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Volume 3, No. 12   May 2008


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This site advises trading in commodity future contracts in the S&P E-Minis, US T-Bonds, the DX dollar contract, metals, ags & the softs.

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Key index: L = long; S = sold; SS = short; C = covered.

Contract symbols -- USM: June Long bond; DXM: June dollars; CLM: June NYMEX oil; GCM: June COMEX gold; SBN: July NYBOT sugar; LBN: July CME lumber; OJN: July NYBOT orange juice; WN: July CBOT wheat; CTN: July NYBOT cotton; CCN: July NYBOT cocoa; KCN: July NYBOT coffee; HGN: July COMEX copper; SIN: July COMEX silver

Month symbols -- January: F, February: B, March: H, April: J, May: K, June: M, July: N, August: Q, September: U, October: V, November: X, December: Z


TRADING MISTAKES YOU SHOULD AVOID:
Don't Trade Until You're Ready.

These are the common mistakes that we see on Insider Intelligence. com, which lead people to burn themselves out.

1. First, you've got to treat your trading like a business because that's what it is -- a business. You have to devote time to it like you are running a business. You have to have it set up as a business entity, like some sort of trading corporation, so that you can deduct all of your losses, for example, and you can deduct related expenses. Most people don't do this and they wind up with big losses that they can't use. Or they have expenses, such as - fee services- or various computer-related costs that are deductible, which they don't deduct.

Treat it like a business. Set it up like a business.

2. Don't start trading until you are completely set up to trade. By "set up," I mean this mechanically. You don't start trading until you have your account open, until you have your computer quote screen set up the right way, until you have real-time streaming quotes, and until you have some sort of technical package that is a chart/graph type package, that is apropos to day trading.

You don't need to spend that much money. So many people do this, because the electronic IB's (Introducing Brokers) try to peddle a lot of expensive technical software packages that day traders, frankly, don't need. These programs have too much. In other words, day traders, by and large, do not need RSIs, 14-day Relative Strength Indicators, or moving-average convergence/divergence information, or histograms. That software gets very expensive very quickly, and day traders really don't need it

3. No matter how much money you start with, don't start trading multiple lots or multiple contracts right away. Because if you start trading 5 lots, which is what I oftentimes do, and you have to average out, then you've got to put on potentially another 5. And suddenly you've got your entire account committed to one position. Then your account could become illiquid very, very quickly. And you risk a sizable loss from which you cannot recover if you don't know how to trade.

Start out with one-position lots only, in what you're trading. Don't try to load up with lots to make the so-called big hit. That's not what this business is about. This business is about accumulating small profits. Incrementally and consistently over time.

Also, if you do not understand Economics 101, or if you don't know anything about the markets, be they commodity markets, equity, debt markets, etc., you should establish, and all brokerage firms offer this when you open an account, a paper-trading program, initially, where you can 'trade on paper.' That is, you're entering the same trades, the same account, it's just not real and you're not losing your 'real' money.

You can open what's called a paper-trading account to try to get some practice, and to try to get some feel of the markets. Because, in the last analysis, that's what day trading is about, the ability to 'feel the tape.' This is something that takes a lifetime to learn. It cannot be taught to you by any book. You can't do it or understand it overnight unless you've been involved in the markets all of your life.

4. Another pitfall is not understanding that there are costs involved. For instance, people seem to think that you open up a brokerage account and the broker you're doing business with is going to provide you with everything as part of a service for doing business with them, free of charge. Not so.

For instance, to get streaming real-time quotes in all markets in all sessions, you've got to pay the exchange fees, about $400/month. And there are, in fact, a variety of costs.

For some reason, people are not aware that there are costs associated with trading commodity futures. In order to day trade, you have to have real-time streaming quotes. You have to have a level-one trade platform, a rather sophisticated trade platform with a lot of ancillary services, most of which are for a fee. And you may be subscribed to one or more trading publications or advisory services, etc. But you've got to expect that your trading costs could likely be as much as $2,000/month. You're running a business. And that's how it should be set up.

This is why the 90% 9-week fraction exists in this industry. That is, that 90% of all new people coming into it will lose money. And, indeed, every new $10,000 account turns over in 9 weeks.

In conclusion, with the big hit comes the big risk. People have to understand that People must understand that, in the commodity futures trading business, success is measured by consistency over time.

Would be traders must learn the markets. People tell me -- Al, how can you possibly know all this? Or they say, It can't be as complex as that. Because you don't make it sound complex. I said, you know, there was a quote in Commodity Futures magazine -- statistical analysis proved that successfully trading commodity futures over a long term was more complex than brain surgery. And it is.

But a brain surgeon makes it sound simple if they've been doing it for 30 years. It's the same with trading commodity futures.

What I'm saying also is I've noticed that people get very enamored of trading manuals and books on technical trading, on fundamental trades, or the books that you see on the infomercials: How to learn trading commodities in 3 easy steps for $69.95. There is no such thing.

There is no easy way. You can't open your account from your La Z Boy and say, Oh, well, Al, with my $35,000 account, I want to make my $20,000 a week too. It isn't like that.

Victims of the Kowboy Ken Trading System Scam all across the country must learn that you cannot learn to trade commodities in 3 Easy Steps -- because it is the most complex thing you can imagine.

A few words to the wise guy: Day trading takes hard work and commitment.

Trading the Bonds: Bonds Rally Worldwide Despite Growing Fears of Inflation. Why?
By Al Martin

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(May 12, 2008) Individual trades for week of May 5-12, 2008 --

In Monday’s trade (May 5), we went L-4 USM 116.02 S 116.06. L-4 USM 115.16 S 115.20

In Tuesday’s trade (May 6), we went L-4 USM 115.23 S 115.27, L-4 USM 116.04 S 116.08, L-4 USM 115.20 S 115.24.

In Wednesday’s trade (May 7), we went L-4 USM 115.12 S 115.16.

In Thursday’s trade (May 8), we went L-4 USM 115.23 S 115.27, L-4 USM 116.12 S 116.16, L-4 USM 116.12 S 116.16.

In Friday’s trade (May 9), we went S-4 WN 8.33 C 8.2950, S-4 LBN 253.90 C 252.40.

There was a continuation and even an expansion last week of the recent rally in the bonds after several weeks of declines. By the way, the rally we are seeing in bonds is a global phenomenon, since we are not only seeing U.S. Treasuries rally, but also Japanese government bonds, German Bonds (bunds), and British bonds (gilts), all rallying at the same time despite continuing signs of near-term inflation. And there has also been a continuing rally in oil, the most “inflation sensitive of all commodities.”

So how can this be explained? Those who are shilling for inflation, including even CNBC pundits, are scratching their heads because they are all bond bears.

| More... | Posted on May 11, 08 | 4:05 pm |





What In the World Is Going on With Copper and the Bonds?
By Al Martin

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Trades for week of April 28 – May 3, 2008
On Thursday, May 1, we went L-4 USM 117.06 S 117.10. L-4 USM 177.19 S 117.23.
On Friday, May 2, we went L-4 USM 117.00 S 117.08, L-4 USM 116.08 S 116.12, L-4 USM 116.08 S 116.12, L-4 USM 116.08 S 116.12.

(5-5-08) The bond market has certainly changed now. We saw the bonds (U.S. Treasuries) recover from their recent sharp declines of last week, when the bonds finally started to trade in line with the economic calendar. This rally was the largest at the long end of the curve, which, when that happens, is bullish for bonds. This is the 10 to 30-year out curve. When the curve flattens, the long bonds rally because the curve flattened from the long end.

| More... | Posted on May 04, 08 | 6:43 pm |





Oil: $2-3 Short Scalps Are the Preferred Trade, But Don’t Look for Home Runs
By Al Martin

(4-28-08) Despite the dollar moving higher, commodity prices and the dollar are starting to de-link a little -- and this is a sign that the current speculative bubble is going to start to unwind.

| More... | Posted on Apr 27, 08 | 4:42 pm |





Unprecedented Volatility Rocks the Markets
By Al Martin

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(4-21-08) Individual trades for week of April 14-18, 2008 --

On Monday, we went L-4 USM 119.24 S 119.28, L-4 USM 119.06 S 119.10.

On Tuesday, no trades.

On Wednesday, we went L-4 USM 118.06 S 118.10.

On Thursday, no trades.

On Friday, no trades.

The markets were on such a roller coaster ride last week and the commodities were so volatile that they were virtually untradeable.

The bonds kept moving lower, when news flows suggested that they should be moving higher. Then the equities kept moving higher, when news flows suggested they should be moving lower.

How do you measure volatility? By sessions. In other words, volatility in general has been rising, which is always, by the way, the precursor of a collapse in markets.

When volatility reaches levels that we haven’t seen before, the bond contract is now trading more than one whole point, the intra day volatility is averaging more than one whole point as volume thins.

| More... | Posted on Apr 20, 08 | 4:41 pm |





The 2008 Commodities Bubble Begins to Lose Air
By Al Martin

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(4-14-08) Trades for the week of April 7-11, 2008 --

In Tuesday’s trade, we went, L-4 USM 118.28 S 119.00.

In Wednesday’s trade, we went L-4 USM 118.00 S 118.04, L-4 USM 118.26 S 118.30.

In Thursday’s trade, we went L-4 USM 119.06 S 119.10.

In Friday’s trade, we went L-4 USM 119.06 S 119.10, L-4 USM 119.12 S 119.20. L-4 USM 119.28 S 120.00.

In last week’s trade, we finally saw late-week (although there was some disconnect between what the dollar and commodities were doing) that the dollar was falling back and also we saw commodities falling back.

The current “psychology” in the commodities as fostered by the Bullish Commodity Shills is patently absurd. That is, that all commodity prices are being tied strictly to dollar action, and the underlying supply/demand fundamentals are once again being completely ignored.

| More... | Posted on Apr 14, 08 | 2:54 pm |





Recent Fed Action Creates Dramatic Trading Opportunities
By Al Martin

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(4-7-08) Insider Intelligence Trades for Week of Mar 31 - April 4, 2008.

In Monday’s trade, we went L-4 USM 119.04 S 119.08.

In Tuesday’s trade, we went L-4 USM 118.16 S 118.20, L-4 USM 118.16 S 118.20.

In Wednesday’s trade, we went L-4 USM 117.14 S 117.18, L-4 USM 117.08 S 117.12.

In Thursday’s trade, we went L-4 USM 117.08 S 117.12, L-4 USM 117.08 S 117.12, L-4 USM 117.08 S 117.12.

In Friday’s trade, we went L-4 USM 117.18 S 117.22, L-4 USM 118.06 S 118.10, L-4 USM 117.29 S 118.01

What we want to note is that the SPX continued to rally last week counter fundamentally, based on the notion that Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke’s peaches and cream trucks have come to the rescue and that no Wall Street firms will ever again lose a dime in holding toxic securities.

| More... | Posted on Apr 06, 08 | 9:49 pm |





The Bubble-icious Equity Markets: A Reality Disconnect
By Al Martin

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Individual trades for week of March 24-28, 2008.

March 25 - L-4 USM 118.14, S 118.15, L-4 USM 11811, S 118.15, L-4 USM118.30, S 119.-2, L-4 USM 118.22, S 118.26

March 26 - L-4 USM 118.28, S 119.00, L-4 USM 119.06, S 119.10

March 27 - S-4 SOM 13.30, C 13.2750

(3-31-08) The S&P 500 appears to be disconnected from reality.

Last week we saw continuing rally efforts in the SPX, which rallied to a 1360 high -- this at a time when the economy has entered a recession, with the SPX trading at a P/E above 20.

What's wrong with this picture?

In the 29 post war recessions the economy has suffered, the SPX upon entering that recession was trading at less than the 60 year historical average P/E of 13.6.

| More... | Posted on Mar 30, 08 | 6:54 pm |





Trades for Week of March 17-20, 2008
By Al Martin

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(3-24-08)Individual trades for week of March 17 - 21, 2008:

Monday (March 17):

S-4 SPH, 1273.50 C 1271

L-4 USM 119.18, S 110.22

S-4 SPM 1375, C1365

S-4 SPM 1375, C 1370

Tuesday (March 18):

S-4 SPM 1385, C 1380

L-4 USM 119.14, S 119.18

L-4 USM 119.14, S 119.18

S-4 SPM 1305, C 1300

Wednesday (March 19):

L-4 USM 118.28, S 119.00

S-8 SPM 1330, C 1327.50

L-4 USM 119.14, S 119.18

S-8 SPM 1330, C 1325

Thursday (March 20)

S-2 HGH 3.63, C 3.62

L-4 USM 120.00, S 120.04

| | Posted on Mar 23, 08 | 7:59 pm |





Dollar Keeps Falling - Gold Keeps Rising: What Does It Mean?
By Al Martin

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(3-17-08) Trades for Week of March 10-14, 2008:

In Monday’s session (March 10), we went S-4 SPH 1391.75 C 1386.75, S-4 SPH 1392.50 C 1390, S-4 SPH 1390.50 C 1382.50.

In Tuesday’s trade, we went S-4 SPH 1393.50 C 1388.50.

In Wednesday’s trade, we went S-4 SPH 1325 C 1322.50, S-16 SPH 1330 C 1325, S-4 SPH 1325 C 1320.

In Thursday’s trade, we went S-4 SPH 1297.50 C 1392.50, S-4 SPH 1293.50 C 1283.50.

In Friday’s trade, we went S-8 SPH 1314.50 C 1312.00.
As we have mentioned before, the commodity funds are creating a second speculative bubble in commodity prices, which has not reached the levels of the first commodity bubble that peaked in 2005, 2006, simply because the commodity funds do not have the financial resources that they once had to push prices endlessly higher regardless of underlying supply/demand fundamentals.

The Shill of the Day in commodity futures is that rising inflation will simply cause commodity prices to keep rising as the dollar falls, no matter what the underlying supply/demand fundamentals for those commodities are. That is why, for instance, we see commodity prices very vulnerable to news that weakens the shill.

| More... | Posted on Mar 17, 08 | 4:15 pm |





The Second Speculative Bubble Begins to Bleed Air
By Al Martin

FREE SAMPLE COLUMN (SUBSCRIBE NOW- CLICK ON SUBSCRIBE BUTTON)

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Trades for week of March 3-7, 2008:

In Monday’s trade (March 3), we went S-4 SPH 1332.25 C 1322.25.

In Tuesday’s trade (March 4), we went S-4 SPH 1321.75 C 1319.25, S-4 SPH 1325 C 1320.

In Wednesday’s trade (March 5), we went S-4 SPH 1332 C 1329.50, S-4 SPH 1330 C 1323.50.

In Thursday’s trade (March 6), we went S-4 SPH 1335 C 1330, S-4 SPH 1330.75 C 1328.25, S-4 SPH 1325 C 1320, S-4 SPH 1315 C 1310, S-4 SPH 1315 C 1310.

In Friday’s trade (March 7), we went S-4 SPH 1303.25 C 1298.25, S-1 SPH 1305 C 1295, S-8 SPH 1300 C, 1294.50.

We have been warning for weeks now of overvaluation across the commodity pits, particularly in the grains and soft and tropical commodities. Indeed in late-week action we saw that the softs and trops broke sharply in Thursday and Friday trade -- and I mean sharply. Coffee down $.20 cents off the top. Cocoa was down $150 a ton off the top, and orange juice at one time as much as $.20 cents off the top.

Why? Because the commodity funds, desperate for money, were pulling cash out of long positions that they had profits in. The reason they came out of the softs and trops first and then the grains, as you started to see the grains back off late-week, particularly the soybeans, which we had warned were sharply overvalued above $15.00 a bushel is because the softs and trops are most sensitive to underlying supply/demand equations.

You cannot make the same inflation argument in softs and trops that you can make in gold and oil.

So what about the soybeans? There is always talk that China is using more soybeans that ever before. This is true. China has been a substantial importer of beans lately because of their weather situation, but the other side of that is new crop soybean supplies are also growing, and this is something the bullish shills don’t like to talk about.

For example, Argentina had a record crop, and Brazil, which is in harvest now, is going to have a record bean crop as well.

The shills who have been pushing them only talk about one side of the market demand. You never hear anything said about supply. Supply is not increasing.

The reason the softs and the trops are coming down has nothing to do with supply/demand fundamentals. It simply makes the softs and trops easier to short on rallies than they were before. They are signaling a break that traders are wanting to be shorting softs and trops on rallies. The market is telling them this is a safer trade than it was before.

And how long does a rally typically last? The rally got so far ahead of supply/ demand fundamentals, so far ahead of what any “Bullish Shillism” could justify, that when the funds started to need money they went out of the softs and trops first. Then they started to come out of the grains.

What you haven’t seen yet and what they will be coming out of next will be the industrial metals. The main copper contract rallied briefly on early Friday’s session above $4.00, but quickly retreated to trade down into the $3.80’s. We think that the next complex on the board to break will be the industrial metals led by copper.

The “whites,” platinum and palladium, began to break on Thursday, and they broke $100/oz in the platinum complex. Then it broke another $100 on Friday. We are beginning to see the speculative bubbles in the white metals begin to bleed air.

The next complex that we believe will break will be the industrial metals. We believe that break will be led by copper as it often is. Look for the copper, nickel, tin, lead, zinc etc. to begin to break now.

We would also expect the SPH contract to test its most recent 1275 lows in Monday’s trade.

Money can be made on these trades – if you know what you’re doing…

| | Posted on Mar 10, 08 | 2:21 pm |





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Al Martin is an independent financial, economic and political analyst with 25 years of experience as a trader on NYMEX, CME, CBOT and CFTC.

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