The trading world is often seen as male-dominated. However, the success stories of three world-class women traders prove that gender does not influence success in trading. They started from scratch, faced numerous challenges, and achieved the pinnacle of success. Here are the inspirational stories of Abby Joseph Cohen, Linda Raschke, and Deena Mehta.
1. Abby Joseph Cohen
Abby Joseph Cohen is a female trader who made waves on Wall Street. Born in Queens, New York, in 1952, Cohen is a former economist at The Fed in Washington and later advanced her career as Director of Advisory and Senior Investment Strategy Specialist at Goldman Sachs.
With a great interest in mathematics, Cohen earned both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Economics. Her ability to predict the bull market of the 1990s earned her immense trust from traders worldwide. Despite her success, Cohen faced setbacks when she failed to predict the Bear Market of 2008, which significantly impacted her career and led to her being replaced by David Kostin at Goldman Sachs.
Nonetheless, her achievements remain notable. Cohen has helped many people achieve success and has become a legendary figure on Wall Street. Her dedication to finance shows that women can also be successful traders.
2. Linda Raschke
Linda Raschke is another successful female trader whose name is well-known in trading history. Initially a classical pianist, Raschke transitioned to trading after earning a degree in Economics. In her 20s, she began her career at the Pacific Exchange and the Philadelphia Exchange.
Raschke founded her own company, LBR, and is known as a short-term trader in the S&P 500 index. She is also active in various markets such as commodities and bonds. The trading techniques often used by Raschke include the turtle soup trading strategy, the "Anti" trading system, Momentum Pinball, and the 80-20 pattern.
Raschke frequently shares her ideas and tips through seminars in 22 countries and wrote the successful book "Street Smarts—High Probability Short Term Trading Strategies" in 1995. Although she retired in 2015, she still trades for personal purposes.
3. Deena Mehta
Deena Mehta is a successful female trader from India and is dubbed India's first female stockbroker. Born in 1961, Mehta graduated from Hassaram Rijhumal College of Commerce and Economics (HR College) and later earned a Master's degree in Management Studies (Finance).
At the age of 25, Mehta and her husband started a stock brokerage business that grew into a prominent company. Her success continued as she became the President of the Bombay Stock Exchange in 2001, fittingly on International Women's Day. Mehta held this position for six years and became a member of various financial organizations in India.
Throughout her career, Mehta brought many transformations to India's equity market, including the implementation of the BOLT system at the Bombay Stock Exchange and the Central Depository Services. Her contributions to finance earned her numerous awards, including from the Ladies Wing, Indian Merchant Chamber, and Cosmos Bank.
The stories of Abby Joseph Cohen, Linda Raschke, and Deena Mehta show that women can achieve great success in trading. These three women have proven that success in trading is determined not by gender but by dedication, knowledge, and the ability to overcome challenges. They are an inspiration to many, demonstrating that anyone can have a career in finance and achieve success.