Most markets worth trading are tough nuts to crack, and for that reason investors always need to have their eye on the ball. At no stage is that truer than when deciding on timing: investing at the opportune moment can multiply profits, while choosing the wrong time can wipe out deposits.
This blog post will explore three key information sources which can help traders make the big decision on when to go ahead and invest.
Economic calendar
The first task for any investors wondering whether now is the right time to make a market move is to look at an economic calendar. These handy items are freely available online, and they contain lists of upcoming major events which are known for being market-moving.
Everything from interest rate decisions to data releases like GDP and consumer confidence levels can be featured on here, so they’re a real goldmine of info.
Take some tips
Often, stock market tipsters are handy sources of information about when to invest in a particular business. They aggregate lots of publicly available information about a company, and then contextualize it in the wider economic conditions in a way that’s readable and appealing. Usually, their tip will be time-related: they’ll either advise you to act now by buying or selling or tell you to hold until conditions become clearer.
Reading the business sections of major newspapers can also help you in that regard, and for international trading there are plenty of Aussie stock tips to get you started over on The Bull. Remember, though, that even when the author of a tip seems certain that they’re right, there are never any guarantees – and you should still do your own due diligence before making any investment decision.
The wider news
In some cases, there’s more to think about than just economic or market news when it comes to finding the right moment for investment. You also need to keep a close eye on the wider news to find moments when it makes sense to go ahead with a trade – and, more importantly, to identify when it’s wise to avoid opening a new position.
If you’re planning to day trade in the UK markets, for example, it may well be worth finding out the dates on which the UK Parliament is holding key votes on the country’s withdrawal from the EU. The same goes for issues here in the USA: day trading around presidential election seasons, for example, may be best avoided. The wider news is perhaps not quite as pressing for long-term investors, as they can ride out the inevitable peaks and troughs of election seasons and so on – but if the news is suggesting civic or political volatility lasting longer than a year, it may be worth looking elsewhere.
Even if you scour the newspapers and read every tip you can, there’s still never any guarantee that you’ll profit from an investment, however, it’s certainly possible to maximize your chances of success by making yourself fully aware of the calendar events that could affect outcomes.
From reading stock tips to checking economic data release schedules, there are plenty of ways to do it.
