Stock Markets Exposed

Learning to invest myself?

I want to learn to invest myself but am not satisfied with mutual funds and lower rates of return. I am fairly new to australia and am not familiar with rules and investments here. I went to a couple of Options seminars here and have a couple of options books I am going though now. I also set up an account (no real money in it yet) on www.optionsxpress.com.au which allows me to do "virtual trades" to practice. what is the best software to (a) do technical analysis and (b) recommend the best trades. Again, I want to do better than just buying into mutual funds or bank stocks, etc. Those are safe but I won't make much money unless I wait 30 years. Any suggestions?

Public Comments

1. If you think the market is going up overall, just buy an idex fund. The market overall often outperforms many mutual funds. If you're a complete beginner to investing, please don't try. The riches that people make on the market are often at the expense of other people. Don't be one of those feeder guppies. If you're going to try anyways though, just keep in mind the mantra -diversify, diversify, diversify. At least learn something about CAPM so you can build a minimum variance portfolio using simple ratios figures (like beta) that you can find on the internet.
2. i do not know about Australia, but i got in on a government program in the states called an IDA, Individual Development Account. it pays three to one on you r savings. in other words if i invest 1000.00 a year they match me 3000.00. there is a cap on the amount you can put in, though. but you can withdraw after only three years. Government funded programs such as this are all over, but it's like a dirty little secret. you really have to do some investigation.
3. I would recommend you do Forex trading as it will give you fast returns and also check out the shares page. http://money-review-site.com/investment.html http://money-review-site.com/shares.html
4. Eh, "lower rates of return"? Don't get greedy. Interest rates or market yield are usually (but not always) a factor of risk. With the higher rates of return there TEND to be such extra risk as to need the extra compensation to encourage you to take it. You could lose more in principle or default or insolvency. Options are leverage to trade the increased or decreased value of the underlying stock. If stocks were a boring practice of walking down the middle of the street, options are walking on the edge of a cliff. There often, but not always, is a limit to loss, but when the stock goes against you it goes really, really fast. Don't go where you don't understand. Don't go beyond your means. You want something better than your mutual fund? Get the list of holdings and pick the best, in your opinion, of those and don't get greedy or impatient. Good luck.
5. I too would recomend Forex Trading for higher than average returns. Of course you have to be willing to take the risk. Here is a program that has worked well for me www.currencytradersinstitute.com
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