It is easy to own stocks and make a little profit. However, one needs to trade options to make a profit from the stocks. Trading options can be a little complex at first, but not when you understand everything very well. 

Options were initially made with the idea to transfer the risk from one trader to another trader. People generally trade options for either of these three reasons: 

1. As a speculative tool
2. As a hedge
3. As a source of additional income

The best thing about trading options is that there is no right or wrong way of trading. Instead, one can use multiple strategies to trade them based on the individual objectives and risk tolerance ability. 

To begin trading options, you need first to have options approval. Let us see how to get approved for options on TD Ameritrade:

TD Ameritrade Options Approval

To get TD Ameritrade options approval, you need to do the following steps:

• Log in to your TD Ameritrade account
• Select My profile under the Client Services tab 
• Find General Tab and check your approval status for options trading.
• If you aren’t already approved, click on the linked text to redirect you to the application and the form for options agreement.
• Once your application gets approved, you will be ready for options trading.
  

The first thing to learn after approval is what are calls and puts. A call option contract permits the owner to purchase a hundred shares of the underlying security anytime before the option’s expiration date at the strike price. In this case, the seller of the option is obligated to sell the shares when the owner chooses to buy them. 

A put option contract provides the owner with a right to sell a hundred shares of the underlying security anytime before the option’s expiration date at the strike price. In this case, the seller of the option is obligated to buy the shares when the owner chooses to sell them. 

What is selling a put and selling a call called?

Selling a put and selling a call is called a short straddle and represents an options strategy that sells both a call option and a put option with the same strike price and expiration date. Common ways to sell options are:

1. Selling call option contracts: The seller of a call option must supply the underlying asset whenever the buyer exercises the call contract at the strike price. In this case, the option seller is known to be “assigned.”
   
2. Selling put option contracts: The seller of the put options must purchase the underlying asset whenever the buyer exercises the put contract. 

What is it called when you buy a put and a call option?

Buy a put and buy a call is called a long straddle and represents an options strategy comprised of buying both a call option and a put option with the same strike price and expiration date. Common ways to buy options are:

1. Buying call option contracts: The buyer can choose to buy the underlying stock at the strike price. However, they are not obligated to do so. 
2. Buying put options contract: The put option buyer can sell the underlying asset at the strike price. However, they are not obligated to do so.

Even though this process might seem a little intimidating at the moment, whenever you start trading options, things will automatically become clear to you. 

How to sell covered calls on TD Ameritrade?

• To sell covered calls, you need to short an OTM call against the stock you own.
• When OTM expires, you can keep the stock and sell another call if you want.
• If the stock moves above the call’s strike price, you can r let the in-the-money (ITM) call be assigned and deliver the long shares.
• Additionally, you can take a loss on that call when the stock moves above the strike price, and you can repurchase the short call before expiration and keep the stock.

If the objective behind entering options trade is to earn additional money, then you can try selling and writing a covered call. 

When a call option is sold, a premium equal to the price of that option is collected. This premium amounts to your income from the trade. However, this does not mean that the trading options with the maximum compensation are consistently profitable. To analyze the best investment, you must look up the risk and reward trade-offs by analyzing what you are risking and what you will gain. For instance, if the risk profile of any covered call appears in figure 1, it means that profit is limited and the risk involved is unlimited. Further, you must remember that all options contracts have an expiration date, and thus, you cannot always keep it with yourself, expecting the price to scale up or down to your desired level. 

Here is an example to get you started: 

A standard options contract stands for 100 shares. Pick a stock from your portfolio:

1. You have at least 100 shares of
2. Are you currently trading at a higher price than when you bought it 
3. You assume to move up only slightly or not at all in the coming period. 

How to trade options on TD Ameritrade?

To trade options on TD Ameritrade you need to do the following steps:

• Check did you get approval to trade options at Ameritrade at Client Services/ My profile/ General tab.
• Go to the Trade tab and choose Options.
• Study the options
• Choose Underlying symbol
• Define Strike Price and Expiration Date
• Review order
• Make a trade

Step 1: Study the Options

Open your options trading account and study your options in detail. Here, you can view all option contracts’ expiration dates and strike prices in the analyze tab.

Click on the Trade tab to enter the symbol of the stock you have chosen. The underlying stock details will appear at the top of the page, followed by the option chain below it listing the expiration dates. Each date displayed will have multiple strike prices visible by clicking the drop-down arrow on the left of the date. The option chain will show the calls and puts prices for the expiration date chosen. Calls are displayed on the left, and puts are displayed on the right, organized by the strike price. There is also an option to customize this layout which you can try as you progress in the trading journey. 

Step 2: Select the Strike Price and Expiration Date

Initially, it is best to select an expiration date three weeks – 2 months ahead to play safer. Choosing the expiration date will show you a premium for the risk you are taking. The risk and reward profile of the trade gets majorly determined by the strike you choose to sell and the current price of the underlying stock. Further, another essential factor is to consider: should you sell a call with a strike price the same as, lower than, or higher than the ongoing stock rate? 

Here is what you should know: 

1. The call option will be in the money if the strike price is lower than the current stock rate (ITM). 
2. The call option will be at the money (ATM) if the strike price is similar to the stock rate. 
3. The call option will be out of the money (OTM) if the strike price is higher than the current stock rate. 

It is best to sell an OTM call if your outlook is bullish on the stock. The premium will be less than an ITM and ATM call. However, if the stock price goes up, you can make more money. On the other hand, if you are neutral, then choose to write an ITM or ATM call. It will provide a chance to get a better premium than the OTM call but accompanied with upside profit probability for the stock. 

Step 3: Start the Trade

Click on the trade tab and select the strike price. After this, click on the sell option and then on the single option. Next, select the bid price to create an order, followed by a sell option and a single option to place your trade. 

Step 4: Send the Order

You will see your order presented in the order entry section appearing below the option chain. The price here can alter based on the time when you place the order. There is also an option to review your order before placing the trade in the order entry section. It is suggested to double-check all the details you have selected and then alter the number of contracts to one. Further, if you are satisfied with the chosen options, go ahead and click on confirm and send. After confirming, a dialog confirming your order will appear, mentioning details like break-even price, maximum profit, maximum loss, and the trade price. If all the points mentioned are to your liking, click on the Send button to start the trade. It is the last step in successfully making your first options trade. 

However, do not forget about the trade you have made, even though it is in a simulated account. You must keep observing how the trade works and add to your knowledge. The three possible trade scenarios are: 

1. The stock price goes down: In this scenario, your option will expire without any benefit. So even though you can keep the premium amount, the value of the stock you hold will decrease. 
2. The stock price remains below the strike price: Your option will expire without any benefit in this scenario, and you can keep the premium amount. 
3. The stock price rises above the strike price: The option buyer chooses to exercise the call in this scenario. Therefore, you will have to trade 100 shares from your stock at the strike cost. However, you will get a profit consisting of the premium cost, along with the difference between the strike price and stock price, reducing the transaction cost.  

There are multiple strategies and choices while trading options. You only have to find the system that suits you best. There are other advantages of covered calls besides collecting premiums. As you go ahead in your journey of trading options, you will get a sense of how to manage risk and make the best moves. You can eventually build strategies that help you derive the maximum profit. 

Trading options can be a piece of cake once you get the hang of them. It can provide good profits without much effort. However, you must fully acquaint yourself with the trade options proceedings to play safe and derive maximum profits before entering a trade.

If we look at the past, forex trading was legal and popular in only a few trading hubs like New York, London, or Tokyo. But now, with more and more countries legalizing forex trading, it has become a household name. Every small and large country saw the benefits it could bring to the economy and the citizens of their countries. The ever-growing demand is another reason that compelled even smaller economies to make forex trading legal in their respective exchanges.

One such example is Singapore. The forex trading in Singapore is regulated by its central bank Monetary Authority of Singapore, also known as MAS. Founded in 1971, MAS is the sole body responsible for all monetary actions, whether it is trading, insurance, or investments, in the country. The MAS must authorize all the brokers before they could accept traders for forex trading. The MAS has made many laws and regulations for trading, and it makes sure that these laws and regulations are followed at every step. 

How to Start Forex Trading in Singapore?

To start forex trading in Singapore, you need to register to a regulated forex broker, download a trading app (MetaTrader 4 or 5), and start trading. To learn more about the best-regulated forex broker that we recommend, please learn more about Hotforex broker.

Singapore Forex Market

Singapore’s forex market is booming with evident growth. It has surpassed the big market players like Hong Kong to take their places as top players in the market. This growth is the regulatory body that makes the global trading platform available in the country by imposing liberal trading laws. Another reason is the popularity of Singapore as one of a kind in terms of infrastructure and technology that attracts many non-residents to be a part of its global network.

Although the MAS allows the foreign brokers to be a part of its financial market, traders must always make sure that the broker is authorized or licensed by the authorities of its origin to stay away from trouble. 

What is the best forex trading platform in Singapore?

The best forex trading platform in Singapore is MetaTrader because it is a well-designed and easy-to-use application and the most popular CFD trading platform globally. More than 95% of all CFD brokers offer this platform.

Singapore Forex Broker

Although it is advisable to choose a Singapore-regulated forex broker while trading forex in  Singapore, the MAS does not make it compulsory for the residents and non-residents to only choose MAS licensed brokers. Traders are free to choose from a wide range of local and international brokers, stating that the authorities regulate them based on their origin. As a result, traders have a wide range of top forex brokers in Singapore to choose from.

The best forex regulated brokers in Singapore are:

Forex broker Review	Visit	Min. trading lot size	Max. leverage	Min. deposit	Pip rebate	Rating	Promotions
Hotforex	Hotforex	0.01	1:1000	$1	0.4	98
Instaforex	Instaforex	0.0001	1:1000	$10	1.6	90
FxPro	FxPro	0.01	1:500	$100	0.3	88
Avatrade	Avatrade	0.01	1:400	$1	0.9	85
Dukascopy	Dukascopy	0.01	1:100	$500	0.55	83
Exness Reivew	Exness	0.01	1:2000	$10	0.1-2	80	Exness
XM.com	XM.com	0.01	1:888	$5	1	78
Octafx review	Octafx register	0.01	1:400	$50	1	70

These are just a few names. The list becomes even bigger when you count the global brokers available to choose from. 

How to open a forex account in Singapore?

To open a forex account in Singapore, you need to visit the broker’s website, make registration, validate the account and then make a request to open a demo or a live account on the website members page.

Please read a guide on how to open a Hotforex account.

Is MetaTrader 4 platform banned in Singapore?

No, the Metatrader platform is not banned in Singapore. However, in 2008. there was a security problem with MT4, and in a short time (a few weeks), platforms were banned for security reasons. However, the MT4 platform works perfectly well now, and almost all brokers use this platform for trading.

Conclusion

It is not false to say that Singapore is a beautiful country. Whether it is the infrastructure and quality of living or the growth of its financial market, traders would never deny being a part of it. The MAS welcomes brokers all over the world without imposing many restrictions. It also allows its residents to be able to trade in the global network. Therefore, becoming a part of the financial market of this country could be beneficial, stating that traders must always be aware of all the laws and regulations and stay away from any fraudulent activities that may cost them more than what they have. 

Forex trading has been popular among traders who wish to make profits from short trades and those who want to make long-term investments. Even the geographical barriers do not cause any downfall in its popularity. And so is this case in the southeastern Asian country, Malaysia. The country’s residents are well aware of forex trading and are actively trading forex in the capital market. 

The financial regulatory body of Malaysia is the Securities Commission of Malaysia (SCM). It was instituted in 1993 and ever since has issued many guidelines that have made trading in Malaysia more convenient and safe for traders and brokers. For example, the SCM advises its brokers to acquire the CMSL (Capital Markets Services License) to give them more advantages in the market. It has also published some guidelines on trading CFDs (Contracts for Difference), which came into effect in 2018.  

Note: Even with the protective guidelines, one must be aware that the high level of leverage involved in trading CFDs becomes security with higher risks involved. Therefore, the trader must be well aware of the risks involved and be confident enough before trading CFDs.  

The Best Forex Broker in Malaysia

Forex trading is legal in Malaysia and requires the brokers to be registered under a regulated institution. Therefore, being a registered broker having a CMSL is an additional benefit for trading in Malaysia. Considering all the facts, the following is the list of all the forex brokers regulated internationally and can help the traders in forex trading in Malaysia.

List of regulated trading forex brokers in Malaysia:

• Hotforex
• Instaforex
• Saxo Bank
• XTB
• IG
• Interactive Brokers
• FOREX.com
• XM Group
• AvaTrade

Registered forex brokers in Malaysia can be compared on many grounds, such as the regulatory body, customer support, and the resources they can provide a trader with. Based on these factors, a trader can choose a broker that will suit their portfolio. 

How to do forex trading in Malaysia?

To start forex trading in Malaysia you need to find a regulated forex broker, install a free trading app and learn basic trading rules using a demo virtual account. It is important to start reading books related to technical and fundamental analysis.

Like a forex exchange in any other country, foreign exchange in Malaysia is also regulated by specific laws and rules. These laws automatically apply to those who trade forex in Malaysia. Therefore, every trader should ask their broker about these laws and comply with these regulations. 

Three of the primary laws that look after the forex trading in Malaysia are:

• The Securities Commission Act, 1993: Originally introduced in 1993, this Act was amended in 2017. Under this Act, the SCM obtained the power to give licenses to the institutions and businesses dealing in securities and work as a regulatory body for trading in the country. 

• The Exchange Control Act, 1953: One of the oldest acts introduced in Malaysia is the Exchange Control Act. It was proposed in 1953 to regulate forex trading by both residents and non-residents of Malaysia. The Act states that non-residents are free to invest in the assets of the country. Moreover, there are no limitations to transfer the profits or any other proceeds to another country.  
• The Money Exchange Act, 1998: As the name suggests, this Act is associated with the laws and regulations related to any business involved in the exchange of currency. The Money Exchange Act states that any company, institution, or individual who, under the ECA (Exchange Control Act, 1953), is licensed to exchange forex, must also be licensed under the MCA (Money Exchange Act, 1998.

It is not superficial to say that a regulated broker can be trusted more easily than unregulated brokers. This is because the Securities Commission of Malaysia is the body that regulates these brokers, and an easy way to make sure if the broker is regulated by the SCM or not is to check for the registered number that can be easily checked from the disclosure text that can be seen at the end of the homepage of Malaysia brokers.

It can also be confirmed from the official website of the SCM, where one can verify the status of regulated forex brokers in Malaysia. 

Apart from the SCM, the Central bank of Malaysia, Bank Negara Malaysia, is also responsible for regulating the country’s forex dealers and other monetary services. It has also introduced some guidelines that regulate the trade and ownership of cryptocurrency in the country and states that the companies dealing with digital currency must comply with these guidelines. 

Conclusion

The SCM and the Central Bank of Malaysia are two bodies regulating the country’s financial market and the brokers. The Bank Negara Malaysia made it compulsory that forex can only be traded through regulated banks. With the growing popularity of Forex trading in Malaysia, more and more brokers are advised to acquire the CMSL to provide traders with a trustworthy platform. Looking at the regulations controlling the market and growing demand for forex among the residents of Malaysia, the Malaysian securities market has a flourishing future. 

Online investing choices are provided to Canadians who want to invest in stocks in the United States. Some are known for their discounted prices, while others are known for their professional traders and market research.

According to Wikipedia, Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) is often mentioned when we talk about investing in Canada because its the world’s 12th largest stock exchange, with around $2.25 trillion in total revenue at this writing. However, to some extent, Canadians have effortless access to exchanging securities on the two largest U.S. stock exchanges, NYSE & NASDAQ.

Best Stocks Brokers in Canada

The best Stocks Online Brokers in Canada are:

• Questrade
• Qtrade Investor
• Interactive Brokers
• T.D. Direct Investing
• Investor’s Edge by CIBC

Listed below are the topmost five Canadian stockbrokers for exchanging stocks.

Online mortgage companies must be granted a license as risk issues in Canada and preserve a physicality to serve Canadian inhabitants. BMO InvestorLine, HSBC InvestDirect, CIBC Investor’s, National Bank Securities, QTrade Investor, Interactive Brokers, Questrade, TD Direct Investing, RBC Direct Investing, and Virtual Brokerage firms are some of the brokers we found that meet these requirements.

Canadian citizens trying to sell securities online in the Canada States will find a list of the best online brokers in this section.

Trade commission reimbursement of $50 is currently available.

The best online trader for Canadian residents is Questrade. When it comes to the client’s experience, the tools are plentiful, and the commissions are reasonable.

Qtrade Investor

Qtrade Investor is the company behind Questrade that stands out for its easy-to-use website and overall client-centric approach. Still, Qtrade’s tools for stock research and portfolio management are superior.

Interactive Brokers

As a result of its low-cost commissions and international trading capabilities, Immersive Brokers is ideal for professional traders. Around the world, professionals and process-oriented traders utilize Trader Workstation (TWS) as a platform for trading securities.

T.D. Direct Investing

It’s the most costly broker in the evaluation, but T.D. Direct Investing’s WebBroker and Intensive Dashboard platforms provide investors with many research resources and trading tools. T.D. App, the broker’s mobile app, provides a similar clean experience to its desktop counterpart.

Investor’s Edge by CIBC

A low-cost broker with no frills is CIBC Investor’s Edge, which should be taken into account for casual investors. Transparent checking accounts. Low-cost trading makes this broker stand out.

What is Best Forex Broker in Canada?

The best forex broker in Canada is Hotforex broker based on tight spreads, high leverage, and excellent support for traders. Hotforex broker is regulated worldwide and provides trading services and facilities to both retail and institutional clients.

Canada and the United States trade differences

Canada’s online stock market is very similar to that of the United States. In the same way, as U.S. investors make a deposit, then place trades, Canadians open an account via the web or keep track, a desktop platform of their watch list, and do their research.

Before choosing a broker in Canada, Canadian investors ought to be aware of a few essential factors that do not exist in the United States.

Annual fees – Online brokers rarely charge interest charges (inactivity or maintenance costs) in the United States, but each broker charges them in Canada. It’s the best option because only $1,000 throughout all accounts is needed to prevent an annual fee at Questrade. If you want to avoid paying annual fees with Scotia iTRADE, BMO, HSBC, and CIBC Investor’s Edge, you’ll need at least $25,000 in RRSPs ($10,000 for not registering account holders).

Availability of a mobile app – While all the online accounts in the United States use a digital app, not all the brokers in Canada do, and the conditions of the app can vary dramatically in terms of features. Numerous, including Canadian banks, Commercial Bank, and HSBC, do not provide their clients with a separate digital payment app that can be downloaded.

Trading platforms and Tools– For stock research, the Canadian Culture brokers rely on approved third-party suppliers such as Trading and Morningstar Central (Recognia), which the United States also makes extensive use of, to provide excellent results. However, buyers’ existing trading platforms and tools can vary widely.

Order types – Limit hours, stop orders are, and Market orders commonplace in the financial services industry as a standard. As a result, the types of U.S. stocks available for trading from Canada can be different depending on one broker to the other. After-hours broking is also included in this category. In addition, there will be differences between brokers when it comes to more advanced trading platforms, such as contractual orders.

Banking services – US-based financial institutions (such as Bank of America offers Merrill Edge) provide a seamless online trading experience for their clients. A comprehensive trading experience should include the ability to transfer funds between accounts, switch bank accounts and between brokerages with one login, and perform tax reporting. A branch office in the local area is an excellent example of this. As a result, customers’ experiences with banks in Canada can vary greatly.

Which Canadian Stock Broker Should I Use?

Other than branding and marketing, Canadian brokers work harder to differentiate themselves from one another in the marketplace. However, as a customer with a fully funded account, what matters is your trading experience.

To help you choose the right broker the first time, here are a few pointers:

Prepare yourself by determining your statement type. You are opening a new taxable account. Many investors begin with a similar account, so at the very the time to at the very least, to learn about your broker’s offerings before committing to anything else. The minimum balance (or exchange activity) needs to be checked in particular to avoid the annual fee. It’ll be much easier to open an account in the future.

Does the financial adviser offer ETFs that are free of commission? During the previous decade, the popularity of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) has skyrocketed. In addition, including BlackRock iShares, Vanguard, many providers, and State Street Global is a global financial services company. Consultants’ SPDR have partnered brokers to make their ETFs commission-free for customers to purchase. The following brokers offer them: Qtrade, Questrade, Scotia iTRADE, and National Bank Commission-free ETFs are among the best available, according to our research.

Do your homework and confirm that your broker offers the preferred asset class you want to trade. Options, Stocks, and mutual funds are all fine if you only trade them. Trading forex, complex options, or futures will require you to do some research in advance.

Traders should carefully read the fine print to compare potential benefits. Trading actively has its perks, including lower commissions. A few brokers will improve high-quality information on the market broadcasted on the client’s trading platform. Many others will provide, for example, better research tools dedicated to customer service. But, since trading costs are so low, it’s the king for experienced traders.

Service to customers. Investors expect quick response time inquiries about your account with a brokerage. However, timeliness and Support quality can vary, just like in any business. To get a quick feel for the situation, call both brokerages once you’ve narrowed your choices down to two and asking them a few questions. This short exercise can tell you Clients should know the following if you do it well enough. Please call as soon as the market starts if possible. This is the busiest time for support.

Account Security. A two-factor login option is available. What is the broker’s policy on security, and how is it implemented? How do you keep your assets safe and secure?

Which Canadian bank is the finest for share trading?

Many Canadian banks offer the capability to sell and buy the shares of trading. However, trades almost always cost more with an online discount trader like Qtrade. Apart from that, brokerages that operate independently have the best trading tools and more comprehensive research. Overall, Using a bank to invest in stocks is not recommended, despite the convenience factor.

In Canada, what is the most crucial share market site for novices?

Online brokers in Canada that are best suited for newbies. It is effortless to use and has low-cost fees around. Each trade costs $.01, $4.95 is the minimum, and $9.95 is the highest.

How secure are online brokers for shares?

Using a regulated online broker is essential when selling and buying stocks in Canada. The Industry of Investment and the Canadian Securities Administrators are Canada’s two most prominent regulators. As a result of proper regulation, Canadian brokers such as and Qtrade protect investors from bankruptcy and fraud.

What is the role of a broker?

Your online broker is a person who acts as a middleman, connecting readers to the financial markets through a third party. Your orders are routed by an online broker filling up the market center, who then sends you the shares. All your companies’ shares are held in escrow in your brokerage account until you’re ready to sell them.