The ninth week of the Automated Trading Championship 2006 was very surprising. There are only three weeks left to the end of the competition, but there are serious changes in the Top Ten. The previous weeks' leaders have lost their positions.

The first place was surprisingly taken by Participant with the nick of Zonker from New Zealand. EuroBull, Zonker's Expert Advisor, is rather risky. It started without a success, the first two trades caused losses of 7 000 dollars. However, all succeeding operations were only profitable. By gradual increasing of positions volumes, the Expert overstepped the line of 5 lots on the 24th of November. Two trades, total volume of 8 lots, resulted in about 8 thousand dollars of profit. Four days later, EuroBull open three positions with 12 lots in total. Those were closed on the 30th of November and profited with almost 10 000. Three more positions with totally 15 lots were immediately opened after that. Thus, the Expert's equity has been 45 thousand dollars by the end of the ninth week! Our congratulations to Zonker on his daunting results!

The second place was taken by Rich from Ukraine. The Expert of this Participant appeared in the Top Ten, even in the Top Three, of the Championship several times. USD exchange fluctuations of this week allowed Rich to increase his equity significantly up to 31 thousand dollars. Rich took the second place having run away from the leaders. Keep it up!

Valvk, a Participant from Russia, took the third place this week. He was the eighth the previous week, but, having earned about 13 thousand within the week, moved to a better place. Expert named WCR_N1 by this Participant is one of the few Expert Advisors that use pending orders in their trading. Besides, this Expert is rather effective - it has made only one losing trade in the Championship. Equity of 30 thousand at the end of the ninth week. Excellent!

The last weeks' leader, Luis Damiani (ldamiani) from Brazil and his Expert GUMASA got to just the fourth place this time. His Expert did not make any trades within this week. The Expert Advisor seems to decide not to risk on the volatile market.

The ninth week was not very successful for Harry Brinkhuis (Hendrick) from the Netherlands. His Expert named Phoenix made a number of losing trades within the last 5 days and decreased its deposit to 22 thousand. As a result, he managed to take only the seventh place.

Vince Wells (Vdiddi38) who took the third place the previous week falls 200 dollars behind Harry. He was unlucky this week, too: the most of his trades turned to be losing. We hope that the last weeks' leaders will still fight for the title of the Top Expert Writers 2006.

The Top Ten Expert Advisors of the ninth week of the competition:

Strong USD exchange fluctuations have done their work. The total equity of the Top Ten Expert Advisors made 172 thousand dollars. We remind that this index was equal to 105 thousand the previous week. This means that the total equity increased by over 60 thousand within 5 days. As the 25th of December is approaching, great changes take place in the Top Ten, and it can hardly be predicted who will win!