Managed Futures and FOREX

PFG's managed futures and forex divisions can help in structuring multi-manager commodity and or Forex portfolios for high net-worth individuals and institutions.

PFG also finds, analyzes and monitors emerging managers who have demonstrated an ability to generate absolute returns (performance without regard to the performance of equities or futures markets) trading futures contracts and other financial instruments for investors with as little as $5,000 to invest.. PFG can also assist emerging managers in the areas of asset raising, marketing, and operations.

Managed Spotlight: Dighton Capital

The Swiss Futures Trading Program is a combination of systematic, technical chart analysis for the US Markets, the interpretation and analysis of economic and other fundamental data and use of discretion by an experienced Advisor.
The Advisor will trade most of the liquid US futures markets llike currencies, stock indices, bond and notes, energy, corn grains and other commodities like cotton. The Advisor does not initially plan to trade foreigh futures or options contracts but reserves the right to do so at at later date.

Historical monthly performance, past performance does not guarantee futures results.
The Advisor analyses thoroughly the charts of these markets every week and monitors them then during the week. Chart analysis techniques include (but not limite to) wave analysis (Elliot Wave), W.D. Gann principles (angles), Fibonacci retracements, Time cycles, Volume, Trix Indicator, divergences and pattern analysis.

In general the Advisor tries to locate points where to buy in markets that have fallen and where to sell in markets that have risen. By this the Advisor is trying to buy when prices are low and to sell when prices are high. This approach is trend anticipating but not really counter trend. When a position is established the Advisor lets the profits run and exits when the market gets to a point where a reversal in the trend could be expected.
The manager uses money and risk management, if the market goes to some extent against an existing position, losses will be limited. The Advisor is not using fixed stop losses (i.e. as a percentage of capital) but will determine from the charts, when a position has to be exited and losses have to be realized. He will rather look at the time frame and determine in that window, if the trade id still good or has to be exited.

Click here to get performance information.

There is a risk of loss in all trading. Call 800-656-0443 and ask to speak with Paul Harmon for more detailed information or for other managed futures and forex products

Check list for Opening Accounts for Managed Products

1. New Account Forms.
   1. If Corporate account we will need corporate resolution and articles.
   2. Owns funds letter.
   3. If account is trust account all forms (account docs, POA and ddoc) must be signed by the custodian.
2. PFG’s Limited Power of Attorney. Must sign a POA for every CTA. (pages 1 and 2 must be signed by customer)
3. DDOC’s for each CTA. Must be signed by customer, we will get the CTA to sign.
4. Some CTA’s have management agreements that also need to be signed.
5. If opening more than one account with different CTA’s a second account request letter is needed.
6. Once account is open and funded we will notify the CTA that the account is ready to trade.

Benefits of Managed Futures
Managed Futures can reduce Portfolio Volatility Risk
Managed Futures can be a non correlation with traditional asset classes

Why Partner with PFG in Managed Futures

We do extensive due diligence on a continual basis for you.
Our managed products are different from the others.
We want you to be a happy client for a very long time.
We may never become the largest but we strive to be the best.

CTA Manager Profile -Managed Futures
If interested contact Peter Slaga 800-656-0443

Zephyr Asset Management
Name: Kevin MacLean
Liquidity:
Transparency:

CTA History
Zephyr Asset Management, LLC studies financial markets with the goal of developing and implementing strategies to generate better than average growth to investment portfolios. Zephyr Asset Management, LLC's trading strategies seek to be flexible enough to profit in rising markets as well as declining markets. (The potential for loss is, of course, also equal.) Additionally, Zephyr Asset Management, LLC trading strategy has the potential to perform well in both inflationary and deflationary periods (unlike stocks).

Trader's Strategy
Our strategy is based on the belief that investments in stock indexes, specifically the S&P 500, not individual stocks or sectors, hold more possibilities for growth than day trading, swing trading, trend following and "buy and hold" strategies. Our program incorporates five vital ele­ments; fundamental analysis, technical analysis, strategy, money-management and risk assessment.

Our strategy collects premium by writing (selling) op­tions on the S&P 500 Futures contract. After research and technical analysis we determine a short term (20 to 40 days) trading range for the market. We then sell calls and puts outside of the predetermined range on a monthly basis. As long as the market trades within the range the options sold can expire worthless, to the sellers advan­tage. Most often options expire at a loss to the buyer and a gain to the seller.

We offer two programs, the Aggressive and Moderate. The Aggressive Program will at times have more positions and be closer to the predetermined market range then the Moderate Program.

Forex Risk Disclosure Statement
THE RISK OF LOSS IN TRADING FOREX CAN BE SUBSTANTIAL. YOU SHOULD THEREFORE CAREFULLY CONSIDER WHETHER SUCH TRADING IS SUITABLE FOR YOU IN LIGHT OF YOUR FINANCIAL CONDITION. IN CONSIDERING WHETHER TO TRADE OR TO AUTHORIZE SOMEONE ELSE TO TRADE FOR YOU, YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE FOLLOWING:
IF YOU PURCHASE AN OPTION, YOU MAY SUSTAIN A TOTAL LOSS OF THE PREMIUM AND OF ALL TRANSACTION COSTS. IF YOU PURCHASE OR SELL CURRENCIES IN THE FOREX MARKET OR SELL AN OPTION, YOU MAY SUSTAIN A TOTAL LOSS OF THE INITIAL MARGIN FUNDS AND ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT YOU DEPOSIT WITH YOUR BROKER TO ESTABLISH OR MAINTAIN YOUR POSITION. IF THE MARKET MOVES AGAINST YOUR POSITION, YOU MAY BE CALLED UPON BY YOUR BROKER TO DEPOSIT A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL MARGIN FUNDS, ON SHORT NOTICE, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN YOUR POSITION. IF YOU DO NOT PROVIDE THE REQUIRED FUNDS WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME, YOUR POSITION MAY BE LIQUIDATED AT A LOSS AND YOU WILL BE LIABLE FOR ANY RESULTING DEFICIT IN YOUR ACCOUNT. UNDER CERTAIN MARKET CONDITIONS, YOU MAY FIND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO LIQUIDATE A POSITION. THIS CAN OCCUR, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE MARKET MAKES BECOME ILLIQUID. THE PLACEMENT OF CONTINGENT ORDERS BY YOU OR YOUR TRADING ADVISOR, SUCH AS A “STOP-LOSS: OR “STOP-LIMIT” ORDER, WILL NOT NECESSARILY LIMIT YOUR LOSSES TO THE INTENDED AMOUNTS, SINCE MARKET CONDITIONS MAY MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO EXCECUTE SUCH ORDERS. A “SPREAD” POSITION MAY NOT BE LESS RISKY THAN A SIMPLE “LONG” OR “SHORT” POSITION.
THE HIGH DEGREE OF LEVERAGE THAT IS OFTEN OBTAINABLE FOREX CAN WORK AGAINST YOU AS WELL AS FOR YOU. THE USE OF LEVERAGE CAN LEAD TO LARGE LOSSES AS WELL AS GAINS. IN SOME CASES, MANAGED ACCOUNTS ARE SUBJECT TO SUBSTANTIAL CHARGES FOR MANAGEMENT AND ADVISORY FEES. IT MAY BE NECESSARY FOR THOSE ACCOUNTS THAT ARE SUBJECT TO THESE CHARGES TO MAKE SUBSTANTIAL PROFITS TO AVOID DEPLETION OR EXHAUSTION OF THEIR ASSETS. THIS BRIEF STATEMENT CANNOT DISCLOSE ALL THE RISKS AND OTHER SIGNIFICANT ASPECTS OF THE MARKETS.
YOU SHOULD ALSO BE AWARE THAT THIS TRADING ADVISOR MAY ENGAGE IN TRANSACTIONS ON MARKETS LOCATED OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES, THESE MAY BE SUBJECT TO REGULATIONS WHICH OFFER DIFFERENT OR DIMINISHED PROTECTION. FURTHER, UNITED STATES REGULATORY AUTHORITIES MAY BE UNABLE TO COMPEL THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE RULES OF REGULATORY AUTHORITIES OR MARKETS IN NON-UNITED STATES JURISDICTIONS WHERE YOUR TRANSACTIONS MAY BE EFFECTED. BEFORE YOU TRADE YOU SHOULD INQUIRE ABOUT ANY RULES RELEVANT TO YOUR PARTICULAR CONTEMPLATED TRANSACTIONS AND ASK THE FIRM WITH WHICH YOU INTEND TO TRADE FOR DETAILS ABOUT THE TYPES OF REDRESS AVAILABLE IN BOTH YOUR LOCAL AND OTHER RELEVANT JURISDICTIONS.
THE TRADING ADVISOR IS PROHIBITED BY LAW FROM ACCEPTING FUNDS IN THE TRADING ADVISOR’S NAME FROM A CLIENT FOR TRADING. YOU MUST PLACE ALL FUNDS FOR TRADING IN THIS TRADING PROGRAM DIRECTLY WITH A FUTURES COMMISSION MERCHANT.

Managed Futures Primer:

Managed through the National Futures Association (NFA) http://www.nfa.futures.org or the CFTC www.cftc.gov Managed Futures describes a regulated industry made up of professional money managers known as Commodity Trading Advisors (CTAs) These trading advisors manage client assets on a discretionary basis using global futures markets as an investment medium. Investors interested in managed futures can invest with a CTA or a commodity pool operated by a Commodity Pool Operator (CPO). A commodity pool is a Limited Partnership in which the funds invested are allocated to one or more CTA's.CTA's and CPOs are required by the CFTC to provide a Disclosure Document to all potential investors. A Disclosure Document includes the background and experience of the CTAs, CPOs and their principals, track records of past performance, a description of the trading strategy, markets traded and risk control measures, as well as fees and compensation.CTAs and CPOs must report their actual performance records for the previous five years. If a CTA has no past performance or is using a hypothetical performance, this fact also must be disclosed. CPOs also must include the past performance of all the commodity pools that the CPO has operated in the previous five years and the performance of the pool's chosen CTAs. Past Performance is no guarantee of future performance; track records and background checks on the principals should be performed prior to investment. PFG will gladly help you get the necessary background information and disclosure documents to assist you in your investment decision. We perform additional due diligence by searching the universe of Managed Futures products available and finding the ones that meet appropriate past performance measures.There are some important tools that help investors in evaluating risk in a managed futures product. Standard Deviation is the measure of investments past volatility. If an investment has a small standard deviation then the swings in equity have been small and the converse holds true if standard deviation has been large. Largest Cumulative Decline or Maximum Drawdown (peak to valley) identifies the worst-case scenario for a managed futures investment over its track record.Sharpe Ratio is the rate of return adjusted for risk. Sterling Ratio compares the rate of return with the worst-case loss.There is a risk of loss in all trading that is why we encourage you to work with us at PFG in determining if there is an appropriate managed futures product for you. For more information contact me at 800.656.0443 or jps@west.net

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Managed Futures as an Asset Class

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