November 2013

Holland loses AAA rating from Standard & Poor’s whilst Cyprus rating improved

Mind The Gap

It’s been some time since we’ve started this column with reference to rating agencies downgrading a nation’s credit worthiness, S&P have downgraded one of Europe’s largest economies this morning and immediately the microphones were metaphorically placed under the nose of the Dutch finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem to ask his reaction… This is the member of […]

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Why you don’t need to have the right personality for trading and why asking yourself if “you have the right aptitude?” is far more relevant.

Between the lines

The question of personality types and their suitability for trading is a fascinating subject that’s often a focal point of discussion amongst trading groups. However, the majority of articles and opinion on personality trading types may be focusing on the wrong key areas… Typically we’ll read opinions that traders have to be: “resilient, persistent, have

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UK BoE governor stuns UK banks by redirecting the funding for lending scheme

Morning Roll Call

Thursday was a relatively quiet day for the markets due to the closure of the USA markets for the thanksgiving holiday. However, one of the most illuminating events of the day concerned the governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney. His decision, that the funding for lending programme which banks in the UK have

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Nikkei index reaches six year high as yen falls whilst German import prices fall 3% year on year

Mind The Gap

The USA markets are shut for the annual Thanksgiving day therefore the afternoon trading session is expected to be quiet. Overnight investors saw the Nikkei reach a six year high as the DJIA had risen to a record high, just short of 16,100 on Wednesday. In Europe Germany’s import prices have fallen circa 3% year

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USA unemployment claims fall by 10,000 in a month, as durable orders falls significantly in the month of October

Morning Roll Call

There was mixed economic news from the USA on Wednesday, the Conference Board index improved by 0.2%, short of expectations and less than the previous 0.9% increase for the month of September. Crude oil supplies rose, the USA weekly unemployment claims fell sharply; down to 316K down circa 10,000 from the previous week. However, durable

USA unemployment claims fall by 10,000 in a month, as durable orders falls significantly in the month of October Read More »

UK GDP at 0.8%, Germany reaches coalition government accord and agrees to spend on social programmes and welfare

Mind The Gap

Oil has fallen in the overnight and early morning trading sessions, U.S. prices are sliding for a fourth day after an industry report revealed that crude supplies rose for a ninth week in the USA, whilst the market for oil still ‘accommodates’ the pact reached with Iran regarding sanctions and its nuclear ambitions. Asian equities

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Stops, we know they’re essential and invaluable, but where should and where shouldn’t we place them?

Between the lines

Presumably the majority of our readers are now passed the belief, often mistakenly peddled on trading forums or through articles on trading websites that traders should trade without using stops. Of all the myths propagated in the industry the “trading without stops” myth is probably one of the most pernicious and dangerous, and using ‘mental’

Stops, we know they’re essential and invaluable, but where should and where shouldn’t we place them? Read More »

Could the Case Shiller house price index in the USA show a reduction?

Mind The Gap

Both overnight and early morning it’s been a quiet two sessions of trading in the markets. And looking at the diary of upcoming events it’s difficult to imagine if we’re going to see a change to the doldrums we’re currently witnessing. We receive the publication regarding building permits for the USA, the Case Shiller house

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