How to avoid fatal investment mistakes
One of the most fatal mistakes made by investors is not setting price levels when entering and exiting an investment instrument. This approach is akin to expecting zero risk and turmoil in the market, something which I deem foolish and naive. Perhaps one of the most recent shocks in the financial system is the sudden overnight surge in the Swiss franc after the Swiss National Bank removed the cap on it’s currency appreciation against the ailing Euro in mid-Jan 2015.
So is there a way to mitigate this risk? For sure there is. Technology has changed the way we live our lives and how we invest. We can never win technology, and therefore should always strive to leverage on technology to create and manage our wealth. Local start-up Call Levels has created a mobile app that simplifies trading and investing by focusing on a single primary need – the need for investors to be alerted when their selected assets hit pre-set price levels. Call Levels is a simple mobile-based market alert application that allows users to track and set alerts for foreign currencies, stocks (to be out in 2015) and commodities of their choosing. It will also provide snapshots for quick market analysis based on the customised alerts tracked by users. The app can be downloaded for free on iOS devices from the Apple iTunes Store.
The start-up’s co-founder, Daniel Chia, who was a sovereign wealth and hedge fund portfolio manager for the past eight years, created the app after realising that the complexity of existing finance and trading apps put off users who needed them most. “It’s for part-time investors, businessmen who watch currency moves and even finance professionals themselves” says Daniel. “Call Levels keeps things simple for anyone with an interest in the markets by focusing on only doing one thing well – free, reliable, real-time price alerts.”
The app allows users to select their assets to track, set price levels with a responsive slider, and then receive push notifications when the asset prices hit the desired levels. Users can also notify friends, brokers and bankers when the Call Levels hit by adding their contact details to the app.
Call Level app users will get the most updated information reliably across multiple trading markets and stocks, with a system algorithm that scans the market every minute. Leveraging on Agile development methodology, Call Levels team and 2359 Media built the app within two months, with a system that notifies users within seconds, ensuring critical information reaches users in a timely manner.
“Everyone should take ownership of their own wealth management,” said Cynthia Siantar, Co-Founder of Call Levels. “Unfortunately, the best tools in the market, like Bloomberg, are usually only available to the big players, and are too complex for non-professionals. We wanted to get critical and reliable information to everyone in the most efficient and simple manner – that’s why we developed Call Levels.”
The simplicity which Call Levels offers has received warm reception in an industry where complexity is the norm, raising USD$100,000 in funding within a month of its inception. One of the company’s angel investors, former GIC Director of Foreign Exchange, Commodities and Short Term Rates, Timothy Teo, feels the app may fundamentally change the way people trade.
“Call Levels meets a very important need for investors and traders to be informed about price levels whether for entry or exit,” says Mr Teo. “It will level the playing field for smaller players, who can now easily access customised news, views and relevant research whenever they set a price alert.”
Call Levels currently offers users real-time alerts for 930 currency pairs, gold, silver and other metals, with equities and indices to be introduced soon. There are plans to deliver market news to users over the app, customised to what assets they are tracking and where their alert levels are.
“Investors have become more self-directed, more informed and more tech-savvy these days,” says Daniel. “Even late adopters are now using technology on mobile to help them make investment decisions, but we have to make it as accessible as possible. This app helps to put critical information in everyone’s hands in real time so they can make informed decisions quickly.”
The free-to-download Call Levels app is available for Apple iOS devices on the iTunes Store. For more information, you can visit their website at http://www.call-levels.com.
Magically yours,
SG Wealth Builder
