Trading Tools

Learn about specialized tools traders may use to make trading decisions.

How to Buy Stocks in 4 Steps for Beginners

From square one to your first trade: This video will teach you what a stock is, what to consider when trading, and how to actually place the trade on schwab.com.

Using Chart Drawing Tools on thinkorswim® Desktop

Learn how to add drawings in charts, draw trendlines, price levels, and Fibonacci retracements to help you identify trend as well as support and resistance.

How to Avoid 3 Technical Analysis Trading Pitfalls

Learn to avoid the three pitfalls of technical analysis and analyzing price patterns: impatience, inflexibility, and tunnel vision.

Credit vs. Debit Spreads: Let Volatility Guide You

When deciding between trading credit spreads or debit spreads, it can be helpful to align the options strike prices and expirations with the level and direction of implied volatility.

Advanced Stock Chart Indicators

When typical charting tools seem to be giving false signals, some traders turn to less common ones like the Standard Deviation Channel, Schaff Trend Cycle, and The Simple Cloud.

Uncover Hidden Price Levels with the Volume Profile

Here we'll review two ways the Volume Profile study on the thinkorswim® platform can help traders uncover hidden inflection price points.

Choosing Technical Indicators to Analyze Stocks

When analyzing stocks, there are several technical indicators available, including those for trend, momentum, and breakouts. Here's how to decide which technical indicators to use.

Simple vs. Exponential Moving Averages

Build on your charting basics and try simple moving averages for long-term charts and exponential moving averages for short-term views.

Hedging Principles on thinkorswim®

Learn three primary concepts traders think of when managing their portfolio—delta, capital requirements, and return on capital—and why these concepts matter to investors.

How to Create Stop Orders on thinkorswim® Desktop

In this tutorial, we'll show you three ways to create a stop order in thinkorswim® desktop.