Investing in the Stock Market

Over the past few years, the stock market has made substantial declines. Some short-term investors have lost a good bit of money. Many new stock market investors look at this and become very skeptical about getting in now.

If you are considering investing in the stock market, you must understand how the markets work. All of the newcomer’s financial and market data can leave them confused and overwhelmed.

The stock market is an everyday term used to describe a place where company stock is bought and sold. Companies issue stock to finance new equipment, buy other companies, expand their business, introduce new products and services, etc. The investors who buy this stock now own a share of the company. If the company does well, the price of their stock increases. Suppose the company does not do well, the stock price decreases. If the price you sell your stock for is more than you paid for it, you have made money.

Investing in the Stock Market 1

When you buy stock in a company, you share in the company’s profits and losses until you sell your stock or the company goes out of business. Studies have shown that long-term stock ownership has been one of the best investment strategies for most people in Vlogger Faire.

People buy stocks on a tip from a friend, a phone call from a broker, or a TV analyst’s recommendation. They buy during a strong market. When the market declines, they panic and sell for a loss. This is the typical horror story of people with no investment strategy.

Before committing your hard-earned money to the stock market, it will behoove you to consider the risks and benefits of doing so. You must have an investment strategy. This strategy will define what and when to buy and when you will sell it.

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History of the Stock Market

Over two hundred years ago, private banks began to sell stock to raise money to expand. This was a new way to invest and a way for the rich to get richer. In 1792, twenty-four large merchants agreed to form a market known as the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). They decided to meet daily on Wall Street and buy and sell stocks.

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By the mid-1800s, the United States was experiencing rapid growth. Companies began to sell stock to raise money for the expansion necessary to meet the growing demand for their products and services. The people who bought this stock became part owners and shared in the company’s profits or losses.

A new form of investing emerged when investors realized they could sell their stock to others. This is where speculation began to influence an investor’s decision to buy or sell and led to large stock price fluctuations.

Originally, investing in the stock market was confined to the very wealthy. Now, stock ownership has found its way to all sectors of our society.

What is a Stock?

A stock certificate is a piece of paper declaring that you own a part of the company. Companies sell stock to finance expansion, hire people, advertise, etc. In general, the stock sale helps coreopsis grow—people who buy the stock share in the profit company or losses of the stock’s stock are generally driven by short-term speculation about the company operations, products, services, etc. This speculation influences an investor’s decision to buy or sell and what prices are attractive.

The company raises money through the primary market. This is the Initial Public Offering (IPO). After that, the stock is traded in the secondary market (the stock market) when individual investors or traders buy and sell the shares. The company is not involved in any profit or loss from this secondary market.

Technology and the Internet have made the stock market available to the mainstream public. Computers have made investing in the stock market very easy. Market and company news is general almost anywhere in the world. The Internet has brought a vast new group of investors into the stock market, which grows yearly.
Bull Market – Bear Market

Anyone following the stock market or watching TV news is probably familiar with the terms Bull Market and Bear Market. What do they mean?

Steadily rising prices define a bull market. The economy is thriving, and companies are generally making a profit. Most investors feel that this trend will continue for some time. By contrast, a bear market is one where prices are dropping. The economy is probably in decline, and many companies are experiencing difficulties. Now, the investors are pessimistic about the future profitability of the stock market. Since investors’ attitudes tend to drive their willingness to buy or sell, these trends normally perpetuate themselves until significant outside events intervene to cause a reversal of opinion.

In a bull market, the investor hopes to buy early and hold the stock until it reaches its high. Predicting the low and high is impossible. Since most investors are “bullish,” they make more money in the rising bull market. They will invest more money as the stock rises and realize more profit.

Investing in a bear market incurs the greatest possibility of losses because the trend is downward, and there is no end. An investment strategy, in this case, might be short-selling. Short selling is selling a stock that you don’t own. You can make arrangements with your broker to do this. You will, in effect, be borrowing shares from your broker to sell in the hope of repurchasing them later when the price has dropped. You will profit from the difference in the two prices. Another strategy for a bear market would be buying defensive stocks. These are stocks like utility companies unaffected by the market downturn or companies selling their products during all economic conditions.
Brokers

Traditionally, investors bought and sold stock through large brokerage houses. They made a phone call to their broker, who relayed their order to the exchange floor. These brokers also offered their services as stock advisors to people who knew little about the market. These people relied on their broker to guide them and paid a hefty commissions and fees. The advent of the Internet has led to a new class of brokerage houses. These firms provide online accounts where you can log in and buy and sell stocks anywhere you can access an Internet connection. They usually don’t offer any market advice and only provide order execution. The Internet investor can find some good deals as the members of this new breed of electronic brokerage houses compete for your business!
Blue Chip Stocks.