Despite being one of the precursors of the Great Depression and the recent economic recession, stock trading is considered to be one of the best methods of earning passive income. This is because it is more stable, reliable, and profitable than other financial portfolios available.

To make sure that you end up becoming like Warren Buffett and not like some other professional who lost a lot to it, you may want to learn how you can start trading in the market. Here are some valuable tips:

Get to know the companies. To trade in stocks means to buy and sell shares in a company. For example, a public corporation may sell some of their stocks in the market, and you buy them. This way, you can have a share in their profits. In the same way, if you feel the urge to reduce the shares you have while getting good returns on the side, you sell them into the market.

Because you’re after security and reliability in stock trading, you want to make sure that the company where you’ve invested your money is also worth it. This means that they have sound financial statements and good management skills, two things that would enable them to beat out competition and survive the hard times.

Thus, you can start scouring for their reports, which can be annual, quarterly, or monthly, among others. Be on the lookout of any news or rumors about possible changes in the organization and confirm them. Know their status in the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Understand trading-specific terms. What is a dog or a bear or a bull? No, these are not ordinary animals. They describe the status of the market. For instance, a bull describes the rise of stock prices for a period of time. The opposite of it is known as the bear. There are even arachnids and dogs in stock trading.

Having clear understanding of these terms can help you greatly in making decisions. You know how to look at markets, ask the right questions to experts, and even predict the possible stock trading movements in the coming months or years.

Diversify your portfolio. It is always a wise move to not put all your eggs in one basket. This way, if something happens to the holder, you don’t lose all the contents. There are different kinds of stocks. You have common and preferred stocks, class A and B stocks, and other stock classes that will be offered by companies. Broaden your knowledge on each one of them and decide for yourself how much of your investment will go to some of them.

Learn from the experts. We’ve already mentioned Warren Buffett. This man is considered genius when it comes to stocks because of his unconventional yet revolutionary techniques of investing.

There’s no harm in emulating him or the men who have succeeded in the field. Though it doesn’t mean that their path will be the same as yours, it still pays to make use of tried-and-tested stock trading techniques.