S&P 500 Trading forecasts and signals - page 2

USA: inflation and government bonds in the spotlightThe focus of the American market today is the publication of the March consumer price index (CPI). Inflation is expected to slow down: according to the consensus forecast, the overall indicator will decrease from 2.8% to 2.5% in annual terms, and the core CPI index from 3.1% to 3.0%. Despite the increase in tariffs, which reinforces inflation expectations for the medium term, the Federal Reserve's attention is focused on internal, "organic" price pressures. An additional indicator of current investor sentiment will be the auction for the placement of 30-year US Treasury bonds.Sweden: signs of economic recoveryToday, at 08:00 Central European time, data on GDP, production and consumption for February will be published. Given that there has already been an increase in retail sales and the total number of hours worked, there is a possibility of positive dynamics in other segments of the economy. In addition, a speech by a representative of the Riksbank of the Seimas on monetary policy issues will be held at 09:00.Norway: inflation remains at the center of controversyThe inflation data for March will be key for the Norwegian market. In February, consumer prices unexpectedly jumped, helped by rising prices for groceries, air travel, and catering services. The main question now is whether this is a sustainable trend or a temporary effect. We tend to believe that most of the growth will be irreversible, but at the same time, the monthly inflation rate will begin to slow down. The forecast for the core CPI is 3.3% in annual terms, which, by historical standards, is rather in the lower range, especially after the strong February report.Denmark: inflation and unemploymentThe March consumer price index in Denmark is expected to be published today. According to forecasts, inflation will slow down from 2.0% to 1.7%, which will be facilitated by lower prices for electricity and fuel. There will also be data on the unemployment rate, which may affect short-term expectations for the krona. Additional context can be found in the "Reading the Markets Denmark" analysis from April 9th.China: inflation is stabilizingConsumer inflation in China in March was slightly below expectations, at -0.1% year-on-year and -0.4% month-on-month. Despite this, the indicator improved significantly compared to February (-0.7% YoY), which indicates the first signs of the effectiveness of the incentive measures taken by the authorities.Energy market: correction after sharp growthOil prices fell by about 1% after Donald Trump's announcement about tightening tariff policy towards China. Despite this, the main benchmark oil grades ended the previous session with an increase of 4%, recovering some of the sharp drop at the beginning of the day. Brent futures are currently trading in the range of 64-65 dollars per barrel.Global Trade: a sharp turnaround by the United StatesThe day before, the US administration announced a 90-day suspension of new duties on most countries in order to create conditions for negotiations. However, tariffs on Chinese goods were increased to 125%. Notably, this decision does not apply to Canada and Mexico. In response, China announced a 50% increase in duties on American goods, bringing the total tariff to 84%. Despite the escalation, the market has begun to reconsider the probability of a recession in the United States — now it is estimated at less than 50% compared to almost 70% previously.USA: Fed is concerned about inflation amid economic slowdownThe minutes of the FOMC meeting showed that the regulator is concerned about rising inflation with a slowdown in business activity and the labor market. The participants noted the difficulty of choosing between supporting economic growth and the need to curb price pressures. Later, Fed spokesman Thomas Barkin emphasized the importance of consumer spending as one of the sustainable elements of the economy at the current stage.The Eurozone: a response to US tariffsThe EU Council voted to impose duties of up to 25% on American goods worth a total of 21 billion euros, including soybeans and motorcycles. This was a response to the US tariffs on steel and aluminum. The Commission hopes to conclude a deal with the United States on the mutual zeroing of duties and an increase in purchases of American energy, but the likelihood of this remains uncertain.Stock markets: violent rebound after panicAfter a series of sales, the US market showed impressive growth: the S&P 500 index jumped by 10%, showing the best result since October 2008. Particularly strong growth was recorded in the technology sector: shares of Tesla, Apple and Nvidia increased by 20%. There is also a positive trend in Asian markets: Nikkei gained 8%, Kospi — 6%, and Chinese indices remain in the black by 2%. European futures are also signaling an opening with an increase of about 7%.Currencies and bonds: the market is adapting to new conditionsThe US decision to suspend tariffs has caused a surge of optimism: yields on short-term US bonds have increased, and the 2s10s curve has significantly tightened. The Fed's rate forecast for the end of the year has been revised up by 20 basis points. The dollar index remained stable, while the euro weakened against the dollar. Emerging market currencies gained support, while defensive assets such as the franc and the yen suffered ...

USA: new tariffs, market reaction and the Fed's positionThe Trump administration's mirror tariffs have been in effect in the United States since this morning. The main focus is on the countries with the largest trade deficit with the United States. China has been hit with an unprecedented 104% tariff, the culmination of an escalated trade war between the two powers. The media is actively discussing potential retaliatory measures from China, including a weakening of the yuan and a possible sale of American assets.President Trump announced the readiness of many countries for trade agreements last night and expressed confidence in reaching a deal with China. However, he also made it clear that the tariff measures may not end there — duties on pharmaceutical imports are expected.Today, special attention will be focused on the speech of Fed Member Barkin and the publication of the minutes of the last FOMC meeting. The document may shed light on discussions about the Fed's reaction function and the state of dollar liquidity. Against the background of tightening financial conditions, the regulator is likely to take a wait-and-see attitude, preferring verbal interventions to lower the rate. Nevertheless, market expectations signal almost five rate cuts of 25 basis points over the course of the year, with the probability of the first cut in May estimated at 50%.The US debt market has seen a significant increase in yields on long—term bonds - plus 20 basis points per day. This happens despite a decrease in the quotations of risky assets and indicates a likely revaluation of the premium over the term. Among the possible reasons are rumors about the sale of Treasuries from China, the reduction of hedge fund positions and weak demand at the auction of 3-year bonds. Today, the placement of 10-year securities will take place, and its results will give an idea of the real demand for long-term obligations in the new conditions.Europe: tariff confrontation with the United States and the ECB's positionA vote is expected in the eurozone today on the initiative of the European Commission to impose retaliatory tariffs of up to 21 billion euros on American imports. This could provoke an even more aggressive reaction from Washington and increase tensions in global trade.Representatives of the ECB are also speaking on the current agenda. Judging by the rhetoric, the governing council agrees that a tightening of U.S. trade policy could seriously undermine global demand. The question remains to what extent the "hawkish" part of the ECB still sees the inflation risks associated with tariffs.Yesterday, the representative of the ECB from Germany, Nagel, said that Washington's change of course "significantly worsens global prospects." At the same time, Simkus, who takes a more moderate position, noted the need to reduce the rate by 25 bps next week, but abandoned the forecast for June.China and inflation dataChina is preparing to publish data on the consumer price index. These data will be important both for assessing domestic demand and for understanding the extent to which the current trade confrontation with the United States is affecting the economy.Oceania and the commodity market: falling rates and oilThe Reserve Bank of New Zealand has lowered its key interest rate to 3.50% from 3.75%, confirming a soft monetary policy course amid global uncertainty.Oil prices have plummeted — Brent is trading in the range of 60-61 dollars per barrel, which is the lowest in the last four years. This is due to concerns about a slowdown in the Chinese economy and a general decrease in risk appetite.Sweden, Denmark and the real estate marketIn Sweden, house prices remained unchanged in March after two months of decline. This reflects household pessimism, which has begun to show up in the evidence. The decline in activity in the real estate market may intensify in the coming months, but expectations of lower rates may partially offset the negative sentiment.In Denmark, industrial production increased by 5.1% in February, reversing the decline in January. However, volumes are still lower on a three-month basis, partly due to instability in the pharmaceutical sector.Geopolitics: China, Ukraine and the USAThe head of the US Treasury Department, Vincent, sharply criticized China's retaliatory measures in the trade conflict, calling them a "serious mistake." At the Senate hearing, USTR representative Greer confirmed that there would be no exceptions to the new global tariffs, but stressed that tariffs on Chinese vessels in U.S. ports would not necessarily be cumulative.In Ukraine, President Zelensky announced the detention of two Chinese citizens who fought on the side of Russia. This has caused concern in Washington, and Kiev is demanding explanations from Beijing and the United States.Financial markets: high volatility and reduced risk appetiteStock markets continued to decline: the S&P 500 index lost 1.6%, having already fallen by 19% from its February highs. Despite attempts at a rebound, Trump's rhetoric and uncertainty about China are weighing on investor sentiment. The rise in bond yields came as a surprise, causing declines in the real estate and consumer goods sectors. At the same time, banks, industry and the utilities sector were among the rare winners, which indicates the unwillingness of investors to take on additional risks.Futures on the Asian and European markets opened lower today. The Nikkei 225 lost up to 4% after yesterday's rally, while the mood in China is more subdued — Hang Seng is down 1.6%, and Shenzhen is even up 0.6%.Currencies and yields: pressure remainsThe dollar index DXY decreased by 1% per day, EUR/USD broke through the 1.10 level again, and EUR/CHF fell below 0.93 amid deteriorating sentiment. The EUR/NOK pair reached above 12 due to the fall in oil prices. Yields on long-term U.S. Treasuries rose amid the risk-off, despite the weakness of the stock ...

USA: small business and trade policy under the gunToday, the attention of market participants in the United States is focused on the publication of the NFIB Small Business Optimism index. This indicator is traditionally considered a leading signal for the state of the domestic economy, especially in the context of consumer demand and entrepreneurs' confidence in the sustainability of macroeconomic conditions. In addition to statistics, investors are closely monitoring possible signals of a softening of the Trump administration's rhetoric on trade issues, as well as potential comments from Fed officials amid rising volatility in currency pairs and stock market assets.Denmark: industrial production under pressureDenmark publishes industrial production data for February. The January indicator showed a record decline of 11.9% seasonally adjusted, which is considered an extreme value even by the standards of the volatile Danish sector. Despite the lack of a clear explanation for the reasons for such a sharp drop, this should not yet be considered as a sign of a systemic weakening of the country's industrial sector. It is expected that the February statistics will help clarify whether the decline was a one-time effect or a signal of a deeper correction.ECB: the market is waiting for hints on policySeveral representatives of the European Central Bank are also speaking today. Against the background of tightening financial conditions, investors will closely analyze the rhetoric of officials for potential changes in the trajectory of interest rates or the level of caution when making new decisions. Any hints of a reassessment of the current monetary strategy may cause a strong reaction in the bond and currency markets.Geopolitics and trade disputes: growing tensionPresident Trump confirmed plans for direct talks with Iran on the nuclear program, but warned of possible "serious consequences" if the dialogue fails. Iran is currently rejecting this format. At the same time, China expressed its determination to introduce new retaliatory measures if the United States implements the threat of a 50% tariff increase. The Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China declared its full readiness to "fight to the end," which indicates a serious escalation of the conflict.Market reaction: rumors, volatility, and risk reassessmentYesterday, rumors of a possible 90-day tariff suspension led to a violent intraday rally in the US stock market, although they were later denied by the White House. Despite this, the very fact of the market's reaction demonstrates how sensitive investors are to any sign of a de-escalation of the trade conflict. In turn, the new threat of tariffs from Trump has again caused a wave of concern. The Sentix Eurozone business confidence index dropped sharply from -2.9 to -19.5, reaching its lowest level since October 2023.Scandinavia: budget deficit and fiscal incentivesIn Sweden, the preliminary budget data for March coincided with forecasts, but the cumulative deviation in borrowing amounts to 4.8 billion Swedish kronor. In May, a review of the volume of government bond placements is expected, taking into account new budget incentives, including an increase in defense spending. This creates the prerequisites for an increase in supply on the government debt market.The EU and trade strategy: protecting interests without escalationThe European Commission has proposed a zero-for-zero mechanism for tariffs on manufactured goods as an attempt to avoid a full-scale trade war with the United States. In case of failure of negotiations, the EU is ready to apply retaliatory duties from April 15 to December 1 on a number of American goods. Alcoholic products, including bourbon and wine, were excluded from the list after pressure from individual EU countries. Voting on the list will take place on Wednesday.Stock markets: instability persistsYesterday, the European and Scandinavian markets showed sharp intraday fluctuations: first, growth based on rumors, then a sharp drop after their refutation. The total losses amounted to about 5%, the Stoxx 600 is in the correction zone with a peak drop of -16%. Investors exited all assets, including defensive ones such as telecoms and gold. Against the background of capitulation, expectations in the futures market point to a possible technical rebound of 2%.The American markets proved to be more stable. The S&P 500 index closed with a minimal decline of 0.2%, despite an initial drop of 5%. Investors switched to trading amid rising yields: the real estate and utilities sectors declined, while cyclical securities showed a recovery. In the morning, futures on American indices are up 1-2%.Currency and debt market: yields are rising, the dollar is strengtheningUS bond yields rose sharply: the US Treasury curve shifted upward, and ten-year securities added almost 20 basis points. The DXY dollar index strengthened by 0.5%, while traditional defensive currencies such as the yen weakened slightly. EUR/NOK rose 1.5%, while EUR/DKK reached its highest level since 2020. Brent is trading near USD 65 per barrel. Asian indexes started the day with gains: the Nikkei 225 rose by 6%, while Chinese and Korean markets were also up by 1-2%.The overall market picture remains tense, but the reaction of participants indicates a willingness to receive positive news. In the coming days, the White House's rhetoric on trade issues and its impact on global risk assessment will remain a key ...

USA: pay attention to the ISM index and the labor marketThe ISM Services Business Activity Index for March will be published in the United States this afternoon.A similar PMI indicator released earlier indicated an improvement in the outlook, despite continued uncertainty about tariff policy.The March Challenger report on job cuts is also expected to be published. Although this indicator rarely has a significant impact on the market, it can provide additional information about the extent of federal layoffs.Eurozone: final PMI data and ECB meeting minutesInvestors will also focus on the final data on business activity indices (PMI) for March in the eurozone. In recent months, the revised figures have significantly differed from the preliminary ones, which makes them particularly important. In addition, the minutes of the March meeting of the European Central Bank (ECB) will be published, which may provide insight into possible decisions of the regulator at the April meeting.Sweden: statistics and speech by the head of the RiksbankThe indices of business activity in the service sector and the composite PMI will be released in Sweden today. The consensus forecast assumes that they will remain at the level of the previous month, similar to the manufacturing PMI index published on Monday. The head of the Riksbank, Eric Tedeen, will participate in a panel discussion on the European capital market. Although Sweden's monetary policy is unlikely to be the main topic, there may be individual statements that could attract investors' attention.Main events and market newsIn the US, President Donald Trump announced the introduction of new tariffs on the Day of the Exemption, which caused uncertainty in the markets. Tariff rates range from 10% to 60% depending on the country, while a single base tariff of 10% has been introduced. These measures turned out to be tougher than expected, leading to a sharp decline in sentiment in global markets due to fears of a slowdown in economic growth, falling corporate profits and increased inflationary pressures.In China, the Caixin services PMI unexpectedly rose to 51.9 in March from 51.4 in February. This was the result of increased domestic demand, which contributed to an increase in business activity and the number of new orders, the best result for the services sector since December last year.In Denmark, the Central Bank (Nationalbanken) has published data on currency interventions for March. As expected, the bank did not take any action in the foreign exchange market, which continues a 26-month streak of non-intervention.In Poland, the Central Bank (NBP) left its key interest rate at 5.75%, which was in line with analysts' forecasts. Additional details regarding the prospects for monetary policy will be announced after the press conference of NBP head Adam Glapinsky, scheduled for 15:00 CET.Stock marketsAsian stock indexes are trading in the red zone, with the largest losses recorded in Japan amid the strengthening of the yen, as well as after the announcement of a 24% tariff against the country.Futures on European indices are also showing a decline, while American markets have suffered the most significant losses due to a sharp increase in tariff pressure, which is actually a hidden tax for consumers.The overall market dynamics are consistent with observations of the escalation of trade wars in the last month and a half.Currency and debt marketThe markets expected milder tariff conditions, but their calculations did not materialize. The final decisions turned out to be tougher, which increased the risk of a recession in the United States. Futures for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq dropped sharply, while Japan's Nikkei dropped 3.5%.In the bond market, US Treasury yields declined along the entire curve, while the spread between two-year and ten-year securities decreased by 15 bps compared to yesterday's highs.Amid growing uncertainty, the US dollar weakened relative to other forex currency indices. USD/JPY lost 2% overnight and is trading near 147. EUR/USD strengthened above 1.09. Scandinavian currencies were influenced by multidirectional factors: on the one hand, the increased likelihood of a recession in the United States exerts pressure, on the other hand, the attractiveness of assets increases beyond the dollar. EUR/SEK is trading at 11.75, while EUR/NOK is trading near ...

USA: inflation and labor market expectationsToday, traders who prefer forex trading based on the news are focused on two news items from the United States – the ISM industrial business activity index for March and the JOLTs report on the number of vacancies for February. According to forecasts, the ISM index will remain at the level of the previous month, but regional data indicate a possible decline amid trade uncertainty. The Federal Reserve pays special attention to JOLTs data as an indicator of labor demand, which may influence future monetary policy decisions.The Eurozone: inflation and the labor marketPublished inflation data in the leading economies of the eurozone turned out to be mixed: France, Spain and Germany recorded a slowdown, while in Italy inflation turned out to be higher than expected. Overall, the HICP index for the eurozone is likely to decline from 2.3% to 2.1% in annual terms, driven by lower prices for energy and services. Despite this, the ECB remains inclined to lower rates in April. Unemployment data is also expected to be published today, which is projected to remain at 6.2%, indicating the stability of the labor market.Denmark and Sweden: Wages and PMIIn Denmark, data on wage growth in the private sector for the first quarter will be published. In the fourth quarter of 2024, nominal salaries increased by 4.6% year-on-year, providing a 2.9% increase in real incomes. Wage growth is expected to continue in the first quarter of 2025, but will be lower than in the previous year.In Sweden, the PMI index for the manufacturing sector for March is expected to be around 53 points, which corresponds to the level of the last five months. In February, the figure was 53.5, with all components except inventories showing growth, including new orders, production, and employment.Overview of global marketsAsian markets: Central Bank policy and business activityThe Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) left the key rate at 4.10%, which was in line with expectations. The regulator expressed confidence in a gradual decrease in inflation, but noted the risks of a slowdown in domestic demand. Financial markets have already priced in two or three rate cuts before the end of 2025.In Japan, a quarterly Tankan survey was published, the results of which were mixed. The index of business sentiment of large industrial companies decreased from 14 to 12, which was the lowest value for the year. At the same time, the service sector showed improvement, with the indicator rising from 33 to 35, reaching its highest level since 1991, boosted by increased consumer spending and a record influx of foreign tourists. Inflation expectations in Japan continue to rise, which supports the Bank of Japan's plans to further tighten policy.In China, the Caixin private business activity Index (PMI) in the manufacturing sector rose to 51.2 points (against the forecast of 51.1), which was the highest value since November. The growth was driven by improved demand conditions and an increase in foreign orders to a maximum in 11 months.European markets: inflation and GDPIn Germany, the HICP index dropped to 2.3% year-on-year (versus the forecast of 2.4%), mainly due to falling energy prices (-2.8% versus -1.6% in February). A slowdown in service sector inflation (to 3.4% from 3.8%) may be a key factor for the ECB when deciding on a rate cut.Danish GDP for the fourth quarter of 2024 was revised up to 1.8% QoQ (from 1.6% QoQ in the preliminary estimate), and annual economic growth was 3.7% (+0.1 percentage points to the previous forecast). The pharmaceutical sector continues to make the main contribution to growth, but other industries are expected to become more active in 2025.In Norway, organizations representing the interests of workers in industry have agreed on a 4.4% wage increase in 2025, which is slightly lower than Norges Bank's forecast (4.5%). This confirms the trend towards a slowdown in wage growth, despite a stable labor market, which opens up opportunities for a gradual easing of monetary policy.Stock markets: dynamics and expectationsGlobal stock markets came under pressure again yesterday, but the dynamics differed from previous sessions due to trade wars. In the US, major indexes closed in positive territory: The Dow Jones is up 1.0%, the S&P 500 is up 0.6%, while the Nasdaq is down 0.1% and the Russell 2000 index of small companies is down 0.6%.The growth of the American market was quite broad: 21 out of 25 industry indexes ended the day in positive territory. However, the predominance of defensive sectors indicates that investors prefer safer assets, despite the improvement in sentiment. Volatility (VIX) has increased, even despite the rise of the S&P 500, which signals continued caution.Asian markets are mostly growing today, especially in export-oriented South Korea and Taiwan. European futures are also trading higher, while American futures are showing a decline.Currency and debt marketsThe US bond market ended the day with an increase in yields on the short section of the curve: 2-year US Treasury bonds rose by 5 bps, and the yield on 10-year UST was 4.21%. The rumors about the ECB's tougher stance supported the yield on 2-year German bonds, but did not have a significant impact on the euro exchange rate. The EUR/USD pair gradually declined to 1.08.USD/JPY continues to consolidate near 150.00. The EUR/SEK pair rose to 11.86, partly due to factors related to the end of the month. The Norwegian krone (NOK) initially weakened, but ended the day unchanged against the euro at 11.36. In the future, Scandinavian currencies will react to trade tariff decisions, while the Swedish krona (SEK) may be vulnerable to dividend ...

Eurozone: Focus on inflation in GermanyToday, the main focus of investors and analysts is on German inflation data for March, which anticipates the overall figures for the eurozone expected tomorrow.Earlier, inflation in France and Spain was below forecasts, which is a positive signal for the European Central Bank (ECB). It will be important to see if the same trend is reflected in Germany.According to forecasts, the eurozone HICP index will decrease from 2.3% YoY to 2.1% YoY, mainly due to lower inflation in the energy and services sectors.China: Caixin Manufacturing PMI – is growth possible?In China, the Industrial Business Activity Index (Caixin PMI) is expected to be published today. The consensus forecast assumes a slight decrease from 50.8 to 50.6, but there is a possibility of strengthening the result. This is due to improved data on other indicators, such as the Yicai index and rising metal prices in March.Denmark: Correction of GDP data for the fourth quarter of 2024Revised Danish GDP data for the fourth quarter of 2024 will be published today. The preliminary report showed solid economic growth of 1.6% QoQ. However, quick estimates are always accompanied by a high degree of uncertainty, so it is important to understand how significant the possible adjustments will be.Sweden: Completion of wage negotiationsMajor industry salary negotiations are due to expire in Sweden today, which creates additional pressure on the negotiating parties. Initially, it was proposed to conclude a three-year agreement at the level of 7.7%, which is lower than expected and may indicate the risks of a downward revision of wage forecasts.Australia: Reserve Bank to keep interest rate at 4.10%The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is expected to leave its key interest rate at 4.10% tomorrow morning, in line with market consensus. At the last meeting, the RBA began a cycle of rate cuts, but did not give clear signals of further easing. Currently, the markets forecast 2-3 rate cuts in 2025, but the probability of maintaining the current level tomorrow is estimated at 90%.Japan: Expectations for the Tankan report and the policy of the Bank of JapanTonight, the Bank of Japan will publish the quarterly Tankan business survey. The PMI indexes indicate steady growth in the first quarter, but the significant decline in March raises questions. The Tankan data is particularly important in the context of the Bank of Japan's future policy: positive results may strengthen expectations for further rate hikes. The spring wage negotiations also confirm the trend towards tightening monetary policy.Main focus of the week: trade duties and their impactThis week, the markets are monitoring the development of the situation around tariffs, especially from the United States. New widespread tariffs are expected to be announced on Wednesday, as well as possible retaliatory measures from other countries. At night, information was received that the United States could impose restrictions against "all countries," which contradicts earlier statements. In addition, the possibility of new sanctions against Russian oil buyers is being discussed.The final event of the week will be the US employment report for March, which is scheduled to be published on Friday.Macroeconomic events and market newsUSA: The core PCE index for February rose by 0.4% mom (consensus: 0.3% mom), which is higher than expected. At the same time, the overall PCE index showed an increase of 0.3% mom, in line with forecasts. The real volume of consumer spending increased by only 0.1% mom, which indicates a restrained mood among consumers.China: The official composite PMI rose to 51.4 in March from 51.1 in February. The index in the non–manufacturing sector rose to 50.8 (from 50.4), reflecting a recovery in the services sector, while the manufacturing PMI reached an annual maximum of 50.5.Norway: The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 2.0% in March, as predicted. The number of new vacancies decreased slightly, which may indicate a moderate weakening in demand for labor. At the same time, the growth of retail sales in the last three months (by 1.3%) confirms the positive trends in consumption.Japan: The minutes of the Bank of Japan's March meeting showed that participants recognize the importance of recent wage increases as a factor for further rate increases. However, concern was expressed about the weakness of investment among small and medium-sized enterprises, which casts doubt on the sustainability of current wage growth.Geopolitical factors: trade conflicts and sanctionsUS President Donald Trump expressed dissatisfaction with the position of Russian President Vladimir Putin and threatened to impose tariffs from 25% to 50% on imports from countries that buy Russian oil if Moscow does not take steps to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. This statement followed Putin's words about the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky. In the coming days, Trump is expected to have a telephone conversation with Putin, which may determine the further vector of the situation.Stock markets: going into defensive assetsGlobal stock indexes closed in the "red zone" on Friday as investors reduced their risk appetite ahead of the weekend.US index results on Friday:• Dow Jones: -1,7%• S&P 500: -2,0%• Nasdaq: -2,7%• Russell 2000: -2,1%The negative sentiment continues in Asia, where the Japanese yen acts as a defensive asset. The Japanese Nikkei index has declined by more than 4% at the time of writing, and the exchanges of exporting countries are also showing a significant drop.Stock index futures in Europe and the United States point to continued declines, along with falling yields at the long end of the U.S. Treasury bond curve.Dynamics of the currency and debt marketsU.S. government bonds ended last week higher as PCE data, the University of Michigan consumer confidence index and threats of new tariffs from Trump sparked caution in the markets. Stocks in the United States have fallen sharply, especially in the technology sector.Currency movements• The JPY strengthened against the major G10 currencies• EUR/USD rose above 1.1080• EUR/NOK rose to 11.35• EUR/SEK ended the week at 11.84This week, the key factor remains the issue of new tariffs, which will determine the dynamics of global ...

Inflation data and economic activity in the USAThis week, the February report on the Personal consumer Spending Index (PCE), which is the preferred indicator of inflation for the Federal Reserve System (FRS), will be published in the United States. In addition, the revised consumer sentiment index from the University of Michigan for March is expected to be released. Although revised data rarely have a significant impact on markets, in conditions of political uncertainty, it is worth paying increased attention to them.Inflation in the eurozone: expectations of a decline in indicatorsIn the eurozone, investors' attention will be focused on the March inflation data in Spain and France, the publication of which precedes the pan-European HICP index, which will be released next week. Inflation in the euro area is projected to decrease from 2.3% to 2.1% in annual terms, due to easing price pressures on energy and services. Core inflation is also expected to decrease from 2.6% to 2.4%.Sweden: wage negotiations and retail salesNegotiations on a new wage agreement are continuing in Sweden, which is expected to be concluded by March 31. The latest proposal suggests a three-year agreement with a 7.7% salary increase, which is lower than expected. This may indicate possible downside risks in salary growth forecasts. The retail sales report for February will also be released this week. Sales showed steady growth last year, but the January decline and low consumer confidence may signal a continuation of the downward trend.China: restoration of industrial productionIn China, official PMI indices for manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors for March will be released on Monday. The consensus forecast assumes a moderate increase in indicators, but a more significant rise is likely, given the positive dynamics of the Emerging Industries PMI index and rising metal prices in March. This indicates a possible recovery in activity in the industrial sector.Markets and macroeconomic developmentsUSA: comments from the Fed representativesIn the United States, Susan Collins, a representative of the Boston Fed, said that an increase in inflation due to the introduction of tariffs is inevitable, but its duration remains uncertain, and monetary policy should remain unchanged. Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin noted that high uncertainty could force businesses to temporarily suspend activity, which also requires a cautious approach to monetary policy.Gold and commodity marketsGold prices reached $3,076.79 per ounce as the introduction of new tariffs in the United States, geopolitical tensions and a slowdown in global economic growth led to increased demand for defensive assets.Japan: rising inflation reinforces expectations of rate hikesJapan has published data on the consumer price index in Tokyo for March. The core CPI index (excluding fresh food) rose to 2.4% YoY, exceeding the consensus forecast (2.2%). This reinforces expectations of further interest rate increases by the Bank of Japan. We forecast two rate hikes of 25 bps each before the end of the year, the next of which is likely to take place in July.USA: revised GDP and reaction to new tariffsIn the United States, the revised GDP growth rate for the fourth quarter was adjusted upward to 2.4% (consensus forecast: 2.3%) due to a less pronounced negative contribution from inventory changes. The number of weekly applications for unemployment benefits remained stable.The announcement of the introduction of 25% tariffs on cars caused a mixed reaction among US trading partners. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that trade relations with the United States have changed and a review of agreements is required. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced the development of measures to protect the interests of the EU.Eurozone: credit momentum and ECB rhetoricIn February, lending in the eurozone continued to grow: household lending increased to 1.5% (from 1.3% in January), and to the corporate sector — to 2.2% (from 2.0%). This indicates that the effects of lower interest rates are being transferred to the real economy. However, the credit impulse, estimated at 1.17% of GDP, remains low by historical standards, despite the ECB's rate cut of 150 bps over the past year.The speeches of the ECB representatives were mixed. Many members of the Governing Council stressed the inflationary risks associated with tariffs, indicating a gradual shift by the regulator towards a more cautious approach.Norway: Central bank policyThe Bank of Norway left its key interest rate at 4.50%, but maintained a relaxed outlook. Two rate cuts are expected in 2025 and a possible cut in June under favorable conditions. We are revising the forecast for 2025 and expect two rate cuts (in September and December), three cuts in 2026 and a final cut in 2027 to 3.00%.Stock markets: reactions to new tariffsStock markets declined, but not as significantly as might have been expected after the announcement of the new tariffs. The S&P 500 lost 0.3%, while the European Stoxx 600 declined 0.5%. Over the past two weeks, American stocks have outperformed European stocks by 2 percentage points, but we recommend focusing on the fundamental factors that continue to favor Europe.The protective sectors showed the greatest growth — consumer goods and healthcare, while the technology sector (Nvidia), industry (automobiles) and energy declined. It is important to consider the ability of companies to price in the new environment. For example, Volkswagen shares declined by only 1.5%, while Stellantis fell by 4.2%, BMW by 2.5%, and French supplier Valeo lost 8% after announcing the need to raise prices due to tariffs.The European real estate sector grew by 2% due to lower European bond yields amid tariff news.The foreign exchange marketEUR/USD remains in the range of 1.08–1.09 with a slight advantage of the bulls. European interest rates have changed little, but the government bond yield curve continues to show an upward trend. The Swedish krona (SEK) exchange rate remains stable, but in the short term, upward risks in cross-rates are ...

Key economic events and market trendsUSA: GDP revision and tariff impactIn the second half of the day, a revised estimate of GDP growth will be published in the United States. However, no significant impact on the markets is expected.The main news was the announcement by the US president of the introduction of a 25% tariff on imports of foreign cars and auto parts from April 2. The move has raised concerns among trading partners, including the EU and Canada, which are considering retaliatory measures. The impact of these tariffs on inflation also remains in focus, as they may increase price pressures, leading to a review of the Fed's policy.In addition, in February, orders for durable goods increased by 0.9% against the forecast of -1.0%. However, this did not lead to significant movements in the market.Eurozone: credit activity and ECB policyData on monetary aggregates and lending will be published in the eurozone today. In the context of the ECB's ongoing debate on monetary policy rigidity, credit growth data will be key. In recent months, lending to the private sector has increased to 2% YoY, but the momentum (the difference between new and repaid loans) remains stable at 1%, indicating continued policy rigidity.In addition, representatives of the ECB, including Isabelle Schnabel, will speak today, which may give additional signals on the future policy course.Norway: Norges Bank rate decisionNorges Bank is expected to lower its key rate to 4.25%, despite the fact that market expectations estimate the probability of this step at only 25-30%. Inflation in February was higher than expected, which could support a tougher policy. However, Norges Bank is likely to focus on slowing inflation, low capacity utilization and maintaining a restrictive policy, which may be an argument in favor of lowering interest rates. We also expect the forecasts for 2025-2028 to be revised towards two rate cuts in 2025.United Kingdom: lower inflation and prospects for lower ratesUK inflation in February was lower than expected: the overall index was 2.8% YoY (forecast: 3.0%), while core inflation fell to 3.5% YoY (forecast: 3.6%). These data reinforce expectations of a possible rate cut by the Bank of England at the next meeting, especially if inflation remains within expectations in the April report.In the political sphere, the Government's spring budget was in line with expectations, confirming its commitment to fiscal stability measures. The initial reaction of the bond market was sharp, but by the end of the day, the yield on 10-year Gilts had dropped by only 1-3 bps.Sweden: worsening economic sentimentThe latest NIER economic survey showed a decline in confidence in the economy, especially among consumers, indicating continued weak sentiment. The planned price increase in March was higher than normal, which increases concerns about stagflation.The minutes of the Riksbank meeting reflected a balanced approach: despite high inflation, the bank considers its acceleration as temporary. Overall, the current policy course remains balanced, but the market may overestimate expectations for a rate hike, especially in the face of rising inflation.Geopolitics: tensions between Russia and UkraineThe ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine have reached an impasse, as the sides accuse each other of violating the agreements. The EU has rejected Russia's terms of the Black Sea agreement, raising uncertainty. A meeting of the leaders of the EU and Ukraine will take place in Paris today, where the issue of security will be discussed.Stock market: reaction to trade barriersUS stock markets closed lower amid news about Trump's tariffs. IndexThe S&P 500 fell 1.1%, but the equally weighted S&P 500 declined only 0.2%, indicating targeted sales in the automotive sector, including Tesla and other manufacturers.Despite the negative sentiment, US futures are trading with a slight increase, while European markets are showing weakness.Currency and debt market: expectations of Norges Bank's decisionAmid rising geopolitical risks and tariff news, EUR/USD initially declined, but then recovered, trading just below 1.08. The Scandinavian currencies moved in different directions, with a slight weakening of NOK/SEK.Today, the key event will be Norges Bank's rate decision, and despite the uncertainty, we see the likelihood of a 25bp ...

The annual compensation of CEOs in the United States is breaking records, despite a shortage of workers and inflation. According to MyLogIQ (a provider of analytical products of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission), the median salary of executives from the S&P 500 companies reached $14.2 million last year. The salary growth of the majority of company executives was at least 11%.Half of the companies also said that the salary of ordinary employees increased by 3.1% last year, and a third of the companies reported that employee compensation, on the contrary, decreased between 2020 and ...

The past year ended very successfully for the American market: the S&P 500 rose by 26.9%, although initially a more modest increase was expected. So, our optimistic (!) scenario included an increase in the broad market index to only 10%. However, the US stock markets got off to a good start and remained on top with the support of the adoption of infrastructure reform. The economic recovery also turned out to be more active than we expected, and this helped companies to increase revenue and profit more intensively. At the same time, the development of all these trends contributed to the acceleration of inflation, which went far beyond the expectations of the Fed, the market and our forecasts. It was inflation that became the most discussed topic last year and will absolutely remain at the top of the agenda in the first half of 2022.To bring inflation under control, the Fed thought about reducing the balance sheet only at the beginning of this year: even in December 2021, there was no talk about it. The reduction of the balance sheet, combined with a sharper than originally planned increase in rates, can act as a reliable way to curb inflation expectations. These expectations are formed mainly on stock exchanges, which excludes their negative impact on the economy in general and on the labor market in particular. A steady positive trend in the labor market is indicated by data for October, when the number of open vacancies reached a record 11.03 million, 1.5 times exceeding the number of applicants. This ratio was last observed 50 years ago. Together with an increase in logistics efficiency, the restoration of production capacities and the gradual opening of the economy, this will lead to a gradual decrease in inflation. Of course, we have repeatedly talked about the upcoming opening of the economy after the pandemic during the second half of 2021, but this event is delayed due to the appearance of new COVID-19 strains. And yet, the longer the pandemic continues, the closer its end is.After a negative start to the year for most securities in the technology sector and a general correction, investors should consider closing hedging positions that I advised opening at the end of last year. Now is the time to buy a wide range of stocks with a focus on "value" and "quality" companies. The intensive growth of the economy serves as the basis for optimistic expectations regarding revenue and profit. That is why the upcoming reporting season is the strongest driver of the growth of quotations of representatives of the real sector of the economy. Of course, there is also a trend to reduce the cash flows of companies, since there is no effect of a low base and economic growth begins to slow down. However, it is predicted that the S&P 500 companies will increase sales by almost 15%, and their earnings per share will increase by 21.5%. Among the leaders will be the energy, raw materials and industrial sectors, as well as the segment of secondary necessities. The momentum for an upward movement in their quotes will be provided by strong results for the fourth quarter and optimistic forecasts for January-March. Separately, I would like to note the financial sector, which will not be able to demonstrate a record increase in revenue and profit, but industry forecasts for 2022 may become one of the most optimistic, taking into account the plans of the Federal Reserve to actively raise the key ...

Lilium – do not be overly optimisticLilium is a German startup that is developing an air taxi-a fully battery-powered vehicle with a vertical take-off and landing function, whose speed will reach 281 km/h at an altitude of 3 km. The flight range is 250 km, so the company aims to completely change the current situation in the field of intercity communication. The carrier's shares appeared on the market on September 15 through a deal with SPAC. It was possible to collect only $584 million instead of the expected $830 million, as 65% of the holders of SPAC shares returned securities that began trading below $10. After Lilium distributes the debts and pays all the commissions, only about $400 million will be on the balance sheet. The first launch of the product is planned for 2024. It should be a seven-seat eVTOL jet, after which a 16-seat model should appear. The number of seats distinguishes Lilium from other companies that focus more on intra-city transportation using 2-4 local vehicles. In August, Lilium entered into a strategic partnership with the leading Brazilian air carrier Azul S. A, under which it undertakes to deliver 220 aircraft worth $1 billion. In addition to partnerships with major carriers, Lilium plans to develop its own network: management expects revenue of $1.7 billion in 2026 and $3.2 billion in 2027. The shares from vehicle sales and from network management should be approximately the same – 50% each. According to preliminary calculations, each aircraft should bring partners about $5 million a year, at a cost of $2.5 million. A ticket for a flight from Philadelphia to New York will cost about $170. Buying shares of a company that will start receiving revenue only in 2026 looks too risky. Especially against the background of the failure of many other players who promised to bring revolutionary ideas to life, like Nikola Motors.Asana shares are the most overbought securities on the marketSince the beginning of the month, Asana shares have risen by more than 55%. Recall that the company is developing solutions for managing team projects, and its founder is one of the first Facebook developers – Dustin Moskowitz. The main consumers of Asana services are programmers who work on a large task, as well as sellers and marketers. Of course, the transition to remote work had an extremely positive impact on financial results. It is important to understand that the Asana product is not unique at all. There are many competitors on the market from Salesforce to Airtable, Trello and SmartSheet. At the same time, the EV/S ratio exceeds 45x – these are simply unrealistically high values, even taking into account today's huge demand for “growing” stocks. It is incredibly risky to hold ASAN shares in an environment where there is more and more talk about the overheating of the market. In the second quarter of 2021, revenue increased by 72% YoY, to $89.5 million. Even more impressive is that the rate of revenue growth has been increasing since the third quarter of 2020. For example, in the previous quarter, revenue increased by 61% YoY. The number of ”paid" customers increased by 7 thousand, to 107 thousand, while the number of users spending more than $50 thousand a year doubled and reached 598. The ARR indicator is 118%, which means that existing customers started paying 18% more than a year ago. Among users with expenses above $50 thousand, this figure is even higher – ...

Cristiano Ronaldo became the first football player in the world whose capital reached $1 billion during his career, moreover, he is the first player in all team sports who was able to earn such a sum. But in addition to Ronaldo's football career and fulfilling advertising contracts, Ronaldo is also engaged in investing in his own business, which covers various spheres of life.In this article, we propose to discuss how Ronaldo entered the list of billionaires and what investments he makes. Will it turn out that after some time Cristiano will enter the list of the richest people in the world, having succeeded not only in sports, but also in running a business?BusinessCristiano Ronaldo is a public figure, and we know that he spends his millions of royalties not only on luxury real estate and cars, but also invests money in business, which is absolutely right. After all, even the best football player in the world must retire sometime, and this does not mean that he will no longer be able to earn money.Here's what we know about his business empire. As of the summer of 2020, he officially became a billionaire. Ronaldo is the third athlete in the world after golfer Tiger Woods and boxer Floyd Mayweather, who managed to make such a fortune during his career. And at the same time, he is the first in the world to achieve this in team sports.Ronaldo's current salary is $31 million a year, which is quite good.But he became a billionaire thanks not to these fees, although they certainly affected, but at the expense of 323 million subscribers in social networks, on which the football player makes a lot of money.He has contracts with various brands, one of them is the well — known Nike. Facebook instagrammers pay for every advertising post on Instagram or Facebook, according to the terms of these contracts.The contract specifies how much each post is evaluated depending on the number of views, likes and other reactions of users of social networks. And the real price of one advertising publication is measured in tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars.According to various estimates, a football player can receive about $400,000 for one such placement.There are a lot of brands that Ronaldo advertises, there is even a metallurgical company from Egypt in this list. But the main source of income is still Nike, with which a lifetime contract has been signed since 2016, on the basis of which Ronaldo will remain the face of the brand even after the end of his football career.And during the validity of the contract, the football player should receive about one billion dollars.It was income. And now let's talk about how Ronaldo is trying to increase his funds. He probably does not invest in the stock market, well, or does not do it for large sums, otherwise we would know about it.By the way, $100 million invested in the S&P 500 in 2018 could give $25 million in profit, and the NASDAQ index would increase the initial amount by 56%. But the football star chose a different path — he creates his own businesses, and there are the following areas in his track record.Personal brand CR7, under which a line of perfumes, underwear, clothing and shoes is released. It is clear that Ronaldo is the face of these companies and personally advertises his own products.In addition, under the same brand, Cristiano operates his personal museum, there is a restaurant, a gym, two mobile games, but the main investment was hotels in different cities of the world, such as Paris, Madrid, New York and others.The investment amounts are impressive. So, $16 million was invested in Madrid, $44 million in Marrakech and as much as $66 million in a Paris hotel.It can be argued that the hotel business is the main bet of Ronaldo.Messi also has three hotels, but in resorts such as Ibiza. And we add that Ronaldo entered the hotel business as a 50-50 partner, but Messi owns 100% of his hotels.Ronaldo also has a separate rental business. He rents out elite aircraft.ConclusionsLet's start with the answer to the question why does Ronaldo produce clothes, buy hotels and rent luxury planes? Here he follows the first rule of the investment checklist from Warren Buffett, according to which you need to invest money in the business that you understand. It is obvious that Ronaldo, being a famous football player, constantly traveled and stayed in various hotels, while often using the services of airlines and advertising clothes. And it was in these areas of business that he decided to invest his money.But there was one extremely big puncture in Ronaldo's business strategy: all these activities were created for carefree times when the economy is growing, incomes are increasing and people are spending money on travel, clothing and air travel. But the coronacrisis broke this trend, and according to UN estimates, the tourism sector lost about $ 320 billion. And as we can see today, more than six months have passed, and the world has not returned to the usual pace of life and you can not even dream about another year.In addition, the problem of the coronavirus has led to the fact that people simply began to spend less. It was as if a veil was lifted from many people's eyes and they realized that they really needed much less in reality, and most of the spending was a tribute to the consumer economy.We don't know the statistics on Ronaldo's hotels, but the large international chain Hilton has laid off 22% of its employees, and the remaining staff are working reduced shifts or are on unpaid leave. It is obvious that the coronavirus went through Cristiano's business in a similar way.In defense of Ronaldo, it is worth saying that no one except the reptiloids had any idea about the coronacrisis. But if his business was more diverse, the same mobile applications — he was also engaged in them, then we would start the article with the words that the football star will very soon enter the top richest people in the world and will push Warren Buffett there. But it seems that this is not the case, and the further growth of Ronaldo's fortune will be associated with his sports career, and not with investments, which are now under very great threat.For those who believe that it is wrong to compare Ronaldo and Buffett, we note that although old Warren was never an outstanding athlete, and during his youth these same athletes did not have millions of royalties, but he had a father who was a politician and an entrepreneur, thanks to which, at the age of 11, little Warren bought his first shares. Back in 1941, this was a very important bonus for further development, so it is still unknown who had the best starting positions. And in fact, the moment is much more important, not how you earned money, but how you used it to increase your fortune.The essence of this article is that when you are going to invest in some industry and invest the bulk of your capital in it, you definitely need to consider a negative scenario.Ask yourself the question whether it may happen that tomorrow this product or service will be useless to anyone. And even if the answer option seems impossible, it should still be taken into account. After all, the history of 2020 clearly showed how the tourism and aviation industries at one point became unprofitable from the most promising investments. But the world has moved even more towards digitalization of everything, because online is at a distance, and, therefore, it is ...

The pandemic has made the situation on the stock and bond markets uncertain, according to leading expertsWall Street analysts doubt the effectiveness of market analysis tools. It is increasingly difficult for specialists to make forecasts. This is reported by the Bloomberg publishing house.As the publisher notes, the pandemic has left its mark on the situation. During the first lockdown, Wall Street analysts were faced with the unpredictability of the markets.This year, the situation is repeated. The pandemic threatens to slow down the global economic recovery again. Experts are sure that the scripts that worked before are outdated.Analysts cannot reach consensus in their opinions about the market. 12 of the 21 forecasters monitored by Bloomberg expect the S&P 500 to fall over the weekend. The difference between the highest and the lowest rating is 24%. This has only happened twice in the last 10 years.Analysts from the public sector also make allowances for uncertainty. Bank of America employees assign a 100 percent range to their 10-year yield forecast for the end of 2021.Sky-high valuations and a 100% increase in the S&P 500 index after a low during the pandemic exacerbate the difficulties faced by strategists. Analysts also say that the market is most influenced by political factors. For example, US President Joe Biden is proposing to raise taxes for large companies, and the US Federal Reserve is gradually reducing the volume of bond purchases by the end of the ...

Over the past few decades, the world has been rapidly moving from fiat money to digital money. Our settlement means are not unique metal disks with stamped portraits, and not paper rectangles with watermarks and unique numbers. Today, the means of settlement in transactions is a set of zeros and ones stored in a certain memory cell on the bank's server. At the same time, two main parameters are preserved: each digital ruble/dollar/yuan is unique and can be identified and accounted for, and there is a high level of trust in the electronic settlement system of settlement participants, since it is regulated by governments, federal systems and central banks.The emergence of blockchain technology, a decentralized continuous sequential chain of blocks with unique data in each, made it possible to create digital units that meet the requirements for monetary signs regarding the uniqueness of each unit. They are created using a special cryptographic cipher, therefore they are called a cryptocurrency. Their main difference from other digital money is that their "issuer" can be not banks authorized by the Government, but almost everyone. The question of trust in such money, and, therefore, the final acceptance of it as money or recognition of it as a big fake of our time, has been solved right before our eyes over the past few years. Many analysts say that cryptocurrency is the currency of the future. The only question is when exactly this future will come. The first Bitcoin crypto coin already has in its history periods of enchanting take-off, and no less loud falls. In this article, we will try to understand the main questions that investors need to know the answers to when making a decision to invest in cryptocurrency or not:Blockchain technology and how it is used in cryptocurrencies.Pros and cons of cryptocurrencies.Trends and prospects of cryptocurrency.Ways to invest in cryptocurrencies.How to invest in cryptocurrency on the stock market.Blockchain technology and how it is used in cryptocurrenciesBlockchain is a decentralized database that is designed to store sequentially connected blocks with a set of characteristics (version, creation date, information about previous actions in the network). A simplified example of such a structure is a metal chain in which you can not break or swap the links, you can only add one new one to it; then another, and another, ad infinitum. It is important that the links are added one by one and always have the "imprint" of the previous link, the one to which they are attached. Also, the blockchain chain can be represented as a book with the ability to add pages, but without the ability to delete or change existing ones.Movement in such a system, or calculations, occur through transactions. In this case, the transaction, despite the similarity of the terms, is not what is meant by a simple money transfer. When we make payments using a bank card, information is received from the data warehouse of one bank to the storage of another – such and such a person has enough funds in his account and is currently performing a transfer operation of a certain amount. At the same time, physical paper money confirming the possibility of such a transfer should lie in the vault of the first bank and at some point move to the vault of the second. During a transaction, a special script is executed in the blockchain system, a certain note with data is written, information is processed inside the network. As if on the last page of our book, at the moment of writing, the following information appeared sequentially: "Mike transferred to Nick 70 euro"; "John transferred to Joanna 25 cents"... Several thousand such records can be stored within one block. When the memory in a block runs out, it is closed, signed and transferred to a new block in the form of a hash or "fingerprint". A hash is a certain set of characters that carries a unique fingerprint. It is formed based on what transactions and in what quantity each block stores in itself. During each transaction, the system checks the entire sequence of hashes for their integrity and immutability. After going through the entire chain, the system returns to the final block and confirms the correctness of the data so that this block can also be closed.The chain data is stored simultaneously on a large number of individual computers and is checked by the system during transactions for identity. If someone wants to make changes to the cell by adding an additional couple of hundred coins to themselves, then the other participants of the system will not confirm such a block change, and the data will simply not be recorded. And since the number of users in these systems is several million, even if you agree with a couple of hundred of them, you will not be able to make changes. You can only change the block that is written here and now; no postings are "retroactively" possible.At any given time, hundreds, if not thousands of people participate in the process of buying and selling crypto coins. A special miner program on one of the computers analyzes the applications in the queue, processes them and writes them to the block. In order for this data to be accepted by the system, the miner sends the final decision, that is, the calculated hashes, to the network, where the result is checked and confirmed by other miners. If the calculations are accepted by the majority, the block receives a mark confirming its correctness.Since the basis of the reliability of the blockchain system is a cryptographic cipher, cryptographic keys are required for conducting transactions. These are unique sets of characters and numbers that the system will generate independently and present to any participant of the blockchain at the time of registration. Each participant has a public key and a private key. The public key allows all network participants to see data that is not private. By analogy with digital payments, this is like the number of a digital wallet or a bank account that everyone can know. In this case, the private key is similar to the password from the wallet or from the online banking system, according to which all actions are performed with the account or wallet.It is worth noting that blockchain is a technology that was created not only for use in cryptocurrencies.Cryptocurrency and transactions with it are just one of the ways to use it, but its possibilities are much wider.Read more: What are AltcoinsPros and cons of cryptocurrenciesDespite the fact that crypto coins are not coins in the literal sense of the word – they simply do not have a material embodiment, they still have "two sides of the coin". Let's start with the advantages:Anonymity. When crediting money to a bank account, any user provides the bank and all related systems with a lot of information about himself, without which the account simply will not be opened, and the money will not be credited.  When making calculations, the banking structure analyzes a lot of information about us: passport data, registration address, family composition, sources of our income, the presence of debts… We provide this data ourselves by signing an agreement on the processing of personal data. Then our data gets into the database, and leaks often occur from there. In addition, a number of bank employees have access to the database, which is not pleasant for everyone. There is no such thing in cryptocurrency. All that is known about the participant of the chain is the digits of its public key. No personal data is transferred anywhere, and it is not requested; there is simply no need for them. This quality of the crypt is very valuable in our age, when information has become the "oil of the 21st century".No intermediaries in transactions. Since all data changes are made programmatically, no bank employees, employees of depositories and other "third parties" are required in the process. Unlike, say, bank transfers: when transferring money, the client should not blindly rely on the quality of the banking system and the integrity of all participants; it does not take a long time for the process itself (with bank transfers, sometimes the crediting period is 3-5 working days due to verification procedures). You do not need to open additional accounts for transfers to other countries; calculations in cryptocurrency have no boundaries.The impossibility of falsification and theft. The simultaneous storage of data on many computers in different parts of the world and the transparency of exchange operations makes it impossible for any forgeries, as well as transfers without confirmation by all participants. Moreover, the more participants are involved in the process, the more reliable the system becomes; such a "snake biting its tail": the more reliable the coin, the more users it attracts, the more reliable it becomes.The issue limit. There are two limiters here. The first, simple, is set by the author of the coin, and can be changed only by agreement of the majority of network participants. For example, Bitcoin has an issue limit of 21 million units. This information is also contained in the block data. But there are coins without a preset limit. For example, the currently popular Ethereum does not have a certain release limit. However, for any crypto coin, there is a release limit associated with the computing power of the network. As follows from the process of adding blocks to the chain described above (and the appearance of a new volume of coins is carried out in the same way), it takes quite a lot of energy and a certain period of time. As the chain grows, each subsequent block takes longer and more difficult to form. By the way, this aspect indirectly affects the increase in the value of coins with a large number of participants. In addition, for the "extraction" of each subsequent coin, a higher computing power of the equipment is required, which means that the financial costs for its acquisition are higher.Decentralization. The process of the emergence of cryptocurrencies is not regulated by any banks, reserve systems or governments. Even the creators themselves cannot control this process. A lot of people included in the chain issue and manage the movement of crypto coins. In such a situation, it is impossible to introduce restrictions on the distribution of coins. The absence of a single central data custodian (for example, a central server in a bank) also excludes a situation in which one accident will disable the entire payment system.But crypto also has its drawbacksThe absence of "responsible persons" and the possibility of insurance. When opening a bank deposit, you can insure it. If your funds in the bank account are attacked by intruders, the banking security system will be responsible for your funds. This is impossible with cryptocurrency. De-personification of stored data automatically makes it impossible to recover digital keys; if the owner of the key (and the cryptocurrency) did not hide the key carefully enough, or, on the contrary, too carefully and eventually lost it himself, it is impossible to restore the key.All coins belonging to this owner will automatically disappear from circulation. It is also impossible to cancel transactions carried out by scammers who have gained access to the private key. Full responsibility for the safety of funds lies only with the owner.High volatility. The chart below shows the four most popular cryptocurrencies in comparison with the S&P 500 index. The exchange rate of each of the currencies is influenced by a lot of factors that do not matter for the rates of major currencies or, for example, securities ("What affects the value of shares"). A new company or even the smallest state that has announced the possibility of settlements in a particular cryptocurrency raises quotes up with the speed of a rocket. Negative news drops them down with the same speed. We can say that the main factor of any money – the degree of trust in it by those who actually use it-is being formed right now, before our eyes. The statements of media personalities, authors of literary bestsellers, financial gurus-everything affects the change of course. One of the most popular "crypto trolls" has recently become Elon Musk. As a result of one of his tweets in January of this year, the exchange rate of the coin jumped by almost 20%.A few months after Tesla promised to start accepting tokens as payment, the company abruptly abandoned this idea. Elon Musk wrote about this decision on his page in mid-May, and this brought down the bitcoin exchange rate by 15%.Lack of a legal basis. This is probably the "weakest point" of all cryptocurrencies. At the moment, there are a number of positive facts: in Germany, bitcoins are recognized as a settlement currency, in Japan, Bitcoin is a legal tender with a purchase tax. Switzerland is subject to the same rules for cryptocurrencies as for foreign currencies, and this country is one of the most favorable jurisdictions for Bitcoin startups. The Singapore authorities consider cryptocurrency as a cross between an exchange-traded asset and ordinary money; crypto coins can be exchanged for goods and services, activities with them are taxed on a par with investment instruments. Cryptocurrency has also been legalized in the United States; as follows from the conclusion of the Supreme Court of 2016, "Bitcoin is money in the literal sense of this term.". It would seem that global trends support the development of the crypto market. But recent events in China have shown the fragility of the current position of “people's” money. By one legislative act, the Chinese government banned banks and financial organizations from dealing with cryptocurrency, citing its high volatility and unpredictability, and therefore a danger to large financial structures. Negative statements were made at the beginning of 2021 from other governments, including the United States and Canada. The instability and inability to influence the exchange rate of digital coins cause concern for the safety of the well-being of people investing in them. There was talk of creating internal crypto coins at the state level. If this happens, there is a high probability of banning the "people's" crypt at all levels in support of the "state" crypt.Read more: Blockchain technology: how it works and where it is usedCryptocurrency trends and prospectsAt the moment, cryptocurrencies obey the standard laws of the market and are regulated by the simple impact of supply and demand on them. The number of participants in the crypto market has long exceeded the limit of a million people, so this market cannot simply disappear in the near future. Looking at what is happening now in this market, we can identify the main trends for the near future:Increase in the number of users. With the increase in the number of manufacturers accepting bitcoin and altcoins as a means of payment, the number of users who are ready to try the new currency both as a settlement tool and as an investment option, at least in small, cautious volumes, is also increasing;Tightening of regulation of the cryptocurrency market by states. Similar bills are being prepared now in many countries, including those who were leaders in the adoption of cryptocurrency as a means of payment: Canada, the United States, Switzerland;An increase in the number of cryptocurrencies, the development of "young" cryptocoins and the expansion of infrastructure opportunities due to competition. Technologies in the modern world are developing at an insane speed. Blockchain technology is no different from the rest; and already today, the system on which the "old man" Bitcoin was founded and continues to develop is significantly inferior to the newly emerging coins in terms of security, transparency and infrastructure convenience. This situation, coupled with a large number of coins on the crypto market, will sooner or later lead to increased competition between systems and, consequently, to the modernization and expansion of the capabilities of the systems themselves, as well as to a decrease in the level of transaction fees.Ways to invest in cryptocurrenciesIt is possible to invest in the crypto market both directly, by buying cryptocoins directly, and indirectly in various ways: by purchasing ETFs (ETF funds), buying futures contracts for Bitcoin, or by purchasing shares of companies related to cryptocurrencies. Both direct and indirect investments have their advantages and disadvantages.Read more: What are futures: types, features, advantages and risksThe advantages of direct investment include the following:By buying Bitcoin or another crypto coin, an investor acquires a kind of currency that has solvency in the market. In other words, having a cryptocoin in your wallet, in a number of countries you can purchase goods or pay for services with these units, without exchanging them for fiat money;As an object of investment, most of the cryptocoins, especially if you choose the most popular ones for investment, have high liquidity. Even if there is no possibility of direct payment for goods and services, you can exchange the crypt and get electronic money into your wallet in a very short time;Given the high volatility of cryptocoins, a good entry point can provide an investor with a very high level of income. In this case, it is important not to miss the right exit point for fixing this income.Among the disadvantages of directly buying cryptocurrency as an investment, the following should be noted:The low level of the possibility of forecasts. Given the large number of factors affecting the crypt, it is very difficult to assess the probability of a coin rising and falling; the risk level is close to the banal casino;The possibility of losing all invested funds. If the world governments still come to the conclusion about the rejection of the "people's currency" as a settlement tool and decide to ban it as a financial settlement tool, there are risks that all the funds invested by investors will turn into zero;The complexity of choosing an investment cryptocoin. Bitcoin and Ethereum, due to their high popularity, are approaching the limit of their possible profitability. Those who did not have time to buy them at the start, now they can no longer count on serious profits. Other, less popular coins still retain this possibility. However, it is very, very difficult to understand this variety and guess which of them will "work";The need to enter specialized exchanges to buy an asset and create special wallets for storing it. A high level of digital security is required to ensure the safety of;Among the disadvantages of directly buying cryptocurrency as an investment, the following should be noted:The low level of the possibility of forecasts. Given the large number of factors affecting the crypt, it is very difficult to assess the probability of a coin rising and falling; the risk level is close to the banal casino;The possibility of losing all invested funds. If the world governments still come to the conclusion about the rejection of the "people's currency" as a settlement tool and decide to ban it as a financial settlement tool, there are risks that all the funds invested by investors will turn into zero;The complexity of choosing an investment crypto coin. Bitcoin and Ethereum, due to their high popularity, are approaching the limit of their possible profitability. Those who did not have time to buy them at the start, now they can no longer count on serious profits. Other, less popular coins still retain this possibility. However, it is very, very difficult to understand this variety and guess which of them will "work";The need to enter specialized exchanges to buy an asset and create special wallets for storing it. A high level of digital security is required to ensure the safety of;The presence of a spread between the purchase price and the sale price and the commission for the purchase. To make a profit, you need to wait for the sale price for the volume available in the wallet to exceed both of these cost factors.Investments in ETFs, ETP and ETN on bitcoin have the following advantages:The volatility of such funds is somewhat lower than the volatility of the coin itself. Diversification of assets within funds somewhat smooths out price fluctuations;When buying fund units, the investor avoids the issues of purchasing and storing cryptocoins, issues of spreads and commissions. The only additional expenditure component in this case will be the commission of the fund itself. For different funds, the commission is from 0.4 to 2.5%;A number of funds (but not all) have insurance against risks.Read more: Exchange Trade Funds (ETF)Unfortunately, there are more disadvantages:All traded funds are quite young, and most of them appeared on the markets only a year or two ago, so they do not have historical returns, based on which it would be possible to assess their investment prospects;At the time of writing, there are only four ETF funds for cryptocurrency on the world markets; the remaining funds are of the ETN type. ETN funds, having similarities with ETFs, have a different internal essence; they are not backed by physical assets, and are debt obligations issued by a large bank or other financial institution. In the event of an ETF bankruptcy, the fund's management has the opportunity to sell off assets and return some of the funds to investors; in the event of an ETN bankruptcy, the investor completely loses his investments;A number of funds, in addition to the management fee, take a premium for profitability, sometimes reaching 20%;The composition of the funds is not determined by the investor. When buying shares of the fund, it is necessary, along with assets in which there is a desire to invest, to acquire other assets in which there may be great doubts.How to invest in cryptocurrency on the stock marketAnother type of indirect investment in cryptocurrency is the purchase of shares of companies related to cryptocurrency. This type is devoid of the disadvantages of direct investment, since the procedures for buying and storing shares are long-established and understandable, and the volatility of stock prices of companies associated with the crypto market is not as high as that of the cryptocurrency itself, since these companies are engaged in the production of products and services of various types, and therefore are to some extent stabilized by these additional goods and services. Shares can be selected point-by-point, and no additional commissions are required for their purchase. Therefore, there are also no disadvantages of investments that are typical for cryptocurrency ETFs in this type of investment.A precise selection of high-quality assets allows a competent investor, on the one hand, to invest in such a highly interesting market as cryptocurrencies, and on the other, a careful choice of specific stocks will allow avoiding the huge risks associated with the world of tokenized money.Coinbase (COIN)Coinbase Global is one of the leading providers of complex financial infrastructure and technologies for the crypto market, and at the time of writing, it owns one of the first crypto platforms created that allow customers to store their savings in a wide range of crypto assets – more than 50 types of crypto coins. The company is the leader in trading volumes among American exchanges that trade crypto: $3.33 billion worth of cryptocurrency is sold and bought on Coinbase per day. The platform ranks eighth among the world's cryptocurrency exchanges. This is the first cryptocurrency exchange traded on the stock market. Coinbase was founded in 2012, went public on April 14 of this year with a share price of $ 250; in a short time, the price soared by 70% to$ 429, and then fell to the level of $ 228 per share and remains approximately at this level for several months. Meanwhile, the company's financial indicators are excellent. In the first quarter of 2021, the exchange's revenue soared 9.5 times compared to the same quarter last year — from $190 million to $1.8 billion. The result exceeded the entire revenue of Coinbase for 2020 ($1.14 billion). Net profit was $730-800 million, which is also much higher than earnings for the whole of 2020 ($322 million). In the first quarter of 2021 alone, Coinbase attracted 13 million users. Despite the fact that the company currently has 56 million customers in total. Monthly users  that is, those who performed at least one operation during the month were 6.1 million people in the first quarter, twice as many as in the previous quarter (2.8 million). The P/E multiplier is about 9 times higher than the average for the sector, but at the same time the PEG is only 0.6, which indicates not overheated growth.Read more: The history of the Coinbase exchangeSquare (SQ)Square is an American company of the technology sector, founded in 2009 and developing equipment and software for receiving and processing electronic payments. The company was one of the first to actively develop and implement specialized applications for payments and cryptocurrency trading. By the end of 2020, more than half of the company's revenue was generated from the direction of cryptocurrencies. This company earns both on the growth of cryptocurrency prices, when a large number of investors buy it, and on the fall, when many sell their assets. The company's financial indicators are growing from quarter to quarter. Similar to the previous company, the P/E of the shares is quite high and is 309, which is about 8.8 times higher than the average for the sector, but the growth of the shares is provided by a more rapid growth in revenue and profit, as a result of which the PEG multiplier of 0.7 indicates a non-overheated growth in the share price.Advanced Micro Device (AMD)Advanced Micro Devices is engaged in the development, production and sale of microprocessors, chipsets, chipset motherboards, discrete and integrated graphics processors, etc. In particular, it produces a line of high-performance video cards that are designed directly for mining cryptocurrencies. The company has been operating since 1969. The production of products is completely carried out by third-party contractors located in different countries of the world. The growth in the number of cryptocurrency miners, among other things, affects a significant increase in the demand for the company's products; its chips and video cards. At the time of writing, the company holds a 29% share of the video card market. The company's financial indicators are steadily growing. The P/E multiplier corresponds to the market value.PayPal Holding Company (PYPL)PayPal Holdings is an American company that manages a worldwide online payment system. PayPal Holdings operates almost all over the world, the operation of the payment system allows customers to send, receive and store funds in 25 currencies of the world. PayPal Holdings competes with all forms of payment: cash and checks; payment platforms for electronic, mobile and e-commerce; blockchain technologies and digital currencies. The competitive advantages of PayPal are the global scale of its activities, the ability to make uninterrupted transactions in different markets and in different networks, the reliability of the system and data security, the ease of integration into mobile applications and operating systems. The payment system provided access to cryptocurrency back in November 2020, and in April of this year, the Checkout with Crypto Service was launched, allowing users to pay with cryptocurrency around the world. Now it is possible to convert bitcoins, ether, bitcoin cash and litecoins into fiat currencies for making purchases without a commission from the company, as well as without paying for storing cryptomonets. At the same time, the company itself has existed since 2002 and has long held a strong position on the stock market. The stable growth of indicators, which cannot be affected even by serious crises, speaks for itself.From the point of view of investment valuation, the company is valued significantly more expensive than the average sector level. However, in the current situation, this should be regarded as a persistent expectation of participants for a significant increase in revenue and profit of the company.ConclusionNewly emerging technologies in the stock market cause a stir among investors. Each novelty that has attracted enough attention and received a credit of trust from market participants can soar high in a short time and create a couple of dozen new millionaires and billionaires. At the same time, a reasonable investor is far from the "casino principle" and understands that creating a serious state and preserving it requires deliberate steps and investments in truly promising technologies for a long period.Observing the newly appeared and so far extremely unstable cryptocurrency in its trend, for the current day it seems that the safest investments are in those instruments that will grow both on the wave of rising interest in the crypt, and during periods of recession and "sell-off". These are shares of companies that are somehow connected with the crypto market, but thanks to the wide diversification of activities, they are able to maintain their financial stability even in the event of a failure of the "crypto idea".In addition, the crypto market is an area that is already at the stage of overheating, so there is a risk that investments in this area in the short term will not bring investors super profits similar to those received by investors who became owners of cryptocurrency a year or more ago. However, this is not the only area that opens up wide opportunities for investors. But the list of industries that can radically change our lives tomorrow is far from being limited to those considered. In addition, we must always remember that the prospects of the industry does not directly determine the prospects of all the companies that form it. The investment value of a company is determined, in addition to the activity profile, by fundamental factors that can be identified only on the basis of an in-depth ...

The US economy, being the largest in the world, attracts the attention of a huge number of investors from many countries. The attractiveness of the US market is due to a wide variety of trading platforms, trading instruments, a huge number of issuing companies that place their securities here, including global giants of various industries. And it's not just American companies. The US stock market can be considered international. Shares and depositary receipts of companies from different countries, including Russia, China, Germany, etc. are traded here. Thus, the US market is still a huge opportunity for geographical diversification of investments. And it is very important for investors to monitor the state of the "market climate" in order to choose the most attractive assets or rebalance their portfolio in time. Stock indexes act as indicators reflecting the state of the entire market or individual industries.This article will tell you more about the US stock indices:What is an index?US stock indexes, their types.Popular US stock indexes.How to invest in US stock indexes.What is an index?Stock indexes are calculated summary indicators consisting of a specific list of companies that reflect the state of a sector, a group of companies on the stock market or the entire market. When it is said that the market has fallen or the market has grown with the indication of a specific percentage, then the growth or fall is judged primarily by the dynamics of the market index. That is, the index serves as an indicator, or they also say a "barometer", which speaks about the situation in the market or in a particular industry. That is, depending on the object and purposes of monitoring, investors monitor either industry indices or broad market indices.Indexes are created and tracked by specialized providers or exchanges.Indices are formed from the securities of issuers selected according to a certain criterion. There are no universal criteria. Each market index has its own set - from market value (capitalization), industry affiliation, place of registration to the value of free-float and the number of periods in which the company worked with profit. The composition of the indexes is not constant. They are reviewed with a certain frequency, that is, the so-called rebalancing occurs. Companies that no longer meet the established criteria are excluded from the index. And they are replaced by new participants. Usually, for an issuer, inclusion in the index is a significant driver of the growth of market quotations. And usually the price increase does not occur at the time of the announcement of the news or the revision of the index structure that has already taken place. Investors track information about candidates long before the news is announced, and therefore, at the time of rebalancing, this event is already embedded in the share price of new index participants.The US stock market is one of the oldest. The first US stock index originated in the 1890s, when Charles Dow developed the Dow Jones Transportation Average index, based on data on eleven transportation organizations in the country. This index is still used today as the most recognized indicator of the American transport sector.Thus, all stock indexes that exist now meet their specific goals. For example, the DJ Transportation transport index reflects the state of the transport industry, the DJ Financials financial index is an indicator of the state of financial sector companies, etc. So, monitoring the industry index allows you to assess the state of the industry for which the index is compiled. The main indices that display the general state of the US economy include the S&P500, NASDAQ100, etc. And then we will tell you more about these and other indexes.Read more: Dow Theory: Six basic principles of Technical analysisUS stock indexes, their typesThere are about 765 stock indexes in the USA. These include all kinds of indices, starting with such well-known ones as the S&P500, Nasdaq100, Dow Jones Industrial, Dow Jones Composite Average (DJA), and ending with narrow-profile indices, where the PHLX Semiconductor semiconductor index can be cited as an example.All existing US stock market indices can be grouped as follows:Industry indexes. As an example, indexes (the quantitative content of the index is indicated in parentheses):DJ Health Care (DJUSHC) is an index showing the state of the healthcare sector (100 companies from the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries);DJ Transportation (DJT) is an index that tracks the state of the transport industry (20 transport and logistics companies);DJ Utility Average (DJU) – index of the state of the public utilities sector (15 utility companies);DJ Financials (DJF) is an index reflecting the state of the financial sector (257 financial companies).Broad market indices. These include the S&P500, S&P1500, DJ Composite, NYSE Composite, NYSE Amex Composite, Nasdaq Composite. They are used to assess the state of the entire market.TOP-capitalization indexes. This includes the S&P100, Dow Jones, Nasdaq100. These indexes allow us to assess the complex state of the most "expensive" companies grouped according to certain characteristics in various indexes.Indexes of companies with small and medium capitalization. This includes the Russell 2000, S&P 400, S&P 600. These indices reflect the assessment of the condition of companies with a relatively small market capitalization.Other indexes. This includes the market volatility index - the VIX index, the calculation of which is based on the volatility of the S& P500. The same group includes the VXO volatility index, calculated from the amplitude of fluctuations in the S&P100 index.Popular US stock indexesThe main American indices will be considered in more detail here.Dow Jones IndustrialThe Dow Jones Industrial is one of the oldest indices of the US market, was invented and began to be used in 1896. The index is considered one of the main indicators of the American economy. It helps investors and stakeholders in a simple way to assess the market dynamics of the industrial sector of the economy.Its structure is formed by the 30 largest industrial sectors, including such well-known Apple, Boeing, etc.When selecting this index, the impeccable business reputation of the company, stable growth and interest from investors are taken into account (determined by the indicator of trade turnover). At the same time, there are no clearly defined quantitative criteria — the decision is made by a special committee. To include an issuer in the DJIA index, its headquarters must be located in the USA, and the bulk of its income must be generated here. In addition, it should be a system-forming company, that is, its activities should make a tangible contribution to the country's economy. And to top it all off, the company's securities must be listed on the NYSE or NASDAQ trading platforms.Rebalancing is carried out every few months: if a company ceases to meet the criteria, then its shares leave the index. They are replaced by new issuers.Dow Jones Composite AverageThis US index appeared in 1934. It tracks the dynamics of share prices of 65 companies leading in their industries. This is an extended index based on three indexes:Dow Jones Industrial Average Yield Weighted (DJIYW) - DJIYW is an analogue for the main index, consisting of thirty companies on the DJIA list that have high profitability. Its member organizations must have a well-defined dividend payment schedule and excellent financial performance. The index is weighted according to their respective 12-month dividend yield.The Dow Jones Transportation Average (DJTA) is a transportation index that has existed for more than a hundred years and is leading the monitoring of companies providing logistics services throughout the United States and beyond.Dow Jones Utility Average (DJUA) – it consists of fifteen organizations from the field of utilities.The presence of the DJA index allows you to more broadly assess the state of three indices at once at the same time, which may be convenient for certain investors.Standard & Poor’s 500The S&P500 index is the most well-known and most widely used index of all. In its significance. Many agree that the S&P500 is one of the best indicators reflecting the situation of the US market. S&P500 is sometimes considered a "barometer of the economy", representing the results of the US market and being a reference point for many investors. Its calculation is based on the capitalization of issuers.The index is based on the 500 largest companies listed on the NYSE and NASDAQ trading platforms in terms of market value.You can see many famous companies in its composition: Apple, Microsoft, Walmart, Amazon, COCA-COLA, Mc'Donalds, Facebook, Alphabet and other legendary companies.When deciding whether to add to the index, the company is checked according to the criteria listed below:The organization must have a US registration.The market value (capitalization) is estimated at at least $6.1 billion.Free-float size ≥ 50%.The company should have been operating with positive operating profit for the last four quarters.Only ordinary shares can be included in the index, besides, they must have large trading volumes (more than 250,000 shares/month) and have a long market trading history.The structure of the S&P500 index is reviewed once every 3 months at the end of each calendar quarter. Companies that do not meet the criteria are removed from it.Read more: S&P 500 Stock Index - history, calculation and forecastingStandard & Poor’s 100The calculation of this index follows the same principle as for the 500 corporations of the S&P500 index. However, only companies with registered options on the Chicago Stock Exchange can be in the index.The S&P100 index is used in trading futures and options. As for the selection criteria, as a rule, the largest companies from the S&P 500 list with registered options are selected for inclusion in the index. The S&P100 index is formed in such a way as to maintain a balance between the ratio of companies from different sectors.This index is important for speculative traders who are interested in trading options of large companies.Nasdaq 100 IndexThe Nasdaq 100 index has been calculated since the mid-1980s. It is made up of hundreds of organizations with the largest capitalization (except for the financial sector), and takes into account not only US corporations. Most of the structure is companies.The index does not include companies from the financial, oil and gas sectors, as well as from the mining industry. The most prominent representatives of the index are: AMD, Adobe, Intel, Netflix, NVIDIA, Tesla, etc.The following criteria are applied to make a decision on adding a company 's shares to the Nasdaq 100 index:The Company should not carry out financial or insurance activities.The company's activities should be related to the field of high technology.More than 1.25 million shares outstanding at the time of listing, affiliated persons should not own more than 10% of the company.At the time of listing, the company's stock must have an offer price of at least $ 4, and three or more market makers must participate in the listing procedure.Rebalancing of the index takes place once a year, on the third Friday of December after the close of trading. The companies included in the top 100 according to the annual revision remain in the index. Those who occupy places from 101 to 125 places remain if they were in the top 100 according to the results of the previous year's review. Those not in the top 125 are excluded, regardless of the rank of the previous year.The Nasdaq 100 index is interesting to investors, as it is one of the key indicators of the American market.Read more: Index NASDAQ 100 - history, advantages and what it depends onNasdaq Composite IndexThe Nasdaq Composite is a composite index that is weighted by capitalization. It includes over 3,000 securities of high-tech companies, as well as companies with rapid growth from various industries – biotechnology, space, aircraft, etc., traded on the NASDAQ exchange. This index contains about one hundred of the largest companies with a high market value. The index is maintained and calculated by the Nasdaq exchange, unlike other indices, it is expressed in dollar terms, not in points.To be included in the index of an organization, you need to meet the following criteria:Listing on the Nasdaq Exchange trading platform.Only ordinary shares of the company can be included in the index. No convertible bonds, preferred securities, derivatives and real-time can be included.The company should not engage in insurance activities.The index can include a variety of companies, ranging from world-famous large corporations to little-known small companies. The most famous participants of the index are: Apple, Autodesk, Cisco, NVIDIA, Google, eBay, etc.Various investors are interested in tracking the index, and first of all those who want to invest in the technology sector.Russell 2000The Russell 2000 index is one of America's investment indices, which, like most indices, is weighted by capitalization. Originated in the mid-80s of the last century, it allows you to track the dynamics of 2000 companies with small capitalization. The most expensive companies have the greatest weight, as well as the greatest influence in it.This index allows you to assess the state of small businesses in the United States. The peak of its popularity was in the 90s, which was caused by strong movements in the share prices of its member companies.The index contains companies that, as a rule, do not have a globally recognizable brand.The Russell 2000 structure includes the following economic sectors: finance, healthcare, technology, cyclical and consumer goods, industry, non-cyclical consumer goods, basic materials, utilities and energy. At the end of 2020, there were five industries that made a tangible impact on the index structure.This index is of interest to those investors whose investment objects are small-cap companies.It can be concluded that index monitoring has the following objectives:Obtaining information about the aggregate dynamics of quotations of companies from the "basket" of the index.Obtaining information and assessing the current market situation.Long-term study of the investment climate in a particular group of companies, industry or country.Obtaining aggregated information about the actions of market participants.Read more: Exchange Trade Funds (ETF)How to invest in US stock indexesThere are two main ways in which you can invest in a stock index: the purchase of futures and the purchase of ETFs. US index futures are traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Before making a decision to purchase futures, it should be remembered that futures are high-risk financial instruments, for their acquisition it is necessary to have either the status of a qualified investor, or an open account with a foreign broker, which is not always possible.A more convenient way is to purchase a real-time stock index. Among the advantages are the following:The ability to invest in all stocks included in the index.The relatively low purchase price of the ETF.The need for a relatively small amount and a low exchange commission when purchasing one of the ETFs on the index, than when independently repeating the index by buying each index share. In other words, buying in real time allows you to achieve broad diversification of investments with small amounts of capital.Currently, there are various data on a large number of popular stock indexes. For example, the S&P500 index has the following data:SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) is the most popular ETF with a commission of 0.09%.iShares Core S&P 500 (IVV) ETF - this ETF ranks second in terms of trading turnover, the commission is 0.04%.There is also data for other indexes:The Invesco QQQ (QQQ) ETF is an ETF on the Nasdaq 100.The Fidelity Nasdaq Composite Stock Index ETF tracking Stocks (ONEQ) is an ETF on the Nasdaq Composite.SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF - ETF for the Dow Jones Industrial Index.The iShares S&P 100 ETF (OEF) is an ETF on the S&P 100.The iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) is a Russell 2000 ETF.There is also a wide range of real-time industry indexes.Healthcare - SPDR Fund for the Healthcare Sector (XLV), Vanguard Healthcare ETF (VHT), iShares ETF for US Healthcare (IYH).Biotechnologies - iShares Nasdaq Biotechnological ETF (IBB-, SPDR S&P Biotechnological ETF (XBI), First Trust Amex Biotechnologies Index (FBT).Energy - ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil (UCO), US Brent Oil Fund (BNO), US 12-month Natural Gas Fund (UNL).Finance – Vanguard Financial ETF (VFH), iShares USA Financial ETF (IYG), Invesco KBW Financial ETF with High Dividend Yield (KBWD).Transport – iShares Transportation Average ETF (IYT), SPDR S&P Transportation ETF (XTN). Average Transportation ETF (IYT).The main disadvantage of real-time investing is that, in addition to companies with good financial performance and growth prospects, it may also include companies with poor performance or simply unprofitable.However, there are options for "smart investing" in the index when you choose which companies to invest in. This approach implies spot investments and exclusion of ballast from the portfolio in the form of unprofitable companies that do not have fundamental sources of growth. This approach, firstly, reduces the risks of capital loss, and secondly, increases the efficiency of investment.Read more: Stock market indices: what are they and why do investors need them?ConclusionStock indexes are one of the important tools available to investors. The main goal that is achieved with the help of this tool is to monitor the situation or, as investors also say, the temperature, the entire stock market or industries of interest. The family of American market indices occupies a special place in the world hierarchy due to its size and, of course, its "authority". Observing the dynamics of changes in certain indices allows you to make a judgment about the current state of both the entire US economy and its individual sectors, and helps in making an investment decision.The presence of ETFs for stock market indices allows its participants to invest in a financial instrument that allows them to diversify their investments at a lower cost than when repeating the index independently. However, it must be remembered that buying futures or investing in an ETF of a separate index does not allow you to choose only the best representatives of the index, but forces you to purchase the entire set of shares of the companies that make up it, both "good" and ...

To date, there are more than 200 stock exchanges with various levels of capitalization around the world. The activities of such financial institutions have an impact on the intensity of the economic processes of the entire market. In particular, the stock exchange provides optimal conditions for the turnover of securities and acts as a price regulator for them.The oldest trading platform is considered to be the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Its foundation was timed to coincide with the annual fair in 1585. By that time, Frankfurt had become a real economic center of Germany, where traders from almost all countries of the world flocked. The abundance of various banknotes provoked financial difficulties when concluding transactions. To solve this problem, the stock exchange was created. With its help, it was possible to create a single payment system and develop a fixed exchange rate.World stock exchanges and features of their functioningDespite the large number of financial regulators operating in all countries of the world, only a few of them have preserved and increased the power of their economic potential. Their capitalization level exceeds $ 1 trillion and accounts for 87% of the total market of the whole world. The rating of the world's largest exchanges is based on stock indices and data on the total turnover of trades. Today it looks like this.New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)It was created in 1792 as a result of an agreement of a group of American entrepreneurs. Shares of more than 3 thousand of the largest companies around the world are listed on its site. To successfully complete the listing, an investor needs to have an average annual income of $2.7 million. The Dow Jones index, as well as the NYSE Composite and NYSE ARCA Tech 100 Index are calculated based on the indicators of industrial companies' shares on the stock exchange.Read more: What is the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)NASDAQIt began its work in the 1970s as an automated quotation system. Today, more than 4,000 companies, mainly related to the IT sector, are represented in the listing of the exchange. A number of trading indices are calculated on the exchange, each of which is associated with a specific economic sector. The NASDAQ Composite and NASDAQ National Market Composite index are consolidated.London Stock Exchange (LSE)The official date of its opening is considered to be 1801, although this financial institution began to function since 1570 under the leadership of the royal adviser Thomas Gresham. By its structure, the London Stock Exchange is a joint-stock company that sells its own shares on the market. It accounts for about 50% of the turnover of all securities in the world. The exchange works not only with large companies, but also with aspiring entrepreneurs, to whom it provides loyal conditions. The composite index is FTSE.Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE)It first appeared on the Japanese financial market in 1878. In terms of capitalization, it is currently in second place after the New York Stock Exchange. The largest companies of the Asian and European regions place their securities on its platform. The main index families are NIKKEI 225 and TOPIX (Tokyo Stock Price Index).Read more: About NASDAQ Stock ExchangeShanghai Stock Exchange (SSE)China's largest exchange is considered a non-profit organization and is under the patronage of the government Securities Commission. Based on the results of trading, the SSE Composite index is calculated, which reflects the state of the shares of all companies that are listed on the exchange.Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE)It has securities of one and a half thousand large issuers from Asia and Europe. Capitalization is at the level of $ 2.9 trillion, and according to this indicator, HKSE ranks sixth in the ranking of the world's major exchanges. The Hang Seng index represents the weighted average value of the shares of the 34 largest companies of the exchange.EuronextIt has its own branches in the Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium and France. In addition to securities trading, it provides clearing services and analytical information on the market. Its total capitalization is 2.9 trillion dollars. The list of indices calculated during trading includes: Euronext 100, AEX index, BEL20 and CAC 40.Read more: IPO of a company - mechanism, examples & strategiesToronto Stock Exchange (TSX)It first appeared on the financial market of North America in 1878. The Canadian dollar is used as the main currency. The S&P/TSX trading index reflects the condition of 200 companies whose financial weight is at least 0.05% of the total capitalization.Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE)It is a member of the United Union of exchanges of Asia and Oceania. Shares on the stock exchange are divided into two types: for residents and for foreigners. In 2016, free access to securities was opened for all investors, and a cross-trading system became available. The SZSE Component Index allows you to track the growth dynamics of the most liquid shares of 40 companies that are listed on the stock exchange at the current time.Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FWB)It has held a leading position on the German stock market since 1949. The main indicator of the DAX index reflects the value of securities of the 30 largest German companies and the state of the German economy as a whole.Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE)It is considered the oldest stock exchange not only in India, but also in the entire Asian region. It was founded by the British during the colonization of the country. At first, the auction was held in front of the city hall building under huge banyan trees, then a separate building was built for this purpose. Today, its capitalization level exceeds $ 1 trillion, which makes it possible to leave behind all potential competitors in the region. The main stock index is BSE.Read more: What is an IPO: how the company goes on the stock exchangeNational Stock Exchange of India (NSE)It was opened in Mumbai on the recommendation of the Government of the country. The exchange organizes trades on the stock market, debt obligations and production instruments. The exchange's listing includes more than 1,600 of the largest companies in the region. The Indian rupee is used as the settlement currency.Swiss ExchangeThe trading platform started functioning in 1995 after the merger of the Zurich, Geneva and Basel exchanges. Today, all trades are conducted only in electronic form. Based on the SMI Index, a conclusion is made about the state of the 20 largest companies, the aggregate share of whose securities accounts for 85% of all exchange trades.Australian Stock Exchange (ASX)The main stock and futures exchange in the region. The activities of this financial regulator are controlled by the State Commission on Investments and Securities. The main financial index of the S&P/ASX 200 consists of the value of securities of 200 names of blue chips.Read more: The DAX index – history of its creation, structure and featuresKorean Stock Exchange (KRX)It is among the leaders in terms of trading volume with derivatives. The total capitalization is $ 1.2 trillion. It was formed as a result of the merger of KOSDAQ and the Korean Futures Exchange. The headquarters is located in Busan. The main index is KOSPI.NASDAQ NordicIt is a group of subsidiaries of NASDAQ Inc., which manage the stock markets of the Baltic States, the Caucasus and Northern Europe. The headquarters is located in Stockholm. 564 largest regional companies are represented in the listing of the exchange.Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE)The largest trading platform on the African continent. She started working in 1887 with securities of gold mining companies. Bidding is conducted "by voice" with subsequent offsetting through an automated system. The exchange gives preference to mining sector stocks. The main calculated index is FTSE/JSE.Read more: S&P 500 Stock Index - history, calculation and forecastingMadrid Stock Exchange (BM)Various exchange instruments are traded on this platform. In terms of capitalization, it is considered the largest stock exchange in Spain, far ahead of regional offices in Barcelona, Valencia and Bilbao. IBEX 35 is the base index of the exchange.Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE)It is located in the capital of Taiwan - Taipei. Transactions on securities of mainly regional companies are carried out on this trading platform. The total capitalization level is 0.8 trillion dollars. Based on the results of trading, the overall TAIEX financial stability index is calculated.Sao Paulo Stock Exchange (BM&F)It was formed as a result of the merger of the Brazilian Trading and Futures exchanges. The total value of transactions made on the trading floor per day exceeds $1 trillion. The main Ibovespa calculation index includes the value of securities of the largest companies that participate in the auction.Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV)The exchange began its work in 1908. The headquarters is located in Mexico City. Since 1999, all transactions have been concluded electronically. The IPC index includes the value of securities of the 36 largest issuers that are listed on the exchange.Read more: Nikkei 225 Index - history, calculation and the featuresMoscow Stock Exchange (MOEX)The holding was formed in 2011 after the merger of RTS and MICEX. Currency, securities, derivatives, precious metals and grain trading transactions are concluded on the exchange. In addition, the Moscow Exchange carries out clearing and depository activities. The Moscow Exchange indices are among the key indicators of the state of the Russian economy. Based on the results of trading, the Moscow Exchange Index is determined (calculated in rubles) and the RTS (calculated in US dollars).Italian Stock Exchange (ISE)It was founded in 1808, in 1998 it became a joint stock company, and in 2007 it merged with the London Stock Exchange. The trading platform is located in Milan. The FTSE MIB index is calculated based on the value of the shares of the 40 largest companies, the list of which is regularly reviewed and updated.Helsinki Stock Exchange (HEX)It began its work in 1908. Since 1980, the transaction system has become fully automated. Shares and derivatives of large corporations, including Nokia, Finnair and Tikkurila, are traded on the exchange. The main stock index is OMX Helsinki 25.Read more: Index NASDAQ 100 - history, advantages and what it depends ...

Indices for the investorNews reports often inform us about the growth and fall of stock market indices. Obviously, this is important, since it gets into prime-time news. However, what should this mean to the ordinary man in the street?Reference books tell us that "An index is a derived quantity ..." and behind the jumble of words they do not always give us an idea of the essence. School memories about "dividing something into something" generally set the right vector for reflection, but here it is critically important to understand what to divide into what and why. So, let's figure it out.Read more: Index NASDAQ 100 - history, advantages and what it depends onWhat is a stock market index in the financial world?Let's start from the beginning and consider the very first index that appeared in the world: this is the soaring Dow Jones Index. Its first version appeared back in 1884, and this index still exists today. The emergence of such a tool was associated with the need to assess the dynamics of industrial development in the United States. It was necessary to find some indicator that would help to assess whether production is growing or falling. How did you solve this problem?It's very simple: we took 12 of the largest industrial companies in the United States and calculated the average stock price for all. Then they did the same after some time. And again. And now several control points have already appeared and a graph has been built out of them, from which the trend was visible: in general, the prices of shares of the largest companies are growing or not. Since the growth of the share price is an indicator of investors' confidence in the industry, their desire to invest in it (and this is an opportunity for the industry itself to develop due to the inflow of investments), these calculations have become the main measure of industrial development. Therefore, the growth of the index means the development of the entire industrial sector, and the fall, respectively, indicates a crisis. The evaluation method proved to be viable, received the name of the authors-developers, and since 1896 the Dow Jones Index has been officially published.A lot has changed since then, including in the Dow Jones Index itself. There are Indices for different industries, for the economies of entire countries. And the indices themselves are now a little less straightforward - all sorts of correction factors are applied, dividends and a number of other factors are taken into account. However, the following principle remained unchanged: the index shows the average temperature of the development of an industry or a country.An interesting fact: from the very first version of the Dow Jones Index to the present day, General Electric was part of it.Read more: Nikkei 225 Index - history, calculation and the featuresThe Dow Jones index today is an indicator of the health of the US economy. It is calculated based on the value of the shares of the 30 largest companies. Another important index for assessing the US economy is the S&P 500, it is called the barometer of the American economy. It is calculated for 500 American companies that have the highest market price (capitalization).For Germany, the same index is DAX, for Japan - Nikkei 225. There are Indices for industries - for example, for energy, telecommunications, metals - they, in turn, show in the same way whether the industry is developing, stagnating or even in decline.Indices are the investor's loyal friendsFirstly, from the point of view of investments in the index itself: today there are tools in the financial system that allow you to earn on the growth of indices. And the indices are unique in this quality - they are always growing in the historical perspective. This is logical: civilization is developing, humanity is getting more and more benefits, and the index only reflects this process.And secondly, Indices help us evaluate the industry or economy of the country in which we want to invest in a security. The dynamics of the development of the industry or economy reflected in the index will help you assess the potential of a particular security: does it have the possibility of growth relative to the "average temperature" or is it worth waiting for a decline in quotations rather.Summing up, we note the main thing: indices are indicators of the development of industries and entire economies. Both governments and ordinary investors are guided by them. Therefore, when making a trading decision to purchase a particular security, it makes sense to look at the indices in order to assess the overall economic situation and understand the potential of the stock.Read more: S&P500 ...

Making a profit from financial instruments in the short, medium or long term is the main goal of any investor. Beginners prefer to use stocks and bonds, and we are usually talking about the direct purchase/sale of assets.But experienced traders often work with derivatives, the type of which is chosen based on the goals and skills of the investor. With the right approach, they allow you to make good money, with an inept one, serious monetary losses are likely.What are derivatives?Types of derivativesFuturesForwardOptionSwapFunctions of derivativesHow and where to trade derivativesChoosing a broker and opening a trading accountChoosing a derivativeAnalysis of the market situationPurchase of a contractWhat are derivatives?A derivative (derivative financial instruments) is a type of contractual contract that obliges the transaction partners to perform certain actions with the underlying asset in the future. Most often, this is the delivery of goods to a specific date at a given price on terms that do not depend on price fluctuations in the markets.The conditions prescribed in the derivatives contracts are called the specification. Holders have the right to sell the acquired derivatives, and their issuers are not always the owners of the underlying assets.Read more: Issuer of securities: definition, types and featuresDerivatives do not exist by themselves. These are derivative financial instruments that are inextricably linked to the value of the underlying assets, and there may be more than one of them.At the same time, the following can act as a base:Securities (Shares, ADRs, GDRs, etc.);Currencies (EUR/USD, GBP/USD, etc);Stock indexes (S&P500, Dow, NASDAQ, FTSE100, etc.);Commodities (metals, energy carriers, agricultural products, etc.);Macroeconomic and statistical indicators (key refinancing rate, inflation, weather, etc.).The derivatives futures market operates on the same principles as the securities and commodity exchanges. Pricing in this industry follows similar principles. At the same time, the total number of contracts presented on the market and the number of underlying assets are often not related in any way.Derivatives are a rapidly developing sector of today's financial system. According to the most conservative estimates, the volume of this market is $845 trillion. (the volume of world GDP is $86.6 trillion). A number of experts claim that the volume of the derivatives market reaches $2 quadrn.The first analogues of modern derivatives originated among Babylonian merchants. In Japan in the 17th century, rice coupons became widespread, and in the UK and Holland — options for flower bulbs. The first modern derivatives were launched on the London Stock Exchange in the 1860s. And they were actively distributed in the 20s of the XX century.Types of derivativesAll derivatives (derivative financial instruments) are divided into those that are traded freely (contracts of a standardized type on exchange platforms), and contractual (agreements in the OTC sector). Let's look at the most popular types of them.Read more: What is OTC and what are its featuresFuturesFutures contracts imply delivery on a specific date of the selected underlying asset at a given price. In fact, this is a contract of sale with deferred execution. There are futures:Settlement - without the physical movement of the goods or the change of the owner of the securities, the monetary settlement takes place on the day of the expiration date;Delivery - the goods are shipped directly within the specified time.Example: by buying oil futures, you can count on the delivery of the number of barrels specified in the specification by the deadline specified in the contract. But when buying index futures, only monetary settlement is possible, there is no physical commodity.Read more: What are futures: types, features, advantages and risksForwardForward contracts are concluded in the over-the-counter sector. They imply the delivery of the underlying asset at a given price by a specific date. Unlike standardized futures, they allow you to set additional conditions (quality, packaging, etc.), that is, there is still an opportunity for business maneuvers.Example: a large industrial production requires rolled metal after 5 months. According to analysts' forecasts, rental prices are expected to rise in the near future. At the moment, there are no free funds, as well as the desire to bear increased storage costs. The buyer and the supplier conclude a contract at the current price with the supply of products in the future with the payment of warranty security.Read more: Bulls and bears, as well as other animals on the stock exchangeAn example of a forward at the household level is drawing up a contract for the purchase and sale of an apartment in a house under construction or a car in a car dealership (if it is not in stock).OptionThe purchase of an option gives the right to buy or sell an asset in a given time period at a specified price. The first option is called call, the second-put. It is not necessary to execute the contract if the conditions are unfavorable for the owner (the projected price of the asset has gone in the wrong direction). It is acceptable to simply fix a loss in the amount of the option value.Example: on the stock exchange, a company's share is traded at a price of 50 dollars. The trader, having analyzed the market situation, revealed the probability of growth up to 65 dollars. He acquires a call option with the right to purchase a security at 50 dollars. with a guaranteed security of 10% (5 dollars.). When the desired price is reached within the specified period, the trader executes the option. And sells a share on the stock market already at the market price. If the forecast is not justified, it is permissible to resell the option cheaper or not to execute it, fixing a loss of 5 dollars.SwapA complex version of a futures contract, works on the principle of "2 in 1". A transaction is concluded for the purchase or sale of an asset with the simultaneous opening of a counter-directional transaction with the same asset on similar terms, but after a certain period. The main goals of using swaps are to increase the number of assets and reduce risks (hedging). The most common types of swaps are currency, commodity, credit, interest, stocks and precious metals.Read more: Swaps in the financial market. What are they and what are they given to the traderIn addition to these types of derivatives, there are other, less popular types — warrants, PCI, FRA, depositary receipts. There are also derivatives for derivatives, but investors are wary of such an instrument.Functions of derivativesDerivatives are acquired not only in order to become the owner of the underlying asset. Their functions are more diverse:Risk hedging (protection against sharp price and exchange rate fluctuations);Price arbitrage (conclusion of multidirectional transactions in several markets in order to make a profit);Tax optimization, for example, when using a stock swap, you will not have to pay a tax related to capital gains;Speculation on the price fluctuations of an asset;Reducing transaction costs;Expansion of earning opportunities through increased leverage (X100).Read more: Leverage on the stock marketHow and where to trade derivativesHow to trade derivatives:Choosing a broker.Opening a trading account and depositing funds.Choosing the type of derivative.Market analysis.Purchase of a contract.Working with futures contracts and options is similar. But there is one serious difference. Futures obliges to fulfill the conditions regardless of how the market situation develops for the owner. The option leaves the right to choose.As for the places where you can trade derivatives, ordinary investors are mainly available on exchanges where less than 20% of this type of assets are traded. Options and futures contracts are presented in the futures sections of these platforms.There are 64 exchanges working with futures in the world. One of the largest is the Chicago Mercantile Exchange CME (commodities and cryptocurrency).Among the cryptocurrency exchanges working with futures contracts, OKEx, BitMEX, Binance Futures, ByBit, Huobi and Deribit deserve attention (they are in the TOP 10).Read more: Overview of the Huobi Global ExchangeThe process of trading derivatives should be considered in more detail.Choosing a broker and opening a trading accountThe choice of a broker should be given maximum attention. In addition to having a direct access to the exchange platforms of interest, you should check the license. The list of licensed brokers is presented on the official website of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation.It is useful to get acquainted with the reliability ratings on specialized Internet resources and reviews of real customers. After registering on the broker's website, creating a personal account, verifying your identity and installing a trading terminal (QUICK, MT4, MT5 or the broker's own developments), you need to top up your trading account.In some cases, access to the demo version (if available) is provided without making a deposit.Read more: Stock market Broker: how to choose it and how to work with itChoosing a derivativeOne of the main advantages of derivatives (namely futures) is a wide range of assets. We choose the market category from the following options: indices, commodities (energy, agricultural products, etc.), interest rates (LIBOR, RUONIA, etc.), currency or securities.After that, we select the type of trading instrument (a specific type of metal, a brand of oil, etc.). The choice should be made taking into account the previous trading experience. If a trader has been working with stocks for a long time, then futures and stock swaps are among the preferred instruments.Analysis of the market situationBefore making a final purchase decision, you should analyze the market situation using fundamental and technical analysis. It is necessary to take into account everything that may affect the value of the underlying asset in the future.It is not superfluous to study the history of quotes and track the news background.Read more: Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME): history, structure, advantages and featuresPurchase of a contractAt the final stage, we determine the type of contract and the nuances of the specification. For example, there are 2 futures options available for gold — a standard one for 100 ounces and an e-mini (10 ounces). Having selected the necessary asset, we make a purchase request and confirm the transaction.At first glance, trading in derivatives (derivative financial instruments) seems simple and understandable.In reality, you need a lot of trading experience, a knowledge base, an understanding of the market situation, skills in analysis, risk management and the use of leverage.In the absence of proper training, it is advisable to undergo training and try out various strategies in the demo version. For beginners who do not have system knowledge, it is advisable to start with the most liquid and volatile instruments — oil futures, indices or blue-chip stocks.Read more: Causes of inflation and scientific approaches to their ...