<s> The Insider’s Guide to Trading theWorld Stock Markets
By Andrew Willis
October 2001
October 2001 © Copyright by Andrew Willis
All rights reserved.
This book, or parts therof, may not be reproduced or distributed inany form or by any means, without the prior written permission fromthe publisher or author.
Disclaimer
This book is written for the sole purpose as a guide to trading and
investing in the stock markets and should not be viewed or interpreted as the
only means of profiting or as a guarantee to profit.
Please be advised that the data provided, especially the Web site links
and market indices is current as of October 17, 2001, and are subject to change
at anytime thereafter.
Table of Contents
Disclaimer ................................................................................................... 4
Table of Contents ........................................................................................ 5
The Insider’s Guide to Trading the World Stock Markets.......................... 7
Introduction ............................................................................................................... 7
Key Market Structure................................................................................................ 9NYSE ..................................................................................................................... 10NASDAQ ............................................................................................................... 12NASDAQ Level II ..........................................................................................................12NASDAQ Level II Definitions ........................................................................................15European NASDAQ ............................................................................................... 18LSE ........................................................................................................................ 18
Stock Trading vs. Gambling.................................................................................... 22Risk ........................................................................................................................ 23Confidence ............................................................................................................. 25Patience .................................................................................................................. 26
Day Trading Strategies ............................................................................................ 28Scalp Trading ......................................................................................................... 28Swing Trading ........................................................................................................ 32Core Trading........................................................................................................... 36Short vs. Long Trading ........................................................................................... 39
Market Analysis ....................................................................................................... 42Fundamental Analysis............................................................................................. 42Technical Analysis.................................................................................................. 43
Day Trading Online ................................................................................................. 45Online Resources.................................................................................................... 45Media Web Sites.............................................................................................................46Trading Web Sites...........................................................................................................47Online Magazines ...........................................................................................................48Online Stock Markets ............................................................................................. 49New York Stock Exchange Web Site ..............................................................................49American Stock Exchange...............................................................................................53NASDAQ Web Site ........................................................................................................55NASDAQ Europe Web Site ............................................................................................56The London Stock Exchange Web Site............................................................................57Other Resources...................................................................................................... 59
Strategic Tips for Success ........................................................................................ 62
Market Indicators .................................................................................................... 63Standard & Poor 500 Index .............................................................................................64NASDAQ Index 100.......................................................................................................86FTSE 100 Index ..............................................................................................................90Dow Jones Industrials .....................................................................................................94
Stock Trading Terminology..................................................................................... 96
7
The Insider’s Guide to Trading theWorld Stock Markets
Introduction
The stock market is no longer a members only field game of stockbrokers
playing the market.  Like so many other industries, the Internet has changed the
market and the way we do business.  With the click of a button, the average
individual now has access to the same information and facts that only
stockbrokers were privy to a few years ago.  Gone are the days when market
traders and specialists had the advantage of profiting from the ignorant public.
With today’s technology, you have the same opportunities as the
professionals at your fingertips.  The difference, of course, is knowledge and
experience, both of which are within your grasp.  High-speed access to
information, providing real-time quotes and instant online trading has sprung day
trading into a new profession of its own.  People are realizing that they too can
master the concept of day trading and compete professionally in a level-playing
field.
Today the only obstacle in the path of a rookie is experience and that can
be obtained only through time and practice.  Even though nothing can compete
with the reality of experience, a good education could help prepare you and that’s
the purpose of this book.  The fact is there are many possible gains from the
market, but there are also just as many losses.  The tips in this book are
designed to help you avoid the same mistakes that others have made when they
started out.  Bear in mind that these tips will not guarantee you a winning trade
every time, but by following our advice, you will keep your losses to a minimum.
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This book begins with a basic overview of the stock market and gradually
migrates toward the intermediate level of specific tips and profitable strategies for
survival in the industry.   Most of the informative advice, issues, and content
focuses on the interests of the online day trader.  A glossary of stock market
terms are dedicated to its own section in the back as a reference to beginners
just starting out and for basic traders who wish to graduate to the intermediate
level.  For further reference, a list is included for the Standard & Poor’s 100 Index
and the NASDAQ 100 Stock Index.
No matter how intelligent you are, day trading is a risk.  Why?  Because it
involves competition and emotion.  That’s why so many people have historically
compared it to gambling.  While trading is similar to gambling, it requires much
more than pure instinct and luck.  Day trading requires knowledge of the industry,
diligence, the ability to absorb, decipher and react to the continuous tides of
information encumbered with the internal conflicts of emotional pride, fear,
despair, greed, and loss.  If the prospects of winning are still a challenge and
appeal to you in spite of the risks, then by all means, read on.  Begin the journey
of your day trading experience.
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Key Market Structure
The term “day trader” gives the impression that all trades are opened and
closed within the same business day.  While this may be the case for most of us,
there are some that could actually last longer than a day.  Swing trading could
continue for several days, while core trading could last into weeks.
The two largest playing fields in the stock market are the New York Stock
Exchange (NYSE), and the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated
Quotation System (NASDAQ).  These two markets have very unique distinctions.
The NYSE is the largest U. S. stock market located on Wall Street in New York
City.  The stocks traded at NYSE are generally referred to as listed securities,
representing established companies with very large capitalization and consistent
earnings.  In contrast the NASDAQ is the second largest stock market in the U.
S. and projects a higher level of volatility since it hosts emerging companies with
less stability and security.  Additionally, the NASDAQ Europe is available for
market trading in Europe.
The London Stock Exchange (LSE) is the leading stock market exchange
in the United Kingdom (UK), and considered the most international exchange
trading system in the world.  It serves the role as the UK Listing Authority (UKLA)
to oversee the listing process, and ensure its rules are being met within the
market.  Similar to the NYSE and NASDAQ indices, the LSE uses the FTSE 100
Index list.  The LSE market is divided between the AIM market, which is
specifically tailored to meeting the needs of growing businesses worldwide, and
the techMARK market devised for the technological-based companies.
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NYSE
The NYSE is set up similar to an auction-oriented system, in which a
specialist who is essentially an auctioneer represents the sale of a particular
stock.  Since all business conducted at the NYSE is open to full public view, the
specialist opens the market by establishing two-way communication between
buyers and sellers.  Specialists may represent more than one stock, but only one
specialist can represent the stock itself.  Not only do the specialists oversee the
stock exchanges, but they also have the ability to shift stock prices to better
leverage liquidity.  The idea is that all buyers are treated fairly and transactions
are conducted smoothly in an environment where the investors concerns are top
priority.
Stocks traded in the NYSE market are generally considered listed
securities since they represent some of the larger, more established companies.
Such businesses have huge capitalization and a long history of consistent
earnings from year to year.  Such security provides a market where prices are a
little less volatile.  Prices move at a more moderate pace and do not frequently
shoot up and drop down at a moment’s notice, providing an easier means by
which to anticipate and predict market movements.  For this reason alone, day
traders find it easier in knowing when to make their move in the NYSE market.
If you decide to buy 200 shares of GE stock at market price, then you
would need to place a market order.  The market price is the most current listed
price at the moment of your purchase.  Your other option would be to place a
limit order, which is a specific set price below the current offer.  The specialist
records your limit order until a matching seller is willing to sell at your set price.
Specialists are required to fulfill any orders they receive, meaning that if
there are still unfulfilled orders at the end of the day, then they generally buy the
stock themselves.  The role of the specialist is to provide liquidity in the stock
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they represent, even if it means risking their own capital to bridge what they hope
are temporary gaps in the market.
There are three ways in which you can place a market order.
•  You could place an order through your broker on the Internet or
by phone.  Your broker then sends your order to the NYSE floor
where a floor broker who represents your broker approaches
the specialist with your order.  The price of your order will be
confirmed through your broker.
•  Once your broker receives your order, he/she could submit your
order through a SuperDot machine, which is a computerized
system that sends your order directly to the specialist.  From
there your order is fulfilled at the exact price and number of
shares and sent back to your broker, who then informs you of
the news.
•  Skip the broker and place the order yourself on a level II order
entry software system that contains a superDOT button for
order execution.  Send the order directly to the specialist and
wait a minute or two for a response.
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NASDAQ
The ownership of stock is traded very differently in the NASDAQ market
than in the NYSE.  First of all, the NASDAQ is a negotiated market where buyers
and sellers fiercely compete for the best prices.  Second, there are no specialists
on the floor maintaining orders and acting as auctioneers.  Therefore, all the
transactions are based on a system where bids and offers are extended or
posted on an electronic system.  Third, most of the participating companies are
newly formed businesses and evolving technology companies that lack a long
history as proof of sustained business practices.  This widely known fact is what
makes the NASDAQ market so volatile and speculative.
The NASDAQ is comprised of levels one and two.  The first level is
considered the basic inside market.  This area has the best current buying and
selling prices and is used by stockbrokers and online investors who are
committed to longer-term stocks.  Level two is where the daily action happens,
and where professional day traders at the NASDAQ spend most of their time.
Since level two is most important to the day trader, the next section is completely
devoted to the NASDAQ Level Two System.
NASDAQ Level II
Trading in the NASDAQ market is definitely more complicated than in the
NYSE, especially at level two.  The Specialists and SuperDOT machine make
ordering systems seem very simple compared to the various order routing
systems of the NASDAQ, such as SOES, SelectNet, and ECNs, which will be
explained in greater detail later.  Part of this complication comes from the many
changes and upgrades over the last three decades since its creation.  For
instance, until October 30, 1998 the NASDAQ Stock Market and the American
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Exchange Stock Market were two separate markets.  Now that they have been
combined as one market – the Amex Market Group, although they still operate
very differently.
Think of the NYSE as a socialist system and the NASDAQ as more of a
democracy.  That doesn’t mean you are better off trading at the NASDAQ.  In
fact, if just starting out, you would be better off getting your feet wet at the NYSE
first.  Your losses are likely to be less, giving you time to adjust and learn as you
gain experience.  The NASDAQ is too much of a roller coaster for beginners and
even some intermediates.  At least when you’re riding a roller coaster you can
see where the track is leading.  NASDAQ doesn’t even give you the courtesy of
that advantage.
Where the NYSE has specialists maintaining a certain amount of control
over the stocks they represent, the NASDAQ has what are known as market
makers.  Again, the difference between the two is very significant.  For example,
several market makers are allowed to participate in NASDAQ stocks at any given
time and they generally represent stocks to the public.
Market makers are also referred to as dealers.  They actively compete
with one another to provide the best possible prices to the public.  Therefore, the
act of representation brings a certain vulnerability to the public in regard to
pricing and lack of personal access to certain information.  The National
Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) operates the computer-based stock
exchange and all electronic transactions from Trumbull, Connecticut.  Because of
the power market makers have over the public, the NASD goes to great lengths
in the prevention of price fixing, and imposes heavy fines for any such known or
discovered violations.  According to NASD rules, market makers must provide
the following:
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1)  A liquid market in which there is a constant buying or bid price,
and overtly a selling or asking price.
2)  Execute customer orders of both large and small investors.
3)  Trades for their own accounts in utilizing their experience to
keep the market rolling.
Many day traders think of market makers as their professional enemy when
caught up in the whirlwind of things.  In reality, market makers are a huge part of
the over all scheme of things.  They are a great resource in the business if you
are open-minded enough to observe their actions and gauge the weaknesses
and strengths of their strategies.
As a trader on the NASDAQ, you can buy and sell stocks in one of two ways:
•  Place an order with your broker via phone or Internet.  Your
broker will send your order to the market maker to fulfill the
order.  Your broker then informs you of the completed order.•  Bypass the broker all together and place your order through a
sophisticated online system where you can click the Buy button.
No waiting for confirmation is necessary.  Either you see your
order fulfilled immediately or it slips in line as an ECN order
along with all the others, including the market maker orders.
At this point it might be helpful to know more about an ECN order, or
otherwise known as Electronic Communication Networks.  The development of
ECNs in the NASDAQ trading system practically revolutionized the system from
its earlier days.  It has enabled individual investors and small institutions the
ability to manually post bids and offers directly into the market.  This has greatly
improved the overall liquidity of stocks, increased competition, and effectively
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lowered prices.  Since then it has become apparent that most prices posted by
ECNs are generally more competitive than those posted by market makers.
Although, ECNs are becoming increasingly popular with each year, they
still do not provide the responsibility of liquidating stock as market makers do.
Therefore, fewer orders are processed through ECNs than through market
makers.  The value of the ECN is the fact that it is convenient for people to
communicate buying and selling agreements through an electronic system that
doesn’t require them to leave their office, is fast in processing transactions, and
easy to perform.
NASDAQ Level IIDefinitions
When you
first look at a
NASDAQ Level II
online screen or
other reports, you
might feel you need
a decoder reference
or at least a
translator.  There
are several symbols
and abbreviations
that mean different
things.  The colorful
image to the right is
an actual screenshot
NASDAQ Level II Screenshot
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of Level II.  The list of definitions below, are intended as a quick cross-reference
to help you decipher the meaning of some of the listed abbreviations.  Please
realize that this table only includes the necessary basics and not all abbreviations
are included.
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Abbreviation
Definition
C
O
H
L
S
R
V
Yesterday’s closing price
Today’s opening price
Today’s highest price traded
Today’s lowest price traded
Status (+ or -) since the last trade compared toyesterday’s closeNumber of market makers or ECNs at the inside bid vs.inside ask
Number of shares traded since opening
BID
List of buyers with ID, price posted, and size
ASK or OFFER List of sellers with ID, price posted, and size
INSIDE BID
INSIDE ASK
TIME & SALES
MM/ECN ID
PRICE
SIZE
MM
ECN
Best current buying price
Best current selling priceActual transactions report. Even though all trades areimmediately reported, this column sometimes reflectsdelaysAbbreviations representing market maker or ECNPrice posting, in which prices are generally rounded up.Some software may reflect non-rounded numbers.Order size, usually quoted in 100 share multiples.Market makers or Dealers representing NASDAQ firms,holding inventory, executing orders for customers, trades,and even their own accounts.  Also, consists of brokeragehouses & wholesale brokerages.Electronic Communication Networks that are privatelyoperating to facilitate market bids & offers directly into theNASDAQ, and are not required to create markets.
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European NASDAQ
The European NASDAQ is a European Trading System (ETS) that
operates around a market maker system as in the U.S., but it is further
customized to European practices to accommodate the international market. ETS
is a sophisticated state-of-the-art trading platform on a fully automated
technology system with the ability to support nearly 2.5 million daily trades.  One
of the intended roles of ETS is to drive down the large costs of cross-border
trading.
The range of securities that are available through the European NASDAQ
includes the Listed Financial Instruments and the Traded Financial Instruments.
The market makers are required to maintain quotes in registered securities for
the trading day.  The following rules must apply for each quotation:
•  The quotation should be entered in the currency of the security
•  Offer the Minimum Quotation Size (MQS) for that security on
both the buy and sell sides of the quote
•  Entered in a principal capacity
•  Represent trading prices for standard agreements
LSE
The LSE is the UK’s main stock market as well as the world’s leading
exchange for international businesses worldwide.  The LSE is a historical market
dating back over 200 years to its initiation.  Traditionally, it operated as a floor-
based exchange system until it became the first major exchange to implement
screen-based trading.  Innovation and flexibility eventually propelled the market
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from face-to-face trading to a quote-based system of trade on an electronic
bulletin board known as the Stock Exchange Automated Quotations (SEAQ).
In 1997, the LSE leaped forward again when it instituted a new fully
electronic, automated trading system that significantly changed the market’s
functionality.  In addition to simply providing a composite for price distribution and
other necessary information for trade reporting, it now provided execution
processes by matching up buy and sell orders.  The new system reduced
transaction costs and helped to narrow the spread between buy and sell prices,
including attracting new businesses and greatly increased cross-border stock
trading.
The LSE is made up of two market segments known as AIM and
techMARK.  The AIM market was instituted in 1995 for the specially tailored
needs of growing businesses worldwide.  This market provides a medium for
investors who believe in the potential growth of new companies.  It has proven as
a significant vehicle for growth and
realized potential as the total combined
capitalization of AIM companies was up
to £13.3 billion in April 2001.  The
market’s flexibility has made it a
marketable, attractive listing investment
for a wide range of companies around
the world from young to financially
backed businesses even with long-term
operating practices.  Companies of all
industries are involved in the AIM
market from innovative technology
based firms to distribution and leisure
businesses.
FTSE AIM Chart from the LSE Web site.
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The techMARK market was launched in 1999 to meet the needs of
innovative technology businesses as they embark on the routes of new
challenges and untried technologies.  All the member companies of techMARK
have similar goals and a common commitment to the technical industry.  Even
though many of the techMARK member companies range from various
industries, the predominant industry of this market are businesses in software
development and computer services, including biotechnology, Internet,
semiconductors and fiber optics.  Information for techMARK includes statistics on
daily trading, index values, business sectors, and market capitalization through
numerous charts, and FTSE approved indices.  It would be interesting to note as
of July 2001, techMARK had a market capitalization at £453.3.
The LSE also provides a landMARK service that highlights the potential of
quoted companies in all areas of the UK.  Access is given to detailed information
regarding the local landmarked areas
of England in the North West, South
East, South West, North East, London,
and Yorkshire, including East Anglia,
Midlands, Wales, Ireland and Scotland.
The extraMARK services
provided by the LSE were designed for
investment firms to provide unique
business opportunities.  The focus is
on attractive portfolios for investors of
varying sizes with innovative
development and trading capabilities.
The first product launched from
extraMARK were Exchange Traded
Funds (ETF), which integrate the
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FTSE techMARK Chart from the LSE Web site.
performance of traditional tracker funds with the needed flexibility of ordinary
shares.  ETFs also trace the investment performance of various indices.
21
Just as the NYSE and
NASDAQ markets use specific
indices as market indicators, the LSE
uses the indices calculated from the
FTSE, a non-exchange index
calculation specialist that
professionally constructs indices
recognized worldwide for their
accurate reflection of investment
markets.  The LSE most notably uses
the FTSE 100, including other global
indices known as the FTSE All-World,
the FTSE World Index, and the FTSE
Eurotop Indices.
FTSE 100 Chart from LSE Web site.
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Stock Trading vs. Gambling
 You can have all the resources, tools, knowledge and experience at your
disposal, but if you cannot get a grip on your emotions, most likely you won’t do
very well in the stock market.  Active participation on a daily basis can wear and
tear on your nerves, especially in the NASDAQ Level II market where there is
considerably more risk.  You must learn to manage your own psychological
reactions to risks, winning, loosing and continuous temptations.  Controlling your
emotions in an illogical manner isn’t something you learn over night.  Emotions
are natural reactions to other stimulus in our lives.  For example, if someone pulls
a gun on you, your first inclination might be fear, panic, holding your hands up,
yelling “don’t shoot”, and possibly all of those things.  It’s natural to feel that way.
You are not likely to say something such as, “Hold on a minute.  I need a good
cup of coffee first.”  That would be a calm, unworried response.
When you’ve lost thousands of dollars you have invested, the last thing
you want to do is remain calm, unworried, and run home to tell your spouse the
not so lucky news.  Your first inclination might be to get it back as quickly as
possible, which leads people into unwarranted, rash decisions that could possibly
turn out to be even worse.  Get a grip.  Be patient.  Weigh the possible outcome
risks with your next available choices.  Don’t make a bad or unlucky decision
create a domino effect of other misguided choices.  If the temptation to do
something quickly is still floating among your brain cells, get away from the stock
market.  Take a break until you feel more relaxed and level headed, even if it
takes several days.  Do not make another move until your emotions are in check.
Nearly 80% of people who attempt this industry fail and quit.  They either
can’t handle the stress, trade with their life savings, or they make several bad
decisions out of ignorance or blind emotion.  The first step is to recognize the
limitations and tolerance while taking the risk and then accepting the possible
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results of the risk.  This is easier to do if you are trading with a stash of money
you have set aside specifically for this purpose.  However, if you are trading with
your life savings, bill money or your retirement money, the outcome of losing it
would be much worse than losing money you don’t need to live on.  This greatly
increases your emotional stresses, thereby, greatly increasing your chances of
making the wrong decisions and losing it anyway.
Risk
Many people think of stock investments as no more than gambling away
money.  That’s because most people have no real understanding of choices.
They think of labor as the only means of making money and winning money by
chance, strategy, or even by decision-making skills is nothing more than a risk,
and therefore, not worth it.  Of course, fear is always the first reaction to
something we don’t understand.
One thing you must understand is that there are methods and strategies to
solving problems and finding successful solutions.  History is filled with incidents
where leaders and common citizens alike have been faced with decision-making
that involved some type of risks.  Not all risks are negative, actually you make
certain decisions in hopes of risking a positive outcome, knowing there may be a
sacrifice in the long run.  When King Edward VIII decided to marry an American
commoner who also happened to be a divorcee, he risked giving up his claim to
the thrown of Great Britain.  In 1936, he abdicated the thrown for love and what
he hoped would be a happily-ever-after marriage.  He was taking a risk.  What if
a bus had hit her on the day after their marriage?  No one can predict fate, not
even the specialists at NYSE, or the market makers at NASDAQ, and certainly
not you.
The bottom line is this – most people would rather risk their hearts, their
credit, homes, lives, anything than money.  Hard to believe?  Think about it.
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Each time you use your home as collateral for a loan, you are risking the very
home you live in.  Every time you fill out an application for a new credit card, you
are taking a risk that nothing will happen to keep you from paying back that loan.
Ever been laid off from work?  If you’ve ever driven to work through snowy
weather and icy roads, then you risked your life on that short trip.  Ever been in a
car accident?  It’s no secret that hazardous weather increases the chances of an
accident, and yet, more accidents occur on perfect weather days.  Why?
Because nothing is guaranteed.  Based on all these risk taking scenarios in our
lives, why is it that we seemed to cringe more at the thought of entering the stock
market for the first time, or taking more of an active role with higher risks, even
as a day trader?
One possible reason is money.  Stock trading is perceived as gambling
since the wagering risk is real capital.  Another common aspect is the
concealment of emotion.  If you’ve ever watched an old U.S. western movie, then
you’ve probably seen the cowboys playing a poker game as the camera swerves
to carefully scrutinize each player’s face.  The best players always keep a
straight face, never revealing a good hand, a bad hand, or a decent draw.  If you
intend to play in the stock market, you’ve got to do the same.
The catalyst of stock trading is the extraordinary possibility of obtaining
lots of money very quickly without having to labor your life away.  It represents
many American dreams and inspires our passions for taking unusual risks.
Unlike gambling which only requires dumb luck, stock trading involves technical
knowledge of the investment markets, emotional control, strategic maneuvers,
ability to make historical predictions, and above all experience.
When dealing with risk, the key isn’t having the guts to take a huge leap,
but rather assessing the risk and managing it through a planned strategy.  Never
enter into a trade that will provide a poor risk-to-reward ratio.  Weigh your costs
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as opposed to what you expect to earn in the process.  In other words, risking
two points to gain half a point isn’t worth it.
Pay attention to what’s happening in the market.  When the market
appears to be extremely strong, it may seem to be a good idea to jump on for the
long ride or else miss out, but what you might actually experience is a sharp
plummet.  Historically this has been the case for many different investments.  If
everyone is taking a long position, then they are very confident and expect the
market to soar even higher.  To make this happen, more buyers need to enter
the market.  The reality is, if everyone is on the long side, then that doesn’t leave
many people left to buy.
Confidence
Confidence provides you with power to make effective decisions.  It also
gives you the ability to learn from your mistakes and the faith to keep going.
From the beginning, most people are losers in the stock market.  The ones that
transform that loosing streak into substantial winnings have confidence in their
abilities even when they’re down.  And if anything is for certain in the stock
market, it’s the fact that the market represents a roller coaster ride that will carry
you up and down without a moment’s notice.
It’s a myth to think that playing the stock market is