Thursday, May 16, 2013

What You Should Know About Stock Market Trading

Trading in stocks is one way for a person to make money and save for their future financial security. There are many avenues to profitability which all depend on your goals and the amount of money you can risk. Whatever your choice of investment, you need to understand market fundamentals. This article contains some great investing tips that can help you to understand the market. Before choosing a broker, do your homework first. Look at the resources offered online that can give you an assessment of each broker's reputation and history. These resources are usually free. By taking the time to investigate their background, you leave yourself less open to the possibility of investment fraud. A good goal for your stocks to achieve is a minimum of a 10 percent return on an annual basis, because any lower, you might as well just invest in an index fund for the same results. To project the potential return percentage you might get from a specific stock, look for its projected dividend yield and growth rate for earnings, then add them together. A stock whose earnings are growing at 12% that also yields 2% in dividends offers you a potential return of 14%, for example. You should never try to time the markets. You will be more successful if you invest regularly and stick to a budget. Just figure out how much money you have to invest. Develop the habit of regularly investing your money in the market. If you're confident doing investment research on your own, try using an online brokerage. Online brokers charge much lower fees since you handle most of the research yourself. The money you save goes right into your pocket, though. Excessive fees are an enemy to long-term success as an investor. Try to purchase stocks that will do better than average. Average is typically defined as 10% annually. The possible return of a stock can be calculated by adding its growth rate and dividend yield. For example, from a stock with a 12% growth and 2% yields, your returns will be 14%. As you can see, investing in the stock market can be fun and exciting. Whether investing in mutual funds or stock options, remember these tips to get the best returns.