Trading Stocks...Online Way to Make Your Day

A World of Money at Your Fingertips
Having an online broker account can afford you a total sense of power. All of them offer the traditional personal help for a price. Some online brokerages will give out free advice, however, as always, the decision whether or not to trade is left totally at your discretion. For the novice, the easiest ways to get involved with on line trading is with stocks. As a beginner you must be made aware of the stock market vernacular. Day trading is trading that from the moment you take a position to the second the transaction is complete, only one trading day has elapsed. This may seem very obvious to most of us, however, there are so-called experts who lump all online traders into the bag of day trading. For the sophisticated observer it is plain to see the obvious differences. A day trader rides the rush of the asset, while a swing trader diagnosis the trends and holds onto it as long as the momentum last.

Anyone who is just getting their feet wet with online trading should begin as a swing trader. With the proper software you can swing trade while keeping your job or enjoying your retirement. Swing trading is traditionally considered a low risk venture, especially for those who trade the large cap stocks. But is there really such a thing as low risk in these volatile times? Some experts will tell you that swing trading only works in a stable market, where the prices don’t fluctuate, but I feel that if you are properly trained you can make money no matter what the market is doing. So how much investment capital should you have? To quote the investment companies disclosure, and I’m paraphrasing; “never invest more than you have to lose.”

It is important to set a limit on how much you plan on trading with, and the amount you are comfortable with losing. It is like gambling, make no mistake about it. However instead of just rolling the dice, putting your chips all on lucky 7, or hopelessly watching the little pea spin around, you can learn what is the equivalent of counting cards. For example, the term stop loss is one that you should know and understand its meaning before placing any position. It is the amount of money you are willing to bet that you are right about your decision to get in when you did. If you are long, than the stop loss is placed just under lows it has already reached. That way if the stock goes south your losses are kept at a minimum. There are three basis fundamentals, I believe that every foundation for sound trading should be built upon. Knowledge Training Software

Knowledge is Gained by Experience

Proper Training Will Lead to a Successful Experience
The only thing that separates an intelligent person from an expert is knowledge. Let us assume that you have some knowledge or you wouldn’t be researching the market. Any training you receive should be for technical analysis, or you are just wasting time and money. They are many facets to technical analysis, but the one I’d like to touch on briefly is candlestick charting. When I first started trading, it was the one part of training that is the easiest to comprehend. Don’t get me wrong. It takes a keen eye and patience to master it. For those of you not yet familiar with candlestick charting, I will try to give a brief but accurate explanation. The Chinese invented the market concept, and the Japanese perfected charting techniques with the use of the candlesticks. It is easy to understand this complex system, if we simply break it down to the ticks on the chart you follow every day. We know that the lower tick is where the stock opened and the higher is where it closed. Now if we made the two lines parallel and connected them, what would we have? A candle. However, during that movement, the stock might have gone lower or higher then where it opened or closed, so our candle has formed a tail and a wick. Is it starting to make a little sense to you? Can you see the advantage of knowing this information, for getting in and out, and setting a stop loss?

Your Software Platform Should Be Technically Sound

Four Ways to Ensure Profits
As far as software platforms, the following suggestions I strongly feel are necessary for any software to be useful.

1. It must be able to offer live streaming technical data. (Otherwise the program is merely educational)
2. The platform should defiantly include candlestick charting.
3. Visually it has to be large enough for all the data to be seen easily. (Many of the online brokerage’s technical data are too small to be useful)
4. It must be cost effective. (Most good systems can be purchased for between one and two hundred dollars)

I don’t profess to being an expert, but I do know of some. I obviously don’t have the time to go into all the details now, but at my site Market Mentalist you will find all you need to know about investing online. There is access to some of the top trading systems available including software, books, newsletters, and Forums. Whether you are an inquisitive novice or a seasoned pro Market Mentalist offers the online investment resource you just might be seeking.

Day Trading Forums...Chat Rooms Where the High Powered Mingle

Small Investors and Tycoons Can Share Their Views

As one imagines what stock market forums and day trader chat rooms are like, we must not look back to the smoke-filled rooms of the wall street mens club. Today’s financial forums are populated with a membership that includes teachers, laborers, students, and housewives, just to name a few. The purpose of these chat rooms, is to obtain knowledge and networking. This is where a novice can learn what the pros might do in any given circumstance. Small investors get to pick the brain of successful high-powered traders. There is always the possibility of getting a great tip, but mostly it is a place where like minded people can debate the state of the economy in general, and wall street in particular.

If you go searching for a trading forum, you must realize that there are chat rooms and message boards for every conceivable type of trading. For those of you that are seeking pinpointed answers directed at a certain type of trading, there are forums geared specifically for penny stocks, as an example. There are of course general investing forums as well. Take this example of a swing trader thinking of doing some day trading. I realize that there are so-called experts who lump all online traders into the bag of day trading. For the sophisticated observer it is plain to see the obvious differences. A day trader rides the rush of the asset, while a swing trader diagnosis the trends and holds onto it as long as the momentum last. This is the kind of issue you can discuss with actual day traders. There is a different set of rules that govern day traders as well, and you can be pointed in the right direction for that.

Another good reason for these forums, is the social networking it affords many of us. Online trading is not only precarious at times, but it can be very lonely as well. A chat room is not a place for ideal gossip but it can be a place to debate a trade you perhaps have just initiated. Does anyone else know about the asset? Letting other people know about your position can only help you, whether you’re going long or short. If your information provides the spark needed for others to get involved, than because you were there first, so to speak, it would only strengthen your position should others get involved.

Forums are also a place to discuss news and current events. A currency trader might be able to gain excellent Intel about a certain country from a citizen of the country. We only have to look to the amount of investors who rushed to buy into the healthcare sector, when erroneous news of the demise of the public option in the proposed government plan, had been leaked. Can you imagine two technical analysts discussing the downturn of AIG a month before it collapsed, and the kind of money they made because of this prior knowledge? I am sure that anyone in that chat room would also benefit from that kind of information. I believe that the only thing that separates an intelligent person from an expert is knowledge and experience. With the proper training you will gain knowledge and experience. These forums can’t provide you with training, however, you can pick the brains of people who are successful.

Trading is like gambling, make no mistake about it. However instead of just rolling the dice, putting your chips all on lucky 7, or hopelessly watching the little pea spin around, you can learn what is the equivalent of counting cards. There are three basis fundamentals, I believe that every foundation for sound trading should be built upon. Knowledge Training Software

Training Leads to Knowledge

Software and Technical Analysis Leads to Greater Profits
Let us assume that you have some knowledge or you wouldn’t be researching the market. Any training you receive should be for technical analysis, or you are just wasting time and money. As far as software platforms, the following suggestions I strongly feel are necessary for any software to be useful.

1. It must be able to offer live streaming technical data. (Otherwise the program is merely educational)
2. The platform should defiantly include candlestick charting.
3. Visually it has to be large enough for all the data to be seen easily. (Many of the online brokerage’s technical data is too small to be useful)
4. It must be cost effective. (Most good systems can be purchased for between one and two hundred dollars)

It is No Longer a Simple Stock Tick

Candlestick Charting Will Light the Way to Profits
For those of you not yet familiar with candlestick charting, I will try to give a brief but accurate explanation. The Chinese invented the market concept, and the Japanese perfected charting techniques with the use of the candlesticks. It is easy to understand this complex system, if we simply break it down to the ticks on the chart you follow every day. We know that the lower tick is where the stock opened and the higher is where it closed. Now if we made the two lines parallel and connected them, what would we have? A candle. However, during that movement, the stock might have gone lower or higher then where it opened or closed, so our candle has formed a tail and a wick. Is it starting to make a little sense to you? Can you see the advantage of knowing this information, for getting in and out, and setting a stop loss?

I don’t profess to being an expert, but I do know of some. I obviously don’t have the time to go into all the details now, but at my site Market Mentalist you will find all you need to know about investing online. I have listed, complete with links, some of top Forums. Also, there is access to some of the top trading systems available including software, books, and newsletters.
Whether you are an inquisitive novice or a seasoned pro, Market Mentalist offers the online investment resource you just might be seeking.

Trading Gold...This Precious Metal Will Continue to Shine

All Portfolios Should Contain a Percentage of Gold
Anyone who can afford to should own gold. There are many legal ways of having gold, however, it comes down to either physically possessing it, or owning shares on paper. Most experts agree that taking physical possession of gold is a good idea as a bet against inflation. There are two ways to own real physical gold, and most people who do, I feel are purchasing it in the wrong form. Gold bullion in the form of small bars or coins is the preferred method by most buyers. The reason why I feel it is a mistake to own gold in this manner is twofold. First of all gold is a commodity, and as such restricted by regulations of any commodity. The second reason has to do with history. In 1933 all but $100 of the non collectible gold was confiscated by the government when we went off the gold standard. With the world in its current financial turmoil there are many that believe that the inflation that will follow a recovery might force us back into a gold standard. If that happens anyone in possession of gold bullion will get a fair market price for it, and than it will be confiscated.

On the other hand, if you own, what is deemed as rare or collectible gold it cannot be confiscated. In fact this kind of asset is considered private, and is no ones’ business but yours. Yes you pay a premium for it, but in the long run it will be worth it. It doesn’t have to be old to be considered collectible. All proof bullion coins also fall into that category. Let us assume that at the turn of this century you purchased a one ounce American gold eagle and a one ounce eagle proof. Today your gold eagle, which you bought for approximately $350, is worth three times that much. While the proof that you paid approximately $500 for, is now valued at four or five times what you paid for it. For those of you looking into buying physical gold, you might want to consider this. It is my understanding that the U.S. mint has temporarily suspended the manufacturing of proof coins, but there are many dealers that still offer them.

For traders, there are many avenues to take when looking into trading gold. If you are looking for a day trade, the gold index seems to fluctuate enough, that with the right technical charting you should be able to make excellent profits on a daily basis. There are many goldmine stocks that, if charted correctly can be swing traded very successfully. I don’t do a lot of futures trading, but it seems to be that until gold breaks the thousand plus resistance, the future will be very much as it is in the present. Many experts see gold topping the two thousand per ounce mark, but so far there are no indications of that happening in the near future.

Good Charting Can Be Compared to a Treasure Map

There is Gold in Them Thar Technical’s
As I mentioned, precise technical charting is the key that will unlock that treasure chest of gold. In fact, it will greatly increase profits in any trading you pursue. Let us assume that you have some knowledge or you wouldn’t be researching the market. Any training you receive should be for technical analysis, or you are just wasting time and money. As far as software platforms, the following suggestions I strongly feel are necessary for any software to be useful.

1. It must be able to offer live streaming technical data. (Otherwise the program is merely educational)
2. The platform should defiantly include candlestick charting.
3. Visually it has to be large enough for all the data to be seen easily. (Many of the online brokerage’s technical data is too small to be useful)
4. It must be cost effective. (Most good systems can be purchased for between one and two hundred dollars)

Use a Candle to Light Your Golden Way

Candlestick Charting is a Goldmine of Wealth
For those of you not yet familiar with candlestick charting, I will
try to give a brief but accurate explanation. The Chinese invented the market concept, and the Japanese perfected charting techniques with the use of the candlesticks. It is easy to understand this complex system, if we simply break it down to the ticks on the chart you follow every day. We know that the lower tick is where the stock opened and the higher is where it closed. Now if we made the two lines parallel and connected them, what would we have? A candle. However, during that movement, the stock might have gone lower or higher then where it opened or closed, so our candle has formed a tail and a wick. Is it starting to make a little sense to you? Can you see the advantage of knowing this information, for getting in and out, and setting a stop loss?

I don’t profess to being an expert, but I do know of some. I obviously don’t have the time to go into all the details now, but at my site Market Mentalist you will find all you need to know about investing online. There is access to some of the top trading systems available including software, books, newsletters, and Forums. Whether you are an inquisitive novice or a seasoned pro Market Mentalist offers the online investment resource, you just might be seeking.

Online Trading Temptations...Too Much Power At Your Fingertips

Your Computer Is Not a One Arm Bandit

Where would we be without computers, and the technological advancements the internet offers us? Just as there is a generation getting addicted to video games, there are an alarming percentage of internet junkies. Keep in mind that online trading is becoming more and more popular too. With anything that is extremely popular comes extremist. Whatever style or strategy you engage in, remember that you are gambling with real money. You can’t continually treat your computer like a slot machine, and expect to always hit the jackpot. Without a solid and proven plan, things like going by instincts or by the seat of your pants, you will eventually fail in major way. You can however, take some of the more frightening aspects of gambling out of the equation. Instead of just rolling the dice, putting your chips all on lucky 7, or hopelessly watching the little pea spin around, you can learn what is the equivalent of counting cards. Let’s turn a tempting passion into a money making habit.

I know that addiction for online trading can completely envelop a person 24 hours a day, if they allow it to. Any online trading system or plan, should have three very important elements of success. Knowledge...Training...Software... Without any one of these three basics, as tempting as it might be to trade online, you will ultimately lose your entire investment capital. Let us assume that you have some knowledge or you wouldn’t be researching the market. Any training you receive should be for technical analysis, or you are just wasting time and money. Technical analysis training must be centered around candlestick charting, which will become your equivalent of counting cards, which I just referenced. It matters not what market you trade in, stocks or options, currency, commodities and futures, the following advice will help you.


For those of you not yet familiar with candlestick charting, I will try to give a brief but accurate explanation. The Chinese invented the market concept, and the Japanese perfected charting techniques with the use of the candlesticks. It is easy to understand this complex system, if we simply break it down to the ticks on the chart you follow every day. We know that the lower tick is where the stock opened and the higher is where it closed. Now if we made the two lines parallel and connected them, what would we have? A candle. However, during that movement, the stock might have gone lower or higher then where it opened or closed, so our candle has formed a tail and a wick. Is it starting to make a little sense to you? Can you see the advantage of knowing this information, for getting in and out, and setting a stop loss?

Knowing Candlesticks Will Ensure Your Online Profits

Take these examples:

1. Let’s assume a stock opens twenty cents higher than it closed yesterday. It later closes ten cents higher than that. Should we get in? Not necessarily. Because as the candlestick showed us, even though it had a thirty-cent swing from the day before, a long wick was created. This meant that it went even higher then it eventually settled on. That tells us that the pressure to go higher wasn’t strong enough. We will put it on our watch list, and keep a keen eye on it.

2.A few days passes with similar results. Suddenly there is a break in the resistance. The stock has formed a candlestick with a long tail. What does this convey? We might put a buy signal for a couple of cents higher than it has previously gone, because the long tail tells us that the bulls are ready to take over.

3. Ideally you want to wait for clusters to form. Of course the greatest indicator is a long candle. One that opens and closes with hardly any wick or tail.

This synopsis could have very easily taken place over a few hours rather than days, if you were day trading, for example. There are many “characters” in candlestick charting, and those who master reading them become successful.

Software That Delivers Gives You a Successful Platform

Choosing the Right Program Is like Hitting the Jackpot
As far as software platforms, the following suggestions I strongly feel are necessary for any software to be useful.

1. It must be able to offer live streaming technical data. (Otherwise the program is merely educational)
2. The platform should defiantly include candlestick charting.
3. Visually it has to be large enough for all the data to be seen easily. (Many of the online brokerage’s technical data is too small to be useful)
4. It must be cost effective. (Most good systems can be purchased for between one and two hundred dollars)

If you can acquire software that gives you even the slightest edge in your favor, it is well worth the Investment. I don’t profess to being an expert, but I do know of some. I obviously don’t have the time to go into all the details now, but at my site Market Mentalist you will find all you need to know about investing online. There is access to some of the top trading systems available including software, books, newsletters, and Forums. Whether you are an inquisitive novice or a seasoned pro, Market Mentalist offers the online investment resource, you just might be seeking.

What to Know About Day Trading...Strategies That Ensure Profits

Is it Day Trading Or Something Else?

There is this misconception about day trading that need to be cleared up. I ‘ve always thought of day trading as trades opened and closed in the same day. This may seem very obvious to most of us, however, there are so-called experts who lump all online traders into the bag of day trading. For the sophisticated observer it is plain to see the obvious differences. A day trader rides the rush of the asset, while a swing trader diagnosis the trends and holds onto it as long as the momentum last. So where does that leave you? I don’t know if the term “day trading” ever existed before we had access to the internet. My definition is that of a person who might be trading at the speed of light. You might laugh, but this is the life of a day trader. They do not care about fundamentals or even for that matter what the company does. They are riding the trend, up or down it doesn’t matter, as long as the asset is behaving the way they have projected it would. Day traders don’t care what markets they are in, be it stocks, options, currencies, or futures, they get in and out with a fast profit. A transaction may last a few minutes, an hour or so, but never more than that day. They also must adhere to a set of strict rules and regulations, including maintaining an account that doesn’t fall less than twenty-five thousand. For complete details on all the rules, please refer to the SEC web site.

So now you can determine what type of a trader you are thinking of pursuing. Are you a real day trader, or perhaps, swing trading is more what you were intending to research? Swing traders can do a limited amount of intra day trades without incurring any penalties. A great way to determine which strategy is best suited to your needs, is to first decide if your plan is to pursue this on a full time basis. You cannot be a day trader part time. With the proper software you can swing trade while keeping your job or enjoying your retirement. Swing trading is traditionally considered a low risk venture, especially for those who trade the large cap stocks. But is there really such a thing as low risk in these volatile times? Some experts will tell you that swing trading only works in a stable market, where the prices don’t fluctuate, but I feel that if you are properly trained you can make money no matter what the market is doing.

I think most regular folk always saw the market as a playground for the big cats. That was until the influx of trading companies to the internet. So how much investment capital should you have? To quote the investment companies disclosure, and I’m paraphrasing; “never invest more than you have to lose.” It is like gambling, make no mistake about it. However instead of just rolling the dice, putting your chips all on lucky 7, or hopelessly watching the little pea spin around, you can learn what is the equivalent of counting cards. There are three basis fundamentals, I believe that every foundation for sound trading should be built upon. Knowledge Training Software

Knowledge Leads to Training

Training Leads to Knowledge
Let us assume that you have some knowledge or you wouldn’t be researching the market. Any training you receive should be for technical analysis, or you are just wasting time and money. As far as software platforms, the following suggestions I strongly feel are necessary for any software to be useful.

1. It must be able to offer live streaming technical data. (Otherwise the program is merely educational)
2. The platform should defiantly include candlestick charting.
3. Visually it has to be large enough for all the data to be seen easily. (Many of the online brokerage’s technical data is to small to be useful)
4. It must be cost effective. (Most good systems can be purchased for between one to two hundred dollars)

It is No Longer a Simple Stock Tick

Candlestick Charting Will Light the Way to Profits
For those of you not yet familiar with candlestick charting, I will
try to give a brief but accurate explanation. The Chinese invented the market concept, and the Japanese perfected charting techniques with the use of the candlesticks. It is easy to understand this complex system, if we simply break it down to the ticks on the chart you follow every day. We know that the lower tick is where the stock opened and the higher is where it closed. Now if we made the two lines parallel and connected them, what would we have? A candle. However, during that movement, the stock might have gone lower or higher then where it opened or closed, so our candle has formed a tail and a wick. Is it starting to make a little sense to you? Can you see the advantage of knowing this information, for getting in and out, and setting a stop loss?

I don’t profess to being an expert, but I do know of some. I obviously don’t have the time to go into all the details now, but at my site Market Mentalist you will find all you need to know about investing online. There is access to some of the top trading systems available including software, books, newsletters, and Forums. Whether you are an inquisitive novice or a seasoned pro Market Mentalist offers the online investment resource you just might be seeking.

Stock Market Trading Software...Up Or Down You Make Money

These Fundamentals Aren’t Technical

I believe in order to lay a solid foundation for successful trading, there are three basic fundamentals you must adhere to. The first is knowledge. There are only three things really that separate us from an expert. Training and experience comes after knowledge. Knowledge comes first, and expertise is accomplished through experience and constant training. So, how knowledgeable are you? Let us assume that you have some knowledge or you wouldn’t be researching the market. Do you know the difference between day trading and swing trading? To me there is a major difference. Many so-called experts lump all online traders into the bag of day trading. For the sophisticated observer it is plain to see the obvious differences. A day trader rides the rush of the asset, while a swing trader diagnosis the trends and holds onto it as long as the momentum last. Knowing these subtle nuances will determine what kind of software you need.

Training encompasses a lot of different meanings. For our purposes I want to address technical analysis. I strongly feel any trader not taking advantage of the immense knowledge gained from technical charts is wasting time and money. Of course the fundamentals are important. They are much more important to the investor than the trader, however. A company’s financial report don’t matter a great deal if you are planning on dumping the asset in a few minutes, a day, or a week. If there was any news about the company’s financial report, believe me you would see it reflected on the technical charts.

Use Software for Your Advantage

A Solid Platform to Build Your Wealth
Now based upon the idea that my assumptions are accurate, and you are still with me, as far as software platforms, the following suggestions I strongly feel are necessary for any software to be useful.

1. It must be able to offer live streaming technical data. (Otherwise the program is merely educational)
2. The platform should defiantly include candlestick charting.
3. Visually it has to be large enough for all the data to be seen easily. (Many of the online brokerage’s technical data is to small to be useful)
4. It must be cost effective. (Most good systems can be purchased for between one to two hundred dollars)

More on Candlestick Charting

A Candle Burns Bright in Your Future
For those of you not yet familiar with candlestick charting, I will
try to give a brief but accurate explanation. The Chinese invented the market concept, and the Japanese perfected charting techniques with the use of the candlesticks. It is easy to understand this complex system, if we simply break it down to the ticks on the chart you follow every day. We know that the lower tick is where the stock opened and the higher is where it closed. Now if we made the two lines parallel and connected them, what would we have? A candle. However, during that movement, the stock might have gone lower or higher then where it opened or closed, so our candle has formed a tail and a wick. Is it starting to make a little sense to you? Can you see the advantage of knowing this information, for getting in and out, and setting a stop loss?

Take these examples:

1. Lets assume a stock opens twenty cents higher than it closed yesterday. It later closes ten cents higher than that. Should we get in? Not necessarily. Because as the candlestick showed us, even though it had a thirty-cent swing from the day before, a long wick was created. This meant that it went even higher then it eventually settled on. That tells us that the pressure to go higher wasn’t strong enough. We will put it on our watch list, and keep a keen eye on it.

2.A few days passes with similar results. Suddenly there is a break in the resistance. The stock has formed a candlestick with a long tail. What does this convey? We might put a buy signal for a couple of cents higher than it has previously gone, because the long tail tells us that the bulls are ready to take over.

3. Ideally you want to wait for clusters to form. Of course the greatest indicator is a long candle. One that opens and closes with hardly any wick or tail.

This synopsis could have very easily taken place over a few hours rather than days, if you were day trading, for example. There are many “characters” in candlestick charting, and those who master reading them become successful.

If you can acquire software that gives you even the slightest edge in your favor, it is well worth the Investment. I don’t profess to being an expert, but I do know of some. I obviously don’t have the time to go into all the details now, but at my site Market Mentalist you will find all you need to know about investing online. There is access to some of the top trading systems available including software, books, newsletters, and Forums. Whether you are an inquisitive novice or a seasoned pro Market Mentalist offers the online investment resource you just might be seeking.

Proven Trading Techniques ...Profits In A Day Or A Week

The Ultimate goal is Higher Profits
In order to determine what techniques will work the best for your particular situation, we have to first discover what you already know. Technique is defined as a procedure that is effective in achieving an aim or goal. Of course we know that your ultimate goal is to make money, and if you are already making money, to increase your profits. How we get there is dependent on what path you desire to take. Is this something that you are planning on devoting all your efforts to? Or perhaps you are planning on dabbling in it while keeping your present job, or enjoying your retirement. This decision will set the tone for your online trading future. Don’t confuse dabbling with having any commitment. Anytime you trade you must be totally committed, which includes be knowledgeable, properly trained, and possessing the right tools to get the job done successfully. Therefor if your plan is to tackle trading part time, you will be a swing trader.


Do you know the difference between day trading and swing trading? To me there is a major difference. Just as there are differences between an option and futures contract. Many so-called experts lump all online traders into the bag of day trading. For the sophisticated observer it is plain to see the obvious differences. A day trader rides the rush of the asset, while a swing trader diagnosis the trends and holds onto it as long as the momentum last. I don’t know if the term “day trading” ever existed before we had access to the internet. If it did, I some how would picture a broker becoming a bit frazzled, trying to keep up with this mad client who is buying and selling at the speed of light. Because this, is the life of the day trader. They do not care about fundamentals or even for that matter what the company does. They are riding the trend, up or down it doesn’t matter, as long as the asset is behaving the way they have projected it would. Day traders don’t care what markets they are in, be it stocks, options, currencies, or futures, they get in and out with a fast profit. A transaction may last a few minutes, an hour or so, but never more than that day. These rebels of tradition are literally traders, rather than investors, but can reap huge rewards in a relatively short period of time. This is the itinerary of a day trader. If you can’t commit or don’t have the time to pursue this strategy properly, as I previously suggested you do indeed have to look into swing trading. Another thing about day traders, are they must adhere to a set of strict rules and regulations, including maintaining an account that doesn’t fall less than twenty-five thousand. For complete details on all the rules, please refer to the SEC web site.

This is the itinerary of a day trader. If you can’t commit or don’t have the time to pursue this strategy properly, I suggest you do indeed look into swing trading. Please don’t misunderstand me, swing trading can be a full time job as well, and for thousands it is. You just can’t do day trading part time. It is important to know what path you are taking because the techniques to travel it are identical. You must be knowledgeable, able to comprehend technical analysis, and possess software that can give you the upper hand. Remember trading the market, no matter which one you chose, is like gambling, make no mistake about it. However instead of just rolling the dice, putting your chips all on lucky 7, or hopelessly watching the little pea spin around, you can learn what is the equivalent of counting cards.

Confidence Derives From Knowledge

Technical Training and Charting Leads to Higher Profits
Let us assume that you have some knowledge or you wouldn’t be researching the market. Any training you receive should be for technical analysis, or you are just wasting time and money. As far as software platforms, the following suggestions I strongly feel are necessary for any software to be useful.

1. It must be able to offer live streaming technical data. (Otherwise the program is merely educational)
2. The platform should defiantly include candlestick charting.
3. Visually it has to be large enough for all the data to be seen easily. (Many of the online brokerage’s technical data is to small to be useful)
4. It must be cost effective. (Most good systems can be purchased for between one and two hundred dollars)

No More Meaningless Stock Ticks

Candlestick Charting Is Technical Analysis
For those of you not yet familiar with candlestick charting, I will
try to give a brief but accurate explanation. The Chinese invented the market concept, and the Japanese perfected charting techniques with the use of the candlesticks. It is easy to understand this complex system, if we simply break it down to the ticks on the chart you follow every day. We know that the lower tick is where the stock opened and the higher is where it closed. Now if we made the two lines parallel and connected them, what would we have? A candle. However, during that movement, the stock might have gone lower or higher then where it opened or closed, so our candle has formed a tail and a wick. Is it starting to make a little sense to you? Can you see the advantage of knowing this information, for getting in and out, and setting a stop loss?

Take these examples:

1. Lets assume a stock opens twenty cents higher than it closed yesterday. It later closes ten cents higher than that. Should we get in? Not necessarily. Because as the candlestick showed us, even though it had a thirty-cent swing from the day before, a long wick was created. This meant that it went even higher then it eventually settled on. That tells us that the pressure to go higher wasn’t strong enough. We will put it on our watch list, and keep a keen eye on it.

2.A few days passes with similar results. Suddenly there is a break in the resistance. The stock has formed a candlestick with a long tail. What does this convey? We might put a buy signal for a couple of cents higher than it has previously gone, because the long tail tells us that the bulls are ready to take over.

3. Ideally you want to wait for clusters to form. Of course the greatest indicator is a long candle. One that opens and closes with hardly any wick or tail.

This synopsis could have very easily taken place over a few hours rather than days, if you were day trading, for example. There are many “characters” in candlestick charting, and those who master reading them become successful.

If you can acquire software that gives you even the slightest edge in your favor, it is well worth the Investment. I don’t profess to being an expert, but I do know of some. I obviously don’t have the time to go into all the details now, but at my site Market Mentalist you will find all you need to know about investing online. There is access to some of the top trading systems available including software, books, newsletters, and Forums. Whether you are an inquisitive novice or a seasoned pro Market Mentalist offers the online investment resource you just might be seeking.

Commodities Trading... Do You Know Your Peas and Q’s Of Futures?

More Than One Hundred and Fifty Years of U.S. History
Anyone who has seen the classic movie Trading Places knows what commodities are. For those of you who have not gotten the privilege of seeing Eddie Murphy at his best, commodities are any physical, tangible goods. From crops such as corn or wheat, to oil, gold, and currency, commodities get traded on the futures market. Rice was undoubtedly the very first commodity traded at the original market of the Chinese. Here in the U.S. it began more than 150 years ago at the Chicago Board of Trade with the first agricultural futures contract. In 1982 options on futures was introduced, and in the 1990's exchanges introduced electronic trading. Futures trading is now a 24 hour, seven days a week enterprise, and undoubtedly the main reason you are researching it. Like all financial instruments, the futures market is highly regulated, but not by the SEC.

The SEC administers and enforces the federal laws that govern the sale and trading of securities, such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, but they do not regulate futures trading. The federal agency that does regulate futures trading is the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. With limited
exceptions, the trading of futures must be executed on the floor of a commodity exchange. Similar to broker-dealers that are members of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or some other self-regulatory organization, all firms and individuals who trade futures with the public or give advice about futures trading must be registered with the National Futures Association (NFA).

Hedgers and Speculators

Two Kinds of Commodities Traders:
Commercial hedgers are corporations and sometime individuals, that seek to ensure the stability of a given commodity by taking a position in the commodities market. Take peas for example, and the hedger, a food processor who cans them. If pea prices go up the hedger ends up having to pay the farmer or pea dealer more. Because it is basically a cash commodity, to protect himself against higher pea prices, the processor can “hedge” his risk exposure by buying enough pea futures contracts to cover the amount of peas he expects to buy. Since cash and futures prices do tend to move in tandem, the futures position will profit if the price of peas rise enough to offset cash pea losses.

Speculators are the second major group of futures players. These participants include independent floor traders and investors. A speculator is a person, or more likely an institution, that purchases or sells the commodities based on factors other than simply analysis. Whereas investors will focus, by and large, on detailed analysis.

The Pro’s and Con’s of Speculating

Futures Looking Prosperous
Since most individual traders are speculators, here is a list of some of the advantages and disadvantages of the futures market over other investment possibilities.

1. The possibility exist that a person can make more money faster in the futures market, because the speed of prices tend to change faster than stocks. Conversely, bad judgment can cause one to suffer greater losses than traditional investments.

2. Futures are highly leveraged investments. The trader only puts up about 15-20% as a margin, yet still being able to ride the full amount of the contract. Unlike stocks where at least 50% of its value has to be put up, and the investor pays interest on the difference between the margin and the full contract value.

3. For the most part there is no inside trading. Everyone has the same insiders information on the weather, for example. This is an open outcry market, very public, which insures a fair outcome.

4. Commission charges on futures trades are small compared to other investments, and the investor pays them after the position is liquidated.

5. Most commodity markets are very broad and liquid. Transactions can be completed quickly, lowering the risk of adverse market moves between the time of the decision to trade and the trade's execution.

I hope this has helped in your research. I don’t profess to being an expert, but I do know of some. I obviously don’t have the time to go into all the details now, but at my site
Market Mentalist you will find all you need to know about investing online. I have a page devoted to commodities. There is access to some of the top trading systems available including software, books, newsletters, and Forums. Whether you are an inquisitive novice or a seasoned pro Market Mentalist offers the online investment resource you just might be seeking.

Currency Trading...There Is Money In Money

We Are Not Talking Chump Change

Perhaps you have seen the recent infomercial showing how easy it is to trade currencies, or you are a seasoned trader looking to branch out. It makes no difference about your experience, only your will to expand your scope of investments. For an awful long time the foreign exchange market had been one of the financial world's best kept secrets. This is hard to believe considering it is the largest market in the world and accept for weekends trades 24 hours a day. Forex or FX as it is referred to was mostly the playground for large banks, corporations and hedge fund managers. If this is your first venture into Forex, you must understand that they play by a whole different set of rules. With average daily turnover of US$3.2 trillion, forex is without a doubt the most traded market in the world. Starting Sunday 5:00 P.M. ET to Friday 5:00 P.M. ET, forex trading begins in Sydney, and moves around the globe as the business day begins, first to Tokyo, London, and New York. So trading currencies is unlike other financial markets, because investors can respond immediately to currency fluctuations, whenever they occur - day or night.

Currencies are trade in pairs, like the Euro-US Dollar (EUR/USD) or US Dollar / Japanese Yen (USD/JPY). Unlike stocks or futures, there's no centralized exchange for forex, so all transactions happen via phone or electronic network. That electronic network path is the reason for this astounding day trader like mentality, and also the reason that perhaps you are reading this in the first place. Your computer allows you to tap into this market, and take advantage of fact that it does indeed trade 24 hours. As I have mentioned currency trading is not done in the same way that stocks, futures or options are. There is not a regulated exchange for currency trading, nor is there a governing body, therefore the trades come down to a matter of trust and the word of one trader to another.

Burning the Midnight Oil
Software That Lets You Sleep Prosperously
I guess that means getting involved with FX will mean you’ll get very little sleep. Until the massive access to affordable software, that might have been the scenario. With the right platform Forex day trading can be almost like a vacation for the trader who deals with other financial products in other markets. Not only are there less governing bodies to deal with, it means less binding rules and regulations to pay heed to when making your trades as well. For instance, in the Forex world, there is no such thing as "insider trading." If you know something either harmful or beneficial to the exchange rate of the Euro, then feel free to capitalize on that information at will. The equivalent information at the stock exchange, might very well lead to an investigation by the SEC. Always keep in mind that 95% of currency trades are speculative. What that means is that this is a very risky venture. Without correct and through training and the right kind of software to trade on, you can very easily lose your investment. To be affective the platform should meet at least a minimum of three qualifications.

1. It must be able to offer live streaming technical data. (Otherwise the program is merely educational)

2 Visually it has to be large enough for all the data to be seen easily. (Many of the online brokerage’s technical data is too small to be useful)

3. It must be cost effective. (Most good systems can be purchased for between one and two hundred dollars)

Knowledge and Training Will Exude Confidence
Forex Software Will give You Power

The Forex platforms not only meet but exceed these qualifications. They not only offer live streaming technical data, but you can view real-time prices in 37 currency pairs and spot gold. Also you can execute market orders with just one mouse click and choose from eight available order types. Remember we are trading currency, which is vulnerable to political and economic news, so all of the platforms have access to view up to the minute news headlines and market commentary.

I don’t profess to being an expert, but I do know of some. I obviously don’t have the time to go into all the details now, but at my site Market Mentalist you will find all you need to know about investing online. There is access to some of the top trading systems available including Forex software, books, newsletters, and Forums. Whether you are an inquisitive novice or a seasoned pro Market Mentalist offers the online investment resource you just might be seeking.

Futures Trading...Know The Market Before The Experts

You Don’t need a Crystal Ball

One might say that there has to be some kind of mystical knowledge being used, considering the price for the commodity doesn’t yet exist. Commodities are any physical, tangible goods, such as crops like corn or wheat, to oil, gold, and currency, just to name a few. The futures market has nothing to do with the use of a crystal ball, though there are many traders who wish they had one. A futures contract is a standardized contract to buy or sell a specified commodity of standardized quality at a certain date in the future, at a market determined price (the futures price). The contracts are traded on a futures exchange.

A futures contract gives the holder the obligation to make or take delivery under the terms of the contract, whereas an option grants the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to establish a position previously held by the seller of the option. Like all financial instruments, the futures market is highly regulated, but not by the SEC.

The SEC administers and enforces the federal laws that govern the sale and trading of securities, such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, but they do not regulate futures trading. The federal agency that does regulate futures trading is the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. With limited
exceptions, the trading of futures must be executed on the floor of a commodity exchange. Similar to broker-dealers that are members of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or some other self-regulatory organization, all firms and individuals who trade futures with the public or give advice about futures trading must be registered with the National Futures Association (NFA).

The Players In This Chess Match
Hedgers and Speculators
Commercial hedgers are corporations and sometime individuals, that seek to ensure the stability of a given commodity by taking a position in the commodities market. Take peas for example, and the hedger, a food processor who cans them. If pea prices go up the hedger ends up having to pay the farmer or pea dealer more. Because it is basically a cash commodity, to protect himself against higher pea prices, the processor can “hedge” his risk exposure by buying enough pea futures contracts to cover the amount of peas he expects to buy. Since cash and futures prices do tend to move in tandem, the futures position will profit if the price of peas rise enough to offset cash pea losses.

Speculators are the second major group of futures players. These participants include independent floor traders and investors. A speculator is a person, or more likely an institution, that purchases or sells the commodities based on factors other than simply analysis. Whereas investors will focus, by and large, on detailed analysis.

Gambling With Your Futures
Five Reasons To Roll the Dice
Since most individual traders are speculators, here is a list of some of the advantages and disadvantages of the futures market over other investment possibilities.

1. The possibility exist that a person can make more money faster in the futures market, because the speed of prices tend to change faster than stocks. Conversely, bad judgment can cause one to suffer greater losses than traditional investments.

2. Futures are highly leveraged investments. The trader only puts up about 15-20% as a margin, yet still being able to ride the full amount of the contract. Unlike stocks where at least 50% of its value has to be put up, and the investor pays interest on the difference between the margin and the full contract value.

3. For the most part there is no inside trading. Everyone has the same insiders information on the weather, for example. This is an open outcry market, very public, which insures a fair outcome.

4. Commission charges on futures trades are small compared to other investments, and the investor pays them after the position is liquidated.

5. Most commodity markets are very broad and liquid. Transactions can be completed quickly, lowering the risk of adverse market moves between the time of the decision to trade and the trade's execution.

I hope this has helped in your research. I don’t profess to being an expert, but I do know of some. I obviously don’t have the time to go into all the details now, but at my site
Market Mentalist you will find all you need to know about investing online. I have a page devoted to futures. There is access to some of the top trading systems available including software, books, newsletters, and Forums. Whether you are an inquisitive novice or a seasoned pro Market Mentalist offers the online investment resource you just might be seeking.

Swing Trading...Less Pressure Than a Day But Big Rewards

Between Day Trade and Trends

If you are not a day trader or long term investor, you are a swing trader. It usually means you are holding on to a stock for at least a few days, but not more than a few weeks. Swing trading is
traditionally considered a low risk venture, especially for those who trade the large cap stocks. But is there really such things as low risk in these volatile times? Of course you can always just keep shorting the market. I think that can be the most risky in our current atmosphere. Some experts will tell you that swing trading only works in a stable market, where the prices don’t
fluctuate. I think most regular folk always saw the market as a playground for the big cats. That was until the influx of trading companies to the internet. So how much investment capital should you have? To quote the investment companies disclosure, and I’m paraphrasing; “never invest more than you have to lose.” It is like gambling, make no mistake about it. However instead of just rolling the dice, putting your chips all on lucky 7, or hopelessly watching the little pea spin around, you can learn what is the equivalent of counting cards.

Before we go any further, I would first like to determine that you are indeed researching swing, and not day trading. All part time traders are swing traders, because you simply can’t monitor an asset that you might want to transact at any second, on a part time basis. These rebels of tradition are literally traders, rather than investors, but can reap huge rewards in a relatively short period of time. This is the itinerary of a day trader. If you can’t commit or don’t have the time to pursue this strategy properly, I suggest you do indeed look into swing trading. Please don’t misunderstand me, swing trading can be a full time job as well, and for thousands it is. You just can’t do day trading part time.


Make no mistake however, in both strategies as with anything connected with investments, you had better be knowledgeable. Always have an exit plan or stop loss in place and it is essential that you have an excellent technical charting platform.

Knowledge and Training Lead to Confidence
Confidence Leads to Profit
Let us assume that you have some knowledge or you wouldn’t be researching the market. Any training you receive should be for technical analysis, or you are just wasting time and money. As far as software platforms, the following suggestions I strongly feel are necessary for any software to be useful.

1. It must be able to offer live streaming technical data. (Otherwise the program is merely educational)
2. The platform should defiantly include candlestick charting.
3. Visually it has to be large enough for all the data to be seen easily. (Many of the online brokerage’s technical data are too small to be useful)
4. It must be cost effective. (Most good systems can be purchased for between one and two hundred dollars)

Let the Candles Light Your Way

Include Candlestick Charting for Even Greater Profits

For those of you not yet familiar with candlestick charting, I will
try to give a brief but accurate explanation. The Chinese invented the market concept, and the Japanese perfected charting techniques with the use of the candlesticks. It is easy to understand this complex system, if we simply break it down to the ticks on the chart you follow every day. We know that the lower tick is where the stock opened and the higher is where it closed. Now if we made the two lines parallel and connected them, what would we have? A candle. However, during that movement, the stock might have gone lower or higher then where it opened or closed, So our candle has formed a tail and a wick. Is it starting to make a little sense to you? Can you see the advantage of knowing this information, for getting in and out, and setting a stop loss?

I don’t profess to being an expert, but I do know of some. I obviously don’t have the time to go into all the details now, but at my site Market Mentalist you will find all you need to know about investing online. There is access to some of the top trading systems available including software, books, newsletters, and Forums. Whether you are an inquisitive novice or a seasoned pro Market Mentalist offers the online investment resource you just might be seeking.

Popularity of Day Trading Goes Up With the Market

Are You Really Researching Day Trading?

As the market rebounds from crash in ‘08 and the early decline of 2009, more and more online investors are once again turning their sights to day trading. I wonder, when Edison invented his ticker tape machine, if he could foresee the future he helped to create. The tape has been replaced with a digital screen, but the effect is the same, instant gratification. With the right training, knowledge, and software program, anyone can trade with the pros. Yes you can trade with them, but does that make you one. Before we can determine what a day trader is, we must first investigate the term and meaning as they relate to you.

Many so-called experts lump all online traders into the bag of day trading. For the sophisticated observer it is plain to see the obvious differences. A day trader rides the rush of the asset, while a swing trader diagnosis the trends and holds onto it as long as the momentum last. I don’t know if the term “day trading” ever existed before we had access to the internet. If it did, I some how would picture a broker becoming a bit frazzled, trying to keep up with this mad client who is buying and selling at the speed of light. Because this, is the life of the day trader. They do not care about fundamentals or even for that matter what the company does. They are riding the trend, up or down it doesn’t matter, as long as the asset is behaving the way they have projected it would. Day traders don’t care what markets they are in, be it stocks, options, currencies, or futures, they get in and out with a fast profit. A transaction may last a few minutes, an hour or so, but never more than that day.

So it is online trading, which includes day trading, that is regaining momentum. All part time traders are swing traders, because you simply can’t monitor an asset that you might want to transact at any second, on a part time basis. These rebels of tradition are literally traders, rather than investors, but can reap huge rewards in a relatively short period of time. Of course, day trading for a living does carry some fairly large monetary risks, so you must know exactly what you are doing from the time the markets open to when they close. This is the itinerary of a day trader. If you can’t commit or don’t have the time to pursue this strategy properly, I suggest you look into swing trading.

Swinging for a Home Run
Less Risky In a Stable Market
Swing trading can be a part time effort. These types of trades are ones that last longer than a day and can run a course of up to a few weeks, as an average. Swing trading is traditionally considered a low risk venture. Especially for those who trade the large cap stocks. But is there really such thing as low risk in these volatile times? Of course you can always just keep shorting the market. I think that can be the most risky in our current atmosphere. Some experts will tell you that swing trading only works in a stable market, where the prices don’t fluctuate.

I think most regular folk always saw the market as a playground for the big cats. That was until the influx of trading companies to the internet. So how much investment capital should you have? To quote the investment companies disclosure, and I’m paraphrasing; “never invest more than you have to lose”. It is like gambling, make no mistake about it. However instead of just rolling the dice, putting your chips all on lucky 7, or hopelessly watching the little pea spin around, you can learn what is the equivalent of counting cards.

This brings us right back to knowledge, training, and you can never forget the software. Let us assume that you have some knowledge or you wouldn’t be researching the market. Any training you receive should be for technical analysis, or you are just wasting time and money. As far as software platforms, the following suggestions I strongly feel are necessary for any software to be useful.

1. It must be able to offer live streaming technical data. (Otherwise the program is merely educational)
2. The platform should defiantly include candlestick charting.
3. Visually it has to be large enough for all the data to be seen easily. (Many of the online brokerage’s technical data is to small to be useful)
4. It must be cost effective. (Most good systems can be purchased for between one to two hundred dollars)

Let the Candle Lead the Way
Include Candlestick Charting for Greater Profits
For those of you not yet familiar with candlestick charting, I will
try to give a brief but accurate explanation. The Chinese invented the market concept, and the Japanese perfected charting techniques with the use of the candlesticks. It is easy to understand this complex system, if we simply break it down to the ticks on the chart you follow everyday. We know that the lower tick is where the stock opened and the higher is where it closed. Now if we made the two lines parallel and connected them, what would we have? A candle. However, during that movement, the stock might have gone lower or higher then where it opened or closed, So our candle has formed a tail and a wick. Is it starting to make a little sense to you? Can you see the advantage of knowing this information, for getting in and out, and setting a stop loss?

I don’t profess to being an expert, but I do know of some. I obviously don’t have the time to go into all the details now, but at my site Market Mentalist you will find all you need to know about investing online. There is access to some of the top trading systems available including software, books, newsletters, and Forums. Whether you are an inquisitive novice or a seasoned pro Market Mentalist offers the online investment resource you just might be seeking.

Intraday Trading...Guts and Timing In The Market

Gamblers Conduct Intraday Trading
Intraday is really a made up word by those so-called experts who lump all online traders into the bag of day trading. For the sophisticated observer it is plain to see the obvious differences. A day trader rides the rush of the asset, while a swing trader diagnosis the trends and holds onto it as long as the momentum last. When I think of the term intraday, I picture someone who is closing their trades literally seconds after they have opened them. The SEC has no definition per say, and their web site will simply refer you to day trading.
In their own words...Day traders rapidly buy and sell stocks throughout the day in the hope that their stocks will continue climbing or falling in value for the seconds to minutes they own the stock, allowing them to lock in quick profits. Day trading is extremely risky and can result in substantial financial losses in a very short period of time. If you are a day trader, or are thinking about day trading, read our publication, Day Trading: Your Dollars at Risk. We also have warnings and tips about online trading and day trading.

Under the rules of NYSE and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), customers who are deemed "pattern day traders" must have at least $25,000 in their accounts and can only trade in margin accounts.

I had to go to an Investment Dictionary
In their own words...Another way of saying "within the day.” Intraday price movements are particularly important to short-term traders looking to make many trades over the course of a single trading session. The term intraday is occasionally used to describe securities that trade on the markets during regular business hours, such as stocks and ETFs, as opposed to mutual funds, which must be bought from a dealer.

I don’t know if the term “day trading” ever existed before we had access to the internet. If it did, I some how would picture a broker becoming a bit frazzled, trying to keep up with this mad client who is buying and selling at the speed of light. Because this, is the life of the day trader. They do not care about fundamentals or even for that matter what the company does. They are riding the trend, up or down it doesn’t matter, as long as the asset is behaving the way they have projected it would. Day traders don’t care what markets they are in, be it stocks, options, currencies, or futures, they get in and out with a fast profit. A transaction may last a few minutes, an hour or so, but never more than that day.

Swing Trading Offers Less Stress
Knowledge and Training Lead to Greater Profits
Let us determine even if day trading is what you are actually trying to research. The first thing you must realize is day trading cannot be pursued on a part time basis. If you can’t commit or don’t have the time to pursue this strategy properly, I suggest you look into swing trading. These types of trades are ones that last longer than a day and can run a course of up to a few weeks, as an average. Swing trading can be a part time effort. Make no mistake however, in both strategies as with anything connected with investments, you had better be knowledgeable. Always have an exit plan or stop loss in place and it is essential that you have an excellent technical charting platform.

Let us assume that you have some knowledge or you wouldn’t be researching the market. Any training you receive should be for technical analysis, or you are just wasting time and money. As far as software platforms, the following suggestions I strongly feel are necessary for any software to be useful.

1. It must be able to offer live streaming technical data. (Otherwise the program is merely educational)
2. The platform should defiantly include candlestick charting.
3. Visually it has to be large enough for all the data to be seen easily. (Many of the online brokerage’s technical data are too small to be useful)
4. It must be cost effective. (Most good systems can be purchased for between one and two hundred dollars)

Let the Candles Light Your Way
Include Candlestick Charting for Even Greater Profits
For those of you not yet familiar with candlestick charting, I will try to give a brief but accurate explanation. The Chinese invented the market concept, and the Japanese perfected charting techniques with the use of the candlesticks. It is easy to understand this complex system, if we simply break it down to the ticks on the chart you follow every day. We know that the lower tick is where the stock opened and the higher is where it closed. Now if we made the two lines parallel and connected them, what would we have? A candle. However, during that movement, the stock might have gone lower or higher then where it opened or closed, So our candle has formed a tail and a wick. Is it starting to make a little sense to you? Can you see the advantage of knowing this information, for getting in and out, and setting a stop loss?

I don’t profess to being an expert, but I do know of some. I obviously don’t have the time to go into all the details now, but at my site Market Mentalist you will find all you need to know about investing online. There is access to some of the top trading systems available including software, books, newsletters, and Forums. Whether you are an inquisitive novice or a seasoned pro Market Mentalist offers the online investment resource you just might be seeking.

Forex Trading... Let Robots Trade Largest Market 24 Hours.

Software That Fights Insomnia

There are two definitions for the word Forex. It is, along with FX an anagram for foreign exchange market which trade’s currencies. In a forex trade, you buy one currency while simultaneously selling another - that is, you're exchanging the sold currency for the one you're buying. The foreign exchange market is an over-the-counter market. The other Forex is a major conglomerate that is, in their own words, a global provider of online trading services, servicing customers in more than 140 countries. In the next few minutes I will attempt to educate you on both of these terms, and what they can mean to your future.

For an awful long time the foreign exchange market had been one of the financial world's best kept secrets. This is hard to believe considering it is the largest market in the world and accept for weekends trades 24 hours a day. It was mostly the playground for large banks, corporations and hedge fund managers. Currencies are trade in pairs, like the Euro-US Dollar (EUR/USD) or US Dollar / Japanese Yen (USD/JPY). Unlike stocks or futures, there's no centralized exchange for forex, so all transactions happen via phone or electronic network. That electronic network path is the reason for this astounding day trader like mentality, and also the reason that perhaps you are reading this in the first place. Your computer allows you to tap into this market, and take advantage of fact that it does indeed trade 24 hours. With average daily turnover of US$3.2 trillion, forex is without a doubt the most traded market in the world. Starting Sunday 5:00 P.M. ET to Friday 5:00 P.M. ET, forex trading begins in Sydney, and moves around the globe as the business day begins, first to Tokyo, London, and New York. So trading currencies is unlike other financial markets, because investors can respond immediately to currency fluctuations, whenever they occur - day or night.

I guess that means getting involved with FX will mean you’ll get very little sleep. Until the massive access to affordable software, that might have been the scenario. So that leads us to the next Forex. With the right platform Forex day trading can be almost like a vacation for the trader who deals with other financial products in other markets. Not only are there less governing bodies to deal with, it means less binding rules and regulations to pay heed to when making your trades as well. For instance, in the Forex world, there is no such thing as "insider trading." If you know something either harmful or beneficial to the exchange rate of the Euro, then feel free to capitalize on that information at will. The equivalent information at the stock exchange, might very well lead to an investigation by the SEC. Always keep in mind that 95% of currency trades are speculative. What that means is that this is a very risky venture. Without correct and through training and the right kind of software to trade on, you can very easily lose your investment. To be affective the platform should meet at least a minimum of three qualifications.

1. It must be able to offer live streaming technical data. (Otherwise the program is merely educational)

2 Visually it has to be large enough for all the data to be seen easily. (Many of the online brokerage’s technical data is too small to be useful)

3. It must be cost effective. (Most good systems can be purchased for between one and two hundred dollars)

The Forex platforms not only meet but exceed these qualifications. They not only offer live streaming technical data, but you can view real-time prices in 37 currency pairs and spot gold. Also you can execute market orders with just one mouse click and choose from eight available order types. Remember we are trading currency, which is vulnerable to political and economic news, so all of the platforms have access to view up to the minute news headlines and market commentary.

I don’t profess to being an expert, but I do know of some. I obviously don’t have the time to go into all the details now, but at my site Market Mentalist you will find all you need to know about investing online. There is access to some of the top trading systems available including Forex software, books, newsletters, and Forums. Whether you are an inquisitive novice or a seasoned pro Market Mentalist offers the online investment resource you just might be seeking.

Knowledge is the Key That Will Unlock Your Finances

How to Day Trade Online Like the Experts

What is it that all experts have that we don’t have? Are they that much smarter than the rest of us? Where they born experts? I know this is getting a bit silly, but I wanted to prove a point about the difference between intelligence and knowledge. There’s no big puzzle, to become an expert at anything, you just first have to have knowledge of that subject. For instance, is it really day trading information that you are seeking? What I mean by that is, perhaps it is really swing trading that you are interested in. Many so-called experts lump all online traders into the bag of day trading. For the sophisticated observer it is plain to see the obvious differences. A day trader rides the rush of the asset, while a swing trader diagnosis the trends and holds onto it as long as the momentum last. There, perhaps you have gained some knowledge you didn’t have when you first started your research. Assuming you agree with me, I will in the next few minutes’ attempt to explain the pros and cons of each strategy, and hopefully leave you with some semblance of the expert’s knowledge.

I don’t know if the term “day trading” ever existed before we had access to the internet. If it did, I some how would picture a broker becoming a bit frazzled, trying to keep up with this mad client who is buying and selling at the speed of light. Because this, is the life of the day trader. They do not care about fundamentals or even for that matter what the company does. They are riding the trend, up or down it doesn’t matter, as long as the asset is behaving the way they have projected it would. Day traders don’t care what markets they are in, be it stocks, options, currencies, or futures, they get in and out with a fast profit. A transaction may last a few minutes, an hour or so, but never more than that day.

Of course, day trading for a living does carry some fairly large
monetary risks, so you must know exactly what you are doing from the time the markets open to when they close. This is the itinerary of a day trader. If you can’t commit or don’t have the time to pursue this strategy properly, I suggest you look into swing trading. These types of trades are ones that last longer than a day and can run a course of up to a few weeks, as an average. Swing trading can be a part time effort. Make no mistake however, in both strategies as with anything connected with investments, you had better be knowledgeable. Always have an exit plan or stop loss in place and it is essential that you have an excellent technical charting platform.

If we are in agreement on these points than you will be able to comprehend the following suggestions I strongly feel is necessary for any software to be useful.

1. It must be able to offer live streaming technical data. (Otherwise the program is merely educational)
2. The platform should defiantly include candlestick charting.
3. Visually it has to be large enough for all the data to be seen easily. (Many of the online brokerage’s technical data is too small to be useful)
4. It must be cost effective. (Most good systems can be purchased for between one and two hundred dollars)

If you can acquire software that gives you even the slightest edge in your favor, it is well worth the Investment. I don’t profess to being an expert, but I do know of some. I obviously don’t have the time to go into all the details now, but at my site Market Mentalist you will find all you need to know about investing online. There is access to some of the top trading systems available including software, books, newsletters, and Forums. Whether you are an inquisitive novice or a seasoned pro Market Mentalist offers the online investment resource you just might be seeking.

Swing Trading Tips... Penny Stocks And Candlestick Charting

Most investors who use the internet, know about swing trading. If you are not a day trader or long term investor, you are a swing trader. It usually means you are holding on to a stock for at least a few days, but not more than a few weeks. Swing trading is traditionally considered a low risk venture. Especially for thosewho trade the large cap stocks. But is there really such thing as
low risk in these volatile times? Of course you can always just keep shorting the market. I think that can be the most risky inour current atmosphere. Some experts will tell you that swing
trading only works in a stable market, where the prices don’t fluctuate.

I would like to pass on some ideas and strategies, that with a slight mind set adjustment and a little training, you can reap big profits. I further contend that this can be accomplished on
a shoestring budget. I think most regular folk always saw the market as a playground for the big cats. That was until the influx of trading companies to the internet. So how much investment
capital should you have? To quote the investment companies disclosure, and I’m paraphrasing; “never invest more than you have to lose”. It is like gambling, make no mistake about it. That being said, I think with the following strategies, you can plan on investing a few hundred to a few thousand. Ideally, two to five thousand is an excellent starting point. If you keep an open mind, you will see for yourself, how the combination of these two systematic plans of action, can lead to
enormous profits.

PENNY STOCKS combined with CANDLESTICK CHARTING

Ha! Those experts will tell you you’re crazy to even think about the dreaded Pink Sheets. Because of their lax accounting and reporting guidelines, many feel “penny shares” are vulnerable to manipulation. I’m referring to the famous scam “pump and dump”. Where at times influential investors can pump up a stock, sell it for huge profits, then D-list the stock. I’m here to tell you, that even if you jumped on that band wagon, you would have gotten out with a profit, long before the wheels came off. A substantial look into this market however, will show that a lot of these small companies are honest and have tremendous potential. So lets say you found a way to insure yourself that penny stocks are the way to go. I think you can start to see the potential for large gains. I am going to provide you with a couple of penny sectors to get you started.

The first is an actual example that I made an astounding killing on. The “Nano Technology” sector is a great place to start. There are many Nano companies that already have financial backing and poised for tremendous growth. I’m not going to tell you which stock, because that
would take all the fun out of researching for you. However, I do want you to take a look at the kind of numbers this form of trading is capable off.

I’ll get to “Candlestick Charting” in just a bit. But I did want you to know that to find these little jewels I did use candlesticks. By tracking the technicals I found a nickel stock that was getting ready to make a move. Don’t get me wrong, I think fundamental’s are very important, if you are planning on a long term investment for your retirement, for example. For the purpose of swing trading however, knowing how to read the technicals is all you need. After following the stock for a couple of days, I got in at 8 cents for 50,000 shares. My investment was $4000. Now the main investors didn’t come in until it topped a quarter. At that time I had already more then doubled my investment. I stayed in it for a few weeks, setting my stop loss at thirty cents. At it’s peak the stock went to almost sixty cents. I got out with over $24,000 profit. Granted this doesn’t happen everyday, but it does occur more often than you might think. You just have to know where to look.

The other sector I would strongly suggest is “Clean Energy”. With all the attention clean energy is getting, the new commitment by our new administration, I’m sure there are small companies that are diamonds in the rough. As we move on to the next part of the equation, I want you
to keep this in mind. The fastest way to become a millionaire, short of
discovering or inventing something, or hitting the lottery, is to make the
right penny stock investment.

Now that you understand the fantastic possibilities a penny can bring, let me tell you the secret of unlocking this pink treasure. Let’s start with the
investing 101 concept that everyone knows. Buy low and sell high! So simple, yet why do so many fail to do it? Well one reason is most uninformed investors, get in much to late. Even a technical investor who does not use Candlestick Charting is playing a guessing game of sorts.

The Chinese invented the market concept, and the Japanese perfected charting techniques with the use of the candlesticks. It is easy to understand this complex system, if we simply break it down to the ticks on the chart you follow everyday. We know that the lower
tick is where the stock opened and the higher is where it closed. Now if we made the two lines parallel and connected them, what would we have? A candle. However, during that movement, the stock might have gone lower or higher then where it opened or closed, So our candle has formed a tail and a wick. Is it starting to make a little sense to you?
Take these examples:

1. Lets assume a stock opens two cents higher than it closed yesterday.
It later closes three cents higher than that. Should we get in? Not necessarily. Because as the candlestick showed us, even though it had a five cent swing from the day before, a long wick was created. This meant that it went even higher then it eventually settled on. That tells us
that the pressure to go higher wasn’t strong enough. We will put it on
our watch list, and keep a keen eye on it.
2.A few days pass with similar results. Suddenly there is a break in the resistance. The stock has formed a candlestick with a long tail. What does this convey? We might put a buy signal for a couple of cents
higher, because the long tail tells us that the bulls are ready to take over.
3. Ideally you want to wait for clusters to form. Of course the greatest
indicator is a long candle. One that opens and closes with hardly any
wick or tail.

4.Remember that volume will also help to determine the right stock.

There are many “characters” in the Candlestick System. I attended a $2000 workshop to learn this type of charting. However, you can learn these methods for literally pennies, compared to what I spent. If you have the right trading company that offers Candlestick Charts
make sure they also have penny stocks. Many of them don’t cater to
“Pink Sheets”.

I don’t profess to being an expert, but I do know of some. I obviously don’t have the time to go into all the details now, but at my site Market Mentalist you will find all you need to know about investing online. There is access to some of the top trading systems available including software, books, newsletters, and Forums. Whether you are an inquisitive novice or a seasoned pro Market Mentalist offers the online investment resource you just might be seeking.

You will find a whole new world of investing without having to attend an expensive workshop. All the tools and information you will need to get started in the exciting world of
PENNY STOCKS and CANDLESTICK CHARTING