What we blog about
The CMC Markets Blog is where you get access to free expertise from all three members of CMC Markets’ award-winning Education team – David Land, Ric Spooner and Michael McCarthy. From time to time, guest bloggers will enliven the commentary with additional insights.
Our bloggers scan the markets and respond to events in the market as they happen, including:
• market commentary
• chart setups
• price movements
• background and insights
Our core bloggers
David Land, Head of Analysis and Education, CMC Markets Pty Ltd, Sydney
David, with a Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie Applied Finance Centre, is the author of the definitive book on CFDs, CFDs For Dummies. He has worked in the financial markets for over a decade, starting out with a Sydney-based stockbroker before joining Colonial and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. He then developed and expanded the Investor Education unit with the Australian Securities Exchange.
At CMC Markets, David writes analytical and commentary reports, and provides trading education to clients. He also lectures for Kaplan Professional, and regularly appears in print and broadcast media in Australia, New Zealand and Asia.
“I am particularly interested in short-term trading of equity, FX and commodity markets. I am very keen on both fundamental and technical methods, but reserve a special interest for portfolio and risk-management techniques which I believe can give traders the greatest edge in any financial market that they trade. By looking for opportunities both on the long and the short side across different markets and asset classes, it is possible to develop short-term portfolios that are not nearly as exposed to daily fluctuations as most traders are used to.
“I think having a good understanding of our individual psychology can make a huge difference to a trader’s time in the market. Once we realise that the mistakes we make are common across nearly all traders it becomes much easier to address the issues.”
Michael McCarthy, Chief Market Strategist, CMC Markets Pty Ltd, Sydney
After nearly 30 years in financial markets, Michael is now with CMC Markets. He is responsible for global and local market analysis and the formulation of trading strategies, and also plays a key role in education for CMC Markets. Previously he held the position of Head of Dealing Asia Pacific with City Index, overseeing global market risk while leading research and education strategies. He has also been a Director of Derivative Trading at ABN Amro Australia and Vice President of Equity Derivatives at Citigroup, holding positions including option market maker, money market dealer and foreign exchange arbitrager. Michael holds a Masters Degree in Applied Finance from Macquarie University in Sydney.
“I like to think of my particular areas of expertise as being equity trading, derivative trading and trader education, but the truth is I never stop thinking about the markets and market action.
“I’m the sort of person who follows the US markets on a Saturday morning. I am lucky enough to have worked across a range of products, including FX, interest rates, shares and commodities, and I get a real kick out of the interaction between markets and the interplay across asset classes.”
Ric Spooner, Chief Market Analyst, CMC Markets Pty Ltd, Sydney
Ric holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Macquarie University in Sydney, and a Certificate of Financial Planning from Finsia, the Financial Services Institute of Australasia. He has more than 30 years of working in financial markets under his belt. Before joining CMC Markets he was a successful private trader, managed the futures broking businesses of JB Were and Elders Finance for around ten years, and was Managing Director of the Sydney Futures Exchange Clearing House for eight. He was also a non-executive director of Sydney Futures Exchange, and served as its Deputy Chairman.
“I have always been intensely interested in markets, and consider myself fortunate to have had wide experience across asset classes, particularly commodities, foreign exchange and debt markets. I’ve had wide experience with different market users ranging from institutional, proprietary traders, commodity hedgers and private traders, which has taught me that well thought out and consistently applied strategy is the key to achieving trading goals.
“I have a fascination for both fundamental and technical analysis of markets, and I believe that both can be effective – either separately or in combination when applied with good strategies. The eight years I spent as Managing Director of the Sydney Futures Exchange Clearing House impressed on me how essential it is to use sensible risk management when dealing in markets.”
