Trading News

Coffee prices are soaring, driven by shrinking stockpiles, climate change, a shift toward durian farming in Vietnam, and inflationary pressures. Arabica beans, the benchmark for futures contracts and popular in the US, account for 75% of global production, with Brazil comprising 40% of that. Robusta, the beans favored in Europe and espressos, accounts for the […]

Shadow banking refers to financial intermediaries that: conduct maturity, credit, and liquidity transformation, and do so without explicit access to central bank liquidity or public sector credit guarantees. These entities operate outside the traditional banking system but perform bank-like functions. The shadow banking system includes a diverse range of financial institutions such as: finance companies […]

Prime brokers have an important function in the financial ecosystem, particularly for institutional traders, investors, and hedge funds.  Despite their name, their primary function is heavily geared toward lending rather than traditional brokerage services.  They serve as a critical link between large traders/investors and the broader financial markets, offering a suite of services that extend […]

Trading, finance, and engineering, while distinct in their core functions, share several similarities, particularly in the mindsets and skill sets required for success.  Both disciplines demand a high level of analytical thinking, technical skills, and a strong attention to detail.  There’s even a field/profession/process known as financial engineering. Portfolio design is often referred to as […]

The role of the President of the United States, as outlined in the US Constitution and shaped by historical practice, involves a wide range of duties and powers – with varying degrees of direct control over the economy. We’ll cover this in some amount of depth in this article, as well as some of the […]

Learning to trade can be a challenging yet rewarding pursuit. Whether you’re interested in stocks, currencies, commodities, bonds, cryptocurrencies, or something else, developing the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in trading like anything else – dedication, patience, and a strategic approach.  This article will look at the best ways to learn trading, emphasizing the […]

Plus500 has rolled out before and after-hours trading for seven CFDs on highly liquid US stocks known for their large price swings. Key Takeaways Extended trading hours is available on Alphabet (GOOG), Amazon (AMZN), Apple (AAPL), Meta (META), Microsoft (MSFT), Tesla (TSLA) and NVIDIA (NVDA). Trade before the exchange opens from 09:00 (GMT +1) to […]

Secrecy is common in trading and investing as firms and individuals compete for an edge.  This article explores why secrecy is so prevalent in trading, the methods used to maintain it, and its impact on institutional and retail investors.   Key Takeaways – Secrecy in Trading Intellectual property protection is important in the industry Trading […]

Contrarian trading and investment strategies involve going against prevailing market trends or sentiments. This approach is based on the belief that markets often overreact to news and create mispriced securities. Contrarian investors seek to capitalize on these inefficiencies.   Key Takeaways – Contrarian Trading & Investment Strategies Contrarian trading and investment strategies involve going against […]

IG has expanded its trading opportunities for UK clients with a new US-listed futures and options account, available through its partnership with tastytrade. Key Takeaways Get low commissions that max out at $10 a leg when you open options trades and zero fees when you close positions. Trade US options and futures using cash (available […]