Stocks are considered accessible and attractive instruments by many traders, simply because so many brokers cover these assets. At the same time, some traders are not so familiar with more ‘complex’ assets like bonds, which shows that many traders, especially novice ones, are looking for simplicity.
Fiat currencies continue to lose purchasing power, so if you trade on a regular basis, you need to consider ways to protect your capital. Stock trading is convenient, but is it as accessible as it sounds? Do leading trading platforms, such as MetaTrader 5, enable stock trading?
Stocks on the rise
The answer to this question is a clear ‘yes’ – and that is good news. Recent weeks have witnessed global stocks staging an impressive comeback. After several months of underperformance, driven by high inflation fear, monetary policy normalization, rising commodity prices, and the latest conflict between Ukraine and Russia, stocks are again in high demand.
Short-sellers are being squeezed out of the market, leading to rapidly rising valuations. The Apple stock, for instance, is up 11 consecutive gains. Other tech names like Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Tesla are also up, even though the growth sector is generally expected to perform poorly during a time when interest rates are on the rise.
Some say this is a bear market rally, while others suggest stocks could continue to go up in the following months, given that real interest rates are still deeply in negative territory. The good news for you, however, is that these assets remain heavily traded, so plenty of opportunities can arise down the road.
Reputable brokerages offering MT5
First things first, you need to choose a broker that covers the popular MetaTrader 5. That should not be hard, though, since the number of reputed brands currently offering access to this platform is on the rise, and one of the latest names to do so is easyMarkets.
Recent news from the company is that the already robust selection of platforms continues to be expanded. The recently-added MT5 platform comes on top of its proprietary web and mobile software, MT4, and TradingView. With its integration of MetaTrader 5, easyMarkets now provides customers with access to variable spreads and competitive margin requirements.
MT5 is an improved version of the popular MT4 and is a multi-asset trading platform. You can trade global stocks on MT5 with ease, in no small part due to the array of trading tools available.
Find your way with trading tools
When uncertainty is on the rise, traders need to monitor different variables, such as volatility, interest rates spreads, sectors that are outperforming, geopolitical developments and others.
More often than not, these are subjective factors that can be interpreted differently by each trader. While this might add risk to the equation, technical analysis can supplement fundamental analysis and remove some of that subjectivity.
With MetaTrader 5 you have access to tens of built-in indicators, multiple timeframes, a strategy tester, and many other resources. It’s possible to open up to 100 charts simultaneously, plotting indicators based on your strategy.
Access to the MQL5 programming language lets you design Expert Advisors, while also offering the option to purchase EAs from the community. Automating the trading process is something many traders are thinking about nowadays.
