Investing In The Stock Market

A 29 year old young marine engineer from India wants to invest in stocks. He has been advised to invest in stocks by another first timer who is 65 years of age in USA! After retirement, he has taken to investing in the stock market. A bored housewife monitors the trading regularly once her husband leaves home! All have diverse plans but each person wants to make money through the stock exchange. Never has the Sensex been so attractive to draw the attention of investors. Who does not want to make money? Is trading safe? Will the US recession hit the trading season badly? What is the right time to invest and which are safe companies to invest?

Today doing anything without specialized knowledge can be dangerous. Every niche industry has consultants to advice debutants. Getting into the share market is like entering a jungle. Without an investment guide, even a regular trader can get confused. Before making an entry in the trading ring, study, for at least three months the existing stocks and monitor the market movement. Speak to habitual traders, and brokers to understand how it works. Well researched and hands-on knowledge on the trading practice will familiarize you with the common phrases, names and even codes used in the market. There are many online financial sites that give customary tips and advice to invest. You would need a financial calculator, online access to the stock exchange and a brokerage account. Much before that, you will have to decide why are you investing in the stock market? What financial goals have you set and what time period has been set to make profits? This is critical to determine which stocks you will be picking up. There are different plans for short and long time trading.

For investment you will have to make a portfolio to maintain and track the account of the companies being investing in. Read and research about the performance of these companies and monitor them regularly. You cannot risk any money on companies that fluctuate. There is a choice of premium (also referred as blue-chips), mid-cap and lower end stocks. The portfolio should be diverse enough to withstand losses. Try not to sell the stock, if its points come down. And do not rush to buy just because everyone is doing so. There is manipulation even at the stock exchange and one has to remain calm in the face of the storm. It is difficult to understand right away, but once the interest is there, investment in stock market can become a heady experience.