Bootcamp Glossary Flashcards
Algorithmic Trading
Also referred to as algo trading. This style of trading relies on artificial intelligence (AI) programs that identify trades for you based on algorithms. Some programs can even execute the trades for you.
Ask
The current lowest recorded price that a trader is willing to accept for a single share of a stock.
Bid
The current highest recorded price that a trader is willing to pay for a single share of a stock.
Bid/Ask Spread
The difference between the bid and ask price.
Breakdown
A stock price that moves below a key support level with increased volume.
See also: Support
Breakout
A stock price that moves above a key resistance level with increased volume.
See also: Resistance
Brokers
A broker facilitates the trading of stocks. For the purpose of the 30-Day Trading Boot Camp, we’re talking about online brokerages that allow you to trade penny stocks. It’s important to note that some online brokerages don’t allow you to trade penny stocks. Tim uses E-Trade and Interactive Brokers. He does not have any kind of affiliate relationship with these brokers. In his words: “They suck the least.”
Boxing
If you’re boxing a trading position, you’re holding both a long and short position in the same stock. To make it a pure box, you’d be long and short at the same price point. Most traders use different accounts for each position.
Two key reasons traders box are to avoid capital gains or to hedge on an early short.
Candlestick Chart
A type of stock chart. Its name comes from the fact that each unit on the chart resembles a candlestick, with a body and wicks. Within each candle, you can find a lot of information. The body represents the difference between the open and close prices. The wicks, or small lines above and below the body, represent the high and low prices. This is Tim’s favorite type of chart.
Catalysts
A stock catalyst is any information that can influence a stock’s price. It can pertain directly to a company, the industry, or the world at large. Examples include press releases, earnings reports, world events, new contracts, and management changes.
Charts
At its most basic level, a stock chart is a visual representation of price and trading volume over time. Stock charts allow you to understand a stock’s price and volume history, key support and resistance levels, and patterns. In real time, the chart allows you to see the price action.
See also: Candlestick Charts, Line Charts
Day Trading
Day trading refers to buying and selling shares of a stock within a single trading day. Between the time the market opens and closes, a day trader opens and closes trade positions.
Exchange
An exchange is a marketplace where stocks (or other financial instruments) are traded. Examples include the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), Nasdaq, and OTCMarkets.
Fakeout Breakout
A stock that seems like it’s breaking out but then fails shortly after. For instance, it might break through a key support or resistance level, but then revert to a previous trading range.
Financing
A method of securing financing that companies use when they need cash. It reduces ownership of the company through the sale of stock shares for a specific amount of money. It could be to an active or passive investor. This can result in greater risk for shareholders.
Float
Float is the number of shares of a stock available to trade on the open market. The float is calculated by subtracting the number of closely held shares from the total number of shares. Closely held shares include those owned by insiders, employees, and long-term early investors.
See also: Float Rotation, Low-Float Stocks
Float Rotation
Refers to the rate at which the freely available shares of a stock change hands. This can be determined by comparing float to trading volume.
Forex
Forex is short for foreign exchange and refers to trading currencies. The forex market is extremely liquid — trillions of dollars (and other currencies) change hands every day. Traders try to take advantage of currency fluctuations to profit.
Gap Down
When a stock’s price goes down preceded by little or no trading after market hours. For instance, if a stock’s price at the market open is lower than the previous day’s close, that’s a gap down.
Gap Up
When a stock’s price goes up preceded by little or no trading after market hours. For instance, if a stock’s price at the market open is higher than the previous day’s close, that’s a gap up.
Green
We say a stock is “green” on the day when it is up a positive percent compared to the previous close. For example, a stock up 10% on the day is considered green.
See also: Red
Hedge Funds
Hedge funds are investment funds allowed to make use of complex trading and portfolio management strategies. Hedge funds tend to use sophisticated (and high-risk) strategies like short selling and leveraged trading. Financial regulators don’t allow hedge funds to be marketed to low or average net worth individuals.
High-Frequency Trading
Also called HFT trading. This is a type of algorithmic trading where computer programs execute a large quantity of orders based on the current market conditions — often within extremely short time periods.
See also: Algorithmic Trading
Hot Keys
A combination of keyboard shortcuts that can trigger specific trading actions and be used as a time-saving technique. Often, trading platforms have specific actions associated with specific hot keys. Some programs allow traders to customize the keys.
Investing (Long-Term Investing)
Investing involves giving another person or entity money in exchange for a share of profits. Common investments include stocks, bonds, commodities, and real estate. In the stock market, investing is associated with a longer-term approach, where investors hope to profit from the long-term growth of a company. Tim is not an investor. He attempts to profit from short-term price fluctuations by trading penny stocks.
Initial Public Offering (IPO)
When a previously private company first issues its stock to the public. To have an IPO on a major exchange, a company has to go through an arduous process with banks, SEC officials, and more to meet established requirements. The requirements are less stringent with penny stocks listed on OTC exchanges.
Large-Cap
A large-cap stock refers to a company with greater than $10 billion in market capitalization.
See also: Market Capitalization
Level 2 Data
Level 2 is often called the order book and represents market depth. The left side of the level 2 table shows bid price (high to low), order size, and market maker. The right side shows the ask price (high to low), order size, and market maker.
See also: Time & Sales