Financial Trading: Why is Known Risk the Best Risk?

No, this is not some sort of elaborate psychological test or a thought exercise. It a genuine question, do you know why known risk is the best type of risk?

Well, let’s use a hypothetical scenario: you are sitting on a park bench on a cool spring day, what would be more dangerous – a brick falling from an adjacent building that you are completely unaware of or a brick headed in your direction, that you have seen with enough time to avoid.

A risk that is known, is preferable than a risk that is unknown – very simply…because you can avoid risk you know about. This is the genius behind easyMarkets latest product – easyTrade – but it’s not the only feature this innovative and surprisingly smart way to trade offers.

Known Risk, Fewer Problems

Because of the underlying financial product easyTrade is based on – vanilla options – it also allows clients to trade without margin requirements. Margin, if you are unfamiliar is the minimum amount in a trader’s account necessary to trade with leverage – if the account goes below that required amount, trades start closing until it is reached again. This could include profitable trades. Another problem “margin stop out” could create when trading is your position (trades) closing and then shortly after the price recovering.

Another benefit which is similar to the advantage no margin trading offers, stop out is also not needed due to the known maximum risk. Stop out is a risk management tool that allows you to set a level at which your trade will close if you are incurring losses. This carries the same danger as margin stop out though – a change in the price’s direction could potentially close your trade. This isn’t a problem if the rate (price) continues going against your trade, but it can be very damaging if the price recovers. Again, this is due to having known risk and no need for risk management tools you would use if your risk was unknown.

Quickly React

Many traders seek robust ways to trade, that give them immeasurable options and tools. Although these are undeniably robust, they can be a hinderance when you want to react quickly. If you are a trader you know that those slight few seconds are important to make or break a trade. If you aren’t a trader – then let me inform you – markets never sleep, they are in constant flux and a few minutes can make a significant difference to your profit or worse your loss.

Although easyTrade can be used in a sophisticated trading system – as hedging against other trades for example – it is also exceptionally engineered for simplicity. This simplicity can translate into speed when needed. In just four steps – choose what you would like to trade, set the maximum risk you are comfortable with, decide the trade time and then choose if the price will move up or down.

Innovation, Support, Experience

easyMarkets has been in business since 2001. It was one of the very first brokers to offer negative balance protection and free guaranteed stop loss (and still offers it today along with many more tools and conditions), to help customers better manage their risk. A long time has passed since then and easyMarkets has managed to remain relevant through its constant innovation and true dedication to its clients.

Its latest innovation easyTrade which offers no margin requirements, high leverage (in a way that is still regulator compliant) and known risk is yet another great and beneficial tool offered to easyMarkets clients.

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You Don’t Want To Miss These Online Shopping Hacks

THE INCOGNITO MODE

If you keep clicking on a particular item, a website is likely to offer it at a higher price. Furthermore, it may bombard you with advertisements of that item. The incognito window will help you save money through private browsing. It blocks third-party cookies and disables search history. This way, websites such as Hotels.com and Expedia cannot practice price discrimination.

CHECK ITEM AVAILABILITY

The Editor’s Market is one of my favorite stores due to its emphasis on modern street-wear. However, their items sell out fast! Fortunately for me, consumers can check out the item availability and reserve it via the online shop. Simply become a member by answering this form: theeditorsmarket.com/membership.

GET FREE SAMPLES

Free beauty samples are usually given at checkout. It gives you the opportunity to test out products without having to waste your money on a full-sized bottle. Sephora, a mecca for makeup addicts, offers free samples in its online store. Go to sephora.sg/pages/free-samples and follow the basic rules.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

a. Add a sample to your bag at checkout.
b. Only one sample may be added to each order.
c. Samples are available while supplies last.
d. If a sample goes out of stock, Sephora will provide a substitute.
e. Samples are not available during sale periods.

ENJOY FREE RETURNS

Whether you admit it or not, you do not always like what you purchase online. That is alright! International brands such as ASOS and MANGO allow you to process free returns. For ASOS, returning an item is a hassle-free task. Start by filling out the return form and printing out the shipping label. Then, drop it off at your local SingPost branch.

For MANGO, the prices on its website is the same as the prices in its physical stores in Singapore. You can return an item at any of its multiple outlets. It saves you the effort of heading down to the post office.

THE 24-HOUR WAIT

Last but not the least, you can subscribe to delayed gratification. Leaving your items in the shopping cart for at least 24 hours can help you decide whether you really want or need to purchase it. Some companies such as ZALORA Singapore will lure you with a special discount code to encourage you to checkout your cart. Apply this savvy shopping tip then.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Sources: 1 & 2

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The One Cashback Credit Card For ALL Local Spends - Maybank FC Barcelona Visa Signature Card

Finally, there is a credit card that gives you unlimited cash rebates with no minimum spend required – the Maybank FC Barcelona Visa Signature Card.

Compared to other credit cards that offer varying cash rebates depending on the type of spending (shopping, dining, entertainment, travel, etc) or with selected merchants only, the Maybank FC Barcelona Visa Signature Card offers 1.6% UNLIMITED cashback for ALL local transactions.

Instead of remembering which credit card to use for different situations, you can simply use this one card for all your expenditure. So you can shop with ease-of-mind, knowing that you can get 1.6% cash rebate for everything and anything you spend. This makes it an ideal one-stop card for spending on big-ticket items like luxury items, personal insurance, home furnishings and appliances, car maintenances, or even the hefty cost of planning a wedding.

On top of that, there is NO CAP on how much you spend, nor is there a MINIMUM amount you have to spend in order to qualify for the cash rebate. For example, if you are charging S$20,000 for a luxury leather bag, what you will be getting back is S$320! How’s that for being the ONE card for ALL your shopping?

Even with foreign transactions, you get 2X TREATS Points with every dollar spent on foreign currency transactions with the Maybank FC Barcelona Visa Signature Card.

Football fans, here’s your deal-maker: As a Maybank FC Barcelona Visa Signature Card user, you can stand a chance to win a trip for 2 to watch FC Barcelona LIVE at Nou Camp every football season*!

As long as you meet the minimum annual income of S$30,000, applying for the Maybank FC Barcelona Visa Signature Card is as easy as visiting their website.

Kindly refer to maybank.sg/barca for full details.

*Terms and Conditions apply. 

 

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How Balance Transfer Can Help You Save On Interest?

Do you know that Balance Transfer is a great financial tool to help manage your finances better? Balance Transfer is a lending product for short term needs which does not charge any interest* for up to 12 months. On top of this, it also allows for flexible repayment arrangements; either $50 per month or 3% of the principal, whichever is higher. Existing DBS / POSB Credit Card and Cashline customers stand to benefit the most as they can get instant approval when applying for Balance Transfer. Upon approval, the cash is disbursed into their accounts instantly. With such amazing benefits, it is little wonder that Balance Transfer has gradually gained popularity.

*One-time processing fee is applicable

Balance Transfer Helps You Save On Interest

The greatest advantage of Balance Transfer is that it helps you to save on interest payments. For example, a need for a sizeable amount of cash may cropped up in a time when you’re cash strapped. It is possible to tap onto Balance Transfer’s interest-free feature to save on interest for up to 12 months with a nominal one-time processing fee.

Balance Transfer can also be used to refinance your existing Credit Cards outstanding balances. So instead of incurring the interest on them, it is possible to enjoy interest savings of up to 81% with Balance Transfer. Here is a comparison to illustrate how you can save on your interest payments with DBS / POSB Balance Transfer.

Either way, the interest savings that you obtain with Balance Transfer will put you in a better financial position. With Balance Transfer, you can receive short-term cash instantly for any purpose by only paying a one-time processing fee.

How To Apply For Balance Transfer

Here is how you can take immediate action to manage your finances better. Simply follow these instructions to apply for Balance Transfer

  • Log in with your ibanking/mbanking/ATM or credit/debit card
  • Choose your desired amount and the tenure
  • Submit your application online (no documents will be required for existing DBS/POSB customers)
  • The amount will be drawn from any credit balances available in your selected DBS/POSB credit card or Cashline account if your Balance Transfer application is successful
  • The amount drawn will be credited into your selected DBS / POSB Current or Savings accounts

Check out latest promotion for DBS / POSB Balance Transfer here.

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Is Becoming A Gamer A Viable Career In Singapore?

Drop your mouse and read your books! How many times have you heard that gaming has no future? I have to admit! A career in gaming was once viewed as an impossible feat in Asia. Once seen as a way to pass time or to socialize with friends, gaming has exploded into a legitimate sport nowadays. Times have changed.

eSports prevalence has been massive! Dota 2, a wildly popular game in eSports, has a price pool of over US$20 million (or S$27 million). Furthermore, the 2022 Asian Games included eSports in its categories. Lastly, the global eSports market is predicted to hit US$1.5 billion (or S$2 billion) in a few years time. The demand for gaming professionals encouraged some Singaporeans to launch an educational programme dedicated to this platform.

DIPLOMA IN GAMING

Informatics Academy in collaboration with Cybersports and Online Gaming Association, has recently launched a diploma programme suited for aspiring professional gamer. This programme aims to equip students with skills in eSports knowledge, live-streaming of tournaments, game design theories, programming, team management, and game development. The modules will last up to 8 months for full-timers and 12 months for part-timers.

Requirements include a minimum of two A levels, an International Baccalaureate diploma or other equivalent pre-university qualifications, and being at least 18 years of age. School fees are about S$6,480 for local students.

AVERAGE SALARIES

Much like any other sports, salaries in eSports vary per organization and per player. The significant lack of transparency in this platform makes it challenging to determine what constitutes as fair compensation.

According to Riot, a professional eSports organization, each player must be paid a minimum of US$12,500 (about S$17,000) for the 28-match season. Many players are compensated at a higher rate than this! A five-person team’s winnings could range from S$2,700 to S$13,600 per player in the playoffs alone. Carlos “Ocelote” Rodriguez, a League of Legends team captain, makes close to a million a year! Can you see the financial variety?

Image Credits: pixabay.com

RISKS OF GAMING

With impressively attractive tournament prizes, it is possible to craft a misconception that one can easily become rich by playing video games. Reality check! No game can last forever. Furthermore, live-streaming is a utterly competitive scene. Only a few of the best shall prevail.

Yes! A professional career in eSports is viable given that you are one of the best at a particular game in a global scope. You may consider committing to a game part-time first, while managing your other priorities (e.g., day job or family time). Best of luck!

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5

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