The term “auto trading” means different things to different people. This makes it so that the risks of automatic trading depend on which type is being talked about. In one sense, the term refers to the use of software to execute trades in a live account. Another sense refers to allowing a broker to execute trades for an investor “automatically” – with no input from the investor. Both of these carry risks, but they are quite different from each other.

Using a Service to Perform Trades

There are many risks involved with this practice, which involves signing up for an investment newsletter and then allowing the newsletter operators to instruct your broker to make the trades recommended in the publication. These risks are common to many investment advice schemes: The newsletter’s performance may be overstated, its operators may have serious conflicts of interest, or it may be an outright scam. Keep in mind if you are using a discount broker, they are not authorized to consult or assist any advisor with respect to recommendations or strategies contained in any advisor or trade alert published by any advisor.  The broker’s sole responsibility will be to execute transactions for your account. As an Auto Trader, your investment object is speculation and will be recorded as such in the broker’s records.

To mitigate these risks, the SEC says to make sure to do plenty of due diligence, including following the money to see who can benefit from the trades and how. This agency also warns would-be investors to watch out for cherry-picked testimonials and profit reports, noting that some newsletters scrub their reports of negative results and bad reviews.

Options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors. Prior to trading options, you must be approved for options trading and read the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options. A copy may also be requested via email at support@Investrade.com or via mail to Investrade, 950 Milwaukee Ave., Ste. 102, Glenview, IL 60025. Online trading has inherent risks due to loss of online services or delays from system performance, risk parameters, market conditions, and erroneous or unavailable market data.