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US stock trading guides
The mechanics: accounts, tax forms, order types, costs and the specific rules that catch people out.
New here? Start with how to buy US stocks, then CFDs versus owning the share — that one distinction determines your tax, your dividends and your maximum loss.
How to buy US stocks, step by step
How do I buy US stocks?
US share CFDs vs owning the stock
What is the difference between a share CFD and owning the share?
The W-8BEN form explained
What is a W-8BEN and do I need one?
Penny stocks: what the risk actually is
Are penny stocks worth trading?
The pattern day trader rule
What is the pattern day trader rule?
US market hours, pre-market and after-hours
When is the US stock market open?
Fractional shares explained
What are fractional shares and should I use them?
US dividend withholding tax for foreign investors
How much tax is withheld on US dividends?
Limit orders vs market orders
Should I use a market order or a limit order?
Index funds vs picking individual stocks
Should I buy individual US stocks or just an index fund?
Position sizing for stock traders
How much of my portfolio should one stock be?
How shorting a US stock works
How do I short a US stock?
How to read a US earnings report
What should I look at in an earnings report?
What trading US stocks actually costs
What are the real costs of trading US stocks?
How to buy US stocks from abroad, legally and without overpaying
How do I legally buy US stocks from outside the United States?
Monthly dividend stocks: how they work and what to check
Which US stocks pay dividends every month instead of quarterly?
How to buy a specific stock
Reviewed September 2026. Information only — not investment, tax or legal advice.