How to Invest In Stocks

Investing in the stock market is the most tried-and-true method for building long-term wealth... but it's not without its risks. Learn the basics of stock investing, find out how to analyze a company and its stock, and get the latest news impacting major companies and your investment dollars.
A trader looks over a stock's performance.
What Are Stock Index Futures?
Image shows a man sitting at a desk with trading features on his computer screen. He's reading a book that says "how to start trading". Text reads: "Tips to start trading stocks: open an account with a respected broker (online or in person); avoid the wash-sale rule of accidentally selling and then re-buying the same stock shares; try to avoid expenses and fees; understand the taxes that you may have to pay on your investments"
A Beginner's Guide to Online Stock Trading
how stocks work: Companies issue stocks to raise capital in an Initial Public Offering (IPO). Stockholders sell their shares on the stock market. Members of the public and investors buy and sell these shares. Stocks are bought and sold based on expectations of corporate earnings. Shareholders can make a return on their investment by selling shares at a higher price than purchased, receiving dividends, and through derivatives.
What Are Stocks?
Penny stocks
Here Is a Step-by-Step Guide to Start Trading Penny Stocks.
Investor reviewing stock prices
What Is a Derivative?
A man works at a laptop and reviews stock charts from an online broker.
Best Online Stock Brokers
Young Asian woman looking at smartphone while working with laptop in the kitchen at home in the evening
A Beginner's Guide to How Dividends Work
A young professional checks his penny stocks.
Best Penny Stock Trading Apps of 2021
Woman in front of laptop at desk studying pricing
A Beginner Investor's Guide to Understanding Dividend Yield
Millennials woman working in coffeeshop
A Beginner's Guide to Investing in Stocks
Man looking at cell phone in his office
Why Company Earnings Matter to Investors
Woman working as a stockbroker
How Do You Become a Stockbroker?
A Guide to Understanding How Shorting Stock Works
Woman at computer monitoring stock data
What Is a Stock Exchange?
Stock analyst looking at market data
What Is Stock Analysis?
Close up of calculator and data
The Ultimate Guide to Dividend Investing
Couple looking at screen with adviser
What Is Dividend Investing?
Facebook logo on wall with the company's other properties including WhatsApp, Instagram and Oculus VR.
Investing in Facebook: A Guide for Beginners
Stockbroker shows client stock charts on computer.
Which Matters More: A Stock's Value or Price?
Woman looking at stock quotes on monitors and her phone
What Is a Stock Market Quote?
Close up of Man Hand Analyzing Stock Market Chart
How Does Stock Trading Work?
A woman reviews her investments at home in the evening.
8 Stocks You Will Want to Own Long-Term
shot of a senior couple using a laptop
What Is a Stock Split?
Man Reading Financial News
Stock Share Price vs. Market Cap: Which Matters More?
Buying Stocks Without a Broker: Diect stock purchase plans (DSPP): participants pay via a payment plan ($50+ every month) or a one-time-purchase ($250-$500), The DSPP administrators batch the participants' cash and use it to buy company shares. Dividend Reinvestment Plans (DRIP): DRIP allows you take cash dividends paid out by the company you own and use them to buy more shares; expect nominal fees or no charge at all"
Why a Broker Isn't Necessary To Buy Stocks
Woman reading about stock market on ipad
First Time Investing? Here Are Stocks to Buy.
A man sits at his desk and determines the cash flow of a company he is considering investing in.
How to Use Current and Projected Cash Flow to Value Companies
Business people shaking hands after meeting
What Is the Difference Between a Bond and a Debenture?
Young asian man using smartphone joyfully in promenade
Best Stock Screeners of 2021
Planning a Personal Budget
The Benefits of Owning Blue-Chip Stocks
Young man checking the margin debt for stock investments in the newspaper and his his tablet
All That Glitters: Examining the Most Expensive Stock on Earth
a hand stacking coins positioned to look like a graph
Learn about this lucrative subset of dividend investing.
Financial advisor explaining index funds to a client
What Is the Russell 2000?
Fiinance section of a newspaper on a laptop
What Growth and Value Stock Labels Mean and How They Differ
Close up of women's hands holding smartphone
Why Do Stock Prices Fluctuate?
man investing in stocks on computer
How to Buy Stock for Your Investment Portfolio
Man (early 30s) working in home office
What Happens When You Get a Margin Call
Businesswoman whispering secrets into a businessman's ear
What Is Insider Trading?
A middle-aged man checking financial notes and working on a laptop.
Make Money Buying Stocks
How the Fear and Greed Index Can Guide Your Investing
American dollar currency symbol
These Are the Best Websites for Dividend-Paying Stocks
Man holding tablet and looking at the stock page in a newspaper
Manage Stock Trading With Limit Orders
Dividend Yield
Watch Out for Stocks With High Dividend Yields
Two men discussing the stock market news over a newspaper
What Are Cyclical Stocks?
Female business executive listening to presentation by colleagues in office conference room
What Is Book Value in Stock Evaluation?
International banker holds a mix of different countries' currencies
Top 10 Most Popular Foreign Stocks
graphic of a stock market display with an arrow climbing up away from it showing a stock rising in value.
To Split or Not to Split: Why Some Companies Don't Split Their Stock
Shareholders meeting with managers
What Is the Ex-Dividend Date?
FAANG Icons
Investing in FAANG Stocks
Couple sitting in front of laptop in their kitchen.
What Are Direct Listings?
Investment portfolio eggs
How Do You Find the Highest Dividend Stocks for Your Portfolio?
1903 stock certificate of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
6 Things You Never Knew About Stock Certificates
a Young Indian woman working in a restaurant.
What Is Margin Trading?
small cap companies
Is Now a Good Time to Invest in America's Small Companies?
Stock Certificate 5
Understanding Shareholders' Preemptive Rights
A magnifying glass and newspapers.
Intro to Stock Trading for Beginners
pegs and gavel
PEG Ratio: A Key Metric of Fundamental Analysis
The New York Stock Exchange
Learn how Wall Street works
Men is suits talking on the floor of the NYSE
How to Sell Your Stocks the Right Way at the Best Time
Mature man sitting at desk checking receipts
Calculating the Dividend Payout Ratio