Investing or trading in the share market can be a great way to increase your wealth, and if you play your cards right eventually supplement the income from your job. But there are a few fatal mistakes that may stop you from enjoying success on the ASX Share Market.
If you had invested $150 a month in the ASX share market starting in 1980, and earning an average of 15% per annum, today you would have $1,038,490 or over one million dollars. $38 a week. Not bad, eh?
But not everyone makes it that far. In fact statistics show that over 82% of traders lose a large portion of their capital and never trade again. If you are investing for the long term, your odds are slightly better (although 2008 scared a lot of investors out as well). But the thing is – now they miss out of the rest of those gains, on that million dollars that we discovered.
So if you are trading in ASX shares, there is something important you should know. One of the first but most overlooked essentials in investing is making a solid trading plan. In fact, without it you simply shouldn’t be investing. But how do you find a trading plan that suits you, and helps you make the most from your money?
Well, one man’s trading plan is another man’s ruin. In other words, we are all different – and we all invest differently. But there are a few solid ground rules that will make your job easier. So having a trading plan should definitely involve the following:
1: Your Entry and Exit Rules – these are the solid rules you have outlined allowing you to buy and sell your shares. It could be based on fundamental reasons, like a company’s earnings before interest and tax (EBIT), or it could be based on technical reasons, like a Dow Theory entry signal. Whatever you decide, you should follow them diligently.
2: Your Money Management Rules – this is where you decide how much of your portfolio you will invest in one share. And also how many positions you will spread your portfolio across. As a guide, between 6 and 12 positions is usually optimum. Any less than 6 and you risk not being diversified enough. Any more than 12 and you risk being unable to out-perform the market (the best portfolios are often slightly focused).
With those essentials you will be well on your way to more success in ASX Shares.
Get more from your ASX Shares with a free course on trading and investing. There’s also free research on Australian Stocks – all at www.asxmarketwatch.com .