Trading in financial markets can be exciting and rewarding, but for novice traders – especially in a volatile environment – the risks can quickly outweigh the rewards if approached without proper preparation and caution.
Understanding these risks and implementing sound risk management strategies is essential to achieving long-term success.
Capital allocation: the first rule of trading
One of the cardinal rules of trading is to never risk money you cannot afford to lose. Novice traders often fall into the trap of allocating too much of their total available capital to short-term trading, driven by the allure of quick profits. However, overcommitting capital can lead to significant financial stress and poor decision-making.
Experts generally recommend dedicating only a small portion of total capital to trading, such as 2 per cent to 5 per cent maximum, depending on individual risk tolerance and financial goals. This conservative approach ensures that losses, if they occur, will not jeopardise overall financial stability.
From a psychological perspective, trading with money that one cannot afford to lose amplifies emotional stress, leading to irrational decisions like revenge trading or abandoning a strategy altogether. This emotional volatility often mirrors market volatility, compounding losses and creating a vicious cycle.
Behavioural biases and psychological impacts
Behavioural finance highlights several biases that traders must be wary of, including overconfidence, loss aversion, and herd mentality.
Overconfidence may lead traders to take excessive risks, believing they can consistently predict market movements. Loss aversion, on the other hand, can make traders hold on to losing positions for too long, hoping for a reversal, instead of cutting their losses early. Herd mentality often causes traders to follow market trends without proper analysis, leading to overexposure during market bubbles or sell-offs.
To mitigate these biases, traders should develop a disciplined trading plan and adhere to it, irrespective of market noise or emotional impulses. Regularly reviewing trading decisions and seeking feedback can also help in recognising and addressing behavioural pitfalls.
Risk management tools: essential safeguards
Effective risk management is the cornerstone of successful trading. Novice traders should familiarise themselves with the following tools and strategies.
Stop-loss orders: Setting a stop-loss order is crucial to limit potential losses. However, it is vital to tailor stop-loss levels to the specific characteristics of the instrument being traded. For example, a highly volatile stock may require a wider stop-loss to account for price swings, while a less volatile instrument may warrant a tighter stop.
The above reverberate on the position sizing, a too often disregarded pillar of risk management in trading. The size of a trade should be directly proportional not only to the trader’s capital and risk tolerance, but also on calculating how much of your capital to allocate to a single trade based on the perceived risk and volatility of the asset.
For instance, if you are willing to risk 2 per cent of your trading capital per trade, your position size should be adjusted to ensure this limit is not breached, even if the stop-loss is triggered.
Another often misused concept in trading, especially if short-term driven, is diversification. While it is true that spreading investments across different asset classes or instruments can reduce overall risk and relying too heavily on a single asset can lead to catastrophic losses in the event of adverse price movements, in short-term trading, we should avoid engaging in too many trades, which might make it difficult to properly implement and properly monitor the chosen strategy.
This is also linked to the necessity of a deep understanding of the instruments and the trading environment.
Before entering a live trade, it is imperative to study the instrument in detail. Different instruments have unique characteristics that affect their trading behaviour such as:
Liquidity: Instruments with low liquidity can have wider bid-ask spreads, leading to higher transaction costs and difficulty in executing trades at desired prices.
Volatility: Highly volatile instruments can offer significant profit opportunities but also come with increased risk. Understanding the average true range or standard deviation can help gauge an instrument's volatility.
Trading costs: Fees such as spreads, commissions, and overnight financing (swap) charges can eat into profits. Ensure these costs are factored into the trading plan.
Furthermore, novice traders should spend sufficient time on a demo account to familiarise themselves with the trading platform and practise executing trades. However, they must recognise that demo trading lacks the emotional intensity of live trading. The absence of real money at stake can lead to overconfidence in strategies that might not perform as well under real-world conditions.
Transitioning from a demo to a live account should involve starting with small positions to gradually acclimate to the psychological pressures of live trading.
In order to adequately manage risks, other factors must be taken into consideration, such as:
Economic and market analysis: Stay informed about macroeconomic events, earnings reports, and other market-moving news that can affect volatility.
Avoiding leverage misuse: While leverage amplifies potential gains, it also magnifies losses. Use leverage judiciously, keeping risk levels manageable.
Maintaining a trading journal: Keeping a detailed record of trades helps identify patterns, refine strategies, and avoid repeating mistakes. A trading journal should include details like entry and exit points, position size, and the rationale behind each trade.
Continuous education: Markets evolve, and so should your knowledge. Invest time in learning new trading strategies, understanding market trends, and staying updated on financial innovations.
Roberto D'Ambrosio is the chief executive of Axiory Global
Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
23-man shortlist for next six Hall of Fame inductees
Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Viera, Ian Wright.
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How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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