forex trading

Forex Food – Breakfast Of Champions

Forex Kong 3 Comments

I was up around 4.a.m – so I guess you really can’t call it breakfast.

Finishing up my “early morning analysis” today, I found myself rummaging through the kitchen looking for something “new” to eat, and even more so – “something new to do”.

The world hadn’t yet ended, I had little to do otherwise so I thought I’d take a walk over to the local ” pescaderia (fish market) to see if any lazy fisherman had bothered to get up as early as I.

Bought these little babies. Rock prawns.

Forex_Kong_Food_Breakfast

Forex_Kong_Food_Breakfast

Apply named, as the shell is literally “hard as rock” – these little beauties more closely resemble tiny lobster than a traditional soft shell or spotted prawn, with a much sweeter meat and firmer texture.

I butterflied these and will be grilling momentarily, with garlic butter, white wine a squeeze of lime, cilantro, and of course…….an accompanying cold beer after all…….it’s gotta be 5 o’clock somewhere. He he he…..

Grinding action here this morning / mid day as USD sits flat, and markets continue to flounder. Nikkei falling “further” through support and looking extremely weak with tonnes of trades setting up very nicely.

Forex Market Weather Report – Chance Of Rain

Forex Kong 7 Comments

Well the weekend has come and gone, and so far I don’t see that the sky has fallen.

With a cold front only now developing in China, and investor complacency “still” at all time highs, we can likely look forward to a day of overcast conditions, with an equal likelihood of scattered showers and even a bit of sun. Conditions are mixed – obviously.

A few dark clouds looming over gold, with USD “just starting” to poke its head out, coupled with high pressure conditions – soon forcing USD higher.

Large storms developing off both the Atlantic “and” Pacific coasts of North America, with continued hurricanes, tornadoes, and possible earthquakes down through Brasil and Argentina.

Investors and traders are cautioned to stay indoors today, and not look to make any large trips / moves – until conditions clear.

I’m still eyeing the usual as USD has “almost” ( within a penny ) swung low on the daily, suggesting a short-term bottoming – and further turn higher. JPY has also pulled back so…safe havens take a breather. I wouldn’t be doing anything today as a bull or bear – other than continuing to raise cash / stay indoors and trade safe.

 

Deflation Vs Inflation – The Great Debate

Forex Kong 25 Comments

It’s pretty rare that I get excited about something like this as I don’t really spend a lot of timing thinking about – but in this instance, I’m really looking forward to learning more.

We’ve had some discussion in the comments section over the weekend, with a couple of very  knowledgable participants really putting out some great info.

Deflation vs inflation…..the great debate.

I for one have thrown this around on occasion, only to find myself back where I started in the first place – time and time again. I hope I don’t create a “dead-end ” here (as I generally stick to spaceships, quiet time with ants, and the search for evidence of alien life on Earth ) and am certainly “not” an economist, but I hope we can wrangle these guys ( and whom ever else ) to shed a little light, on a an area of economics – often misunderstood.

The basics:

Deflation is a “decrease” in the general price level of goods and services. Deflation occurs when the inflation rate falls below 0% (a negative inflation rate). Deflation increases the real value of money ie…..the currency of a nation or regional economy.

Deflation allows one to buy more goods with the same amount of money over time.

*Thank you Wikipedia!” ( what you think I rattled that off the top of my head?)

Inflation is a persistent “increase” in the general price level of goods and services in an economy over a period of time. When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. Consequently, inflation reflects a reduction in the purchasing power per unit of money – a loss of real value in the medium of exchange and unit of account within the economy.

So…..in a nut shell – looking at the value of a dollar in a given economy, and the reflection of “how much of what” that dollar is able to purchase at a given time  – no?

The questions:

Given the current monetary policy – Is the United States “currently” in an inflationary environment or a deflationary environment? And more importantly ( as we are all much more interested in the future )…..

Where do you see the United States headed next? And….(bumbuddabum bumbumbbumbbumb!!!)

Why?

Woohooo! I’ll do my best to chime in but in all honesty I’ve likely got little to add…other than my own “backward / flipped over / nutty way” of looking at it, which ultimately may not have to do much with economics as it does making money trading forex.

All opinions / views more than welcome!

Let’s get this thing licked! And thank you in advance to JSkogs in particular. A valued reader and contributor here at Kong, and from what I gather – a pretty all around great guy.

Forex_Kong_Google

Forex_Kong_Google

Forex Kong Viral Video – Must Watch!

Forex Kong 24 Comments

[youtube=http://youtu.be/OGshlIOGntc]

In the spirit of  “Billy Joe Jim Bob” I invite all of you! Please participate in the creation of your own “testimonial videos” as – you really can’t get enough of ’em.

I think I’ve replayed this back about a thousand times, and honestly have been laughing out loud most of the evening. I absolutely love this guy.

My eyes are wide open now!

Have a great weekend everyone, and please send this link / video to anyone and everyone you know who might enjoy a good laugh!

Craaaaaaa Zy!

Love it.

Fed To Freak! – QE To Double As Suggested!

Forex Kong 31 Comments

This is hilarious.

Or at least…..it’s hilarious to me as – you know full well what I’ve been talking about these last few months. With only 2 or 3 days down and emerging markets hemorrhaging, currencies selling off like hotcakes, and equites taking it on the chin.

A little “wakey wakey” out there people!  Anybody just “a little nervous” about what’s going on?

Gees….2 days and the sky is falling. Hello!

Well – CNBC is stumped of course, but still very, very positive about “buying the dip” and tapering “just getting started”. Uh Huh. Right..tapering as global growth / appetite for risk sets up for a major “tanking”.

The Fed will freak out sooner than later, pull taper and double QE as suggested.

EEM ( The Emerging Markets ) will be temporarily “saved” , U.S equities will rally “once again”, the U.S Dollar will continue it’s slide into the toilet, and the American people will be told “once again” that the Fed is a freaking superhero.

If you’re piecing this together at all, I hope you’ve come to realize what an impact “tapering” would have had ( I’m already talking in the past tense ) as the global “dependence” on these massive injections of liquidity has become so great – that essentially…it’s the only thing holding the house of cards up.

UPDATE: CNBC now quoting Kong with suggestion that “the Fed may need to look at “pulling back” on tapering!! But….I thought it was “pulling back on QE! – Give me a break!

I’m not putting a date on it, but as suggested here “forever” – this thing is so fragile, so dependent on stimulus, that ( in my view ) even the ridiculous “suggestion” of tapering QE could very well be the catalyst for a global move towards risk aversion.

Confirming that China’s growth is slowing, Canada pulling down GDP estimates, The EU a complete and total “disaster waiting to happen” and the U.S data so fudged…SO FUDGED it can’t even be considered relevant – what have you got?

Recovery baby…..oh ya – you bet. You buy that dip……then you keep buying.

Killing it……kiiiiillllllling it short humanity……long interplanetary travel.

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Learn To Trade Forex – Pep Talk For Beginners

Forex Kong 5 Comments

There are literally “too many trade opportunities” for me to go over / list at present in that I am extremely busy managing all this.

If you can imagine how patient we’ve been with nearly the entire month of January passing, and “nary a trade” – this is really what trading forex is all about. You’ve got to hit it when the opportunity presents itself. The patience required is enough to drive a person mad “until” you’ve come to recognize market dynamics and movement over a considerable period of time.

I’d argue that I’ve not caught a decent “sustained and reliable trend” since the massive depreciation of the Japanese Yen a year ago, as trading has been extremely tough, choppy and directionless for months.

You slug it out, you keep your positions smaller, you take profits faster. You learn to take your foot of the gas in the corners, and then “hit it” in the straight aways.

It’s a skill sure, but as with anything – if you want to get good at something you have to stick with it. Even if you aren’t “actually trading” pulling up the charts day after day, studying the price action, watching for recognizable signs of reversal etc…It will come – but with a considerable learning curve.

Shit…even me – here over the past 24 hours, jumping around, banging my head against the wall cuz I jumped out / took profits too soon. Then back at the computer to “grind out” re-entry that may not be the best. Laying half awake with freakin “japanese candle sticks dancing round my head” wondering if I should plan to get up “another hour earlier” to make sure I’m in the trade.

I make mistakes too! But you have to stick with it. You have to get past the “mystery” and stay in the game long enough to see things more clearly.

And you can’t catch them all. Man……I’ll trade up to 15 pairs on a given move and still see massive trades pass me by! You’ve just got to “catch what you can” and only take on as much as you can handle.

Anyways, I’m back at it – and I hope at least a couple of you will consider what I’ve said. Go easy, take your time, study the fundamentals and trade smaller!!

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I took another 3% profits and just as well may kick myself in the ass for not just hanging in but….these days I don’t really roll that way. Considering like 7%  practically overnight and I think another 7% over the past week – It’s been 90% sitting in cash and 10% market exposure so…the Kongdicator tune up has been an improvement, and we “might” be into a larger move here.

Ill keep taking the money and running as you know how markets are these days – I’m certainly not going to suggest “investing”.

China Numbers Fall – The Dow's Smoking Gun

Forex Kong 33 Comments

You don’t see it because you’re still pretty much stuck watching the T.V – looking for stock market direction, and perhaps a glimpse into where things are headed next.

I just watched one CNN gal ask “the other CNN gal” – The Dow is down -156 Why is this happening? Mutterings of “lower than expected Manufacturing PMI numbers” out of China, which IS actually the case! I almost couldn’t believe my ears. These gals got it right! Do you care?

Simple enough – above 50.0 indicates industry expansion, below indicates contraction, so with a reading of 49.6 (the lowest reading in 6 months) we’ve found our smoking gun.

China is the global growth engine, and the United States largest creditor. As goes China so goes the United States (not to mention the rest of the planet) as global growth is clearly slowing!

So I’m curious….and would love to get some feedback.

What you plan to do about it? Seriously…..

Are you going to just “ride out the next dip”? What if it’s not a dip?

What would you need to see / hear on your “T.V” that would have you consider making plans / taking action to protect yourself – should things seriously come off the rails?

Are you watching the Australian Dollar get taken out to the woodshed here today? The Nikkei down -360 points! I’m up an additional 4% No wait……Justin Beiber just got caught drinking and driving so…..I’m sure that’s the top story for today. Pfffffffff!

I’d also be very wary loading up on gold here as I expect further USD strength. This would allow for gold/silver to “correct” at the very least.

 

The Truth On Syria – All About The Petrol

Forex Kong 7 Comments

You’ll have to understand that Syria has been in U.S sights long before this “humanitarian cause/save the people” campaign started up last year.

According to retired NATO Secretary General Wesley Clark, a memo from the Office of the US Secretary of Defense just a few weeks after 9/11 revealed plans to “attack and destroy the governments in 7 countries in five years”, starting with Iraq and moving on to “Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Iran.” In a subsequent interview, Clark argues that this strategy is fundamentally about control of the region’s vast oil and gas resources.

Syria holds Russia’s only port to the Mediterranean Sea. That’s right – Russia ( the largest supplier of natural gas to all of Europe ) can’t operate its navy or its oil export operations without that port.

Can you imagine the blow to Russia if the U.S where to occupy Syria? Never gonna happen. Never.

As suggested “well before” Obama put his tail between his legs, and paddled back to the states the “last time” Putin ( and his Chinese counterparts ) would not allow U.S intervention in Syria. Not a chance.

Syria has also been in talks with Iran about building a pipeline to allow for Iranian oil reserves to be shipped through, as well Saudi’s Prince Bandar bin Sultan has stated ” whatever regime comes after” Assad, it will be “completely” in Saudi Arabia’s hands and will “not sign any agreement allowing any Gulf country to transport its gas across Syria to Europe and compete with Russian gas exports” so…….if you’re starting to put the pieces together here – Syria is an extremely significant and important country with respect to its geopolitical and geo “pipelineal” relations.

There is no question that Assad is a war criminal whose government deserves to be overthrown. The real  question is by whom, and for what interests?

I’m some 300 pips in the green on several short AUD trades tweeted / posted yesterday with plans to see if I can’t “hold on to these babies” a little longer. Wild swings in currencies overnight with USD taking a dip, but really just to trendline support. I’ll be watching close today for intra day reversal and opportunity to keep pushing long USD / short risk.

Perhaps you hadn’t noticed by way of the SP 500 making a 16 day run flat as a pancake – but “risk” is clearly selling off in the currency markets. I’d suggest keeping a watchful eye.

U.S.A Is Broke – New Levels Of Desperation

Forex Kong 11 Comments

The United States of America is broke. You do understand that – don’t you?

We’re not talking about ” a little bit of a cash flow problem” or a short-term need for a “loan” no no no…..we’re talking about 100% flat-out broke, robbing Peter to pay Paul type broke, applying for a new credit card as fast as the applications can be filled out, scrounging around the living room, searching for loose change under the couch type broke.

Totally….and absolutely – flat busted.Zip.Nada.Zero type broke.

You do understand that right?

The idea of a “debt ceiling” is a complete and total “fabrication” serving no “real world” purpose, and as ridiculous as the idea of recovery in itself. The U.S debt ceiling will be raised, then raised again, then again and again…then again as there is no such thing! It’s debt to the moon as the entire economic model is built on debt!

I worry at times that people are still of the mindset that “oh well…..these things will work themselves out” or “it’s just a rough patch – everything is going to be just fine”.

You aren’t one of “those” are you?

Do you understand the net effect of these “zero percent interest rates” over time? You’ve got it right? You understand the objective here?

Seniors and anyone who may have worked their entire lives to save enough money to retire, now find their bank balances being drained like never before! 0% interest actually has a standard bank account “losing money” day-to-day as the cost of goods just keeps going higher, and there’s not a single point of interest given on savings. Factor in “fees” and you’ve got yourself and entire generation of Americans being stripped of their savings, and “forced” to seek yield in much riskier assets like……….The stock market of course! Yes yes! Take your hard-earned nest egg ( or perhaps even apply for a high interest loan) and put your money into the stock market!!

That’s what your banker or broker will tell you no?

The level of desperation appears so obvious and blatant to the outside observer, I’m seriously dumbfounded that Americans have yet to “rise up” and “speak out” of the “fleecing” currently under way. This “massive bag of debt” will in turn, be handed off to the next generation unable to survive without at least a couple of credit cards of their own….saddled with the burdens of their grandparents now sitting in cold dark rooms with little to eat – drowning in health care premiums.

I can’t even get started with Obama Care ( or is it just a further extension of the “police state”? ) and of course, now we’ve got renewed talks of “humanitarian interests in Syria” and of course “more trouble in Iran”.

It’s about Oil and the preservation of the Petro Dollar people! You know that right?

Gees…….bury head back in sand please.

More on this….ALOT MORE ON THIS to follow.

Forex Trades – Right Here – Right Now!

Forex Kong 7 Comments

Some general observations:

The overnight surge in GBP looks a tad “suspect” to me, so I’ll be watching for opportunity to “get short GBP” in any of several pairs including GBP/USD as well GBP/JPY and even GBP/NZD, pretty much “right here – right now”.

The Australian Dollar has also “seen its day” with a couple of days of retracement, but with absolutely nothing but “empty space” down below. I expect AUD to turn, and continue its way lower……much lower. Short AUD/JPY reload more or less….”right here – right now”.

The U.S Dollar has pulled back “a bit” providing for further “long opportunities” if you are still in that camp. Keep in mind that USD has changed it’s course creating higher highs since early January so….regardless of near term squiggles – I’ll be looking for a stronger USD moving forward.

Long oil idea from weeks ago has certainly been a performer (as much as I scrapped the trade a couple of days in ) and good ol gold “appears” to have caught a bid.

Another day ( ho hum ) with SP 500 / risk – trading flat as a pancake.

Wish I had more to share.