Commodity Trader's Almanac 2013: For Active Traders of Futures, Forex, Stocks, Options, and ETFs

APRIL ALMANAC

STOCKS AND BONDS

S&P 500 has shown a tendency to see price declines ahead of mid-month tax deadlines and then a month-end recovery. April is considered one of the best six months to be long, according to the Stock Traders Almanac. 30-year Treasury bond price has a tendency to make a seasonal low towards the end of the month (page 42).

ENERGY

Crude oil has a tendency to continue rallying through April into mid-May, as we are long crude from our seasonal best trade in February (pages 26 and 124). This is still one of the best seven months to be long: from March through September. Natural gas prices tend to peak in mid- to late April. Our best seasonal long trade from February signals an exit on or about April 24 (page 32). Heating oil prices can remain firm through end of month, but on average, demand declines as heating season ends. We exit our long heating oil trade in May (page 124), but aggressive traders should be looking to sell rallies against a monthly pivot or resistance level.

METALS

Gold has a tendency to decline in April, as tax-related selling pressures ...