Single Stock ETFs Are Here

In July, AXS Investments debuted US-based investors' first single stock Exchange Traded Funds. These ETFs allow investors to gain leverage on certain individual stocks.

However, because you are using leverage, there is more risk involved, and the authorities want investors to understand these risks before purchasing these new products.

The risks are associated with the leveraged exposure these new ETFs offer and the risk associated with investing in individual stocks. But since leverage is being applied, the risk level multiplies.

For example, one of the new ETFs being offered is the AXS 2X NKE Bull Daily ETF (NKEL) which provides investors 2X leverage to Nike (NKE) stock. This would mean that if you owned NKEL on a day when Nike stock increased by 0.50%, the NKEL ETF, which is 2X leverage, will go up 1.00%.

But, the opposite is also true. So if Nike stock fell by 1%, the NKEL ETF, which tracks Nike stock at a 2X leveraged ratio, would lose 2%.

Leverage is a very nice thing to have when it is being applied in the direction you want it to move. But leverage can be deadly when it is going against you.

Hence why the Securities and Exchange Commission is warning investors of the dangers associated with any single stock ETF, even if it is not marketing itself as leveraged.

One example of a new single stock ETF that is not marketing itself as leveraged is the AXS TSLA Bear Daily ETF (TSLQ). This ETF only tracks Tesla, but to the downside with just 1X leveraged exposure.

This essentially means that the TSLQ is shorting Tesla. But, unlike having to short a stock, which would require approval from your broker, a margin account, and the risk of not losing more than 100% of your investment, you simply have to buy this one ETF and not worry about the other things. Continue reading "Single Stock ETFs Are Here"

World Cup Questions Answered

We've had a lot of questions about the World Cup portfolio (WCP) and its amazing performance so far this year. Through the first 3 quarters of 2014, it's had a very positive 99% return on invested capital.

One of the many questions we have had is, "Can I substitute ETFs for the markets in the WCP?" The short answer is yes you can, but there is one important caveat.

You're not going to get the same returns as the World Cup portfolio. The main reason for this is the leverage involved in the futures markets. In the futures market, you're only putting up a small percentage of the value of the contract. For example in gold, the current margin is $4,400 to control 100 ounces, which is the size of one gold futures contract. Your margin requirements are less than 4% of the total value of one contract. If gold is trading at $1,250, 100 ounces or one contract is worth $125,000.

You don't have that same kind of leverage in an ETF.

Here are the equivalent ETFs to replicate the World Cup portfolio. Please remember this is not a recommended portfolio, as there is no way to short corn, wheat, or soybeans. Continue reading "World Cup Questions Answered"

Letting Go of Your Leverage: Why Slow and Steady Works Better With FX Trading

Would you consider taking out a $50,000 loan against your home in order to finance a gambling trip to Las Vegas? Of course not, and yet when you leverage your Forex trades that is essentially what you are doing; borrowing money at a risk that you won’t be able to afford to pay it back.

What Does Leveraging Your Trade Mean?

On the surface, leveraging looks like a good idea. Most brokers will allow you to borrow from them to make a trade, usually with a small percentage down. Let’s say yours will require 1%.  This means that for every $1,000 in your account, you potentially could trade with $10,000. Leverage has nothing to do with changing your chances of a successful trade, it just means you are able to invest more into it then what is in your Forex account.

How Can Leverage Help?

Forex trading is measured in pips, which are actually fractions of a cent. In some cases, a gain of 100 pips may only equal one dollar. Continue reading "Letting Go of Your Leverage: Why Slow and Steady Works Better With FX Trading"

Options Trading Success With MarketClub

Todays Trader’s Blog guest is Trader Travis, owner of Learn-Stock-Options-Trading.com. Like many of you, Travis spent a good bit of time looking for a trading system that fit his style and mindset that could supplement his income. During his search, Travis stumbled onto MarketClub, and has developed an interesting way to incorporate it into his trading style. We think you will really enjoy this article regarding his trading experiences. Be sure to comment with any questions for Travis, or add your own MarketClub tips and tricks in our comments section.
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I hope you've enjoyed the Learning Options series that MarketClub has provided for you.

Today I wanted to share my personal experiences with using MarketClub as an options trader. In my humble opinion, options trading success with MarketClub comes down to 3 primary things:

•    Trade in the same direction of the general market (Dow, Nasdaq, and S&P)
•    Only trade when the stock and the general market both have strong trends either up or down
•    Then sit back and allow the trade triangles to guide your entry and exit points

Seems rather simple and common sense, but you'd be surprised how many of us don't use common sense in trading. Now the Silver ETF seems to be its own market and seems to play by its own set of rules so here is an example of how a real trade played out… Continue reading "Options Trading Success With MarketClub"

5 Key Advantages of Trading in the Forex Market

Many MarketClub members trade or at-least keep an eye on the Forex market, and for good reason, it is THE largest market in the world.  We do however hear many misconceptions daily about the Forex Market and many traders still have the mind set that it is not for them. That may very well be the case, but as with everything it is best to fully understand all aspects. I've invited Forex Pro, Jason Fielder to shed some light into the world of Forex and why he likes it so much. Be sure to check out his article below and grab a copy of his new report for more on Forex.

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The Forex Market is the largest financial marketplace in the world...The Bank of International Settlements estimates that average daily turnover in the FX Market is around $4 trillion. In comparison, the New York Stock Exchange turns over about $75 billion a day. That means the FX Market is over 50 times larger than the NYSE!

In the last 10 years, traders have swarmed to the Forex Market due to its many advantages. In this article, we are going to discuss 5 key reasons why the Forex Market is so attractive to traders. Continue reading "5 Key Advantages of Trading in the Forex Market"