You are here: Home

The London Stock Exchange is now closed.

Practice your trading techniques with fantasy shares

Bullbearings is the stock market game where you can practice your trading techniques using fantasy shares without the risk of losing real money. Register free and receive �100,000 of virtual cash. Experience realistic trading first-hand with the UK's leading virtual stock exchange platform.

Watch it now!

Learn how the Stock Market works. We have a wide selection of trading videos, guides to the basics of the markets, lectures on trading techniques and market reports.

Free Trading Guides

Read our free, invaluable trading guides with clear and concise explanations on the basics of financial trading

Join us

Yes, it's FREE

  • Realistic trading in Shares, Forex, CFD, Financial Spread Betting & Fixed Odds
  • NO RISK of losing real money
  • Our Virtual trading platform works with real stock exchange information
  • Free private and public leagues to trade against friends

Financial news

Market buzz - Yesterday

Sector movers: Defensives thrive as investors scale back risk

Benjamin Chiou

With market sentiment still fragile following the heavy sell-off of the past two days, defensive sectors were thriving on Friday as investors refrained from taking risk ahead of the long weekend.

Company news - Yesterday

Messaging International pleases with full year results

Messaging International, an AIM-listed company and provider of innovative messaging services, was lifted by a 2.6 per cent in revenue growth for the year ended December 31st.

Broker tips - Yesterday

Broker tips: StanChart, AVEVA, Thomas Cook

Benjamin Chiou

Investec has maintained its 'buy' rating and 1,900p target price for emerging markets-focused lender Standard Chartered, saying that the stock remains its top pick in the banking sector.

Morning traders' note - Yesterday

Investors fleeing equity markets have pushed gold towards its strongest week

Daily global markets overview with the overnight activity and what can be expected in the markets today. Information straight from the traders’ desks. Insights on commodities, equities, stocks and forex currencies.

University Stock Challenge

Visit our Student Centre to compete in our inter-uni fantasy share leagues.

Corporate solutions

Find out how you can use our technology.
Visit our corporate site.

Traders' views

Be careful when trading on margin

By Ronnie Chopra

With record numbers of people trading on margin through CFDs and spread betting, it is extremely important not to use all the leverage available which can be tempting but one must resist -  as within a blink of an eye your position(s) can be wiped out.  

With leverage sometime 100 times for an instrument, especially indices one has to be very careful when trading as the risk/reward is extremely high. It is no joke to say that trading is riskier than visiting a casino. Profits and losses can be far greater trading!

As with most currencies...”it’s all about Bernanke!”

By Ishaq Siddiqi

Earlier this week we heard from the Reserve Bank of Australia and the minutes of their meeting, which generally confirmed what most had suspected: that the strength of AUD was a pivotal factor in what was an otherwise close decision to cut interest rates.

The all-important policy guidance at the end of the minutes reveals that the RBA opted to use “some” (the “some” comment is a repeat from a couple of weeks ago) of the scope afforded by the low first quarter inflation figures and outlook, to lower the cash rate. 

A stimulus programme might be the way to go for the UK

By Christopher Beauchamp

The latest Japanese GDP reading highlights the success that the new massive stimulus programme being carried out in Japan has had in revitalising that stricken economy. Today’s drop in UK inflation suggests that the new Bank of England governor may be wise to suggest a similar policy for the UK.

The equity markets are too confident to ignore geopolitical risk and war

By Ronnie Chopra

The markets seem to be extending their highs in recent days with no concern about the continuing threat of war in the Middle East.

This morning, news that Israeli and Syrian forces have exchanged fire across the ceasefire line in the occupied Golan Heights was largely ignored by the financial markets. 

Sharp fall in silver today – fallen to levels not seen since September 2010

By Ronnie Chopra

This morning silver fell to levels not seen since September 2010 as commodity prices slumped overnight in Asia and this extended in early London trading. Although here is plenty of physical buying from China, India and the Middle East – there is heavy computer ETF selling.

A strong dollar and outperforming equity markets have shifted investor’s attention to more risky assets with silver suffering.

Please select game...

CLOSE

Which trading game would you like to trade with ?