By Adam Walker
Locked in, locked down, shops open, shops closed, masks on, masks off? The level of corona confusion is still at a red alert level in Los Angeles, and indeed the whole country. Just a day after Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer announced that “how wrong we were when we thought there wasn’t a lot of asymptomatic spread”, the direction of action to fight the corona pandemic is still uncertain. One thing remains certain though, life has changed for the foreseeable future. Everyday life has either stopped completely or has been altered dramatically. The simple handshake is going into extinction, talking to neighbors requires greater volume to make up for the increased distance. But where we have sacrificed, we have also found avenues new.
On 13th July 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom announced a closure of indoor facilities including gyms, hair salons and non-critical office settings. A necessary move, but one that will heavily affect the shape of the US economy which has already been crippled by the pandemic. Just over 20% of people in LA are unemployed, mainly due to closures of business establishments and many of them will also feel there is no hope, especially as the attempts to contain the virus are only producing slow improvement. So, what next for unemployed people? And what options are out there for the home-bound and home offices?
One thing people have come to rely on even more than before is the internet. What started as a phenomenon, communication online has almost become a social norm which people around the world have needed to stave off insanity at home. Socially, platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts have hit an all-time popularity high, but these avenues are also critical for businesses globally. The effects of unemployment are felt a lot harder in smaller places like Antelope Valley for example, but people have become more innovative during the pandemic period.
One industry that has entered more conversation circles over the past few months is trading. Entering the trading business has never been so easy. Plus, to get started you do not require a massive amount of capital. Technological advances have also made it very practical and convenient to trade from your own home. Of course, it is not as simple as opening up a website and buying and selling. There are a few things you will need to get your head around before you enter the trading arena. Like, whether the environment is actually for you for example. The pressures of the stock exchange are incomparable to that of other day to day jobs.
An integral aspect is learning about the industry itself. Learning about investing and the different markets. Trading is not gambling and requires a great element of skill to navigate the market to locate the right opportunities. And the right online broker is extremely useful as an aid in the trade battle. It would be helpful to compare some of the best trading platforms available to find the one that suits you best. With these offering bonuses and sign up offers for new users. And finally, once you have leapfrogged your way through the previous steps, you will be best served sticking to your guns. Strategy is key in trading and although it is sometimes useful to rely on instinct, plotting a deliberate path through the market produces more success.
We are currently living in an era where, sadly, we are forced to make do and improvise with certain aspects of our lives. The unfortunate result of people being made unemployed is a sign of the times but there are always other and new avenues to pursue while the world attempts to restore order.
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