Investment Basics
All Logifin articles in the “Investment Basics” category.
35 articles
What is a recession and how it affects investors?
How a recession is defined, what causes one, how the markets usually behave during it and what an investor can do to prepare in advance.
24 min read
What are the signs before a bear market?
How to read the macroeconomic indicators, the market behaviour and the investor psychology that often appear before a fall of more than 20%.
19 min read
Minimalism and investing: Can they coexist?
How the idea of less but better organises your spending and leads to a simple portfolio you can hold for years without second guessing it.
14 min read
What is the 50-30-20 rule and how can you apply it?
The simple rule that helps organise your finances and build financial stability
16 min read
5+1 reasons to start investing today
Six reasons to start investing now instead of waiting for the right moment, from compounding and small amounts to the discipline it builds.
9 min read
When should you start investing?
Why time in the market matters more than perfect timing, how much delay actually costs you and how to begin with small amounts and DCA.
15 min read
What is the Fed and what is its role?
The world’s most powerful central bank and why its decisions affect every investor
15 min read
What is hedging and when do we need it?
What hedging is, which tools investors use for it, what it costs in giving up return and when a private investor genuinely needs it.
17 min read
What is a money market fund and how does it work?
How a fund that holds short dated, high quality debt securities works, what it returns, what risks it carries and when it belongs in a portfolio.
10 min read
Dow Jones vs Nasdaq-100 vs S&P 500: The differences and when to follow each one
The three leading U.S. indices compared on composition, concentration and risk, with guidance on which one is worth following and when.
11 min read
What is the ECB and how does it affect the economy and the markets?
The role of the European Central Bank in our everyday lives and investments
15 min read
What is inflation and how does it affect your investments?
The “invisible tax” that reduces purchasing power and changes the rules of the game for investors
16 min read
What is a market maker and why is it critical to the market?
How a market maker quotes a continuous buy and sell price, how they make money from the spread and why they keep trading liquid and orderly.
12 min read
What is a mutual fund? The complete guide
The most widely used form of collective investment and why it remains popular worldwide
16 min read
What are bonds and why do professionals invest in them?
What a debt security is, which types of bonds exist, what risks come with them and the role they play inside a portfolio.
13 min read
What are derivatives (futures, options, swaps) and how do they work?
The tools professionals use for hedging, leverage and high-precision strategies
22 min read
What is the stock market? The complete beginner's guide
Understand how it works, who participates and why it is a central pillar of the global economy.
20 min read
What is a stock and how does it generate profit?
What owning a share of a company means, how profit comes from capital gains and dividends, what sets the price and what the risks are.
16 min read
How do economic indicators affect the stock market?
GDP, inflation, unemployment, interest rates: how economic indicators move the stock market and what investors should watch.
15 min read
Investing in gold through ETCs: The complete guide
When does it make sense to add gold to your portfolio and which ETCs are worth considering?
15 min read
What are thematic ETFs and are they worth having in your portfolio?
From AI and clean energy to biotechnology: investing in trends or a hype trap?
16 min read
What is the right geographical allocation for a European investor?
Europe, USA or global? How to build a balanced portfolio based on geography
18 min read
Developed or emerging markets? Which ETFs suit you best in the end?
The geographical allocation that can make the difference in your portfolio
17 min read
The 5 most popular stock market indices – and the ETFs that track them
From the S&P 500 to the MSCI World: Which indices define global markets
22 min read
How to choose between ETFs that track the same index
VUAA, SXR8, D500 – all track the S&P 500. Which one is actually worth it?
26 min read
Accumulating vs distributing ETFs: Which one suits you and why
How to choose between accumulating and distributing ETFs based on taxation, your tax residence and what you plan to do with the dividends.
13 min read
How to create a budget that works in practice
A practical guide to taking control of your finances, step by step and without guilt.
12 min read
Compound interest: Why it is called the "eighth wonder of the world"
The phenomenon that turns time into the strongest ally of your investments. And how not to cancel it.
11 min read
What is an ETF? The complete beginner's guide
Learn how ETFs work, why they have become so popular and how you can use them to invest with strategy.
22 min read
How to build a resilient portfolio
A guide for investors who want to build something stable, simple and rewarding over the long term.
19 min read
How much you should save and invest each month
What the data says, what the well-known rules suggest and how to find the number that fits your own life.
11 min read
How to start investing: A beginner's guide
The complete guide to start investing: strategy, products, choosing a platform and the traps you need to avoid.
15 min read
FIRE: The road to financial independence
What the FIRE movement is, how to calculate your own number and what you can keep from its philosophy, even if you are not aiming to exit at 40.
12 min read
DCA: The most stable investment strategy
What dollar cost averaging is, how it lowers risk and when it beats lump sum investing.
15 min read
ETF or stocks: Which strategy is right for you?
A guide for investors weighing single stocks against ETFs, covering diversification, cost, taxes and the time each approach really demands.
15 min read