Market news & insights
Stay ahead of the markets with expert insights, news, and technical analysis to guide your trading decisions.
Volatility doesn't discriminate. But it can punish the unprepared.
Stops getting hit on moves that reverse within minutes. Premiums on short-dated options climbing. And the yen no longer behaving as the reliable hedge it once was.
For traders across Asia, navigating this environment means asking harder questions about risk, timing, and the assumptions baked into strategies built for calmer markets.
1. How do I trade VIX CFDs during a geopolitical shock?
The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) measures the market’s expectation of 30-day implied volatility on the S&P 500. It is often called the “fear gauge.” During geopolitical shocks such as the current Iran escalations, sanctions announcements, and surprise central bank actions, the VIX can spike sharply and quickly.
What makes VIX CFDs different in a shock
VIX itself is not directly tradeable. VIX CFDs are typically priced off VIX futures, which means they carry contango drag in normal conditions.
During a geopolitical shock, several things can happen at once
- Spot VIX may spike immediately while near-term futures lag, creating a disconnect.
- Spreads on VIX CFDs can widen significantly as liquidity thins.
- Margin requirements may change intraday as broker risk models adjust.
- VIX tends to mean-revert after spikes, so timing and duration are critical.
What this means for Asian-hours traders
Asian market hours mean many geopolitical events can break while local traders are active or just starting their session.
A shock that hits during Tokyo hours may already be priced into VIX futures before Sydney opens.
Some traders use VIX CFD positions as a short-term hedge against equity portfolios rather than a directional trade. Others trade the reversion (the move back toward historical averages once the initial spike fades). Both approaches carry distinct risks, and neither guarantees a specific outcome.
2. Why are my 0DTE options premiums so expensive right now?
Zero days-to-expiry (0DTE) options expire on the same day they are traded. They have become one of the fastest-growing segments of the options market, now representing more than 57% of daily S&P 500 options volume according to Cboe global markets data.
For Asian-based participants accessing US options markets, elevated premiums during volatile periods can feel like mispricing, but usually reflects structural pricing factors.
Why premiums spike
Options pricing is driven by intrinsic value and time value. For 0DTE options, there is almost no time value left, which might suggest they should be cheap but the implied volatility component compensates for that.
When uncertainty increases, sellers may demand greater compensation for the risk of sharp intraday moves.
This can be reflected in
- Higher implied volatility inputs.
- Wider bid-ask spreads.
- Faster adjustments in delta and gamma hedging.
In higher-VIX environments, hedging flows can contribute to short-term feedback loops in the underlying index. This can amplify price swings, particularly around key levels.
What this means for Asian-hours traders
Many 0DTE options contracts see their most active pricing and hedging flows during US trading hours. Entering positions during the Asian session may mean facing stale pricing or wider spreads.
If you are seeing expensive premiums, it may reflect the market accurately pricing the risk of a large same-day move. Whether that premium is worth paying depends on your view of the likely intraday range and your risk tolerance, not on the absolute dollar figure alone.
3. How do I adjust my algorithmic trading bot for a high-VIX environment?
Many algorithmic trading systems are built on parameters calibrated during lower-volatility regimes. When VIX spikes, those parameters can become outdated quickly.
The regime mismatch problem
Most trading algorithms use historical data to set position sizes, stop distances, and entry thresholds. That data reflects the conditions during which the system was tested. If VIX moves from 15 to 35, the statistical assumptions underpinning those settings may no longer hold.
Common failure modes in high-VIX environments include
- Stops triggered repeatedly by noise before the intended directional move occurs.
- Position sizing based on fixed-dollar risk, which becomes relatively small compared to actual intraday ranges.
- Correlation assumptions between assets breaking down.
- Slippage on execution that erodes edge.
Approaches some algorithmic traders consider
Rather than running a single fixed set of parameters, some systems incorporate a volatility regime filter. This is a real-time check on VIX or ATR that triggers a switch to different settings when conditions shift.
Approach adjustments that some traders review in high-VIX environments
- Widen stop distances proportionally to ATR to reduce noise-driven exits.
- Reduce position size to maintain constant dollar risk relative to wider expected ranges.
- Add a VIX threshold above which the system pauses or moves to paper trading mode.
- Reduce the number of simultaneous positions, as correlations tend to rise during market stress.
No adjustment eliminates risk. Backtesting new parameters on historical high-VIX periods can provide some indication of likely performance, though past conditions are not a reliable guide to future outcomes.
4. Is the Japanese Yen (JPY) still a reliable safe-haven trade?
During periods of global risk aversion, capital has historically flowed into JPY as investors unwind carry trades and seek lower-volatility holdings. However, the reliability of this dynamic has become more conditional.
Why has the yen historically moved as a safe haven?
Japan’s historically low interest rates made JPY the funding currency of choice for carry trades and when risk-off sentiment hits, those trades unwind quickly, creating demand for yen.
Additionally, Japan’s large net foreign asset position means Japanese investors tend to repatriate capital during crises, further supporting JPY.
What has changed
The Bank of Japan’s shift away from ultra-loose monetary policy in recent years has complicated the traditional safe-haven dynamic.
As Japanese interest rates rise:
- The scale of carry trade positioning may change.
- USD/JPY can become more sensitive to interest rate spreads.
- BoJ communication and domestic inflation data may influence JPY independently of global risk appetite.
The yen can still behave as a safe haven, particularly during sharp equity sell-offs. But it may respond more slowly or inconsistently compared to earlier cycles when the policy divergence between Japan and the rest of the world was more extreme.
What to watch
For traders monitoring JPY as a safe-haven signal, BoJ meeting dates, Japanese CPI releases, and real-time US-Japan rate spread data have become more relevant inputs than they were a few years ago.
5. How do I avoid ‘whipsawing’ on energy CFDs?
Whipsawing describes the experience of entering a trade in one direction, getting stopped out as the price reverses, then watching the price move back in the original direction.
Energy CFDs, particularly crude oil, are especially prone to this in volatile markets. And for traders in Asia, the combination of thin liquidity during local hours and sensitivity to geopolitical headlines can make this particularly challenging.
Why energy CFDs whipsaw
Crude oil is sensitive to a wide range of headline drivers: OPEC+ production decisions, US inventory data, geopolitical supply disruptions, and currency moves.
In high-volatility environments, the market can react strongly to each headline before reversing when the next one arrives.
- Price spikes on a headline, stops are triggered on short positions.
- Traders re-enter long, expecting continuation.
- A second headline or profit-taking reverses the move.
- Long stops are hit. The cycle repeats.
Approaches traders may consider to manage whipsaw risk
Some traders choose to change their risk controls in volatile conditions (for example, reviewing stop placement relative to volatility measures). However these may increase losses; execution and slippage risks can rise sharply in fast markets
Other approaches that some traders review:
- Avoid trading crude oil CFDs in the 30 minutes before and after major scheduled data releases.
- Use a longer timeframe chart to identify the prevailing trend before entering on a shorter timeframe, reducing the chance of trading against larger institutional flows.
- Scale into positions in stages rather than committing full size on initial entry.
- Monitor open interest and volume to distinguish between moves with genuine participation and low-liquidity fakeouts.
Whipsawing cannot be eliminated entirely in volatile energy markets. The goal of risk management in these conditions is not to predict which moves will hold, but to ensure that losses on false moves are smaller than gains when a genuine directional move follows.
Practical considerations for volatile Asian markets
Asian markets carry structural characteristics that interact with volatility differently from US or European markets:
- Thinner liquidity during local hours can exaggerate moves on thin volume, particularly in energy and FX CFDs.
- Events in China, including PMI releases, trade data, and PBOC policy signals, can move regional indices.
- BoJ policy decisions have become a more active driver of JPY and Nikkei volatility in recent years.
- Overnight gaps from US session moves are a persistent structural risk for traders unable to monitor positions around the clock.
- Margin requirements on leveraged products can change at short notice during high-VIX periods.
Frequently asked questions about volatility in Asian markets
What does a high VIX reading mean for Asian equity indices?
VIX measures expected volatility on the S&P 500, but elevated readings typically reflect global risk aversion that flows across markets. Asian indices such as the Nikkei 225, Hang Seng, and ASX 200 can often see increased volatility and negative correlation with sharp VIX spikes.
Can 0DTE options be traded during Asian hours?
Access depends on the platform and the specific instrument. US equity index 0DTE options are most actively priced during US trading hours. Asian traders may face wider spreads and less representative pricing outside those hours.
Are algorithmic trading strategies inherently riskier in high-volatility conditions?
Strategies calibrated during low-volatility periods may perform differently in high-VIX environments. Regular review of parameters against current market conditions is prudent for any systematic approach.
Has the JPY safe-haven trade changed permanently?
The Bank of Japan’s policy normalisation has introduced new dynamics, but JPY has continued to strengthen during some risk-off episodes. It may be more conditional on the nature of the shock and the BoJ’s concurrent posture.
What is the best way to set stops on energy CFDs in high-volatility conditions?
There is no universally best method. Many traders reference ATR to calibrate stop distances to prevailing conditions rather than using fixed levels. This does not guarantee exit at the desired price and does not eliminate whipsaw risk.
NVIDIA delivered a resounding answer to AI bubble concerns this morning, reporting third-quarter earnings that surpassed Wall Street expectations and signalling sustained momentum in AI infrastructure spending.
The chip giant posted adjusted earnings of $1.30 per share on revenue of $57.01 billion, beating analyst estimates of $1.26 EPS on $54.92 billion.
Revenue surged 62% year-over-year, with the critical data centre segment delivering $51.2 billion against expectations of $49 billion.
More importantly, NVIDIA projected fourth-quarter revenue of approximately $65 billion, significantly above the $61.66 billion consensus, indicating demand for AI accelerators shows no signs of cooling.
The company's next-generation Blackwell architecture is seeing unprecedented demand from cloud providers building out massive AI infrastructure. CEO Jensen Huang simply stated: "Blackwell sales are off the charts, and cloud GPUs are sold out."
NVIDIA shares had declined nearly 8% in November as prominent investors raised concerns about AI valuations. Peter Thiel's Thiel Macro completely exited its approximately $100 million position, while SoftBank divested $5.8 billion in holdings.
However, the continued capital expenditure by Big Tech customers — Microsoft alone spent nearly $35 billion in its most recent quarter, with roughly half allocated to chips — suggests the buildout phase is far from complete.
Beyond data centres, NVIDIA’s gaming revenue reached $4.3 billion (up 30% year-over-year), professional visualisation generated $760 million (up 56%), and automotive/robotics sales hit $592 million (up 32%).
The near-term trajectory remains strong, with the company continuing to capture the lion's share of AI chip demand in a market showing no signs of saturation.
Experts Split on Bitcoin's Trajectory
Bitcoin is at a vital inflection point, trading around $92,300 after briefly dipping below $90,000 for the first time in seven months.
The pressure stems from retail selling, leveraged trading liquidations, and institutional positioning, creating an environment where experts are split as to whether this is the end of the cycle or just a healthy pullback.
Glassnode data show approximately 65,200 BTC—valued at roughly $6.08 billion—was sold at a loss within 24 hours, indicating capitulation among short-term holders who bought near recent highs.
Yet, while retail investors panic-sell, wallets holding at least 1,000 BTC have increased to 1,384, a four-month high. Over 102,000 whale transactions exceeding $100,000 and 29,000 transactions over $1 million have been made this week, potentially making this the most active whale week of 2025.
This accumulation pattern during fear-driven selloffs has historically preceded medium-term recoveries (though past performance offers no guarantees).
For now, the market remains on a knife's edge, with high volatility seemingly the only certainty.
Fed Still Faces Divide as Data Starts Flowing
The Federal Reserve stands at a crossroads heading into its December 9-10 meeting, with internal divisions threatening to derail what was considered a near-certain third consecutive rate cut.
The released minutes of the October FOMC exposed strongly differing views within the Fed about the December policy decision, with many suggesting no more cuts are needed through the end of 2025.
.png)
Complicating things further is the data pause from the recent 44-day government shutdown. The Labor Department announced that October and November employment data won't be released until December 16 — six days after the FOMC meeting concludes — depriving the Fed of crucial labor market information.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell stated that a December rate cut is "far from a foregone conclusion," and there is "a growing chorus" among officials to "at least wait a cycle" before cutting again.
This represents the highest level of internal discord during Powell's tenure, with predictions of potentially four or five dissents at the December meeting — the most since 1992.
The December meeting will reveal whether the Fed can maintain the credibility needed to navigate a U.S. economy caught between stubborn inflation and (seemingly) weak labour market.
Every data release and Fed official comment between now and then will move markets as investors search for clues about the Fed’s next move.
A market bubble occurs when asset prices rise far beyond any reasonable valuation.
It is driven by speculation, emotion, and the belief that prices will continue rising indefinitely.
For traders, the challenge is more about finding a way to manage a bubble, rather than just identifying that one exists.
By their very nature, bubbles can persist far longer than any logical analysis suggests. There are opportunities as they develop, but timing their peak is virtually impossible.
Understanding their characteristics and having a systematic way of managing bubbles in your trading strategy is worth considering for any trader.
What is a Bubble?
Market bubbles have distinct features that separate them from normal bull markets or even overvalued conditions for a particular asset:
Dramatic Price Appreciation Disconnected From Fundamentals
In a bubble, traditional valuation metrics become meaningless.
Company or asset fundamentals that usually matter to market participants are ignored in the hope of what might be.
Cash flow, profit margins, competitive positioning, and (in some cases) producing revenue may be dismissed.
Widespread Participation And "This Time Is Different" Narratives
Bubbles require mass market participation.
When every headline you see or article you read references "this time is different," or "the old rules don't apply anymore," it is a sign that the collective psychology has shifted from normal caution.
Social media may begin to explode with ever more frequent success stories, and for the individual trader, the fear of missing out becomes increasingly overwhelming.
Credit and Leverage Fuelling Demand
Bubbles are typically accompanied by easier credit conditions.
When interest rates are lowered and investors are confident in general economic conditions, any spare cash is put to work.
In stock or other market bubbles, you may see retail traders maxing out credit cards to buy call options, with the put/call ratio becoming increasingly distorted.
This leverage often amplifies the rise and the eventual fall, making the risk even more acute and potentially damaging to trader capital.
Vertical Price Charts in Final Stages
One of the telltale signs of a bubble's final phase is a parabolic price chart.
Prices seem to go up daily, and every minor pullback is short-lived (creating more buying pressure).
This is the euphoria stage. It is where the greatest danger is.
The fear of missing out on further moves is at its highest, and a logical willingness to take profit off the table diminishes in the minds of ever more excited traders.
New participants may continue to enter solely for the way the price is appreciating. Entering into the move only understanding that what they are buying is going up, so they want to join in too.
Bubble vs. Overvalued: Key Differences
Not every expensive market is a bubble. Several characteristics distinguish a bubble from a simpler and far less dangerous overvaluation:
Elevated Valuations With Reasoned Fundamental Justification
An overvalued market has stretched valuations, but can point to real supporting factors (at least to some degree).
Examples include strong earnings growth, low interest rates, disruption in service or productivity, and providing genuine temporary value.
Even if prices respond to less obvious immediate influencing factors, such as international events, policy changes, and supply issues, the fact that some factors justify continued positive sentiment (even if somewhat unfulfilled) is a positive sign.
Linear or Steady Uptrend
Overvalued markets tend to grind higher with a more sustainable trend rather than a vertical spike. There are normal corrections along the way, even if the highs and lows of a fluctuation are higher.
Reasonable Participation Levels
There is evidence of institutional investors buying on any dips, but common retracements last days or even weeks.
Retail participation exists but isn't frenzied and plastered all over social media every day or referenced in mainstream media consistently.
Some Scepticism Still Exists
There will be some legitimate and contrary opinions about valuations. Major financial media will present both bearish and bullish cases when a stock is discussed.
Trading Strategies for Potential Bubble Management
Here is the scenario: You bought early in the up move, you are now in profit, but some of the bubble signs are beginning to show up in your thinking.
Tiered Profit-Taking Strategies
Don't try to pick the top. As an alternative approach, begin to scale out systematically with partial closes. This will alleviate the potential for FOMO creeping in.
You could stage this with set points, e.g. sell 30% when you've doubled, another 30% when you've tripled, 20% when conditions clearly show evidence of entering bubble territory and, having banked a substantial profit already, you keep the final 20% with a trailing stop for the final run if it happens.
Trailing Stops With Wider Bands to Accommodate Volatility
Let’s assume you see the merit in some form of trial stop. In bubble conditions, normal stop distances will get you whipsawed out. Use percentage-based trailing stops or ATR multiples with enough room to accommodate bigger intraday moves.
For example, if your norm is to trail your stop 1.5 x ATR behind price at the end of every candle, then in increasingly volatile conditions during a parabolic move, consider 2,5 x ATR to allow room to move while still offering protection against price collapse.
Reduce Position Sizing and Leverage
The temptation in bubbles is to maximise gains by increasing your margin and entering more and more positions in one asset.
High leverage and significant single asset exposure in bubble conditions is a potential death sentence to trading capital.
Recognising the added risks you are contemplating before entry is critical. Combining this with an approach that reduces position sizing and increases margin requirements is consistent with good trading practice as risk increases.
Planned and Rigid Exits
Before buying, you should have already made decisions on what exit approaches you should take and the parameters at which they will be executed,
Having the exit plan as you enter can limit the chance of getting trapped by greed. Neglecting this and focusing on the opportunity alone can be disastrous.
Never Assume You Can Time the Top
It is usually a big mistake if you believe you will recognise the exact top and exit perfectly. Let’s be frank, even if you hit it lucky once, you won't be able to every time — no one does.
Recognise Behavioural Biases That May Affect Your Judgment
Bubbles can create powerful psychological forces.
Anchoring bias may mean that you fixate on peak prices. Confirmation bias makes you seek information supporting your bullish view and ignore opposing evidence. Recency bias makes you believe the recent trend will continue indefinitely.
The indisputable key to any bias management is awareness and honesty that some markets may just not be for you (or if they are, to proceed with extreme and continuous caution).
Psychological Preparation for Rapid Reversals
Mentally rehearse the worst scenario and clarity of planned action, e.g., “if it drops 10% in three days, I will ….”.
Having thought through your response and armed with unambiguous exits in advance will make execution easier when emotions run high and begin to dominate.
Final Thoughts
Extreme valuations, little fundamental underpinning, parabolic price action, and universal bullishness should be part of your bubble identification checklist and flag that your bubble action plan should be implemented.
If you are already in, or tempted to be so, then approach bubbles with honesty, awareness of your trading self and extraordinary discipline to follow through, as predicting what and when things may dramatically turn is close to impossible.
Never forget you are not smarter than the market, but you can (potentially) be smarter than many traders by planning and doing the right thing.
Last week brought some relief as markets found support following the retreat from record highs... with the recent crypto crash being a notable exception.
Bitcoin Breaks Below $100K
Crypto markets are under significant pressure after Bitcoin crashed through the psychological $100,000 level. Currently trading around $94,650, Bitcoin has fallen to its lowest point since May. The $94,000 level appears critical; if it fails, we could see Bitcoin slip back into the $80,000 range and potentially enter bear market territory.
Fed Minutes and Rate Cut Signals
The Federal Reserve minutes are due this week, and they could provide crucial insight into the timing of rate cuts in 2026. Markets have already priced in a likely December cut, but the January 2026 cut that was initially expected may be in jeopardy. Pay attention to the Fed speakers scheduled throughout the week—their comments could help clarify the path forward on monetary policy.
Strong Earnings Season Winds Down
We're in the final stretch of what's been an exceptionally strong earnings season, with 82% of companies beating EPS expectations and 76% surpassing revenue forecasts. This week features some heavyweight reports, most notably Nvidia reporting Wednesday after the bell. Major retailers Target and Walmart will cap things off, giving us a clear picture of consumer health heading into the holidays.
Market Insights
Watch Mike Smith's analysis for the week ahead in markets
Key Economic Events
Stay up to date with the upcoming economic events for the week.
The longest government shutdown in US history has finally ended after 42 long days.
After a month and a half of political theatre, seven Democrats and one independent broke ranks and voted with Republicans to pass a stopgap measure. The Senate went 60-40, the House followed 222-209, and Trump signed it hours later.
The legislation includes three-year appropriations for the Agriculture Department, FDA, military construction, veterans affairs, and congressional operations, along with restoration of pay for federal workers and reversal of Trump administration layoffs through January.
However, the most contentious issue, healthcare subsidies, has been kicked down the road to a December Senate vote.
COVID-era ACA subsidies expire at year-end. When they do, premiums for the average subsidised household will more than double from $888 to $1,904 per year, with an estimated 3.8 million people losing coverage entirely.
If the December vote fails, which is likely considering how far apart the two parties are on the topic, we could see a new shutdown begin in January.
What Happens Next?
This Week:
- Federal employees return to work.
- Paychecks start flowing again.
- SNAP benefits get restored for 42 million people, though heating assistance won't come back for weeks.
- National parks reopen.
- Airports start to go back to normal.
December:
- Senate votes on healthcare subsidies. It will probably fail.
- Premium notices continue to be sent showing 2026 costs doubling.
January 30:
- Government funding expires.
- We do this whole thing over, except now the healthcare subsidies have already expired.
- If Republicans and Democrats remain divided on budget priorities, another shutdown will likely begin.
By the Numbers:
Over the past 42 days, approximately 750,000 federal workers have been furloughed. Another two million worked without pay. Over 42 million had their food assistance delayed. And the FAA cut flights by 10% because air traffic controllers stopped showing up to work.
Further concern is the "data blackout" that has hampered Federal Reserve decision-making. Key economic indicators, including jobs reports, were suspended, leaving the Fed blind during an active rate-cutting cycle.
Meanwhile, separate analyses from Challenger, Gray & Christmas showed layoffs surged 183% in October, which would make it the worst October for jobs since 2003.
The Bottom Line
Today’s deal ended the shutdown, but it didn’t actually solve anything. The deal essentially kicks the can down the road to January while leaving the healthcare crisis unresolved.
With both parties divided on healthcare and spending priorities, and Trump lacking a comprehensive plan to address rising premiums and high deductibles, a resolution in the December vote seems unlikely.
If no compromise is accepted by the time Government funding expires on January 30, another shutdown is almost inevitable.
Impact of Australian Jobs Reports and U.S. Shutdown End on the Aussie
The decision to scale (increase the traded lot size of a specific EA) should be based on statistical evidence that indicates your EA has the potential to perform to certain expectations.
Equal weight should be given to the decision to scale, as to the initial decision to deploy an EA. This guide provides an indicative approach on how to put together and action your scaling plan.
Before You Start Your Scaling Plan
Important: this should be an individual plan that is consistent with your personal trading objectives, your EA portfolio, and your personal financial situation (including account size).
We are going to use a starting lot of 0.10 per trade in the examples in this document —you want to adjust this based on your own risk tolerance.
Whatever your chosen lot size start point, EA scaling should be a pre-planned incremental approach, scaling stepwise based on performance metrics you are seeing in your live trading account.
You should also have assessed the current margin usage of your EA portfolio exposure to ensure that any scaling and related increased margin requirements are appropriate to the size of your account.
Suggested Scaling Baseline Requirements
Scaling should only be performed when your EA is performing to what you deem to be a good standard. To make this judgment, you need to set some minimum performance standards.
The past performance of your EA is not a guarantee of future performance. If market conditions change, you must remain vigilant and continue to measure performance on an ongoing basis for every live EA you have.
You need to define the key metrics that are important to you.
Two important metrics to include are:
- The number of trades: to provide some evidence of reliability
- The period of time: to have had exposure to at least some variation in market conditions
Example of how you may lay your metrics out in a table:
Some may choose to include proximity to original expectations of other metrics, such as minimum win rate, average profit in winning trades, and average loss in those that go against you.
It should only be after your metrics are met that lot scaling begins on any specific EA.
Lot Size Scaling Ladder
Below is an example of a performance-based scaling plan assuming a 0.10-lot baseline.
Again, this is indicative. It provides a framework with clear review dates and an approach that illustrates incremental scaling. You must still define a regime that is right for your specific trading objectives.
Risk Guardrails
It is vital to keep an eye on your general account risks and have limits in place that guide your EA use.
Such limits must be constant across all stages of scaling and referenced beyond the risk of a single EA, but to your portfolio as a whole.:
Per-Trade Risk (Nominal)
Trade risk for any one trade should be seen in the context of account size and the dollar risk based on the risk parameters you have set for your EA.
Specify a maximum percentage of the account balance — a $200 loss is more impactful on a $1000 account compared to a $10,000 account.
Stick to what is right for you in terms of your tolerable risk level based on your trading objectives and financial situation. A common suggestion is a 1-2% risk of account equity per trade.
Total Open Exposure
Specifying maximum exposure in the number of EAs open at any time and those that use the same asset class is important for overall portfolio risk management.
There are tools you can use to monitor exposure risk generally, as well as those that can be used to indicate single asset exposure.
Margin Usage
It is always desirable that your set exit approaches and parameter levels are what your exits are based on. It should not be because your margin usage has meant you have moved into a margin call situation.
Specify a minimum level to adhere to and make sure that your account is sufficiently funded. If volatility or slippage rises (e.g., news events or illiquid sessions), reduce lot size temporarily.
Scaling Psychology – Managing “Big Numbers”
As lot sizes rise, your emotions may respond accordingly when you see the larger dollar amounts that your EA is generating.
If you are used to seeing an average profit of $100 and average loss of $50, and suddenly you are seeing significantly bigger numbers, it creates an emotional challenge where you may be tempted to do a “discretionary override”.
Although there are situations, such as major market events, overexposure in a specific asset, or VPS or account system problems, where such intervention may be considered, generally this would distort the actual performance evaluation of your EA and is not encouraged (unless it is pre-planned).
The table below presents some of the generally accepted challenges and offers suggestions on how to manage them.
Your Plan Into Action…
In practical terms, your scaling plan should have two components:
- The key parameters for action on your chosen key metrics
- Specified periodic review times to make your next scaling decision
This is not a race. Having systems in place facilitates creating the opportunity that scaling brings while still mitigating the risks.
Markets retreated last week, pulling back about 2.5-3% from record levels. While the decline is modest, it is marked by several headwinds that could create further pressure this week.
Government Shutdown Reaches Historic Length
The ongoing shutdown has now reached record duration, and there's still no clear resolution in sight. Healthcare remains the primary sticking point between the two sides. Some reports suggest potential progress, but the jury's still out on whether any deal will materialise or gain bipartisan support before the Thanksgiving holiday season.
Key Economic Data May Be Delayed
The shutdown's impact extends to data releases. Market-influencing government reports, including jobs numbers and CPI data, may be delayed this week — CPI is still technically scheduled, but the shutdown could affect its release. This data delay will make it harder to gauge the economy's true direction and could inject further volatility into markets.
Earnings Season Continues to Impress
Despite these macro headwinds, corporate America is delivering exceptional results. We're seeing an 82% EPS beat rate and 77% of companies exceeding revenue expectations. While we're in the final 10% of S&P 500 reports, some important retail stocks are still due. These consumer-facing companies could provide valuable insights into spending patterns and economic health.
NVIDIA Tests Critical Support Level
AI stocks are facing pressure, with NVIDIA testing a key technical level around $180-$185. The stock experienced five consecutive days of losses before bouncing strongly on Friday with a major wick rejection. If support at $180 breaks, we could see a drop to $165. However, Friday's bounce suggests a possible retest of $193. This is a crucial moment for the AI sector leader, and its direction could influence broader tech sentiment.
Market Insights
Watch the latest video from Mike Smith for the week ahead in markets.
Key economic events
Keep up to date with the upcoming economic events for the week.
