Page 49 of 62
Buying and selling shares of stock is a fairly easy proposition, though it still bears trading risks. All you need is some money and a few minutes to set up an account. The easiest way is to apply online to any number of brokerage firms through which you do the buying and selling. The broker will require a few bits of personal information, such as your name and address, your…
One of the most difficult aspects of investing is to know when to sell a stock. In fact, knowing when to sell may be a more difficult decision than deciding which stocks to buy and when. For example, if a stock you bought starts losing money, should you consider selling it? Is it a temporary setback—in which case you may consider doubling down and buying more—or an indication of even…
What Is A Derivative? Derivatives are financial instruments that derive their value from an underlying asset such as a currency, a commodity like oil, gold or wheat, stocks and bonds, or interest rates. The most common types of derivatives are options and futures, credit default swaps, interest rate swaps and collateralized debt obligations (CDOs). Pros of Derivatives Derivatives were originally developed to enable companies and producers to protect themselves against…
What Is Modern Portfolio Theory? Modern portfolio theory is an investing model designed to help investors structure a portfolio that seeks to maximise returns with a minimal level of risk, largely through diversification. Who Created Modern Portfolio Theory? The theory was devised by Harry Markowitz in an article entitled "Portfolio Selection" published in the Journal of Finance in 1952. In the article, he quantified a method for constructing such a…
What Is Seasonality? In finance, the term seasonality is used to describe periodic trends in supply/demand, business performance and asset pricing. This phenomenon occurs consistently on an annual basis, in concert with regional weather patterns, economic data releases or the celebration of assorted holidays. Seasonality is an important factor to consider when crafting investment decisions. If left unchecked, the enhanced volatility and market turbulence attributable to these trends can increase…
What Is Contribution Margin? Contribution margin is a business accounting term that measures the difference between sales revenue and the variable costs to produce or sell a product. It shows the amount of profitability a company would achieve once it covers its fixed costs, i.e., its breakeven point. A company's fixed costs remain basically the same whether it makes or sells one unit or thousands. The most common fixed costs…
What Is A Non-Deliverable Forward? A non-deliverable forward (NDF) is a contract to buy or sell a specific currency at a specified price in which the settlement of the contract at expiration doesn't involve the physical delivery of the currency, hence the name. In general, NDFs are used to hedge or speculate in local currencies in emerging markets where the currency has low liquidity, is not freely convertible, or where…
In finance, the term market capitalisation is used to reference the aggregate value of a specific security, sector, exchange, or trading venue. Frequently shortened to "market cap," it may be calculated in a variety of ways and is especially useful when comparing the relative size of tradable securities or marketplaces. Stocks One of the most common applications of market capitalisation is to corporate stock offerings. According to the U.S. Securities…
What Is A Credit Default Swap? A credit default swap (CDS) is a financial derivatives contract that acts as an insurance policy that an investor takes out in order to protect against a bond issuer defaulting on its obligations to pay interest and repay principal. The investor "swaps" their risk with an insurance company, a bank, or a hedge fund. The institution accepts the risk against the bond, defaulting in…
What Is A Central Bank? A central bank manages a nation's currency, money supply and interest rates and acts as a lender of last resort to the country's banks. Many are also responsible for regulating and supervising their country's banks. Many are set up to be independent from their government, although their directors are usually appointed by that country's chief executive or leader of government. Most countries have their own…
What Are The Basel Accords? The Basel Accords are a set of standards created by the Basel Committee to establish uniform banking regulation among the world's financial systems. The Basel Committee was originally called the Committee on Banking Regulations and Supervisory Practices, and it was headquartered at the Bank for International Settlements in Basel, Switzerland. It was created in 1974 by the central bank governors of the Group of Ten…
When executing customers' trades, FXCM can be compensated in several ways, which include, but are not limited to: spreads, charging commissions at the open and close of a trade, and adding a mark-up to rollover, etc. Commission-based pricing is applicable to Active Trader account types.
Any opinions, news, research, analyses, prices, other information, or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an "as-is" basis, as general market commentary and do not constitute investment advice. The market commentary has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research, and it is therefore not subject to any prohibition on dealing ahead of dissemination. Although this commentary is not produced by an independent source, FXCM takes all sufficient steps to eliminate or prevent any conflicts of interests arising out of the production and dissemination of this communication. The employees of FXCM commit to acting in the clients' best interests and represent their views without misleading, deceiving, or otherwise impairing the clients' ability to make informed investment decisions. For more information about the FXCM's internal organizational and administrative arrangements for the prevention of conflicts, please refer to the Firms' Managing Conflicts Policy. Please ensure that you read and understand our Full Disclaimer and Liability provision concerning the foregoing Information, which can be accessed here.