Program Name: Professional Futures Trader

Overview

The Professional Futures Trader course is designed to increase student confidence and skill in trading the global Futures markets. This course covers the six major groups of the Futures markets including the Equity Index Futures, Interest Rates Futures, Energy and Metals Futures, Currency Futures, and Agriculture Futures. The Professional Futures Trader Course combines powerful skill building lessons with interactive live market trading sessions. Tuition: $7,495

Potential Benefits

The Futures market provides traders with the ability to diversify among different markets (e.g., Commodities, Indices, Bonds, and Currencies) through one asset class, which provides greater trading opportunities, such as:

• Futures offers greater leveraging opportunities compared to Equities (Stocks)
• Gives the trader/investor the capability to hedge longer term positions for portfolio risk management, and long-term growth opportunities
• Reduces overnight gap risk, and allows for expanded trading hours, since it is close to a 24-hour market
• Unlike Equities, Futures does not have a $25,000 account minimum to day trade contracts
• Futures clear the same day, so any gains are available by the end of the day
• Futures delivers strong intraday trading opportunities
• Futures offers 60/40 Long term capital gains tax treatment and simplified end of year reporting
• Futures markets have large volume and have the potential to offer strong liquidity allowing for responsive execution with minimal slippage
• Global Futures markets are uniquely correlated and non-correlated markets, which is key for proper risk management and diverse opportunity
• Platforms transparency: everyone sees the same bid and offer prices, and orders are treated as “first in – first out” regardless of contract size

Course Objective

To learn the basics of Futures trading and its unique leveraging power and tax benefits while incorporating a step-by-step trading/investment rule-based strategy based upon Trading Academy’s proprietary Core Strategy.

Delivery and Duration

• On Location in a traditional instructor-led, in-person classroom (5 days: 30 hours)
• Online in a live virtual classroom that is also recorded (10 sessions, 30 hours)
• On-Demand video-based lessons (8 hours)
• All delivery modes combine lessons with interactive scenarios, labs, and exercises with access to live financial markets

Audience

This course is designed for students interested in learning how to trade and invest in the Futures markets.

Pre-Requisite

Core Strategy, Online Student Orientation, Option pre-essential videos are recommended pre-requisites for this course. No trading experience is required.

Detailed Course Outline

Day 1

• Futures Basics – Understand foundational information of the Futures Market such as; what a Futures contract is and specific contract details
• Real World Futures – Learn how Futures are used in the real world; introduction to the six sub-assets of Futures
• Benefits of Futures – Explore key characteristics that differentiate Futures from other assets
• Understanding a Futures Contract – Life cycle of a contract, rollover, contract-specific vs. continuous contracts
• Global Futures Markets Around the World – Explore the six futures market groups along with their general characteristics
• Selection Criteria for Short Term Financial Goals – Learn the criteria for a futures product to be suitable for short-term trading

Day 2

• Equity Index Futures – Equity Index sub-asset: its symbols, tick size and value, and characteristics
• Mastermind Grid – Understanding the Grid: how to use it and develop trading opportunities
• Core Strategy Review – Review the 6-step Trade Builder process taught in Core Strategy
• Active Trading Hours – Understanding the importance of trading during the active, high volume trading period
• Globex Session and Globex Trap – Learn about the Globex session and the Globex Trap

Day 3

• Futures Market Screener – Understanding how to use Mastermind tools and develop trading opportunities
• Energy Futures – Energy Futures sub-asset: its symbols, tick size and value, and characteristics
• Metals Futures – Metals Futures sub-asset: its symbols, tick size and value, and characteristics
• Economic Reports and Daily Market Overview – Understand Economic Reports and what actions to take around their release
• Risk Management in the Futures Markets – Learn how to manage risk in the futures markets; position size, buffer zone, margin calls
• Trade Management – Learn how to manage open positions

Day 4

• Dollar Index – Understand the dollar index and its impact on currencies and commodities
• Currency Futures – Currency futures sub-asset: learn its symbols, tick size and value, characteristics
• Currency Futures vs Spot Forex – Understand the key differences between currency futures and the spot Forex market
• Interest Rate Futures – Interest rate futures sub-asset: learn its symbols, tick size and value, characteristics
• Market Correlations – Discover key market correlations, and how to use them
• Analysis Techniques – Introduction to analysis techniques and how to use them

Day 5

• Log Trade – Understand the importance of logging trades with Trade Tracker in My OTA
• Agriculture Futures – Agriculture and softs futures sub-asset: learn its symbols, tick size and value, characteristics
• Limit Moves and Circuit Breakers – Learn what a limit move is, what a locked limit is, and what circuit breakers are
• Final Review and Survey – Test the understanding of the concepts learned about the futures markets

XLT

Overview

XLT-Futures Trading builds upon the lessons taught in the Professional Futures Course and provides students with the knowledge and skills to know how to properly manage risk trading the futures and commodities markets. Students will observe and interact with an instructor with practical experience in the Futures market utilizing the trading tools taught in the course to help identify, execute and manage Futures trading opportunities in real trading market situations. XLT Tuition: $11,495 (Contact your center) Futures + XLT Tuition: $13,490

Delivery and Duration

Online in live virtual classroom that is recorded (2-3 sessions weekly, 4-6 hours weekly)

Audience

The XLT sessions are designed for students who are serious about learning how to trade and invest Futures

Pre-Requisite

Before attending this XLT program, students must have completed the Professional Futures Trader class and the pre-requisites associated with the Professional Futures Trader Course

Detailed Course Outline

• Live Trading and Analysis sessions
• Student Trade Reviews
• Interactive XLT Trade Plan Development
• Key Trading Psychology Discussion