Stock Trading: 4 Essential Tips for Beginners

The decision has been made. You want to enter the world of trading stocks.

There are various reasons why you might have come to this decision. Maybe you’re stuck at home, bored, and have a chunk of surplus cash sitting in the bank, ready to be used for a slice of fun. Or perhaps you love a brand so much that you want to go all-in and invest directly into the company.

Before you set off on your trading venture, however, there are a number of things to consider. To avoid frustration and burning a hole through your money, here are four essential tips for beginners to stock trading. 

1. Receive an education

Before you even begin to think about trading anything, it’s essential that you learn as much as you can about the markets and investing.

For instance, CFD trading is an investment method where you don’t actually own any underlying assets – such as stocks. Yet if you’re walking into this environment for the first time, there’s only one question on your mind: What is CFD trading? Fortunately, industry leaders IG provide a helpful starter guide for CFD trading.

There are also other resources and courses for virtually all areas of trading – and you don’t necessarily have to spend a penny for the education.

2. Pick the right broker

If you want to invest your money into stocks, you first need to find a broker to make that a reality. You have to select a broker that features the right support and tools to match your requirements.

When comparing brokers, here are a few aspects to consider:

• The type of customer support they provide
• Account and trade minimums
• Educational resources
• Their reputation based on independent reviews
• The stock trading software they utilize

Regarding the latter point, any new trader desires software that is easy to navigate and use.  Stock research websites that will get you one-sentence explanations of why a stock’s price moved is an advantage, whereas, a complicated system is only going to scare off newcomers.

A complicated system is only going to scare off newcomers. As important as keeping yourself updated, make sure you’re well prepared. The news comes and goes, but your ability to sort them will define if you succeed or not. By paying for a good trading mentorship you’ll start a journey of endless possibilities and chances. Of course, a great induction to speculation and investment includes what is the best brokerage for you according to the assets you will use.

3. Stick to the plan

When you begin to invest in stocks, it can bring about a range of emotions. Joy, shock, fear – and it can all change in an instant. These emotions can also cause rash decisions being made.

If the price of the stocks begins to plummet, this can lead to someone panicking and selling up – even though it might have been a temporary blip before rising in value. On the other hand, a stock could have a temporary rise, and cause a person to become overexcited and hold on – but instantly tumble to a permanent low value.

As a result, it’s essential you have a plan in place. Decide on how long you’re willing a stock to drop before cashing out, and utilize a stop-loss order if possible.

4. Choose your stocks carefully

With so many stocks flying around, it goes without saying that settling on the right one can be difficult.

As a starting point, you should conduct a thorough examination of the company you’re planning to invest in. Look at their SEC reports, earnings reports, recent news stories, etc. If there are external research reports produced by professional analysts, read them.

The more information you have at your disposal, the better chance you have of making a successful investment.