subject: Stock Market Lessons For Dummies [print this page] This is an appropriate way to describe the stock market. It is also the reason behind the intimidation many new investors face prior to taking part in the commotion.
The stocks in the mutual funds are the same as the ones you have in your IRA and 401K. The same companies in mutual funds are the same in the S&P 500 Index which is the stock market. The S&P 500 Index is a list of the 500 largest companies in the world such as Target, AT&T, Apple, BP, Coke and hundreds more. By watching the S&P 500 Index you can see what and how the overall stock market is doing. Other indexes are the Dow Jones Index but it only has 30 companies and the Nasdaq Index which has many small companies. These two Indexes follow the direction of S&P 500 Index because of its more well known companies.
How exactly today's stock markets evolved into being is a long story dating back many centuries. Even though trading and corporations began in the early days of civilization, the first charters of corporation were recorded in Britain in the 16th century. The first joint stock companies began in the Netherlands. In 1602, the Dutch East India Company was the first company in history to issue bonds and shares.
Over the centuries stock markets have undergone vast improvements and today most stock markets incorporate advanced technology in to their trading process. For example, in the Tokyo stock exchange trading is completed by computers. Even though the exact process of stock markets depends on their internal organization, in every country stock markets are under government regulation to ensure the safety of investors.
To know when the stock market is declining and losing money is to look at the 1 year low. The 1 year low means the stock market price is below the same price it was 12 months ago. It also means no money was made in your retirement fund. When the stock market is above its 1 year low in the past 12 months you can rest assure that the stock market has stopped declining.
After finding a suitable brokerage firm, you will find that setting up an account with them is no more complex than opening a bank account or creating a new email address. The sum of the deposit required for accounts varies with each firm. Once you've set up shop, your money is placed in an interest-bearing account and it is yours to command.
Stocks listed under the firm are "held in street name" and are insured by governments up to a certain sum, against bankruptcy or fraud of the brokerage firm. Of course, you get no such guarantee for stocks listed under your own name, although you will get the actual stock certificates. Most investors choose to have their stocks held in street name because of the massive reduction of paperwork and stress that is instead transferred to their brokers; individuals who are well trained to process, track and store related paperwork.
The answer is right in the chart because this is physical evidence of what is presently occuring every day. These are real companies with their stock prices going up or down. When most or all stock prices are starting to decline, it is the sign that the investors are selling. The reason they are selling is because these companies are about to be earning less money than before. Stock prices go up when companies increase theirs earnings and they down when their earnings are decreasing. You can this yourself by looking at the S&P 500 Index chart.
Don't get in and out of the market. If you have made mistakes and suffered losses, be strong, learn from your mistakes and improve. But if you decide that the stock market is not really the thing for you-leave and leave forever. You don't want to lose more than you already have. Do remember... "It's just business- nothing personal! Have you taken a loss today? Forget it. Have you taken a profit today? Forget it even quicker! As an investor, don't let your ego, fear and greed come in the way of clear and rational thinking. To be a successful investor you must always practice patience, determination and rational thinking in the face of challenges.
Do Lots of Background Reading and Research. Even if you believe that you have the best broker in the country it is mandatory that you know exactly what is going on in the market. Remember it is your money. In order for you to make the best decisions you must have all the available information. So as well as reading the daily press like Financial Times / Wall Street Journal etc, try to read the trade magazines and annual reports of the firms you have or are hoping to invest in. Don't be left behind
Here is one way of calculating your chances of success. It is known as the Average Profitability per Trade (APPT). APPT measures the average amount a trader can expect to win or lose per trade using a simple mathematical formula. It is based on historical trading results. The formula is as follows: Average Profitability per Trade = (Probability of Win x Average Win) - (Probability of Loss x Average Loss).
