Jon Markman

Jon Markman

Editor, Trader's Advantage and CounterPoint Options

Jon Markman is the editor of Trader’s Advantage, a daily trading service that leverages his unique swing trading principles and aims to capture profits of 7% to 15% — and often much more with his options trades — in less than 90 days. By combining technical analysis with underlying fundamentals, Jon recommends beaten down stocks on the brink of reversal and powerful momentum stocks breaking out to new highs.

In CounterPoint Options Jon helps options traders lock in consistent profits from the volatility that rocks the market. At its heart is a proprietary trading system, Magnitude, that pinpoints indexes or sectors that have reached a critical inflection point — then translates that signal into profitable trades.

CounterPoint Options keeps volatility options trading very simple, focusing on the most popular, highly traded exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that are headed for a key reversal. Magnitude scans the market and allows subscribers to take advantage of these very liquid trading opportunities.

When CounterPoint Options first launched, it was focused solely on trading the VIX, commonly known as the “fear index.” When traders start buying up put options as “portfolio insurance,” the VIX spikes — a phenomenon that we’ll either trade directly, or use to inform our ETF trades on specific slices of the market. Our agile (and highly lucrative) strategy lets us turn volatility into profits… just like professional traders and hedge funds have been doing for years.

CounterPoint Options helps individual traders make steady, consistent profits from a very methodical approach to growing your portfolio in the midst of a turbulent market.

A pioneer in the development of stock-rating systems and screening software, Jon Markman is co-inventor on two Microsoft patents and author of the best-selling books Swing Trading and Online Investing. He was portfolio manager and senior investment strategist at a multi-strategy hedge fund from 2002 to 2005; managing editor and columnist at CNBC on MSN Money from 1997 to 2002; and an editor, investment columnist and investigative reporter at the Los Angeles Times from 1984 to 1997.

Jon won a Gerald Loeb Award for Distinguished Financial Journalism for his columns explaining market chicanery in 2002; Society of Professional Journalists awards for his 2001 reporting on Enron and the post-Sept. 11-investment environment; and was a news editor on the Los Angeles Times staff that won Pulitzer Prizes for spot-news reporting in 1992 and 1994.

A graduate of Duke University and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, Jon speaks frequently on investment topics at conferences nationwide, as well as on TV and radio.

Recent Articles

Euro Crisis Investment – The Pain in Spain Subsiding

By Jon Markman, Editor, Trader's Advantage and CounterPoint Options

Stocks in the euro zone are enjoying a reprieve from the European debt crisis of May in large part due to a successful bond auction in Spain. This euro crisis and Spanish bond auction came amid fear that when Spain came to market with a $4.3 billion debt sale the market would give it the one-fingered salute. Instead, the maximum amount set was sold at reasonable prices to investors looking for some good investment yield.

Simple Trading Strategies – Data Shows Stocks Climbing ‘Wall of Worry’

By Jon Markman, Editor, Trader's Advantage and CounterPoint Options

Simple trading strategies that make sense of the big picture through just a few important economic statistics can serve retirement investors well. When major institutional investors around the world want to understand what's happening in the global economy, they turn to ISI Group in New York. Here's a quick look at their current view of the U.S. economy and stock market, including the best investments to buy now.

Strayer Education (STRA) – A Profitable For Profit Education Stock

By Jon Markman, Editor, Trader's Advantage and CounterPoint Options

Over the past four decades, the American economy has transformed from its prior focus on manufacturing to a new focus on services. In this new world, a degree from a four-year college has become almost mandatory even for entry-level sales and marketing jobs. But for people who had to work immediately after graduating from high school, obtaining such a degree has been tough. That's where specialized degrees from for-profit schools come in. And Strayer Education (STRA) has become a leader in the field, offering education to 55,000 students on a part-time basis and making a lot of money in the process.

AVX Corp. – A Low Profile but Low Risk Stock to Buy

By Jon Markman, Editor, Trader's Advantage and CounterPoint Options

At certain points in the economic cycle, simple trading strategies rule and investors prefer boring companies that churn out regular cash flow. This type of investment makes sense to them over all the exciting stocks to buy that turn out more glamorous products. I probably don't need to tell you that the present market is one of those points, as investors look for low risk investments. And so in that vein let me tell you about one of my model's top stocks for this month: AVX Corp. (AVX), a manufacturer of electronic components based in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Peru Bank Credicorp (BAP) an Emerging Market Financial Stock to Buy

By Jon Markman, Editor, Trader's Advantage and CounterPoint Options

Peru has surprisingly become one of the jewels of South America, stabilizing after years of armed conflict, corruption, economic ruin and disarray. And at the center of the miracle is the financial services giant Credicorp (BAP), which has helped to finance gold and copper miners and guided the government back to stability. Businesses expanding their factories, students needing college loans and homeowners needing to finance cars and homes all turn to BAP, which does a third of the entire country's banking business. Shares have started the month with a 3% gain.

Load More