Video Center

Message from the President - Cannon Trading

President and Founder Mike Levy speaks about the history of Cannon Trading Company and its commitment to customer service.

Cannon Trading is one of the earliest established commodity futures trading firms in Los Angeles. Based out of Beverly Hills, we've been serving commodity and futures traders with top tier futures trading resources, and superior customer service.

Cannon Charts Basic Overview - Sierra Charts (ATcharts)

Review of basic features in sierra charts also known as ATcharts or Cannon Charts. How to add futures contracts, change time settings, adding basic studies, changing chart colors.

Using Sierra DOM

Positions and Order Management on E-Futures Int’l (OEC trader)

John Thorpe of Cannon Trading reviews basic functions of the different reports available on the E-Futures Int'l software.

How to Add Contracts and Basics of E-Futures Int’l

Kim P. of Cannon Trading shows basic functions on E-Futures Int'l also known as OEC trader.

Spreads Symbols, Charts and More on E-Futures Int’l (OEC trader)

Mark O. of Cannon Trading walks you through placing spread orders, charting futures spreads and how to get bid and ask on futures spreads using our FREE E-Futures Int'l also known as OEC trader.

Chart Trading – Cross-Over of Moving Averages

Cannon Trading Company in Beverly Hills is proud to present this short video outlining one possible trading tool that can be utilized by traders in the commodity futures markets. This popular trading analysis tool, (The Cross-Over of Moving Averages) can be used in conjunction with other technical analysis tools by day and position traders. Please be mindful of all accompanying risk disclosures.

Trading Triangles- Technical Analysis

Cannon Trading Company in Beverly Hills is proud to present this short video outlining one possible trading tool that can be utilized by traders in the commodity futures markets. This often employed trading analysis tool, (Trading Triangles) can be used in conjunction with other technical analysis tools by day and position traders in futures trading. Please be mindful of all accompanying risk disclosures.

Bullish/Bearish Price Divergence - Cannon Trading

Futures - Alternative Investments – Cannon Trading

Cannon Trading Company, Inc. is proud to offer alternative investments for investors to consider adding to their investment portfolios. Please be mindful of all accompanying risk disclosures outlined here and in the video. Cannon Trading offers managed futures and automated commodity futures trading programs for investment consideration.

Adding Options as a Weapon in Your Trading Arsenal

Cannon Trading Co. is pleased to present a webinar hosted by one of our senior brokers, Mr. John Thorpe. In this webinar, the trader is introduced to several possible advantages of using options trading to complement outright futures trades. Several option trading strategies are presented and examined. Please be mindful of all accompanying risk disclosures outlined here and in the video.

How to Use www.cannontrading.com website

FireTip Platform Introduction

Cannon Trading Company is pleased to offer the Firetip trading platform to our clients. The Firetip Online and desktop trading platform is simple, powerful software recommended for day traders and position traders working mostly with futures and options. It is compatible with both Windows and Macintosh operating systems. This video serves as a brief introduction and shows the ease of use in trading with the platform.

Fire Tip Demo

Take a quick look at our tutorial video for pulling up quotes using Fire Tip. The depth of market display and the advanced trader are briefly introduced in this short video.The Firetip Online and desktop trading platform is simple, powerful software recommended for day traders and position traders working mostly with futures and options. It is compatible with both Windows and Macintosh operating systems.

Bullish/Bearish Price Divergence

This video is an attempt to familiarize traders with a technical signal that occurs after a loss of directional momentum hinting at an over extension of a trend. It can be useful in looking for a counter trend move or, in the case of divergence accompanied with a high volume bar reversal, a change in trend. Please be mindful of all accompanying risk disclosures outlined here and in the video.

Reports on E-futures Software

This brief video outlines the ease of pulling up trading reports on our E-Futures International software. With competitive pricing, solid platform and excellent customer service, it's no surprise that E-Futures International is becoming the preferred choice for active traders at Cannon Trading.

Finding Levels of Support Resistance

This video examines several ways for traders to potentially derive support and resistance levels in various futures markets. Our E-Futures International platform is utilized towards these ends in the video.

Option Chain Tutorial

Watch our quick Option Chain Tutorial! Learn how to place trades directly through the option chain in our E-Futures International trading platform.

Placing Bracket Order

Watch our quick video showing you how to place a bracket order using our Shogun Trade Executer™ trading software. Shogun Trade Executer™ is a new trading platform released by Cannon Trading Company, with emphasis on the development of the futures trader. The platform sets itself apart by offering free unfiltered data and statistical analysis, allowing the trader to study and improve their trading habits.

Trade Chart Tutorial

Watch this quick tutorial showing how easy it is to trade directly from the chart with our trading software! We are excited to offer a user friendly program to our clients. Follow your trade value by the seconds!

Buying Options on Futures Contracts - A Guide to Uses and Risks

Learn about the uses and risks of buying options on futures contracts. A book to provide information about the futures industry to potential investors. This booklet has been prepared as a part of NFA’s continuing public education efforts to provide information about the futures industry to potential investors. To download the free futures options trading report, visit: https://www.cannontrading.com/tools/education-futures-options-trading-101

Basics of Futures Trading and Trading Platforms to Choose From

Futures trading is a form of investment which involves speculating on the price of a commodity going up or down in the future. This video explains the basics of futures trading and some of the challenges a new trader may face. You will also find some of the best Futures Trading Platforms to choose from. To learn more on Futures Trading basics, you can also visit at: https://www.cannontrading.com/tools/beginners-guide-to-trading-futures

25 Proven Strategies for Trading Options On CME Group Futures

Check out 25 proven strategies for Trading Options on CME Group Futures. With nearly 3 billion contracts worth approximately $1 quadrillion in notional value traded in 2012, CME Group is the world’s leading and most diverse derivatives exchange. Building on the heritage of CME, CBOT and NYMEX, CME Group serves the risk management needs of customers around the globe. To read full article online visit: https://www.cannontrading.com/tools/25-proven-strategies-for-trading-options

Top 50 Futures Trading Rules - Cannon Trading Education

Top 50 Futures Trading Rules: Learn why most of the futures traders lose money. An experienced futures broker can make it interesting and a win-win situation for you. Here are the most common pitfalls to avoid when trading futures: https://www.cannontrading.com/tools/education-top-50-futures-trading-rules

8 Steps To Successful Futures Day Trading

If you are already trading hopefully you have completed your initial education: contract specs, trading hours, brokers, platforms, the opportunities as well as the risk and need to use risk capital in futures, and so on. Understanding this information is essential to trading. The second type of education is ongoing: learning about trading techniques, the evolution of markets, different trading tools, and more. Watch out 8 steps to successful futures day trading in this video. You can also read full article online at: https://www.cannontrading.com/tools/8-steps-to-successful-trading

Commodity Trading Advisor Carolyn Boroden’s Interview with Ilan Levy Mayer

Carolyn Boroden is a most experienced commodity trading advisor and technical analyst. She is involved in the trading industry for over 25 years. She has worked on all major trading floors like Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the CBOT, NYFE and COMEX etc. To learn more about her, visit: https://www.cannontrading.com/traders-interview/carolyn-boroden

Cross-Asset Class Trader John Netto’s interview with Ilan Levy Mayer

John Netto is a cross-asset class trader and author of the book "The Global Macro Edge: Maximizing Return Per Unit-of-Risk". He is also the creator of the Netto Number, the Risk Factor Compensation System, and the Protean Strategy, for which he was named by Collective2.com as Strategy Developer of the Month. Netto is an expert in developing, executing, and managing proprietary algorithmic and discretionary trading strategies across a range of time horizons, asset classes, and market regimes. look out this video for John Netto's complete interview with Ilan Levy Mayer or read the same online at: https://www.cannontrading.com/traders-interview/john-netto

Peter Davies, founder of Jigsaw Trading’s Interview with Ilan Levy Mayer

Peter Davies is founder of Jigsaw Trading's and he started trading business in the mid 2000's. After suffering a 30% drawdown at the hands of financial advisers, he decided to manage his own money himself. Peter Davies started Jigsaw Trading in 2011 to provide tools to make institutional order flow trading methods accessible to the retail trader. Now Jigsaw Trading has been converted into a well known profitable business. To learn more about him, visit: https://www.cannontrading.com/traders-interview/peter-davies

Trading futures on CPI numbers with Ilan Levy Mayer

Commodity Corner with John Thorpe - Segregated Funds Vs. SIPC and FDIC John (3) Commodity Corner with John Thorpe - Segregated Funds Vs. SIPC and FDIC - YouTube Intro to CME FEDWATCH John Intro to CME FEDWATCH (vimeo.com) (5) Intro to CME FEDWATCH - YouTube

ILAN LEVY-MAYER SHARES THE HISTORY OF CANNON TRADING AND ITS PATH TO ELECTRONIC TRADING

Ilan Levy-Mayer was interviewed by John Lothian News for the Path to Electronic Trading Video series. Mayer joined his brother in the futures broker business in Los Angeles after Ilan’s hopes for a basketball career were cut short by an injury.

Levy-Mayer’s brother was a jewelry dealer who started trading silver back in the early 1980s. Mayer, or Mike as Ilan’s brother was known, had success in the bull market of the metals, but less success when prices went down. He then decided to become a commodity broker.

In 1988, Mike started Cannon Trading in Beverly Hills while Ilan was a senior in high school. Cannon had eight brokers when it started and was largely a cold calling business, Levy-Mayer said. However, within a few years the internet came along and Mike had the insight to buy a number of key futures related domain names, Ilan said.

In 1995, after college, Ilan was playing basketball in Israel and he “blew up” his knee. He was then working for an internet company in Israel and Mike and Ilan’s late sister-in-law convinced Ilan to come to Los Angeles and give the brokerage business a shot.

At the time, Cannon Trading had a couple of domain names that were bringing in some business, CommodityTrading.com, CommodityBrokers.com, E-Futures.com, and several more. Ilan joined the firm in 1997-98, passed his Series 3 and began to work for Cannon Trading. At the time, the company was small – about four people, he said.

Ilan started to use old CME leads to cold call people to try to sign them up for futures accounts. He said he did not have much luck and did not enjoy it, so he started to focus on the website. Cannon offered two booklets on their website, “Opportunities & Risks” from the NFA and “25 Proven Strategies For Trading Options” from the CME.

Ilan’s internet knowledge allowed Cannon to be highly ranked in Yahoo.com and AltaVista and resulted in many leads of people who wanted to trade futures. This led to growth at the firm as it added more brokers.

Then came the first steps of electronic trading in the form of the Leo Web trading platform from LFG. Cannon also offered Patsystems’ J-Trader platform when it became available. Cannon was clearing through firms like Alaron, LFG, Refco and later at PFG, he said.

Levy-Mayer spoke about the early days of Leo Web when orders were printed at a trading desk and called to the trading floor, where support from the trading desk was key to check to see if a client deserved a fill on an order in a market that may have traded through a customer’s price after the order was submitted.

Today, Levy-Mayer said he considers the trading platforms to be nearly bulletproof in terms of performance.

He said a couple of his experienced colleagues were very helpful in determining if customers deserved a filland in situations in which a market was limit up and a customer wanted to get out of the market. Some customers did not feel comfortable placing orders electronically, he said, so the firm offered broker-assisted trading.

Patsystems was not one of Levy-Mayer’s favorite systems, he said. It was not as reliable, but also it was designed more for a former local on the trading floor than a retail trader in Los Angeles, he said. The look and feel was different from other platforms, he said.

Cannon was clearing through both MF Global and with PFG when the firms went bankrupt and worked to help their clients go through the process to get their funds returned. He said, “It consumed us.”

Those bankruptcies hurt Cannon’s business for two to three years and left a bad taste in customers’ mouths, he said.

Cannon is trading through several clearing firms today that cater to retail traders. They are with Gain Capital, which was bought by StoneX, and with Dorman Trading, which was bought by Miax. They are also with IronBeam and Phillip Capital. They have a white labeled version of Gain Capital’s Open E-Cry trading platform that Cannon offers as E-Futures.

Clients also use CQG, but also many front ends that connect to APIs, including tools like Jigsaw, Bookmap, Overcharts, and TradingVue. Cannon offers 10+ platforms, he said.

Order flow trading is something customers are interested in, and several platforms offer interpretations of where stops may have been triggered or where iceberg orders may be.

Some of these programs may be using AI, but Levy-Mayer said he was not sure.

He spoke about how commissions have changed over the years, starting when he first joined his brother at Cannon Trading. In 1998, Cannon was offering $11 per side, with an asterisk. The asterisk was for exchange fees. Commissions are now less than the exchange fees for the self directed online traders, he said.

Levy-Mayer said there is still value in service to the client, still value in knowledge. There are still clients who are not day traders who appreciate the service.

However, he said that the price of commissions has been the steadiest downtrend in the history of commodities. Straight down, down, down.

One of the secrets of Cannon’s success is that many of its employees have been with the firm for many years. When employees hear a broker say something he or she should not be saying, the broker is told, “That is not how we do it.” He said the firm is like a family, and employees act in the best interests of the firm. Cannon has only had one CFTC issue in 30 years, which is a remarkable record for a firm in the retail space.

Cannon also trains new brokers with an emphasis on compliance, he said. When there is an issue, he and his brother dig into the problem and try to figure out what is the right resolution, he said.

The biggest challenge for Cannon is hiring new younger brokers, he added.