8 min read

Women in Stock Trading - Breaking Barriers and Leading the Way

John McDowell : November 9, 2024
Last Updated: February 15, 2025

Historically speaking, the world of stock trading has traditionally been dominated by men. But that heuristic is quickly changing. Women are...

8 min read

Mastering IPO Investments: Your Ultimate Guide to Finding and Investing in Promising IPOs

John McDowell : October 12, 2024

IPOs or Initial Public Offerings are often regarded as attractive investment opportunities for investors to earn extra returns by being part of the...

9 min read

The Power of Long-Term Investing: Building Wealth Through Patience and Strategy

John McDowell : September 30, 2024

“Our favorite holding period is forever.” You can probably guess who said that. Yes, this famous quote is from Warren Buffet, one of the most...

9 min read

Mastering Stock Trading: Best Platforms, Simulators, and Strategies for Beginners

John McDowell : September 22, 2024

Stock trading can be a rewarding and profitable activity, but staying profitable can be challenging. Just like any other profession, stock trading...

7 min read

AI Stocks and Rate-Sensitive Plays: Navigating Rising Trends in Stock Trading

John McDowell : September 17, 2024

AI stocks have been in the limelight since the introduction of generative AI software and IT infrastructure solutions. Companies have been pouring...

8 min read

The Growing Role of AI in Finance: Revolutionizing Investment Strategies, Risk Management, and Customer Service

John McDowell : September 14, 2024

Even though AI technology is still in its developmental stages, it has blown everyone away with its tremendous capabilities. Generative AI tools like...

8 min read

Algorithmic Trading: Revolutionizing the Financial Markets with Precision and Speed

John McDowell : September 5, 2024

A significant percentage of daily trading volume in today’s financial markets comes from algorithmic or automated trading. Not long ago, algorithmic...

8 min read

Navigating Volatility: How Geopolitical Tensions Shape Global Financial Markets

John McDowell : August 29, 2024

Wars, natural disasters, political unrest, disease outbreaks, regime change, and trade disputes are some of the many examples of geopolitical events....

8 min read

Kamala Harris vs. Donald Trump: How Their Potential Leadership Could Shape Financial Markets

John McDowell : August 24, 2024

With the presidential elections approaching, the election-related activities are picking up steam along with the presidential candidates wooing the...

8 min read

The Impact of Central Bank Policies on Emerging Markets: What to Expect in the Coming Months

John McDowell : August 15, 2024

What are Emerging Markets?

Emerging markets refer to economies of developing countries with high growth rates. This is in contrast to developed...

8 min read

Dividend Investing in a Rising Interest Rate Environment

John McDowell : August 9, 2024

Dividend investing gives you the best of both worlds in stock investing: dividends and potential capital appreciation through stock appreciation....

8 min read

The AI Revolution in Investing: Friend or Foe?

John McDowell : August 4, 2024

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and generative AI technologies like ChatGPT and Google Gemini have taken the world by storm, with almost every industry...

7 min read

Trading Based on Political News: A High-Risk, High-Reward Game

John McDowell : July 31, 2024

"This is a man's world," cries James Brown. It's one of Donald Trump's favorite songs. He plays it along with his favorites from Sinatra while out on...

7 min read

Riding the Power Trend: Navigating the Next Big Market Wave

John McDowell : July 29, 2024

If the stock market were a rock song, a power trend would be the epic riff near the end of the song. It's like buying on margin toward the end of...

8 min read

The Psychology Behind Meme Stock Traders: Motivations and Behaviors

John McDowell : July 9, 2024

We've talked a lot about meme stocks at TradingSim, mainly because they are so popular among traders. If you're unfamiliar with what they are,...

8 min read

Hedge Funds and Short Squeezes: The Driving Forces Behind Meme Stocks

John McDowell : July 3, 2024

Meme stocks are shares of companies that have gone viral on social media platforms as a result of investing recommendations. They are the subject of...

8 min read

How Social Media Shapes Meme Stock Prices: A Deep Dive

John McDowell : June 29, 2024

What is a Meme Stock?

Meme stocks are shares of listed companies whose prices and trading volume are heavily influenced by the activity of retail...

8 min read

Mastering Investment Strategies for Meme Stocks: Tips and Insights

John McDowell : June 25, 2024

Meme stocks are shares of a company that experience a sudden and rapid rise in trading volume and price due to social media sentiment. Social media...

8 min read

High Volume Trading Hours for Futures Markets

John McDowell : June 12, 2024

Futures markets are mostly open 24 hours, six days a week from Sunday to Friday. This means that buyers and sellers can trade the market at any time...

8 min read

Advanced Day Trading Strategies Using Volume Profile

John McDowell : June 8, 2024

What Is Volume Profile?

A Volume Profile is a volume-by-price trading indicator that shows the total trading activity or volume traded at each price...

8 min read

Effective Volume Candlestick Trading Techniques: A Comprehensive Guide

John McDowell : June 2, 2024

Volume is often considered the second most important data piece on a trading chart, right behind price. However, the truth is that they go hand in...

7 min read

Mastering Volume Analysis: Top Trading Strategies for Success

John McDowell : May 28, 2024

Volume, volume, volume. If price and volume were a couple, they’d be like Noah and Allie or Jenny and Forrest, two peas in a pod, or like peas and...

9 min read

Mastering NASDAQ Futures: Trading Strategies for Tech Indices

John McDowell : May 9, 2024
Last Updated: May 12, 2024

Welcome to our guide on mastering trading strategies for the NASDAQ futures contracts! Discover key strategies for trading Nasdaq futures and...

8 min read

How to Choose the Best Futures Trading Broker - Essential Tips

John McDowell : May 7, 2024
Last Updated: May 12, 2024

Futures contracts, as they are traditionally defined, are legal agreements made on the trading floor of a futures exchange. This has mostly gone the...

9 min read

Micro Futures Trading: A Beginner’s Guide to Smaller Contracts

John McDowell : May 2, 2024
Last Updated: May 12, 2024

Micro futures have evolved out of the bigger landscape of futures trading as an instrument that allows traders of all experience levels to...

8 min read

Optimal Futures Market Trading Hours - A Comprehensive Guide

John McDowell : April 22, 2024
Last Updated: May 12, 2024

Futures markets are an integral part of the entire financial markets landscape. Their influence on stocks and commodities is undeniably important —...

9 min read

Leveraging Trading Simulators for Enhanced Technical Analysis Skills

John McDowell : March 27, 2024

Technical analysis is a powerful tool for traders, but mastering it requires practice. From pattern recognition to understanding indicators, there...

7 min read

The Importance of Realistic Trading Simulators in Mastering Risk Management

John McDowell : March 26, 2024

Risk management trumps everything in trading markets. Without it, you have no strategy, no safe-guards, and no longevity in the business. The road to...

7 min read

Unlocking the Potential of Trading Simulators for Market Analysis Training

John McDowell : March 20, 2024

Sharpening Your Trading Decisions with a Simulator

Trading simulators offer a safe space to hone your skills before risking real capital. Think of...

7 min read

How to Use Day Trading Simulators to Develop Your Trading Strategy

John McDowell : March 16, 2024
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Day trading is risky business. The stakes are high and there are many challenges to become successful. Here at TradingSim, we don't sugar-coat...

7 min read

Webull Day Trading Review: Unveiling the Pros and Cons for Traders

John McDowell : March 2, 2024
Last Updated: March 5, 2024

Explore the world of day trading with Webull in our in-depth review. We cover the benefits and drawbacks of using Webull for your day trading needs,...

8 min read

Explore Crypto Trading Risk-Free: Master Free Paper Trading Strategies

John McDowell : February 19, 2024

Unlock the secrets of cryptocurrency trading with our in-depth guide on free paper trading. Ideal for both novices and seasoned traders, learn to...

8 min read

Day Trading Demystified: A Comprehensive Guide to Using Demo Accounts

John McDowell : February 17, 2024

Beginner’s Guide to Day Trading in Demo Accounts

So you want to be a day trader, huh? Alright. Well, your work is cut out for you. Chances are you've...

7 min read

Mastering the Art of Shorting the VIX: Strategies for Volatility Trading

John McDowell : February 3, 2024
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Uncover the intricacies of shorting the VIX in our detailed guide. Learn effective strategies for betting against market volatility, understand the...

9 min read

Exploring the Crypto-bubble: Insights and Analysis of Cryptocurrency Market Trends

John McDowell : January 24, 2024
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Dive deep into the world of the crypto bubble with with us. Explore the dynamics of cryptocurrency markets, understand the speculative trends, and...

9 min read

Demystifying Paper Trading: A Beginner's Guide

John McDowell : December 30, 2023
Last Updated: April 6, 2024

Discover the world of paper trading and learn how to get started with this comprehensive beginner's guide. From understanding the concept to...

7 min read

Paper Trading vs. Simulated Trading: A Comparative Study in Cryptocurrency Markets

John McDowell : December 25, 2023
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Explore the intricate world of cryptocurrency trading through the lens of paper trading and simulated trading in ‘Paper Trading vs. Simulated...

9 min read

Pscyhological Aspects of Paper Trading vs. Real Crypto Trading

John McDowell : December 22, 2023

Cryptocurrency paper trading is a relatively new experience with very few apps offering this service. While nothing new to the world of equities and...

8 min read

Mastering the Art of Paper Trading in Futures Markets: Strategies for Success

John McDowell : December 20, 2023
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Explore the comprehensive guide to paper trading in futures markets. This article delves into key strategies and tools for effective market...

7 min read

Commodity Trading Secrets Revealed: A Deep Dive into the Goldman Sachs Commodity Index

John McDowell : December 4, 2023
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Introduction to Commodity Trading

Commodity trading involves much of what we'd consider the necessities of life. Hence the name, commodities. This...

8 min read

Retire Rich: Smart Strategies for Maximizing Your RRSP Investments

John McDowell : November 26, 2023

Registered Retirement Savings Plans are a great way for Canadian citizens to build a retirement by avoiding taxes. Having an effective retirement...

8 min read

Tax-Smart Investing: Your Ultimate Guide to Tax Loss Harvesting

John McDowell : November 25, 2023

Uncover the strategic advantage of Tax Loss Harvesting to optimize your tax liability. This comprehensive guide walks you through key techniques,...

8 min read

Green Profits: How ESG Investing is Reshaping the Future of Finance

John McDowell : November 24, 2023

Discover the power of ESG investing to drive both financial gains and positive change. Learn about sustainable investment strategies, the latest...

9 min read

Unlocking Wealth: The Insider's Guide to Investing in Gold Bullion

John McDowell : November 23, 2023

Ah, yes. That timeless sheen. That glimmer of riches. The money of kings. Acceptable to all religions. It opens every palace gate without hesitation....

10 min read

Pro Trader Chronicles: Strategies and Tools That Fuel Professional Trading Success

John McDowell : November 21, 2023

Ascend your trading journey by exploring the tools and strategies employed by top-tier professional traders. With insights on risk management,...

9 min read

Community-Driven Success: Unveiling the Best Social Trader Tools of 2023

John McDowell : November 19, 2023

Step into the collaborative world of social trading with our thorough breakdown of premier Social Trader Tools for 2023. Leverage collective wisdom...

9 min read

Mastering Market Algorithms: The Comprehensive Guide to Quantitative Trading

John McDowell : November 18, 2023

Dive into the heart of Quantitative Trading and unveil how leveraging algorithms, statistical analysis, and automated trading systems can...

5 min read

Trading Strategies 101

Al Hill : October 21, 2023

Trading Strategies: they’re infinite. But, thankfully, you don’t have to know them ALL! And that’s what we are here for. Standing at the ledge of...

7 min read

How to Find the Best Stocks for Day Trading

Al Hill : October 21, 2023

Half the battle in day trading is actually being able to pick the best stocks for day trading. Unlike swing trading or long-term investing, you want...

10 min read

Day Trading Tips and Strategies for beginners

Al Hill : October 21, 2023
Last Updated: March 5, 2024

Getting started as a day trader can seem like a daunting task. There are so many ways to day trade, so many resources available, and so many gurus...

9 min read

Day Trading Taxes Guide for Beginners

Al Hill : October 21, 2023
Last Updated: February 15, 2025

Taxes are the elephant in the room when it comes to day trading. Everybody wants to tout large PNL gains made over a short amount of time, but nobody...

8 min read

Day Trading Rules for Stocks, Options, and Futures

Al Hill : October 13, 2023

Day trading refers to buying and selling any financial instrument, such as stocks, bonds, options, ETFs, etc., within the same day without holding...

7 min read

History of Bear Markets

John McDowell : August 3, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

As we find ourselves in the midst of a brutal bear market in 2022, it may be a good exercise to study the past in order to be better educated on what...

6 min read

How to Invest in a Bear Market

John McDowell : July 19, 2022
Last Updated: October 21, 2023

What is a Bear Market?

How exactly is a bear market defined? The most commonly used definition for a bear market is when major indices, like the S&P...

7 min read

Forex Day Trading Explanation with Strategies

John McDowell : July 13, 2022
Last Updated: October 21, 2023

What is forex day trading?

Forex day trading involves buying and selling foreign currency pairs during the trading day to profit from intraday price...

5 min read

What Is the Most Expensive Stock?

John McDowell : July 11, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

What is the most expensive stock ever?

While it may be more of a novelty for most traders to think about, the most expensive stocks in the world are...

4 min read

What Are Shares in Stocks?

John McDowell : July 8, 2022
Last Updated: October 13, 2023

Shares are units of equity stock and represent equity ownership in a company. The persons or institutions holding shares of a company are called...

5 min read

Pips in Forex Trading Explained

John McDowell : July 7, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

What is a pip in forex trading?

Pip is short for “percentage in point” or “price interest point,” which is the smallest price movement in the...

7 min read

Crypto Crash and Crypto Winter Explained

John McDowell : July 4, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Crypto crash and crypto winters: what are they?

Crypto crash and crypto winter are both terms used to describe a period of time when the prices of...

3 min read

What Is the Financial Stability Oversight Council?

John McDowell : July 1, 2022
Last Updated: March 5, 2024

What is the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC)?

The Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) is the United States federal government...

2 min read

The Plunge Protection Team Explained

John McDowell : June 30, 2022
Last Updated: October 21, 2023

What is the Plunge Protection Team?

The Plunge Protection Team (PPT) is an informal term for the Working Group on Financial Markets. The working...

3 min read

Insider Trading Explained

John McDowell : June 29, 2022
Last Updated: March 5, 2024

What is insider trading?

Insider trading refers to trading in the stock of a publicly-traded company by its directors, employees, or anyone who has...

2 min read

What is Limit Up - Limit Down in Day Trading?

John McDowell : June 28, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Limit down in day trading refers to a large decline in the prices of a financial asset or an index, which triggers a temporary halt in its trading on...

4 min read

What Is A Stock Market Flash Crash?

John McDowell : June 27, 2022
Last Updated: October 13, 2023

A flash crash is a rapid and sudden downfall in the prices of electronically-traded securities in a stock market due to an overwhelming number of...

5 min read

Gamma Squeeze Explained for Beginners

John McDowell : June 24, 2022
Last Updated: March 5, 2024

What is a gamma squeeze?

By now we’ve all heard about what a short squeeze is and how they happen in the stock market. If we take a short squeeze one...

6 min read

Web 5.0 versus Web 3.0: What's the Difference?

John McDowell : June 23, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Why Jack Dorsey Wants Web 5.0

While Web 3.0 hasn't even arrived yet, some visionaries are already dreaming about Web 5.0. Jack Dorsey, the former CEO...

2 min read

What Does Capitulate Mean in Trading?

John McDowell : June 22, 2022
Last Updated: March 5, 2024

The word capitulate means to give up or stop trying. It’s easy to see how this would apply to trading, especially considering the current market...

3 min read

What Is a Block Trade?

John McDowell : June 21, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

A block trade is a large-sized stock order that takes place outside of the publicly traded stock market. By the definition of the NYSE and NASDAQ...

6 min read

Stock Halts and Circuit Breaker Halts Explained

John McDowell : June 20, 2022
Last Updated: October 21, 2023

What is a stock halt?

A stock halt is a temporary suspension in the trading of a particular stock by the exchange. It is one of the many regulations...

3 min read

What Is Alpha in Trading?

John McDowell : June 17, 2022
Last Updated: March 5, 2024

In trading, alpha refers to the excess or above-market return generated by a trader or a trading strategy over a period of time. It is also commonly...

6 min read

Harmonic Patterns in Stock Trading for Beginners

John McDowell : June 15, 2022
Last Updated: March 5, 2024

What are harmonic patterns in stock trading?

Harmonic patterns are used in technical analysis that traders use to find trend reversals. By using...

7 min read

Beginners Guide to Bitcoin Futures

John McDowell : June 14, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

What are Bitcoin futures?

As with other assets like commodities or stocks, you can invest in the future prices of cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin futures...

6 min read

The Day Trading ABCD Pattern Explained

John McDowell : June 13, 2022
Last Updated: October 15, 2023

The classic version of the abcd trading pattern is a harmonic pattern consisting of two equal legs A-B and C-D. As a day trading pattern, these two...

10 min read

Can You Short Crypto? Yes, and Here's How

John McDowell : June 10, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

If you're thinking of shorting crypto, you're not alone. With the recent volatility in the markets in 2022, many investors are looking for ways to...

6 min read

What are Sol Stocks (Tokens)?

John McDowell : June 9, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

What are SOL Stocks?

Solana crypto project is the name behind the SOL Stocks, also known as SOLs. These tokens are passed onto nodes present within a...

5 min read

Inverse Head and Shoulders Pattern Explained

John McDowell : June 8, 2022
Last Updated: October 15, 2023

One of the most recognizable trading patterns in the world is the head and shoulders pattern. However, this pattern is mostly associated with...

7 min read

Stock Dilution and Offerings Explained for Beginners

John McDowell : June 7, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

What is stock dilution?

Stock dilution is generally seen as a negative characteristic for a publicly-traded company. Not only does it signal that the...

7 min read

Over the Counter (OTC) Stock Trading Explained

John McDowell : June 6, 2022
Last Updated: March 5, 2024

What are over the counter stocks?

Over the Counter or OTC stocks are equities that trade on the OTC market which is a broker-dealer network rather...

8 min read

Ethereum Proof of Work and Proof of Stake Explained

John McDowell : June 3, 2022
Last Updated: October 14, 2023

What is proof of work in crypto?

The Proof of Work consensus mechanism is the most widely used consensus algorithm in cryptocurrency today. This...

6 min read

Mean Reversion Trading Strategies Explained

John McDowell : June 2, 2022
Last Updated: December 2, 2023

Mean Reversion Definition

Reversion to the mean, or "mean reversion," is just another way of describing a move in stock prices back to an average....

9 min read

How to Day Trade Crypto - Beginners Guide

John McDowell : June 1, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

If you're getting into the crypto world and are looking to make some good money, day trading could be a great avenue. Sure, people who get in early...

5 min read

Three Black Crows Candlestick Pattern Tutorial

John McDowell : May 31, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Three black crows sounds ominous -- like a murder of crows circling a meal. And when it comes to stock trading, this candlestick pattern usually does...

6 min read

The Death Cross in Stock Trading Explained

John McDowell : May 30, 2022
Last Updated: October 14, 2023

There are two longer-term moving average crossovers that are most famous or infamous among traders. Depending on the type of investor or trader, one...

5 min read

Day Trading on Robinhood: Pros and Cons

John McDowell : May 27, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Robinhood is a popular discount brokerage that is based in the United States. The company was established in 2013 and is based out of Menlo Park,...

4 min read

What Is Quadruple Witching Day in the Stock Market?

John McDowell : May 26, 2022
Last Updated: March 5, 2024

If you are under the impression that every trading session is the same, then we are sorry to say this, but you are sorely mistaken. There are certain...

8 min read

Understanding Basic Options Trading for Beginners

John McDowell : May 25, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Trading in the financial markets can be a risky endeavor with just as much potential for reward as gain. Basic Options contracts are no exception to...

5 min read

The Short Seller Restriction Rule (SSR) Explained for Day Trading

John McDowell : May 24, 2022
Last Updated: October 13, 2023

What is short sale restriction?

Short sale restriction (SSR) is an interesting trading rule that was established in 2010 and is not always popular...

12 min read

Understanding the Metaverse for Dummies

John McDowell : May 23, 2022
Last Updated: December 3, 2023

How many times have you heard about the "metaverse" but haven't really taken the time to understand what it is? Maybe you think it has something to...

5 min read

Meme Stocks Explained for Beginners

John McDowell : May 21, 2022
Last Updated: March 5, 2024

What Are Meme Stocks?

Where were you in January of 2021 when the meme stock phenomenon first started with AMC and GameStop stocks? While these are...

8 min read

Relative Volume (RVOL): How To Use It For Day Trading

John McDowell : May 20, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Relative volume for day trading explained

Relative volume is one of the most important indicators for day traders. It can help you determine when a...

8 min read

How to Day Trade without $25k

John McDowell : May 18, 2022
Last Updated: March 5, 2024

For most retail traders the hurdle to begin day trading can be pretty high. One of the reasons for this is that you are limited to the number of day...

9 min read

The GME GameStop Short Squeeze Explained

John McDowell : May 17, 2022
Last Updated: October 13, 2023

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past year, you’ll know that GME is the ticker symbol for the wildly popular meme stock, GameStop...

5 min read

Power Hour in Stock Trading for Beginners

John McDowell : May 14, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Power hour conjures a myriad of assumptions in stock trading. Could it be akin to happy hour, where everyone takes a shot if their trades go well?...

3 min read

US Stock Exchange Calendar: Trading Days in a Year 2024

John McDowell : May 13, 2022
Last Updated: February 3, 2024

What are the Stock Market Holidays for 2024?

It’s a common question that investors have as it seems like the stock market is closed on some holidays...

8 min read

Hard To Borrow Stocks and Short Locates Explained

John McDowell : May 12, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Hard-to-borrow stocks and short locates are terms used by active traders who are looking to short stocks which don't have readily available shares to...

6 min read

Exponential Moving Average Guide for Beginners

John McDowell : May 11, 2022
Last Updated: October 13, 2023

When starting out in trading, there are a barrage of indicators thrown at you, all with promising strategies tied to them. The exponential moving...

7 min read

What Is Fibonacci Retracement and How To Use It

John McDowell : May 10, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

What are the Fibonacci sequence and the Golden ratio?

A Fibonacci sequence is a number pattern that was discovered and introduced in the 13th century...

9 min read

The AMC Short Squeeze Explanation

John McDowell : May 9, 2022
Last Updated: October 15, 2023

What is the AMC squeeze? 

The AMC squeeze was a black swan event on the US stock market that initially took place in January of 2021, and culminated...

9 min read

Penny Stocks Explained for Beginners

John McDowell : May 9, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

What are Penny Stocks?

Penny stocks refer to small companies that usually trade at low prices in the stock market, from a few pennies to $5 per...

6 min read

The Best Free Stock Charts

John McDowell : May 6, 2022
Last Updated: October 15, 2023

Free stock charts are a great way to get your feet wet in the market without committing to a paid charting service. These days, there are quite a few...

7 min read

The Epic Volkswagen Short Squeeze Explained

John McDowell : May 5, 2022
Last Updated: October 15, 2023

The Volkswagen short squeeze of 2008 was epic. Only a few times in history has a stock rocketed that quickly and violently to jaw-dropping prices....

8 min read

Bull Flag Trading Pattern Explained

John McDowell : May 4, 2022
Last Updated: October 21, 2023

Bull flag trading patterns are one of many patterns that traders study in the markets. Trading patterns are a way to simplify the markets and...

12 min read

Bear Market Explanation and Investing Strategies

John McDowell : May 4, 2022
Last Updated: December 3, 2023

There is a cliché that “stocks only go up.” Well, in a bull market, that might be true. However, in a bear market, over 75% of stocks go down with...

7 min read

Stock Trading Simulators for Beginners

John McDowell : May 2, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Stock trading simulators serve a unique purpose in the world of trading and investing. While not always popular, they provide the necessary...

7 min read

Can the stock market still crash?

John McDowell : April 26, 2022
Last Updated: March 5, 2024

This question seems to be on a lot of investors' minds lately. Inflation is no longer transitory according to the Federal Reserve, growth stocks are...

3 min read

Are the Nasdaq and S&P 500 creating a head and shoulders pattern?

John McDowell : April 20, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Is the market putting in a head and shoulders pattern right now? That’s the question I think we are all wondering. We’ve had a fantastic bull run...

7 min read

How to Trade with the ADX – (Average Directional Index)

Al Hill : March 18, 2022
Last Updated: November 27, 2023

6 min read

Level 2 Quotes – How to Read Market Depth Chart [Videos]

Al Hill : March 7, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Market depth charts are often a confusing and misunderstood part of trading. Besides just learning to read stock charts, level 2 quotes and order...

19 min read

Chart Patterns

John McDowell : March 4, 2022
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

6 min read

The Head and Shoulders Pattern: How to Trade Tops and Bottoms

Al Hill : February 24, 2022
Last Updated: October 21, 2023

6 min read

Rising and Falling Wedge Patterns: How to Trade Them

Al Hill : February 22, 2022
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

Rising and falling wedges are a technical chart pattern used to predict trend continuations and trend reversals. In many cases, when the market is

12 min read

How to Find the Most Active Stocks to Day Trade + Free Video Tutorials!

Al Hill : February 21, 2022
Last Updated: March 5, 2024

16 min read

The Beginner’s Guide to Day Trading

John McDowell : February 20, 2022
Last Updated: December 3, 2023

4 min read

How to Use Paper Trading Apps & Simulators

John McDowell : February 9, 2022
Last Updated: October 15, 2023

7 min read

The 8 Best Day Trading Podcasts Worth Subscribing To in 2022

John McDowell : February 7, 2022
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

4 min read

What’s Your Trading Personality, and Why You Should Know…

John McDowell : February 2, 2022
Last Updated: December 3, 2023

6 min read

How to Overcome Fear and Emotions in Trading

John McDowell : February 1, 2022
Last Updated: December 17, 2023

6 min read

The Stick Sandwich Candlestick Pattern + Chart Examples

Al Hill : January 31, 2022
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

6 min read

Simulation Trading: 4 Best Practices for Profitability

John McDowell : January 27, 2022
Last Updated: October 13, 2023

4 min read

Gann Square of Nine – How to Trade Using This Forecasting Tool

Al Hill : January 26, 2022
Last Updated: December 3, 2023

Considered one of the “titans of technical analysis,” Gann and his Gann Square have gone down in trading history with the likes of Dow, Wyckoff,...

5 min read

Paper Trading Platforms – 1 Gigantic Myth

John McDowell : January 25, 2022
Last Updated: October 15, 2023

7 min read

The Best Stock Simulators with Replay in 2022 – Which is the Best?

John McDowell : January 21, 2022
Last Updated: March 5, 2024

8 min read

Mental Edge Building Blocks in DayTrading: An Interview with Créde

John McDowell : January 11, 2022
Last Updated: December 3, 2023

5 min read

Four Advanced Entry Techniques for Liquidity Traps

John McDowell : January 10, 2022
Last Updated: December 3, 2023

8 min read

Days to Cover Explanation & What It Means for Short Squeezes

Al Hill : January 7, 2022
Last Updated: December 2, 2023

10 min read

Pattern Day Trading Rule – What it is and how to avoid it

Al Hill : December 30, 2021
Last Updated: October 21, 2023

6 min read

What it means to be a “bagholder” in trading

John McDowell : December 27, 2021
Last Updated: December 3, 2023

12 min read

Day Trading Breakouts – 4 Simple, Explosive Strategies + Video

Al Hill : December 22, 2021
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

13 min read

First Hour of Trading – How to Trade Like a Seasoned Pro + Video!

Al Hill : December 9, 2021
Last Updated: November 27, 2023

Assuming you have either started day trading or are looking to get into the game, we are going to shock you in this article. What we’ll cover will...

6 min read

Swing High and Swing Low – A great way to trade the trends

Al Hill : December 7, 2021
Last Updated: October 21, 2023

4 min read

5 Signs You Should Avoid Trading During Slow Markets

John McDowell : December 6, 2021
Last Updated: October 9, 2023

9 min read

Awesome Oscillator: 4 Day Trading Strategies

Al Hill : December 5, 2021
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

What was Bill Williams ^[1] thinking when he came up with the name awesome oscillator?

With names floating around as complex and diverse as moving...

11 min read

5 Minute Charts Explanation and Guide + Three Free Setups

Al Hill : November 27, 2021
Last Updated: December 3, 2023

In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about 5-minute charts. First, we will touch on the basics of the 5-minute chart. Next,...

15 min read

Three Fibonacci Trading Strategies + Infographic & Video

Al Hill : November 25, 2021
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

8 min read

Episodic Pivot / Power Earnings Gap / Buyable Gap Up Explained

John McDowell : November 18, 2021
Last Updated: December 3, 2023

Traders know these events by a few different names. Perhaps you’ve heard of Stockbee and Qullamaggie’s Episodic Pivot? Or you’ve seen @traderstewie

7 min read

The Descending Triangle Pattern- Learn 5 Simple Trading Strategies

Al Hill : November 9, 2021
Last Updated: February 15, 2025

8 min read

Day Trading Chat Rooms: How to Make the Most of Them

John McDowell : November 2, 2021
Last Updated: October 15, 2023

4 min read

Volume Candlesticks – How to Trade with this Powerful Indicator

Al Hill : October 18, 2021
Last Updated: October 15, 2023

Volume candlesticks may sound a bit odd at first. After all, most of us are used to seeing price candlesticks separate from volume bars below on a...

10 min read

Trading Psychology – 11 Traits that Separate Winners from Losers

Al Hill : October 11, 2021
Last Updated: December 3, 2023

For may, trading can be one of the greatest personal endeavors a person can take in their life. This is mainly because of how difficult it can be...

6 min read

How Oliver Velez Trades the Open Like a Boss: 4 Key Takeaways

John McDowell : October 5, 2021
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

8 min read

How to Spot a Healthy Pullback Opportunity while Trading Stocks

John McDowell : September 30, 2021
Last Updated: October 9, 2023

Pullback opportunities are great for adding to or initiating positions while trading. However, not all pullbacks are created equal. In this post,...

10 min read

Edge in Trading: How to Find One When You Don’t Know Where to Start

John McDowell : September 26, 2021
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

5 min read

The Liquidity Trap: A Short Seller’s 3-day Nightmare | TradingSim

John McDowell : September 23, 2021
Last Updated: October 12, 2023

In the sordid world of low float, lower-priced stocks, a lot of what goes on often defies typical volume and price logic. Often, you’ll see...

7 min read

The Golden Cross Explained + Three Easy Strategies

Al Hill : September 21, 2021
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

17 min read

12 Mental Habits Affecting Trading Performance & What You Can Do

John McDowell : September 20, 2021
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

No two traders are alike. That’s a fact. And the reason for this isn’t tied to the technical skill of every trader. Even with similar trading...

7 min read

The Red Dog Reversal: A Powerful Strategy for Day or Swing Trading

John McDowell : September 8, 2021
Last Updated: March 5, 2024

The Red Dog Reversal is named, endearingly, after Scott Redler. Red Dog has been his nickname in some circles for years — perhaps dating back to...

6 min read

Three Explosive Anchored VWAP Strategies + Explanation Video

John McDowell : September 3, 2021
Last Updated: December 2, 2023

Most anchored vwap strategies are centered around swing trading. However, the strategies used on daily charts can also become major support or...

5 min read

Trading Process: Why You Need a Divorce from Money

John McDowell : August 29, 2021
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

7 min read

7 Physical Habits That Impact Trading Performance

John McDowell : August 27, 2021
Last Updated: October 15, 2023

9 min read

6 Guidelines for How to Use the 50 Moving Average

Al Hill : August 26, 2021
Last Updated: December 2, 2023

11 min read

The Best Small Account Strategy for Exponential Gains

John McDowell : August 24, 2021
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

The best small account strategy for exponential growth. Sounds promising doesn’t it? Most of us are in this same boat, wanting to grow what little...

6 min read

Trend Trading Explained + Chart Examples and Video Scanning Guide

Al Hill : August 20, 2021
Last Updated: October 14, 2023

8 min read

Trading Endurance Lessons Taken from Elite Military Training

John McDowell : August 19, 2021
Last Updated: December 2, 2023

6 min read

The 3 Bar Play: Raising the Bar on Your Day Trading Strategies + Video

John McDowell : August 18, 2021
Last Updated: October 9, 2023

The 3 Bar Play is the natural progression to the strategies we’ve discussed lately regarding the market open. It’s a great addition to the 1...

12 min read

4 Simple Scalping Trading Strategies and Advanced Techniques

Al Hill : August 16, 2021
Last Updated: October 21, 2023

Today we are going to cover one of the most widely known, but misunderstood strategies – scalp trading, a.k.a scalping. If you like entering and...

8 min read

The 1-minute ORB (Opening Range Breakout)

John McDowell : August 13, 2021
Last Updated: October 23, 2023

Most day traders have likely heard of the Opening Range Breakout (ORB) strategy popularized by Toby Crabel in his classic investing book Day...

12 min read

Volume Analysis – 4 Simple Trading Strategies Using Chart Patterns

Al Hill : August 11, 2021
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

Volume analysis is the technique of assessing the health of a trend based on volume activity. In fact, volume is one of the oldest day trading...

8 min read

Learning from our Trading Stress An Interview w/ Dr. Brett Steenbarger

John McDowell : August 9, 2021
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

What is the best way to learn from and mitigate our trading stress? We feel as though this is a particularly important topic for traders, and...

3 min read

20 Moving Average Pullback Strategy: Great For Short Term Trades

John McDowell : August 5, 2021
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

The 20 moving average is an extremely popular indicator in the world of trading. It’s use is ubiquitous no matter the time frame or the type of...

22 min read

Day Trading Anxiety: 6 Causes Worth Discussing

John McDowell : August 3, 2021
Last Updated: December 3, 2023

Anxiety and depression are common. And they are real. Far too many suffer from this mental and physical condition, unfortunately. And the...

6 min read

Darvas Box Explained – Trend Following System for Any Time Frame

Al Hill : July 28, 2021
Last Updated: October 21, 2023

The Darvas Box was a fascinating trading discovery in the mid 1900s. Eponymously named, Nicolas Darvas was able to devise a system to trade the...

8 min read

The 1-3pm Bloodbath: A Killer Late-Day Shorting Strategy

John McDowell : July 27, 2021
Last Updated: October 23, 2023

8 min read

VDU and Pocket Pivots: “VooDoo” for your day trading

John McDowell : July 26, 2021
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

Volume Dry Up (VDU) and Pocket Pivots are some of the most powerful precursors to big moves in the stock market when interpreted correctly. Often...

18 min read

VWAP Boulevard Indicator: The Ultimate Guide [#vwapboulevard]

John McDowell : July 23, 2021
Last Updated: February 15, 2025

22 min read

Day Trading Salary – How Much Can Top Traders Make [Plus Video]

Al Hill : July 22, 2021
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

Many beginner traders want to know what they stand to make as a day trader. On the web, information about how much money you can make as a day...

9 min read

Can You Succeed as a Day Trader? (How to avoid the 90% failure rate)

John McDowell : July 20, 2021
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

Can I succeed as a day trader? Can I really make a living doing this?

Let’s be honest. All day traders have asked this question at some point...

12 min read

Price Action Trading Strategies 6 Patterns that Work [video tutorial]

Al Hill : July 19, 2021
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

Price action trading strategies are dependent solely upon the interpretation of candles, candlestick patterns, support, and resistance, pivot...

20 min read

6 Bollinger Bands® Trading Strategies + Video

Al Hill : July 16, 2021
Last Updated: October 8, 2023

Bollinger Bands are a powerful technical indicator created by John Bollinger. The bands encapsulate the price movement of a stock, providing...

7 min read

4 Strategies For Narrowing Your Day Trading Scans

John McDowell : July 15, 2021
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

Day trading scans are an integral part to any day trading strategy. How else will you know what to trade? Yet, in a universe of thousands of...

21 min read

Simple Moving Average (SMA) Explanation & Trading Strategies [Video]

Al Hill : July 14, 2021
Last Updated: October 9, 2023

13 min read

RSI Trade Settings Explained + 4 Unique Trading Strategies

Al Hill : July 9, 2021
Last Updated: October 9, 2023

The relative strength index (RSI) is one of the most popular oscillators in all of trading. You have likely read some general articles on the RSI...

6 min read

The Volatility Contraction Pattern (VCP): How To Day Trade It

John McDowell : July 6, 2021
Last Updated: October 21, 2023

The Volatility Contraction Pattern, or VCP, as it has come to be known, has been popularized by Mark Minervini in his books Think and Trade Like a...

9 min read

Struggling with Overtrading: 4 tips to kick the bad habit

John McDowell : July 2, 2021
Last Updated: October 21, 2023

Are you struggling with overtrading? Overtrading is a common problem for the zealous trader doing her best to make it in the markets. It can even...

13 min read

MACD Ultimate Guide + 5 Profitable Trading Strategies [Video]

Al Hill : July 1, 2021
Last Updated: December 2, 2023

4 min read

What is Day Trading Liquidity and Why It Matters

Al Hill : June 28, 2021
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

7 min read

How to Trade Parabolic Reversals

John McDowell : June 27, 2021
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Parabolic reversals can be a very tantalizing setup in day trading. These patterns offer an edge to the disciplined trader looking for a sharp...

19 min read

The VWAP Indicator Ultimate Guide And Video

Al Hill : June 23, 2021
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

If you are wondering what the Volume Weighted Average Price (VWAP) is or how to use the VWAP indicator, then wait no more. We’ve created this...

5 min read

What is Float Rotation and Why It Matters to Day Traders

John McDowell : June 22, 2021
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

Float rotation is a reference to the amount of times a stock’s entire float, or available shares, is traded during a single trading day. It...

6 min read

40 Great Brett Steenbarger Quotes For Trading Success

John McDowell : June 22, 2021
Last Updated: October 8, 2023

In this post we’ve compiled 40 of our favorite Dr. Brett Steenbarger quotes organized into a handful of themes. Dr. Brett Steenbarger, Ph.D. is...

7 min read

Understanding Stock Float and Its Impact on Stock Price

Al Hill : June 21, 2021
Last Updated: October 15, 2023

Stock float is one of the most important metrics that can influence the price of a security. While it can be a confusing term to understand as a...

7 min read

Averaging Down Can Lead To Huge Losses

Al Hill : June 21, 2021
Last Updated: October 8, 2023

Averaging down is the popular way to describe buying more of a position as a stock goes down. It’s akin to seeing something you think is valuable in...

6 min read

The Kill Candle Shorting Strategy Explained

John McDowell : June 16, 2021
Last Updated: March 5, 2024

10 min read

The Backside of a Trade: When to Go Short

John McDowell : June 15, 2021
Last Updated: December 3, 2023

As day traders, the biggest dilemma we will ever face is our own errors. That is, knowing what not to do, and yet still doing it. Lack of...

6 min read

The Shooting Star Candlestick Pattern & the Hammer Candlestick pattern

Al Hill : June 15, 2021
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

The shooting star is a single bearish candlestick pattern that is common in technical analysis. The candle falls into the “hammer” group and is a...

8 min read

4 Powerful Harami Candlestick Trading Strategies

Al Hill : June 14, 2021
Last Updated: October 15, 2023

The Harami candlestick pattern is usually considered more of a secondary candlestick pattern. These are not as powerful as the formations we went...

7 min read

The Abandoned Baby Candlestick Trading Pattern: Bullish & Bearish

Al Hill : June 14, 2021
Last Updated: December 3, 2023

We have discussed a number of candlestick patterns on the Tradingsim blog. If you haven’t checked out our other resources be sure to do so, you’ll...

6 min read

Stars, Dojis, and Abandoned Babies — Powerful Reversal Strategies

Al Hill : June 11, 2021
Last Updated: November 9, 2024

Candlestick patterns can have some crazy names sometimes. Stars, dojis, and abandoned babies? The Japanese were fond of naming candlestick patterns...

6 min read

Three White Soldiers: 3 Things You Must Consider Before Trading

Al Hill : June 11, 2021
Last Updated: December 2, 2023

The Three White Soldiers pattern is a popular bullish candlestick pattern. It is fairly easy for most traders to spot in real time given the 3 large...

10 min read

8 Best Bearish Candlestick Patterns for Day Trading [Free Cheat Sheet!]

John McDowell : June 10, 2021
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Recently, we discussed the general history of candlesticks and their patterns in a prior post. We also have a great tutorial on the most reliable...

10 min read

Doji: Bullish or Bearish? + Spinning Top, & Harami Indecision Candles

John McDowell : June 7, 2021
Last Updated: December 2, 2023

Ever wonder, "What is a doji candlestick pattern?" Is a doji candle bullish or bearish? How about a spinning top? Our goal in this tutorial is to...

6 min read

How to Day Trade the Bearish Gravestone Doji Reversal Candlestick

Al Hill : June 7, 2021
Last Updated: October 15, 2023

The doji candlestick is one of the most common candlestick reversal patterns you will find in the market. The Gravestone Doji is a variation of this...

14 min read

Learn How to Day Trade Using Pivot Points

Al Hill : June 7, 2021
Last Updated: March 19, 2024

Today we will dive deep into the significance of Pivot Points for day trading. When you finish reading this article, you will understand the 5...

13 min read

Candlestick Patterns Explained [Plus Free Cheat Sheet]

John McDowell : June 4, 2021
Last Updated: October 27, 2024

Trading without candlestick patterns is a lot like flying in the night with no visibility. Sure, it is doable, but it requires special training...

8 min read

6 Reliable Bullish Candlestick Pattern

John McDowell : June 4, 2021
Last Updated: December 3, 2023

A proper education in price action wouldn’t be complete without understanding when, how, and where to go long on a stock. Especially using bullish...

17 min read

How to Create an IRA Rollover

Ella Vincent : January 2, 2021
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

An IRA, whether a Roth or a traditional one, can be a great asset to an investor. However, if you change jobs, you may need to move that IRA to...

16 min read

How a Roth IRA withdrawal can impact investors

Ella Vincent : January 2, 2021
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

Having a Roth IRA can be beneficial to account holders. However, if an account holder wants to make a withdrawal after they start investing, there...

16 min read

How an Investor Can Benefit from an Inherited IRA

Ella Vincent : January 2, 2021
Last Updated: December 2, 2023

When a person passes away, there are many issues for their surviving relatives to deal with- especially financial issues. When a person inherits an...

16 min read

Roth IRA vs. Traditional IRA: Which is better?

Ella Vincent : September 26, 2020
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

When people are saving for retirement, many debate whether to open a Roth IRA vs. traditional IRA. Whether there is a bull or bear market, investors...

16 min read

How to Set Up a Backdoor Roth IRA

Ella Vincent : September 26, 2020
Last Updated: November 27, 2023

For people with high incomes, Roth IRA’s may be inaccessible. However, there is another option- a backdoor Roth IRA . This TradingSim article will...

15 min read

How Investors Can Benefit from a Roth IRA

Ella Vincent : September 14, 2020
Last Updated: October 22, 2023

A Roth IRA (individual retirement account) can help investors save for retirement. If an employee doesn’t have lucrative stock options like...