Trading Spreads and Seasonals

Rating:
Summary: Closely Guarded Secret
Review: "Secrets!"
If you have gotten this far by choice or accident, you have stumbled onto the most profitable way to make a living with the least amount of margin in the field of speculation.

Ross' refers to seasonal spreads as a "closely guarded secret." Many books about trading assume that you are starting out with many thousands of dollars earned somewhere else.

This little known facet of the commodities market is ideal for people who have a steady income and want to earn a second income trading a small amount of capital.

The key here is supplemental income. You have to find a way to keep your day-to-day needs for income separate from your program of wealth building. You have to find a way to keep your spending from increasing just because you are making a bundle trading. Seasonal Spreads are how many new traders build up a large trading account in a short time, starting with a hardly any capital in the commodities market.

In high school you should have become familiar with the "Ten Multiples." Let me refresh your memory. Mony grows geometrically. How much do you have when you double one thousand dollars ten times?

1. 2,000.00
2. 4,000.00
3. 8,000.00 etc.

If you can save $20.00 a week and you will have that first thousand dollars in less than a year.

Now the thing is this. People often talk about a Million dollars as being a lot of Mony. But really, do the math. Let's see what the flow-of-sums returns.

How much income per week will you have if you had one million dollars invested (not in spreads)?

You will find that you can easily exceed a Millionaire's income with a small amount of trading capital, perpetually in seasonal spreads.

Ok what is the minimum trail to your first successful trade. At a minimum

1. "Reminiscences of a stock Operator," "Reminiscences," gets into the details of Speculation and details you must thoroughly understand if you are considering making a living Speculating in securities.

2. "Ross's Spreads and Seasonals," for in-depth technical analysis and trading tactics.

With these tools, You should soon be able to enter and exit your first seasonal spread at a profit.

Rating:
Summary: Best book for trading Seasonal Spreads.
Review: Here is the thing that makes Ross's book particularly outstanding. When we trade spreads, the only data we can use is the closing price. The exchanges do not report the intraday ranges of spreads.

Ross's book is the best one for explaining how to use close only charts for trading. Its very simple, cuts out tons of useless noise many indicators thrive on.

Ross gives a good introduction to this high profit, low risk Speculation arena.

Ross explains how to use an indicator to filter spread trades, You may find that Stochastics works better. Ross principles are the same.

Assuming you did your homework with Reminiscences, Ross's book and some up to date seasonal Spread charts is all you need to make your first winning trade.

Ross offers an easy-to-read guide teaching traders how to use historically consistent trading patterns to capitalize on the opportunities offered by seasonal spread trading.

Joe covers how to find trades, filter them using technical indicators, how to place orders and manage your spread trade after entry.

When you make some profits, read the rest of the available spread books. Buy books when you are winning!

Rating:
Summary: I am a believer...again!
Review: I have traded futures for almost 11 years, for my own account and as a broker. I have also written three books regarding futures investing. That being said I really do know how to separate the wheat from the chafe.

This book is all wheat. Ross, once again, breaks the silence on spreads and seasonal trading. Farmer, Hedgers, and life long futures traders, happily use spreads instead of options to limit their risk, market exposure, and margin requirements.

On the otherhand I have been looking at seasonal trades for years and their is only one realistic approach to them, don't believe they will work and plan accordingly. That means strong money management skills on your part. Great book. It made me believe in the seasonals once again and combined with my own money management strategies I am ready to give Ross the benefit of the doubt.

Rating:
Summary: Where's the Meat?
Review: I think Joe did an excellent job of describing what seasonal/seasonal spreads are, but gave me little in the way of new ideas for trading them, or new research into spreads that really work. Most traders would be much better off with a subscription to Moore Research if they already know they would like to trade futures in this manner.

Rating:
Summary: Best book for trading Seasonal Spreads.
Review: Joe introduces filters and how to use technical indicators. You should update to Lane's %D Stochastics. This is a trading manual not a book about trading.

Rating:
Summary: NOTHING NEW
Review: Unfortunately nothing new at all: Bollinger Bands, RSI and typical chart patterns. Unprofessional lay out, a lot of unused space and many peripatetic explanations. Maybe some ideas for absolute beginners. I will short this book and rather spend the money on a new Harry Potter novel.