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As we celebrate International Women’s Day, let us reflect on the progress that women have made and choose to empower and celebrate women. In this article, we’ll discuss some tips for empowering women in trading, including the importance of financial literacy and building confidence to tackle the ever-daunting financial markets.
Key Points
- Start with a Plan: Begin trading with a basic strategy, familiarize yourself with different financial instruments, and gradually increase your trade size as you gain experience.
- Cultivate Self-Belief: Embrace calculated risks and learn from your mistakes. Utilize demo accounts to practice trading in a risk-free environment, boosting your confidence without financial loss.
- Leverage Community Support: Engage with online communities of female traders for advice, support, and mentorship, helping you to build confidence and succeed in the financial markets.
Women and the financial markets
Despite the increasing number of women in the workforce and their growing economic power, studies have shown that women are less likely than men to have basic financial knowledge, such as understanding credit scores or investing in the stock market. According to research, only 29% of female respondents engaged in independent online stock trading or investing compared to 47% of men. [1]
However, evidence suggests that when women do participate in the financial markets, they prioritise risk management more than males do, and studies from Fidelity Investments even show that female investors continue to outperform their male counterparts. [2]
So, why is it that women don’t participate in investing their money more often?
Financial literacy is the ability to comprehend and apply the basic concepts and instruments of personal finance to have a positive relationship with money. A certain level of financial literacy is crucial for both genders to actively participate in economic activities and make sound financial decisions for themselves and their families.
According to Annamaria Lusardi, a University Professor of Economics and Accounting at the George Washington School of Commerce, a third of the difference in financial literacy between men and women is not attributable to women’s lack of understanding, but rather to their lack of confidence. [3]
3 tips for building confidence in trading
Whether you’re a seasoned trader or just starting out, building confidence is crucial to success. Here are three tips for building confidence:
Take the first step
The first step is always the hardest.
Create a trading strategy that works for you, starting with the basics and working your way up. Learn about different financial instruments and how they work. Start with small trades and size up as you gain more experience.
Believe in yourself
Women tend to be more risk-averse than men when it comes to investing, but taking calculated risks and learning from mistakes is key to success. Educate yourself about the market and different investment strategies. Believe in yourself and your ability to make smart investment decisions.
One simple way to help kickstart building your confidence is through a demo account. Demo accounts allow you to dip your toes into the trading world without any risks. It is a testbed for you to make mistakes, learn and build confidence before taking it to the live markets. You can open a Vantage Demo Account in under 30 seconds! It’s quick, easy, and free.
Do it together
Join an online community of female traders and investors. Surround yourself with like-minded women who can offer support, advice, and mentorship. By learning from others and sharing your own experiences, you can gain the confidence and knowledge needed to succeed in the financial markets.
Empowering women to achieve financial goals
The good news is that more women are making financial investments outside of retirement plans. According to Fidelity, over two-thirds of women are now making investments, and they are starting at younger ages. [4] However, due to the gender pay gap, women typically earn less than men, leaving them with less money to work with in retirement [5].
This International Women’s Day, let us celebrate the progress we have made and continue to support and empower one another in all aspects of our lives, including finances and trading. Building confidence takes time and practice, but by starting with the basics, believing in yourself, and joining a supportive community, you can empower yourself to achieve your financial goals.
Happy International Women’s Day from Vantage! Follow us on social media for more tips to improve your trading.
References
- “How the investment industry can build female investor confidence – Financial Times.” https://www.ft.com/partnercontent/capital-com/how-the-investment-industry-can-build-female-investor-confidence.html. Accessed 2 March 2023.
- “Make Way for Women Investors: Record Numbers, Higher Returns – Fidelity Study Finds 50% Increase in Women Investing Outside of Retirement, New 10-Year Analysis Reveals Women Out-Performing Men – Business Wire.” https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211008005269/en/. Accessed 2 March 2023.
- “Gender differences in financial literacy – Florence School of Banking and Finance.” https://fbf.eui.eu/gender-differences-in-financial-literacy/. Accessed 2 March 2023.
- “Women and Investing: 30 Years of Research and Statistics Summarized – The Motley Fool.” https://www.fool.com/research/women-in-investing-research/. Accessed 2 March 2023.
- “What is the gender pay gap and is it real? – Economic Policy Institute.” https://www.epi.org/publication/what-is-the-gender-pay-gap-and-is-it-real/. Accessed 3 March 2023.
