When did you learn how markets work?

Hi,

Have you guys been interested in markets long before you joined trading? I have never taken into consideration to become a trader as my mathematical horizon is probably way to limited but I’ve always admired that traders seem to have this holistic understanding of how markets work and how things are correlated. I wonder, as there are many traders with a CS or Math/Physics background, if that is something you can learn on the job or do these people generally possess this knowledge already. When I open the WSJ or any other newspaper I don’t even know where to start and it feels just foggy.

11 Comments
 

I learned about trading after graduating high school and joining the Navy and after boot camp graduation, my buddy back home told me about penny stocks... I was intrigued. Used my bonus money from the military and lost 300 bucks and thought the market was rigged. My dad gave me 500 and lost his money and I felt terrible. So I joined a prop firm, putting down my own money and lost about 5 grand. Eventually got a job at Vanguard in back office then moved around to other shit hole back office jobs then took my years to break into middle office then I got lucky and moved into trading at a bank and now I'm trading for a shop in CT. Never give up...

 

Maybe try reading Trading and Exchanges: Market Microstructure for Practitioners by Larry Harris. It's a bit outdated (2002) but I'm reading it right now and it's very helpful for understanding market structure.

 

I am not surprised you feel overwhelmed trying to keep up with all the markets... What interests you? What do you do now? What is your background?

I work on a prop trading commodity desk, but have a non-traditional background than the rest of the team. I moved into a commercial optimisation (gas storage and retail demand hedging) role after spending 5 years in analytical roles (where I learned the required maths/programming on the job), then progressed into trading. This was never really a career goal but as my performance/skills/interest continued to improve I was keen to take it to its natural conclusion.

 

learn? i still have no clue

You killed the Greece spread goes up, spread goes down, from Wall Street they all play like a freak, Goldman Sachs 'o beat.
 
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just google it...you're welcome

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