Search found 10 matches

by Gherkin
Tue Aug 12, 2008 11:16 pm
Forum: Forex
Topic: Anyone Trading Oanda?
Replies: 25
Views: 43159

If you must trade on line there's one way to do it and you get much better fills than with fxcm or anyone else, so shop around and you'll see what I'm seeing, too. GR Hi Ghostrider. What do you feel is the best way to trade online? Also, how much capital is required for interbank accounts? Is it po...
by Gherkin
Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:01 pm
Forum: Trader Psychology
Topic: Personal Life And Its Influence On Trading
Replies: 2
Views: 8585

Personal Life

For me it is true about the potential detrimental effects of personal upheaval being reflected in trading drawdown. Early this year my girlfriend of 4 years went to Japan for a transfer for 12 months. I knew this was coming, we were prepared for long distance relationship + numerous visits, + video ...
by Gherkin
Tue Sep 28, 2004 12:37 am
Forum: Money Management
Topic: Position Sizing in Options
Replies: 19
Views: 20073

I've been trading options for the last 7 years and personally can't stand selling premium. And that was even before I read "Fooled by Randomness". I like the psychological lure of "being right" a lot, but hate losing money. As to the position sizing of selling options, because th...
by Gherkin
Tue Aug 17, 2004 7:33 pm
Forum: Money Management
Topic: Position Sizing in Options
Replies: 19
Views: 20073

I have tested using longer expiries on them, but the numbers were not as good. Probably because there was too much vol + time in the options. The real reason I buy spot month in the money is not because they are cheap in absolute terms, but cheap in vol terms. I basically only pay the in the money p...
by Gherkin
Tue Aug 03, 2004 4:01 am
Forum: Money Management
Topic: Position Sizing in Options
Replies: 19
Views: 20073

Hi Forum Mgmnt, I was simply using the 20day ATR of the underlying and then allocating that amount of capital (3.5%) to paying for premium in the spot month, 1st strike in the money option. Very little volatility and time but plenty of leverage. I was actually using the formula in your turtle rules ...
by Gherkin
Mon Aug 02, 2004 4:07 am
Forum: Money Management
Topic: Position Sizing in Options
Replies: 19
Views: 20073

Actually, problem solved. It was nothing to do with MM. Now it is a very profitable system. Fixed fraction is less volatile, and still generates the return results that I was hoping for (albeit slightly less than volatility position sizing). Now, to raise money...
by Gherkin
Wed Jul 14, 2004 12:06 am
Forum: Money Management
Topic: Position Sizing in Options
Replies: 19
Views: 20073

Position Sizing in Options

I have been trading a trend following sytem using bought options for leverage with medium success. i.e barely profitable after 1% commisions or $160 round trip commission. I have been testing both a fixed fractional betsize strategy and a volatility based one (20 ATRs @ 3.5% risk). Thus far, all I'v...
by Gherkin
Mon Jul 12, 2004 4:07 am
Forum: Trend Indicators and Signals
Topic: trailing stop question - equities
Replies: 2
Views: 4997

I am working on the same thing and finding mixed results. I am trading trends in stocks buying options as my vehicle for leverage. Parabolics are too short and even 2 ATR's can be too big... Grrrr!!! I have been looking at an initial tight stop (0.5 ATR) and then moving to 2 ATR once it's moved 2 AT...
by Gherkin
Mon Jul 05, 2004 11:23 pm
Forum: Testing and Simulation
Topic: Better ways to estimate slippage?
Replies: 2
Views: 4990

When I am backtesting I always just use the absolute worst price the stock traded at that day. So if I'm buying, I always assume that I'm buying at the high of the day, and selling at the low of the day. That way, when it's real money you're not going to get worse than the backtested results due to ...
by Gherkin
Wed Jun 16, 2004 4:52 am
Forum: Stocks
Topic: Interesting Result.
Replies: 2
Views: 6653

Forrest, I was doing a test of my own focussing on some criteria (usually only found in small caps) at the same time as your test period. Now the interesting thing was that the broad index didn't rise anywhere near as much as the small caps. My results ended up around +60%, but THEY WERE NOT TERRIBL...