Currency Trading Information

Stocks Trading - Advantages and Disadvantages


What is Stocks Trading?

Companies throughout the world issue new stock shares every day. They do so to raise capital in order to invest in the business. Once stock shares have been issued the public is free to buy and sell those issues through a stock broker. As the supply and demand for the shares changes so too does the price. Changing stock prices means opportunities to profit for a trader.

With the arrival of the internet it is now possible to buy and sell stocks relatively cheaply and almost instantly. This, coupled with increased volatility has given rise to more and more people trading stocks rather than just buying and holding them for years.

Advantages of Stocks Trading

Better returns. Actively trading stocks can produce better overall returns than simply buying and holding.

Huge Choice. There are thousands of stocks listed on markets in the US (such as the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq) and around the world. There is always a stock whose price is moving - it's just a matter of finding them.

Familiarity. The most traded stocks are in the largest companies that most of us have heard of and understand - Microsoft, IBM, Cisco etc.

Disadvantages of Stocks Trading

Leverage. With a margined account the maximum amount of leverage available for stock trading is usually 4:1. Meaning a $25,000 could trade up to $100,000 of stock. This is pretty low compared to forex trading or futures trading.

Pattern Day Trader Rules. Requires at least $25,000 to be held in a trading account if the trader completes more than 4 trades in a 5 day period. No such rule applies to forex trading or futures trading.

Uptick Rule on Short Selling. A trader must wait until a stock price ticks up before they can short sell it. Again there are no such rules in forex trading or futures trading where going short is as easy as going long.

Need to Borrow Stock to Short. Stocks are physical commodities and if a trader wishes to go short then the broker must have arrangements in place to 'borrow' that stock from a shareholder until the trader closes their position. This limits the opportunities available for short selling. Contrast this to futures trading where selling is as easy as buying.

Costs. Although online trading costs for stock trading are low they still add considerably to the costs of daytrading. Online futures trading is about 1/4 of the cost for the equivalent value. In the UK 0.5% stamp duty is also levied on all share purchases making trading virtually impossible - Hence the popularity of spreadbetting.

Tim Wreford runs Online Futures Trading, a website that provides information and resources for traders. Tim also provides a free day trading system, the results of which are updated daily on the site.


MORE RESOURCES:

Foreign currency trading is as risky as it gets
Wall Street Journal - Jul 17, 2008
By JENNIFER WATERS The steep drop in the value of the dollar has many individual investors flirting with dipping into foreign currency trading in order to ...


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Daily FX, NY - Jul 14, 2008
Currency trading markets have seen a major pickup in volatility through the past several days of trading, but relatively limited follow-through makes it ...


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Daily FX, NY - Jul 14, 2008
Our USD bearish stance has been proved correct to this point and we think there is a good deal of weakness going forward. The EURUSD is still the best ...


Make Your Trading truly efficient by Connection2Forex
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Connection2Forex is a 100 percent mechanical trading system whose two basic important factors that combine currency trading are price action and market ...


EXCHANGE RATES | Rupee recovers against major currencies
The Post, Pakistan - Jul 18, 2008
LAHORE: Local currency staged strong recovery against major currencies including dollar, euro, pound sterling and Australian dollar in open markets here on ...


Currency Trading Markets Likely to Offer Profitable Range Trades
Daily FX, NY - Jul 7, 2008
Currency market volatility has dipped once again through the past week of trade. An earlier spike in our DailyFX 3-Month Volatility Index quickly reversed ...


BBC News

Citi's losses smaller than forecasts said
Toronto Star,  Canada - 14 hours ago
... however, by asset sales, moderating expenses and record revenues on transaction services; interest rate and currency trading; and commodities. ...
Citigroup Posts $2.5 Billion Loss on Write-Downs New York Times
Citigroup plunges 95% amid continued pain in fixed income Financial News
Citigroup, Inc. F2Q08 (Qtr End 6/30/08) Earnings Call Transcript Seeking Alpha
Independent
all 507 news articles


Olint: What happened to all that money?
Jamaica Observer, Jamaica - Jul 18, 2008
By Al Edwards Club members of popular foreign currency trading outfit Olint and indeed most of the country are preoccupied with two questions: Will people ...


Church lashed on Olint
Jamaica Gleaner, Jamaica - Jul 16, 2008
Christians who placed their funds in Olint Corporation Ltd and other foreign currency trading-related investment schemes were naïve and foolish, ...


Top Currency Trading Ideas for the Week of June 30, 2008
Daily FX, NY - Jun 30, 2008
Expect a dollar rally to begin the week. This opportunity should be used to establish / add to long standing USD bearish positions. ...

Currency-Trading - Google News

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