| You've also got fear-based news headlines and social media hype hitting you on your smartphone and computer all day. Overall, it can be difficult to know which strategies will actually lead to consistent gains. But over my 20+ years as a trader, I've developed some tried-and-true methods for finding the best buy opportunities. Here are 3 key factors I look for before trading a company. Use these and watch your trading confidence skyrocket. No. 1 - Notice the product in the real world The first thing I look for when trading a stock is real world value. For example, say I'm at a coffee shop, and I notice a lot of people wearing a certain kind of shoe. That's a strong buy signal because that company has demand. This is especially true with women's spending trends. Women make up 70-85% of household purchases, so noticing what women are buying is one of my staple strategies for finding companies worth trading. Start looking for these consumer trends and you'll be ahead of 90% of other traders. No. 2 - Look for an upcoming catalyst A catalyst is a known date/event that could determine whether the market is bullish or bearish on a company. These catalyst events include quarterly earnings reports, product launches, mergers, buyouts, ETF inclusion, and FDA approvals. Before these events happen, you'll often see traders buying, shorting or hedging a stock. Then, the market digests the outcome and a stock either spikes or falls. Keep in mind - this is not about guessing what's going to happen to a stock ahead of earnings. However, when you're aware of these events - you can position yourself in a way that increases your likelihood of a winning trade. | 
