If you’re interested in trading options, then it’s a good idea to always look for options that are highly liquid. What does this mean? Basically, it simply means that there are lots of people all trading the same options as you. That’s important, because it means there’s plenty of supply and demand. If you need to exit a trade, you want to be reasonably confident there will be someone out there wanting to buy into it - and that’s what liquidity gives you.

There are plenty of options that only trade at low levels, and these are generally referred to as “illiquid” options. If you trade in illiquid options, and the market moves against you, it can be very difficult to exit your open positions. You might have to accept an even bigger loss, simply because you had to drop your price so much further before finding a buyer. It’s no fun, with a trade going against you, to sit and watch your profit being eroded away minute by minute, because you can’t find a market for your position. Unfortunately it can happen far too easily with an illiquid option.

The best way to avoid getting stuck in a losing position is to only trade in liquid options and strike prices. That takes some discipline, because it’s very easy to be tempted by the opportunities that regularly present themselves in the illiquid portion of the market. But don’t be fooled - restrict your focus and you’ll be a more profitable options trader as a result.

It’s often a good idea to pick a handful of stocks that have very liquid options, and focus on those. Becoming extremely familiar with just a few stocks and their charts makes it much easier to see the patterns of the stock’s price and take advantage of them. Remember, though, to periodically confirm that the options for that stock are still very liquid. Over time the liquidity of individual options can vary enormously, so do an occasional review, just to be on the safe side.

If you want to be even more careful, it can be worth working out the average liquidity for a stock’s options, and only trading those that are above average. To do this, add up the open interest levels available for each stock, and divide by the number of options available. That will give you an average.

I find the stories about the California Gold Rush era fascinating because at few other times across the course of human history, could a person of modest means potentially achieve great wealth. Though the quest for gold was not always easy for the 49ers, and not all of them achieved wealth, once they literally “staked their claims,” each person had the same opportunity to achieve instant riches as the next. The Gold Rush was the great equalizer.

Finding great stock trading opportunities is, in a way, like the 49ers’ quest for gold, in that anybody— whether young or old, rich or of modest means, male or female— has a chance to create wealth for him or herself. But finding a shinny nugget at the bottom of your pan is one thing, while finding those select stocks that have the most explosive upside potential is quite another.

Today, I know why trading a stock just as it breaks out can lead to explosive gains, and I know the thrill of watching a quality stock quickly swell my portfolio, but this was not always the case. In fact, I tried out just about every other stock trading strategy first, because I found studying stock charts tedious and confusing. Which stocks should I concentrate on? What should a stock’s chart look like? What moving averages should I use? Which oscillators are the best?

You would think that as an executive at a financial television channel, I’d have the inside track on slick ways to trade the market, wouldn’t you? After all, I regularly rubbed elbows with some of the most influential stock market gurus on the financial seminar circuit. There was only one thing. Each individual was busy selling his or her own unique stock trading strategy. As I bounced from trying one trading strategy to the next, I began to realize that many of these techniques did not work as predictably as I had expected.

At one point, I even turned to penny stocks thinking they were the way to make big money in the market. After all, 5,000 shares of a stock made you feel like a pretty big investor. But in the end, even a $1.50 stock could become a .75 stock overnight, on some little ripple in the company’s game plan, and poof! Half your grubstake…gone! And, since penny stocks are usually so thinly traded, it took a “month of Sundays” just to execute a sell order. Meanwhile you watched as your sell order single-handedly brought the stock’s value down far below what you were hoping to get for it.

The shortcomings of many of the stock trading strategies I tried only made me more determined to find a more predictable way to make money in the stock market. My epiphany came while turning the first few pages of a book on stock charts that had been sent to our television station by the publisher. The book had been sitting on a bookshelf in a corner of my office for some time collecting dust. The book? Analyzing Bar Charts For Profit by John Magee.

Magee was talking about how the field of technical analysis developed, beginning with the early moving averages developed by Charles Dow dating all the way back in 1884. As I read, three things occurred to me:

1. First, some very smart people had been hot on the trail of finding a system of using charts to anticipate stocks’ movements for a very long time.

2. Second, charts represented the only visual, factual record of a stock’s movement that was not filtered through some financial news analyst or stock market guru.

3. Third, and most important, it actually seemed plausible to make reasonable assumptions, based upon certain charts, as to when a stock was nearing its greatest potential. Could I have finally found the “holy grail” to stock profits I had been searching for?

Of course, nothing is ever as simple as it seems at the outset, and quite frankly, the study of charts took me far deeper into technical analysis than I ever had intended to go. Yet somehow the quest for a more definitive way of knowing when to buy high-potential stocks had grabbed hold of me, and wouldn’t let go until I had some hard and fast answers.

I read every book on charting techniques I could lay my hands on. At night, armed with my charting software, I’d download a list of stocks and stare at their charts trying to discern what they were telling me. William O’Neil’s “How To Make Money In Stocks” helped me to better understand the relationship between a stock’s daily price action and its volume. Slowly, after what seemed an eternity, I began to spot the chart patterns.

Of course gaining knowledge about technical analysis is one thing, and putting this knowledge into practice is quite another. Here again, there was no shortcut. No abbreviated course. No quick cure. I had to rigorously trade stocks based upon my assumptions about a stock’s chart. I’d hear seasoned traders say this is a process that takes about four years of frustration, elation and often, disillusionment. They weren’t kidding. Once I emerged from this “birth of fire,” I had a newfound respect for the market forces. Gone was any pretense of cockiness or self-pride. I felt almost as if I had achieved a kind of “warrior status.”

In the end, I learned that trading stocks just as they broke out was simply the most dependable way to make money I had ever been exposed to. There wasn’t any guarantee, there were still surprises, and not everything worked out exactly as planned, but when a stock’s time had come to break out, there just was no quicker way to make money.

These days, I usually begin my search for stock market gold by scrutinizing a company’s fundamentals and choosing the best of the best. Why? Because a leading company has an established track record for executing a successful game plan, and is less likely to surprise you with negative news. Believe me, with all the varying factors that you have to contend with in trading stocks, you at least want to have your best players on the field. Why would you want anything less than your top quarterback in the Superbowl? The same thing applies to stocks. Does the company have successive quarters of earnings increases? How does the company stack up to others in terms of its “relative strength,” or price stability? Is the company in a strong industry group? Is the stock under accumulation by mutual fund companies?

Then I look at the stock’s chart. Here’s where things start to get exciting, because breakout stocks form certain time-tested patterns just before breaking out. “Time-tested” does not mean foolproof, but from a cup-with-handle, double-bottom, flat base, or other types of chart patterns, you can begin to discern the telltale signs of pent up demand. The stock may drift sideways, or slightly downward as if it is disinterested in going any higher. Meanwhile, it’s daily volume drops to a whisper. It’s almost as if the stock is sleepwalking. A lot of traders take this to mean there is no interest in the stock. Nothing could be further from the truth.

One day, the stock seems to turn on the afterburners, and you see this explosive burst of volume that exceeds anything the stock recently seemed capable of. You silently watch in awe as this stock breaks through its resistance/buy point and then heads skyward. Then, as you watch your profits mount, you sit back in your chair and allow yourself a brief moment to reflect on the thrill that the 49ers must have felt, because in your own way, you’ve just hit paydirt. To learn more, visit http://www.stockconfidential.com

Paul Johnson’s Bio:

Paul Johnson’s knowledge of technical analysis has been honed through thousands of hours of studying stock chart patterns, rigorous daily trading, and by poring over the books of the experts in the field of technical analysis, including John Magee, John Murphy, William O’Neil, Steve Nison and others. On any given day, Paul analyzes the stock charts of well over 200 of the world’s top-rated companies.

In addition to being the publisher of Stock Confidential, Paul has written a number of stock trading e-books.

Between 1993 and 2000, Paul was an account executive at the popular TV station KWHY-TV/The Business Channel in Los Angeles, where he worked with the top personalities in the world of stock investing and finance.

Paul is a graduate of Syracuse University, with a Bachelor of Science in Public Communications/Broadcast Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts in English.

Paul currently is a resident of Los Angeles, California.

This article is for anyone who wants to learn FOREX trading with the view to making big profits.

It’s a well-known fact that anyone can learn FOREX trading - but very few traders make big profits.

Here we are going to show you how to learn the basics and apply them with the right mindset to succeed.

The Six Steps:

1. Attitude

Firstly, it’s a well-known fact that the traders who make the money, approach FOREX trading with the attitude they will do what it takes to succeed. This means they don’t listen to guru’s or read tip sheets - they do it for themselves.

Too many novice traders think they can follow someone else and be successful - but the only person who can give you success is you!

2. Method

If you are going to trade FOREX, you need a method - and this does not involve day trading - it involves long term trend following. The big currency trends last for months or years - and your aim is to lock into these currency trends, and make big profits.

The best way to catch these long-term trends is to use a breakout method - this is a PROVEN way to make money, and breakout methods form the basis of many top-trading systems.

Good software is available form such vendors as Omni trader, Trade station, and Supercharts - any of these programs will allow you to test a method, and then when you’re confident, trade it.

3. Discipline

By developing a method you are confident in, means that you will be apply to apply it to the markets - and stick with it, even through loosing periods.

Most traders who follow gurus and tip sheets can’t do this - and as they haven’t developed a method themselves, they soon throw in the towel and discipline goes out the window.

4. Knowledge

You can learn a breakout method very quickly - but you still need to overcome the psychological pitfalls of trading. Read some books that focus on this area - some of the best include:

· Jack Schwager’s Market Wizards and New Market Wizards

· Edwin Le Feurve’s Remisenences of a Stock Operator

Also, any books by: Jake Bernstein and Larry Williams.

These books are motivational, and will keep you focused on the your task.

Trading is all about applying a trading system with discipline - and these books will help you achieve this.

5. Taking a Risk

When learning FOREX trading, most traders try and restrict risk above all else. However, they do it to such a degree, that they end up taking losses as they get stopped out the market. In many instances, the direction they chose was right - but they just didn’t give the trade enough room on the downside.

If you want to make big money by FOREX trading, keep in mind that with risk goes reward.

Taking calculated risks is quite different from being rash - you simply need to wait for the right opportunity, and have the courage of your conviction.

6. Trade in Isolation

Trade in isolation to stay focused - keep in mind that if you are subject to the opinions and views of others, which may differ from your own - it will put you off.

The fact that you may be doing trades no one else may agree with, is good - Why? Simply, because 90% of traders lose - so the mass opinion is not the one to follow.

Learn FOREX Trading

If you want to learn FOREX trading, and make big money - you can do it. The proof is an experiment over two weeks, with a group of novice traders. These traders were nicknamed the “turtles” - and they went on to become some of the most famous traders of all time.

If you want to learn FOREX trading, don’t fall into the trap of believing that you can follow someone else. Get the knowledge - and then take responsibility for your own financial success. You will then be doing what 90% of traders don’t do - and you can then enter the elite 10% of traders who pile up huge profits consistently.

New! A valuable FREE Currency Trader CD containing 9 critical trading reports, tips, strategies and currency trading info. Visit our web site now and grab your CD http://www.tradercurrencies.com.

W.D. Gann is one of the most famous traders of all time, and has a huge devoted following - however the fact is, Gann never made the huge profits many of his disciples claim.

He did not have a success rate of 90%, as is often claimed - the logic his methods are based upon are unsound, and his predictive methods don’t predict - they leave everything to subjective opinion!

Let’s examine his theories of investment in more detail and see.

Let’s look at some common myths about how great a trader Gann actually was:

Many sources quote Gann’s trading profits at $50 million dollars, however this is not true.

An interview that Alexander Elder had with his son tells the truth.

Firstly, his son confirmed that when his father died in the 1950s his estate was valued at just $100,000 - and that included his house.

Secondly, his son confirmed that Gann was unable to make enough money from trading, and therefore supplemented his income by writing and selling courses.

W.D. Gann’s Predictions

Many sources quote he had a success rate in all his trades of over 90% - again not true. We can easily deduce this from the value of his estate.

If he could make money trading and had a 90% success rate, he would have made hundreds of millions in his trading career - and he clearly did not - that’s why he had to sell books and courses.

The only evidence of a 90% success rate came from a small number of trades - and was not representative of them all.

Gann’s Methods are Predictive

Gann came to the conclusion that all natural phenomena are cyclical - including financial markets. This is true, but this is an obvious statement - we all know we’re going to die but when exactly?

A predictive theory is not a predictive theory if it can’t predict.

If Gann’s theory really is predictive, then there would be no market - as we would all know the price in advance!

Gann’s theory is subjective - and he really had no way of predicting the future with accuracy. It’s all subjective analysis and this is NOT a predictive theory.

Gann’s Logic

The basis of Gann’s theory is the principle that price and time must balance.

His methods are based on the squaring of price with time - this occurs when a unit of price equals a unit of time.

Gann for example would take a prominent high in the market, convert that dollar unit into a specified period of time and project it forward. When that time is reached, price and time are squared - and a market turn is due.

What? - How can one unit of price equal one unit of time? If you think about and answer this question for yourself, you will see how absurd the connection is.

This isn’t the only inconsistency used in his analysis - we also have the legendary Fibonacci numbers which are supposed to work with stunning accuracy - but they don’t, and neither do all sorts of astrology and geometry, that appeals to the far out investment crowd.

As we have seen, Gann was a trader who had modest success, and claimed to have discovered a predictive theory - which predicts nothing with accuracy.

Finally, we have so many subjective indicators cobbled together, that the theory can prove anything in hindsight, but if you want a tool to trade the markets look elsewhere.

For those of you still not convinced - I recently saw on the Internet, Gann’s trading methods selling for under $1,000!

Sounds like a bargain to get trades with 90% accuracy - I wonder how many serious money managers have it on their bookshelf.

Enough said.

New! A valuable FREE Currency Trader CD containing 9 critical trading reports, tips, strategies and trading systems info. Visit our web site now and grab your CD http://www.tradercurrencies.com.

Modern monetary systems are far superior to the barter system people used in the old days. Inefficiency and lengthy negotiation were the main reason the barter system became obsolete. Later, bronze, silver and gold came to be used as mediums of exchange in trade.

Globally, currency trading is a major business, and it is estimated that over US$2 trillion is traded everyday. The system of currency trading is also referred to as foreign exchange, Forex, or FX for short. The currencies traded have a relative value to other currencies. The trading uses the purchase and sale of large quantities of currency to leverage the shift in order to earn profit.

Fluctuation in the relative value of a currency is caused by two reasons. The first reason being the “real” market, i.e. in case a foreigner wants to buy a commodity, he is forced to convert his domestic currency into the currency of the visiting place, the currency also fluctuates as it leaves a state.

Speculation is another factor on which the currency fluctuates. The heavy buying and selling in the market can drastically impact the value of the currency. This speculation has been responsible for drastic consequences on the national currency, consequently hampering the growth of a country’s economy.

Analysts also consider online currency trading a very “fast market” which is highly volatile. An individual has to take into account technical and fundamental data and make an informed decision based on his perception of forex futures trading market sentiments and market expectations to become a successful trader. One of the variables that is most important in currency trading is timing. The trader has to be aware of the happenings in the market, and also has to understand the nuances of the market to play safely.

Banking conglomerates and large multinationals were the movers and shakers in trading before small investors entered into the market and changed the face of the industry. Although professional help is usually needed before individuals or companies start currency trading, an individual with good understanding of business can also try his luck in the practice.

Online Currency Trading provides detailed information on Online Currency Trading, Foreign Currency Trading, Currency Day Trading, Currency Trading Seminars and more. Online Currency Trading is affiliated with Online Currency Trading.