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CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 71% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 71% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Educational Articles

Knowledge Base

Reading time • 3 minute(s)
The FCA Consumer Duty: What is it?
The financial services industry has undergone a significant transformation with the introduction of the Consumer Duty. This regulation, enforced by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), came into effect in July 2023 and places a paramount focus on protecting consumer interests and ensuring that firms deliver consistently excellent outcomes. At the heart of the Consumer Duty are four core principles: acting in good faith, avoiding foreseeable harm, being open and transparent, and delivering fair value. These principles demand a fundamental shift in how financial firms operate, prioritising customer needs and well-being above all else. In this article, we will delve into the key aspects of the Consumer Duty, exploring its impact on both consumers and financial firms. We will also discuss how XTB is actively working to comply with this landmark regulation, ensuring that our clients benefit from enhanced protection, transparency, and fair value.
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Reading time • 11 minute(s)
Investing in Currencies
Picture a bustling marketplace that never sleeps, where traders from around the globe are constantly buying and selling. This isn’t your ordinary marketplace; this is the foreign exchange market, better known as forex. The foreign exchange market is the largest market in the world, but it is worth noting that the forex market is dominated by speculators who trade trillions of dollars every day, all over the world. But currencies are not just about trading. How can they be used in investments?
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Reading time • 6 minute(s)
What is Next for the AI Trade?
The Artificial Intelligence trade has been a huge market theme for most of the last 18 months, and big gains for the likes of Nvidia have been a key driver of US stock markets. However, has it reached a tipping point? As we move through the second half of the year, the AI trade can no longer be relied on to keep stock markets moving higher. Added to this, the Q2 earnings season also shows us that investors are becoming more demanding about the financial impact of Artificial intelligence investments.
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Reading time • 4 minute(s)
What’s Next for Global Stock Markets?
The first half of 2024 will be remembered for strong gains in stock markets, particularly in the mega caps stocks in the US and Japanese equities. Smaller cap stocks and European equities trailed these gains, however, there could be a chance for them to play catch up. The start of the year was dominated by the chip makers and US stocks, especially the tech stocks. The Nasdaq was one of the top performing stock indices globally, rallying more than 16% from January through to the end of July. Japanese stock indices were also top performers, the Nikkei is higher by more 13% than while the Topix is higher by 14%, as investor interest in Japan was piqued by the prospect of interest rate normalisation by the Bank of Japan. As we move through Q3 a new theme could be about to take over markets.
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Reading time • 5 minute(s)
The Outlook for Commodities in the Second Half of 2024
The commodity market has had a mixed year. After rallying strongly in the first few months of the year, as the months have progressed commodities and some raw materials have given back most of these gains. For example, Brent crude oil is higher by just under 3% YTD, however, it is down nearly 10% in the last three months. The price of copper reached a record high close to $11,000 per tonne in mid-May, however, it is now trading at just over $9,000 per tonne. The weakness across the commodity landscape is down to various factors including macroeconomic fundamentals as well as supply and demand factors.
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Reading time • 6 minute(s)
Best Stock Broker - How to Choose the Best UK Broker
Many individuals embarking on their trading journey often seek out the best brokerage firms in the UK. In the competitive world of online trading, XTB offers a comprehensive range of services and features designed to cater to traders of various experience levels and trading styles. In this article, we delve into what XTB offers, exploring the tools, platforms, and services that traders can expect to find catering to both beginner and experienced traders.
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Reading time • 8 minute(s)
Artificial Intelligence ETFs - Smart Investing in AI
Do you agree that technology will transform the world in the following decades? If yes, one may consider investments in the technology sector. After generative intelligence entered the business world, financial markets tried to value this historic change. It’s powerful enough to completely change some companies' valuation and disrupt business models. It’s really hard to choose winners, without risking investing in losers, as technology is changing constantly. Choosing stocks related to AI for some investors may be too risky and bring additional risks. Professional and individual investors often use exchange traded funds. Why? Those instruments give the opportunity to have well-balanced exposure to all technology, including the AI sector. This limits the potential of investing only in future winners, but it also limits the risk of investing in wrong companies, with inherent risks related to such investments. Navigating the growth of the artificial intelligence trend, our focused guide on ETFs which offer directly and indirectly exposure to AI. We will show pros and cons and try to identify key strategies for AI, focusing on Nasdaq100.
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Reading time • 2 minute(s)
Invest Wisely: Why Financial Education is Key Before You Start Trading
The financial markets can be a tempting arena, promising the potential for high returns. But just like entering anything new, proper training is crucial. Before diving into the world of trading, educating yourself about financial assets is the first step to making informed decisions and protecting your capital.
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Reading time • 3 minute(s)
The Importance of Maintaining a Presence in the Financial Markets All Year Round
Summer is a time for vacations, barbeques, and enjoying some well-deserved downtime. But whilst doing all the above, maintaining a consistent presence in the financial markets throughout the year, including during the summer months, is crucial for investors. Here's why it's important to stay engaged with the markets year-round.
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Reading time • 2 minute(s)
Building Balance: How to Diversify Your Portfolio with XTB
The key to a healthy investment strategy lies in diversification. By spreading your holdings across various asset classes, you reduce risk and improve your portfolio's resilience in volatile markets. XTB, with its diverse offerings, empowers you to create a well-rounded portfolio tailored to your financial goals. Here's how you can leverage XTB's platform to achieve effective diversification. XTB offers over 5,600 instruments to help you build a diversified portfolio, including stocks, ETFs, investment plans and other assets. Let's explore how you can utilise these to your advantage:
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Reading time • 1 minute(s)
Staying in Control of Your Investments
When you're an active investor, it can be challenging to monitor your portfolio 24/7. Unexpected market movements can happen at any time, and you need a way to stay informed and react quickly, even when you're not glued to your trading platform. Fortunately, XTB offers two powerful tools to help you maintain control over your investments - price alerts and stop loss orders.
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Reading time • 10 minute(s)
Best ETFs to Look Out For
Out of the hundreds, available ETFs, every investor wants to choose the one that will bring the highest return in the future. However, we cannot predict the future. In assessing the 'quality' of the ETF funds we choose, we can look at some basic information that will tell us more about the costs involved and, most importantly, whether they truly reflect the return of the asset, sector or index they track. In the following article, we will consider what ETFS to look out for. ETFs are mainly aimed at long-term investors looking for ways to diversify their portfolios, which can save time analysing each listed company individually. Speaking of 'best' funds, the article will refer to those whose broadly defined quality is high. This, of course, does not prejudge future returns. Without a doubt, the very popular ETFs are those offering exposure to the U.S. stock market and indexes like the S&P 500 or Nasdaq 100, although funds for emerging market economies or precious metals are also popular. Exchange traded funds (ETFs) make diversified exposure to global financial markets possible, without searching and buying hundreds or a thousand of stocks. From the precious metal, stocks of major companies around the globe, to bonds and emerging markets. Who has ever heard about bull market cycles, technology stock rallies or precious metals investments? Thanks to ETFs, investing gained popularity. However, in this article, we will learn more about how to select a high quality ETF, and we will present you with a few.
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Reading time • 14 minute(s)
Climate change investments: Maximising impact
The world is moving forward, and high economic development continues to generate significant levels of carbon emissions. The Earth's climate is changing, and restoring a sustainable environment will help humanity achieve long-term growth without disrupting the planet's ecosystem and the risks that supply behind its damage. A very important “green economy” trend has been hatched as a response to rapid climate change. However, it cannot happen without trillions of dollars worth of investment from the private sector. Climate change creates powerful opportunities for companies that get given the ability to create successful business models based on the new green trend. Investors who choose to invest in this change can expect long-term returns and a positive impact on planet Earth. Of course, this cannot take place without the risks that always accompany investments. How to invest and, above all, how to understand the trend of investing in climate change? From electric cars to investments in uranium miners to investments in water. Examine how renewable energy, sustainable transport, and carbon reduction technologies can align your investments with environmental sustainability and potential growth. Read this article to know how to benefit and impact from climate change investments.
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Reading time • 3 minute(s)
Utilities, Homebuilders, Healthcare & Tech firms: Stocks To Look Out For ahead of the UK General Election
We recently highlighted several stocks that could be worth watching as the general election approaches. Now, with the election drawing nearer, let's take a look at how some of those stocks have been performing over the past month in the lead-up to the big day.
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Reading time • 6 minute(s)
Poll Shows Public More Confident in Labour's Ability to Tackle Economy and the Stock market
The UK is soon approaching July 4, making the pound rally ahead of election day. Labour is still on track to win 40%, with the conservatives on 20% and Reform on 17%. This election is incredibly significant as it could end 14 years of the Conservatives ruling, meaning this would be Labour's biggest win since Tony Blair's 1997 landslide.
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Reading time • 11 minute(s)
How to Invest in Bonds: Strategies for passive income
Looking to diversify your investments or find a stable income source? Learning how to invest in bonds could be the answer. Our guide cuts through the jargon to give you a clear path to purchasing bonds, investing in bond ETFs, understanding their returns, and integrating them into your financial strategy. Whether you’re a seasoned investor or new to the scene, we have the insights and tools you need to navigate the bond market with confidence.
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Reading time • 17 minute(s)
UK General Election 2024: What Investors Need to Know
As anticipated by many on July 4, 2024, the United Kingdom will hold a general election. This election will involve voters across the UK selecting Members of Parliament (MPs) to represent them in the House of Commons​. The election is significant as it will be contested under new constituency boundaries established by the 2023 boundary review. These changes are expected to impact the distribution of seats, with some regions gaining and others losing seats based on population shifts​. This general election comes as part of the regular democratic process, and it will follow the dissolution of Parliament on May 30, 2024, leading to a 25-working-day campaign period​. With the UK less than six weeks away from the General Election, Keir Starmer’s Labour is leading ahead, after 14 years of the Tories ruling. Will this election be different and can it shake things up? This article is updated every few days to bring you the latest news and analysis concerning the latest UK election.
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Reading time • 3 minute(s)
The Bond Rating System: A Key to Understanding Credit Risk
Bond ratings are a crucial aspect of the fixed-income investment world. They act as a shorthand for the creditworthiness of a bond, essentially telling you how likely it is that the issuer will repay the borrowed money (principal) along with interest.
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Reading time • 6 minute(s)
Understanding Contango and Backwardation: Key Concepts in Commodity Futures Markets
In the world of commodity trading, the terms "contango" and "backwardation" are of paramount importance. These two market conditions describe the relationship between spot prices and futures prices, and they can have a profound impact on the profitability of trading strategies and investment vehicles tied to commodity futures. Understanding these market conditions is crucial for commodity traders, investors in futures-based products (like exchange-traded funds), and anyone involved in the physical trading or storage of commodities. Contango can erode the returns of long futures positions due to the need to continually roll contracts at higher prices, while backwardation can provide a tailwind for these investments.
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Reading time • 6 minute(s)
The influence of politics on investing
Investors often face a complex landscape when it comes to navigating the intersection of politics and investing. Political decisions and policy changes can have significant effects on the economy, industries, and individual stocks. Irrespective of your views on politics, this general election will be one to keep an eye on for the avid trader. History knows that a lot of the sharpest moves in financial markets were caused by political rather than economic events. There’s a direct link between politics and the economy, so it’s not a big surprise that politics can have a significant impact on financial markets. But how does this happen and why? An election can have a large impact on the financial markets. Elections can be viewed by traders as an isolated case of potential political instability and uncertainty, which can lead to greater volatility on the stock exchange.
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