Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the ES?
The ES is the Emini S&P 500 futures contract. It is the smaller electronic version of the S&P 500 Stock Index. The ES is 1/5th the size of the larger S&P 500 Stock Index. The ES is traded in increments of .25 points that are leveraged to equal $12.50 per tick. There are four ticks in one point. One point is the equivalent of $50.
2. What is a contract?
A futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell a security at a future date at a price agreed today, the futures price. Price is determined by the difference between the supply and demand of competing buy and sell orders. Futures contracts are not “direct” securities like stocks or bonds. They are a type of derivative contract.
3. How are the contracts traded?
The Emini S&P futures (ES) is traded electronically on the CME/Globex futures exchange. It is available almost 24 hours a day, except weekends. The regular day session is Monday through Friday from 9:30AM to 4:15PM (EST) except US Holidays.
4. How much will it cost to learn how to trade with TraderShark?
TraderShark.com has one of the least expensive ways to learn how to successfully trade the Emini S&P Equity Index Futures market. There are no long term obligations and no proprietary indicators necessary. This immediately separates us from other higher priced websites. For less than the cost of a cup of coffee a day, you can learn how to trade the S&P Emini futures.
5. How much money do I need to start a trading account?
That will depend on your broker’s opening balance requirement and day trading margin requirement. Some brokerages have day trading margin requirements as low as $500 per contract traded, with an opening balance of $1,000. Some require as much as $2,500 per contract with an opening balance of $5,000. The lower the day-trade margins, the higher the leverage and riskier the trade. Leverage can work for you as well as against you. It magnifies gains as well as losses.
6. How much is trading software?
The brokerage or trading software are usually free, as long as you open a brokerage account with that company. Charting software and data feeds can also be free, depending on what kind of features or bells and whistles you want to be able to apply to your trading. Exchange fees may cost extra, usually less than $50 a month. Examples are provided in the trading manual.
7. Do you have any preferred trading software or brokerage companies that you recommend?
While I don’t recommend any one specific company, I do have a list of providers that I use and have had the most accuracy, reliability and outstanding customer service. Click here to view the Preferred Providers list.
8. Are there any up-sells or requirements to spend more money?
No, purchasing the trading manuals are a complete trading system in itself. If you want to learn additional trading strategies and watch how the methodology is applied in a live trade room, you have the option to subscribe to the Shark Den on a monthly basis with no long term contracts. The cost is very low compared to other trading rooms available out there.
9. Are there any proprietary indicators that I need to buy?
No, the indicators we use in the Shark Den are available on most trading software programs. We have adjusted some of the indicators for quicker visual recognition with proprietary settings to help refine trade entries and exits. Our programmers have spent many hours developing cleaner looking indicators that we sell on the website at a very reasonable cost. These adjusted indicators are not necessary to have in order to learn how to trade with the TraderShark trading methods.
10. Can I work a regular job and learn to trade at the same time?
Yes, depending on your work hours, I recommend that each person keep an alternative form of income until they become proficient in their ability to trade for a living. The highest probability trades occur between 9:30am and 11:30am EST. Screen time is the most valuable tool you have to accelerate your learning curve and become familiar with price action and the tendencies of the market.
11. Do you call trades that I can follow?
I am not a licensed broker, so I am not allowed to “call” trades. However, I do say exactly what I am thinking at the time of the trade, why I am entering a trade, why I am not entering a trade and where my stops are located. The trades are based on the TraderShark Trading Manuals with clear definitions and trade setups like we use in the Shark Den (the live trading room). If you are waiting for someone else to call trades, you will be behind the power curve. You need to learn how the trades setup first, then you can begin to identify trades as they occur, not after they occur.
12. How long will it take to learn how to trade with TraderShark?
It is all up to you and your ability to implement the concepts taught. This question is comparable to giving someone a new set of golf clubs and asking, “How long do you think it will take to be a good golfer?” If you follow the step by step approach, you can begin trading within a month. Start with simulation trading. Trading with real money will be based on the confidence you develop in your own progression. Develop proficiency by practicing and putting in screen time or join the Shark Den. It will take some people less time and some people longer just like everything else in life.
13. How many trade setups occur per day?
This answer is based on how many trade setups you are using. We have over 8 trade setups. In the Shark Den, trades setup as little as zero times a day to as high as 8 times a day or more. There are some days that no setups occur. Other days they occur one after another. With the basic trading plan, on average, two to four setups occur per day. There are many more setups that occur throughout the day and are produced based on a broad variety of market conditions.
14. How much can I make a day?
The results of your trades can vary greatly. This will depend on the number of contracts you trade, how disciplined you are at following your rules, and what time frame chart you are trading on. The key is to enter high probability trades and to quickly lower your risk while following your trade plan. Futures trading is risky, you can also lose some or all of your money or more than your initial investment.
15. Do you trade for a living?
Yes, I trade full time for a living. I am also an educator in a live trade room and a professionally trained life coach to help with mentorship.
16. Why do so many traders fail in trading?
Because they lack a solid trading plan. They lack money management skills and over-trade with incorrect position sizes. That is a lot in one sentence. Read it again. With the TraderShark Trading Manual, you get a solid trading plan, money management skills and much more.
17. What kind of support is provided?
TraderShark.com offers unlimited email support and live question and answer sessions during the trading day in the Shark Den. Our forum answers most of the questions on software installation and software support is available at virtually any time of day.
18. How does TraderShark differ from other trading rooms?
Our methodology helps you determine the trend quickly and plan for better entries with clearly defined entries and stops. This is not a get rich quick plan. Learn key areas of support and resistance. Learn to take fewer more consistent high probability low risk setups. TraderShark.com has one of the most cost efficient trading methods available. There are no contracts or obligations. No need to spend large sums of money. We provide you the necessary skills to become a better trader.
19. If TraderShark is so good, why teach others to trade?
I enjoy teaching people and seeing positive results in their financial situation. Trading can be a lonely profession. I visualize a core group of like-minded traders helping each other trade successfully in a positive environment. Educating traders helps other contributing traders and holds me accountable for my own live trades. These are a few of the ways I am able to contribute back to others.
20. If so many traders learn this trading methodology, will that affect the market or the results?
No. We are not even a blip on the radar screen. With so many automated trading systems and trading methodologies from around the world, the liquidity remains very high. It would be virtually impossible for us to affect price movement or the cyclic nature of the market.
