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Shares markets
The essentials of shares trading
Need an insight into the shares market? Here’s some key information on the world of buying and selling stocks.
What is shares trading?
Shares trading is the process of buying and selling company shares in the hope of benefitting from price fluctuations. You can buy and sell shares directly on a stock exchange, or trade over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives on their prices.
Traders generally aim to capitalise on short-term market moves. They may buy shares they expect to go up, hold them for a short period and then sell once the market rises. That differs from traditional stock investing, which involves buying and holding shares for the long term. As with all trading and investment products, there is always the possibility of loss as well as gain.
Why trade shares?
Shares are among the most popular markets to trade. They offer a way to gain exposure to a singular company’s performance, and also to global economic health. Trading derivatives on shares allows you to go short as well as long, giving the opportunity to capitalise on the falling market. And you can do it without having to physically buy the underlying stock.
You can also access leverage to amplify your exposure. This can magnify your profits but also your losses, as both will be based on the full value of the position.
Why trade on shares with Capital.com?
rade when it matters and sharpen your analysis with our range of smart technical-analysis tools.
We offer CFD trading on over 4,000 shares, giving you exposure to their price movements without having to buy them outright. We also offer extended hours on key US stocks, so you can trade on any price movements around earnings announcements that are typically announced after the market close.
Identify potential entry and exit points with our smart, user-friendly charting tools, and set price alerts to notify you of significant market moves. Mitigate against adverse market moves with our range of risk-management tools, including trailing stops which lock in positive market moves while protecting against excess losses. *
Learn more about shares trading & differences between share trading vs cfd trading.
Stay up to date with the latest shares market news, insights and analysis.
Learn how to trade IPOs and start trading newly listed companies.
*Stop-losses may not be guaranteed.
More shares insights
Gain deeper context on share market movements and trading schedules – including daily risers, fallers, and global stock market hours.
Stock Market Trading Hours
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