Would you like to see your trading profits multiply? Are you struggling to squeeze out small profits and reduce losing trades? Here are some tips to help you make better decisions each and every time you trade.

One of the first and foremost strategies of the successful trader is actually having a strategy in the first place! Many new investors mistakenly make decisions based on one day of trading or the release of just one economic indicator report. The more successful traders develop a long-term strategy for their investments and trade only when certain criteria are met. Traders who go back and forth from one strategy to another are sabotaging their chances for success. These erratic changes make it much more difficult to analyze which strategy works and when.

To boost profits, you must employ careful research and long-term planning. Just because the strategy is long-term does not mean you cannot participate in day trading or swing trading. The long-term strategy means developing investment goals and making sure that each trade adheres to these goals. You will also want to develop specific criteria for your trades. Use historical prices as a starting point in developing when you will buy and sell. Write down your entry and exit strategies. Then stick to them at all times and track your results. Lastly, modify the plan as needed to produce the greatest percentage of winning trades as possible.

Successful traders analyze the level of risk that they are willing to assume and their trading strategies are built around this risk level. Evaluate your individual financial needs. A 25-year-old male is much more likely to be willing to assume a higher level of risk than a 40-year-old female with two children to support. Determining the level of risk you are willing to undertake will keep you focused when developing your trading plan.

Research is another power tool in the successful stock trader’s arsenal. These traders utilize stock charts, press releases, news articles, and other sources to detect trends in various industries as well as to make individual stock predictions. They also do not make their trading decisions based on biases. Make sure that you are relying on solid financials, from a reputable source.

Successful investors stay smart by being aware of the trading scams that abound on the net. From bogus stock purchase programs to promises of doubling or triple didgit returns, there are always dishonest people willing to use the allure of huge profits against you. Don’t get scammed out of your hard-earned money. Make sure to avoid any site selling or relating to high yield investment plans, or ”HYIP” for short. If it seems too good to be true, it most likely is.

Finally, understand and being able to utilize current technologies that will help your bottom line in the trading game. New online software and systems can give your trading strategy a boost. If you refuse to learn how to use this technology and availability of information, you are undercutting the profits you stand to make. You could buy many trading courses and still be ahead if you found just one that enables you to multiply your profits and become a successful trader. Keep in mind that the ones that don’t work for you will most likely have a money back guarantee.

Lastly, making investment decisions based on emotions is one of the poorest decisions a trader can make. Don’t let the emotions surrounding a loss keep you out of the game. If you are truly interested in investing to make a profit, suspending your emotions and making fact-based trading decisions that follow along with your set trading plan. If you don’t stick to your plan, then how can you determine whether it was faulty and a new plan should be formed?

Your stock trading rules are your money. When you follow your rules you make money. However if you break your own stock trading rules the most likely outcome is that you will lose money.

Once you have a reliable set of stock trading rules it is important to keep them in mind. Here is one discipline that can reap rewards. Read these rules before your day starts and also read the rules when your day ends.

Rule 1: I must follow my rules.

Naturally if you develop a set of rules they are to be followed. It is human nature to want to vary or break rules and it takes discipline to continue to act in accordance with the established rules.

Rule 2: I will never risk more than 3% of my total portfolio on any one stock trade.

There are many old traders. There are many bold traders. But there are never any old bold traders. Protecting your capital base is fundamental to successful stock market trading over time.

Rule 3: I will cut my losses at 5% to 15% when I am wrong without question.

Some traders have an even lower tolerance for loss. The key point here is to have set points (stop loss) within the limits of your tolerance for loss. Stay informed about the performance of you stock and stick to your stop loss point.

Rule 4: Never set price targets.

This is a style that will allow me to get the most out of rising stocks. Simply let the profits run. Realistically, I can never pick tops. Never feel a stock has risen too high too quickly. Be willing to give back a good percentage of profits in the hope of much bigger profits.

The big money is made from trading the really BIG moves that I can occasionally catch.

Rule 5: Master one style.

Keep learning and getting better at this one method of trading. Never jump from one trading style to another. Master one style rather than become average at implementing several styles.

Rule 6: Let price and volume be my guides.

Never listen to any opinion about the stock market or individual stocks you are considering trading or are already trading. Everything is reflected in the price and volume.

Rule 7: Take all valid signals that show up.

Don’t make excuses. If an entry signal shows up you have no excuse not to take it.

Rule 8: Never trade from intra-day data. There is always stock price variation within the course of any trading day. Relying on this data for momentum trading can lead to some wrong decisions.

Rule 9: Take time out.

Successful stock trading isn’t solely about trading. It’s also about emotional strength and physical fitness. Reduce the stress every day by taking time off the computer and working on other areas. A stressful trader will not make it in the long term.

Rule 10: Be an above average trader.

In order to succeed in the stock market you don’t need to do anything exceptional. You simply need to not do what the average trader does. The average trader is inconsistent and undisciplined. Ask yourself every day, “Did I follow my method today?” If your answer is no then you are in trouble and it’s time to recommit yourself to your stock trading rules.

Many investors will tell you that trading in stocks might be the good old-fashioned way of investing, but it works. Regardless of the ups and downs, and there are many on the rollercoaster that is stocks; stocks are an exciting game that has a place for anyone. In the age of the information superhighway there is a whole world of varied stocks that you can build wealth with. You might only make enough money to use in your next investment but with online stocks the door is truly open.

Online stocks are a huge market. You can start online with cheaper penny type stocks and you can even purchase some of the high-end stocks for a couple of hundred dollars a share. Like most online shopping, most of the stocks that are for sale online are available in the real world market, but they cost more. Because of the lack of human contact and advice given, buying online stocks gives you the opportunity to get into the game without the high fees of your average broker. The online trader is also completely in control or his or her stocks.

Trading online does mean that you will have to be familiar with certain terminology. To do so we have compiled a list of some select of the most common available online stocks and their meanings. We suggest you take these means and do some more research. Let’s look over what kind of stocks can be brought and purchased online and in the real life stock market.

Penny Stocks: While not all ‘penny stocks’ actually cost a penny, they are the cheaper stocks on the market and are considered cheap and dirty by some. Others however have made large profits by trading in penny stocks, because once the price raises you can sell the many stocks you have purchased and make a return. Penny stocks are normally available for upstart or new companies who want to offer their stocks at cheaper prices to get them off the floor. Trading in penny stocks is a common form of online trading.

Blue Chips: Like their name suggests blue chips are premium stocks. Blue chips are the stocks of companies whose names you hear every day. So if you look at the steel that your fence is made from or the airline you fly with, you will probably find that their shares are blue chips. Because of the ‘assurance’ that blue chips will continue to grow, they generally cost a fair bit and are amongst the highest priced stocks. Blue chips are known for being strong and either maintaining their price or slowly growing over time. Blue chips also have the added value of climbing rather rapidly after a fall or at least recovering quickly.

Bonds & Futures: Bonds include municipal offers and can be issued by the companies. Futures however normally relate to farming crops, so if the oranges crop is doing well the orange futures will also do well. Futures also include wheat, livestock and other farming products.

If you really search you can buy almost any kind of stock online, all it takes is someone willing to sell them. The availability will depend on which website you are using and what they have access to.

Like any form of stock trading, just because you can now buy and sell your stocks online, that doesn’t mean that you should forget all about being careful and doing your research.