| If you are a novice at investing, you need to read | | | | individual investors put in. There are also off |
| every word of this article on a stock market | | | | exchange markets where investors make the trades |
| education for a beginner. | | | | themselves. These are becoming increasingly popular. |
| The first thing you need to know is what the stock | | | | To get started with investing, open an account at an |
| market is. Companies sell shares in their company to | | | | online brokerage like E-Trade or contact an offline |
| raise money. When you buy a stock, you are now an | | | | broker. Then, you will want to select the stocks you |
| owner of a sliver of the company. As such, you will | | | | would like to buy. Make sure you do your research |
| often get a dividend which is a portion of the profit | | | | before you buy. Don't go with your gut. Also avoid a |
| the company makes each quarter. | | | | "hot tip" from a friend or from an internet chat room. |
| You will also be able to sell your shares on the stock | | | | Instead, look at the overall strength of the company, |
| market exchange. Hopefully, you will be able to sell | | | | their price to earnings ratio, the strength of the |
| them for more than you bought them. Ideally, the | | | | industry, and the company's leadership and |
| shares will be an appreciating investment over time. | | | | management. |
| Stocks are traded on an "exchange" such as the | | | | That is how you get a stock market education for a |
| NASDAQ or New York Stock Exchange where actual | | | | beginner. |
| traders work out deals based on the buy-sell orders | | | | |