Spread betting shares is simple, fun and potentially very profitable. True ? but also a notion that has ruined many a trader. It can be dangerous; most people lose ? facts which Robbie Burns, the Naked Trader, is not slow in pointing out in his latest book. 'The Naked Trader's Guide to Spread Betting' is a truly valuable body of advice on how to minimise these risks and maximise your spread betting profits.
From the outside, the world of spread betting can seem intimidating and complex, a pursuit for City boys in pinstriped suits and neon orange Ferraris. But ordinary people can definitely win (and never have to pay a penny in tax!). It is something that all traders and investors should be looking into, Robbie explains, as an extra flexible tool with an impressive array of canny applications. (All of which are detailed in the book.)
Perfect for those who are new to spread betting, this book is also a witty and helpful refresher course for those happily buying and selling now (and those, of course, who have tried in the past but failed to make a success of it). Its incredibly useful and thorough advice on risk control is not the least reason for this.
Part I, ?Learning It?, begins with The Knowledge ? a breakdown of spread betting, from prices through to shorting and staking, with useful screenshots to show exactly what you should be doing at every step of a trade.
The second part of The Knowledge takes a more in-depth approach for once you have mastered the specific technical details, and broadens the information out to look at how best to approach your trading. Robbie looks at the tactical issue of real money vs pretend money when starting out, the use of charting, and dealing with your spread betting firm (whether in the ordinary course of events or in emergency).
All of this is interwoven with the personal advice and experience of the Naked Trader himself. This section is an invaluable guide to both the novice and the more experienced spread bettor, as often such basic points can be forgotten in the heat of the trade ? or are never fully looked at in the advice of firms themselves or other introductory guides.
Robbie also uses Part I to explain the marvels of The Great Stop Order, and how to really use them in successful spread betting ? covering stop-losses, target setting and trailing/raising stops.
Subsequent chapters in Part I look at the choice of markets to trade, a behind-the-scenes visit to two top spread betting firms and the all-important topic of trading psychology.
Part II, ?Doing It?, delves into the strategies that Robbie uses ? both long and short ? and how he puts them into action. Robbie shares real-life trades that he has put on in the past, and talks you through exactly what happened at each stage ? from how he identified his opportunities, to when he took his profits (or called time on losses). Refreshingly no-nonsense, Robbie shares trades he got wrong as well as those he got right ? and is never less than honest in deconstructing his own performance and how best you, like him, can make money in the markets with spread betting.
Following on from this, Robbie opens up the floor to readers of his website with his Trader?s Tales ? a chapter dedicated to people who have recently started spread betting and their stories, both good and bad, including ?My stop was still active!? and ?Lost £10,000 betting on house prices?. These stories are a good indication of what can go wrong, but the mistakes made and the lessons learned are invaluable. The book concludes with ?The Rules? ? Robbie?s main points and key advice when it comes to spread betting. And, of course, don?t forget the trademark Naked Trader quiz in the appendix!
Throughout the book, Robbie shows why spread betting is an indispensable tool to use alongside normal investing or trading ? especially as there is money to be made even if the market goes down. With more than 100,000 spread bets made in Britain every day, spread betting is now more popular than ever and Robbie?s new book is the ultimate guide to this ever-increasing sector: how to do it, have fun and, as he says, hopefully make a few quid!
