We identify five of the most important fundamental indicators to monitor for futures traders, explain why each matters, and highlight their relevance to the trading of assets like commodities and index futures.

In this guide, we explore how to construct a trading plan that actually works in practice. The most effective plans emphasize simplicity, repeatability, and reviewability as core principles.

Both futures and options are widely used for hedging and speculation, but the right choice depends on your trading objectives. Futures lock in prices and provide straightforward, linear exposure, but they also leave traders fully exposed to market swings. Options offer asymmetric protection, capping downside risk in exchange for an upfront premium, though with added complexity. In this guide, we break it all down.