AL Circle Blog

In our last discussion, we explored the concept of going short in the futures market, focusing on how this position performs when prices rise or fall. We also clarified the role of guarantees. Now, let’s dive into an intriguing new topic: the concept of carrying a short position forward into a new contract period—also known […]

Going “short” in the aluminium futures market is a common strategy for speculators anticipating a market decline. Here’s a breakdown of how a short trade works in this scenario. In futures trading, “going short” means selling contracts based on the belief that prices will drop, allowing the trader to buy back the contracts at a […]

Today, I planned to talk about short positions, but Wednesday’s sharp commodity price drop, some down by 3-5%, deserves immediate attention. Was it a disaster? No, it was largely anticipated. This decline coincides with the U.S. election outcome, as markets react to expectations of lower interest rates under the new administration starting in January. Interestingly, […]

Today, let’s talk about the concept of “going short” in the futures market. Unlike a typical sale where you sell something you already own, going short allows you to sell something you don’t yet possess. This approach is popular among speculators who anticipate a price drop in commodities like aluminium or copper. Here’s the secret […]

Hello traders and market enthusiasts! Last time, we covered the basics of establishing a position in a futures market, specifically through the London Metal Exchange (LME). Today, let’s dive deeper into how speculators can position themselves to capitalise on price movements in this dynamic market. The Fundamentals: Getting Started with Futures Trading To start trading […]

Welcome back to our journey through the world of futures markets! So far, we’ve explored two fundamental players, the hedger and the speculator. These two have unique roles and motivations in the market, yet there’s so much more to uncover. As we progress, we’ll dive deeper into each participant, concept, and variable that shapes futures […]

Last time, we talked about hedging as a way to protect yourself from risk. Let’s revisit that concept through a simple example. Imagine you’re planning a trip to Europe. You need euros, but your local currency isn’t the euro. Here’s the risk: If your currency weakens before you exchange it, you’ll need more of it […]

Today, we’re diving into the basics of hedging. You might ask, what is hedging? Well, let me break it down for you. Every day when we wake up, we speculate a little, will it rain, or will it be cold? We check the weather, and based on our analysis (think of this as studying the […]