I also dabble in stocks and shares, which grants me a certain independence.

我也涉足于股票，因此我有一定的经济独立。

From what I gather, he had lost heavily dabbling in stocks, and concealed the fact from his father, a man of strictly conservative habits.

据我所知，他在股票投资中损失了一大笔钱，还隐瞒着他父亲，他父亲是个严守旧观念的人。