Futures For You  |  SEP 2009

Futures For You by Carley Garner

Futures For You by Carley Garner AS AN INDEPENDENT TRADER I am currently trading with my own money on futures (commodities, indexes, interest rates, currencies, for about 10 years) and would like to start trading with larger accounts. My performance over the last year is a Sharpe ratio of 2.75. What steps should I take to find funds that could be interested in using me as an independent trader? —Michel in Belgium If you feel as though your futures and option trading ability may be attractive to investors who don’t have the time or the skills to trade their own account, you may want to consider becoming a Commodity Trading Advisor (Cta). Registering with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (Cftc), along with becoming a National Futures Association (Nfa) member, gives you the ability to manage money for US clients on a fee basis. If your intention isn’t to accept US clients, Nfa and Cftc registration isn’t necessary, but it is recommended if you are trading on US exchanges. I am unfamiliar with any regulatory obligations in Belgium, but you would certainly want to ensure that you are operating within the rules.

by Carley Garner