Basics of Futures Trading and Trading Platforms to Choose From

Futures Trading  Futures trading is a form of investment which involves speculating on the price of a commodity going up or down in the future.

Most Commodities you see and use every day of your life:  Commodities are traded between hundreds-of-thousands of investors, every day, all over the world.  Speculators are all trying to profit by buying a commodity at a low price and selling at a higher price.  Futures trading is mainly speculative "paper" investing, i.e. It is rare for the investors to actually take physical delivery of the commodity.

 The corn in your breakfast cereal  The lumber used to make your breakfast table & chairs  The gold displayed in your watch and jewelry  The cotton used to manufacture your clothes  The wheat in your sandwich at lunch  The steel used to manufacture your automobile and the crude oil that is refined into gasoline to power it  The beef and potatoes in your dinner

Basics of Futures Trading  A commodity futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell a particular commodity at a future date.  The amount of the commodity itself is standardized and specified in the futures contract to be traded.  Most contracts state that the agreement will be fulfilled by actual delivery of the commodity.

 Some contracts allow cash settlement in lieu of delivery at a future date at a particular price.  A commodity futures option gives the purchaser the right to buy or sell a particular futures contract at a future date for a particular price.  With limited exceptions, commodity futures and options must be traded through an exchange by persons and firms who are registered with the CFTC.

Futures Trading Advice for Beginners  Futures trading is risky but can also be a very lucrative investment, yet how can new investors know where to begin?  Maneuvering through the investment markets can be a challenging and daunting task.  Since there is a considerable amount of risk associated with any investment, it is important to gather the right information before investing.

Some of the challenges a new trader may face include:  Seeking a qualified professional broker  Understanding which direction is the trend and the type of environment the market is in  Not over trading, and understanding the market/contract you are trading  Spreading out risk capital

BEST FUTURES TRADING PLATFORMS The following slides list some of the online futures trading software/platforms that Cannon Trading has to offer.

Transact AT Recommended for electronic day traders who need charts, trailing stops, automated strategies and more. Good for beginning and advanced users.

OEC Trader Recommended for day traders who need contingent orders. Simple, powerful software. Electronic and open out-cry markets.

Ensign ENSIGN is a powerful charting software used by traders, investors, and brokers around the world. Whether you are a new trader or a professional, ENSIGN has the features that can help you achieve your trading goals.

Shogun Trade Executer Recommended for electronic day traders who need charts, trailing stops, automated strategies and more. Good for beginning and advanced users. Includes a new money management tool... Risk reassessment - profit protector.

Sierra Chart A professional trading platform with complete real-time and historical charting. A technical analysis platform for the financial markets.

CQG QTrader A powerful futures trading platform with tools and technical analysis features to trade and monitor the markets. Full charting and studies of all major futures markets. Full range of orders supported including trailing stops and OCO's Supported instruments: futures, options on futures.

Barchart Trader Recommended for an all around trader.

FireTip The firetip online trading platform is simple, powerful software recommended for day traders and position traders working mostly with futures and options. Compatible with both windows and macintosh operatingfiretip online trading platform

E-Futures Recommended for day traders who need contingent orders. Simple, powerful software. Electronic and open out-cry markets.

eSignal Recommended for individual and professional traders in need of advanced data analytics.

MultiCharts Recommended for individual and professional traders that need multiple data feeds, dynamic portfolio-level strategy back testing, and easy language support.

CQG Trader Running on the same infrastructure as CQG integrated client, CQG Trader Enjoys the same speed and reliability in a more affordable, streamlined interface. You can trade from a depth of market window and view real-time electronic quotes. You can also monitor order status and account equity in real-time.CQG Trader Supported instruments: futures, options on futures.

R|Trader Pro™ R | Trader pro is well suited for the trader who wants quick execution on the electronic markets. Traders have the ability to trade futures and options from a price ladder or an order ticket. R | trader pro also offers option chains, pre-built strategies for futures and options plus streaming real-time quotes.trade futures and options Supported instruments: futures, options on futures, stocks.

MotiveWave Motivewave is a professional suite of tools that makes trading and market analysis simple.

Trade Navigator Recommended for electronic day traders who need charts, trailing stops, automated strategies.

QST QST offers a powerful trading platform for both individual investors and brokers. QST gives you the ability to trade from almost all windows including charts. Supported instruments: futures, options on futures. Has mobile and brower base demo.Has mobilebrower base demo

RealTick Realtick, by townsend analytics, gives active traders the analysis tools they need to make critical decisions with confidence. Realtick was conceived and built to match the unique speed and style of any kind of trader. Has mobile and web base versions. Supported instruments: futures, stocks, options on stocks.

CTS-T4 - Available from Cunningham Trading Systems T4 available from cunningham trading systems offers real-time quotes, one-click trading, multiple order types, a built in charting package, real-time news and economic indicator feeds, and much more to traders. Has mobile and web base versions.trading systems Supported instruments: futures, options on futures.

X_Trader One of the industry leaders in speed and reliability, x_trader, from trading technologies, enables users to trade via the web or any remote connection. Simultaneously trade multiple markets from one fully- customizable screen with innovative features. Single- click order execution and the patented MD trader ladder coupled with tools for automated trading, charting and more give traders the edge for optimal trading performance. Supported instruments: futures, options on futures.

Call us at: (800)  Find a detailed futures trading guide for beginners here: guide-to-trading-futures guide-to-trading-futures  If you need help choosing a futures trading platform, visit: choose-the-best-futures-trading-platform choose-the-best-futures-trading-platform