Being close to several NFL owners, commentary that proliferates around the “19th hole, the dinner table and in their private boxes centers around something you can’t teach; speed. That’s right, you can teach skills, techniques and better ways to play a position but you can’t teach speed; it’s there or it’s not.
When it comes to the futures trading world, you know the algorithm developers, the “big boys”, the ones most of you try to emulate; speed rules. There are many people out there who are far smarter than you or me, at least me. There are but a few patterns to actually examine in formulating basic algorithms. With the available data, coupled with backtesting tools and computers that are faster than the “speed of light” there’s little left other than how fast you can do your work and automate functionality.
If you think you’re going to compete with those “players” think again. I’ve joked with asking you if you want to “buy a bridge” over the East River or “tidal plain beachfront property”; it fits here again. The best you’re going to be able to do is emulate the tools they have but you’re never going to outgun their speed . . . and it’s going to get faster.
I follow most “financially” prominent and active Internet sites. I also subscribe to the most popular newsletter and investor oriented “prognosticators” . . . that ain’t cheap. I also review the contents of several free-standing “chat rooms”, Discord sites and more even a few outliers on TikTok. Every day someone appears with the keys to the “holy grail”, a better way to identify algorithmic activity in the indices, even a better way to spot “icebergs”. While that might have been an acceptable vocation on the Titanic, it’s not really one that others should put credence in today.
With the inherent speed these mega traders have at their “clicking” fingertips, by the time you “spot it” they’re done with that trade and on to the next. Sure, go out and try to sell your enlightenment to the marketplace but make sure you include a disclaimer; “what you are paying for is not fast enough to be accurate”. Sorry Charlie, it’s probably more effective to throw darts especially if they’re weighted properly with their tips having just being sharpened. It’s also beneficial if the “monkey” throwing the darts has years of experience.
Everyone’s out there building a better “mousetrap”. All things considered the trading world doesn’t need a better mousetrap; there’s plenty of good ones out there, just take the time to learn what they can and cannot do. They all need to be faster and speed costs a whole lot of money.
My thanks go out to Barchart; while they’re not the fastest site they have all the tools I need and besides they’ve adopted me. They’re forming the underlying foundation of how I teach “what I use & how I use it” but like anything else, i’m on a long learning curve. Back to the “curve”; it’s going to take a couple weeks at least before I’m able to pump out more than just “static” charts; I’m 68 and yes, you can “teach an old dog” new tricks, just takes a little longer than when I was a puppy.
Big family weekend and week in this part of Texas. A couple “new” babies are getting christened and a great grandmother is turning 90-years young. Hell, there’s little new in the macroeconomic, geopolitical genre except for the way the information gets spun and how it’s interpreted. There’s no reason to do much of anything next week as the first holiday, Memorial Day, the official start to summer follows. Please take the time to honor those individuals who have given more towards preserving the freedoms we still have than most. One thing technically I did note was how narrow the Bollinger Bands have become. More on that on Sunday.
Hope you enjoyed this post. I’m just a young 68 years old; my Dad became a broker when I was 13. It’s time for me to ‘give back’ to all of you what’s in my head. It’s not always pretty but it’s based on history . . . and history, unchecked, repeats itself as you are witnessing..
Everyone learns at their own pace. If you pick everything up the first time through, great but if not email me at david@thetickeredu.com so we can further help. Thanks again go out to Danny www.mrtopstep.com . . . check him out; he’s worth your “click” and thanks to all of you who have adopted what is being created and presented; we’re humbled by the response and referrals. Again, let me know what you want to learn, I’m all ears.
i wonder how “Speed Racer” would do in one of today’s EVs . . . now they’re fast and getting faster . . . check out the new Nevera . . . to infinity and beyond.