The learning library

Less noise.
More understanding.

Plain-English guides, the original videos, a jargon decoder and answers to the questions people actually ask.

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Big ideas.
One clear starting point.

The eight One Minute Economics videos from the original letter, brought together in one browseable library.

Browse all eight videos

External videos load only after a click. Open the video details.

The jargon decoder

Finance, without the fog.

Plain-English definitions for orientation, not legal definitions. Terms can have more specific meanings in individual products and markets.

Bid–ask spread
The gap between the price at which you can sell and the price at which you can buy. It is one possible cost of trading.
CFD
A contract for difference: a derivative based on the change in an underlying price, rather than ownership of the underlying asset.
Chasing losses
Taking more risk in an attempt to recover money already lost.
Compounding
Growth or decline applied to a balance that already includes earlier gains or losses.
Concentration
Having a large part of your financial exposure tied to one asset, sector or outcome.
Counterparty
The other party to a financial contract or transaction.
Day trading
Buying and selling the same security within a day in an attempt to profit from short-term movements.
Diversification
Spreading exposure across investments; it cannot eliminate all risk.
Drawdown
A decline from an earlier peak in value, usually expressed as a percentage of that peak.
FOMO
Fear of missing out: a feeling that you must act because other people appear to be getting ahead.
Leverage
Financial exposure larger than your own committed capital, amplifying the effect of price changes.
Liquidity
How readily something can be bought or sold without a large effect on its price.
Margin
Collateral required to support certain positions. Rules and requirements depend on the product and provider.
Opportunity cost
What you give up by choosing one use of money or time instead of another.
Slippage
The difference between an expected transaction price and the actual execution price.
Sunk cost
Money or time already spent that cannot be recovered by changing the next decision.
Survivorship bias
Drawing conclusions from the visible survivors while overlooking those that disappeared or failed.
Volatility
The extent to which prices fluctuate. It is not the same thing as the full risk of an investment.

Related primary-source definitions and guidance: FINRA, SEC and the original explainer videos.

Reasonable questions

Let’s be clear about a few things.

Are you saying all investing is gambling?

No. This project focuses on short-term speculative trading. It distinguishes that from a considered, diversified long-term investment plan. Neither is risk-free. “Trading is gambling” is our campaign position, not a universal legal definition.

But some traders make money. Doesn’t that disprove the message?

Some do. The campaign does not claim that nobody wins. A visible winner does not establish good odds for everyone else, or prove that a result can be repeated after costs.

What exactly do your loss statistics describe?

Different populations and periods. Indian equity derivatives, UK CFDs and US household stock accounts are not interchangeable. Every evidence card states what was studied and what the finding cannot tell us.

Is your private check-in a diagnosis?

No. It is a reflection tool written for this site, not a validated clinical screening instrument. You can seek support regardless of your answers or account balance.

Will you tell me what to invest in instead?

No. We do not recommend securities, funds, brokers or personalized portfolios. The learning resources introduce concepts and encourage appropriate independent advice.

Do I need an account or an email address?

No. The tools and graphics studio run in your browser. There is no registration, newsletter gate, payment, or submission of your calculator inputs.

Can I share or adapt the campaign graphics?

Yes. Use the graphics studio and campaign kit to share the message. Keep source details on evidence graphics and do not imply that a named regulator endorses NeverTrade. Third-party videos and publications retain their own rights.

Does a trading app block count as self-exclusion?

Not necessarily. Bank gambling blocks and gambling self-exclusion schemes may not cover brokers or trading apps. Ask your provider what restrictions actually apply. Do not assume deleting an app closes positions or stops financial obligations.

You are more than your losses.

Worried about your own trading, or someone else’s? You do not have to figure it out alone.

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