Traditional investment advisors point investors to the bond market to generate income, yet that is a dangerous undertaking in these markets. Master trader, Darek Zelek joins Merlin for a look at how he uses options to grow his portfolios and generate the desired rate of return he is looking for. The duo look at several examples of options trades on assets like Oil and Gold.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD hovers around 1.1700, US Jobless Claims data eyed
EUR/USD is trading in a range around 1.1700 in European trading on Thursday. The pair's upside remains capped by a pause in the US Dollar decline, led by the less hawkish Fed outcome. Markets await the release of the US weekly Initial Jobless Claims report for further trading incentives.
GBP/USD struggles below 1.3400 ahead of US employment data
GBP/USD stays defensive below 1.3400 in the European session on Thursday, pressured by a modest US Dollar upswing. Nonetheless, the potential downside might be limited after the US Federal Reserve delivered a rate cut at its December policy meeting. Traders brace for the US weekly Initial Jobless Claims report due later in the day.
Japanese Yen extends intraday slide; USD/JPY retakes 156.00 amid modest USD recovery
The Japanese Yen extends its steady intraday descent against a broadly rebounding US Dollar and slides to a fresh daily low heading into the European session on Thursday. Exacerbated concerns about Japan's public finances on the back of expanded fiscal spending under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration turn out to be a key factor acting as a headwind for the JPY.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD hovers around 1.1700, US Jobless Claims data eyed
EUR/USD is trading in a range around 1.1700 in European trading on Thursday. The pair's upside remains capped by a pause in the US Dollar decline, led by the less hawkish Fed outcome. Markets await the release of the US weekly Initial Jobless Claims report for further trading incentives.
GBP/USD struggles below 1.3400 ahead of US employment data
GBP/USD stays defensive below 1.3400 in the European session on Thursday, pressured by a modest US Dollar upswing. Nonetheless, the potential downside might be limited after the US Federal Reserve delivered a rate cut at its December policy meeting. Traders brace for the US weekly Initial Jobless Claims report due later in the day.
Gold bounces off $4,200 neighborhood, down a little amid mixed fundamental cues
Gold recovers slightly from the vicinity of the $4,200 mark, though it sticks to its negative bias through the first half of the European session. The US Dollar attracts some buyers and recovers a part of the previous day's post-FOMC slump to its lowest level since October 24. This fails to assist the commodity in capitalizing on its modest intraday uptick to the weekly high.
Solana dips as hawkish Fed cuts dampen market sentiment
Solana price is trading below $130 on Thursday, after being rejected at the upper boundary of its falling wedge pattern. The broader market weakness following the Federal Reserve’s hawkish rate cut has added to downside momentum.
Fed projects only 50 bps of additional rate cuts between 2026 and 2027; lifts GDP forecasts
The Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) latest dot plot, released on Wednesday, indicates that interest rates will average 3.4% by the end of 2026, in line with the September projection.
RECOMMENDED LESSONS
Making money in forex is easy if you know how the bankers trade!
I’m often mystified in my educational forex articles why so many traders struggle to make consistent money out of forex trading. The answer has more to do with what they don’t know than what they do know. After working in investment banks for 20 years many of which were as a Chief trader its second knowledge how to extract cash out of the market.
5 Forex News Events You Need To Know
In the fast moving world of currency markets where huge moves can seemingly come from nowhere, it is extremely important for new traders to learn about the various economic indicators and forex news events and releases that shape the markets. Indeed, quickly getting a handle on which data to look out for, what it means, and how to trade it can see new traders quickly become far more profitable and sets up the road to long term success.
Top 10 Chart Patterns Every Trader Should Know
Chart patterns are one of the most effective trading tools for a trader. They are pure price-action, and form on the basis of underlying buying and selling pressure. Chart patterns have a proven track-record, and traders use them to identify continuation or reversal signals, to open positions and identify price targets.
7 Ways to Avoid Forex Scams
The forex industry is recently seeing more and more scams. Here are 7 ways to avoid losing your money in such scams: Forex scams are becoming frequent. Michael Greenberg reports on luxurious expenses, including a submarine bought from the money taken from forex traders. Here’s another report of a forex fraud. So, how can we avoid falling in such forex scams?
What Are the 10 Fatal Mistakes Traders Make
Trading is exciting. Trading is hard. Trading is extremely hard. Some say that it takes more than 10,000 hours to master. Others believe that trading is the way to quick riches. They might be both wrong. What is important to know that no matter how experienced you are, mistakes will be part of the trading process.
The challenge: Timing the market and trader psychology
Successful trading often comes down to timing – entering and exiting trades at the right moments. Yet timing the market is notoriously difficult, largely because human psychology can derail even the best plans. Two powerful emotions in particular – fear and greed – tend to drive trading decisions off course.