Online trading has lowered commissions to the point where they are no longer the primary consideration. Ditto for good execution, if indeed they are Direct Access. If you decide later to trade commodities, options, futures, or currencies, TerraNova may be the only one that you can trade everything, real time, online, direct access. A lot of online brokerages claim to give you direct access, but if they take more than a second to execute your trade, it aint direct.
What you probably should be concentrating on is the best trading software or trading platform. But even then, everyone's criteria are different.
Find the articles online that have evaluated and compared online brokerages. I found a good one online in Barron's, but you'll find others in the trading magazines. Active Trader, Futures Mag, etc.
This is worth putting a little time and effort into, because it's a pain to switch, so once you choose, you're kinda stuck with it.
Townsend Electronics, the Parent company of TerraNova, is the one that digitized and electronified the Nasdaq. They are technological industry leaders and have a powerful and well built trading system.
I use RealTick at TerraNovaOnline, but it costs $275/mo. I think the Investor package is free to use, and just uses one screen.
What you should try is a free trial of their Investor platform, which is free. Their rates are good also, but of course, it depends on how often you trade. It will take you months to learn all the bells and whistles of what this program can do.
The other top-of-the line program is TradeStation, but it costs big bucks to join and operate. Some people consider it the Cadillac of trading and technical analysis.
TerraNova is the home of the Day Trader, so they think nothing of you making several hundred trades a day. You don't have to do that, but it's okay here if you do.
I would appreciate any advice of where to look. What's Your experience?
Thanks
Mutual Funds is what I have already in my 401k. I don't plan to touch that.
I am also not planning to do day trading, becuase of the high risk and lack of time (I have a day job). It looks like I will be doing what they call position trading (buy and sell in the time frame of weeks-months).
Which online broker do you recommend?
etrade, Scottrade,…?
Check outthis link at TerraNova Online. The Investor platform is an escellent trading tool for a beginner, and is limited to one screen. I use RealTick and five screens, but it costs $250/mo. Ask about a free trial.
http://terranovaonline.com/
A lot of online brokerages claim to give you direct access, but if they take more than a second to execute your trade, it aint direct.
Find the articles online that have evaluated and compared online brokerages. I found a good one online in Barron's, but you'll find others in the trading magazines.
This is worth putting a little time and effort into, because it's a pain to switch, so once you choose, you're kinda stuck with it.
Townsend Electronics, the Parent company of TerraNova, is the one that digitized and electronified the Nasdaq. They are technological industry leaders and have a powerful and well built trading system.
What you should try is a free trial of their Investor platform, which I think is free anyway. Their rates are good also, but of course, it depends on how often you trade. It will take you months to learn all the bells and whistles of what this program can do.
The other top-of-the line program is TradeStation, but it costs big bucks to join and operate. Some people consider it the Cadillac of trading and technical analysis.
TerraNova is the home of the Day Trader, so they think nothing of you making several hundred trades a day. You don't have to do that, but it's okay here if you do.
Read vociferously:
"Which Is Better, Buy-and-Hold or Market Timing?"
"Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Market Timer
The Beginner's Bible in Technical Analysis is:
Edwards & McGee"Tech. Anal. Of Stock Trends"
Droke, ClifTechnical Analysis Simplified
Kahn, Michael N.Tech. Anal. Plain & Simple
Kamich, Bruce M.How Technical Analysis Works
Lefevre, EdwinReminiscences of a Stock Operator
Lofton, ToddGetting Started in Futures
Lowenstein, RogerBuffet (Warren)-The Making of a Capitalist
O'Neil, William J.How to Make Money in Stocks
Oz, TonyHow to Make Money From Wall Street
Rotella, Robert P.Elements of Successful Trading, The
Schwager, JackStock Market Wizards
Schwager, Jack D.New Market Wizards
Sperandeo, VictorTrader Vic-Methods of a Wall Street Master
Wasendorf, RussellAll About Futures
Slutsky, Scot and Darrell JobmanComplete Guide to Electronic Futures Trading
You can get every one of these books from your local library. If they don't have it, ask about Interloan Library System.
If you are new to trading, then you should definitely take a look at trading systems.
Here's why:
Every minute more than 150 Million Dollars change hands in the electronic index futures markets like the e-mini S&P and e-mini NQ. You can win or lose thousands of dollars in a few minutes; the futures markets can make you rich in a few weeks or months or wipe out your account with no mercy.
If you want to compete in the “game of games” and play against the best traders in the world, then you need to get ready. Too many gamblers are entering the arena without any plan or strategy, completely unprepared, and that's why they lose.
Trading a system will dramatically increase your chances to succeed in trading, because it eliminates five of the top six reasons why unprepared traders fail.
Here are the top six reasons why traders fail,
and how a trading system eliminates them
Let's take a look at the reasons why traders lose money:
1. Lack of a Trading Plan
2. Lack of Discipline to Follow the Plan
3. Failure to Control Emotions
4. Failure to Accept and Limit Losses
5. Lack of Commitment
6. Over-Trading
By all means you have to avoid these mistakes if you want to win.
Here's how a trading system eliminates 5 of the 6 top reasons why traders fail:
Solution #1: Having a trading plan
Having a trading system means having a pre-defined set of rules you have developed to guide your trading. Therefore you HAVE a trading plan, eliminating the No.1 cause for failure.
Solution #2: Following the trading plan
The easiest way to follow a trading plan is to automate it. Almost every trading system can be automated, and you could let the computer trade for you. You won't have to worry about your discipline any longer, as the computer mechanically trades every setup for you.
Solution #3: Controlling emotions
Trading with a system removes emotions from trading. If you don't have a strategy and you try to make decisions when the market is moving, you are liable to become emotionally attached to positions. You may experience panic and indecision when the market does not move in your favor, as you do not have a prepared response. That's when most traders lose their money. If you follow a system you will know what to do no matter what the market does.
Solution #4: Controlling your losses
You probably have heard the saying “Let your profits run”. Unfortunately most traders let their losses run. A trading system will get you out of a position when the predefined stop is hit. Unless you override the system to “give the trade a little bit more room” it will stop the loss and therefore limit your losses.
Solution #5: Commitment
You won't believe how many traders show a lack of commitment and therefore lose money. Lack of commitment means that they stop trading after the first loss, and don't give their system a chance to make back the money they lost. Trading is not a one-way street, and losses are part of our business. If you can't accept the fact that there will be losses, you shouldn't trade. Fortunately a trading system can help you to overcome this problem; an automated trading system continues trading according to the rules, and therefore adds much more consistency to your trading.
As you can see, five of the six top reasons why traders lose money in the markets are simply eliminated when you start trading with a system.
Without any guarantee, your chances of making money rise incredibly when starting with a profitable trading system.
Hope that helps.
Is there such a company out there?
It would also be nice if they have an office somewhere (in the Atlanta area) as well but mandatory
If I hear about a stock I just want to log on research it and buy as many or as little shares as I want or as many times as I want a day, week, month or year at a flat rate.
Is there such a company?
In order to profit from the forex market, you will need strategies and also the will to change these strategies. Traders who lack a well thought out trading plan are prone to panic and confusion, when unexpected swings in the forex market occur. Many traders will tell you that trade driven by emotion is the fastest way to deplete your funds. Whether or not you are using a technical or fundamental style, it is still essential that you have a proper view of the market.
Developing your own trading style is a time consuming process and is often acquired through trail and error. It is unfortunate that there is no ‘golden’ rule’ to trade in the forex market and technical and fundamental styles of trade won’t be successful all the time. Successful traders often have a unique style of trading and take up various strategies during a trading session. Only continuous practice will help you gain a feel for the movements of the forex market.
However, finding a good opportunity tends to leave at least some cash floating around. Aside from dumping it into a placeholder stock like BRK.B, moneymarket, etc. I am interested in utilizing, to some small degree, daytrading.
Basically:
(1) How is risk managed in security day trading? Forex trading?
(2) Do the few successful traders operate by intuition or determinism?
(3) How wide of a scope to most traders take? Ten stocks? One hundred? All of them? Similarly, how wide of a scope do forex'ers employ?
(4) Is there a way to get a hold of raw market data, outside of the wacky software like eSignal, etc?
Please do not try and pitch a trading system. Thanks.
A Free Basic Hands-on Training is available at http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/currencytrader/.
I prefer to go for weekend courses as it will not be possible for me to attend any on working days, I don't mind it being a Sunday too.
If there is an online course and I have to only attend an exam for the same, I don't mind going for that too!
Thanks.
You may also want to talk to other traders to find out what they think/use. Try:
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/TradingZoom/
It's a free online stock picking group. We have a few Indian members trading US stocks.
Forex market or Foreign Currency Exchange market is one of the biggest trading market in the world with over USD 1.3 Trillion traded in a day. It is drawing attention ever since it is open to Online trading. Forex trading can be very profitable if you take your time to do a proper research, understanding various options and choose a system that works for you. The most used Forex trading system may not be the most suitable for your needs.
There are many different kinds of Forex Trading Systems and you need to know a few facts as mentioned below, before choosing and funding a system.
1. Testimonials: Is there anyone out there who is trying to sell a system and show you testimonials from the people who actually didn't like the system? Highly unlikely. You should do proper research before indulging into a system that is completely new to you.
2. Profit: Do you want to work with a Forex Trading system that breaks even? Why? If you keep the money in your home, you will still break even, then why take all the hassles of setting up an Forex Trading account and do all the work. Really speaking, you should always do some research on how profitable a particular trading system is?
3. Drawdown: The maximum drawdown of trading system is defined as the greatest peak-to-valley drawdown in a trading system’s equity. Maximum drawdown gives us a measure of the survivability of the trading system.
4. Time to profit: The actual time it takes to achieve the results with a particular trading system. You should plan to have a long and profitable relationship with your trading system.
Try to use a trading system that let you open a Demo account so that you can practice and learn about Forex Trading without risking any money.
I have tried many of these systems in my quest to simplify my trading experience. I personally have found FreedomRocks to be the system that has worked for me. I have found no bad information on this system from anybody that has actually used it. I have found many skeptics and bashers but nothing from those that have actually tried at least the free trial they offer.
Below are a couple of links I have found in my travels around the web:
http://www.yourforexinvestor.com
http://www.babypips.com
Now as far as how much money you would need to gat started I have helped people get started with amounts ranging from $500 up to well over six figures. If you would like I could send you a spreadsheet of how to get started right with just $500 invested on a monthly bugeted basis. The spreadsheet will show you how that investment could easily grow to well over $240,000 within 60 months! Feel free to e-mail me and I will get that right over to you.
bjwells@yourforexinvestor.com
To Your Success,
Brandon Wells
877-773-5345
Because companies are releasing news almost 24 hours/day these days, their stock price reacts to these news releases whenever they become available. Also, the world does not go to sleep at 4 p.m. eastern time and stocks in general are reacting to all kinds of news being released on a 24 hour basis.
Individuals can participate in these after-hours market activity by having their trading accounts with brokerage companies which offer their customer access to their accounts via Direct Market Access systems. These systems are considered to be electronic trading systems and can be run on your computer at home utilizing high speed internet access like DSL, Cable or fibre-optics.
If you would like to get more information on Direct Market Access systems or open an electronic trading account I would suggest you speak to the guys I use. They can be contacted at:
http://rematatrading.com/contactus.aspx
They have been very professional and helpful to me.
Good luck.