Product Description

When people think of stock trading, they often think of the glory days of the Internet, when stocks just kept going up and everyone seemed to be making a fortune. Since the bubble burst, many people are scared of investing in the stock market. Sure, stocks are risky—just like any other investment—but with the right knowledge and tactics, there’s still money to be made.

Trading For Dummies isn’t about high-risk, fast-paced day trading. It’s a simple, straightforward guide to the ins and outs of stock investing that offers a measured, level-headed approach to trading. You’ll learn the basics of portfolio management, measuring stock value, market analysis, and much more—all with a focus on risk reduction and steady profits. Inside you’ll learn how to:

• Understand market cycles
• Choose a great broker
• Master technical analysis
• Manage your risk exposure
• Build a balanced portfolio

This friendly guide presents the kind of honest advice you won’t find in the typical get-rich-quick books on trading. Full of practical tips and tactics—as well as hardnosed insider advice—this handy resource shows you how to build a strong, balanced, and profitable portfolio. Whether you want to save up for your retirement or pay for college, Trading For Dummies will show you how to:

• Prepare yourself with the right tools and information
• Develop your own custom trading strategy
• Analyze companies and stocks
• Understand all the exchanges and markets
• Understand broker fee structures
• Analyze market behavior
• Decipher income statements, balance sheets, and ratios
• Read charts and graphs
• Spot trends and profit from them

This book has all the tools and honest advice novice stock traders need to get set-up quickly and safely. Basic strategies and stock valuation methodologies let you control your risk exposure and make wise decisions. Trading For Dummies includes everything new traders need with advice on every type of stock or derivative, every kind of trade, and every popular strategy.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2280 in Books
• Published on: 2004-08-27
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

From the Back Cover
Invest smart – with proven tips and tactics

Master the basics of trading and strengthen your portfolio

Do you want to trade stocks, but don’t know where to start? Are you scared of the risks? Relax! Trading For Dummies takes a measured approach to trading, giving you the basics of trading and portfolio management. This friendly guide will show you how to analyze the market and make smart decisions – so you won’t lose your shirt!

The Dummies Way

• Explanations in plain English
• "Get in, get out" information
• Icons and other navigational aids
• Tear-out cheat sheet
• Top ten lists
• A dash of humor and fun

Discover how to:

• Understand market cycles
• Choose the best broker for you
• Master technical analysis
• Develop a balanced portfolio
• Read charts and tables
• Uncover new trends
• Manage your risk exposure

About the Author
Michael Griffis is a stock trader and a writer.

Lita Epstein is a writer and a designer and teacher of online financial courses.

Customer Reviews

Good start up books
The book is very fundamental but I need this anyway. This book provides clarifications on the basic of trading. You will find terminologies quickly that you will need for trading which is very helpful to me. Don't expect this book to show you how to make money but to understand how trading works.

Not up to the Dummies standard
I had hoped that, since this book discusses both fundamental and technical analysis, it would be a balanced blend of the two. However, it is almost entirely a technical analysis book, that acknowledges the existence of fundamentals and not much else.

The fact that the book doesn't match my investment style isn't enough on its own to earn a two-star rating from me. Unfortunately, it is also poorly written, and poorly edited. It is wordy, jargony, confusing, vague, and occasionally (as near as I can tell) inaccurate. Most significantly, it is missing the spark that made the reputation of the Dummies books - the inspired organization and careful choice of topics that allow a single book to provide a useful foundation in a complicated subject.

That said, I did (laboriously) read the whole thing. It added some polish to my chart-reading abilities. It also helped me to understand some previously inexplicable aspects of market behavior. I am not likely to become a technical analyst anytime soon, but I now feel slightly better prepared to share the marketplace with them.

Excellent foundation for the beginning trader
Trading for Dummies is an excellent book for anyone interested in starting to trade stocks. This book really kept me wanting to read on and on because every section was filled with plenty of information. The way the chapters are arranged were very good in that you don't have to be going back and forth to understand the whole concept. One thing I noticed was that this book is for someone who wants to be a position trader as opposed to a day trader, which is good because that is what I want to do. For someone who knows absolutely nothing about how the stock market works, this book is an excellent read. Overall I give it the full five stars.