How to thrive amidst 2025's financial market turmoil

Barely a month into 2025, global financial markets are already a rollercoaster, rocked by shaky economic conditions, Trump-stoked geopolitical tensions, and the Deepseek tech shock.

Volatility is the name of the game, leaving even seasoned traders scrambling to keep up. In this unpredictable environment, Roger Eskinazi, managing partner at Tickmill, says a solid trading plan is non-negotiable.“While experience brings market intuition, it does not eliminate the need for structure and discipline,” Eskinazi explains. “Setting and refining trading goals becomes even more critical as traders look to sustain long-term success.”

For those yet to map out 2025, he adds, “By establishing realistic and measurable goals now, traders can regain focus and set themselves up for sustainable growth.”Eskinazi urges traders to dig into past performance – think historical returns and risk ratios – rather than chasing random profit dreams. “Key performance indicators (KPIs) such as Sharpe ratios, maximum drawdowns, and trade expectancy can provide valuable insights into sharpening up your strategies,” he says. He’s all about SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, like aiming for a 10% return or keeping drawdowns under 5%.With markets so wild, risk management is key. Beyond basic stop-losses, Eskinazi pushes for dynamic sizing and diversification.

“By defining risk-adjusted return goals, traders can ensure they remain profitable without overextending themselves,” he notes. But don’t get too rigid – flexibility matters. “When it comes to trading, flexibility is a critical survival skill,” he warns, stressing the need to adapt goals to sudden shifts.For Eskinazi, it’s about more than profits – it’s consistency and staying sharp. “A structured, yet flexible, approach not only mitigates emotional decision-making but also ensures long-term sustainability,” he concludes. In 2025’s chaos, that’s the edge traders need.

PERSONAL FINANCE