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Trading Glossary

Take a look at our list of the financial terms associated with trading and the markets. From beginners starting their trading journey to experts with decades of experience, all traders need to clearly understand a huge number of terms.

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Gold

Gold is a precious metal and has been used for thousands of years for currency, jewellery and trading. It was first smelted by the ancient Egyptians in around 3600 BC. The desire for gold has led to wars, gold rushes and conquests.

It remains highly sought after for investment purposes and a strong jewellery demand - half of the gold consumption in the world is jewellery, and 40% is investments. It is also used in the manufacture of electronic and medical devices, which accounts for the remaining 10% of the market.

Gold is priced in USD per troy ounce. The lowest price for gold, historically, was $34.83 in January 1970, it reached a record high in September 2011 at $1898.25.

Gold has experienced some significant price fluctuations. There are many factors that can impact gold prices, including central bank reserves, worldwide jewellery and industrial demand (especially from emerging economies) and wealth protection. It can also be affected by the value of the US Dollar and interest rates.

Gold Miners Bull 3X Daily Index

NUGT, also known as the Direxion Daily Gold Miners Index Bull 3x Shares, aims to deliver three times the daily return of the NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index. This is a leveraged fund. It is designed for intraday trades and it is not recommended for periods of greater than one day.

The NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index is a market-cap weighted index of public companies with global operations in developed and emerging markets. The companies in the index are primarily involved in gold mining, with some also involved in silver mining. Top holdings include Newmont Mining, Barrick Gold, Franco Nevada and Newcrest Mining. Canadian companies represent 52.14% of the asset.

GLD

SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) is an investment fund incorporated in the USA. The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the performance of the price of gold bullion, less the Trust's expenses. The Trust holds gold and is expected from time to time to issue Baskets in exchange for deposits of gold and to distribute gold in connection with redemptions of Baskets.

The first US traded gold ETF and the first US-listed ETF backed by a physical asset

For many investors, the costs associated with buying GLD shares in the secondary market and the payment of the Trust's ongoing expenses may be lower than the costs associated with buying, storing and insuring physical gold in a traditional allocated gold bullion account.

Volatility

What is Volatility?

Volatility is the amount of uncertainty or risk associated with the size of changes in a security's value. It is measured by calculating the standard deviation of returns over a given period. High volatility means the price of an asset can change dramatically over a short time period in either direction. Traders often take advantage of volatility by speculating on stocks, options, and other financial instruments.

What causes market volatility?
Market volatility can be caused by a variety of factors including economic data releases, political events, changes in interest rates, and unexpected news or events. It can also be caused by changes in investor sentiment, speculation and market manipulation.

How do you know if a market is volatile?
A market is considered volatile if prices change rapidly, unpredictably, and significantly. This can be measured using volatility indices or by analyzing price movements and fluctuations over time.

Order

What is an Order in trading?

An Order in trading is a request sent by a trader to a broker or trading platform to make a trade on a financial instrument such as shares, Crypto, CFDs, currency pairs and assets. This can be done on a trading venue such as a stock market, bond market, commodity market, financial derivative market, or cryptocurrency exchange

What are the most common types of orders?
Common types of orders are:
• Market Orders. A market order is given by traders and investors as an order to immediately buy or sell an asset, security, or share. Such an order guarantees that the order will be executed, yet the actual execution price is not guaranteed.
• Limit Orders. A limit order is an order to buy or sell an asset such as a security at a specific price or better than that price. Traders wishing to define a maximum price for either buying or selling an asset can use limit orders.
• Stop Orders. Stop orders instruct brokers to execute a trade when the asset’s price reaches a certain level.

Polkadot

Polkadot (DOT) fuses two blockchains: the main, relay chain, where transactions are permanently agreed upon, and user-generated chains. Tradeable in USD, Polkadot is priced in USD and uses the DOT/USD spot rate.

Rollover

What does rollover mean in trading?

In trading, rollover refers to the process of extending the settlement date of a trade by rolling it forward to the next available delivery date. This is typically done for futures contracts and currency trades. Rollover allows traders to maintain an open position beyond the initial settlement date without having to close and re-open the trade. 

What are rollover and swap?
When rolling over a trade, a trader may also be required to pay or receive the difference in the interest rate between the two currencies involved in the trade. This is known as "swap" or "overnight financing". Rollover is typically done when traders expect market conditions to remain favorable for their position, allowing them to capture more potential profit.

 

Yield

What is Yield?

Yield in trading refers to the return on an investment, expressed as a percentage of the investment's cost. It represents the income generated by an investment, such as interest or dividends, divided by the cost of the investment. The yield can be used to compare the returns of different investments and is an important metric for investors evaluating the performance of their portfolios.

How do I calculate yield?
Yield is calculated as (income generated by investment / cost of investment) * 100. The cost of the investment is usually the purchase price, and the income generated can come from various sources such as dividends, interest, or rent.

Is yield same as return?
No, yield and return are not the same. Yield is the income generated by an investment as a percentage of the cost, while return is the total gain or loss on the investment including both income and capital appreciation or depreciation.

Algo-Trading

What is Algo Trading?

Automated trading is also referred to as Algo Trading (Algorithmic is abbreviated to Algo) – is the use of algorithms for executing orders utilizing automated and pre-programmed trading instructions via advanced mathematical tools. Trading variables such as price, timing and volume are factors in Algo trading.
 
How does algo trading work?
Algo trading works by capitalizing on fast decision-making processes as human intervention is minimized. As such, Algo Trading enables automated trading systems to take advantage of opportunities arising in the market even before human traders can even spot them. It uses processes- and rules-based algorithms to employ strategies for executing trades. Algo trading is mostly used by large institutional investors and traders

Commodities

What is a Commodity?

commodity is a raw material asset such as oil, gas, gold, or wheat. Commodities can be categorised into either hard commodities or soft commodities. 

What are Soft Commodities?
Soft commodities typically refer to raw materials that are grown rather than mined such as coffee beans or sugar. 

What Are Hard Commodities?
Whereas hard commodities must be extracted such as natural gas or crude oil. 

A commodity is often exchangeable for other commodities of the same type and can be purchased through either the spot market using cash, or through derivatives like futures.

USD/SGD

The US Dollar to Singapore dollar exchange rate is identified by the abbreviation USD/SGD. The US Dollar is by far the world's most-traded currency, accounting for 87% of all over-the-counter FX each day - $4.4 trillion.

The Singapore dollar accounts for 1.8% of all daily forex transactions, making it the 12th most-traded currency on the globe.

The US Dollar is not only the most ubiquitous currency on the globe, but also a safe-haven asset. In times of market uncertainty traders withdraw from riskier assets into stable USD.

The Singapore dollar has been allowed to float free by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) since 1985, but the range in which it is permitted to trade has never been disclosed. SGD has a weak correlation with the Chinese yuan. This, combined with a solid financial sector and property market, has made Singapore an attractive place for offshore investors, helping to keep the appeal of the local currency elevated.

GBP/SGD

The pound Sterling to Singapore dollar exchange rate is abbreviated to GBP/SGD. GBP is present in 13% of all daily forex trades and on average US$649 billion worth of pound Sterling is traded every single day. The Singapore dollar accounts for 1.8% of all daily forex transactions, making it the 12th most-traded currency on the globe.

Recently, political factors have seen their influence over the pound grow. This is because the Brexit referendum, which resulted in the UK voting to leave the EU, has created significant uncertainty regarding the UK economic outlook.

The Singapore dollar has been allowed to float free by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) since 1985, but the range in which it is permitted to trade has never been disclosed. SGD has a weak correlation with the Chinese yuan. This, combined with a solid financial sector and property market, has made Singapore an attractive place for offshore investors, helping to keep the appeal of the local currency elevated.

Bollinger Bands

What are Bollinger Bands?

Bollinger Bands® are a helpful technical analysis tool. They assist traders to identify short-term price movements and potential entry and exit points.

A Bollinger Band typically consists of a moving average band (the middle band), as well as an upper and lower band which are set above and below the moving average. This represents the volatility of reviewed asset. When comparing a share’s position relative to these bands, traders may be able to determine if that share’s price is low or high. Bollinger bands are good indicators and are good for day trading.

Additionally, the width of this band can serve as an indicator of the share’s volatility. Narrower bands indicate less volatility while wider ones indicate higher volatility. A Bollinger Band typically uses a 20-period moving average. These “periods” can represent any timeframe from 5 minutes per frame to hours or even days.

Bonds CFDs

What is a Bond?

While all traders know that crypto is traded online, they may not be aware that they can also trade more traditional markets such as bonds. So, what are Bonds, what is a bond, and where can you trade them?

A bond is a form of financial derivative trading. Traders take position on the price of the underlying instrument and not purchasing the instrument itself. As such, they buy a Bond CFD or Contract for Difference of that instrument. If a Bond CFD is expected to go up in value, traders can take a long position. The opposite is true of course and if the value of a bond is expected to fall, traders can take a short position.

A bond is a loan that the trader (now bond holder) makes to the issuer. Bonds can be issued by governments, corporations or companies looking to raise capital. When traders buy a bond, they are providing the issuer with a loan in return for that bond. The issuer takes on a commitment to pay the bondholder interest and to return the principal sum when the bond matures.

Dollar Index

The US Dollar Index, introduced in 1973, allows you to take a position on the overall strength of USD as measured by its performance against a basket of currencies. When it was launched the index had a base level of 100; it reached an all-time high of 164.72 in February 1985, and struck a low of 70.698 in March 2008.

Unlike the trade-weighted index of the US Dollar produced by the US Federal Reserve, the composition of the USDX has remained unaltered since its inception, save for one change: in January 1999 the euro was created, so many individual European currencies were removed from the index and replaced by the euro. Despite this change, the euro still has the same weighting in the index (57.6%) as all the currencies that it replaced combined.

After the euro, the Japanese yen is the second-largest proponent in the dollar index, with a weighting of 13.6%. The British pound with 11.9%, and the Canadian dollar, with 9.1%, are the next two largest components.

Poland 20

The WIG 20 Index, or Poland 20, is a blue-chip stock market index of the 20 most actively traded and liquid companies on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Constituents are chosen from the top 20 companies trading on the Warsaw Stock Exchange as of the third Friday of February, May, August, and November.

The ranking is based upon turnover values for the previous 12 months and a closing price from the previous five trading sessions is used to calculate free float capitalisation.

The index has been calculated since 16th April, 1994 as a base value of 1,000 points. To keep the index diverse, no more than five companies from a single sector may be included in the index at any one time. Sectors covered by the index includes Commercial Banks, Oil & Gas Exploration & Production, Insurance, Metals Mining, and more.

Poland 20 futures allow you to speculate on, or hedge against, changes in the price of major stocks on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Futures rollover on the 2nd Friday of March, June, September, and December.

Day order

What is a Day Order?

A Day Order, or 'good for day order' is a stock market order which remains valid only for the day on which it was entered and is canceled automatically at the end of the trading day. Day orders are used when an investor does not want their order to remain open after the close of trading.

Day Order vs. Market Order
A Day Order is to be filled if and when the indicated asset reaches the specified price as per the order. In the event that the asset does not hit the price specified in the order, the order is then allowed to expire without any further action required. As such day orders are easy for traders to issue, follow up and process they are considered a default trading method both by the traders as well as by trading platforms.

A Market Order on the other hand, is an order to buy or sell a security immediately. While a market order does provide for immediate execution, it does not guarantee the execution price.

Fill Order

What is a fill order?

Fill order (“Fill”) is the term used to refer to the satisfying of an order to trade a financial asset. It is the foundation of any and all market transactions. When an order has been 'filled', it means it was executed. There are also “Partial fills”, which are orders that have not been fully executed due to conditions placed on the order such as a limit price.

What is minimum fill order?
A minimum fill order is an order placed with a brokerage or trading platform that specifies the minimum number of shares or units that must be executed, otherwise the order will not be executed at all. This type of order is commonly used in situations where a trader wants to ensure that they receive a certain number of shares or units, but is willing to accept a less favorable price in order to ensure that they receive the minimum quantity.

What is unfilled order in trading?
An unfilled order in trading is a buy or sell order that has been placed with a brokerage or trading platform, but has not yet been executed. This can happen if the order is not able to be matched with a counterparty willing to trade at the specified price or quantity. Unfilled orders remain active until they are either executed, canceled or expire.

How long does it take to fill stock order?
The time it takes to fill a stock order can vary depending on a number of factors, including the size and type of the order, the liquidity of the stock, and the overall market conditions. In general, orders for highly liquid stocks with small quantities can be filled in seconds, while orders for less liquid stocks or larger quantities may take longer. 
 

Stop Orders

What are Stop Orders?

Stop Orders are a type of stock order that helps limit the investor’s risk. The order triggers a purchase or sale once a set price is reached, either above (stop buy) or below (stop sell). Stop Orders are used to protect investors against an unfavorable price movements and lock in potential gains.

How long do stop orders last?
Stop orders are instructions given to a broker to buy or sell an asset when its price reaches a predetermined level. Stop orders remain in effect until the stop price is triggered, at which point the order becomes a market order and will be executed. This means that stop orders may last for an indefinite amount of time. It is important to monitor the current market price closely as stop orders do not guarantee execution.

Are stop orders a good idea?
Stop orders can be useful as they can help limit an investor's loss or protect a profit on a security. They are often used to automatically exit a position when the market moves against the investor. However, the use of stop orders may be subject to market conditions and the specific investment strategy of an investor, so whether or not they are a good idea depends on the individual's financial situation and risk tolerance.

 

Limit Order

What is a Limit Order?

A limit order is an order to buy or sell an asset such as a security at a specific price or better than that price. Traders wishing to define a maximum price for either buying or selling an asset can use limit orders. By placing a limit order they tell a broker to buy or sell a particular stock at a certain price or better than that price (lower for buying, higher for selling). This order is executed only if the transaction can be processed at the limit set in the order.

Is a limit order a good idea?
A key benefit of using a limit order is to ensure that the stock is bought or sold at a certain price point or better than that price point. There is of course the risk of not being able to execute that order as that specific price may never reach that limit as set in the order.

What are the types of limit order?

There are several types of limit orders in trading: 

Buy Limit Order: An order to buy a security at a specific price or lower. 

Sell Limit Order: An order to sell a security at a specific price or higher. 

Buy Stop Limit Order: A stop order to buy a security at a specific price or higher, only activated once a specified stop price has been reached. 

Sell Stop Limit Order: A stop order to sell a security at a specific price or lower, only activated once a specified stop price has been reached. 

Trailing Stop Limit Order: A type of stop order where the stop price is set at a fixed amount or percentage below or above the market price, and adjusts as the market price moves.
 

Working Orders

What are Working Orders?

Working orders, also known as pending orders, include Stop orders and Limit orders. Essentially, they’re instructions for a broker to perform a trade when an asset hits a certain price. These orders inform brokers that traders wish to make that trade only if something happens to the asset price.

What is the best order type when buying stock?
The best order type depends on the individual's specific needs and market conditions. It's important to understand the trade-off between speed and price certainty when choosing an order type. Market orders provide immediate execution but at the current market price, while limit orders offer price certainty but may not be executed if the desired price is not reached.

What is an open work order?
An open work order in trading is an outstanding order to buy or sell a security that has not yet been executed. It remains open until it is either filled or cancelled by the trader.

Market Order

What is a Market Order?

A market order is a type of stock order that allows an investor to purchase or sell securities at the current market price. It is one of the most common types of orders and it is executed as soon as it is placed, meaning the investor will get whatever price is currently available on the exchange.

Is it good to use market order?
A market order is an order to buy or sell a security at the best available current price. This type of order may provide an advantage over other types of orders by executing quickly, but it could also mean that the trade may not be filled at the desired price.

Why would you use a market order?
A market order is typically used when an investor wants to execute a trade quickly, and is willing to accept the current market price. This type of order is often used when an investor wants to take advantage of a price change or when they want to enter or exit a position quickly.

How long does a market order take?
A Market order is generally the fastest order to execute as it simply takes the current market price. You can expect a market order to be executed usually within seconds or minutes of being placed, as long as there is sufficient liquidity in the market. 

 

Gilt 10Y Bond

Gilts are issues by the British Government and are generally considered to be low-risk investments. They traditionally have maturities of five, ten and 30 years. As with shares and funds, bond prices rise and fall as their attractiveness changes, based on changes in the market, economy and currency. The price is also affected by the attractiveness of other investments, particularly other ‘safe havens’ such as cash.

The UK Gilt 10 year bond reached a historic high of 16.09% in November 1981, and a record low of 0.52% in August 2016.

Volume of Trade

What is Volume of Trade?

In trading, “Volume of Trade” (Volume) refers to the total quantity of shares or contracts traded for a specific security, share or even to the market as a whole. Volume of trade can be measured through any type of asset traded during a specific duration, usually a trading day.

How is trade volume calculated?
Trade volume is calculated by adding together the number of shares or contracts traded during a specified time period.

What is a good volume to trade?
A good trade volume for a security varies and can depend on factors such as the type of security, market conditions, and overall liquidity. Generally, higher trade volume indicates greater liquidity, which can make it easier to buy and sell the security.

What does it mean when trade volume is high?
High trade volume means there is a high number of shares or contracts being bought and sold in a security or market, indicating high levels of interest and liquidity.

US TBond 30

US Treasury Bonds 30Y (UB) are securities issued by the US government with maturities that vary from ten to 30 years. The U.S Treasury suspended issuance of the 30 year bond between February 2002 and February 2006. When bonds are sold on the secondary market, they can go up and down in price in the same way that shares and funds do. US Treasury Bond prices are primarily affected by interest rates, inflation and economic growth, as well as their reputation as a safe haven. 

Historically, the US Government Bond 30Y reached an all-time high of 15.21% in 1981 and a record low of 2.11% in 2016.

GER 10Y Bond

Euro Bonds (FBGL) or German Government Bonds, are issued with original maturities of 10 and 30 years. Bunds are a highly liquid debt security as they are eligible to be used as insurance reserves for trusts and are accepted as collateral by the ECB.

Bunds are often used to determine the strength of the Eurozone is doing relative to Germany: Investors who are bearish about Germany’s obligations to the Eurozone may demand higher returns, pushing bond yields higher. However, those seeking a safe haven may accept lower yields. Bunds are influenced by interest rates and ECB monetary policy. The Germany 10Y Bond reached a high of 10.80% in September 1981 and a record low of -0.19% in July 2016.

Technology Select Sector Fund

Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) tracks US tech companies within the S&P 500. This asset uses the Technology Select Sector Index as its tracking benchmark. As the tech firms in the index are just drawn from the S&P 500, there are some odd inclusions such as financial payment processors and telecoms companies.

The index comprises just 69 holdings from the tech sector, with two accounting for more than a third of the index – Microsoft Corp and Apple Inc. Other holdings include Visa, Intel and Cisco.

Stop Loss Order

What is a Stop Loss Order?

A Stop Loss Order is a type of order that investors can use to limit losses when trading securities. This order instructs a broker to automatically sell a security when it reaches a certain price, known as the stop loss price. By using this order, investors can reduce their risk exposure by locking in gains and preventing larger losses.

How does a stop-loss order work?
A stop-loss order is an investment strategy that helps you limit losses by automatically selling your securities when they drop to a predetermined price. By setting up this order, you can avoid having to monitor the stock's performance every day and ensure that any potential losses are minimized.

What is the difference between a stop-loss and a stop limit order?
A stop-loss order is used to limit losses on a security position by automatically selling when the price drops below a specified level. Whereas a stop-limit order combines the features of a stop-loss with those of a limit order, enabling traders to specify both the price at which they are willing to sell and the maximum loss they are willing to take.

What is a good stop-loss order?
A good stop-loss order is one that is placed at a level that effectively limits potential losses on a trade. The specific level at which to place a stop-loss order will depend on the trader's risk tolerance and the price action of the security being traded. Generally, traders will place stop-loss orders at levels that are below the current price for long positions, or above the current price for short positions, in order to limit potential losses if the price moves in the opposite direction. It's important to note that stop loss orders act as a protective measure, but they don't guarantee that a trade will be executed at the exact stop loss level.

Bank of England

What does the Bank of England do?

The Bank of England is the central bank of the U.K. Its mandate is to support the economic policies of the government, being independent in maintaining price stability. The Bank of England is authorized to issue banknotes in the United Kingdom, with a monopoly on the issue of banknotes in England and Wales. It also regulates the issue of banknotes by commercial banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Bank's Monetary Policy Committee has the responsibility of managing monetary policy. 
 
What services does the Bank of England provide?

In addition to issuing bank notes, the Bank of England’s provides the following services:
• Monitoring banks and the financial system
• Setting interest rates
• Maintaining the UK’s gold repository

Commodity Tracking - DB Powershares

DBC, also known as the PowerShares DB Commodity Tracking ETF, tracks 14 commodities based on the futures curve. It aims to limit the effect of contango and maximise the effect of backwardation so that investors improve their returns. The commodities included in the ETF are gasoline, heating oil, Brent crude oil, WTI crude oil, gold, wheat, corn, soybeans, sugar, natural gas, zinc, copper, aluminium and silver.

Unlike other commodity ETFs, DBC rolls future contracts based on the shape of the future curve, rather than following a schedule. This allows the ETF to generate the best roll yield by minimising losses and maximising backwardation.

MSCI KLD 400 Social ETF

The iShares MSCI KLD 400 Social ETF (DSI) seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. companies that have positive environmental, social and governance characteristics as identified by the index provider.

Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

What is the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)?

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is a regulatory body in the United Kingdom that oversees and regulates financial firms to ensure they operate in an honest and fair manner, and to protect consumers. It is responsible for the conduct supervision of all regulated financial firms and the prudential supervision of those not supervised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA).

The FCA’s functions include:
• Regulating the conduct of 50,000 businesses 
• Supervising 48,000 firms 
• Setting specific standards for 18,000 firms

What are the main objectives of the FCA?
The main objectives of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) are to protect consumers, protect and enhance the integrity of the UK financial system, and promote competition in the interests of consumers. This includes taking action to address any conduct that falls below the standards the FCA expects and working to ensure that firms compete in ways that are fair, transparent and not detrimental to consumers.
 

JETS

The US Global JETS ETF tracks the performance, before fees and expenses, of the US Global Jets Index. The Index is composed of the common stock of US and international passenger airlines, aircraft manufacturers, airports, and terminal services companies listed on well-developed securities exchanges across the globe.

A-D

Algo-Trading

What is Algo Trading?

Automated trading is also referred to as Algo Trading (Algorithmic is abbreviated to Algo) – is the use of algorithms for executing orders utilizing automated and pre-programmed trading instructions via advanced mathematical tools. Trading variables such as price, timing and volume are factors in Algo trading.
 
How does algo trading work?
Algo trading works by capitalizing on fast decision-making processes as human intervention is minimized. As such, Algo Trading enables automated trading systems to take advantage of opportunities arising in the market even before human traders can even spot them. It uses processes- and rules-based algorithms to employ strategies for executing trades. Algo trading is mostly used by large institutional investors and traders

Commodities

What is a Commodity?

commodity is a raw material asset such as oil, gas, gold, or wheat. Commodities can be categorised into either hard commodities or soft commodities. 

What are Soft Commodities?
Soft commodities typically refer to raw materials that are grown rather than mined such as coffee beans or sugar. 

What Are Hard Commodities?
Whereas hard commodities must be extracted such as natural gas or crude oil. 

A commodity is often exchangeable for other commodities of the same type and can be purchased through either the spot market using cash, or through derivatives like futures.

Bollinger Bands

What are Bollinger Bands?

Bollinger Bands® are a helpful technical analysis tool. They assist traders to identify short-term price movements and potential entry and exit points.

A Bollinger Band typically consists of a moving average band (the middle band), as well as an upper and lower band which are set above and below the moving average. This represents the volatility of reviewed asset. When comparing a share’s position relative to these bands, traders may be able to determine if that share’s price is low or high. Bollinger bands are good indicators and are good for day trading.

Additionally, the width of this band can serve as an indicator of the share’s volatility. Narrower bands indicate less volatility while wider ones indicate higher volatility. A Bollinger Band typically uses a 20-period moving average. These “periods” can represent any timeframe from 5 minutes per frame to hours or even days.

Bonds CFDs

What is a Bond?

While all traders know that crypto is traded online, they may not be aware that they can also trade more traditional markets such as bonds. So, what are Bonds, what is a bond, and where can you trade them?

A bond is a form of financial derivative trading. Traders take position on the price of the underlying instrument and not purchasing the instrument itself. As such, they buy a Bond CFD or Contract for Difference of that instrument. If a Bond CFD is expected to go up in value, traders can take a long position. The opposite is true of course and if the value of a bond is expected to fall, traders can take a short position.

A bond is a loan that the trader (now bond holder) makes to the issuer. Bonds can be issued by governments, corporations or companies looking to raise capital. When traders buy a bond, they are providing the issuer with a loan in return for that bond. The issuer takes on a commitment to pay the bondholder interest and to return the principal sum when the bond matures.

Dollar Index

The US Dollar Index, introduced in 1973, allows you to take a position on the overall strength of USD as measured by its performance against a basket of currencies. When it was launched the index had a base level of 100; it reached an all-time high of 164.72 in February 1985, and struck a low of 70.698 in March 2008.

Unlike the trade-weighted index of the US Dollar produced by the US Federal Reserve, the composition of the USDX has remained unaltered since its inception, save for one change: in January 1999 the euro was created, so many individual European currencies were removed from the index and replaced by the euro. Despite this change, the euro still has the same weighting in the index (57.6%) as all the currencies that it replaced combined.

After the euro, the Japanese yen is the second-largest proponent in the dollar index, with a weighting of 13.6%. The British pound with 11.9%, and the Canadian dollar, with 9.1%, are the next two largest components.

Day order

What is a Day Order?

A Day Order, or 'good for day order' is a stock market order which remains valid only for the day on which it was entered and is canceled automatically at the end of the trading day. Day orders are used when an investor does not want their order to remain open after the close of trading.

Day Order vs. Market Order
A Day Order is to be filled if and when the indicated asset reaches the specified price as per the order. In the event that the asset does not hit the price specified in the order, the order is then allowed to expire without any further action required. As such day orders are easy for traders to issue, follow up and process they are considered a default trading method both by the traders as well as by trading platforms.

A Market Order on the other hand, is an order to buy or sell a security immediately. While a market order does provide for immediate execution, it does not guarantee the execution price.

Bank of England

What does the Bank of England do?

The Bank of England is the central bank of the U.K. Its mandate is to support the economic policies of the government, being independent in maintaining price stability. The Bank of England is authorized to issue banknotes in the United Kingdom, with a monopoly on the issue of banknotes in England and Wales. It also regulates the issue of banknotes by commercial banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Bank's Monetary Policy Committee has the responsibility of managing monetary policy. 
 
What services does the Bank of England provide?

In addition to issuing bank notes, the Bank of England’s provides the following services:
• Monitoring banks and the financial system
• Setting interest rates
• Maintaining the UK’s gold repository

Commodity Tracking - DB Powershares

DBC, also known as the PowerShares DB Commodity Tracking ETF, tracks 14 commodities based on the futures curve. It aims to limit the effect of contango and maximise the effect of backwardation so that investors improve their returns. The commodities included in the ETF are gasoline, heating oil, Brent crude oil, WTI crude oil, gold, wheat, corn, soybeans, sugar, natural gas, zinc, copper, aluminium and silver.

Unlike other commodity ETFs, DBC rolls future contracts based on the shape of the future curve, rather than following a schedule. This allows the ETF to generate the best roll yield by minimising losses and maximising backwardation.

E-H

Gold

Gold is a precious metal and has been used for thousands of years for currency, jewellery and trading. It was first smelted by the ancient Egyptians in around 3600 BC. The desire for gold has led to wars, gold rushes and conquests.

It remains highly sought after for investment purposes and a strong jewellery demand - half of the gold consumption in the world is jewellery, and 40% is investments. It is also used in the manufacture of electronic and medical devices, which accounts for the remaining 10% of the market.

Gold is priced in USD per troy ounce. The lowest price for gold, historically, was $34.83 in January 1970, it reached a record high in September 2011 at $1898.25.

Gold has experienced some significant price fluctuations. There are many factors that can impact gold prices, including central bank reserves, worldwide jewellery and industrial demand (especially from emerging economies) and wealth protection. It can also be affected by the value of the US Dollar and interest rates.

Gold Miners Bull 3X Daily Index

NUGT, also known as the Direxion Daily Gold Miners Index Bull 3x Shares, aims to deliver three times the daily return of the NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index. This is a leveraged fund. It is designed for intraday trades and it is not recommended for periods of greater than one day.

The NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index is a market-cap weighted index of public companies with global operations in developed and emerging markets. The companies in the index are primarily involved in gold mining, with some also involved in silver mining. Top holdings include Newmont Mining, Barrick Gold, Franco Nevada and Newcrest Mining. Canadian companies represent 52.14% of the asset.

GLD

SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) is an investment fund incorporated in the USA. The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the performance of the price of gold bullion, less the Trust's expenses. The Trust holds gold and is expected from time to time to issue Baskets in exchange for deposits of gold and to distribute gold in connection with redemptions of Baskets.

The first US traded gold ETF and the first US-listed ETF backed by a physical asset

For many investors, the costs associated with buying GLD shares in the secondary market and the payment of the Trust's ongoing expenses may be lower than the costs associated with buying, storing and insuring physical gold in a traditional allocated gold bullion account.

GBP/SGD

The pound Sterling to Singapore dollar exchange rate is abbreviated to GBP/SGD. GBP is present in 13% of all daily forex trades and on average US$649 billion worth of pound Sterling is traded every single day. The Singapore dollar accounts for 1.8% of all daily forex transactions, making it the 12th most-traded currency on the globe.

Recently, political factors have seen their influence over the pound grow. This is because the Brexit referendum, which resulted in the UK voting to leave the EU, has created significant uncertainty regarding the UK economic outlook.

The Singapore dollar has been allowed to float free by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) since 1985, but the range in which it is permitted to trade has never been disclosed. SGD has a weak correlation with the Chinese yuan. This, combined with a solid financial sector and property market, has made Singapore an attractive place for offshore investors, helping to keep the appeal of the local currency elevated.

Fill Order

What is a fill order?

Fill order (“Fill”) is the term used to refer to the satisfying of an order to trade a financial asset. It is the foundation of any and all market transactions. When an order has been 'filled', it means it was executed. There are also “Partial fills”, which are orders that have not been fully executed due to conditions placed on the order such as a limit price.

What is minimum fill order?
A minimum fill order is an order placed with a brokerage or trading platform that specifies the minimum number of shares or units that must be executed, otherwise the order will not be executed at all. This type of order is commonly used in situations where a trader wants to ensure that they receive a certain number of shares or units, but is willing to accept a less favorable price in order to ensure that they receive the minimum quantity.

What is unfilled order in trading?
An unfilled order in trading is a buy or sell order that has been placed with a brokerage or trading platform, but has not yet been executed. This can happen if the order is not able to be matched with a counterparty willing to trade at the specified price or quantity. Unfilled orders remain active until they are either executed, canceled or expire.

How long does it take to fill stock order?
The time it takes to fill a stock order can vary depending on a number of factors, including the size and type of the order, the liquidity of the stock, and the overall market conditions. In general, orders for highly liquid stocks with small quantities can be filled in seconds, while orders for less liquid stocks or larger quantities may take longer. 
 

Gilt 10Y Bond

Gilts are issues by the British Government and are generally considered to be low-risk investments. They traditionally have maturities of five, ten and 30 years. As with shares and funds, bond prices rise and fall as their attractiveness changes, based on changes in the market, economy and currency. The price is also affected by the attractiveness of other investments, particularly other ‘safe havens’ such as cash.

The UK Gilt 10 year bond reached a historic high of 16.09% in November 1981, and a record low of 0.52% in August 2016.

GER 10Y Bond

Euro Bonds (FBGL) or German Government Bonds, are issued with original maturities of 10 and 30 years. Bunds are a highly liquid debt security as they are eligible to be used as insurance reserves for trusts and are accepted as collateral by the ECB.

Bunds are often used to determine the strength of the Eurozone is doing relative to Germany: Investors who are bearish about Germany’s obligations to the Eurozone may demand higher returns, pushing bond yields higher. However, those seeking a safe haven may accept lower yields. Bunds are influenced by interest rates and ECB monetary policy. The Germany 10Y Bond reached a high of 10.80% in September 1981 and a record low of -0.19% in July 2016.

Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

What is the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)?

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is a regulatory body in the United Kingdom that oversees and regulates financial firms to ensure they operate in an honest and fair manner, and to protect consumers. It is responsible for the conduct supervision of all regulated financial firms and the prudential supervision of those not supervised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA).

The FCA’s functions include:
• Regulating the conduct of 50,000 businesses 
• Supervising 48,000 firms 
• Setting specific standards for 18,000 firms

What are the main objectives of the FCA?
The main objectives of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) are to protect consumers, protect and enhance the integrity of the UK financial system, and promote competition in the interests of consumers. This includes taking action to address any conduct that falls below the standards the FCA expects and working to ensure that firms compete in ways that are fair, transparent and not detrimental to consumers.
 

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Limit Order

What is a Limit Order?

A limit order is an order to buy or sell an asset such as a security at a specific price or better than that price. Traders wishing to define a maximum price for either buying or selling an asset can use limit orders. By placing a limit order they tell a broker to buy or sell a particular stock at a certain price or better than that price (lower for buying, higher for selling). This order is executed only if the transaction can be processed at the limit set in the order.

Is a limit order a good idea?
A key benefit of using a limit order is to ensure that the stock is bought or sold at a certain price point or better than that price point. There is of course the risk of not being able to execute that order as that specific price may never reach that limit as set in the order.

What are the types of limit order?

There are several types of limit orders in trading: 

Buy Limit Order: An order to buy a security at a specific price or lower. 

Sell Limit Order: An order to sell a security at a specific price or higher. 

Buy Stop Limit Order: A stop order to buy a security at a specific price or higher, only activated once a specified stop price has been reached. 

Sell Stop Limit Order: A stop order to sell a security at a specific price or lower, only activated once a specified stop price has been reached. 

Trailing Stop Limit Order: A type of stop order where the stop price is set at a fixed amount or percentage below or above the market price, and adjusts as the market price moves.
 

JETS

The US Global JETS ETF tracks the performance, before fees and expenses, of the US Global Jets Index. The Index is composed of the common stock of US and international passenger airlines, aircraft manufacturers, airports, and terminal services companies listed on well-developed securities exchanges across the globe.

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Order

What is an Order in trading?

An Order in trading is a request sent by a trader to a broker or trading platform to make a trade on a financial instrument such as shares, Crypto, CFDs, currency pairs and assets. This can be done on a trading venue such as a stock market, bond market, commodity market, financial derivative market, or cryptocurrency exchange

What are the most common types of orders?
Common types of orders are:
• Market Orders. A market order is given by traders and investors as an order to immediately buy or sell an asset, security, or share. Such an order guarantees that the order will be executed, yet the actual execution price is not guaranteed.
• Limit Orders. A limit order is an order to buy or sell an asset such as a security at a specific price or better than that price. Traders wishing to define a maximum price for either buying or selling an asset can use limit orders.
• Stop Orders. Stop orders instruct brokers to execute a trade when the asset’s price reaches a certain level.

Polkadot

Polkadot (DOT) fuses two blockchains: the main, relay chain, where transactions are permanently agreed upon, and user-generated chains. Tradeable in USD, Polkadot is priced in USD and uses the DOT/USD spot rate.

Poland 20

The WIG 20 Index, or Poland 20, is a blue-chip stock market index of the 20 most actively traded and liquid companies on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Constituents are chosen from the top 20 companies trading on the Warsaw Stock Exchange as of the third Friday of February, May, August, and November.

The ranking is based upon turnover values for the previous 12 months and a closing price from the previous five trading sessions is used to calculate free float capitalisation.

The index has been calculated since 16th April, 1994 as a base value of 1,000 points. To keep the index diverse, no more than five companies from a single sector may be included in the index at any one time. Sectors covered by the index includes Commercial Banks, Oil & Gas Exploration & Production, Insurance, Metals Mining, and more.

Poland 20 futures allow you to speculate on, or hedge against, changes in the price of major stocks on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Futures rollover on the 2nd Friday of March, June, September, and December.

Market Order

What is a Market Order?

A market order is a type of stock order that allows an investor to purchase or sell securities at the current market price. It is one of the most common types of orders and it is executed as soon as it is placed, meaning the investor will get whatever price is currently available on the exchange.

Is it good to use market order?
A market order is an order to buy or sell a security at the best available current price. This type of order may provide an advantage over other types of orders by executing quickly, but it could also mean that the trade may not be filled at the desired price.

Why would you use a market order?
A market order is typically used when an investor wants to execute a trade quickly, and is willing to accept the current market price. This type of order is often used when an investor wants to take advantage of a price change or when they want to enter or exit a position quickly.

How long does a market order take?
A Market order is generally the fastest order to execute as it simply takes the current market price. You can expect a market order to be executed usually within seconds or minutes of being placed, as long as there is sufficient liquidity in the market. 

 

MSCI KLD 400 Social ETF

The iShares MSCI KLD 400 Social ETF (DSI) seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. companies that have positive environmental, social and governance characteristics as identified by the index provider.

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Rollover

What does rollover mean in trading?

In trading, rollover refers to the process of extending the settlement date of a trade by rolling it forward to the next available delivery date. This is typically done for futures contracts and currency trades. Rollover allows traders to maintain an open position beyond the initial settlement date without having to close and re-open the trade. 

What are rollover and swap?
When rolling over a trade, a trader may also be required to pay or receive the difference in the interest rate between the two currencies involved in the trade. This is known as "swap" or "overnight financing". Rollover is typically done when traders expect market conditions to remain favorable for their position, allowing them to capture more potential profit.

 

Stop Orders

What are Stop Orders?

Stop Orders are a type of stock order that helps limit the investor’s risk. The order triggers a purchase or sale once a set price is reached, either above (stop buy) or below (stop sell). Stop Orders are used to protect investors against an unfavorable price movements and lock in potential gains.

How long do stop orders last?
Stop orders are instructions given to a broker to buy or sell an asset when its price reaches a predetermined level. Stop orders remain in effect until the stop price is triggered, at which point the order becomes a market order and will be executed. This means that stop orders may last for an indefinite amount of time. It is important to monitor the current market price closely as stop orders do not guarantee execution.

Are stop orders a good idea?
Stop orders can be useful as they can help limit an investor's loss or protect a profit on a security. They are often used to automatically exit a position when the market moves against the investor. However, the use of stop orders may be subject to market conditions and the specific investment strategy of an investor, so whether or not they are a good idea depends on the individual's financial situation and risk tolerance.

 

Technology Select Sector Fund

Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) tracks US tech companies within the S&P 500. This asset uses the Technology Select Sector Index as its tracking benchmark. As the tech firms in the index are just drawn from the S&P 500, there are some odd inclusions such as financial payment processors and telecoms companies.

The index comprises just 69 holdings from the tech sector, with two accounting for more than a third of the index – Microsoft Corp and Apple Inc. Other holdings include Visa, Intel and Cisco.

Stop Loss Order

What is a Stop Loss Order?

A Stop Loss Order is a type of order that investors can use to limit losses when trading securities. This order instructs a broker to automatically sell a security when it reaches a certain price, known as the stop loss price. By using this order, investors can reduce their risk exposure by locking in gains and preventing larger losses.

How does a stop-loss order work?
A stop-loss order is an investment strategy that helps you limit losses by automatically selling your securities when they drop to a predetermined price. By setting up this order, you can avoid having to monitor the stock's performance every day and ensure that any potential losses are minimized.

What is the difference between a stop-loss and a stop limit order?
A stop-loss order is used to limit losses on a security position by automatically selling when the price drops below a specified level. Whereas a stop-limit order combines the features of a stop-loss with those of a limit order, enabling traders to specify both the price at which they are willing to sell and the maximum loss they are willing to take.

What is a good stop-loss order?
A good stop-loss order is one that is placed at a level that effectively limits potential losses on a trade. The specific level at which to place a stop-loss order will depend on the trader's risk tolerance and the price action of the security being traded. Generally, traders will place stop-loss orders at levels that are below the current price for long positions, or above the current price for short positions, in order to limit potential losses if the price moves in the opposite direction. It's important to note that stop loss orders act as a protective measure, but they don't guarantee that a trade will be executed at the exact stop loss level.

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Volatility

What is Volatility?

Volatility is the amount of uncertainty or risk associated with the size of changes in a security's value. It is measured by calculating the standard deviation of returns over a given period. High volatility means the price of an asset can change dramatically over a short time period in either direction. Traders often take advantage of volatility by speculating on stocks, options, and other financial instruments.

What causes market volatility?
Market volatility can be caused by a variety of factors including economic data releases, political events, changes in interest rates, and unexpected news or events. It can also be caused by changes in investor sentiment, speculation and market manipulation.

How do you know if a market is volatile?
A market is considered volatile if prices change rapidly, unpredictably, and significantly. This can be measured using volatility indices or by analyzing price movements and fluctuations over time.

Yield

What is Yield?

Yield in trading refers to the return on an investment, expressed as a percentage of the investment's cost. It represents the income generated by an investment, such as interest or dividends, divided by the cost of the investment. The yield can be used to compare the returns of different investments and is an important metric for investors evaluating the performance of their portfolios.

How do I calculate yield?
Yield is calculated as (income generated by investment / cost of investment) * 100. The cost of the investment is usually the purchase price, and the income generated can come from various sources such as dividends, interest, or rent.

Is yield same as return?
No, yield and return are not the same. Yield is the income generated by an investment as a percentage of the cost, while return is the total gain or loss on the investment including both income and capital appreciation or depreciation.

USD/SGD

The US Dollar to Singapore dollar exchange rate is identified by the abbreviation USD/SGD. The US Dollar is by far the world's most-traded currency, accounting for 87% of all over-the-counter FX each day - $4.4 trillion.

The Singapore dollar accounts for 1.8% of all daily forex transactions, making it the 12th most-traded currency on the globe.

The US Dollar is not only the most ubiquitous currency on the globe, but also a safe-haven asset. In times of market uncertainty traders withdraw from riskier assets into stable USD.

The Singapore dollar has been allowed to float free by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) since 1985, but the range in which it is permitted to trade has never been disclosed. SGD has a weak correlation with the Chinese yuan. This, combined with a solid financial sector and property market, has made Singapore an attractive place for offshore investors, helping to keep the appeal of the local currency elevated.

Working Orders

What are Working Orders?

Working orders, also known as pending orders, include Stop orders and Limit orders. Essentially, they’re instructions for a broker to perform a trade when an asset hits a certain price. These orders inform brokers that traders wish to make that trade only if something happens to the asset price.

What is the best order type when buying stock?
The best order type depends on the individual's specific needs and market conditions. It's important to understand the trade-off between speed and price certainty when choosing an order type. Market orders provide immediate execution but at the current market price, while limit orders offer price certainty but may not be executed if the desired price is not reached.

What is an open work order?
An open work order in trading is an outstanding order to buy or sell a security that has not yet been executed. It remains open until it is either filled or cancelled by the trader.

Volume of Trade

What is Volume of Trade?

In trading, “Volume of Trade” (Volume) refers to the total quantity of shares or contracts traded for a specific security, share or even to the market as a whole. Volume of trade can be measured through any type of asset traded during a specific duration, usually a trading day.

How is trade volume calculated?
Trade volume is calculated by adding together the number of shares or contracts traded during a specified time period.

What is a good volume to trade?
A good trade volume for a security varies and can depend on factors such as the type of security, market conditions, and overall liquidity. Generally, higher trade volume indicates greater liquidity, which can make it easier to buy and sell the security.

What does it mean when trade volume is high?
High trade volume means there is a high number of shares or contracts being bought and sold in a security or market, indicating high levels of interest and liquidity.

US TBond 30

US Treasury Bonds 30Y (UB) are securities issued by the US government with maturities that vary from ten to 30 years. The U.S Treasury suspended issuance of the 30 year bond between February 2002 and February 2006. When bonds are sold on the secondary market, they can go up and down in price in the same way that shares and funds do. US Treasury Bond prices are primarily affected by interest rates, inflation and economic growth, as well as their reputation as a safe haven. 

Historically, the US Government Bond 30Y reached an all-time high of 15.21% in 1981 and a record low of 2.11% in 2016.

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