakout Patterns
Support and Resistance Breakouts: Renko charts clearly show support (a level where price consistently finds a floor) and resistance (a ceiling where price tends to top out). A breakout occurs when bricks pass through these levels, potentially indicating the start of a new trend.
Strategy Implications
Patterns in Renko charts can be used to devise trading strategies:
Entry Points: Patterns like breakouts from consolidation ranges or reversals can provide clear entry points.
Exit Points: Recognizing the end of a trend pattern or the completion of a reversal pattern can serve as a signal to exit a position to maximize gains or minimize losses.
Stop-Loss Placement: Patterns can help identify significant levels for placing stop-loss orders, such as below a recent bottom in an uptrend or above a recent top in a downtrend.
Advantages and Limitations
The advantage of using Renko charts and identifying these patterns lies in the chart's ability to filter out minor price movements, making it easier to spot meaningful trends and reversals. However, because time and volume are not considered, Renko charts may not always reflect the full picture of market dynamics. Traders often use them in conjunction with other analysis tools to make more informed decisions.
These patterns, while straightforward in theory, require practice to identify effectively and use within a comprehensive trading strategy.
Part 4: Incorporating Patterns with Strategy
to-follow
A Renko Trading Strategy - Part 2Part 2: Devising a Strategy with Renko
Devising a trading strategy using Renko charts with three different brick sizes for the same market, like crude oil, and analyzing them on the same time scale can provide insights into market trends and momentum at various levels. The following is one of many possible approaches:
1. Choose Brick Sizes
Select three different brick sizes that represent short-term, medium-term, and long-term market movements. For example:
Short-term: 10 ticks
Medium-term: 25 ticks
Long-term: 50 ticks
These sizes could be chosen based on the volatility of the market and your trading goals.
2. Set Up Charts Side by Side
Prepare three Renko charts for crude oil, each with one of the chosen brick sizes. Analyzing them side by side or simultaneously will allow you to get insight into how they compare within the same time.
3. Define Your Strategy
A strategy could involve looking for confluence among the charts, where signals on multiple brick sizes align, indicating a stronger trend or reversal. Here’s a potential approach:
Trend Confirmation: A trend appears on the long-term chart (50 ticks), and you look for entries when the medium-term (25 ticks) chart aligns with this trend. The short-term chart (10 ticks) can provide specific entry points that minimize risk, as you're entering on minor pullbacks or consolidations within a larger confirmed trend.
Trend Reversals: If the short-term chart shows a reversal pattern not yet visible on the medium- or long-term charts, it could be an early signal. Confirm this signal if the reversal starts to appear on the medium-term chart, suggesting a more significant shift in market sentiment.
Divergence: If the short-term chart diverges from the medium- and long-term trends, it might indicate a potential reversal or a weakening trend. Use this information cautiously to either take profits from existing positions or prepare for a trend change.
4. Implement Risk Management
Regardless of the signals, always have a clear risk management strategy. Decide on stop-loss levels and take-profit points based on the chart that you're using for entry signals. For example, if you're entering based on the short-term chart, you might set tighter stop-loss levels than if you're entering based on medium-term signals.
5. Continuous Monitoring and Adjustment
The effectiveness of this strategy can vary over time due to changes in market volatility and conditions. Regularly review and adjust the brick sizes and strategy parameters as needed to align with the current market environment.
6. Example Strategy Execution
Entry: Enter a trade when all three charts show a clear trend in the same direction. For example, if all charts show an uptrend, consider taking a long position.
Exit: Consider exiting or taking profit if the short-term chart shows a significant reversal pattern, even if the medium- and long-term charts still indicate an uptrend. This could preempt a broader market reversal.
Conclusion
This multi-scale Renko chart strategy allows for a nuanced view of market dynamics, combining the clarity of trend confirmation with the sensitivity to early reversal signals. By integrating signals from different time perspectives, you can make more informed decisions and potentially improve the risk-reward ratio of your trades.
Part 3: Patterns in Renko Charts
to-follow
A Renko Trading StrategyPart 1: A Brief Overview
In traditional Renko charts, time does not play a role in when a new brick is printed; bricks are purely based on price movement reaching a specified threshold. However, some variations and adaptations of Renko charts integrate time or other criteria to align more closely with certain trading strategies or preferences.
Tradingview combines elements of time-based filtering with the price movement criteria of standard Renko charts. By allowing someone to set not only the size of the brick (representing the minimum price movement required to print a new brick) but also the length of time the price must remain beyond this threshold to validate the brick, this approach introduces a hybrid element to the construction of Renko charts.
This modification can help to filter out even more noise by ensuring that only price movements that are sustained for the specified period contribute to the formation of the chart. It could be particularly useful for traders looking to avoid false signals that might result from brief, sharp price movements that don't represent a true change in market sentiment.
Incorporating time into Renko charts can make them somewhat more similar to traditional time-based charting methods, providing a hybrid that retains the noise-filtering benefits of Renko while adding an extra layer of confirmation to the price moves. This can be a valuable tool for traders who wish to fine-tune their analysis by considering both significant price changes and the persistence of these changes over time.
The size of the brick in Renko charts directly influences the chart's sensitivity to price changes, and as a consequence, it indirectly affects its sensitivity to time as well, although time is not explicitly considered in traditional Renko chart construction.
A larger brick size makes the chart less sensitive to price movements. This is because a larger price change is required to add a new brick to the chart, which can lead to fewer bricks being printed over a given period. This reduction in sensitivity means that minor price fluctuations are effectively filtered out, highlighting more significant trends. Consequently, when you use a larger brick size, the chart might appear similar across different time frames because only substantial price movements are recorded, and these are less frequent.
With WTI s an example, setting the brick size to 25 ticks filters out all price movements that are smaller than this. Whether you're looking at a 1-minute or an 11-minute timeframe, the chart will only update when the price moves by 25 ticks or more from the last brick. If the market is relatively stable or if price changes are within this 25-tick range, the Renko chart will remain unchanged, making the chart appear similar across these different time observations.
This characteristic of Renko charts makes them particularly useful for identifying and trading based on longer-term trends, as it diminishes the impact of short-term volatility and noise. The choice of brick size is a fundamental decision for traders using Renko charts, as it needs to balance the desire to filter out insignificant price movements with the need to capture meaningful market moves timely.
Part 2: Devising a Strategy with Renko
to follow
Elliott Waves: Natural Gas case study
Overview:
Since the significant bottom in June 2020, Natural Gas embarked on a compelling journey, forming a fresh impulse that concluded around the highs of August 2022 as Wave I in the Cycle Degree. The subsequent phase witnessed a corrective move, labeled as Wave II on the weekly timeframe, comprising three subdivisions: ((A)), ((B)), and ((C)). The current focus is on the ongoing Wave ((C)) on the Daily timeframe, expected to unfold in five subdivisions: (1), (2), (3), (4), and (5). Within this framework, Wave (1) to (4) are complete, and attention now turns to the unfolding of Wave (5) on the Four-Hourly timeframe.
Current Structure:
On the Four-Hourly timeframe, Natural Gas is in the process of forming Wave (5), consisting of Wave 1, 2, and the ongoing development of Wave 3. The details of Wave 3 are further observed on the Hourly timeframe as finished wave ((i)) & ((ii)) and now possibly we are unfolding Wave ((iii)) of 3 of (5) of ((C)) of II.
Elliott Wave Principles:
Corrective Structure:
Wave II is corrective, manifesting as a complex correction with three subdivisions, labeled ((A)), ((B)), and ((C)).
Impulse Formation:
The primary upward movement from June 2020 to August 2022 represents an impulse, characterized by a sequence of five waves.
Subdivision Details:
Each wave and subdivision unfolds according to Elliott Wave principles, maintaining the structural integrity of the overall pattern.
Learning Points:
Analyzing Market Cycles:
Elliott Wave Analysis serves as a valuable tool for understanding the cyclical nature of markets, providing insights into the psychology of both buyers and sellers.
Trend Anticipation:
Corrective waves within the Elliott Wave framework offer a strategic opportunity to foresee potential trends—whether they signify a resumption or reversal of the existing trend.
Elliott Wave Analysis is a tool to decipher market cycles, offering insights into the psychological dynamics of buyers and sellers.
Corrective waves provide an opportunity to anticipate trend resumption or reversal.
The principle of non-overlapping waves helps identify the structure of the market move.
Validation and Risk Management:
The integrity of this Elliott Wave structure is contingent on Wave II not surpassing the low of Wave I, identified at $1.440. A breach of this level would invalidate the current wave count.
I am not Sebi registered analyst.
My studies are for educational purpose only.
Please Consult your financial advisor before trading or investing.
I am not responsible for any kinds of your profits and your losses.
Most investors treat trading as a hobby because they have a full-time job doing something else.
However, If you treat trading like a business, it will pay you like a business.
If you treat like a hobby, hobbies don't pay, they cost you...!
Hope this post is helpful to community
Thanks
RK💕
Disclaimer and Risk Warning.
The analysis and discussion provided on in.tradingview.com is intended for educational purposes only and should not be relied upon for trading decisions. RK_Charts is not an investment adviser and the information provided here should not be taken as professional investment advice. Before buying or selling any investments, securities, or precious metals, it is recommended that you conduct your own due diligence. RK_Charts does not share in your profits and will not take responsibility for any losses you may incur. So Please Consult your financial advisor before trading or investing.
Market Phases | Buy & Sell zone!Today, we delve into the crucial market phases, focusing on the dynamics of accumulation and distribution, along with the concepts of BOS (Breakout of Structure), Sweep, Range, and Liquidity. Understanding these phases is essential for developing an informed trading strategy and improving trading decisions.
The market goes through various phases, such as accumulation and distribution, which play a key role in price formation. Accumulation represents a period when institutional traders accumulate a significant position, while distribution is associated with the sale of these positions.
BOS (Breakout of Structure) is a pivotal event where the price surpasses a significant support or resistance level. Analyzing BOS can provide signals for reversal or trend continuation, indicating the end of one phase and the beginning of another.
The concept of Sweep involves the rapid and aggressive buying or selling of a large quantity of assets at current market prices. This may indicate institutional interest and influence the future direction of the price.
Range refers to a consolidated price interval where the market is temporarily "locked." During these phases, traders can seek breakout or breakdown signals to identify trading opportunities. Liquidity is crucial as it represents the availability of a large volume of trades at a specific price level.
Understanding market phases and concepts like BOS, Sweep, Range, and Liquidity provides a solid foundation for chart analysis. Using this knowledge, informed decisions can be made to identify trading opportunities and manage risks more effectively.
Managing Positions with Parallel ChannelVideo tutorial:
• How to identify downtrend and uptrend line
• How to draw parallel channel correctly
• Confirming a change in trend (using trendline itself)
• Managing positions with parallel lines
- Profits
- Risks
- Knowing its volatility
Micro Natural Gas Futures & Its Minimum Fluctuation
0.001 per MMBtu = $1.00
Code: MNG
Disclaimer:
• What presented here is not a recommendation, please consult your licensed broker.
• Our mission is to create lateral thinking skills for every investor and trader, knowing when to take a calculated risk with market uncertainty and a bolder risk when opportunity arises.
CME Real-time Market Data help identify trading set-ups in real-time and express my market views. If you have futures in your trading portfolio, you can check out on CME Group data plans available that suit your trading needs www.tradingview.com
Looming Threats to Food and Energy SecurityThe global food and energy markets face growing uncertainty and volatility in the coming years due to converging factors that could lead to supply shortages, price spikes, and potential shocks.
One concern is the impact of declining sunspot cycles on the climate. Scientists predict that a grand solar minimum could occur in the coming decades, causing global cooling and disruptive weather patterns, negatively affecting grain production in key agricultural. With grain supplies tightened, any further demand increases would send prices a lot higher.
Global grain consumption has grown steadily, increasing by over 2% in the last 25 years. Rising disposable incomes in developing countries have enabled consumers to add more protein foods like meat and dairy to their diets. However, this dietary shift puts pressure on grains, since over 8 pounds of grain is needed to produce just 1 pound of beef. Hence, increased meat consumption indirectly leads to higher demand for grains.
The ongoing war in Ukraine has severely impacted global grain markets, compounding the risks. Combined, Russia and Ukraine account for nearly 25-30% of worldwide wheat exports. With both countries blocking or threatening to destroy grain shipments, the conflict poses a huge threat to food security especially in import-dependent regions like North Africa and the Middle East. Export restrictions like India's recent rice export ban to protect domestic food security are also tightening global grains trade. As supplies dwindle, agricultural commodities become more vulnerable to price shocks.
These supply uncertainties make soft commodities like cocoa, coffee, and sugar especially at risk of price spikes in coming years. Prolonged droughts related to climate cycles like La Niña and El Niño could severely reduce yields of these crops grown in tropical regions of Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America. For instance, a drought in West Africa's prime cocoa-growing areas could significantly impact production. Cocoa prices are already trading near 6-year highs in anticipation of shortages. If drought hits key coffee-growing regions of Vietnam and Brazil, substantial price increases could follow.
Similar severe drought potential exists in the U.S. Midwest this summer. Lack of rainfall and moisture could cause severe yield reductions in America's corn and soybean belts. Since the U.S. is the world's largest corn and soybean exporter, this would cause severe upward price pressures globally. The rise in agricultural commodities ETF Invesco DBA likely reflects investor concerns about impending supply shortages across farming sectors, and its price might be leading the spot price of agricultural commodities.
Fertilizer prices also contribute to food market uncertainty. In 2021-2022 fertilizer prices skyrocketed due to energy costs rising, directly raising the cost of food production. When fertilizer prices surge, it puts immense pressure on farmers' costs to grow crops and indirectly influences food prices. However, falling fertilizer prices do not necessarily translate into lower food costs for consumers. Fertilizer prices have dropped substantially over the last year, without that meaning everything is fine with fertilizer production. Dropping fertilizer prices could actually indicate a slowdown in agriculture, as, lower demand for fertilizers could mean fewer farmers are investing in maximizing crop yields. In that case, food production may decline leading to higher prices due to supply and demand fundamentals. At the same time, if other farm expenses like machinery, seeds, or labor rise due to factors like high energy costs, overall production costs could still increase even as fertilizer prices decline.
The energy markets face a similar mix of uncertainty and volatility ahead. Despite substantial declines in prices, the energy sector ETF XLE has held up well, suggesting investors anticipate a rebound in oil and natural gas. Fundamentally, both commodities could trade a lot higher in the long term, however in the medium term I believe that oil is poised to drop further to the $55-60 area before tightening supplies lead to much higher prices. Essentially what’s missing is a capitulation to flush bullish sentiment, and then lead to much higher prices. At the moment the market has found a balance between a weakening global economy and OPEC+ supply cuts.
A key uncertainty is China's massive oil stockpiling in recent years, now totaling nearly 1 billion barrels. If oil exceeds $80-85 per barrel, China could temper price rallies by releasing some of these reserves, as it did in 2021. With China's economy in turmoil, further reserve releases may be needed to stimulate growth, but it’s unclear whether its economy will be able to come back easily. Weak demand from China is already an issue for the oil market, and releases from the Chinese SPR could restrain oil prices over the next year. However, on the bullish side, the world remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels lacking viable large-scale alternatives, even as ESG trends continue. OPEC's dwindling spare production capacity raises risks of undersupply. Even an economic recession may only briefly dampen oil prices before supply cuts by major producers again tighten markets.
Ultimately, sustained high energy prices will restrain broader economic growth by reducing demand across sectors. The outlook for food and energy markets remains uncertain, with significant risks of continued volatility over the next few years. Multiple converging factors point to potential supply shortages and price spikes across agricultural commodities and fossil fuels. While prices may fluctuate in the short-term (6-12 months), the medium-term trajectory appears to be toward tighter supplies and higher costs for food and energy (2-5 years). To close on a more positive note, I believe that food and energy prices will see significant deflation as extreme technological progress pushes prices down in the long term (5+ years).
Top 10 books in tradingAs a trader now of over 23 years, I have read a few hundred trading books in that time. It is always really interesting to have other people's perspective, strategies, hint, tips and tools.
However, the main issue is not knowing if you are likely to get value from the book you purchase as it is also very subjective. You either have issues such as the book is too basic, or the other end of the scale, it's too advanced.
During the 20 plus years, I found a number of great books that helped me - but also ones I have shared with others over the years. Regardless of your level of knowledge how do you know what works or would work for you or your style of trading?
I put this list together in no real order, but I'll try to summarise each with a little about what I liked or what you can take away.
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"The Wall Street Jungle"
Written by Richard Ney, first published in 1970. In this book, Ney provides readers with an insider's perspective on the world of finance and investment. He delves into the complexities and pitfalls of Wall Street, offering a critical examination of the stock market and the investment industry.
Ney, a former Wall Street insider himself, reveals the often deceptive practices and psychological games played by brokers and financial institutions. He discusses the dangers of following investment advice blindly and emphasizes the importance of informed decision-making when it comes to managing one's finances.
Throughout the book, Ney uses real-life examples and anecdotes to illustrate the challenges and temptations that investors face. He also explores the psychological aspects of investing, discussing how emotions can influence financial decisions and lead to costly mistakes.
What I like about this is the emphasis put on the market makers, as a trader who uses Wyckoff Techniques, it made more sense when identifying with Composite Man theory.
"Trading in the Zone"
By Mark Douglas that focuses on the psychology of trading and investing. Published in 2000, the book offers valuable insights into the mental aspects of successful trading. Douglas emphasizes the idea that trading is not just about mastering technical analysis or market fundamentals but also about mastering one's own emotions and mindset.
This book was one of the best in terms of psychology, every trader has a different appetite for risk and even profits, this is a huge factor in trading especially early on. If you struggle with psychology of trading or the emotions, I would 100% recommend this one.
"The Wealth of Nations"
Written by the Scottish economist and philosopher Adam Smith, first published in 1776. This influential work is considered one of the foundational texts in the field of economics and is often regarded as the birth of modern economics.
In the book Smith explores the principles of a free-market capitalist system and the mechanisms that drive economic prosperity. He famously introduces the concept of the "invisible hand," which suggests that individuals pursuing their self-interest in a competitive market inadvertently contribute to the greater good of society.
For me, the rules of economics have not changed much since the creation of this book. appreciating moves such as DXY up = Gold down, is simple economics. The main take away is again around Wyckoff theory for me and the fact the "invisible hand" is exactly why and how some fail and some profit.
"The Go-Giver"
Although not technically a trading book, it's one of the best little business/life stories.
self-help book co-authored by Bob Burg and John David Mann. Published in 2007, it presents a unique and compelling philosophy on success and achieving one's goals.
The book revolves around the story of a young, ambitious professional named Joe who is seeking success in his career. Through a series of encounters with a mentor named Pindar, Joe learns the "Five Laws of Stratospheric Success." These laws, which are principles of giving, value, influence, authenticity, and receptivity, guide him on a transformative journey toward becoming a true "go-giver."
The way I saw this from a trading perspective is pretty much, the value given by stocks or companies is something Warren Buffet and Benjamin Graham investment theory was all about. Although a different type of value - you can understand why instruments such as gold or oil have a place, a value and this can be deemed as expensive or fair at any given point. These waves are what really moves the market.
"The Zurich Axioms"
A book written by Max Gunther, originally published in 1985. This book offers a set of investment and risk management principles derived from the wisdom and practices of Swiss bankers in Zurich. The Zurich Axioms provide a unique and unconventional approach to investing and wealth management.
The book presents a series of investment "axioms," or guidelines, that challenge conventional wisdom in the world of finance. These axioms emphasize risk management, flexibility, and the willingness to take calculated risks. They encourage investors to think independently and avoid the herd mentality often associated with financial markets.
For me it's more about investing and less about trading. But the deep down message is all to do with ultimately wealth preservation, I have been in the wealth management and investment space and found it interesting that the more an investor has, the less about making money it becomes and more about safe guarding that capital it gets.
"Mastering the Market Cycle: Getting the Odds on Your Side"
Written by Howard Marks, a renowned investor and co-founder of Oaktree Capital Management. Published in 2018, the book delves into the critical concept of market cycles and provides insights on how investors can navigate them to enhance their investment strategies.
In the book, Marks emphasizes the cyclical nature of financial markets and discusses the inevitability of market fluctuations. He explores the factors and indicators that drive market cycles, such as economic data, investor sentiment, and market psychology. Marks' central thesis is that investors can improve their chances of success by understanding where they are in the market cycle and adjusting their investment decisions accordingly.
I had a spooky delve into market cycles, I have a good friend who told me he did not trade price, instead time. This was something I could not really figure out, but was so fascinating that the markets can work in cycles. It was interesting that Larry Williams also discussed a similar thing with the Orange Juice market's in one of his books.
"How I Made One Million Dollars Last Year Trading Commodities"
And here is Larry Williams' book. provides an insider's perspective on his successful journey as a commodities trader. In this book, Williams shares his personal experiences, strategies, and insights into the world of commodity trading. He outlines the specific techniques and tactics he used to achieve remarkable profits in a single year. While the book may not offer a guaranteed formula for success, it offers valuable lessons on risk management, market analysis, and the psychology of trading. It serves as both an inspiration for aspiring traders and a guide for those looking to improve their trading skills in the volatile world of commodities.
For me, the COT intel is invaluable. When you learn what drives markets really, COT is such a useful tool to have at your disposal.
"Nature's Law: The Secret of the Universe"
A groundbreaking book by Ralph Nelson Elliott, the creator of the Elliott Wave Theory. Published in the early 20th century, this influential work introduced a novel perspective on market analysis and price prediction. Elliott's theory posits that financial markets and other natural phenomena follow a repetitive, fractal pattern that can be analyzed through wave patterns. He outlines the concept of impulsive and corrective waves and demonstrates how these waves form trends in various financial markets.
The book delves into the idea that the market's movements are not entirely random but instead exhibit an underlying order, governed by these wave patterns. Elliott's ideas have had a profound impact on technical analysis and have been adopted by traders and analysts worldwide. "Nature's Law" serves as the foundation of the Elliott Wave Theory, offering valuable insights for anyone interested in understanding and predicting financial markets based on natural patterns and mathematical principles.
If you want to learn about Elliott Waves - here it is from the horse's mouth as they say.
"Master the art of Trading"
By Lewis Daniels - Master the Art of Trading trader, offers a quick, easy, and comprehensive roadmap to trading. It explores the grand theories and behavioural economics underpinning the markets, from Elliot Wave Theory to Composite Man. It unpicks visual data, such as candlestick graphs and trend lines. It equips readers with the correct tools to make sense of the data and to make better trades. And it helps readers uncover their innate strengths, realise their propensity for risk, and discover what sort of trader they are - on order to optimise their behaviour to make them as effective as possible.
This book puts together all of the core trading requirements from the basic trendline through to psychology and technical techniques.
"The Intelligent Investor"
a classic and highly influential book on the subject of value investing, written by Benjamin Graham and first published in 1949. Graham, a renowned economist and investor, is often considered the "father of value investing."
The book offers a comprehensive guide to the principles and strategies of sound, long-term investing. Graham's central concept is the distinction between two types of investors: the defensive, "intelligent" investor and the speculative investor. He emphasizes the importance of conducting in-depth analysis and due diligence to make informed investment decisions, rather than engaging in market speculation.
I don't think any list of trading books is complete without this one! It's the Warren Buffer Holy Grail. For me, it's about risk management, finding value - especially with investments like value stocks. Using compounding interest and the factor of time to your advantage.
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I would be keen to get comments and other book recommendations from the trading community here on Tradingview.
People want to earn but not learnThe issue is everyone wants to make money (well, maybe not everyone) but nobody wants to take the time to learn how to do it properly. This is NOT a sales pitch by the way! it's FACT!!
People often ask why I bash influencers so much, it's mainly for this reason. Majority of noobs, come into trading expecting to make a fortune. If only it was that easy, every man and his dog would be a professional trader.
Over the years, I have talked about things like Bots and AI that are programmed to make you money - think logically, if again it is this easy wouldn't the founders go to the bank, loan $10million based on their results and just not bother selling and shilling to customers and retail. NOBODY wants to provide customer service, especially to the world's population.
Unfortunately, regardless of the market. Trust me if you stick around long enough you get to see this behaviour in Forex, Commodities, Stocks and more recently crypto with a splash of A.I.
The story goes pretty much the same way. "man (or woman) hears about an opportunity to make money through a thing called trading, they do their research which leads to the old You of Tube and that leads to "Lamborghini promises from kids with fake watches, drawing random trendlines on 3 minute charts" There's often a "sign-up" bonus if you click their shill link.
So let's get this straight, they make money on watch time and those links you click.
The reason I chose fish in the image above, is that most people have memories that last about 2 seconds. Mark Cuban said "everyone is a genius in a bull market" Algorithms work and influencers claim to be experts with 3 months of experience. Easy to show in a market only going one way.
Trading is hard enough, let alone having the ability to lose money from scams.
If a trading algorithms promises a 90% win rate - run and don't buy it.
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There are fundamental things to do and you can deploy to get you off on the right track. Firstly think of the obvious. 90% of new traders lose 90% of their money in only 90 days. Hence a 50% sign-up bonus whereby you think you gained "free cash" often has small print that you can't access it until you lost your original investment.
Affiliates tend to get 25% or more of the deposit - the exchanges know full well, your about to lose your money.
Second thing I try to emphasis for newer traders, is that you need to treat trading as a profession. You wouldn't watch a video and expect to be a doctor, you also wouldn't buy an algorithm or Artificial Intelligence software and expect to become New York's latest Hot Shot Lawyer You see where this is going?
There is no secret sauce, no silver bullet and no short cuts.
If you want to trade and make money trading, you need the basics. You need to keep doing the basics well and evolve your mindset more than a strategy. Areas that will really help you include proper risk management. If your willing to be sat in negative 20, 30 or even 50% equity positions. This won't take you long to lose your entire trading pot.
Instead risking 1-2% with a risk strategy of 2 -1 or greater. it's a slower game, but it keeps you playing the game. If you take a 3 or even a 4 reward trade with only 1 risk. For every time you are right, it's giving you 4 times as much as when you are wrong.
Imagine winning 20% of your trading days and still being at breakeven... simple 1:4 ratio.
This is only one small aspect to keep in mind.
As I mentioned above, if strategies or software is pitched with high percentage win rates - run. You need to understand the market acts differently and past results do not indicate future performance. Everyone is a genius in a bull market, remember.
You do not need to go looking for the silver bullet. These strategies do not exist, instead spend the time working on strategies that can be consistent in various market conditions. This is no small task, your strategy might identify entries in a counter trend differently than it would in say a ranging market.
The answer to resolve this, is BACKTESTING Don't just run your strategy on replay mode, although @TradingView has a great little tool for this.
Spend the time to look at things such as "repainting" this means that when your strategy triggers an entry, does it disappear and reappear. If so, do some manual back testing. Then Dig deeper and analyse the type of market condition it was more profitable or less profitable. This could be things like "I lose more on a Monday, compared to other days" or when the market goes sideways, It triggers too many trades.
I've written several articles here on pure education. Here's a few examples.
In this post (worth clicking on) it has a whole bunch of lessons inside.
Think of trading like you would a university course, there's plenty to learn but you can have some fun along the way!
Stay safe!
Disclaimer
This idea does not constitute as financial advice. It is for educational purposes only, our principle trader has over 20 years’ experience in stocks, ETF’s, and Forex. Hence each trade setup might have different hold times, entry or exit conditions, and will vary from the post/idea shared here. You can use the information from this post to make your own trading plan for the instrument discussed. Trading carries a risk; a high percentage of retail traders lose money. Please keep this in mind when entering any trade. Stay safe.
A very long-term (Macro) Approach To US/Global MarketsAfter completing my weekend research/videos, I wanted to create something that provided an anchor for traders/investors.
This video is not focused on the short-term market trends - although it does discuss what I expect to see play out over the next 12 to 24 months.
This video is more about preparing traders/investors for the global events related to Central Banks, market trends/opportunities, and how I believe the markets will react over the next 5+ years.
After watching this video, your job will be to watch for key events to unfold. These events, described in the video, will be key to understanding where opportunities and risks are in market trends.
This is NOT the same market we've been used to from 2010 through 2021. This is an entirely different beast of a global market.
Credit/debt issues will persist, and conflicts/war may drive major repricing events.
Pay attention and follow my research.
I'm delivering this long-term research to help you better prepare for market trends and protect your capital from downside risks.
Short Dated Options to Deftly Manage Oil Market Shocks"Volatility gets you in the gut. When prices are jumping around, you feel different from when they are stable" quipped Peter L Bernstein, an American financial historian, investor, economist, and an educator.
Crude oil prices are influenced by a variety of macro drivers. Oil market shocks are not rare events. They appear to recur at a tight frequency. From negative prices to sharp spikes in volatility, crude oil market participants "enjoy" daily free roller-coaster rides.
Precisely for this reason, crude oil derivatives are among the most liquid and sophisticated markets globally. This paper delves specifically into weekly CME Crude Oil Weekly Options and is set out in three parts.
First, what’s unique about short-dated options? Second, tools enabling investors to better navigate crude oil market dynamics. Third, a case study illustrating the usage of weekly crude oil options.
PART 1: WHAT’S UNIQUE ABOUT CME CRUDE OIL WEEKLY OPTIONS?
Macro announcements such as US CPI, China CPI, Fed rate decisions, Oil inventory changes and OPEC meetings drive oil price volatility.
Sharp price movements can lead to premature stop-loss triggers. When prices gap up or gap down at open, stop orders perform poorly leading to substantial margin calls.
Weekly options enable hedging against these risks with limited downside and substantial upside.
Closer to expiration, options prices are sensitive to changes in the prices of the underlying. Small underlying price moves can have outsized value creation through short-dated options.
Hedging with weekly options allows investors to enjoy large upside potential. Short duration vastly reduces the options premium burden. This high risk-reward ratio has made short-dated options popular among both buyers and sellers.
The daily traded notional value of Zero-DTE options (Zero Days-To-Expiry, 0DTE) have grown to USD 1 Trillion. Among S&P 500 options, 0DTE options comprise 53% of the average daily volume (ADV), up from 19% a year ago.
In 2020, CME launched Weekly WTI options with Friday expiry (LO1-5), offering robust, round-the-clock liquidity and enabling precise event exposure management at minimal cost.
These weekly options are now the fastest growing energy products at CME with ADV growing 69% YoY with June 2023 ADV up 136% YoY.
Building on rising demand, CME added weekly options expiring Monday and Wednesday. At any time, the four nearest weeks of each option are available for trading.
Weekly options settle to the latest benchmark CL contract and like other CME WTI products, they are physically deliverable ensuring price integrity.
Each weekly WTI options contract provides exposure to 1,000 barrels. Every USD 0.01 change per barrel change in WTI represents a P&L change of USD 10 in premium per contract.
PART 2: EIGHT TOOLS TO BETTER NAVIGATE CRUDE OIL MARKET DYNAMICS
Highlighted below are eight critical tools across TradingView and CME enabling investors to better navigate oil market dynamics.
1. OPEC+ Watch
OPEC+ Watch charts the probability of different outcomes from OPEC+ meetings. Probabilities are derived from actual market data & represent a condensed consensus market view of forthcoming meetings.
2. News Flow
TradingView’s News section collates the key market developments impacting crude oil.
3. Forward Curve
TradingView maps crude oil prices across the forward curve exhibiting oil’s term structure.
Augmenting the forward curve chart is a table CL contracts across various expiries with technical signals embedded in them enabling investors to spot calendar spread trading opportunities.
4. TradingView Scripts
Supported by a vibrant community of script creators, TradingView has curated scripts catering to the specific needs of crude oil traders.
OIL WTI/Brent Spread by MarcoValente: Shows the spread between WTI and Brent crude. This spread is growing in importance with growth in US oil exports.
Seasonality Indicator by tradeforopp: Presents seasonal price trends along with key pivot points to guide traders.
5. Economic Calendars
TradingView’s economic calendar highlights upcoming economic events segmented by dates and with countdown timers to help traders better manage their portfolios.
Augmenting, TradingView’s calendar is CME’s Economic Events Analyzer which lists key events specifically impacting energy markets and highlights the relevant weekly options contract.
6. Options Expiration Calendar
CME’s Options Expiration Calendar is a comprehensive yet condensed view of upcoming expiration dates of WTI options, even those that are not listed yet.
7. Daily/Weekly Options Report
CME’s Daily/Weekly Options Report profiles volumes and OI by strike price for weekly options supplying key stats such as Put/Call ratio and key strike levels at a glance.
8. Strategy Simulator
CME’s strategy simulator allows investors to simulate diverse options strategies. Selecting the relevant instruments and adding each component of the overall position automatically calculates the payoff while still allowing modification of key statistics such as volatility based on user inputs.
The below shows the payoff of an ATM straddle position for the upcoming Monday weekly option.
It also allows simulating various market conditions. Selecting price trends such as up fast, up slow, flat, down slow, down fast can simulate the changes in P&L.
PART 3: ILLUSTRATING USAGE OF WEEKLY CRUDE OIL OPTIONS
Why does CME list weekly options expiring on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday?
Each of these address specific macro events. OPEC meeting outcomes are typically announced over the weekend leading to gaps in prices on Monday. EIA weekly crude oil inventory data are released on Wednesdays. Key US economic data such as CPI and Non-farm payrolls are released on Fridays.
Use Case for Options expiring on Monday
These can be used to hedge against downside risk associated with weekend events.
For instance, in April, OPEC+ announced major supply cuts at their meeting on Sunday. This led to WTI price spiking 4% at market open.
This can lead to “gap risk.” Gap risk refers to the risk that markets may open sharply above or below their previous close. Since, price never passes the levels in between, stop loss orders fail to trigger at set levels resulting in more-than-anticipated realised losses.
Such gap risks from weekend news can be managed through Monday weekly options which provides a predictable and resilient payoff with limited downside risk.
Use Case for Options expiring on Wednesday
Oil inventory reports by EIA (U.S. Energy Information Administration) and API (American Petroleum Institute) are released every week on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively. Major misses/beats against expectations for these releases can result in large price moves.
Wednesday options come in handy to better manage volatility stemming from these shocks or surprises.
Weekly options provide superior ROI on small moves when compared to futures. Favourable price moves deliver larger payoffs from position in weekly options than futures and shorter expiries allow for much lower premium than monthly options.
Illustrating with Back tested Results
On June 14th, Crude price fell by 1.7% (USD 1.2) to USD 68.7/barrel upon release of inventory data that showed a larger than expected inventory build-up.
In the lead up to this data release, a crude oil participant could either (a) Short Crude Oil Futures, or (b) Long Weekly Crude Oil Put Option.
Summary outcomes from these two strategies are tabulated and charted below. The results speak for themselves. Short dated long put option is capital efficient, prudent, and credible as a risk management tool. That said, participants must evaluate the risk return profile taking into consideration market liquidity and volatility levels, among others, when choosing between instruments.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In summary,
1) Weekly Options can be cleverly deployed to hedge against shocks in oil markets.
2) TradingView & CME provide a rich suite of tools to deftly navigate the oil market dynamics.
3) Weekly options expiring on (a) Monday helps manoeuvre developments over the weekend, (b) Wednesday helps to manage inventory data linked shocks, and (c) Friday enables investors to trade and hedge around key US economic data.
MARKET DATA
CME Real-time Market Data helps identify trading set-ups and express market views better. If you have futures in your trading portfolio, you can check out on CME Group data plans available that suit your trading needs www.tradingview.com
DISCLAIMER
This case study is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment recommendations or advice. Nor are they used to promote any specific products, or services.
Trading or investment ideas cited here are for illustration only, as an integral part of a case study to demonstrate the fundamental concepts in risk management or trading under the market scenarios being discussed. Please read the FULL DISCLAIMER the link to which is provided in our profile description.
Exploring Seasonality in Crude Oil PricesWhat rises, must fall. What comes down, goes up again. This rings most true for crude oil prices. Both secular and seasonal trends are at play in crude oil prices.
Demand for oil moves in tandem with global economic activities. Key secular trends impacting oil markets over this decade was covered in our previous paper . These range from falling demand from developed markets, and rising demand in emerging economies, among others.
While secular trends unravel over a longer time, seasonal cyclical effects can be observed over a short term.
This paper will explore consumption patterns driving annual seasonality in crude oil prices. In Part two of this paper, we will illustrate trading crude oil derivatives to harness opportunities arising from seasonality.
CRUDE OIL SUPPLY CHAIN: AN OVERVIEW
Gluts and shortages, economic growth and contractions, and geopolitics impact crude oil prices. Different events impact various segments of the supply chain. The global crude oil supply chain is complex and intricate. It can broadly be classified into Upstream, Midstream, and Downstream.
Upstream and midstream sectors drive crude oil supply. Upstream outage or shortage affects available supply which are sometimes evened out by the midstream through adequate inventories.
Downstream and midstream drives demand. End consumer demand is observed in distribution. Refineries adjust output based on their margins which in turn is derived from crude oil prices and refined product prices.
WHAT DRIVES SEASONALITY?
Seasonality in demand for refined products impact crude oil prices. Higher demand for refined products (gasoline, diesel, and kerosene) is observed in summer because of travel. While lower supply is caused by maintenance linked pauses in downstream during winter.
Crude oil inventory shifts can be segmented into four phases, namely: (1) Inventory Build Up (Feb - May), (2) Summer Travel Spikes Demand (Jun - Aug), (3) Demand Shrinks & Supply Contracts (Sep - Nov), and (4) Winter led demand spike (Dec - Jan).
This seasonality is evident in US crude oil inventory shifts as exhibited below.
Impact of seasonality is not always directly apparent or predictable. Why? Crude oil is so deeply intertwined with global economics. Shocks, if any, can have an outsized impact on prices and volatility. Also, supply cuts from majors oil producers and GDP shifts in major consumers have jumbo effect on prices. Consequently, other factors moderate or nullify impact of seasonality.
The below chart shows the average price behaviour of Crude oil from the start of each year over the past twenty (20) years by using CME front month crude oil futures price data from TradingView.
Orange bars in the above chart represents average monthly price change measured over last twenty years. Meanwhile, the white bar shows monthly price change for the same period but after excluding the outliers. Outlier years include 2008 (global financial-crisis), 2020 (pandemic), and 2022 (Russia-Ukraine conflict).
Crude prices go bullish on higher demand by refineries starting in March and continue to rise through the summer months as demand for refined products remains high driven chiefly by increased travel.
However, by August, sufficient refined product inventories dampen demand. With refineries slowing for maintenance, crude demand declines leading to a moderation in price. Finally, a small uptick is observed in December as demand starts to rise again during peak winter.
The average monthly returns for each month are displayed below. However, note that the standard deviation for these averages is non-trivial indicating that month-of-the-year effect on crude oil prices is uncertain and, in many cases, statistically insignificant. This conclusion is also arrived at based on various academic research papers.
METHODS TO HARNESS CRUDE OIL SEASONALITY
Three most common methods to harness gains from seasonality include: a. Futures (highest upside and highest downside), b. Call options (upside limited relative to futures and limited downside risk), and c. Call and/or Put Spreads (limited upside and limited downside).
Traders can deploy options to express a directional view with unlimited upside and limited downside. In a long options position, the downside is limited to the premium paid.
Conversely, a short position in options involves selling an option. This offers upside limited to the premium collected but exposed to unlimited downside.
TRADE SET UP ILLUSTRATIONS
From July until November, based on historical observations over the last twenty years, crude oil prices tend to fall. We could set up a trade using the December contract month of CME Micro Crude Oil Futures which expires on Nov 17th:
1. Short Futures: Short Futures position in MCL Dec 2023 contract (MCLZ3) at USD 70 per barrel with the anticipation that prices will fall by November.
2. Long Puts: Long Put options on MCLZ3 at a strike of USD 69 per barrel with a hypothetical options premium of USD 3 per barrel.
3. Bear Call Spread: Bear Call Spread with a net premium of USD 1 per barrel on MCLZ3 comprising of a short call option at a strike of USD 71 a barrel (collecting options premium of USD 5 per barrel) and a long call option at a strike of USD 73 a barrel (paying options premium of USD 4 per barrel).
The Bear Call Spread profits a fixed amount equal to the net premium when both options expire out of the money. When only the short call options expires in the money, the position loses by having to pay the options buyer. However, when both options expire in the money the profit from the long option partially offsets this loss resulting in a capped downside.
Each CME Micro Crude Oil Futures contract represents one hundred barrels of crude oil. Accordingly, the above three trade set ups are illustrated across various price scenarios as shown below.
Please note that these illustrations do not include (a) transaction costs comprising of exchange trading and clearing costs and brokerage fees, and (b) capital costs associated with margins required for establishing these positions.
MARKET DATA
CME Real-time Market Data helps identify trading set-ups and express market views better. If you have futures in your trading portfolio, you can check out on CME Group data plans available that suit your trading needs www.tradingview.com
DISCLAIMER
This case study is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment recommendations or advice. Nor are they used to promote any specific products, or services.
Trading or investment ideas cited here are for illustration only, as an integral part of a case study to demonstrate the fundamental concepts in risk management or trading under the market scenarios being discussed. Please read the FULL DISCLAIMER the link to which is provided in our profile description.
Target reached! Crude Oil ReviewPrice bounced strongly above the 67.31 support level towards our take profit target - but how did we do it?
Join Desmond in this analysis review where he covers the reason why this setup worked nicely.
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Unveiling the Impact of #FOMC Decisions on #WTI, #Gold, #USD Today was #FOMC! I'm Sure most of us had same experience on BLACKBULL:WTI and $OANDA:XAUUSD. I Just wanted to write about What is #FOMC and It's impact on #WTI, #Gold and #USD, Maybe somebody has lots of questions about that, so I try to do my best regarding captioned subject.
The Federal Open Market Committee (#FOMC) plays a crucial role in shaping monetary policy in the United States. The decisions made by this committee have significant implications for various financial markets, including commodities like West Texas Intermediate (#WTI) crude oil, #gold, and the U.S. dollar (#USD). Understanding the impact of FOMC decisions on these assets is essential for traders, investors, and market participants.
The FOMC's Role and Decision-Making Process:
The FOMC is composed of members from the Federal Reserve System who are responsible for setting monetary policy. These members regularly convene to assess economic conditions, review data, and deliberate on the best course of action. One of the most critical outcomes of these meetings is the announcement of the federal funds rate, which influences borrowing costs and has a broad impact on the financial landscape.
BLACKBULL:WTI :
FOMC decisions have a notable impact on WTI crude oil prices. Changes in interest rates directly affect borrowing costs for businesses, which, in turn, influence their operations and investment decisions. When interest rates decrease, economic growth is often stimulated, leading to increased demand for oil and potentially driving up prices. Conversely, an increase in interest rates may have the opposite effect, dampening economic activity and reducing oil demand.
Additionally, FOMC decisions indirectly impact WTI crude oil prices through their effects on the U.S. dollar. Since oil is globally priced in dollars, fluctuations in the dollar's value can influence the purchasing power of oil-importing countries. A weaker dollar can make oil relatively cheaper, increasing demand and potentially bolstering #WTI prices.
OANDA:XAUUSD :
The relationship between FOMC decisions and gold prices is complex and multi-faceted. Gold is often considered a safe-haven asset and a store of value during times of economic uncertainty. When the FOMC adopts a dovish or accommodative monetary policy stance, such as lowering interest rates or implementing quantitative easing measures, it diminishes the attractiveness of holding U.S. dollars. Consequently, investors may seek refuge in #gold, leading to an increase in gold prices.
Conversely, a hawkish stance by the FOMC, signaled by raising interest rates or indicating tighter monetary policy, can strengthen the U.S. dollar and exert downward pressure on #gold prices. As interest rates rise, the opportunity cost of holding gold, which does not yield interest or dividends, increases. This can make alternative investments more appealing, potentially reducing demand for gold.
PEPPERSTONE:USDX :
FOMC decisions have a direct and significant impact on the value of the #USD. Changes in interest rates influence the relative attractiveness of U.S. dollar-denominated assets, which in turn affects currency exchange rates. A rise in interest rates can make the #USD more appealing to investors seeking higher yields, potentially strengthening the currency. Conversely, a reduction in interest rates may lead to a decline in the value of the U.S. dollar.
Moreover, FOMC decisions and accompanying statements provide insights into the central bank's economic outlook. Favorable economic projections and indications of a tightening monetary policy can bolster confidence in the #USD. Conversely, cautious or pessimistic remarks may weaken the currency.
Final Words:
FOMC decisions have a substantial impact on #WTI crude oil, #gold, and the value of the #USD. Changes in interest rates directly influence borrowing costs, economic growth, and investment decisions, thereby impacting #WTI crude oil prices. Additionally, the effects of FOMC decisions on the U.S. dollar indirectly influence #WTI crude oil
This article serves as a comprehensive guide, offering valuable insights that will enhance your understanding of the FOMC and its impact on financial markets AND May your journey through the intricacies of the FOMC empower you with a solid strategy and guide you towards successful trades, or encourage you to exercise caution and refrain from trading during these significant events. Wishing you the best of luck in your endeavors!
What influences the price of OIL?In today’s volatile global market, the price of oil can be affected by a variety of factors. From wars and international trade agreements to financial market dynamics and global economic outlook, understanding what influences the price of oil is essential for both governments and individuals alike. In this post, we will look at how geopolitical factors, financial market dynamics, the global economy, oil producers’ strategies, and weather events all play a role in determining the cost of one of our most valuable resources. By examining each factor in turn, we can gain insight into why prices fluctuate so drastically over time and how to respond appropriately when they do. Read on to learn more about what influences the price of oil.
Geopolitical Factors:
Geopolitical factors have a major impact on oil prices, as the global demand for oil is heavily influenced by political events and decisions. The instability of certain regions and countries can reduce their production levels, leading to a rise in prices. International trade agreements can also affect oil prices: the recent US-China trade war has had a significant impact on oil markets, with supply chain disruptions causing uncertainty and increased volatility.
The presence or absence of certain governments in oil-producing nations can also influence prices dramatically. For example, the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi's regime in Libya caused a sharp spike in global crude prices due to its immediate effect on oil production levels. Similarly, political unrest in Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries have resulted in supply disruptions that have pushed up prices.
Lastly, global political events such as wars, coups, and other acts of aggression can disrupt the production of oil and drive up its price. For instance, when the US imposed sanctions on Iran following its nuclear program activities, it caused an immediate jump in crude prices due to fears about potential supply disruptions from Iran’s fields. In addition to these direct effects on production and supply levels, geopolitical events often lead to market speculation which further drives up prices even if there is no actual disruption to supplies.
Supply and Demand
The balance between global supply and demand for crude oil plays a key role in determining the price of oil. Changes in global supply can cause shifts in prices, such as when OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) countries agree to reduce production, or natural disasters affect output from offshore rigs or refineries. On the other hand, changes in global demand can also have an impact on oil prices. For example, economic booms can cause an increase in demand for fuel, while recessions tend to weaken it.
When demand is high and supply is low, then oil prices tend to be higher as customers are willing to pay more for limited resources. Conversely when supplies are plentiful and demand is low, then prices decrease as suppliers compete with each other by offering lower rates. The interplay between these two factors is what drives the price of oil.
It's important to note that both short-term and long-term forces influence the price of oil; geopolitical events may create temporary disruption but underlying trends are always at play too. For instance, if there's a sudden increase in production due to new technologies used by producers or a drop in consumption due to changing energy needs, then this could result in long-term changes to the price of crude oil.
In addition to this kind of market fundamentals affecting the cost of oil on a macro level, some countries may choose to manipulate their own domestic supplies which can have significant implications on regional markets as well as global ones. Some governments even use subsidies or taxes on petroleum products as part of their fiscal policy strategies – practices which can help cushion consumers against fluctuations in international markets but could also lead to imbalances over time if left unchecked.
Overall, understanding how supply and demand dynamics interact with one another helps explain why prices may go up or down depending on current events and market conditions – knowledge which provides valuable insight into how companies should approach pricing strategies for their goods and services around energy costs.
Economic Sanctions
Economic sanctions are a strategic tool wielded by governments to implement international law or force compliance. This approach can take the form of trade restrictions, investment prohibitions, financial transaction limitations, travel bans and technological access constraints.
The application of economic sanctions can have a major effect on global oil prices - as evidenced in 2018 when US-imposed sanctions caused Iranian exports to plunge, with an ensuing surge in oil prices across the world. Similarly, US-driven sanctions against Venezuela had a similar effect on pricing the following year.
It is not only reductions in production that influence price movement; sentiment can also play a role. Sanctions against Iran saw market sentiment affected, resulting in increased volatility and more expensive oil for consumers. If an embargo were imposed on a major producer such as Saudi Arabia or Russia there could be widespread disruption to supplies and increased pricing for everyone involved.
Even if production isn't hit directly by particular sanctions then long term trends may still be affected: An embargo on Saudi Arabia would likely lead to reduced crude inventories over time as production levels adjust accordingly causing higher prices across the board down the line. This could stimulate demand for renewable energy sources like solar or wind power which would decrease global demand for fossil fuels while bringing down crude costs overall.
Overall it is clear that economic sanctions can have both short term and long lasting effects on global oil prices - depending upon their scope, duration and severity. Therefore businesses tied up with energy trading or others parts of the industry should stay vigilant regarding these types of events so they are prepared for any disruptions that may arise from them ahead of time.
Political Unrest
Political turmoil can have a significant influence on the cost of oil, producing instability in the market and creating price volatility. Elections, uprisings, strikes or civil wars can cause disruptions to supply chains, resulting in higher costs for purchasers. Additionally, alterations to United States foreign policy and government regulations can also affect the oil industry. For instance, when the US exited the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and placed sanctions on Iranian oil exports, international petroleum prices rose significantly.
Oil is traded globally so unrest in one country may cause an impact on oil costs around the world. In 2019, demonstrations against fuel tax hikes precipitated a global crude oil increase due to worries about supply interruptions from Total SA's leading refinery in France. Similarly, Yemen’s civil war has caused upheaval across the globe - with Saudi Arabia stopping most of its crude shipments via the Red Sea due to safety issues connected to Houthi rebels.
Political turbulence could also lead to a decrease in investment into energy infrastructure projects such as pipelines or refineries - meaning that even if there is demand for petroleum products they might not reach customers because of logistics issues. This could result in shortages of certain goods and consequently greater fees for buyers.
Overall it is evident that political unrest has wide-reaching consequences for the price of oil both locally and internationally. It is crucial for businesses working within this sector to keep up with current events so that they are better prepared for any potential disturbance or cost variations that may occur as a result of political instability around the world.
Financial Market Dynamics:
Financial markets play an important role in influencing the price of oil. Large institutional investors, such as pension funds and hedge funds, often make decisions based on short-term trends in the energy sector. When these investors buy or sell futures contracts for oil, it can affect the supply and demand balance of crude oil and thus its price.
The futures market is another factor that affects the price of oil. Futures traders purchase contracts to buy or sell oil at a later date, which impacts crude supply and demand levels. Speculation on OPEC production cuts can also have an effect on oil prices, as can political unrest or economic sanctions against certain countries.
Weather and natural disasters are another important factor to consider when discussing financial market dynamics. In some cases, extreme weather conditions can lead to disruptions in production, supply chain issues, or increased demand due to cold snaps or heatwaves. Natural disasters such as hurricanes or floods can also cause major disruption to infrastructure and temporarily reduce supplies of certain commodities including crude oil.
Finally, global economic outlooks may influence both investor sentiment and consumer spending patterns which could lead to changes in demand levels for commodities like oil over time. As such it is important for businesses in the energy trading industry to stay up-to-date with global developments so they can make informed decisions when it comes to pricing strategies related to energy costs.
Hedge Funds and Speculators
Hedge funds and speculators are influential participants in the energy market. They are responsible for buying and selling oil contracts as well as futures to take advantage of price fluctuations. By doing so, they can make profits from their trades but also assume risk if markets turn against them. Moreover, their activities may be affected by external developments such as geopolitical events or economic sanctions imposed by governments. Therefore, it is important for investors to keep a close eye on these factors in order to make informed decisions about pricing strategies for oil-related goods and services.
Futures Markets
Futures markets are an important factor in influencing the price of oil, as they can provide a platform for buyers and sellers to make profits or protect against price fluctuations. A futures market is a type of financial market that enables participants to buy and sell commodities, such as oil, at predetermined prices for delivery on a future date.
In the energy sector, large institutional investors and hedge funds use futures markets to speculate on the direction of oil prices. By buying contracts today with an expectation that prices will rise in the future, these investors can increase their profits from rising oil prices. On the other hand, hedgers use futures markets to protect themselves from unexpected drops in price by locking in current prices for delivery at a later date.
Speculative activity in futures markets can lead to large swings in the price of oil because participants have greater influence on pricing than actual demand and supply. This means that speculation can cause oil prices to move independently of actual supply shortages or excesses. Regulatory bodies also use futures markets to set limits on trading and production levels, which impacts prices and volatility levels.
For businesses involved in energy trading it is important to keep track of developments in futures markets as these movements can have significant impacts on pricing strategies. Businesses should also be aware of speculation by large institutional investors who are looking to profit from changes in oil prices over time. Understanding how these activities are impacting market sentiment will help businesses make informed decisions about pricing strategies related to energy costs.
Global Economy:
The global economy is a major factor in the fluctuating price of oil. Investor confidence, currency values, GDP growth and trade disruptions all have an impact on pricing. Additionally, as alternative energy sources become more accessible and affordable they can contribute to a decrease in demand for traditional fossil fuels such as oil. Companies involved in energy trading must stay informed of these developments to ensure their goods and services related to energy costs remain competitively priced.
Currency Values
The value of a country’s currency can have a direct impact on the price of oil, with fluctuations in exchange rates influencing import costs and buying power. A stronger currency will enable an importing nation to buy more oil for less money, whereas a weaker currency will require more of the local currency to purchase the same amount of oil from other countries.
Currency devaluation can also affect the cost of imported goods, as it reduces the buying power of a nation’s citizens and businesses. This means that each dollar or euro is worth less on the global market and makes it more expensive to purchase foreign-made goods, including oil. If countries devalue their currencies, they may have to pay higher prices for imports, which could cause oil prices to rise as well.
On the other hand, when a country’s currency appreciates in value, it can help reduce import costs and increase buying power. This makes imported goods cheaper for consumers and businesses alike, which could lead to lower prices for oil in those countries. In addition, appreciation of a nation’s currency can make its exports more attractive to foreign buyers who can now obtain them at relatively lower prices than before. This could help drive up demand for domestically produced crude oil and result in increased revenues for exporting nations.
When considering how currency values can influence the price of oil, it is important to remember that these effects are often short-term in nature and only apply when purchasing from abroad. Furthermore, changes in exchange rates are not necessarily an indication that domestic production costs have changed significantly - rather they reflect shifts in market sentiment towards one particular currency compared with all others around the world. Therefore companies should remain aware of current exchange rate trends while also monitoring their own costs over time so they are able to adjust pricing strategies accordingly depending on changing market conditions
Oil is now the biggest staple on the world stage. Its importance is difficult to overestimate. The entire economy is based on indicators related to oil. But time passes and the economy changes its face and new favorites enter the arena.
Traders, if you liked this idea or if you have your own opinion about it, write in the comments. I will be glad 👩💻
Special Report: Celebrating 40 Years of Crude Oil FuturesNYMEX: WTI Crude Oil ( NYMEX:CL1! )
On March 30, 1983, New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) launched futures contract on WTI crude oil. This marked the beginning of an era of energy futures.
WTI is now the most liquid commodity futures contract in the world. It’s 1.7 million daily volume is equivalent to 1.7 billion barrels of crude oil and $125 billion in notional value. For comparison, global oil production was 89.9 million barrels per day in 2021.
Looking back at 1983, exactly 40 years ago:
• NYMEX was primarily a marketplace for agricultural commodities, with Maine Potato Futures being its biggest contract;
• NYMEX was a small Exchange with 816 members, mainly local traders and brokers;
• Known as Black Gold, crude oil was a strategic commodity regulated by governments and monopolized by the Big Oil, the so-called “Seven Sisters”;
• Pricing of crude oil was not a function of free market but controlled by the Organization of Petroleum Export Countries (OPEC), an oil cartel.
The birth of crude oil futures contract was a remarkable story of financial innovation and great vision. Facing a “Mission Impossible”, NYMEX successfully pulled it off. At the helm of the century-old Exchange was Michel Marks, its 33-year-old Chairman, and John E. Treat, the 37-year-old NYMEX President.
The “Accidental Chairman”
Michel Marks came from a long-time NYMEX member family. His father, Francis Q. Marks, was a trading pit icon and influential member. Since high school, the younger Marks worked as a runner on the trading pit for his family business. After receiving an Economics degree from Princeton University, Michel Marks returned to NYMEX as a full-time member, trading platinum and potatoes.
In 1977, the entire NYMEX board of directors resigned, taking responsibility for the Potato Futures default from the prior year. Michel Marks was elected Vice Chairman of the new Board. He was 27 years old.
One year later, the Chairman at the time suffered a stroke. Michel Marks replaced him as the new NYMEX Chairman. At 28, he’s the youngest leader of any Exchange in the 175-year history of modern futures industry.
White House Energy Advisor
John E. Treat served in the US Navy in the Middle East and later worked as an international affairs consultant in the region. He received an Economics degree in Princeton and a master’s degree in international relations from John Hopkins.
During the Carter Administration (1977-1981), Treat worked at the US Department of Energy. He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Affairs and sat on the National Security Council and the Federal Energy Administration. In his capacity, Treat was at the center of the formation of US energy policy.
After President Carter lost his reelection bid, Treat left Washington in 1981. At the time, NYMEX was exploring new contracts outside of agricultural commodities. One possible direction was the energy sector, where NYMEX previously listed a Heating Oil contract with little traction in the market. With his strong background, Treat was recruited by NYMEX as a senior vice president.
A year later, after then President Richard Leone resigned, Treat was nominated by Chairman Marks to become NYMEX President. He was 36 years old.
The Birth of WTI Crude Oil Futures
In 1979, the Islamic Revolution in Iran overthrew the Pahlavi dynasty and established the Islamic Republic of Iran, led by Shiite spiritual leader Ayatollah Khomeini.
Shortly after, the Iran-Iraq War broke out. Daily production of crude oil fell sharply, and the price of crude oil rose from $14 to $35 per barrel. This event was known as the second oil crisis. It triggered a global economic recession, with U.S. GDP falling by 3 percent.
After President Reagan took office in 1981, he introduced a series of new policies, known as Reaganomics, to boost the U.S. economy. The four pillars that represent Reaganomics were reducing the growth of government spending, reducing federal income taxes and capital gains taxes, reducing government regulation, and tightening the money supply to reduce inflation.
In terms of energy policy, the Reagan administration relaxed government regulations on domestic oil and gas exploration and relaxed the price of natural gas.
NYMEX President John Treat sensed that the time was ripe for energy futures. He formed an Advisory Committee to conduct a feasibility study on the listing of crude oil futures. His strategic initiative received the backing of Chairman Michel Marks, who in turn gathered the support of the full NYMEX membership.
Arnold Safir, an economist on the advisory board, led the contract design of WTI crude oil futures. The underlying commodity is West Texas Intermediate produced in Cushing, Oklahoma. The delivery location was chosen for the convenience of domestic oil refineries. WTI oil contains fewer impurities, which results in lower processing costs. US refineries prefer to use WTI over the heavier Gulf oil.
WTI trading code is CL, the abbreviation of Crude Light. Contract size is 1,000 barrels of crude oil. At $73/barrel, each contract is worth $73,000. Due to the profound impact of crude oil on world economy, NYMEX lists contracts covering a nine-year period.
On March 29, 1983, the CFTC approved NYMEX's application. The next day, WTI crude oil futures traded on the NYMEX floor for the first time.
Competing for the Pricing Power
Now that crude oil futures were listed. Initially, only NYMEX members and speculators were trading the contracts. All the oil industry giants sat on the sidelines.
John Treat knew that without their participation, the futures market could not have meaningful impact on the oil market, not to mention a pricing power over crude oil.
In early 1980s, the global oil market was monopolized by seven Western oil companies, known as the "Seven Sisters". Together, they control nearly one-third of global oil and gas production and more than one-third of oil and gas reserves.
1) Standard Oil of New Jersey, later became Exxon;
2) Standard Oil of New York, later became Mobil Oil Company; It merged with Exxon in 1998 to form ExxonMobil;
3) Standard Oil of California, later became Chevron; It took over Texaco in 2001, and the combined company is still named Chevron;
4) Texaco, collapsed in 2001 and was taken over by Chevron;
5) Gulf Oil, which was acquired by Chevron in 1984;
6) British Persian Oil Company, operating in Iran, withdrew after the Iranian Revolution and then fully operated the North Sea oil fields, later British Petroleum ("BP");
7) Shell, an Anglo-Dutch joint venture.
Treat's background as President Carter's energy adviser played a key role. After nearly a year of hard work, the first Big Oil entered the NYMEX crude oil trading floor. However, it was not until five years later that all Seven Sisters became NYMEX members.
OPEC producers tried to boycott the crude oil futures market. However, as trading volume grew, they eventually gave in, first by Venezuela and then the oil producers in the Middle East.
Interestingly, the Middle Eastern oil producers started out by trading COMEX gold futures, probably as a hedge against oil prices. Gold has been a significant part in the Middle Eastern culture for long. As the main buyers of gold, the Arabs buy more gold when their pockets are filled with rising oil prices, and conversely, they sell gold when oil revenues fall and their ability to buy gold decreases.
With the participation of Big Oil and OPEC, coupled with an active crude oil options market, crude oil pricing power has shifted from the Middle East to NYMEX's trading floor by the end of the 1980s. WTI has also become a globally recognized benchmark for crude oil prices.
Happy Trading.
Disclaimers
*Trade ideas cited above are for illustration only, as an integral part of a case study to demonstrate the fundamental concepts in risk management under the market scenarios being discussed. They shall not be construed as investment recommendations or advice. Nor are they used to promote any specific products, or services.
CME Real-time Market Data help identify trading set-ups and express my market views. If you have futures in your trading portfolio, you can check out on CME Group data plans available that suit your trading needs www.tradingview.com
GOLD: 3 Reason's why To Invest in Trading education is importantOANDA:XAUUSD
1. Get a Mentor
The best asset to your trading is having a knowledgeable mentor in your corner. Even the most well-written book or well-structured online trading course can only cover so many contingencies! When you run into a unique scenario and money -your money – is on the line, why gamble when you could ask someone more experience for help?
A mentor can ensure that your trading practices get off on the right foot, as well. If you develop bad habits or emotional triggers early on in your trading career, it’s going to be that much harder to “shake” them later on. Remember: your mentor has likely had the same fears, the same apprehensions and the same mistakes under their belt – learn from their mistakes and the student might even surpass the teacher, in time.
2 Understand What You’re Doing
We’re all guilty of coasting somewhere in life – getting the “gist” of something and just letting inertia carry you to a result. Trading, however, is not a High School literature test – it’s an important structure of rules, probabilities and information that could make you a lot of money. It’s not enough to know that cause A affects company B, you’ll need to know why that affect changes things in order to be a knowledgeable trader.
Are industry trading magazines, blogs and corporate research efforts a little dry at times? They certainly can be. That doesn’t mean they aren’t important as part of a holistic trading approach. Taking online trading courses may come with an upfront cost, but what they offer in structure and support is priceless. In addition to the course materials, you’ll get access to a community of fellow traders, which will allow you to clarify ideas and discuss strategies with other traders at your level.
When it comes to pre-made trading blueprints, following – not blindly following or copying, but keeping an eye on – certain systems will help keep concepts fresh in your mind and promote understanding. That brings us to our final point…
3 Forge Your Own Trading Path
The beginning trader could throw a stone and hit a dozen sources that claim they’ve “cracked the code” for 100% successful trading. Not only is that statistically improbable, it’s made to appeal to lazy traders that aren’t willing to put in the work to succeed. No matter how “foolproof” a trading system seems, always filter it through your mentor and your own trading research to ensure it’s worth pursuing.
An old saying also holds true, here: don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched. While it’s important to get comfortable with risk in trading, don’t bet the farm when you’re still learning the ropes. As you practice your trades and build confidence in your methods, success will follow naturally.