Commodity Trader's Almanac 2013: For Active Traders of Futures, Forex, Stocks, Options, and ETFs

AUGUST ALMANAC

STOCKS AND BONDS

S&P 500 has shown a tendency to see strength lasting into early September (page 138). In 2010, stocks posted typical declines in August that proved to be the launching pad for the strongest “Best Six Months” since 1998. 30-year Treasury bond prices are flat to weak but have tendencies to rally, especially when stocks take sharp nose dives.

ENERGY

Crude oil continues to stay supportive during the month of August, but beware of late month declines. Seasonally, this is one of the best five months to be long natural gas, from late July through December. Best seasonal trade is long natural gas from about July 24 (page 68). Heating Oil remains under pressure, except for a sympathy rally or reactions to strength in crude oil due to hurricane scares caused by refinery outages in the Gulf region.

METALS

Seasonally, this is still in a strong price period for gold until October. Traders should be long from our seasonal best trade (page 78). Silver follows gold's strength, seasonally speaking (page 155). Copper prices tend to continue the seasonal downturn ...