Archives of “April 15, 2019” day
rssEuropean shares end with modest gains
UK FTSE flat
- German DAX, +0.2%
- France’s CAC, +0.1%
- UK’s FTSE, unchanged
- Spain’s Ibex, -0.2%
- Italy’s FTSE MIB, +0.16%
In the benchmark 10 year note sector yields are ending higher
- Germany 0.056%, unchanged
- France 0.421%, +2.2 basis points
- UK 1.221%, +1.0 basis points
- Spain 1.082%, +3.3 basis points
- Italy 2.580%, +3.9 basis points
In the Forex market, the GBP is the strongest while the CAD is the weakest on the back of a weaker first-quarter business outlook survey.
Net S&P 500 futures positions minus short positions in stocks:
Greek debt touches lowest yield since 2005
Greek bond yields hit their lowest in nearly 14 years, highlighting a comeback for the country that was the focal point of the debt crisis that crippled the eurozone a decade ago.
The benchmark 10-year yield fell 3 basis points to 3.274 per cent, its lowest since September 16 2005. Historically, Greek debt has attracted lower volumes of trade than other eurozone countries.
Greece last month sold its first 10-year bond in nine years, raising €2.5bn of paper prices at a 3.9 per cent yield. Order books topped €11.8bn.
The country has entered a “period of economic growth that puts it among the top performers in the eurozone”, an IMF March report said. The fund projects real gross domestic product growth of 2.4 per cent for 2019.
A broad rally in the sovereign debt market last month pushed the equivalent German bund yield negative for the first time since 2016.
A deal to repay IMF loans is imminent, Reuters reported on Monday, citing the words of a senior official. The official said on Friday that Greece was hoping to strike a deal over the weekend to repay about half of the loans early as it seeks to lower its debt-servicing costs.
Sentiment towards Greece however remained somewhat muted on Monday.
“The economy has returned to growth but is not as dynamic as had been hoped,” said Oxford Economics on Monday. “However, unless Greece can kick-start the economy and significantly expand its narrow tax base, it will remain trapped in a high-debt/low-growth environment. This almost guarantees the official creditors a firm grip on Greece’s economic affairs.”
Reuters, citing unnamed sources, reported that Greece is planning a bond issue in June to raise money for the repayment.
Citigroup earnings ring a similar tune to that of Goldman’s
Earnings beat estimates but equities revenue misses as well
- EPS $1.87 vs $1.80 estimate
- Equity markets revenue $842 million vs $928 million estimate
- FICC markets revenue $3.45 billion vs $3.18 billion estimate
Goldman Sachs Q1 earnings report tops estimates
Another slight beat for financials following that of JP Morgan last Friday
- EPS $5.71 vs $4.97 estimate
- Equities sales and trading revenue $1.77 billion vs $1.83 billion estimate
- FICC sales and trading revenue $1.84 billion vs $1.78 billion estimate
Nikkei 225 closes higher by 1.37% at 22,169.11
Tokyo’s main index finally cracks above the 200-day moving average

Sentiment in Wall Street from Friday and a surge higher in exporter stocks – on a weaker yen from last week – helped to see the Nikkei rally to start the week. Asian equities are generally buoyed as well with the Shanghai Composite up by 0.6% currently.
Currencies, Treasuries not too phased by US-China trade reports for now
Signs of progress are lifting stocks but currencies, Treasuries are less amused

Alongside more positive Chinese credit data from Friday, the headlines above are also helping to allow Asian equities to hang on to their gains for the day. However, currencies and Treasuries are not really reacting in the same light with risk currencies and the yen barely changed on the day – aside from the kiwi – while Treasury yields are actually lower as we move towards European trading.
KKR says investing in Japan their “highest priority”
Private equity group KKT focusing on opportunities in Japan, saying felt more comfortable investing in Japan than in China.
- corporate Japan is now in a phase of fundamental change
- improved governance and transparency had the momentum to survive beyond Abe’s time as prime minister
“This [Japan] is our highest priority right now other than the US . . . this is the best value today. If you look at value to price of stock and cost of capital, it’s here,” said Henry Kravis.
Report is via Financial Times, more here (gated)
64 points : Traders Reality Wisdom
Knowledge only becomes wisdom if it is transferred and applied. I have compiled 65 of the best
tweets that focus on the psychology of trading. This is beneficial for those who would rather refer
to this document in their spare time, maybe print it off and have it near their trading desk?
Enjoy…
1. It’s so important to understand what is meant by failure? Failure occurs when you lack
knowledge, even if you have the knowledge and still fail…well I guess determination and
perseverance come into play.
2. If you are prepared to study an indicators entry and exit criteria, why would you assume
that is all that is needed to make money. Pay more attention to the function of how the
market works. Then you will realise that indicators alone are not sustainable.
3. You have to build calluses in your mind. The tough conditioning of losses builds a
character that eventually develops a discipline of awareness and embraces uncertainty.
Train your mind to lose, perform to win…
4. The development of a irrational trading mind starts with the traders lack of conviction on
their preferred trading personality. It’s paramount to your progression that you establish
your trading personality.
5. Most new traders are back testing how their method will perform. Most new traders
neglect to train the mind which = emotional imbalances?
6. A Trader that boasts of his victories, tends to be hiding his losses. Entertain the Trader
that talks of losses for he has been humbled.
7. I used to take losses and be angry. Then I accepted one important element in trading. I
HAVE NO CONTROL OF UNCERTAINTY.
8. Believe Me When I Tell You…Unless You Accept Uncertainty, You Will Forever Have
Expectations That Will Lead You To Losses. Learn Acceptance.
9. Some Are Happy To Accept Reality Of Being Correct But Not If Wrong. This Battle In Our
Mind Will Forever Obstruct Our Progression as Traders
10. Losses are Gold to every trader.
11. An Old Saying Can Be Related To This “Observe Your Enemies (Emotions) They
Highlight Your Faults.
12. Many Hide From Losses. Little Do They Know, Losses Are The Key To Changing And
Becoming Aware Of What Needs To Be Done To Improve.
13. Trade for the moment, for the dwelling on expectation of a move is sure to upset and
damage Trading moral.
14. The market will never teach you how to win. It will teach you how to become one with
your mind. The battle is in our minds
15. Never Start Your Trading Week Convincing Yourself How Much Money You Are Going
To Make. Focus On Trading Well. The Money Will Come…
16. Rule Of Sales: Customer Is Always Right Rule Of Trading: Market Is Always Right!
17. Taking Time Away From The Markets Creates Transparency In Your Mind To Correct
Behaviours That Sabotaged Your Trading
18. Your philosophy is the determining factor to your trading success
19. The minute that we change our minds and stop giving power to the past, the with its
mistakes loses power over us.
20. Our brains use biological mechanisms to translate expectations of what we want to
perceive…Manage these mechanisms to trade mindfully.
21. Why Get Mad If Your Indicators Give You A False Signal? There Is No Indicator That
Factors The Unknown.
22. Never be excited to trade…This will set you up to avoid taking losses…More importantly
feeding The Ego.
23. It is through adversity, are you then able to reset your mind and focus on forming new
habits to overcome the self limiting beliefs.
24. There’s no greater wisdom than of those who tell you not to make a mistake.I guess the
smart learns from himself.The wise learns from others.
25. The only factors that MM rely on is Fear and greed of retail traders. Not to forget that they
make the market. So they can see all orders and simply send price in that direction to get
their orders filled
26. Does your imagination as a profitable trader hinder your approach to trading
successfully? Do not be fooled by short term success.
27. A Trader Will Continue To Encounter The Dark Perils Of Trading… It Is Only When He
Accepts That He Is Allowed To Be Wrong, He Is Then Free
28. Trading is about the expression of one’s character to manage their behaviour through the
chaos of the financial markets. Only when he is one with his mind he expresses his true
ability as a mindful trader
29. Let’s Face It…Trading Is Like This…Some Will, Some Won’t, So What!!!! Next Trade. If
you understand this…You free your mind of expectation
30. It’s Really About Taking Your Profits And Accepting Your Losses. Everything Else That
Intervenes Is Bad For The Trading Soul.
31. Trading Safely Is Like The Habit Of Driving Safely, Always Pay Attention, Whether You
Are Angry Or Happy, You Still Have To Drive (Trade) Safely. Habit Will Protect Your Car
(Capital)
32. Results orientated: in poker, you have no control of the outcome of the flop. You only
have the strength of your hand to go by. Acceptance and understanding of variance
sustains longevity. This is no different in trading
33. The beauty of trading is this. The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.
34. The only way you can really apply yourself when taking a trade is to not care…how do
you do it? Simple. Practise…like driving a car. Are you continuously conscious of
changing gears? No. Subconsciously you do it without hesitation. It’s the only way to
move forward.
35. Anyone that enters into the realm of trading usually has the perspective of “me against
the market”…The true reality is, it’s “ I Against I” before you confront the battle of trading,
confront the battle in your mind.
36. A mistake that traders make, one that took me a while to overcome was once I entered a
position,I turned from a trader into an investor…Biggest mistake you can make. If your
position is losing, get out, don’t “ride it” in hope it will return. Waiting to break even costs
money.
37. Trading same way you would on a roulette table: 1) you bet/trade 2) your number
hits/trade is profitable 3) you take your winnings/close trade. So why would you allow a
winning trade to turn into a loss. Take whatever is given by the market. You never knew it
would be a winner.
38. Admitting that you lose is the first step to transitioning as to why you lose. Many traders,
even myself, have struggled with accepting this. It’s only when enough money is lost that
you then decide, “to survive in this game, I have to accept it’s OK to be wrong”
39. When you decide to not allow your conflicts of the mind deter you from making
systematic and objective decisions, you will be taking the first step to becoming a trade
40. Once you detach from the money. You then become a trader. A trader thrives on the
process not the result. Being results oriented most likely guarantees expectations, which
definitely guarantees upsets and mistakes.
41. Many will learn from their mistakes, but few focus and study their behaviour when they
were right…Learning from mistakes saves you money…Learning from your wins, makes
you money.
42. A Retrace. The idea behind it is “oh it needs a break” or “it’s taking a breath”…that’s what
the MM want you to think. A retrace is a stop hunt for the market makers to suck in as
much liquidity as they can to fill their orders.Don’t be fooled.
43. When you learn to detach from what the market is fooling you to believe, you are then in
a position to take advantage of the market makers momentum. Get in and get out. The
market is no place for heros. You will get slaughtered.
44. The mind is a great thing. Funny how you place a trade and then all of a sudden the entry
you took does not seem to align with your analysis? Hindsight does that to you. But we
can avoid this by simply accepting what is and not focus on what it could be.
45. There were days when I felt compelled to trade. This was because I had FOMO. Fear of
missing out mindset is guaranteed to make you successfully lose each time you enter
into the market with this way of thinking. Cash is a position too.
46. If you really want to succeed in this game, you have to let go my friends. This game takes
no prisoners. It doesn’t care if you have £1m account or £1, to the market, it’s liquidity,
they will take it from you. Unless you learn to play the game.
47. The great thing about trading is, you only need to be right 50% of the time..there are
traders that are right less than 50% of the time and are profitable.???Money
Management and Mind Management
48. Be aware of the FOMC. This is a passport for the market makers to really take out areas
of liquidity for their own gain. If you have profited from today’s movements. Great…Don’t
give it back. Let the Dumb money get swallowed.
49. At some point you will develop the skill set to be able to close a losing position and re
enter. Avoid being results oriented, focus on the process of execution, if done correctly,
the results will always be positive.
50. Your objective as a trader is to survive. If you trade and win, great…Next trade. If you
lose and lose small, great…Next trade. It really is all about the process of entry to exit
and simplifying this behaviour by managing your emotional imbalances.
51. Avoid thinking like the herd. It pays to really focus on the behaviour of the one who
controls the herd. Then you will have you answer.
52. You will only improve your trading if you allow yourself to. The same way stands if you
close a losing position when your rules tell you too and close a winning position when
your rules tell you too. Become me aware of your behaviour, then you can grow.
53. It’s nothing to be afraid of…Losses are indefinite in this game…Just aim to keep them
small
54. Trading is all about gathering the wisdom of those who are prepared to share their
losses, their wins and determination to find the balance with their mind.
55. Who cares if you made a call and said price would hit a certain price area, are you a
genius? Have you developed a flawless consistently profitable indicator? Who cares!
Demonstrate your ability to manage risk effectively before you claim the title of “Trader”
56. If you feel the market is out to get you…your right…but the flip side, the market can be
very rewarding, it’s all down to perspective and mindset.
57. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that the current trade you have is the final one. There will
always be tomorrow.
58. It’s no secret, the market makers will manipulate price.They can also manipulate your
mind. If your thinking is irrationally based, then this is your greatest adversary. Fix your
thinking…Then you will see trading for what it is
59. I guess the greatest tool to a trader is a drawdown….this exposes you, to your faults and
thoughts. Using a drawdown can be advantageous and help you improve your trading.
Drawdowns happen regardless. It’s what you decide to take from each one.
60. If there is one thing I can share with everyone. If your trading. Always Always Always pay
yourself…This game is about longevity
61. So you are left with a zero account after you had received margin call on a position to
only see it be closed out…the irony is, the moment you placed the trade, your mind said
“that’s too much”, but greed stepped in…be systematic, not impulsive
62. I guess the key to trading successfully is to accept that you have no idea how the market
will behave…However, have a very clear vision of how much money you are willing to
risk. Always make money management your priority
63. Always always protect yourself…I guess the #science of boxing and trading are really no
different. The battle you must overcome is the battle of ” I Against I”
64. There is no indicator that will manage your emotions during trading. However, executing
a plan, without hesitation will eliminate you responding emotionally to any circumstance that arises in the market