True Understanding of Human Psychology of Risk (must see video) is a post from: Futures Trading Blog for Independent Self-Directed Traders and System Traders

• QST is a revolutionary futures trading application that combines comprehensive, fast and flexible order entry/order management with world-class charting and analytics, real-time quotes and news.
• Order entry is pervasive throughout QST. From virtually any screen, you can enter and manage orders and fills.
• Integrated paper trading allows users to learn to use the interface and practice trading strategies. With the click of a button, users can toggle between paper and live trading.
• One application can consolidate order flow on Rolfe & Nolan’s RANorder or Trading Technologies FIX Adapter. This gives you the flexibility to route your order flow through a single network, fully utilizing its firm-wide risk control.
• The very same application gives you fully redundant access to market data replacing Futuresource, eSignal, ProphetX, DTN or any other quote terminal product.

GET A QST (QUICK SCREEN TRADING) DEMO

Application Features:

• Consistent user interface with multiple methods of interaction, including icons, drop-down menus and keyboard shortcuts.
• Efficient, intuitive and consistent order entry: left click = buy, right click = sell. Unlike other products that display useless eye candy, the order entry function is simple and concise. It is truly a “single action” operation.
• “Workspace” metaphor with multiple tabbed workspaces divided into one or more internal frames. Frames can be pulled into external windows.
• Multiple monitor support.
• “Mobile Desktop” allows users to save a copy of their desktop and to log in from another location and retrieve the exact desktop that they saved. Work from home or the office using the same screen layouts and configuration.
• Infinitely configurable colors, layouts and font sizes.
• “Themes” functionality allows user to easily create a unified color scheme throughout all the screens of the application.
• Templates for multiple frame workspaces, trading workspaces, and chart-link workspaces.
• Context sensitive month selection. Type a contract, and the valid month/year pairs appear in a window. Contract selection system allows search by category, exchange, description and symbol. Simply click on the symbol to enter it.
• Contract details shows exchange, contract value, minimum tick size and value, open/close time and margin requirements.

GET A QST (QUICK SCREEN TRADING) DEMO

QST (Quick Trading Screen) Platfrom Features and Overview is a post from: Futures Trading Blog for Independent Self-Directed Traders and System Traders

Kinetick for NinjaTrader-Streaming Real Time Quotes and Historical Market Data is a post from: Futures Trading Blog for Independent Self-Directed Traders and System Traders

we at Optimus Trading Group have developed a tool that could allow educators to provide their prospects and existing customers to demo the NinjaTrader platform.The customers will get 30 days of real live data, which will allow them to evaluate whether futures trading is for them, and/or whether the methodology the educator teaches has value in it.  The form will look like this: http://www.optimusfutures.com/ntlicense/form.html

The form could be customized and the educator could also receive the name of the person who signed on their site.   This is a great value for educators and students who are learning the futures market.

Demo Trading Tool for Trading Educators Using NinjaTrader is a post from: Futures Trading Blog for Independent Self-Directed Traders and System Traders

If you are looking for a NinjaTrader programmer, we highly recommend Dean Reese from Black Wave Technologies.

www.blackwavetechnologies.com

All the projects that have been conducted for us have been done with accuracy and within a very reasonable time period.

NinjaTrader Programmer is a post from: Futures Trading Blog for Independent Self-Directed Traders and System Traders

Demo Account Types Set Ups for NinjaTrader

1)    Real Time Demo – This is where you will get to view and practice on a demo with complete REAL and LIVE prices as they occur in the real market.  This is available for one month only, because of the CME restrictions on the distribution on free quotes.

2)    Regular Demo – This is where the platform is prepopulated with prices that have appeared on previous sessions, however they are not live.  On this Demo you will have unlimited time access, because it has no live quote distribution.  Also, NinjaTrader allows you a “speed button” to make the data faster and/or slower.

It might be up to the individual trader to decide which demo to use.   If you have experience trading E Mini S&P, you might consider options 1 to evaluate the platform. However, if you are new to futures trading all together, you might consider options 2, that will allow you to trade longer on “canned” data and then switch to options 1.  The two options are not tied up to one another.

Receive your live NinjaTrader LIVE DEMO

Demo Account Types Set Ups for NinjaTrader is a post from: Futures Trading Blog for Independent Self-Directed Traders and System Traders

Liquidity and Access:

With over $100 billion in futures and options flowing through

CME FX markets every day, we offer unmatched liquidity

And the ability to get in and out of markets quickly and

efficiently. And, all market participants have direct access

to our depth of book with the ability to view prices 5 deep.

How many Cash FX brokerages can say that?

Level Playing Field:

No Matter how big or small, CME FX futures offers a level

Playing field for FX traders. Whether you’re an active

Individual trader, a hedge fund or an institution – you see

and have access to the same tradable prices with complete

case when trading Cash FX – different types of markets

Participants may see different prices.

Fully Disclosed Fees:

Cash FX traders often pay much more than they think for

trades. Most Cash FX brokers make their livelihood by

building spreads into their quoted price. All this while

advertising “commission-free trading.” However, with CME

FX Futures you will always see wholesale tradable prices,

Meaning no spreads or pips are added to the price.

Additionally, CME FX Futures provide low transactions fees

That are transparent and fully disclosed.

Safety & Security:

The importance of a guarantor and clearing method are key

To trading forex. CME FX Futures offer unparalleled backing

Of CME clearing, which virtually mitigates counterparty

credit risk. this is unlike trading Cash FX, where there’s no

guarantee of creditiworthiness on any transaction.

Speed & Performance:

In Cash FX, you may be re-quoted or experience delayed

Executions. FX Futures traded on CME Globex are

Executed and instantly confirmed back to the customer –

significantly faster than any competing electronic platform.

Plus, CME Globex is available virtually 24 hours a day to

customer around the globe.

Compare FX (forex) Futures vs Cash FX (forex) is a post from: Futures Trading Blog for Independent Self-Directed Traders and System Traders

This is your page updates for NinjaTrader 7.0 (powered by rithmic)
You could look in the mean time at the video showing the enchantments for NinjaTrader 7.0
http://bit.ly/ak5kai

if you want to demo the NinjaTrader 7.0 please submit your name at: http://bit.ly/cMIaZB

NinjaTrader 7.0 (seven) Download, Demo and Review is a post from: Futures Trading Blog for Independent Self-Directed Traders and System Traders

As you know, we at Optimus want to share with you strategies to help you become a better trader.  There are “strategies” to avoid, and some that need to be implemented. Today I would like to share the one strategy to avoid:

It’s the last trade of the day, the one that could potentially take away your profits or even turn into a small loss into a substantial loss.

Typically, this last trade comes in the form of “intuition” and guessing:

Scenario 1: Profitable trading day: TraderJoe had reasonable gains on the day, and decides to throw in just one more trade. The sheer psychology of making more money is very attractive and makes sense, and so TraderJoe decides to take another trade, and maybe even increase the number of contracts to make the “killer trade” before the day ends. Typically, when the trade turns into a loss, Trader Joe starts relying on “hope” because the thought of losing the entire day’s gain is unbearable.

The losing trade takes all the gain away and some more…at times turning a profitable day to an upside down day.

Scenario2:

Losing trading day: This is where TraderJoe did not have such a great day, and decides to get his money back. Typically losing trades consist of consistently shorting bottoms or trying to buy tops. TradeJoe decides that the bottom or top must have been reached despite numerous stop outs. Again, regardless of all the literature supporting the notion that tops or bottoms cannot be accurately identified, TraderJoe, again going by intuition, increases his exposure to make back the losses. The logic of increasing the number of contracts which requires a smaller move to get back to breakeven rarely ever works out in his favor.

Sometimes good trading starts with all the things you should know not to do.

Leave your comments below if you have any; please share info that could help all of us grow as traders.

Best,

The Team @ Optimus

The Last Trade of the Day is a post from: Futures Trading Blog for Independent Self-Directed Traders and System Traders

Today’s futures traders face a variety of trading platforms that could accommodate the most sophisticated and astute day trader all the way to a beginner day trader. Never the less, it is quite a challenge to choose a platform that is appropriate for you. Why? Sometimes programmer and interface designers try make educated guesses as to what traders look for, so there are platforms that are just purely “hard” as far as their functionality, yet at the same times, there are those who hit the mark and created an interface that is easy to use and the navigation on it is quite intuitive.

There are things that should be important to all traders, such as: Stability of platforms, execution time, and stable data feed, and above all good support from the tech support desk.  But, it is also important that you choose a platform that meets your needs as a trader: day, swing or long term trader.

Also, choose an interface that you feel comfortable with and above all meets your trader’s needs and experience. Don’t just go with one that is considered popular…go with the one that meets your needs. Having more bells and whistles does not mean “better trader” or “profitable trading”….go slow…you can always switch from one to another.

The following are platforms that we use at Optimus Trading Group, and we have listed them so you can choose the ones that are appropriate for you.  There are plenty more platforms out there, but we feel that within these you would be able to find what you are looking for.

The following link shows a complete charts review of Futures Trading Platforms

There is a substantial risk of loss in futures trading. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Futures Trading Platforms Comparison is a post from: Futures Trading Blog for Independent Self-Directed Traders and System Traders