10 answers
Liuv’s Answer
Zed Monopoly
Julian Lewis
Zip Trader
Patrick Wieland
Woerthmore Investing
Market Moves Matt
Prashanth’s Answer
Scott’s Answer
Start by reading publications like The Wall Street Journal and Money Magazine. There are also many informative shows on CNBC. For a beginning investor, investing in individual stocks can be very risky. Remember, they make it look easy on TV. Mutual Funds are a great place to begin for an individual investor. While there is less risk than individual stocks, there is still risk, so be careful. Mutual funds can be researched in the publications mentioned above, as well as on the web. Look for sites like Morningstar. Start slow with a conservative fund while you are learning. Keep reading, watching, and gain your confidence very slowly. The stock market is a long-term investment that gains and loses value over the long haul. My comments are based on individual experience only - I am not an investment advisor.
Jaime’s Answer
Hue’s Answer
There is certainly a barrage of information out there about stocks and trading, options, etc. The best way to learn is to read about investing from some of the proven money managers over the last few decades. One of my favorite books is One Up on Wall Street by Peter Lynch. He will teach you the basics. From there, pick 2 to 3 sources of information that you can rely on. I wouldn't recommend more than that because you will just get too inundated by information and some will lead you astray. Personally, I keep up on business news on CNBC and Bloomberg. And I subscribe to Morningstar for stock analysis.
Lastly, once you are armed with information and have established a comfort level, start investing on your own. And it doesn't need to be too complex. Start with an index fund that mirrors the S&P 500 and once you have at least $10K in the broader market, you can pick individual stocks if you want to go that route. But if you do, don't have more than 8-10 stock names because you need to keep up with the companies you are investing in. Having too many will be hard to manage and keep up with. And you want a diversified portfolio across different sectors and areas (technology, transportation, financial, industrial, etc). Keep invested in the markets and let time work on your side - in the long term the stock market will overperform other asset classes.
Manjunath’s Answer
Today we live in a world which is knowledge- and data-rich, but time-starved. At the same time, we need to keep our skills current, to keep pace with rapid changes and disruption.
Stock Market provides an elegant framework for structuring continuous learning and for amplifying our creativity and potential. At a time when the formal education system is struggling to cope with the rapidly evolving skilling needs of the economy, Stock Market provides a framework that industrious professionals can use for sustained personal development.
As a professional, you have multitude of options to learn Stock Markets.
1. A lot of YouTube videos/Channels are available free of cost – subscribe what best suits you.
2. A lot of professionals are available on Twitter to guide you.
3. Infinite online literature through books is available for reading.
4. Try to cultivate friendship with people who are already into this profession.
5. Try to observe Stock Markets initially.
6. A practical example – try to follow the shares/stocks of the industry that you are familiar with. For example, if you love cars, follow the shares of Ford, Tesla, Tata Motors, etc.
Hope this helps you.
Manuela Constantinescu
Manuela’s Answer
Two years after I came in the US, on my way back from my first driving alone trip to New York, I got away alive from a head-on collision at 55MPH on the beltway with the orange barrels filled with sand and placed for protection at dangerous spots. I went online and I found out about the tunnel effect on the highway -a fundamental parameter of awareness that is NOT included in the brochure the departments of motor vehicles hand out for future drivers, or even in the driving schools' curriculum. I asked myself, where do "they" teach the most? I paid at the community college for the classes taken by future driving instructors.
My advice for you is to pay for the series 7 textbook and take it slowly or fast, depending on your background.
You will get the big picture. The robo-advisers come with give and take.
The professions that require a license and even more, errors and omissions/malpractice insurance coverage, involve a degree of danger and potential harm to the clients/patients the professionals serve. The financial industry is the second most regulated in the US - after the nuclear one. In the nuclear industry, the danger is done by micro particles out of control because the humans who take care of them made an error or did not follow a procedure. In the financial industry, the harm is done by the human greed, the asymmetric informational balance involved, and the unwillingness of the lesser informed to get more informed - to the best of its abilities.
Saadia’s Answer
Hi Devetra. I'm glad that you want to learn more before you start investing. If you're an investing novice, I suggest you read some books first to learn about investing and the stock market. You could start with a book called "Get a Financial Life" by Beth Kobliner. It's available on Amazon.com or at your local/college library. Also check out the author's website www.bethkobliner.com and see her tips on saving and investing.
Another book I recommend is "How to Speak Money: What the Money People Say and What it Really Means" by John Lanchester. This book explains a lot of terminology, including about the markets.
Finally, don't listen to any adviser who makes promises that don't meet the smell test. For example, someone who assures you that they can double your money in a short amount of time. Ask questions. Be skeptical. Investing in stocks is risky. It's your money, and investing wisely means educating yourself and not being afraid to ask questions.
Good luck!
Blake’s Answer
I would start by reading about the stock market in different reporting outlets. I would then reach out to a local investing agency and ask if they would allow you to come shadow them work for a day or two.
Thanks,
Blake