One of the major rules within the stock market is that no person is allowed to trade within the stock market unless they are a certified stockbroker. A stockbroker, within the United Kingdom twelve million investor trade in the stock market, performs every trade that occurs and each one has enlisted the services of a stockbroker.

So you are probably now wondering, what exactly can a stockbroker do for me? There is a wide range of abilities and services that any stockbroker can offer you, at the same time there are also various ranges of fees that will be collected from them. Typically, a stockbroker will charge a commission, a set fee, or some combination of the two. In regards to the services a stockbroker can offer you, there are three basic levels that include only execution, portfolio management, and advice.

When a stockbroker only deals with the selling and buying of particular shares, per the instructions you give them, this is generally called execution only or in softer terms dealing only. With this type of service, they do not offer you any type of advice on any action you want perform. Typically, investors that are experienced or novice in investing will use this type of service. Execution only is cheaper and extremely efficient the fees the stockbroker charges can range anywhere between ?0 to hundreds of pounds, this will depend on the specific stockbroker you choose.

Portfolio management is extremely detailed and the most expensive type of service performed and dealing with advice is typically a little more expensive than execution only, because the stockbroker will offer advice and views on what is happening within the stock market. The stockbroker at this level of service will also take the time to explain anything you may not understand very well.

Within the portfolio management service, you can separate these into two other categories these are advisory and discretionary. When under the advisory category, the stockbroker will create a proposal of a portfolio for you; however, he or she will not take any action without express permission from you. Within the discretionary category, your stockbroker will completely run all aspects of your portfolio and will give you reports as needs on how the portfolio is working.

It is a well-known fact in finance that risk and return have a positive correlation. This means that an investment that carries greater risk will also give higher returns. The reason for this is very easy to understand and is almost intuitive. Suppose you had $10,000 to invest and two options A and B. Option A is a secure government bond that gives you 5% return, while option B is a higher risk investment in a company that will pay you only if it makes profits. Assume that this company has a history of making 5% Profits over several years and is likely to continue on the same lines.

That is, you can expect to get a return of 5% in future years, but that is subject to the company making the same level of profits. Where would you invest your money? If the returns are likely to be the same and if you are a sane person, you would obviously invest in the risk free option. Now suppose, option B were to pay you not 5% but 15% consistently, you might be tempted to put your money in it. In other words, a higher return can make you to invest in a riskier venture.

Since penny stocks are higher risk alternatives compared to regular stocks, the only way they can attract investment is by holding out a promise of higher return. How would a penny stock offer a higher return? This will be done not directly by the stock or the company, but by market forces. The market price of a stock is fixed on the basis of a few factors such as its intrinsic value and the return yielded by it. The market price of a stock divided by the return it gives is known as the price-earnings ratio.

For example, if $10 stocks were to be traded in the market at $20, and the company earns a net income per share of $1, the price-earnings ratio is 20. The price-earnings ratio will be higher for solid stocks that are known to be backed up by good management, have a history of consistent and good performance, and are perceived to be stable. The price-earnings ratio for stocks that are riskier, unknown and do not enjoy a positive perception will be much lower. This means that as against the example of price-earnings ratio of 20 that we assumed for a stable and well-known stock, a penny stock may have a much lower price-earnings ratio, say 3 or 4. Actual figures will depend on a number of other factors also.

Because of this, a penny stock will be priced lower for the same level of net income, and will therefore yield a higher return on the investment.

Others have the merit of educating themselves but fall victims of their emotions. They hold on to losing positions hoping they will turn into winners and sell winners by fear of losing a small gain. They overtrade to fulfill a need for action or by fear of missing out.

The consistent winners follow a winning approach:

• They have a strategy to enter and exit trades
• They use good money management
• They take consistent actions, they follow a trading plan
• They keep good records so they can review their actions
• They avoid overtrading
• They have a winning attitude

A strategy to enter and exit trades

You need to a strategy to put the odds in your favor for each trade you take. Your strategy should be as objective as possible and include the following elements:

• Entry: conditions required before you can enter a trade – may include technical analysis, fundamental analysis, or both.

• Initial stop loss: price at which you will close the entire position if it does not go in your favor. The risk per share is the difference between the entry price and the initial stop.

• Initial price objective: price at which you will take some or all profits if the trade goes in your favor.

• Trade management: set of rules that dictates your actions while a trade is opened. It may include trailing stops, closing position, etc…

For every action you take, the reason should be clearly described in your strategy.

Money management rules to keep losses small

The goal of money management is to ensure your survival by avoiding risks that could take you out of business. Your money management rules should include the following:

• Maximum amount at risk for each trade. The different between your entry price and your initial stop loss is your risk per share. Your maximum amount at risk for each trade determines the share size.

• Maximum amount at risk for all your opened positions.

• Maximum daily and weekly amount lost before you stop trading – avoid trying to trade your way out of a hole after a loosing streaks.

During your learning phase, your goal should be to survive, not to make money. Start with low limits and raise them as you become a consistent winner otherwise you will simply go broke faster.

Good record keeping

Although the process of gaining experience cannot be rushed, it can be made much more efficient by keeping good records of your actions. Good records will allow you to:

• Review your actions at the end of each day to make sure you followed you strategy, not your emotions.

• Learn from your losses – they cost you money, make sure you get the education in return.

You should also keep a journal of your observations.

A trading plan to keep emotions out of your decisions

During trading hours, emotions will turn smart people into idiots. Therefore you have to avoid having to make decisions during those hours. This requires a detailed trading plan that includes your strategy and your money management rules.

For every action you take during trading hours, the reason should not be greed or fear. The reason should be because it is in the plan. With a good plan, your task becomes one of patience and discipline.

You have to follow the plan without exception. Any valid reason for an exception – for example, correcting an oversight – should become part of the plan.

Overtrading

Sometimes the best thing to do is to do nothing. Not trading on those bad days is key to becoming a consistent winner – in some situations it is very tempting to overtrade:

• If you trade to fulfill a need for action, to relieve boredom
• If you can’t find the proper setup but can’t wait
• If you fear you are missing out on a great trade or on a great market
• If you want to make up for losses (revenge)
• If you trade to feel like you are working instead of sitting around. Trading involves a lot of work other than the actual buying and selling.

You should not trade under the following conditions  

• You are not following my trading plan
• You have reached your daily or weekly maximum loss
• You are sick or very tired
• You are very emotional (upset, pressured to make money, self-esteem destroyed)
• You are using new tools you are not completely familiar with
• You need time to work on your trading plan

A winning attitude

Losing traders look for a “sure thing”, hang on hope, and avoid accepting small losses. Their trading is based on emotions. You must treat trading as a probability game in which you don’t need to know what is going to happen next in order to make money. All you need to know is that the odds are in your favor before you put a trade.

If you believe in your edge, which is you believe that the odds in your favor for each trade you enter, then you should have no expectation other than something will happen.

Your attitude will have a direct influence on your trading results:

• Take responsibility for all your actions – don’t blame the market or world events.

• Trade to trade well and for the love of trading, not to trade often and not for the money. The money will come as a result of trading well.

• Don’t be influenced by the opinions of others. Reach your own decisions and follow them.

• Never think that taking money from the market is easy and never assume that you know enough.

• Have no particular expectation when you place a trade because you know that anything can happen.

• Don’t try to guess the future – trading is a game of probabilities.

• Use your head and stay calm – don’t get excited or depressed.

• Handle trading as a serious intellectual pursuit.

• Don’t count how much money you have made or lost while you are in a trade – focus on trading well.

Trading Framework was designed to help you build those crucial elements into your trading.

www.tradingframework.com

A Disciplined and Organized Approach to Trading in the Stock Market
]]> http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/a-disciplined-and-organized-approach-to-trading-in-the-stock-market/feed/ 0 http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/a-review-of-the-stock-market-crash-of-1929/ http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/a-review-of-the-stock-market-crash-of-1929/#comments Wed, 10 Aug 2011 16:55:19 +0000 Stock Trading Consultant http://www.torrenttrader.com/?p=23 531
The great Wall Street Crash just previous to the Great Depression of the 1930s has become a part of North American legend. People speak of the crash, its causes and its consequences, with great authority, although few people actually understand the fundamentals that led to the crash, and fewer still the intricacies involved in it. This article will detail a short review of the crash, analyze some of the myths evolving out of this period in American history, and also answer so…
The great Wall Street Crash just previous to the Great Depression of the 1930s has become a part of North American legend. People speak of the crash, its causes and its consequences, with great authority, although few people actually understand the fundamentals that led to the crash, and fewer still the intricacies involved in it. This article will detail a short review of the crash, analyze some of the myths evolving out of this period in American history, and also answer some questions such as why the crash happened, and if something like it could happen again.

The crash began on October 24, 1929 and the slide continued for three business days, ending on October 29 1929 (as we can see, the crash did not occur in the ?0s, as many people believe). The first day of the crash is known as Black Thursday, and the last day is called Black Tuesday. The crash began when a rush of nervous spenders panicked and rushed to sell their shares- over 13 million stocks were sold on that first Thursday. In an attempt to halt the slide, several bankers and businessmen gathered and tried to rally the numbers by buying up blue-chip stocks, a tactic that had worked in 1909. This was to prove only a temporary fix, however. Over the weekend, while the stock markets were closed, the media added to the fear of investors as the published the wrap ups to the week. By Monday, a fearful populace, nerves on edge due to the reports, were waiting to liquidate. Again, industrial giants and other businesses tried to halt the panic by demonstrating their faith in the system by buying more stock, but the slide would not stop. The market did not recover its value until almost a quarter of a decade later.

As with any legend, the Wall Street Crash of 1929 carries with it several mythical misconceptions. To start with, the Crash did not lead to the Great Depression. In fact, many financial analysts and historians are still not sure to what degree the Crash even contributed. The economic forecasts were poor before Wall Street fell, and it was poor people who could not even afford to think about stocks that were the most affected by the Depression. For these people, poverty was mostly caused by very poor farming conditions. There was also not the onslaught of suicides that is commonly referred to- a few investors did succumb to depression, but their numbers are generally agreed to have been very small indeed- enough to count on one hand.

What was it that caused this Crash? Because the market had been doing so well, many Americans were investing- many more, in fact, than could afford it. These people were investing on speculation. This means that they were buying stocks with an eye to selling them in the future for a higher profit, and to achieve the capital to invest they borrowed from banks. When prices began to drop, people realized they would not be able to pay their debt, let alone make any money,. They rushed to get out as soon as possible. To prevent panics such as this in the future, buying on speculation is now illegal.

A Review Of The Stock Market Crash Of 1929
]]> http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/a-review-of-the-stock-market-crash-of-1929/feed/ 0 http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/penny-stocks-are-penny-stocks-too-risky/ http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/penny-stocks-are-penny-stocks-too-risky/#comments Tue, 09 Aug 2011 17:47:50 +0000 Stock Trading Consultant http://www.torrenttrader.com/?p=22 The term “high-risk investment” sounds scary, doesn’t it? This phrase alone is enough to put many investors off. After all, no one wants to take a risk. The trouble with buying any kind of stock (high-risk of not) is that it’s always a gamble. But how do you decide when a stock is just too high-risk, for you?

There is a lot of information floating around on the Internet about penny stocks. Almost everyone with an e-mail address has gotten spam at some time or another, touting a penny stock as the next great investment. Sadly, much of this information is geared toward scamming you in some form or fashion, and it’s likely that you will lose all of the money that you put into the stocks advertised in this fashion. But that doesn’t mean that all penny stocks are bad deals, that you will lose money every time, or that every single penny stock is a scam. In fact, far from it. Some penny stocks might be very good investments, indeed.

Penny stocks are affordably priced shares in companies or businesses that are considered “small,” as opposed to big corporations. There are not many shareholders involved in penny stocks, making them less “liquid” than many other types of stock. The goal of investing in penny stocks it to part with very little money initially to enjoy a big return later on. Does it work this way? It does, sometimes, just not all the time. For those who know what they’re doing when they’re investing in penny stocks, they can be a great investment tool. Mastering the art of trading in penny stocks can be tricky, however.

For one thing, penny stocks don’t trade on the major stock exchanges. Rather, penny stocks are known as “over the counter” investments, listed on Pink Sheets and the OTCBB. This makes penny stocks rather unique, and somewhat harder to find for many investors. Penny stocks also don’t trade very regularly, so sometimes investors have very little time to act. Because trading does not occur often with penny stocks, there is always the fear of being unable to sell one’s shares of penny stocks and winding up with a bad investment. This is all part of the risk of trading in penny stocks, and many investors think this makes the game all the more challenging. When you invest in penny stocks, you should receive monthly updates that let you know how your stock is doing.

So, are penny stocks too risky? The only person who can decide that is you. Some investors find that penny stocks aren’t too risky, but others do. It’s all a question of how much gambling with your money you want to do, how much you know about penny stocks, and how lucky you feel. If you think investing your money in penny stocks is a good idea, then it probably is. Everyone has a different opinion on penny stocks. Learn more about them, and form your own.

Penny Stocks: Are Penny Stocks Too Risky?
]]> http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/penny-stocks-are-penny-stocks-too-risky/feed/ 0 http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/introduction-to-forex-trading/ http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/introduction-to-forex-trading/#comments Mon, 08 Aug 2011 19:00:17 +0000 Stock Trading Consultant http://www.torrenttrader.com/?p=21 If you are just starting out in the stock trading business or if you are already in it, you may have heard the term Forex trading quite a few times, but you probably might not have a clue on what it may actually mean.

Forex or foreign exchange trading is actually the largest and a fast-rising financial industry in stock trading these days. Here is a quick introduction to trading in foreign exchange.

What Is Forex Trading?

The Foreign Exchange market (Forex) is actually the largest financial market in the world. It actually makes a volume of over 2 trillion U.S. dollars a day, and as compared to its counterpart –the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) which usually only trades a volume of 25 billion dollars each day, this industry is so huge that it becomes a profitable playground for many investors including central banks, large banks, multinational companies and even governments.

What is actually traded on the foreign exchange is money. It actually consists of the concurrent buying and selling of currencies, which are traded through brokers and are traded in pairs.

When you are buying currency, it is like you are investing on the economy of a particular country. For example, if you buy U.S. dollars then it is as if you are buying a share of the U.S. economy. Whatever the market thinks about the current health of a country’s economy would directly be reflected on the price of its legal tender and this is how currencies go up or down.

Forex Trading For The Masses

Originally the whole concept of trading in the Foreign Exchange was only intended for huge companies and banks, but not for normal citizens. After all, you could only take part in the trade if you have around ten to fifty million dollars minimum.

However, with the rise of globalization through the Internet, trading is now offered to retail traders. And these days, almost anyone can now invest on the foreign trade. All you really need to join is some small amount of money, a computer and a high-speed Internet connection, and you can sign up for an account with online Forex trading firms.

There is no exact physical office for Foreign Exchange unlike its counterpart in New York. However, the three main centers for this trade are United States, United Kingdom and Japan. These countries handle majority of Forex transactions and trades goes on for 24 hours everyday.

Today, the Foreign Exchange, as the largest market in the world, is fast paced and enormous. And it has become a very lucrative arena for many traders who may have had participated in stock trading and in other markets. Many large institutions and even smaller-based individuals have gone out to play in this market.

Although this particular market gives huge promises, remember that there is still too much at stake. It is estimated that around 70 to 90 percent of the Foreign Exchange market is still speculative. And the parties that trade currencies may not always have a plan to actually take delivery of the said currency, and more are still speculating on movement of money.

If you are interested in investing in this particular arena, take time to be familiar with the game and make sure you get the right educational background. Taking the extra mile will all be worth it, and once you have tasted your success in this arena, you will be ready to take on anything in trading.

Introduction To Forex Trading
]]> http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/introduction-to-forex-trading/feed/ 0 http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/penny-stocks-risks/ http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/penny-stocks-risks/#comments Sun, 07 Aug 2011 19:48:53 +0000 Stock Trading Consultant http://www.torrenttrader.com/?p=20 The first point to remember is that large market cap stocks are likely to be registered on a national stock exchange such as NASDAQ. The reason for this is that when large volumes and amount are involved, which by definition is true for a large market cap stock, it is extremely difficult to get all that trade done outside a stock exchange. Although it is theoretically possible for a large stock to be traded on Pink Sheets and OTCBB, it will be difficult to sustain high volumes on these, because many people, who trade on recognized stock exchanges, may not trade in these stocks, particularly in large volumes.

Registration with a stock exchange involves a number of formalities that have to be complied with. These formalities are aimed at making the whole process more transparent so that the investor has access to relevant information. The availability of information helps you to verify the facts and also to check out on the soundness of the company more thoroughly. When these are missing you are operating under insufficient information and therefore are exposed to higher risk. Thus stock exchange registration by itself reduces the risk involved in investment.

Apart from this, there are other reasons why a penny stock is more risky than large market cap stocks.

Stocks registered with a recognized stock exchange are required to maintain minimum standards. These include requirements such as

Minimum number of publicly traded shares – this should be 1.1 million shares in the case of NASDAQ. The publicly held shares should also be a minimum of 10% of the total shares of the company.
Minimum Shareholder Equity
Minimum Operating income
Availability of market makers
The specified minimum amount should be available in assets, total revenue and listed securities.

There are many such requirements that a company has to meet in order to stay registered with the stock exchange. Basically, these requirements ensure that the stocks are widely held, and the company is running properly. These safeguards make the listed stocks less risky than unlisted ones, which do not have to follow any such requirements.

Penny stocks also generally do not have a history behind them, and suffer from low liquidity position. They have less room to maneuver. Because they are more risky and less preferred they will also have difficulty in raising money for new ventures or expansion. In some cases they may have difficulty in raising money even for operations. Companies generally raise money by borrowing or raising new capital. The amount that can be borrowed is limited for a given equity base. Suppose the company has $100,000 in capital, lenders may be willing to lend $200,000 or some such amount. If the company wants to borrow more money, it will have to first increase its capital base. This is more difficult in the case of penny stocks.

Finally, it might not be equally easy to find buyers in the case of penny stocks particularly if you have a large number of them. This will affect your own liquidity in the short term and also make it difficult to offload these stocks if the going is not too good.

These are some of the reasons why a penny stock is considered more risky. However, penny stocks have their brighter side too. They can give you much higher returns. We’ll see how this is possible in the next article.

Penny Stocks Risks
]]> http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/penny-stocks-risks/feed/ 0 http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/rules-on-penny-stocks/ http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/rules-on-penny-stocks/#comments Sat, 06 Aug 2011 20:44:00 +0000 Stock Trading Consultant http://www.torrenttrader.com/?p=19 Introduction to Penny Stock: The common understanding about penny stock in financial market of US is a kind of stock trading outside major stock exchanges. The major stock exchanges in US are NYSE and NASDAQ where the major stock trading takes place. For a beginner, the investment in penny stock may be a good option but at the same time he or she should understand all the related terms and the rules associated with penny stocks.

SEC Definition on Penny Stocks: Although the definition provided by the Securities and Exchange Commission is open with respect to the trading of penny stocks, these are generally not traded in NYSE or NASDAQ. There is a rare chance that these will be traded at any foreign exchange, however the Securities and Exchange Commission has put the higher ceiling of $5.0 for these speculative stocks.

US Securities and Exchange Commission: The mission and aim of the US Securities and Exchange Commission is to protect the investors from fraud, scam or other type of misappropriation. The commission is also ensure that the markets are efficient and fair. The commission also facilitates capital formation. The commission encourages more and more investors to get benefit from the share markets. It is one of the pillars for improving the economy of United States that will result more healthy opportunities for employment and better health and living standards for common people of United States.

The role of the commission is not limited to ensure proper protection of investors but it is also responsible for framing various rules and guidelines for smooth functioning of stock exchanges. It also lay guidelines for companies desirous to collect money from the market and strictly monitor the financial and other activities of such companies. It also ensures that the companies are taking care of their investors according to the rules and guidelines.

SEC Rules on Penny Stocks: As per the rules laid down by SEC, a broker or dealer is required to approve the customer desirous to sell the penny stock before the transaction. The broker should also get a written request from such customer.

SEC rules that a customer desirous to purchase a penny stock should be provided a document mentioning the risk involved in the penny stock. The broker or dealer should also inform the customer the current market rate of the penny stock and the commission that will be charged by the broker.

SEC further rules that a monthly statement of the account showing the current market rates of each penny stock held by the customer in his or her account should be send to the customer.

Summary: Penny stocks are governed by certain rules and regulation as lay down by SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission of US). The brokers and dealers should mandatory follow the instructions otherwise they are liable for punishment. The SEC rules provide protection of investors from fraud or misappropriation and dealers should also inform the investor about the current market rate and dealers commission before selling the stock.

Rules on penny stocks
]]> http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/rules-on-penny-stocks/feed/ 0 http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/penny-stocks-arent-all-penny-stocks-a-scam/ http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/penny-stocks-arent-all-penny-stocks-a-scam/#comments Fri, 05 Aug 2011 21:14:58 +0000 Stock Trading Consultant http://www.torrenttrader.com/?p=18 Most Internet e-mail users have been subject to penny stock scams. There are more than fifty billion spam messages sent each day, and many of these mention investing in penny stocks. Spam isn’t a very reliable investment source, right? Does that mean that all penny stocks are, essentially, some sort of scam?

Penny stock scam is a sad fact of using the Internet. It’s possible for people to lose 8% of their investment when falling for these penny stock scams online. Often, these penny stocks do not exist or they do not exist at the advertised price. This type of scam is called a “pump and dump.” Yes, there are some scams on the Internet that center around penny stocks.

This does not mean that all penny stocks are a scam, or even a bad investment. There are some penny stocks that can make investors a good amount of profit, in fact…just not the ones you find advertised in spam. Stopping yourself from investing in those penny stocks is a great idea, but deciding never to invest in penny stocks of any kinds because of that may not be.

Yes, there are considered a high-risk investment, but it’s also possible to turn a pretty profit by using penny stocks. In most cases, there is a certain finesse needed to invest in these stocks, as they rarely trade and sometimes things happen with penny stocks very quickly. Investors have to know what’s happening all the time and be ready to make a move when needed – making penny stocks somewhat exciting and interesting to trade in. This is why some investors like them.

Don’t let Internet scams scare you away. There are a lot of Internet job scams, too, where so-called “employers” offer to pay you lots of money to do something simple like answer surveys or surf the “Net. In many cases, these “job offers” turn out to be nothing but an Internet scam, and a clever ploy to try and get your hard-earned money. But you don’t let Internet job scams keep you from working – so don’t let Internet penny stock scams keep you from investing. That still means that the scam artists win, because they’re keeping you away from something.

To learn which penny stocks are potentially good investments and which are potentially bad, there’s lots you can do. Check the business journals and stock information, or ask a broker for more information and advice regarding penny stocks. There are good penny stocks out there, and there are investments out there where you can make a lot of money. By doing your research and looking into every possibility, you increase your chances of success in the stock market. And isn’t success what it’s all about?

If you’re interested in investing in penny stocks, you can’t let anything (even scams) stop you. Do what you want to do and invest your money where you think it’s best. After all, it’s your money and only you can decide what you want to do with it. Make the choice for you, not for any other reason.

Penny Stocks: Aren't All Penny Stocks a Scam?
]]> http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/penny-stocks-arent-all-penny-stocks-a-scam/feed/ 0 http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/stock-trading-computers-are-they-always-helpful/ http://www.torrenttrader.com/2012/02/stock-trading-computers-are-they-always-helpful/#comments Thu, 04 Aug 2011 22:08:25 +0000 Stock Trading Consultant http://www.torrenttrader.com/?p=17 Technology has outdone itself these days. May it be in simple means of communicating or in much more complicated business or moneymaking transactions, the use of the computer has become very apparent in most people’s lives.

In stock trading, the rise of the market transactions online has become quite prevalent over the past few years. Many institutional investors prefer to use sophisticated computer technology to assist them in making investment decisions. And many people argue that computers may just be better at picking stocks than traditional human brokers.

Although computers may perform a lot of sophisticated utilities, you may wonder whether or not these can really be better aids for trading as compared to traditional brokers. At the end of the day, remember that what technology has to offer are mere recommendations and ultimately, the decision is still up to you.

Taking The Emotions Out of Stocks

One of the most common arguments that many people who choose to make use of computer technology in trading is that by not having to deal with many emotions that human brokers may have in stock picking, then computers can offer more objective recommendations to the investor.

Because most computer programs cater to quantitative models by searching through layers of data to look for stocks that are compatible to be bought or sold, then the computer’s lack of the ability to become confused from human emotions can be very beneficial. Remember that by taking out human emotions like pride or greed, choosing the right investments in quantitative models can perhaps become more lucrative.

No System Is Perfect

Though computers can be very promising tools in trading, take note that no system is always perfect. Since humans are still responsible for building the said models in which computers revolve in, there fundamentally are sill biases in the system. And even the most sophisticated computers cannot always report for all the variances out there in the market, at least, not at the moment.

One very common problem encountered with the use of computers is that may times, computer programs often end up recommending the same stocks on their lists. And if a hundred of these programs analyze companies at the same time, then they would most likely be giving the same recommendations to so many clients. And at the end of the day, investors would still have to fight for stocks.

When many people generally want to invest in the same stock and the demand goes up, what happens in the market is that prices also go up, and this can be very bad for the investor.

And so, the ultimate question is whether or not computers are really helpful in making trading much easier for you. The answer is to this is yes and no.

Although computers can surely help you in so many ways by foregoing of the usual distracting human emotions and can even analyze data much faster, remember that it is still a system that has yet to be perfected. And despite the many benefits, there are underlying flaws that can still make the trading game a jungle to get involved in.

The stock market with its unpredictable behavior can surely be a difficult arena to take on. And so, take note that whatever assistance you would want to use, whether sophisticated computer equipment or more traditional brokers, at the end of the day, your decisions would still be the make or break factor in order to become successful in your endeavors.

Stock Trading Computers - Are They Always Helpful?
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