| The first step is often the toughest. In order to | | | | you can make a virtual portfolio to test some of |
| make money in the stock market, you first must | | | | your stock trading picks, and you any and all news |
| commit money and that comes with your first round | | | | you would need to make educated choices is here. |
| of stock trading picks. With all of the stocks to | | | | The best thing about it is that there is no |
| choose from, how do you know which stocks are | | | | membership section. The whole thing is free! |
| going to make you money and which ones are going | | | | Your local business section- Many stock picking |
| to rob you of your hard earned money? | | | | experts suggest that you invest in a stock that has |
| You will hear the "experts" far too many times say | | | | local ties. Because I'm just down the road from |
| that buy and hold is dead and fundamental and | | | | Proctor and Gamble, my local newspaper has a lot of |
| technical analysis doesn't matter when such a large | | | | information about the rumored product launches, |
| volume of part time day traders are moving the | | | | layoffs, and other items of local interest. What is |
| market based on trends rather than analysis. I'm | | | | helpful is that before this information reaches Wall St., |
| going to make you a promise: if you operate using | | | | it often starts as a rumor in my local paper. You |
| that reasoning, you will lose money. | | | | need to keep an eye on the business section of your |
| It all starts with research. You have to pay your | | | | paper. |
| dues. Learn to analyze the charts, read all of the | | | | Your online broker website- It confounds my mind |
| articles, and listen to the conference calls. Some of | | | | how many people are trading through online brokers |
| this will be tedious and boring but this is your money | | | | who have amazing research tools. My broker, |
| that we're talking about so doing a less than | | | | Scottrade, has more research tools than I would be |
| complete job could cost you far more than just your | | | | able to use. Their site even has automatic |
| time. There is no excuse for bad stock trading picks. | | | | interpretation of the more complicated charts. |
| I have other articles about how to make the best | | | | Anything I would need, they have. So many people |
| stock trading picks by using research methods that | | | | don't have any idea what their broker has for them. |
| work but for now, I want to give you four websites | | | | You should be an expert on the research tools |
| that can help you find the information you will need | | | | available through your broker. |
| to make those educated choices. | | | | CNBC.com- I use this site for premarket quotes, and |
| Yahoo! Finance- I don't recommend Yahoo! for much | | | | late breaking news. This is my go-to site for news |
| but I really like their finance section. It's easy to use, | | | | from world markets and the numerous blogs that are |
| all of the charting tools that you need are available, | | | | written by the big names in the investing world. |