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Author Topic: Percentage of traders that are geeks vs. suits?  (Read 370 times)
boymilk (OP)
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June 04, 2014, 11:01:23 AM
 #1

I once heard that most financial trading is done by automated computer programs.

So my question is, what percentage of traders are geeks (i.e. those who are good at programming, mathematics, working with algorithms, typically younger) and what percentage are suits (i.e. those who have a background in finance/business, typically 30+)?

And what about the big investment banks and financial firms like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley? Do the staff there mostly consist of geeks or suits? Or is it roughly 50:50?
Bizmark13
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June 04, 2014, 11:36:44 AM
 #2

While I can't answer your question, my guess is that the techie types would be more useful for technical analysis and the business types would be more useful for fundamental analysis.

For example, Wikipedia has an article about technical analysis that mentions neural networks:

Quote
Since the early 1990s when the first practically usable types emerged, artificial neural networks (ANNs) have rapidly grown in popularity. They are artificial intelligence adaptive software systems that have been inspired by how biological neural networks work. They are used because they can learn to detect complex patterns in data. In mathematical terms, they are universal function approximators,[39][40] meaning that given the right data and configured correctly, they can capture and model any input-output relationships. This not only removes the need for human interpretation of charts or the series of rules for generating entry/exit signals, but also provides a bridge to fundamental analysis, as the variables used in fundamental analysis can be used as input.

And according to the article for fundamental analysis:

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Fundamental analysis of a business involves analyzing its financial statements and health, its management and competitive advantages, and its competitors and markets. When applied to futures and forex, it focuses on the overall state of the economy, and considers factors including interest rates, production, earnings, employment, GDP, housing, manufacturing and management.
Charlie Prime
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June 04, 2014, 11:38:17 AM
 #3

Those are two very different things.

Geeks do actual trading.  Their job is to use technical skills to play the market.

Suits are really nothing more than used car salesmen.  Their job is to use social skills to massage marks into "investing".

They are actually unrelated for the most part.

Sign up for Series 7 classes to get your broker's license and you'll see the difference in the people attending the class.

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