A stock represents a piece of ownership in a company. If you invest in a company and it does well, the stock price will rise, and you can make money if you sell it later at a higher price. A stock’s price can be influenced by market trends, current news, and investor emotions. It can also be influenced by how established the company is, how well it’s doing financially, and its location in the economy.
A company can issue two types of shares: common and preferred. Most individual investors own common stock. Preferred shares don’t come with voting rights, but they are given “preferred” status in that earnings are paid to them before common stockholders. This makes them less risky than common stock.
Both share types can have different privileges attached to them, depending on how the company issues them. A stock’s class A, B, or C, for example, can indicate whether you get to vote at shareholder meetings, receive dividend payments, or be entitled to your money back if the company fails. It can also be classified as blue chip, large-cap, mid-cap, or small-cap, which indicates the company’s size. Other categories include growth, income, or value, which point to companies that are poised for future profits, higher dividend payments, or a rising stock price, respectively.
You’ll often hear about how a particular stock has performed in the past, but it’s important to keep in mind that past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. Stock prices can go up and down for reasons that have nothing to do with the underlying business, such as speculation about a future recession or the success of a competitor’s new product.
The stock price of a company is based on the law of supply and demand, which means that a stock’s price will go up when there are more buyers than sellers. However, it can also fall when there are more sellers than buyers.
If you want to buy a stock, you’ll need to find a broker who’s willing to buy your shares at the current market price. There are lots of brokers to choose from, including many online options. You’ll also need to decide how much you want to invest, and whether you want to use a limit order or a market order.
If you’re a buy-and-hold investor, you’ll hold on to your stocks for months or years in the hopes that they’ll grow in value over time. This approach may help you avoid the temptation to sell if you’re worried about a sudden market downturn. It can be difficult to stick with a plan like this if the markets are volatile, but you should focus on the things that are within your control and ignore the market’s gyrations.
