Futures & Margin Trading

Elephant foot stomping on seesaw with Bitcoin.

Cryptocurrency futures: A new way to ride the crypto wave, with some old-school trading twists

Crypto not risky enough for you? Add leverage.

A trader stands on an illustrated maze, cut off from money by a gap in the path.

How basis trading works (and why borrowing big makes it risky)

Small gaps, big consequences.

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Perpetual futures: A crypto-driven force reshaping global marketsCrypto derivatives get a marginal (and marginable) upgrade.
Prediction markets: The intersection of forecasting and investingBut it sure looks like gambling.
Mark-to-market, variation margin, and daily settlement in futuresEvery day is a day of reckoning.

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Basics of margin calls: An unpleasant flip side of using leverage

When the double-edged sword draws blood.

Brewing up volatility: Why and how triple witching days can shake up markets

Double, double, toil, and trouble?

Commitments of Traders (COT) report: Tracking the big commodity players

Follow the flow of the outsize money.

Contango vs. backwardation: What’s the difference?

Navigating the price slopes.

Cryptocurrency futures: A new way to ride the crypto wave, with some old-school trading twists

Crypto not risky enough for you? Add leverage.

Different margin for different traders: Reg T, futures margin, and portfolio margin

Regular, enhanced, and super-duper.

Futures contract specifications: Know the delivery terms before jumping in

Specs are a key part of any risk assessment.

Futures delivery basics: Cash vs. physical

Managing delivery risk, from first notice date to last trading day.

How basis trading works (and why borrowing big makes it risky)

Small gaps, big consequences.

Margin account vs. cash account: What to know before you trade

Stability and simplicity vs. flexibility and buying power.

Mark-to-market, variation margin, and daily settlement in futures

Every day is a day of reckoning.

Perpetual futures: A crypto-driven force reshaping global markets

Crypto derivatives get a marginal (and marginable) upgrade.

Prediction markets: The intersection of forecasting and investing

But it sure looks like gambling.

Reading market signals: The role of volume and open interest

The conviction of the crowd.

Top USDA reports: Under-the-radar numbers that move markets

Harvesting the data that drives prices.

What is a futures contract?

They’re uniquely forward-looking.

What is leverage in trading? A powerful tool for doing more with less

But it’s dangerous if misused.

When the upside is down: An intro to short selling of stocks

Zig when the market zags.