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Gold Futures and CFDs, which should beginners choose?
Want to enter the gold market but get confused between "Gold Futures" and "Gold CFDs"? These two tools seem similar, but their trading logic, risk levels, and capital requirements are worlds apart.
Since 2025, gold prices have increased by over 60%, marking the largest annual gain since 1979. Institutions generally forecast that in 2026, the average gold price will reach $4,500 to $5,000. This strong market trend has many investors eager to try, but one wrong step could lead to significant losses.
First, the conclusion: if you have less than 100,000 in capital, are new to gold investing, Gold CFDs are more friendly; if you have experience with futures, sufficient funds, and want to trade real futures, then Gold Futures are the option.
What is Gold Futures? Why does it attract short-term traders?
Gold futures are standardized contracts traded on futures exchanges, where both parties agree to buy or sell a certain amount of gold at a specified price on a future date.

The core logic of day trading
"Day trading" refers to short-term operations of buying and selling within a single trading day. Investors can choose to "buy first, then sell" (going long) or "sell first, then buy" (going short), as long as they close their positions before the market closes. The main goal of this approach is to profit from intraday price differences while avoiding overnight risks.
Since Taiwan's stock market opened to cash day trading in 2016, trading volume has approached 40% of total transactions. The US stock market, with its T+0 system, inherently supports intraday trading, offering higher liquidity and flexibility. However, the rules for day trading differ significantly between the two markets. Investors must first understand: how many times can they day trade in a day, what are the transaction fees, and how high are the risks.
How many times can you day trade in a day: Taiwan vs. US stocks
Unlimited day trades in US stocks (based on PDT rules)
In theory, there is no limit to the number of day trades in US stocks. But in practice, it is constrained by the PDT (Pattern Day Trader) rule.

Currency Symbols: Practical Applications and Significance
In international trading and forex investment, accurately identifying each country's currency is crucial. Currency symbols serve as visual identification tools that help traders quickly gauge the fluctuations of different currencies. When you see the € symbol in the market, it immediately brings to mind euro-related currency pairs; similarly, the $ symbol instantly connects you to the US dollar market. These concise visual markers eliminate lengthy text descriptions, simplifying "USD 40" to "$40," significantly enhancing reading efficiency and trading speed.
Global Major Currency Symbols Quick Reference
The following list covers currency information from major trading markets worldwide:
| Region | Country | Currency Name | Code | Symbol |
|--------|---------|--------------|-------|--------|
| North America | United States | US Dollar | USD | $

Are you also overwhelmed by various technical indicators? Candlesticks, D-line, Golden Cross, Death Cross... These terms sound sophisticated, but in actual trading, they can leave you confused? Today, let's talk about the widely used Stochastic Oscillator, also known as the KD indicator. Although it seems complex, mastering its parameters is key to understanding its essence.
Quick Introduction to the Nature of the KD Indicator
The KD indicator was created by American analyst George Lane in the 1950s with a simple goal: to help you identify signals before price reversals. This indicator acts like a market thermometer, fluctuating between 0 and 100, indicating whether the market is overheated (overbought) or too cold (oversold).
The KD indicator consists of two lines:
- K line (Fast line): Reacts quickly and sensitively to market changes, representing the current

In recent years, with the surge in on-chain interaction demand, many investors have begun to realize the importance of asset security. Hot wallets are convenient to use, but issues such as private key management and mnemonic phrase safekeeping often lead to tragedies—forgetting passwords, theft, malicious software intrusion—causing cryptocurrency assets to vanish in an instant. Against this backdrop, cold wallets have gradually become an essential choice for long-term holders. But with a wide variety of cold wallet products on the market, how should one choose? How can you use them to truly protect your Bitcoin wallet and other digital assets? This article will answer these questions one by one.
First, understand the wallet classifications: Cold Wallet vs Hot Wallet
A 'cryptocurrency wallet' is essentially a key management system used to receive, store, and transfer digital assets such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Dogecoin (DOGE), Litecoin (LTC), and others. Based on the storage location of the private keys, wallets are divided into two categories:
Cold Wallet (

Bias (BIAS) is an indicator that measures the current price's deviation from the moving average line, expressed as a percentage. It helps traders identify whether the market is overbought or oversold, and when the price significantly deviates from the moving average, there may be opportunities for a pullback or rebound. Bias is divided into positive bias (price above the moving average) and negative bias (price below the moving average).

Starting Trading Taiwan Index Futures: Things You Must Know
If you're new to futures trading, you might have heard of "Taiwan Index Futures," but you're not quite sure what the "Taiwan Index Near Expiry" is. In simple terms, Taiwan Index Futures (abbreviated as TAIEX Futures) are futures contracts that track the movement of the Taiwan Weighted Stock Index, allowing investors to operate in both directions, use leverage, and trade during after-hours sessions. The "Taiwan Index Near Expiry" refers to the contract closest to its expiration date, covering quote data for the entire trading day (including regular trading hours and after-hours sessions).
The reason why TAIEX Futures attract many investors is mainly due to the following advantages:
- Bidirectional Profitability: Opportunities to profit whether the market rises or falls
- High Leverage: Only a small portion of the investment amount needs to be posted as margin
- Low Costs: Transaction fees are much cheaper than stocks, potentially as low as 0.01%
- Extended Trading Hours: Trading is available 19 hours a day, far beyond

In the world of technical analysis, the RSI (Relative Strength Index) is one of the essential tools for investors to learn. Whether you are a newcomer just entering the trading market or an experienced investor, understanding the core principles and applications of RSI can help you more accurately grasp the timing of entry and exit.
So, how exactly is RSI calculated? Why does divergence occur? How can we deal with the annoying dulling problem? How should the RSI parameter settings be chosen? This article will answer these questions one by one.
RSI (Relative Strength Index) Basic Principles
The core function of RSI is to measure the relative strength between buyers and sellers in the market over a specific period. Simply put, it compares the magnitude changes of upward and downward price movements to determine the market's bullish or bearish momentum.
Over the past decade, RSI has gradually become one of the most commonly used tools among traders worldwide.

By October 2025, the international spot gold price has surpassed $4,300 per ounce, setting a new record high. In the current climate of ongoing global economic uncertainty, both conservative investors and young demographics are beginning to consider gold as a potential asset allocation. From traditional gold bar investments to modern online trading tools, the ways to invest in gold are no longer limited to jewelry stores and banks. This article will provide novice investors with a detailed introduction to the investment characteristics of gold, various investment channels, and how to conduct scientific market analysis.
Why has gold become a popular investment choice?
A hard currency to combat inflation
Rising prices have become a global phenomenon, and salary growth often lags behind inflation. Keeping cash in banks long-term causes actual purchasing power to diminish year by year. In contrast, gold, as a tangible asset, has long-term value preservation characteristics.
Looking at data, after the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020, central banks around the world engaged in大量放水刺激

What are odd lots? Why should small investors understand them?
In the Taiwanese stock market, the standard trading unit is 1 lot (1000 shares), but investors often hold fractional shares due to unfilled orders, which are less than 1000 shares. These are called odd lots, with the minimum trading unit being 1 share.
Odd lots usually arise from several reasons: rapid stock price fluctuations causing orders not to be fully executed, transactions exceeding the target price before reaching the order price, or leftover fractional shares during company rights issues and dividends. In recent years, odd lot trading has become an important tool for small investors to conduct regular fixed investments, with each order limited to 999 shares, allowing investors with limited funds to participate in the market.
Odd lot trading hours and rules: grasping the trading window is crucial
Differences between intraday and after-hours odd lot trading
Starting from October 26, 2020, the Taiwan Stock Exchange opened intraday odd lot trading, significantly

By December 2025, the Taiwanese dollar has appreciated to 4.85 against the Japanese Yen, while remaining around 3.9 against the Hong Kong dollar. Many people are conflicted: should they exchange for Yen or HKD? Actually, the key is not which currency to choose, but to select the right currency exchange channel. The same 50,000 TWD, exchanged in different ways, can result in a loss difference of over 1,500—this doesn't even include subsequent financial planning. Today, we'll analyze the underlying logic of currency exchange with an example.
Hidden Differences in TWD Exchange Costs
Bank counter exchange and online remittance may seem to have only a 1-2% difference in exchange rates, but the actual amount lost can be quite surprising.
Taking 50,000 TWD as an example:
- Counter cash exchange: exchange rate 0.2060 (per Yen), loss of about 1,500-2,000
- Online remittance: favorable rate with a 0.5% discount, loss only 300-800
- Foreign currency ATM: immediate withdrawal but fixed denomination, loss of 800-1,200

The Japanese Yen faces renewed depreciation pressure, but a rebound signal has already appeared. Since mid-December, the USD/JPY exchange rate has experienced intense volatility, climbing to a high of 157.76 before pulling back amid market expectations of Japanese government intervention. Currently, investors are most concerned about whether this rebound can continue and if the Yen will enter a new appreciation cycle in the future.
Signals of government intervention are intensifying, and a turning point in the forex market may be imminent.
Recently, Japan’s finance authorities have been frequently expressing their stance, sending strong policy signals to the market. Decision-makers like Kasumatsu Katayama emphasized that the government has sufficient flexibility to respond to excessive exchange rate fluctuations. Jun Mimura even straightforwardly stated that the current exchange rate exhibits unilateral and extreme volatility, and the government will take appropriate measures to address it.
Industry insiders believe that the liquidity vacuum period from Christmas to New Year’s could become the best window for Japanese authorities to intervene. StoneX senior analyst Matt Simpson pointed out that if intervention

Hedging demand and dovish expectations jointly drive the market, with gold prices firmly above $4250
Recently, gold prices have experienced a remarkable rally, reaching a six-week high under the influence of multiple factors. Among them, dovish remarks from Federal Reserve officials have become the main catalyst—Federal Reserve Board member Christopher Waller and New York Fed President John Williams have successively signaled the possibility of further rate cuts, directly boosting market demand for non-yielding gold.
Meanwhile, White House economic advisor Kevin Hasset recently expressed willingness to serve as the next Fed Chair and pledged to implement more aggressive rate-cutting policies, undoubtedly adding fuel to the upward momentum of gold prices. Dovish expectations have exerted substantial pressure on the US dollar, with the dollar index falling to a near two-week low, further reducing the opportunity cost of holding gold.
Geopolitical tensions and economic data are simultaneously exerting influence, shifting market risk appetite towards caution
Gold

The shift in Wall Street's attitude often signals the precursor to large capital inflows. Leading global asset management giant Vanguard Group recently announced an adjustment to its policies, allowing investors to trade crypto-related ETFs and mutual funds through its platform. Almost simultaneously, Bank of America also made its first asset allocation recommendation to wealth management clients, suggesting a crypto exposure of 1% to 4% in their portfolios. What does this shift imply?
Key Signals from Mainstream Financial Institutions
This move by Vanguard signifies that crypto assets are officially entering the mainstream allocation framework for institutional investors. The company manages substantial pension funds and long-term investment portfolios, and its policy adjustment has structural significance — this is not short-term speculation, but an institutional-level recognition of the long-term value of crypto assets.
Bank of America's initiative is equally significant. The bank's approximately 1.5

Government Bonds Basic Knowledge
Government bonds (also known as national bonds) are debt instruments issued by the government, representing the government's financing from society, with a promise to pay principal and interest within a specified period. Due to the highest credit rating, government bonds are recognized as one of the safest investment options worldwide. Their stable income streams and ample liquidity features make them an important component of many international investors' asset allocations.
Four Major Categories of Government Bonds
Based on maturity periods, government bonds are mainly divided into four types:
Short-term Bonds (Treasury Bills, T-Bills)
- Maturity: Less than 1 year
- Issuance cycles: 4 weeks, 13 weeks, 26 weeks, 52 weeks, etc.
- Features: Zero-coupon format, issued at a discount, redeemed at face value upon maturity
- Suitable for: Short-term investors seeking high liquidity
Medium-term Bonds (Treasury Notes, T-Notes)
- Maturity: 2 years to

EUR/USD is hovering around the 1.1600 level as the market awaits key signals from the US employment report.
The next direction of Federal Reserve policy is being sought in September's non-farm payroll data. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics is scheduled to release the delayed employment data at 13:30 Beijing time on Thursday. This report will directly influence the recent trend of the dollar and also determine market expectations for the probability of a rate cut by the Fed in December.
The gap between market expectations and reality
This month's employment report is highly anticipated due to poor performance in August—only 22,000 jobs were added, well below market expectations. Economists forecast that non-farm payrolls will rebound to 50,000 in September, with the unemployment rate remaining at 4.3%. Meanwhile, as a gauge of wage inflation, average hourly earnings are expected to maintain a year-over-year growth of 3.7%.
However, some analytical institutions have provided more optimistic forecasts.

To make money in the foreign exchange market, you first need to understand what drives exchange rate changes. The seemingly complex fluctuations in exchange rates are actually the result of multiple factors working together. We have summarized the 9 most important influencing factors to help you understand why some currencies appreciate and why others depreciate.
Short-term impact: Rapidly changing market directions
Interest rate policies — the investor’s compass
When central banks change interest rates, it’s like adjusting the market temperature. When interest rates rise, foreign investors flock in because they can earn higher interest income. Increased demand causes the exchange rate to rise, strengthening the currency. Conversely, when interest rates fall, the opposite happens.
Take the Indian Rupee as an example. When the Reserve Bank of India raises interest rates, the downward trend of the Rupee is successfully contained. This is the magic of interest rate policies — they directly influence investors’ purchasing decisions.
Market sentiment — invisible but most powerful
Market sentiment is the hardest to predict but the most powerful factor. When trading

In the journey of forex trading, many investors struggle to accurately judge market trends. In fact, by understanding the powerful chart analysis tool of pattern recognition, one can discover regularities in price movements and greatly improve decision-making quality.
Why is pattern recognition so crucial for traders?
Pattern recognition is a technical analysis method that infers future market directions by observing and interpreting visual patterns formed by price movements. Its core logic is that: history repeats itself, market psychology cycles, and these human tendencies of greed and fear leave identifiable traces on candlestick charts.
Compared to complicated data models and complex indicator calculations, pattern recognition's advantage lies in its "intuitiveness"—you can quickly make judgments just by looking at the chart. Many successful traders owe their ability to swiftly buy the dip or sell at the top at critical moments to mastering pattern recognition.
The three core uses of pattern recognition in practical trading
Step one: Accurately identify trend reversal points