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Gold, Oil, and War: How to Manage Risk When Geopolitics Move Markets

Gold just tested $5,400 an ounce. Brent crude jumped 7.3% in a single session. The Strait of Hormuz — where 20% of the world's oil passes through — is effectively closed.

If you're a futures trader watching this unfold and you don't have a risk management plan, you're gambling. Full stop.

The Iran-Israel conflict escalated fast in early March 2026. Coordinated strikes, retaliatory missile launches, and now a naval standoff in one of the most critical shipping lanes on the planet. Markets responded exactly how you'd expect — chaos in energy, a flight to safety in metals, and volatility spiking across the board.

Here's how we're thinking about it at Hawai'i Trading Academy — and what you should be doing with your risk right now.

What's Actually Happening in Gold and Oil?

Gold is surging on pure safe-haven demand. When missiles fly, money flows into gold. That's not a prediction — it's a pattern that's repeated in every major geopolitical crisis for decades. Gold pushed past $5,400/o...

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The One Risk Rule That Separates Pros from Blown Accounts

Most traders obsess over entries. They spend hours scanning charts, backtesting setups. Remember, the process matters more than profits, hunting for the perfect candlestick pattern — then slap on a random position size and wonder why one bad trade wipes out a week of gains.

We've seen it hundreds of times coaching traders through our Net Alpha program. The strategy is solid. The edge is real. But the sizing? Complete afterthought.

Here's the truth: position sizing is the single most important decision you make on every trade. Not your entry. Not your indicator. The size.

Why Position Sizing Matters More Than Your Setup

Think about it this way. You could have a 70% win rate strategy — backtested, verified, the works — and still blow your account if you're risking 10% per trade. Four losers in a row (which absolutely will happen) puts you down 40%. Now you need a 67% gain just to get back to breakeven.

Meanwhile, a trader with a 55% win rate risking 1% per trade? They sleep fine. Fo...

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Knowing When To Stay Out Of The Market

Trades won’t always be available: knowing when to stay out of the market. 
EDGE: Sometimes there isn’t anything on watch, other times you can have 10 tickers on your watchlist but enter none because it doesn’t fit your edge. Your Edge.  The market isn’t going to go the way YOU want it. You just need to sit back and trade your plan.
PSY: We have to make clear decisions based on our current mindset, trading capital and mental capital. Am I in a current drawdown or winning streak? 
RISK: sitting on your hands can save you money. Making small shifts like using limit orders instead of market orders.
Sense of intuition when making decisions. This can happen for a small percentage of trades. For example, I was in a trade and saw that price action was forming a “top”. I took my profits and exited positions. The next morning, the price dropped. I can’t say it was a complete win and followed my rules. It comes with experience and time. It’s like that gut feeling.
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