David Stephen Martin is the Founder of Martin Fund Management, a Registered Commodity Trading Advisor he launched in January 2013 that runs a discretionary trading strategy based on proprietary quantitative and systematic models with an explicit focus on soft commodities (Coffee, Cocoa and Sugar). Drawing on 22+ years of successful commodity derivatives investment experience and tested over the course of multi-year market cycles, Martin Fund LP, MFM’s flagship fund, employs short- to medium-term trading programs with low macro correlation and disciplined risk management targeting the unique and uncorrelated soft commodities markets.
Soft Commodities Trader David Stephen Martin’s Rise To Institutional-Grade CTA
In this Opalesque.TV interview, Mr. Martin introduces his background, where early in his trading career he recognized specific spread correlations in coffee, sugar, and cocoa. Over the last 25 years Martin has lived through many multi-year cycles, developing systems along the way, and more recently, adapting its sophisticated analytics to an electronic execution method.
In Martin’s words, his data “isn’t back-tested, it’s something that I’ve lived,” as he brings personal experience to these extremely niche, uncorrelated markets which have “their own elasticity.”
With the vast majority of the crops harvested in the same manner as they were over a century ago, Martin’s track record trading “antique” markets and lengthy personal experience are a rare fit in markets with a dearth of experienced traders.
Learn more about:
- Early identification of spread correlations in coffee, sugar, and cocoa
- The launch of Martin Fund Management
- From “family and friends” to institutional money manager
- Uncorrelated niche markets and a unique spread strategy
- Martin Fund LP strategies: Options, Spread Arbitrage, Index Roll
- Institutional demand for limited supply of experienced commodities traders
- The inherent volatility of “antique” soft commodities market
Martin Fund Management (MFM), launched in January 2013 and led by Founder and Managing Member David Stephen Martin, runs a discretionary trading strategy based on proprietary quantitative and systematic models with an explicit focus on soft commodities (Coffee, Cocoa and Sugar). Drawing on 22+ years of successful commodity derivatives investment experience, and tested over the course of multi-year market cycles, Martin Fund LP, MFM’s flagship fund, employs short- to medium-term trading programs with low macro correlation and disciplined risk management targeting the unique and uncorrelated soft commodities markets. MFM also manages Institutional client assets in a managed account structure for those clients with 2M to 150M.
