An Overview Of ETF Trading For Beginners

By Patrick Deaton

There will be a learning curve involved in becoming a successful ETF trader. A person will want to do the necessary research, take classes, and follow the websites, blogs, and forums of successful traders to learn the intricacies of ETF trading. When a person is learning to trade they will want to have a solid understanding of ETF and what to expect when they begin trading.

For a beginner to ETF trading, there are many websites that offer training and books on the different types of trading, strategies, and methods. One will want to thoroughly research a website or Internet offer to make sure that the company or individual offering the material is legitimate and has a history with ETF trading. By learning effective methods and strategies from individuals who are consistently successful a person will be able to shorten the learning curve.

ETF is a growing industry. With almost twice as many ETFs in 2009 as there were in 2008, a person has the opportunity to create diversified and valuable portfolio in a relatively short time. Many of the benefits that one gets from ETF trading are not available through other types of stock trading.

ETFs can be traded throughout the trading day. Unlike with mutual funds which can only be traded at the end of the day, this gives ETF traders a tremendous advantage and opportunity. Changes happen in fifteen second increments on the stock index. This means that a great deal of activity can happen during the day. This activity can provide a trader with opportunities to increase the gains and sell when it is most advantageous for them to do so.

ETFs are regulated. For individuals who want to trade in currency, the big difference between ETFs and Forex is the fact that Forex is unregulated. In addition, Forex trades 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. ETFs are traded in the regular trading day, five days a week. ETFs are tracked on the indexes such as the S&P 500 or MSCI EAFE. The baskets each have their own symbol as are other stocks. The value of ETFs are weighted averages of the combined total stocks and bonds for a sector.

Stocks and ETFs are very much alike. Traders are able to use limit order, stop-loss orders, bracketed buy orders, etc. In addition, a trader can sell short at any time. This adds to the flexibility of ETF trading and is unlike the regulation disallowing short sales of stocks that are below what their last price was. An ETF trader can short sell immediately when required to take advantage of an opportunity.

Many individuals are learning about the existence of ETFs because they are seeing them as an offering in their mixed portfolios. More large companies are including ETFs in their offerings because long term ETFs offer low risk to the overall portfolio of an investor and steady growth. Many large businesses are buying creation units so that they can diversity the options within their programs even further.

When deciding to enter ETF trading a person will want to do the research necessary to be successful. It is important to learn about how ETF is structured, how trading works, and what strategies can be employed to have a successful trading career. Discussing ETF with a person who knows the intricacies of the fund will provide one with the information and direction they need to become a successful ETF trader. - 29970

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