Tag Archives: rants

Back in 2014 I wrote some articles on the subject of technical analysis and the CMT Association, previously known as the MTA. I spoke my mind in the belief that quite few people would read it and even fewer would care. I had no idea that these articles would get quite a wide circulation and cause a bit more commotion ...

In what now seems like a past life, I had a cushy management career with a large financial data provider. I was doing well, advancing fast in the company. Yet I left it all behind and took a chance on something new and unknown. Knowing how it all turned out, I don’t regret it for a moment. Actually, even if ...

Retail traders love quotes. Boiling something down to a single sentence makes it appear as a universal truth. A physical law that cannot be broken. It’s a great way to reduce critical thinking. After all, if George Soros said something, it surely must be true. The guy is a billionaire and couldn’t possibly be wrong. Quotes are useless. Pay no ...

I’m one of the top 5% best selling trading book authors in the world. My first book was a run-away success. And yet I’m about to self publish my next work. Why would an established author want to self publish? There is an unjustified perception that self publishing means poor quality. Let me tell you why that’s not necessarily true. Publishing ...

Almost all mutual funds in the world fail to do their job. You’ll find better odds at the racing track than you will buying mutual funds. So why do people still buy them? Almost everyone in the developed world has a stake in a mutual fund. Even if you didn’t actively buy into any mutual fund, your pension fund is ...

A great trader who decides to manage just his own money made a poor trading decision. If you trade anyhow it’s irrational not to manage other people’s money. Living the dream Ok, let’s back up a few steps. Let’s assume that you’ve been trading for a while and you’re getting comfortable doing it. Perhaps you’re becoming pretty good or even ...

I’m a member of the Market Technicians Association (MTA) and a holder of their Chartered Market Technician (CMT) certification. But not for long. I had a good reason for joining and I have an even better reason for leaving. What I actually lack a good explanation for is why I remained a member for so long time. The MTA is ...

Do you want to be a gambler or a professional trader? I’m guessing most people who read this would prefer the latter. But are you sure that you’re not a closet gambler? I used to read a lot of trading books. Back in the early 90’s I started the habit of reading large volumes of trading books. I read everything. ...

The poor reputation of technical analysis is well deserved. It’s their own fault really. The way this field has expanded makes it very difficult to take it seriously. It’s been reduced to a slogan used by scam artists to sell nonsense books, trading systems, newsletters and ‘mentoring’ based on quasi religious numerology and mysticism. Professionals stay clear of the term ...