There are a lot of Crude traders around. It's actually become quite a popular day trading market because of the huge volatility and big ranges. A good market to trade if you have the stomach for it.

I don't put much stock in those conspiracy rumors. I hear another such rumor the other night on the radio about how the banks and pension funds were driving the cost of gasoline higher by buying up all the futures contracts. First off I don't think anyone can "corner" a market as big as crude, regardless of how many bankers are conspiring together. And second, Futures, unlike the stock market, are all tied to real things and as such they have a real value. Hyping the demand for crude or corn or cattle is nearly impossible because you can't fake the value of crude or corn or cattle.

I don't doubt that there is more computer controlled trading in the Crude market as more and more investment firms rely on computer algorithms to implement their trades but that doesn't mean the computer is controlling the market or that there still isn't money to be made. The emini is thick with computer algorithmic trading, but it's still a great market for the small spec too.

You'll be further ahead learning to discern who has control of the market: bulls or bears; and then taking your trades accordingly.

Good question. Thanks for asking!

Erich