Spread Trading

Discussion in 'Index Futures' started by Markus, Oct 22, 2002.

  1. Markus

    Markus

    J-Law,

    MRCI is great; it is full of information. I use the information to confirm my entry signals. There were times, when you could almost blindly follow the seasonal patterns. Unfortunately that's not the case any longer, as markets change.

    Here's the list of spreads I am watching:
    CZ3-CZ2
    SX2-SN3
    SMZ2-SMN3
    BOZ2-BON3
    SX2*50-SMZ2*100
    SMK3*100-SX2*50
    BOZ2*600-SX2*50
    BON3*600-SN3*50
    WN3-WZ2
    KWZ2-KWN3
    KWZ2-WZ2
    WH3-KWH3
    LHV2-LHZ2
    LCV2-LCG3
    LCG3-LHG3
    LHZ2-LCZ2
    USZ2-TYZ2
    EDZ3-EDZ2

    All of these spreads have enough liquidity to trade and the margin requirements are low, because they are recognized by the exchanges.

    Let me give you an example:
    Today I entered SX2-SN3 at a spread of -1.0 (see attached file). Let's see, where it goes in the next days.

    For tomorrow I do not have any trades, that I want to take.
    I am waiting for a possibility to enter TY-US and the ED-Spread.

    Markus

    PS: I wish I'd know how to post a table. Does anybody has an idea?
     
  2. Markus,
    Your spread SX2-SN3, you're not afraid of the FND for the November Soy? or it's ok because you could use the SN3 if you get called?

    Cheers!! :)
     
  3. Markus,
    If you are a seasoned grain and spread trader then ignore this, if not, do you know that first notice day in Nov beans is Oct 31?
    You are getting in the time period of who has who by the you know what's i.e. it can be very volatile.

    If you love spread volatility, look to trade July Cotton vs. Dec Cotton - Jesse Livermore's last trade before he shot himself.
     
  4. J-Law

    J-Law

    You beat me to it, Markus. Looks like there are spreaders in the crowd.

    Thanks for listing the spreads that are on your radar. i'll start just with the intra stuff at 1st and keep to grains and ED's.

    What charting software is that ????
     
  5. Markus

    Markus

    Hi dojibear,

    usually I do not hold my spread positions longer than a few days (5-8), so I will be out on the FND.
    The back months are still traded very thin. It'll change next week, when we get closer to FND for Nov.

    However, if the spread still raises at this time, I would sell SX and buy SF3 and hold the SF3-SN3-spread.

    Markus
     
  6. Markus

    Markus

    Dan,

    look at the volume of July Cotton and you know, why Jesse shot himself. :)
    273 contracts! Well, according to my experience that's way too thin to trade.

    Usually I am looking for spreads trading at least 2000 contracts/day in the underlying futures.

    Markus
     
  7. J-Law

    J-Law

    Mark,

    So you would be short X and long the back(Jan, if i remember my symbolfrom the floor)??

    Does that give you a different risk/reward than long the front and short a back month ???

    If I'm with you want the differential to narrow, right ???


    j-law
     
  8. Markus

    Markus

    J-Law,

    I am using Nextrend, because it used to be very inexpensive and reliable. Unfortunately they filed for bankruptcy court protection last week. Hopefully they will continue...
    If you want, take a look at www.nextrend.com.

    I heard from another spread-trader, that he uses e-signal and is very satisfied.

    Let me know, if you made good experiences with other software.

    Markus
     
  9. Why dont you look at it on a historical basis and see if it is a tradeable vehicle. I did not suggest trading it now, only that it was one of the more dynamic intercrop spreads
     
  10. Markus

    Markus

    Hi Dan,

    I found NY-markets too thin in the backmonths to trade them as spreads. But I will watch them in order to indentify good trades. Thanks for the hint.

    Actually the spreads I mentioned are providing good opportunities for making money. Remember the Soybean-Spread I entered yesterday?

    Today it closed at 4.0. That's $250 per contract.
    And you just need a margin of $473 per contract.
    Within 1 day you made more than 50% based on your margin requirement.

    That's why I like spreads.:D

    Markus
     
    #10     Oct 23, 2002