Free Trading School · Level 1: What Is Trading?
The markets you can trade
Almost anything with a price that changes can be traded. These are the main markets beginners come across, with their key traits.
| Market | What you trade | Hours | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Shares of companies (Apple, Shopify) | Exchange hours, e.g. 9:30 to 16:00 New York time | Moves on earnings and news; easy to understand |
| ETFs and indices | Baskets such as the S&P 500 or TSX 60 | Exchange hours | Diversified; smoother than single stocks |
| Forex | Currency pairs such as EUR/USD | 24 hours, Monday to Friday | Largest market in the world; usually traded with leverage |
| Commodities | Gold, oil, wheat (often via futures or ETFs) | Nearly 24 hours on weekdays | Driven by supply, demand and the economy |
| Crypto | Bitcoin, Ether and others | 24/7 | Very volatile; check regulation and custody |
| Futures and options | Contracts based on other assets | Varies | Advanced: leverage and expiry dates |
The principles in this school (trends, support and resistance, risk per trade, position sizing, psychology) apply to every market. Pick one market to start and learn its personality before adding others.
Start with one liquid market that fits your schedule. Liquidity means tight spreads and fewer bad surprises.
Quick answers
Almost anything with a price that changes can be traded. These are the main markets beginners come across, with their key traits.
Start with one liquid market that fits your schedule. Liquidity means tight spreads and fewer bad surprises.
Forex. The forex market passes from Sydney to Tokyo, London and New York, so it trades around the clock on weekdays.
Next lesson: How traders make (and lose) money