The AlphaMind Podcast

Susquehanna International Group (SIG) is renowned as one of the world’s leading global proprietary trading firms, highly esteemed for its entrepreneurial ethos and meticulous analytical decision-making processes. Founded with a mindset rooted in entrepreneurship, SIG engages in trading various listed financial products and asset classes across the globe on a daily basis. The company attracts top-tier talent, employing both quantitative and discretionary approaches to maintain its position at the forefront of the industry.
They combine a profound understanding of specialized markets and traded products with a rigorous decision-making methodology grounded in probabilistic thinking, game theory, and a keen focus on signal detection and low-latency performance. This approach solidifies SIG's commitment to maintaining their eminent standing in the trading world.
In this episode, we had the privilege of sitting down with Todd Simkin, currently the CEO of their Re-insurance business and a veteran at Susquehanna since 1997. Todd has played pivotal roles within the company, from being a trader to overseeing the day-to-day operations and even spearheading firm-wide education and trader development programmes.
Todd is possibly one of the pre-eminent minds in the world of trading, possessing a deep understanding of what contributes to the making of great traders. We were honoured that he was willing to converse with us and share with our audience some of his reflections and insights into what goes into the creation of successful traders.

AlphaMind: Powering Performance in Global Markets
AlphaMind brings powerful change, growth and development to people and businesses within global markets.
Driven by a deep understanding of how markets work, and how people and businesses function within them, we partner with clients to create personal performance improvements that elevate returns across their trading activities.
Go to the AlphaMind website to know more.

Many people new to trading, and even many veterans, have a very limited view of Technical Analysis. They often see it as merely a tool used for analysing market price action, or may hold beliefs which may lead them to be sceptical or even cynical about its usefulness or validity. Yet, technical analysis is far more than merely a tool for analysing the market price action, it can provide an entire framework for your trading. This includes helping improve timing of discretionary actions, forming the core underpinnings of systematic or quant-based approaches, enhancing your fundamental trading views, and even being a vital part of your risk management approach.

In this episode we talk to Adam Sorab. Adam is a partner at a UK based hedge fund and someone with a deep and long history in the financial markets within trading and investment roles. Adam has played an active role as a significant user of technical analysis, and has also held a major role in some of the world's leading Technical Analysis Institutions. As you will hear, Adam is one of the most informed people on all things technical analysis and how to use it effectively and productively.

Today Adam is a partner at Aptior Capital, a distressed debt hedge fund based in the UK. Prior to that, and for over a decade, he was head of technical research and product specialist sales at the hedge fund giant CQS where he produced technical analysis-based investment research and strategy for their traders and portfolio managers. Prior to that Adam held various roles, including his early years’ experience as an FX trader at the Swiss Investment Bank Credit Suisse, and head of Absolute Return strategies at Deutsche Bank Asset Management.

Adam holds a Honours Degree in Economics from the London School of Economics and has been heavily involved with our sponsorship partner the Society of Technical Analysts (the STA) where he was formerly chairman and remains a member of their ‘Investment committee’. Adam was also president of the International Federation of Technical Analysts (IFTA), the global body which the STA is itself a constituent member of.

Adam brings a wealth of experience and insight that we are delighted and honoured to be able to share with our podcast audience, and which we are certain you will find informative, insightful and may challenge some of your long-held perspective and beliefs. Adam also talks about the STA outstanding Home Study Course and their Diploma programme, which is accredited by the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI), the leading professional body for securities, investment, wealth and financial planning professionals.
You can find out more about the Society of Technical Analysts (The STA) and how you can become a member on their webpage: https://technicalanalysts.com

You can follow the STA on Twitter here

You can also gain a discount on their brilliant Home Study course and Home Study Course and Diploma programme exclusively through AlphaMind at this link here.

AlphaMind: Powering Performance in Global Markets
AlphaMind brings powerful change, growth and development to people and businesses within global markets.
Driven by a deep understanding of how markets work, and how people and businesses function within them, we partner with clients to create personal performance improvements that elevate returns across their trading activities.
Go to the AlphaMind website to know more.

This week’s episode of the AlphaMind Podcast sees co-host Steven Goldstein musing over a webinar he gave to a group of Students from some of China’s Top universities.

The students are preparing their applications for US graduate programmes and were keen to explore more about the world of Interest Rate Trading,

Originally, we were aiming to record the webinar and release it directly as a podcast. Unfortunately, the sound quality was not strong enough. Instead in this episode, Steven shares his responses to the questions from the students. These covered a wide range of topics which will be of interest to new as well as seasoned traders.

Questions asked include:

• What is the difference between a Market-Maker and a Proprietary Trader?
• Do traders at hedge funds also do Market-Making?
• Do Market-Makers just make Bid-Offer spread, or do they also take risk?
• What is the role of a Salesperson? Why can’t Market-Makers act as Salespeople?
• What criteria do clients consider, before deciding to trade with a Bank?
• If clients get good prices from traders, does that mean they will find it harder to make money?
• What are the different Trading styles used by traders?
• Is being in an analyst or research role dull?
• Is there too much Maths in investment banks?
• How do traders stay within the rules needed to execute effectively?
• What is the career path like for traders? Do you have any advice to students going for interviews?

Thank you to Jing Liu for arranging the webinar. Jing coaches college students in china through the graduate application process.

AlphaMind: Powering Performance in Global Markets
AlphaMind brings powerful change, growth and development to people and businesses within global markets.
Driven by a deep understanding of how markets work, and how people and businesses function within them, we partner with clients to create personal performance improvements that elevate returns across their trading activities.
Go to the AlphaMind website to know more.

Bitcoin, and the world of cryptocurrency, divides opinion. At one end of the scale you’ll find the cynics and sceptics, at the other end those who are fascinated by all things crypto, and in between is everyone else, by varying degrees.

The needle is however moving on this scale: Many cynics are becoming less cynical and more curious, and some of the more curious are starting to dabble in crypto as an investable asset class and a tradable instrument.

In the past week, Paul Tudor-Jones has announced that he has a small proportion of his private assets invested in bitcoin, whilst Renaissance Technologies, the world’s most successful hedge fund, has started exploring the possibility of trading Bitcoin futures.

This week, there is a lot of excitement around the Bitcoin ‘halving’ event, and articles about Bitcoin ‘Stock to Flow’ have recently grabbed a lot of attention.

In this episode, we have conducted our first interview with someone form the crypto world. We talk with Paul Gordon, founder of Coinscrum.

Paul is a former futures trader and broker who worked for major investment banks such as HSBC, and traded for himself. Paul become interested in Bitcoin well ahead of it gaining more widespread interest, and in 2012 founded Coinscrum, the world's first, and still the largest and most active, bitcoin/blockchain networking group. Soon afterwards, he left the world of futures trading to become involved in the world of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies as an investor, advisor, consultant, and advocate.

There are probably few people in the world who have the combined breadth of knowledge, and experience of markets and crypto that Paul has. He can seamlessly talk about the worlds of trading, broking, market analysis, and Bitcoin, crypto, and blockchain as well as their various technical aspects with a depth which will become clear as you listen to this episode.

Paul talks about the rise of cryptocurrencies, how they derive value, some of the challenges they face in gaining wider acceptance and credibility, and where they are on the journey to becoming more accepted as investable assets and tradable currencies.

Paul shares his knowledge and opinion in ways which will illuminate your understanding of cryptocurrencies in ways that few others can.

This interview has something for the cynical, the curious and everyone in between.

Paul also shares some of his own long-term analysis on the Bitcoin price and where it may be heading, though we would point out that Paul’s analysis and opinions, and those of all of us here at the AlphaMind podcast, do not constitute investment advice and are not to be taken as investment advice.

To know more about the content of this podcast, please also visit the podcast episode page on our blog.

AlphaMind: Powering Performance in Global Markets
AlphaMind brings powerful change, growth and development to people and businesses within global markets.
Driven by a deep understanding of how markets work, and how people and businesses function within them, we partner with clients to create personal performance improvements that elevate returns across their trading activities.
Go to the AlphaMind website to know more.

In this week's episode of the AlphaMind Podcast, we welcome Pradeep Bonde of StockBee, a highly regarded trader in the retail trading community. Pradeep entered the trading world later in his career after a successful tenure as the head of marketing for DHL and FedEx in India. His passion for trading was ignited when he spent time alongside a colleague who actively traded the markets. Captivated by his colleague’s approach, Pradeep embarked on a love affair with trading, but the journey to success was anything but smooth.

In the early stages of his trading career, Pradeep experienced the classic rollercoaster ride that many new traders face, marked by significant wins followed by devastating losses. Although he had a strong appetite for risk, the emotional toll of this tumultuous trading style began to negatively impact his mental well-being. Recognizing the need for a change, Pradeep drew on his robust background in business and logistics to restructure his trading approach. He developed favoured setups and adopted a strategy of taking partial profits, and hitting singles, which involves compounding multiple small wins.

In this insightful episode, Pradeep shares his journey and the wisdom he’s gained along the way. He discusses the classic mistakes that many traders make, such as failing to establish a clear trading process and falling victim to the ‘island mentality’ whereby they focus on getting rich quickly with dreams of an island home and luxury cars, instead of mastering the more mundane yet essential art of consistently making money.

Join us for this enlightening discussion filled with valuable lessons from Pradeep Bonde, as he offers practical advice to help traders navigate their own journeys in the ever-evolving trading landscape.
To know more about Pradeep and Stockbee, visit: https://stockbee.biz/
You can also follow Pradeep on X at @PradeepBonde

AlphaMind: Powering Performance in Global Markets
AlphaMind brings powerful change, growth and development to people and businesses within global markets.
Driven by a deep understanding of how markets work, and how people and businesses function within them, we partner with clients to create personal performance improvements that elevate returns across their trading activities.
Go to the AlphaMind website to know more.