Not sure which market you want to trade?
Here's a brief summary on each of them.
Stocks
The stock market has been the lifeblood of corporate expansion and the U.S. economy for more than 100 years. In fact, more than 80 percent of all trades through U.S. brokerage firms take place in the stock market. The ringing of the opening bell is a wakeup call to potential moneymaking opportunities, which now include a huge selection of stock symbols that track and cover other markets including mutual funds, index funds, currencies and bonds.
With tens of thousands of symbols from which to choose, stock traders have an ever-expanding range of investment alternatives that can fit any individual trade style. Active and Day Traders can take advantage of up to 4:1 leverage on their intraday margin equity, while long-term investors usually can expect 2:1 overnight leverage on their account. Investors can also choose stocks or mutual funds for their IRA.
FOREX
The FOREX (Foreign Currency Exchange) market is the market in which the currencies of the world are traded. Trillions of dollars each day are traded in the FOREX market, far more than all the other financial markets. This incredible liquidity allows traders to move easily in and out of their investments. Another benefit that sets this market apart is the enormous leverage it offers, in some cases up to 100:1. This allows traders to control vast amounts of currency with minimal investment.
This international market almost never sleeps! Trading 24 hours a day, 5 days a week, the FOREX market caters to traders with almost any work schedule. This market may be an excellent fit for beginner traders who have limited funds, as many FOREX brokers allow investors to open an account with as little as $400. This opens a world of opportunity to any investor regardless of skill level, trade style, risk tolerance or portfolio size.
Futures
We use futures every day…from the food that we eat, to the gas we put in our cars, to the interest rate we pay on our mortgages and credit cards. When investors trade futures, they are trading contracts on the products that impact everyday life. An increasing global demand coupled with a finite amount of resources (such as oil and gold) makes for tremendous trading opportunities. With exchanges open six days a week and some markets nearly 24 hours a day, trading futures offers flexibility and liquidity…all driven by supply and demand.
Traders looking to diversify their portfolios often turn to futures, which offer higher leverage for a relatively small investment when compared to trading stocks. Also, these markets allow investors to trade the stock market like never before though the E-mini indices (DOW, S&P 500 and NASDAQ). The flexibility of investment opportunities is customizable to any lifestyle or trading personality.
Options
Trading stock options offers versatility and opportunities to use leverage. This is the only marketplace where investors can purchase insurance to define the risk their trades. Trading stock options provides the unique opportunity to take full advantage of stock price movements - up, down or even sideways - at a fraction of the cost of buying the stock. For instance, if stock XYZ costs $100 a share, it would cost $10,000 to control 100 shares. A stock option on XYZ might only cost $20 per contract. And, with one option contract controlling 100 shares, even a minimal movement in the stocks' price can generate substantial profits for the option trader.
Conservative or high-risk investors alike can choose from among dozens and dozens of common options strategies to find those that suit their individual trade plan. Trading stock options may be ideal for Active traders who are looking to make relatively big profits in a short time, as well as conservative investors looking to make profits over weeks and months. Regardless of trade style, investors can clearly identify how much risk they want to take, how much profit they hope to make, and in what time frame they wish to make their profits.
The All-Inclusive Package:
Get it all, including LightWave,
for just $150/month!
The All-Inclusive Package includes:
You also get:
- Training: Participate in our Daily Live Webcasts that feature 8 hours of chart analysis and market commentary from our veteran trainers each trading day.
- Data Feeds: All of the data feeds needed to power the software (equities data feeds from U.S. exchanges only; Canadian feeds will incur an additional charge).
- Paper Trading: Practice paper trading without risking any real money.
- Brokerage: Seamless trade execution through our brokerage firm.
- Web Community: Network with other traders around the country in our members-only Community.
- Support: Our knowledgeable staff is dedicated to helping you succeed.
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