For most people, the stock market is unknown whirlwind of complexity, lost to market forces, driven by supply and demand and the dangerous twists of fate. Complicated market analyses complex technical jargon and an exhausting array of numerical tables tend to confuse the vast majority of potential traders. Trading just seems to be too risky and unpredictable. Most of us are too busy just keeping up with everyday life to find the time to learn how to play the markets successfully. Most will surrender the control of their finances to bankers, brokers and financial planners, who dispose of our hard-earned savings in mutual funds, and a variety of bank accounts with negligible interest rates.
So why would anyone want to risk hard earned money in the stock market?
Early in 2006, when meaningful employment opportunities for me were running out, I recognized an urge or need for something to both interest me and provide additional income for the rest of my life. Once again I became interested and sought more information about stock market trading. I found enormous amounts of free information with many organisations offering training, software, systems and free trials, all of which have the usual get rich quick headlines embedded in the information.
My overall long term goal is to own stocks and use them to generate cash flow for the rest of my life. Short term, I will generate cash flow to buy these stocks by trading options. The aim is to reduce the purchase cost and to lower the risk I have in each stock I own.
Why Trade Options? In one word, leverage.
Why would I want to trade the USA markets when I live in Australia?
There are less than 2000 companies listed on the ASX
USA is about 100 times bigger.
ASX has an average of 4 billion dollar, daily turnover
USA is about 100 times bigger.
ASX has approximately 120,000 trades per day
USA about 100 times bigger.
ASX has less than 100 companies with listed options
USA has over 3000 highly liquid stocks.
ASX requires a minimum 1000 shares per contract
USA 100 per contract.
