Richard Dale
Norgate Data
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Cheap
Dump it Here
- Thread starter Skate
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Express Freely, Respect All
In this thread, what truly matters is expressing your views freely while respecting everyone’s diverse experiences. It’s the effort we put into our posts that keeps any thread alive.
With (AI) and machine learning becoming more adaptable, traders might consider incorporating these technologies into their strategies to understand their impact better.
In essence, adaptability isn’t just about changing strategies but also altering our mindset to embrace new ideas.
Skate.
In this thread, what truly matters is expressing your views freely while respecting everyone’s diverse experiences. It’s the effort we put into our posts that keeps any thread alive.
With (AI) and machine learning becoming more adaptable, traders might consider incorporating these technologies into their strategies to understand their impact better.
In essence, adaptability isn’t just about changing strategies but also altering our mindset to embrace new ideas.
Skate.
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2025 - A New Journey Begins
Every day, new members join our community, seeking guidance on how to start trading. Navigating the markets can be daunting. This series of posts is designed to point you in the right direction, offering insights for beginners. Each of us has unique experiences that can inspire new ideas or help avoid common pitfalls. Sharing accumulated knowledge might just be pivotal for someone else’s success.
Here’s what you can expect
1. Start with a Plan: Define your trading goals and risk tolerance.
2. Learn the Basics: Understand market mechanics, terminology, and analysis types.
3. Practice: Use a demo account to get hands-on experience without financial risk.
4. Embrace the Learning Curve: Trading isn’t easy, but every mistake is a lesson.
Summary
Keeping it to a simple 10-step plan will give an understanding of mechanical system trading. These posts will be spread over days and weeks, continuing if there's interest. Sharing your journey helps others, and that's the ambition of this thread.
Skate.
Every day, new members join our community, seeking guidance on how to start trading. Navigating the markets can be daunting. This series of posts is designed to point you in the right direction, offering insights for beginners. Each of us has unique experiences that can inspire new ideas or help avoid common pitfalls. Sharing accumulated knowledge might just be pivotal for someone else’s success.
Here’s what you can expect
1. Start with a Plan: Define your trading goals and risk tolerance.
2. Learn the Basics: Understand market mechanics, terminology, and analysis types.
3. Practice: Use a demo account to get hands-on experience without financial risk.
4. Embrace the Learning Curve: Trading isn’t easy, but every mistake is a lesson.
Summary
Keeping it to a simple 10-step plan will give an understanding of mechanical system trading. These posts will be spread over days and weeks, continuing if there's interest. Sharing your journey helps others, and that's the ambition of this thread.
Skate.
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# 1: The Art of Trading
It pays to remember that this series of posts is just the beginning, as trading transcends mere words and numbers - it’s an art form that requires a blend of skills and mindset. Understanding market psychology, timing, and strategy is crucial for success.
Here’s what every trader needs to know
1. Patience: Wait for the right opportunity - the market moves at its own pace.
2. Discipline: Stick to your plan - emotions are the trader’s worst enemy.
3. Education: Markets evolve, so must you. "Learn continually".
4. Risk Management: It’s not about how much you win but how much you don’t lose.
5. Adaptability: Markets change - your strategies should too.
Summary
Exploring these principles can shape your trading philosophy and practice.
Skate.
It pays to remember that this series of posts is just the beginning, as trading transcends mere words and numbers - it’s an art form that requires a blend of skills and mindset. Understanding market psychology, timing, and strategy is crucial for success.
Here’s what every trader needs to know
1. Patience: Wait for the right opportunity - the market moves at its own pace.
2. Discipline: Stick to your plan - emotions are the trader’s worst enemy.
3. Education: Markets evolve, so must you. "Learn continually".
4. Risk Management: It’s not about how much you win but how much you don’t lose.
5. Adaptability: Markets change - your strategies should too.
Summary
Exploring these principles can shape your trading philosophy and practice.
Skate.
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# 1. Follow-up - Sub-Posts
Continuing our journey into the art of trading, let’s delve into some essential sub-topics that will help you refine your trading strategy:
# 1a. Defining Goals
What’s your aim? Momentum trading catches the big moves, while mean reversion bets on a return to the mean after extremes. Clearly defining your goals will shape your trading approach.
# 1b. Entry Rules
Look for clear signs. A breakout above resistance, a moving average crossover, or a high over several days or weeks could be your entry ticket. Establishing solid entry rules helps you capitalise on opportunities.
# 1c. Exit Rules
Knowing when to leave the party - "is where the money is made". Set profit stop targets or use trailing stops to lock in gains or cut losses. Having defined exit rules ensures you protect your profits and minimise losses.
# 1d. Stop-Loss Strategy
Protect your capital. A stop-loss below key support or a percentage drop can save you from major downturns. Implementing a robust stop-loss strategy is crucial for risk management.
In the next post
I’ll explore "The Power of Backtesting". Understanding how to backtest your strategies can provide valuable insights and improve your trading performance.
Skate.
Continuing our journey into the art of trading, let’s delve into some essential sub-topics that will help you refine your trading strategy:
# 1a. Defining Goals
What’s your aim? Momentum trading catches the big moves, while mean reversion bets on a return to the mean after extremes. Clearly defining your goals will shape your trading approach.
# 1b. Entry Rules
Look for clear signs. A breakout above resistance, a moving average crossover, or a high over several days or weeks could be your entry ticket. Establishing solid entry rules helps you capitalise on opportunities.
# 1c. Exit Rules
Knowing when to leave the party - "is where the money is made". Set profit stop targets or use trailing stops to lock in gains or cut losses. Having defined exit rules ensures you protect your profits and minimise losses.
# 1d. Stop-Loss Strategy
Protect your capital. A stop-loss below key support or a percentage drop can save you from major downturns. Implementing a robust stop-loss strategy is crucial for risk management.
In the next post
I’ll explore "The Power of Backtesting". Understanding how to backtest your strategies can provide valuable insights and improve your trading performance.
Skate.
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Good afternoon Professor and a Happy New Year to you and your trading strategies
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Trading Basics
While I had planned to post the 10 basics as insights for beginners interested in system trading, the realisation that rehashing previously covered information might not be engaging, here’s a glimpse of what those topics were going to be:
Post 1: The Art of Trading
"Trading transcends more than mere words and numbers - it’s an art form that requires a blend of skills and mindset."
Post 2: The Power of Backtesting
"Backtesting your strategy gives you insights into its historical performance."
Post 3: Analysing Your Strategy's Performance
"Metrics matter in understanding your strategy's effectiveness."
Post 4: Optimise for Excellence
"Optimization can turn a good strategy into a great one."
Post 5: Refine and Perfect
"Refinement is an ongoing process to enhance performance."
Post 6: Mastering Risk Management
"Control the chaos with robust risk management."
Post 7: Adapt or Perish
"Markets change, and so should your strategy."
Post 8: Understanding Breakouts
"Breakouts are key to trend trading."
Post 9: The Breakout Toolkit
"Learn various tools for identifying and trading breakouts."
Post 10: Beyond the Breakout
"Mastering when to hold and when to fold."
Conclusion
Instead of diving into these basics once again, I thought it might be more engaging to promote Excel's untapped potential in trading and how to unlock this powerhouse tool, which can transform raw data into a strategic trading strategy.
Skate
While I had planned to post the 10 basics as insights for beginners interested in system trading, the realisation that rehashing previously covered information might not be engaging, here’s a glimpse of what those topics were going to be:
Post 1: The Art of Trading
"Trading transcends more than mere words and numbers - it’s an art form that requires a blend of skills and mindset."
Post 2: The Power of Backtesting
"Backtesting your strategy gives you insights into its historical performance."
Post 3: Analysing Your Strategy's Performance
"Metrics matter in understanding your strategy's effectiveness."
Post 4: Optimise for Excellence
"Optimization can turn a good strategy into a great one."
Post 5: Refine and Perfect
"Refinement is an ongoing process to enhance performance."
Post 6: Mastering Risk Management
"Control the chaos with robust risk management."
Post 7: Adapt or Perish
"Markets change, and so should your strategy."
Post 8: Understanding Breakouts
"Breakouts are key to trend trading."
Post 9: The Breakout Toolkit
"Learn various tools for identifying and trading breakouts."
Post 10: Beyond the Breakout
"Mastering when to hold and when to fold."
Conclusion
Instead of diving into these basics once again, I thought it might be more engaging to promote Excel's untapped potential in trading and how to unlock this powerhouse tool, which can transform raw data into a strategic trading strategy.
Skate
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Why Microsoft Excel?
Excel is more than just a spreadsheet tool - it's a versatile platform that can handle vast amounts of data, perform complex calculations, and visualise trends. For traders, this means turning raw market data into actionable strategies.
Harnessing Spreadsheet Power for Trading Success
Have you ever wondered how to make sense of the flood of free market data? Excel might just be the unsung hero you need in your trading arsenal. You never know, this might be an evolutionary new direction that offers something more practical and tool-oriented.
Data Sourcing and Acquisition
Did you know that Excel can "Find and Import" free data to transform a basic spreadsheet tool into a powerful trading assistant? This approach delves into linking Excel formulas to search, locate, and then manipulate the free data available in abundance online to formulate a starting strategy using that data.
Cleaning and Organising Data
Excel has a multitude of functions like "Filter, Sort, Vlookup, or Index-Match" for data management all at your fingertips. These tools are essential for preparing data for analysis, a key step in any trading strategy development, aligning with topics like backtesting and strategy performance analysis.
Conclusion
Instead of rehashing old material, I've chosen to focus on a tool that can bring those trading basics to life in a practical, engaging manner.
Skate.
Excel is more than just a spreadsheet tool - it's a versatile platform that can handle vast amounts of data, perform complex calculations, and visualise trends. For traders, this means turning raw market data into actionable strategies.
Harnessing Spreadsheet Power for Trading Success
Have you ever wondered how to make sense of the flood of free market data? Excel might just be the unsung hero you need in your trading arsenal. You never know, this might be an evolutionary new direction that offers something more practical and tool-oriented.
Data Sourcing and Acquisition
Did you know that Excel can "Find and Import" free data to transform a basic spreadsheet tool into a powerful trading assistant? This approach delves into linking Excel formulas to search, locate, and then manipulate the free data available in abundance online to formulate a starting strategy using that data.
Cleaning and Organising Data
Excel has a multitude of functions like "Filter, Sort, Vlookup, or Index-Match" for data management all at your fingertips. These tools are essential for preparing data for analysis, a key step in any trading strategy development, aligning with topics like backtesting and strategy performance analysis.
Conclusion
Instead of rehashing old material, I've chosen to focus on a tool that can bring those trading basics to life in a practical, engaging manner.
Skate.
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Excel's Role in Trading Basics
I had planned not to mention specific programs but rather post in a general way, leaving the choice of tools up to the individual. If a program can do it, so can Excel. Here's how each of the same topics can be approached with an Excel focus:
The Art of Trading - Using Excel to transform data into something meaningful
Excel allows traders to visually represent complex data sets, making the "art of trading" more accessible and insightful.
The Power of Backtesting - Backtesting your strategy gives you insights into its historical performance
This can be directly applied in Excel by simulating past market conditions. With Excel, you can create models to test how strategies would have performed using historical data.
Analysing Your Strategy's Performance - Metrics matter in understanding your strategy's effectiveness
Excel is perfect for calculating these metrics with ease. Use Excel's built-in functions to compute key performance indicators like Sharpe ratio or drawdown.
Optimise for Excellence - Optimisation can turn a good strategy into a great one
Use Excel's "Solver" for this purpose. Leverage "Excel's Solver add-in" to tweak your strategy parameters for optimal performance.
Refine and Perfect - Refinement is an ongoing process to enhance performance
Excel's iterative calculation can help here. Excel's iterative capabilities allow for continuous strategy refinement through scenario analysis.
Mastering Risk Management - Control the chaos with robust risk management
Excel can calculate risk metrics and visualise risk-reward scenarios. Create risk models in Excel to understand the potential impact of different market conditions on your portfolio.
Adapt or Perish - Markets change, and so should your strategy
Use Excel to model how strategies perform under different market conditions. Excel can be used to simulate various market scenarios to adapt strategies dynamically.
Understanding Breakouts - Breakouts are key to trend trading
Excel can be used to detect these patterns through custom formulas. Custom formulas in Excel can help identify breakout patterns with historical or live data.
The Breakout Toolkit - Learn various tools for identifying and trading breakouts
Excel's conditional formatting can highlight these opportunities. Using "Excel's conditional formatting" to visually signal potential breakout trades.
Beyond the Breakout - Mastering when to hold and when to fold
Excel can help in setting up decision-making criteria based on data analysis. Set up decision trees or criteria in Excel to guide exit and entry points based on data-driven insights.
Conclusion
Today's posts provide a clear demonstration of transitioning from theoretical trading basics to practical applications with Excel, offering a thorough guide on how to leverage data analysis in trading. If you're keen to delve deeper, resources are widely available online for self-education on utilising Excel's potential in trading.
Skate.
I had planned not to mention specific programs but rather post in a general way, leaving the choice of tools up to the individual. If a program can do it, so can Excel. Here's how each of the same topics can be approached with an Excel focus:
The Art of Trading - Using Excel to transform data into something meaningful
Excel allows traders to visually represent complex data sets, making the "art of trading" more accessible and insightful.
The Power of Backtesting - Backtesting your strategy gives you insights into its historical performance
This can be directly applied in Excel by simulating past market conditions. With Excel, you can create models to test how strategies would have performed using historical data.
Analysing Your Strategy's Performance - Metrics matter in understanding your strategy's effectiveness
Excel is perfect for calculating these metrics with ease. Use Excel's built-in functions to compute key performance indicators like Sharpe ratio or drawdown.
Optimise for Excellence - Optimisation can turn a good strategy into a great one
Use Excel's "Solver" for this purpose. Leverage "Excel's Solver add-in" to tweak your strategy parameters for optimal performance.
Refine and Perfect - Refinement is an ongoing process to enhance performance
Excel's iterative calculation can help here. Excel's iterative capabilities allow for continuous strategy refinement through scenario analysis.
Mastering Risk Management - Control the chaos with robust risk management
Excel can calculate risk metrics and visualise risk-reward scenarios. Create risk models in Excel to understand the potential impact of different market conditions on your portfolio.
Adapt or Perish - Markets change, and so should your strategy
Use Excel to model how strategies perform under different market conditions. Excel can be used to simulate various market scenarios to adapt strategies dynamically.
Understanding Breakouts - Breakouts are key to trend trading
Excel can be used to detect these patterns through custom formulas. Custom formulas in Excel can help identify breakout patterns with historical or live data.
The Breakout Toolkit - Learn various tools for identifying and trading breakouts
Excel's conditional formatting can highlight these opportunities. Using "Excel's conditional formatting" to visually signal potential breakout trades.
Beyond the Breakout - Mastering when to hold and when to fold
Excel can help in setting up decision-making criteria based on data analysis. Set up decision trees or criteria in Excel to guide exit and entry points based on data-driven insights.
Conclusion
Today's posts provide a clear demonstration of transitioning from theoretical trading basics to practical applications with Excel, offering a thorough guide on how to leverage data analysis in trading. If you're keen to delve deeper, resources are widely available online for self-education on utilising Excel's potential in trading.
Skate.
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Over-posting
I fully understand that over-posting can lead to issues like information overload and possibly annoying some members, which is something we all want to avoid for a harmonious forum experience in 2025.
Hopping off the Soapbox
Skate.
I fully understand that over-posting can lead to issues like information overload and possibly annoying some members, which is something we all want to avoid for a harmonious forum experience in 2025.
Hopping off the Soapbox
Skate.
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one thing new entrants into trading ( not so important to investors )
is the reliability and robustness of your equipment and software
despite not buying/selling anything in the last week
i had several incidences that might have wrecked my trading activity
A. the laptop went rogue ( had to do a hard reboot ) that is several minutes down that could have been pivotal
B. internet connectivity was sluggish AND intermittent ( very inconvenient if relying on news feeds and live charts )
C. the wireless mouse went crazy ( and was replaced , luckily i keep spares packed away )
and what might impact you is the accuracy of the data you are getting ( i did get glimpses of stale data last week
please double-check and assess these things BEFORE you start putting cash into the market ( very useful to watch for when learning with demo accounts )
now sure i had a back-up laptop ( but turned off at the time and back up mice and batteries .. and a smug phone if really desperate to transact ) but that connectivity can be a tough one to evade ( twin internet providers , perhaps ? )
good luck
Garpal Gumnut
Ross Island Hotel
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Thanks @Skate. Even though I’m not a systems trader and don’t use excel I find your posts interesting, engaging and valuable. Just keep on doing what you do.
gg
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Richard Dale
Norgate Data
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Since this is a "dump it here" topic - I am also going to dump.
I have been reliably informed by my staff that a member of this site, and quite likely a participant in this thread, has been tring to take advantage of Norgate Data, by undertaking multiple "free trials" of survivorship-bias free ASX data using various identities and using various VPNs to attempt to hide his identity.
If you do not cease and desist, I will provide further evidence to this forum of your activities to try and deceptively obtain services that you are clearly unwilling to pay for.
This is your first and final warning.
You are on notice.
If you actually decide to pay, I will remove this post.
I have been reliably informed by my staff that a member of this site, and quite likely a participant in this thread, has been tring to take advantage of Norgate Data, by undertaking multiple "free trials" of survivorship-bias free ASX data using various identities and using various VPNs to attempt to hide his identity.
If you do not cease and desist, I will provide further evidence to this forum of your activities to try and deceptively obtain services that you are clearly unwilling to pay for.
This is your first and final warning.
You are on notice.
If you actually decide to pay, I will remove this post.
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@Richard Dale, I understand your concern regarding using multiple free trials. I had previously used my free trial and exhausted my allowance, which led me to seek another trial. I wasn't aware that doing so under different identities or through VPNs was against your policy.
Skate.
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@Richard Dale, I've now noted the 3 changes made to your website regarding:
#1. "and no further trials are available for that market."
#2. "Unauthorised repeat trials of the same service will be detected and cancelled."
#3. "Misleading/deceptive/temporary identities will be banned."
New Terms
I understand the concern you've raised. I had genuinely exhausted my initial trial and was not aware that seeking additional trials in this manner was against your policy.
I've now reviewed the "updates to your terms" on the website and commit to following them.
Skate.
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@Richard Dale, I understand your frustration and the confrontational tone in your message. I genuinely didn't mean to cause any trouble. I will stop using the trial service to resolve this issue.
Skate.
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@Garpal Gumnut, it's never too late to explore alternative data feeds or gather more insights on companies you're interested in. "Market Index" is a fantastic resource for this. With a free membership, they send you an updated email each morning before the markets open, along with a free Excel Workbook containing the full Market Updates. They only ask that you don't share this Workbook.
Hyperlinks
Australia's most loved source of stock market information. In-depth insights on over 2,300 listed companies, ETFs, and more:
Market Index
Today's wrap:
Morning Wrap: ASX 200 to Rise, S&P 500 Bounces on Tech Strength
[Sample Preview]
The link in the caption below is a sample from the 20th December 2024 as a preview:
ASX Workbook Preview
The Excel workbook is free to members
Basic Excel knowledge is necessary, and unfortunately, they can't offer support due to the time it takes to prepare and update their workbook. They do encourage you to invite friends to join Market Index for free. You can view the workbook online or download it, and you're free to edit or modify it, but you must keep the Market Index header (row 1) intact.
Skate.
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The possibilities are endless
When you download the "Market Index Workbook," the amount of free data available is truly mind-boggling. If you're interested, I can provide a sample spreadsheet with formulas that link to the downloaded workbook. To maintain the format, it's as simple as removing the date suffix from the workbook name:
Downloaded name
asx-workbook-20250103.xlsx
Renamed (removed the date suffix)
asx-workbook.xlsx
If you're interested
The formulas to follow. All you need is a free membership to "Market Index" and Microsoft Excel installed on your computer.
# Formulas in the next post
Skate.
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