Blog Posts

Retiring early is a dream shared by many, but achieved by few. Most people imagine a path paved through tech startups, lucky investments, or perhaps frugal living and index funds.  For the narrator of the story below, however, early retirement didn’t come from minimalist budgeting or Silicon Valley, but from quantitative trading, a high-pressure, high-reward […]

Capital controls – restrictions placed by governments on the flow of capital across borders – have a long and revealing history. They typically emerge not as first-best policy choices but as desperate measures during late-cycle phases of economic and geopolitical stress. Understanding capital controls in a historical context reveals not just their mechanics, but what […]

The divide between retail and institutional FX trading isn’t just about account size. It’s about access, infrastructure, motives, execution quality, and the way markets are understood and analyzed. While both sides trade the same currency pairs and stocks (for the most part), they’re often operating very differently, with separate rules, tools, and expectations.   Key […]

CTA ETFs offer retail and institutional investors access to managed futures strategies – typically the domain of hedge funds and institutional separate accounts – via a liquid, exchange-traded format.  These ETFs aim to replicate the core features of Commodity Trading Advisor (CTA) strategies: trend-following exposure across asset classes, long/short flexibility, and low correlation to traditional […]

Commodity Trading Advisors (CTAs) have been a prominent force in the financial markets since the 1970s.  These specialized traders focus on trading futures contracts and other derivative instruments across a wide range of asset classes.  Their strategies, known as managed futures, offer a unique approach to diversification and potential returns.   Key Takeaways – CTA […]

Most day traders, and traders of all forms, don’t lose money because markets are impossible. They lose because their feedback systems are broken. In clear skill-based environments, straightforward and timely feedback helps people improve. Trading warps that loop. There’s variance. Discerning luck from skill isn’t easy in the short run. You don’t learn finance in […]

Trading is one of those things that a lot of people think they can do well. But statistics show that the vast majority of day traders lose money. Why is this? This article goes into the reasons behind these losses, looking at the challenges and pitfalls that day traders face in their pursuit of quick […]

Trading is one of those professions that attracts curiosity, admiration, and sometimes… a lot of judgment. If you’ve chosen a path in trading – whether it’s full-time, part-time, retail, or institutional – you’ve probably encountered raised eyebrows, dismissive comments, or even outright disapproval from people around you. Friends, family, or even casual acquaintances may express […]

For those who are passionate about trading to the point where they want to make it a full-fledged career, starting your own trading firm is a challenging yet rewarding task. It requires planning, a deep understanding of financial markets, and a clear vision of your objectives.  Is it managing your own funds? Is it managing […]

As seen repeatedly – from Rome to Weimar to the British Pound in 1967 – the erosion of money’s value and trust often precedes, and catalyzes, declines in global leadership. Today’s environment, in ways, mirrors the late 1960s to early 1970s: fiscal dominance (fiscal policy the main driver of economic outcomes over monetary policy), monetary […]