Top investing outlets for stock market traders
Stock markets are witnessing a surging volume of new investors each day, accelerated by the bullish market trends leading to high returns on investments.
The United States benchmark equity indices closed the first half of 2021 at record highs, with the S&P 500 index gaining 15.64% year-to-date, and the tech-savvy Nasdaq Composite up 13.77% over this period. Here we look at the top investing outlets for stock market traders.
In fact, U.S. stock markets witnessed the second-best first-half performance in 23 years in 2021. The global Dow index, comprising blue-chip companies based across the world, has gained 14.44% year-to-date, while the Stoxx Europe 50 index surged 13.28%.
Equity markets are one of the most profitable investment avenues right now, owing to the rapid economic recovery, and historically low benchmark interest rates worldwide. As more and more retail investors partake in stock trading, investing outlets such as news platforms and financial journals, along with community forums are gaining traction globally.
Popular investment outlets for stock market traders to keep track
Meme stocks emerged as an internet phenomenon in January this year, rattling the U.S. markets. The popular Reddit forum r/wallstreetbets has been the go-to discussion platform for retail investors, and the most discussed stocks on these forums have witnessed multifold gains over the past couple of months.
Meme stocks gained traction as a tool to trigger a “short squeeze” to sabotage institutional investors and hedge funds. This is evident from the infamous GameStop Corporation short squeeze in January this year, which caused hedge funds to cover their losses losing billions of dollars in the process. Such frequently discussed stocks have the potential to generate manifold returns in the near term, provided retail investors can identify such market trends early on, and invest in the same.
Plus500
Based in Israel, Plus500 is a contract-for-difference (CFD) trading platform, known for its zero commission services, speedy execution, and tight spreads. The platform delivers trading facilities on shares, ETFs, commodities, forex, cryptocurrencies, as well as derivatives, and is a component of the FTSE 250 index.
Plus500 reports market news on its website, highlighting market-moving information that impacts global equity indices. The CFD platform’s news reporting portal is ideal for catching up on the industry’s disruptive news in a nutshell.
Thomson Reuters
Operating in more than 200 locations worldwide, Reuters is a renowned multimedia news publication company and a leading player in the financial journalism space. Its designated ‘Finance’ segment provides a brief overview of major publicly traded companies, as well as focuses on their fundamentals, valuation, and position in the respective industries.
The platform uses its proprietary Reuters Market Data System to extrapolate data from the major stock exchanges and update its website. Currently accessible on a subscription basis, Reuters charges $34.99 per month to provide access to its published articles and news reports.
Motley Fool
Motley Fool is an established private financial and investing advice company with more than 25 years of experience. The website provides an informative financial analysis of stocks trading in the United States, United Kingdom, Australian, German, Japanese and Canadian markets.
Its premium stock advisory services cost $99 annually for the first year for new members and $199 annually henceforth. Motley Fool regularly publishes articles written by industry experts and experienced professionals, containing an in-depth analysis of a company’s fundamentals, as well as its position in the broader industry. It’s sub-brands The Ascent and Millionacres offer personal finance management-related advice and real estate investment advice respectively.
CNBC
CNBC is a world-class news journal offering real-time market performance and news coverage of international markets. It also reports instant updates regarding macroeconomic data published by federal and state government agencies, as well as its potential impact on the benchmark indices.
CNBC regularly interviews analysts and experts on Wall Street, thereby providing insights into the institutional trading patterns. Its premium CNBC Pro, costing $299.99 per year or $29.99 monthly (with a 7-day free trial), provides live access to live video reporting and interviews.
MarketWatch
Financial journal and real-time stock market tracker, MarketWatch, is a subsidiary of Dow Jones & Company and News Corp. It is one of the best websites covering the global stock markets, publishing well-articulated news insights into virtually every industry, along with political commentary.
Its overview section tracks the performance of global benchmark indices in real-time, allowing investors to gauge the prevailing market conditions and degree of volatility. Market Watch’s premium version includes access to exclusive content, newsletters, and watchlists, priced at $9.99 per month, following a free trial at $1 for the first four weeks.
Conclusion
While keeping updated with the latest developments in the stock markets and the global economies is essential for successful stock trading, it often leads to excessive investment noise, causing investors to miss out on potentially profitable bets.
However, reading private investment advice from experienced stock market traders as well as tracking the most talked about stocks on social media platforms can mitigate such risks, thereby ensuring high returns over the long term.