Top Traders Unplugged

In this Year End Review, we discuss the major events and unexpected market trends in 2014 as well as the major Swiss Franc move at the start of 2015. Scot Billington discusses his firm’s performance what they learned from their losses and gains, and how they evolved their models. He also talks about why they were able to keep losses low in 2014.-----50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HEREIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:An overview of what happened in 2014 and where they made money.Which factors contributed to profits in 2014 and which factors were the laggards.Dissecting the market effect of sliding oil prices in 2nd half of 2014 and the “un-pegging” of the Swiss Franc to the Euro.Evolving perspectives on risk management in response to events of 2014.Deconstructing the Optimal Program and how to mitigate risk in higher leverage environments.Actions taken to keep a typical program or an Optimal Program from going to zero.Changes in client perspectives of a CTA strategy no one predicted would do so well a year ago.What Scot Billington would wish for in 2015.-----Resources & Links Mentioned in this Episode:Listen to 2 hour-long episodes of Scot on this podcast here and here.Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.comAnd please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.Follow Scot Billington on Twitter.Copyright © 2025 – CMC AG – All Rights...

21 Jan 201544min

Peter Kambolin comes from the short term CTA space, and thus has a different perspective than some of our previous guests for our Year in Review theme this month. He discusses how the events in Crimea and Russia shaped markets, how divergence played a role, and how his firm made small changes to models and even added a new product line in 2014.-----50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HEREIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:How the year went for Peter and his two different strategies that his firm trades.Why it was a challenging year for mean-reversion type strategies.What markets did well in his portfolio.What he learned from 2014 and what he would do differently.The minor adjustment they made to the model in October.How they adjusted or reacted to world events in 2014.Why they don’t trade certain markets because most trades are not made by humans.What would divergence do for his trading models.How they improved their backtesting in 2014.How to avoid an inflow of capital that will only leave a year or two later.-----Resources & Links Mentioned in this Episode:Listen to 2 hour-long episodes with Peter on this podcast here and here.Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.comAnd please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.Follow Peter Kambolin on LinkedIn.Copyright © 2025 – CMC AG – All Rights...

20 Jan 201537min

How do clients understand a trading strategy so that they stick by the firm in hard times? How do investors make sense of when things go well for the CTA industry. We dive into these questions and more on this next episode, a year-in-review from Anders Lindell of IPM.-----50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HEREIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:Why 2014 was a model-proving year for IPM.How relative bond trading worked so well for his firm.How the world events of 2014 affect how much risk people take on in general.Why his models got the Russian Ruble wrong.Anders’ new role within IPM that was a highlight for him during last year.How conversations with investors changed over the year.How Anders thinks about divergence in context with the market’s past history.How he makes sure that clients know what they are buying into.Why he wants a normalization from the central banks.-----Resources & Links Mentioned in this Episode:Listen to 2 hour-long conversations with Anders on this podcast here and here.Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.comAnd please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.Follow Anders Lindell on Linkedin.Copyright © 2025 – CMC AG – All Rights Reserved----PLUS: Whenever you're ready... here are 3 ways I can help you in your investment Journey:1....

19 Jan 201528min

Bastian Bolesta reviews 2014 and details the ups and downs of the year for his firm and the managed futures industry as a whole. In this episode, he discusses the start to the year that he wants to forget, the return of seemingly normal volatility, and the profitable 4th quarter.-----50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HEREIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:How the first half of 2014 was a continuation of 2013 for Deep Field Capital.How the “fellows” in their trading program evolved during the year.What markets contributed to their growth.What markets they lost in during 2014.The automated system they use to choose what markets they trade.How the markets started to behave in a more “normal” way in the second part of 2014.What his highlight was for the year.Why to be careful of accepting assets that are chasing past performance.-----Resources & Links Mentioned in this Episode:For more of Bastian, listen to 2 hour-long episodes with him here and here.Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.comAnd please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.Follow Bastian Bolesta on Linkedin.Copyright © 2025 – CMC AG – All Rights Reserved----PLUS: Whenever you're ready... here are 3 ways I can help you in your investment Journey:1. eBooks that cover key topics...

16 Jan 201534min

Our next Year-in-Review conversation comes from a manager who considers 2014 to have been a disappointing year for his firm. As a trend follower in the currency markets, Chris has unique insights into what shaped 2014 and how the next couple of years look for his industry. He also shares the importance of having discipline and sticking to your systematic models, which builds investor confidence.-----50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HEREIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:Why the year was a disappointment for Insch Capital.As a currency trader, how he differs from firms that trade different markets.How the carry trade has all but disappeared.How he reacted to world events in his business.Why he is very proud that Insch stayed the course over 2014.What he thinks of the emerging currencies.How his investors felt about 2014.Why he is hopeful for more divergence in the years to come.How Chris will try and avoid a repeat of the 2008-2009 inflow of capital to the industry.-----Resources & Links Mentioned in this Episode:Listen to 2 hour-long conversations with Chris Cruden on Top Traders Unplugged here and here.Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.comAnd please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.Follow Chris Cruden on Linkedin.Copyright © 2025 – CMC AG – All

15 Jan 201536min

Our next year-in-review is from a recent guest who discusses the roller coaster feel to 2014, and why it was a good year for the CTA industry. He talks about what his firm learned from 2014 and why he is very excited about this year.-----50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HEREIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:The ups and downs of 2014 from Tim’s perspective.What markets contributed most for his firm during the year.What markets he wished he did better in for 2014 and what he learned from those market shifts.The kinds of strategies they trade and what stood out as working well.What big worlds events are visualized in the markets and how they affect the strategies.How Auspice grew in 2014 and what were the drivers of that growth.What changed in their research process in 2014.Why Tim is very excited about the market environment in 2015.Why he wants to make sure investors sign up with his firm for the right reasons, not just chasing returns.What caused 2014 to be the biggest client acquisition year ever for Auspice Capital.What Auspice has planned for 2015.-----Resources & Links Mentioned in this Episode:Listen to 2 other hour-long episodes with Tim Pickering here and here.Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.comAnd please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.Follow Tim Pickering on <a href="https://ca.linkedin.com/pub/tim-pickering/11/b91/5a2" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

14 Jan 201531min

In this 2014 year-in-review, Karsten Shroeder looks at the CTA industry and give some advice on how to look at 2014 with a rational and objective eye. He also has insights into how 2015 will be for the CTA industry and how to educate more clients to the advantages of managed futures.-----50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HEREIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:How the year evolved for Amplitude and it’s strategies.How the CTA industry did in 2014 in Karsten’s opinion.What models did well last year.How hard it is to shape models and make guesses based on world events that affect the markets.What Karsten learned from 2014.How they have increased their research team.Why his firm welcomes divergence in the markets.Why educating clients is very important.What diversification can do for clients in their portfolios.Why not to use 2014 as a reference point and say that this markets new returns for CTAs.What Karsten wishes for 2015.-----Resources & Links Mentioned in this Episode:You can listen to 2 hour-long podcasts with Karsten here and here.Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.comAnd please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.Follow Karsten Schroeder on Linkedin.Copyright © 2025 – CMC AG – All Rights Reserved----PLUS: Whenever you're ready... here are 3 ways I can help you in your investment Journey:1. eBooks that cover key topics that you need to...

13 Jan 201527min

For January 2015, we will be revisiting with previous guests on the show to find out how their businesses grew and changed in 2014, and what the year was like overall for their industries.In our first Year-In-Review episode, Jason Gerlach, the first-ever guest of Top Traders Unplugged, looks at 2014 from a long-term trend following perspective.-----50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HEREIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:Why 2014 was a great year for Sunrise Capital.What markets were responsible for much of their performance in 2014.The most challenging markets for Sunrise Capital last year.About their longer-term trend following strategies.How world events shaped market changes in 2014.About the oil collapse of 2014.How volatility returned to markets last year.How long-term trend following is getting more attention than before.How to avoid 2015 becoming like 2009 for this industry.If & When to turn down clients.How divergence is the one word that may summarize the next few years.-----Resources & Links Mentioned in this Episode:Listen to 2 hour-long episodes with Jason and Niels here and here.Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.comAnd please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.Follow Jason on LinkedIn.Copyright © 2025 – CMC AG – All Rights Reserved----PLUS: Whenever you're ready... here are 3 ways I can help you in your investment Journey:1. eBooks that...

12 Jan 201541min