Holidays

I am going to be away this next week.

So I have a suggestion for you all to help each other out. Im asking each of you to help out and post either an answer or a "wrong choice" here in a comment.

You get 3 tries to get the answer right, so try twice and either write a comment to say "the answer for 25/12/07 is blah", or write "I've tried blah1 and blah2 and they were incorrect for 25/12/07". Come back a while later and you can use your third choice to select the right answer. Perhaps the first person can write what the choices are so that it makes it more obvious that you have the right day (and use the date on the Trading Matters Challenge website).

Assuming more than 1 person reads this blog we should be good ;) - Google Analytics says there are quite a few of you.

Have a good Christmas!

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 21/12/2007

The possible answers to todays question on CNBC Trading Matters Challenge are:
- Ringgit
- Won
- Yen
- Dollar
- Euro
- Dong

The answer is Ringgit.

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 20/12/2007

The possible answers to todays question on CNBC Trading Matters Challenge are:
- Baht
- Won
- Ringgit
- Dollar
- Euro
- Yen

The answer is Baht.

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 19/12/2007

The possible answers to todays question on CNBC Trading Matters Challenge are:
- Dollar
- Yen
- Euro
- Baht
- Ringgit
- Won

The answer is Yen.

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 18/12/2007

The possible answers to todays question on CNBC Trading Matters Challenge are:
- Dean Withers
- Ben Bernanke
- David Morgan
- Lindsay Fox
- Don Voelte
- Rob Elstone


The answer is Don Voelte.

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 15/12/2007

The possible answers to todays question on CNBC Trading Matters Challenge are:
- Matthew Fox
- Michael J Fox
- Rob Elstone
- Don Voelte
- Lindsay Fox
- Dean Withers


The answer is Lindsay Fox.

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 14/12/2007

The possible answers to todays question on CNBC Trading Matters Challenge are:
- Rob Elstone
- John Symonds
- Brett Godfrey
- Don Voelte
- Dean Withers
- Ben Bernanke


The answer is Rob Elstone.

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 13/12/2007

The possible answers to todays question on CNBC Trading Matters Challenge are:
- Gerry Harvey
- Ben Bernanke
- Richard Symons
- John Stewart
- Dean Withers
- David Morgan


The answer is David Morgan.

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 12/12/2007

The possible answers to todays question on CNBC Trading Matters Challenge are:
- Brett Godfrey
- Rob Elstone
- Ben Bernanke
- Gerry Harvey
- Paul Little
- Matthew Fox

The answer is Gerry Harvey.

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 9/12/2007

The possible answers to todays question on CNBC Trading Matters Challenge are:
- Bill Little
- Gerry Harvey
- Brett Godfrey
- Paul Little
- Ben Bernanke
- Don Voelte

The answer is Paul Little.

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 8/12/2007

The possible answers to todays question on CNBC Trading Matters Challenge are:
- Ben Bernanke
- John Stewart
- Lindsay Fox
- Rob Elstone
- Richard Symons
- Dean Withers

The answer is John Stewart.

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 7/12/2007

Sorry about yesterday. Thanks to Joel and anonymous for leaving the answer in comments.


The possible answers to todays question on CNBC Trading Matters Challenge are:
- John Jones
- Ben Bernanke
- John Symons
- John Smith
- Paul Little
- Gerry Harvey

The answer is John Symons.

Who is that anyway?

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 5/12/2007

Today's question seems to have changed a little, looks like we are being asked who is the CEO of Telstra.

The possible answers to todays question on CNBC Trading Matters Challenge are:
- Ben Bernanke
- Sol Trujillo
- Paul Little
- John Symons
- Michael J Fox
- Gerry Harvey

The answer is Sol Trujillo

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 4/12/2007

The possible answers to todays question on CNBC Trading Matters Challenge are:
- LKG
- LAM
- BSB
- HJH
- NCM
- JJJ

The answer is NCM

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 1/12/2007

CNBC Trading Matters (Australia) on Foxtel are running a trading competition on the ASX (The Trading Matters Challenge). The winner will receive a Maserati GranSport.

Each time you answer the "bonus answers" (daily) you get another $10,000 added to your pool.

I'm not sure what todays (1/12/2007) question is, but the possible answers are:
- HBO
- TAH
- FXJ
- NCM
- LKG
- LAM

The answer is FXJ

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 30/11/2007

CNBC Trading Matters (Australia) on Foxtel are running a trading competition on the ASX (The Trading Matters Challenge). The winner will receive a Maserati GranSport.

Each time you answer the "bonus answers" (daily) you get another $10,000 added to your pool.

I'm not sure what todays (30/11/2007) question is, but the possible answers are:
- DFK
- FXJ
- QBE
- AGK
- LAM
- TAH

The answer is DJS

What is your strategy

Do you have a strategy to win this competition? Obviously "normal" trading won't apply. Risky is better since there is nothing to lose. But what strategy to take? Go for the hope that gold or oil will skyrocket? Look at who is releasing Annual reports, AGM's etc.

Those are two of my strategies. I have a couple of acounts - I can only win once, but once is enough. However multiple accounts means that I can't put as much effort into one strategy.

Do you have any ideas? Lets share.

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 29/11/2007

CNBC Trading Matters (Australia) on Foxtel are running a trading competition on the ASX (The Trading Matters Challenge). The winner will receive a Maserati GranSport.

Each time you answer the "bonus answers" (daily) you get another $10,000 added to your pool.

I'm not sure what todays (29/11/2007) question is, but the possible answers are:
- BSL
- PLS
- MMN
- ANZ
- MMN (huh? - good thing it wasn't this)
- TAH

The answer is BSL

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 27/11/2007

CNBC Trading Matters (Australia) on Foxtel are running a trading competition on the ASX (The Trading Matters Challenge). The winner will receive a Maserati GranSport.

Each time you answer the "bonus answers" (daily) you get another $10,000 added to your pool.

I'm not sure what todays (27/11/2007) question is, but the possible answers are:
- QBE
- WAN
- NCM
- LKG
- AGK
- HBO

The answer is AGK

sorry for the delay everyone.

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 24/11/2007

CNBC Trading Matters (Australia) on Foxtel are running a trading competition on the ASX (The Trading Matters Challenge). The winner will receive a Maserati GranSport.

Each time you answer the "bonus answers" (daily) you get another $10,000 added to your pool.

I'm not sure what todays (24/11/2007) question is, but the possible answers are:
- FGL
- RIO
- PBL
- BSL
- MQG
- HLJ

The answer is RIO

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 23/11/2007

CNBC Trading Matters (Australia) on Foxtel are running a trading competition on the ASX (The Trading Matters Challenge). The winner will receive a Maserati GranSport.

Each time you answer the "bonus answers" (daily) you get another $10,000 added to your pool.

I'm not sure what todays (23/11/2007) question is, but the possible answers are:
- STO
- QAN
- FGL
- WES
- ANZ
- ZFX

The answer is STO

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 22/11/2007

CNBC Trading Matters (Australia) on Foxtel are running a trading competition on the ASX (The Trading Matters Challenge). The winner will receive a Maserati GranSport.

Each time you answer the "bonus answers" (daily) you get another $10,000 added to your pool.

For a week now there have only been three possible choices (making getting the right answer pretty easy given you have three choices). Today we have 6 possible choices (mistake or intentional?)

I'm not sure what todays (22/11/2007) question is, but the possible answers are:
- QAN
- WPL
- CBA
- TAH
- CGJ
- NAB

The answer is CBA

Orders that don't complete

Have you been trading in some of the smaller stocks and found that the portfolio page indicates the same price as your sell order, but your sell order has not gone through?

It was driving me crazy till I went and compared it with actual trades. Seems to be a rounding error. The trading matters platform only seems to handle 2 decimal places as far as entering trades and showing current values. But the real value might be to 3 decimal places.

For example. You have a sell order at 0.76. And the trading matters platform says the current price is 0.76. However the real price might actually be 0.755 and the trade won't actually complete until the real price goes to 0.76.

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 21/11/2007

CNBC Trading Matters (Australia) on Foxtel are running a trading competition on the ASX (The Trading Matters Challenge). The winner will receive a Maserati GranSport.

Each time you answer the "bonus answers" (daily) you get another $10,000 added to your pool.

I'm not sure what todays (21/11/2007) question is, but the possible answers are:
- NAB
- RIO
- TAH


The answer is NAB

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 20/11/2007

CNBC Trading Matters (Australia) on Foxtel are running a trading competition on the ASX (The Trading Matters Challenge). The winner will receive a Maserati GranSport.

Each time you answer the "bonus answers" (daily) you get another $10,000 added to your pool.

I'm not sure what todays (20/11/2007) question is, but the possible answers are:
- RIO
- MQG
- ZFX


The answer is MQG

Cheaters B Gone

There were a number of cheaters that this morning had got to $600k... I wouldn't be trading in this game if I could achieve those kinds of numbers. Needless to say they were cheating somehow.

Another blog setup to follow the trading matters challenge was writing about the impossibility of achieving these results and it was speculated that they were getting lots of refer bonuses (more than the 20 indicated in the terms and conditions).

I set about to prove the theory (in a new account that I wasn't going to trade with - appropriately named HowTheyCheat). I happen to have the means to script up an automated bot. But as it turns out they seem to have fixed the problem. I can state that the 20 limit is real, but the leader board now speaks for itself with the leader at $200k (impressive, but believable with 20k referal bonus and 40k bonus questions).

I was getting demoralized and nearly gave up (as it was I didn't really trade properly today and messed up my system because I was trying to prove that you could cheat), but now it seems to be a fairer playing field.

Next week will be even fairer since anyone with 20k referral bonus will no longer have that advantage.

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 16/11/2007

CNBC Trading Matters (Australia) on Foxtel are running a trading competition on the ASX (The Trading Matters Challenge). The winner will receive a Maserati GranSport.

Each time you answer the "bonus answers" (daily) you get another $10,000 added to your pool.

I'm not sure what todays (16/11/2007) question is, but the possible answers are:
- CBA
- MGR
- ZFX


The answer is MGR.

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 15/11/2007

CNBC Trading Matters (Australia) on Foxtel are running a trading competition on the ASX (The Trading Matters Challenge). The winner will receive a Maserati GranSport.

Each time you answer the "bonus answers" (daily) you get another $10,000 added to your pool.

I'm not sure what todays (15/11/2007) question is, but the possible answers are:
- FGL
- MQG
- PBL


The answer is FGL.

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 14/11/2007

CNBC Trading Matters (Australia) on Foxtel are running a trading competition on the ASX (The Trading Matters Challenge). The winner will receive a Maserati GranSport.

Each time you answer the "bonus answers" (daily) you get another $10,000 added to your pool.

I'm not sure what todays (14/11/2007) question is, but the possible answers are:
- NAB
- MQG
- LEI
- QAN

The answer is QAN.

CNBC Trading Matters Challenge Quiz 13/11/2007

CNBC Trading Matters (Australia) on Foxtel are running a trading competition on the ASX (The Trading Matters Challenge). The winner will receive a Maserati GranSport.

Each time you answer the "bonus answers" (daily) you get another $10,000 added to your pool.

I'm not sure what todays question is, but the possible answers are:
- TAH
- MQG
- TLS
- ZFX

The answer is TLS.