Every trader, beginner or expert, has seen these sticks with rectangles called candlesticks. In fact it has been a well-known symbol of the stock market but what makes it so important? Well, here are some reasons why candlesticks can be a possible strategy for trading.

Used in technical analysis, a candlestick is a type of price chart that displays the high, low, open and closing prices for a specific period. Originally from the Japanese, candlesticks are now being used by traders all around the world.

Candlestick charts are very visual, due to the color coding of the price bars and thick real bodies, which are better at highlighting the difference between the open and the close. Traders use these candlesticks to make trading decisions based on regularly occurring patterns that help forecast the short-term direction of the price.

Also, candlestick signals are used to analyze any and all periods of trading including daily or hourly cycles, even for minute-long cycles of the trading day.

Candlesticks are created by up and down movements in the price. While these price movements sometimes appear random, at other times they form patterns that traders use for analysis or trading purposes.

Patterns are separated into bullish and bearish. Bullish patterns indicate that the price is likely to rise while bearish patterns indicate that the price is likely to fall. A very important note is that no pattern works all the time since candlestick patterns represent tendencies in price movement. 

Some notable and more reliable candlestick patterns include:

The Bullish and Bearish Engulfing Pattern

The Bullish Morning Star and Bearish Evening Star

The Bullish and Bearish Harami

Candlesticks are a great indicator and a suitable technique for trading any liquid financial asset such as stocks and foreign exchanges. Reading and understanding candlestick patterns can help traders in making better and more calculated predictions about where an asset might be headed and can also use it as a factor in buying that asset.

Want to know more about the Stock Market and Technical Analysis? Check this free lesson from #InvestaUniversity:

Trading in any market is no easy game. If anything, it’s like driving, the better you are at it, the easier you’ll reach your destination– and safely at that. With this in mind, as a trader, you must constantly be striving to make the most out of your trades. 

However, you’ve been noticing lately your progress growing to be slightly more sluggish, and not making as much as you think you should. Here are three early warning signs to remind you to step your game up before it gets worse.

You’re not setting realistic profit targets

Every trader works on the idea of making as much profit as possible from short-term trades. However, when you set yourself to unrealistic goals, you’re only setting yourself up for disappointment and that disappointment can be expensive. 

Usually, it is ideal to set smaller profit targets because smaller yet consistent profit is much more favorable than bigger albeit riskier rewards. This is also relative to the amount of time traders hold on to positions because trading, whether you like it or not, is about the fast-life that requires a lot of care within, often times, a matter of seconds or minutes. If you expect extremely high profits and choose to mindlessly hold on to a trade for the sake of reaching said profits, you might just end up at a massive loss.

You’re not adapting to circumstances

The past year of financial turmoil in almost every market has taught us that we really have to constantly be on our feet when it comes to our money. This was especially true to traders all around the world, who through a baptism of fire, learned to roll with the punches to survive the worst of crashes. This is what separated the best from the rest, and what kept them from losing more than they should. How exactly did they adapt?

By understanding the severity of the situation and projecting realistic goals. This means setting lower than usual profit targets and carefully selecting trades as precariousness can lead to massive losses. This also means rehashing strategies because what worked before may not necessarily work in the current situation so it’s important to always be alert.

Adaptability isn’t exclusive to market crashes though, for it is for essence in regular markets as well. You must be able to adjust and be flexible to make the most out of your trades, and to make sure that you’re maintaining your financial safety.

You keep missing out on great opportunities

Opportunities come by the dozen in the market everyday. This is another principle that traders live by– to make the most out of the smallest of opportunities on a daily basis. 

When you feel like you’re not catching a whiff of these opportunities as often as you should, you might end up finding yourself in a trading stasis. So keep your eyes sharp, read the news, keep updated on any talks in the market, and spend more time monitoring indicators on stocks than usual. By doing this, you’ll find yourself in a higher abundance of possible positions.

As a trader, you must constantly be at the top of your game because your money depends on it. It is never good to be too complacent with your skills, so always be on the lookout for these warning signs and step up your game.

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Currently ranked number 6 in Forbes Billionaire 2021 and the world’s 7th wealthiest person with a net worth of over $100.6 billion, Warren Buffett has become a household name when it comes to investing. Also known as the Oracle of Omaha, Buffett is one of the most popular and successful investors of all time. Here are some first-hand tips from Warren Buffett himself on the topic of making smart and rewarding investments.

Never Lose Money

Although it’s impossible to physically never lose money when investing, you can always have a mindset of a sensible investor. Don’t go into an investment with luck. Enter it through knowledge. Warren Buffett only invests in companies that he thoroughly researches and understands. As an investor, once you go into an investment prepared to lose, you’ve already sealed your fate.

Don’t Forget Rule Number 1

Through his many years in the investment sector, Warren Buffett believes that the most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect. The stock market will definitely experience good and bad swings but you need to stay focused on your goals. In fact, Buffett rarely changes his long-term investing strategy no matter what condition the market is under.

If the Business Does Well, the Stock Eventually Follows

From the book “The Intelligent Investor” by Benjamin Graham, Warren Buffett was absolutely convinced that investing in a stock equates to owning a piece of the business. Part of his process in stock trading is seeking out businesses that exhibit favorite long-term prospects. If the company’s share price is trading below expectations for its future growth, then it might be a stock that Buffet (and you) may want to own.

It’s Far Better to Buy a Wonderful Company at a Fair Price Than a Fair Company at a Wonderful Price

With stock trading, the ideal scenario would be buying quantity stocks at the lowest possible price. To pick stocks well, you as an investor must first set criteria for uncovering good businesses and stick to them. The ultimate goal is finding the right company at the right price within a margin for safety against unknown market risk. Always remember, successful investors, can tell the difference between the price you pay for a stock and the value you get.

Our Favorite Holding Period is Forever

A popularly googled question among stock traders is how long should I hold a stock? Warren Buffett answers this question by saying that if you don’t feel comfortable owning a stock for 10 years, then you shouldn’t own it for 10 minutes. Unless a company has suffered from a sea change in prospects, such as impossible labor problems or product obsolescence, a long holding period will keep an investor from acting too human. What can destroy a portfolio appreciation, in the long run, is being too fearful or too greedy.

The amazing thing is that whether you’re a newbie or an expert, you can apply all of the Buffett rules to everything you’re potentially investing in. These tips are powerful tools for successful investments.

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They say: you can’t have your cake and eat it, too. But, what if you can?

Luxury items are those things that we all can live without. They’re expensive and unnecessary, but highly coveted. They serve as a creative way to display one’s wealth without the need to boldly parade one’s cash or savings account. 

But, despite what one may think, there are luxury items out there that appreciate in value over time, thus serving as a good investment on top of being utilized as a status symbol.

Investing doesn’t have to be boring, and here are luxury items that are worth investing in:

Jewelry made from precious metals

Jewelry has been popular among humans for centuries, and they have no signs of losing value any time soon. Precious metals like gold increase in value during economic and financial depressions. Jewelry items made of gold and platinum are thought to be the best investments because they hold their value over time. By purchasing jewelry, you have something that can be used as currency, inheritance, and investment in one.

Fine art

If you’re the type of person who appreciates a good painting, display piece, or any artwork, then investing in fine art may be an investment you should consider. As with any good investment, research should be done to reduce the risk, such as making sure that the art pieces you buy are authentic. Purchasing artwork from well-known artists is most likely to increase in value. The good thing about investing in art is that you can buy something you love, display it for a long time, and still get to enjoy high returns.

Luxury real estate

As with everything related to real estate, the important thing to consider is location, location, location! A high price doesn’t automatically mean it will appreciate in value after some years. Properties that are unique, highly exclusive, and are located in high-end settings are those that serve as great investments. More than a long-term investment, luxury real estate could also serve to produce income for you because of its high rental value.

Rare wine

Yes, there’s a good investment in alcohol! But to make good money from investing in fine wine, you have to hold on to them for the long term to reap the benefits. Fine vintage wine sold at auctions delivers high returns, and the most expensive wine ever sold was a 73-year-old bottle of French Burgundy priced at $558,000, 17 times its original value estimated at $17,000.  

 

Diversifying your portfolio is necessary, but can be interesting and fun, too! However, investing in these luxury items is not for the faint of heart, nor for those who are only starting out in the world of investing. It would be best to be done by the more advanced investors who are likely to be the experts when it comes to investing. 

 

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Here in Investa, we’re all about investing. We understand the value in devoting time and effort into something that will deliver a worthwhile result. But sometimes, in our rush and devotion to increase our wealth and finances, we often forget our most valuable asset we possess: OURSELVES. 

Investing in ourselves enables us to gain more control over our life and change its potential exponentially. Out of all the investment opportunities out there, investing in yourself will always be the most important one that’s absolutely worth the time and the risk to do. 

Often, you don’t have to wait for months or years for returns on investing in yourself as pay-off can be seen almost immediately. 

Here are 5 different ways you can invest in yourself:

Nurturing both your body and mind

In today’s day and age, everything is extremely fast-paced and hectic. Practicing meditation and mindfulness will have a positive impact on your stressful daily routines. Science has proven that meditation reduces stress, controls anxiety, promotes emotional health, enhances self-awareness and even generates kindness. Make an effort to eat healthy as it improves your body now and in the future. Having a balanced diet makes you look and feel great, too! 

Read books

Always look for ways to educate yourself. Reading is an amazing way to invest in yourself because it’s often cheap and extremely informative. School ends, but learning doesn’t have to. Strive to improve your general knowledge and vocabulary by reading books that stimulate your imagination and entertain you.

Strive to learn something new

Try to develop a skill that’s different from what you’re used to. Constantly learning and developing new skills gives you the advantage that others don’t have. Get creative when learning new things and always remember to have fun!

Set goals

Be realistic and time-sensitive when setting goals. Arrange them based on their priority and divide them into different properties such as personal, career, or business goals. Create a vision board to get a better understanding of the things you truly want to achieve in life.

Prioritize self-care

We’re all about the #hustlelife, but it’s also important to indulge in ourselves once in a while. You can do this by really resting on your days off and doing things that help you unwind and enjoy life! Find that balance, and whenever it tips, ask yourself if you work to live or live to work.

Bonus:

Invest in your future

We always strive to live in the present, but that doesn’t mean we only think of the present. Even at a young age, it’s important to think about your future finances and how to afford that future lifestyle you want to have. Don’t wait until you’re near retirement to think about your life in retirement!  

Doing these simple steps will assure you a better quality of life moving forward. And even simply incorporating one or two steps into your routine will deliver a positive effect in your life. All these take time and effort to accomplish, but with all things worth investing in, it is worth to put in the work to achieve them.

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Ever felt like missing out on a trade or a possible investment? Of course you have. 

If you’re not new to trading or investing, you must be pretty familiar with the fear of missing out on a breakout stock or a breakout cryptocurrency. This has been even more common in the resurgences as of lately in the Philippine stock market where most stock prices have greatly recovered after a long and deep slump brought about by the effects of the still-ongoing pandemic.

This is also evident in the cryptocurrency scene wherein the volatility of some cryptocurrencies can mean big payouts, and missing out on this can feel like a massive opportunity cost, and as they say, “opportunities don’t come around too often.”

While this is a perfectly natural response, it’s an overall dangerous mindset to feed into that can lead to a lot of irrational and overly spontaneous choices like buying at the peak only to lose money once the high projections begin to subside.

Most traders and investors, especially beginners, have lost a lot of money doing this, sometimes losing a lot more than what they could’ve made if they had bought in earlier. So what do we do when we feel like missing out?

Keep Calm

As always, it’s important to keep a calm and collected composure. You can’t let emotions cloud your judgement especially in the matters of your hard-earned money. Decisions made at the spur of the moment often do not end well because they were not thought through prior to making them.

Stick To Your Strategies

Stick to indicators to properly evaluate whether getting into a position would be an ideal and realistic move. Monitor charts and the news to get a clearer affirmation on whether buying a possible stock would prove profitable or not.

Relying on a good set of strategies of your own to help you out in your investment or trading journey can not only help guide you in avoiding loss, but can also open up the chances of finding upcoming possible breakouts.

Think Ahead

Giving in to FOMO is like chasing a ride that has already taken off. You have to realize that there are many more opportunities to bank in the market, you just have to look at the bigger picture. While not all opportunities are as momentous as others, it’s important to remember that profit is profit, and “missing out” on a certain breakout isn’t the end of the world.

The fear of missing out on trades is a familiar but dangerous feeling. It can lead to a lot of rash decisions so it’s important to maintain control at all times by keeping calm, relying on rational strategies, and by looking beyond just the opportunity at hand. This way, you not only safeguard your money, but you also open your eyes to other possible opportunities.

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