Active Trading Articles

Leverage is like fire. Find out how to use it to heat up your investing without burning your portfolio.

Ever wonder what happens behind the scenes when you buy or sell a stock? Read on and find out!

We may never come to a consensus on what caused the financial collapse, but derivatives definitely share a large part of the blame.

The standard covered call can be used to hedge positions or generate income. This calendar spread may do so more effectively.

If you're looking to master the art of trading, you may think you need an expert trader. What you may really need is an expert teacher.

New, more precise mutual fund style analysis shows active management still underperforms over time.

Find out whether this superstitious belief is worth following or little more than water cooler chatter.

We go over the factors that determine different investing personalities, and the services that best suit them.

This strategy provides traders with the flexibility to craft a position with unique risk/reward characteristics.

They're hard to predict, but commodities cycles provide valuable information for traders.

Yes, it is possible to consistently beat the stock market.

A weekend analysis can strengthen your forex trading through preparation and planning.

Do-it-yourself trading can be very rewarding - both psychologically and for your wallet.

Breeze through consensus estimates like the biggest Wall Street forecasters.

Ready to quit your day job and become a full-time trader? These tips will help you determine your area of expertise.

Banks, corporations, traders and speculators all use the IMM to borrow, lend, trade, profit, finance, speculate and hedge risks.

If you are following a range-trading strategy, you're better off with pairs that do not include the U.S. dollar. Find out why.

There are many avenues from which to drum up funding. Find out the pros and cons of each.

Use this modification of an iron condor to reduce risk and increase your chance at profiting on the trade.

The Schaff Trend Cycle Indicator is forward-looking and generates signals much faster than old indicators like the MACD.

Futures trading is risky business, so it's crucial that traders' positions match the level of risk they are willing to bear.

Internal return on investment helps determine a stock's ability to propel shareholder returns.

While the forex market is slowly becoming more regulated, there are many unscrupulous brokers who should not be in business.

You can't predict exactly how stocks will behave, but knowing what affects prices will put you ahead of the pack.

We'll show you which candles shed light on successful trend trades.

Believe it or not, many two-year colleges have advantages over their four-year counterparts.

Often, the simple solution is the best one. Find out how easy it can be to trade with the trend.

Simple techniques can limit losses - but at a cost.

Simplicity can be a trader's best friend. Here is a simple day trading strategy which takes advantage of a stock's dynamics.

Waiting may be the biggest key to reeling in that trophy investment.

In order to make the USD/JPY relationship more understandable, we must look at the yen in terms of treasury bonds.

Given the information they had at the time, these were the worst financial decisions of the year.

When major corporate transactions have a big impact on the currency markets, you can benefit.

Joining an investment club isn't a get-rich-quick scheme, but it can help you learn the ropes or sharpen your investing skills.

Did the credit crisis leave a new landscape for investors? Maybe, but it's not as unfamiliar as you may have imagined.

Fear of breaking out of a comfort zone can prevent an investor from reaching his or her full potential.

Though an older indicator, Kairi can still be a valuable tool for experienced investors.

Use stop-loss and take-profit points to your advantage with these strategies.

DATs can dramatically speed up order execution - find out how this system gives novice traders an edge.

Stop hoping for the indexes to go up and start investing in the reverse.

Leveraged ETFs have been mass marketed, but there are far safer ways to invest.

This program allows FHA borrowers to reduce monthly mortgage payments through negotiation with lenders.

Gold is a very useful investment during periods of instability and high inflation.

Momentum can be used with other tools to be an effective buy/sell indicator.

Not all investors are mentally prepared for when a much-awaited bull market finally comes charging in.

Knowing the difference between what consumers need and what they want can help you target your stock picks to follow consumer buying trends.

Cut down on homework by screening for stocks that tend to make large intraday moves.

If you want to use candlestick charting to get a sense of where a stock is headed, you need to learn how to read this unique charting language.

The media demonizes naked short selling, but in most cases it occurs in a collapse, rather than causing it.

Here are six things that will lead to everyone getting their wish this year, and for many years to come.

This technical indicator is underused in the currency markets, but it can help you isolate profitable opportunities.

The craze for these cute toys is long over, but its lessons remain.

It's true: the more you put in, the more you get out. These careers are the perfect examples.

Learn the factors to consider when comparing the different programs offered by various lenders.

Get a deeper understanding of ROE with these three-step and five-step calculations.

Take a look at continuation patterns and how they can confirm or deny trends.

After the Plaza Accord, the U.S. dollar continuously declined. In an effort to put on the brakes, the G6 convened.

Low interest rates and deflation are leading to some disturbing banking and market trends.

The top-down investment strategy depends on economy and market strength. Find out what you should know before jumping in.

We take a look at some of the most quoted recession statistics, and find out how they're calculated and who they affect.

Crowd psychology is the reason this technique works. Find out how to make it work for you.

Buying at the right time is crucial, but how do we know when that is?

Discover the components and basic patterns of this ancient technical analysis technique.

Learn about the different traders and explore in detail the broader approach that looks to the past to predict the future.

A soft stop provides a trader with added flexibility, allowing him to react to ongoing changes in the market.

Using the Volatility Index can be essential for investing success.

Take a closer look at this indicator, which refines your insight into the strength of a prevailing trend.

Don't ignore that gut feeling - it might just be leading you in the right direction.

We can learn of investing strategies by studying previous financial disasters.

Avoid these three money mistakes and improve your financial situation.

Prices never move in straight lines, so it's time to learn about this powerful trend-following technique.

Discover why it's important to know the characteristics of the two types of market conditions.

There's a lot to learn from Anthony Bolton, who is known as Europe's Peter Lynch.

Scoring huge profits in a demo account doesn't mean you can expect this performance in real trading.

The quest for this shiny commodity has made millionaires of paupers and, on the flip side, ruined many an investor.

We can learn a lot from Kostolany and his "steady or shaky hand" investing philosophy.

It's open enrollment time for employer-sponsored healthcare programs, and the most cost effective strategy is "don't get sick."

Find out how volume, the Aroon indicator and Fibonacci numbers can improve your profits.

On their own, single-day patterns can be unreliable, but that doesn't mean they can't be used effectively.

Selling options can seem intimidating but with these tips, you can enter the market with confidence.

Find out how following a trendline bounce or a new swing high or low can help you get into a trend early.

The McGinley Dynamic Indicator isn't very well known, but it is a great way to discover market trends.

Owning property isn't always easy, but there are plenty of perks. Find out how to buy in.

Risk aversion seems to come to us naturally, preventing us from stepping into unfamiliar territory. But feeling comfortable isn't always the best thing for your portfolio.

Investors are only human, and their irrational behavior can often move the market.

Different personality types will trade differently. Where do you fit in?

Cash in the bank is what every company strives to achieve. Find out how to determine how much a company is generating and keeping.

We look at three important factors that affect U.S. dollar value, and how to determine when it's the right time to buy currency.

How did these companies fare after topping the Forbes list of America's best small cap companies?

Make more educated trading decisions by identifying major turning points.

Your portfolio's asset mix is a key factor in whether it's profitable. Find out how to get this delicate balance right.

People often compare stocks to gambling, but how close are they really?

Use the winter downtime to improve your investing knowledge and technique.

Any trading career will have its ups and downs. Find out how to maximize the good times.

Where should you be placing your money, when the value keeps dropping?

It's a big mistake for a fundamental investor to ignore technical analysis. Find out how to become chart smart.

Learn to cut out losses quickly, leaving profits room to grow.