So I'm trying to understand how to trade futures and I just finished the CME Group Intro to Futures course (https://www.cmegroup.com/education/courses/introduction-to-futures.html). Anyone have any suggestions for more supplementary education? What about A Complete Guide to the Futures Market by Jack D Schwager?
Do you feel 100% confident in your understanding of how the futures markets work? Things like margin requirements, contract specs, minimum price movement in dollars, expiration dates, backwardation, and contango? If so you now need to find a contract to concentrate on. DO NOT try to trade multiple products when you are first learning; concentrate on one. Learn how it moves. I highly recommend ALL of Jack's books. They will help you understand that EVERYONE trades differently and that even the top traders take losses. One more bit of advice. DO NOT try to copy someone else's methods. You have find a method that YOU are comfortable with. You will see a lot of negativity about certain trading methods but what most posters fail to say is "XXXXX doesn't work FOR ME". For instance, technical analysis is something I do not find useful for my trading style BUT there are many comfortable with trading solely on technical analysis. You will also find a lot of "guru's" out there that make promises that sound too good to be true. They are too good to be true. DO NOT spend any money on courses or "special indicators". Learn on your own and develop your own methods.
The futures market is probably the simplest instrument to trade, even compared to stocks on margin or FX on margin. The only thing simpler I guess would be just a plain old stock, straight up. Like a neat whiskey. The CME primer is all you need to understand the fundamentals of the exchanges like CME and ICE. After that, everything else is the same, except the instrument specs. Like wartrace said above, all you need to do is pick one liquid future and follow it's moods and foibles. It's personality.
I know your education is important but it should not only be about reading what it is and not actually applying your knowledge. If you are already through your basics, the next step should be speculating the live market. You are yet to know the difference between the live market and what you read in your books. Also, try to understand things from your perspective. No need to follow someone blindly. You are capable of doing anything if you know what you are doing.