Prasit photo/Getty Images A brokerage account is an account that allows you to purchase securities like stocks, bonds, cryptocurrency, mutual funds and ETFs. By investing in these assets through a brokerage account, you can build significant wealth over time. Opening a brokerage account makes sense for people who have additional savings after building an emergency … Read more
An index fund is an investment fund – either a mutual fund or an exchange-traded fund (ETF) – that is based on a preset basket of stocks, or index. This index may be created by the fund manager itself or by another company such as an investment bank or a brokerage. These fund managers then … Read more
Options are among the most popular vehicles for traders, because their price can move fast, making (or losing) a lot of money quickly. Options strategies can range from quite simple to very complex, with a variety of payoffs and sometimes odd names. (Iron condor, anyone?) Regardless of their complexity, all options strategies are based on … Read more
Cryptocurrency, especially Bitcoin, has proven to be a popular trading vehicle, even if legendary investors such as Warren Buffett think it’s as good as worthless. Part of cryptocurrency’s popularity is due to its volatility, since these swings allow traders to make money on the price moves. For example, at the start of 2017, the price of … Read more
It’s a question you’ll frequently hear during any program discussing the latest financial news: “What did the market do today?” The answer often includes a reference to an index such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500 or the Nasdaq. But what are these? And what distinguishes one from the other? What are … Read more
Technology has ushered in a new era in the investing world, and it’s never been easier to learn how to buy stocks online. But what’s the best online broker for stock trading? That depends on the type of investor you are and the features you need the most. Bankrate analyzed the major players to help … Read more
Energy stocks can be hot and cold, but when they’re hot, they can move as quickly as any tech stock. And it’s a popular sector to trade when oil prices skyrocket or geopolitical tensions ratchet up, as prices can become highly volatile and traders jump into the action. Because of that volatility, a list of … Read more
A Roth IRA offers many benefits to retirement savers, and one of the best places to get this tax-advantaged account is at an online brokerage or robo-advisor. Although a Roth IRA requires the account holder to pay taxes on the money going in, it allows any contributions and earnings to be withdrawn tax-free. This gives … Read more
Cash App is like five apps in one stripped-down, easy-to-use package. It’s high on functionality but low on design. But the thing is, it works. Think of it as a cross between PayPal (or Venmo) and Robinhood, with a bank account thrown in for good measure. You’ll be able to send and receive money, spend … Read more
With such similar-sounding names, it can be easy to get Coinbase and Coinbase Pro mixed up, since they’re both popular ways to trade cryptocurrency. Coinbase remains the entry-level service, while Coinbase Pro ups the ante in many ways. Each offers a different level of services, costs and features, so cryptocurrency traders looking to get in … Read more