Why You Should Never Buy Shares in Something You Don’t Understand

If you’re new to the trading landscape, you’ll quickly discover that there are a lot of golden rules that you need to follow to make money. Some of these rules are simple, like always sell when prices are high, and buy when costs are low. Some are a bit more complicated, like never purchase something with your heart, instead of your head. Money might not make the world go around, but it’s an important tool for a lot of people. When you begin buying and selling assets, your aim will be to make as much cash as you can as quickly as possible. This can sometimes lead to mistakes that you make based on greed or fear. With that in mind, it’s important to keep one essential rule in mind: always make sure you understand the asset before you buy into it.
Why Understanding is Crucial
You don’t have to help run a chemical company to ensure that it makes you money if you’re just an investor. However, you do need to make sure that you understand the industry, so you know when you should get out of a position when it’s going sour. Whether it’s with penny stocks or blue-cap companies, too often, many investors gravitate towards the industry that sounds the trendiest. However, the problem with taking this route is that first of all, you’re surrounded by a lot of other people.
If something already sounds like it’s trending, then you’ve probably missed the opportunity to buy low and sell high – which is another cardinal rule of trading. At the same time, there’s a risk that you’re going to be competing with people who know the industry better than you. On the other hand, if you get involved with a sector that you know, you’ll have behind the scenes knowledge that gives you an edge over the other people in your landscape. You’ll understand what it takes to keep the company in question up and running, and you’ll know what it means if certain bills are missed.
Getting an Insider’s View
Ultimately, successful trading is all about being more knowledgeable and quicker than your competition. You need to sell your assets before anyone else in your landscape knows that they’re missing out on a good thing. It’s hard to do that when you’re just responding to what other people in the marketplace are doing. If you don’t know your sector, then you won’t know how to spot the red flags that suggest it’s time to move to something new.
Alternatively, if you have a deeper understanding of the marketplace and how it operates, you’ll be the first to take action when you see an exciting new opportunity coming your way that other people might miss. This gives you a valuable advantage over other investors that won’t have the same insights as you. Remember, knowledge definitely is power in the investing world. The more you know about what you’re buying, the more likely you are to make a profit. More importantly, you’re also less likely to lose money too.