Investing for Beginners

April 4, 2022Investors tend to use the terms “stock” and “share” interchangeably, and usually that’s fine. A stock comes in shares and you buy a share of stock. But these ideas aren’t always interchangeable. Technically speaking, a stock always refers to equity in a traded company. Shares can refer to stocks, as well as to portions of ownership… read more…

November 16, 2022Copper has resurged in demand, particularly in the industrial sector, rising roughly five times in value from 2001 to 2022. It is a versatile metal used heavily in home building, electronics, electrical conductivity, automobiles and infection control. It will benefit… read more…

January 16, 2025As exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and exchange-traded notes (ETNs) continue to grow in popularity, investors often debate the advantages and disadvantages of each. Both options can help diversify a portfolio, but they come with distinct benefits and risks. While ETFs and ETNs share similarities, they also have key differences that are important to understand before making… read more…

June 28, 2021Nikola is an American automotive company focusing on creating zero-emission trucks. It was founded in 2014 and is based in Phoenix. Like Elon Musk’s popular electric car company, Tesla, Nikola is named for famous inventor Nikola Tesla, though it has no actual connection to the man. Though Nikola has produced several interesting vehicle concepts, it… read more…

June 30, 2021Owning stocks is important for driving returns in a portfolio. But one question to consider is whether it makes more sense to invest in individual shares or an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that includes a basket of stocks. Choosing between an ETF and one or more stocks can depend on your risk tolerance and goals, as… read more…

May 8, 2023One of the most important aspects of investing is knowing how to manage risk. This is where hedging comes into play. A hedge can be a particular investment or investment strategy that’s designed to insulate your portfolio against risk. Hedging… read more…

June 22, 2021Carnival Corporation (ticker symbol: CCL) is a large British and American cruise operator with its headquarters located in Doral, Florida. Carnival went public on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in 1987 at a price of about $4 per share. Since then, the stock reached a historic high of about $70 in early 2018. However, at… read more…

June 21, 2021When it works, dividend growth investing is a best-case scenario for income investing. In this strategy you buy a stock that not only grows in value year after year, but it also pays you a steady yield in the process. On top of that, the payments themselves grow each year as the company earns value. With… read more…

June 21, 2021Risk premium is the added return that investors expect to earn from an asset such as a share of stock that carries more risk than another asset such as a high-grade corporate bond. The risk premium is what encourages investors to purchase riskier assets. Without a risk premium, investors would have no reason to put… read more…

March 7, 2025Earning dividends is a valuable source of income for investors, particularly those saving for retirement. The IRS allows so-called qualified dividends to be taxed at a lower capital gains rate than the higher income tax rate. Here’s a breakdown of… read more…

June 17, 2021Snowflake is a cloud data platform company that lets business customers consolidate data from multiple clouds and other sources. After the company’s 2020 initial public offering the price of its shares rose sharply, attracting the attention of hedge funds and other investors. Although it has yet to produce profits since going public, Snowflake is still… read more…

June 16, 2021As marijuana laws have relaxed, the pot trade has become a legitimate industry and some cannabis-related companies, including Nevada pot superstore operator Planet 13, have gone public, allowing investors to purchase their shares. Investing in cannabis companies has been complicated, however, by the fact that U.S. federal laws still prohibit marijuana. That has kept their… read more…

March 16, 2025The ex-dividend date explained simply refers to the cutoff point for investors to be eligible for an upcoming dividend payment. When a company announces a dividend, it sets a record date, and the ex-dividend date typically falls one business day before that. Anyone buying the stock on or after the ex-dividend date is not entitled… read more…

May 19, 2021A market sell-off happens when traders make a lot of sales very quickly. Sometimes a sell-off, which is a particularly aggressive form of a bear market, can encompass an entire market. Other times it may focus on specific industries or even individual assets. It isn’t always a bad thing when market sell-offs occur. They act as a… read more…

May 19, 2021Coinbase has taken cryptocurrency legitimate. At least, that’s the position of many in the cryptocurrency community who see the company’s IPO as proof that digital assets have arrived as mainstream investment products. Investors are excited about crypto, even if many don’t quite know what it is. Regulators haven’t made up their minds about how to treat… read more…

August 7, 2025Most people are familiar with traditional investment options like stocks, bonds and real estate. Some investors may be looking for ways to diversify their portfolio, though. One way to do that is by putting money into what is sometimes called… read more…

May 8, 2023When comparing investments, returns are one of the metrics you might zero in on. But there are different ways to gauge an investment’s performance. Absolute return measures an investment’s returns over a set time period. When choosing where to invest… read more…

February 24, 2023A joint-stock company is a company owned by several, generally private, investors. They’re an in-between creation, held more closely than a public company but more widely traded than a partnership. While largely, if not completely, replaced by modern corporate structures, the… read more…

May 7, 2021The stock market can be a volatile setting where each investor’s success depends on both strategy and their tactics. In addition, each investor must create a balance between minimizing risk and maximizing returns. Savvy investors know how to navigate fluctuating prices and follow the market’s patterns. They rely on objective data to help them make… read more…

May 8, 2023A spread trade involves buying a security and selling another identical or related security as part of one simultaneous transaction to benefit from market imbalances. Though complex and not familiar to the average retail investor, spread trades reduce investment risk… read more…

February 9, 2023Some of the more advanced trading platforms offer investors a service known as “Level 2 market data.” This usually comes as a premium feature, available for an additional price to investors who want it. If you’re a day trader or… read more…

June 3, 2021AMC Theatres has been around for a century. But a high-profile short squeeze coordinated on Reddit sent the company’s stock price soaring in early 2021. After a brief pause shares rocketed up again in late May, with the share price popping nearly 200% by early June. The flurry of activity created a newfound buzz for… read more…

May 5, 2021AirBnb is a popular short-term rental technology company that created a lot of buzz when it went public in December 2020. Founded in 2008 by Brian Chesky, Nathan Blecharczyk and Joe Gebbia, the company has seen its stock price jump over 20% since its initial public offering (IPO), despite the coronavirus pandemic’s negative impact on… read more…

February 18, 2023In early 2021, the Texas-based video game retailer GameStop dominated the financial news when its stock price skyrocketed amid a buying frenzy. GameStop (GME), which trades on the New York Stock Exchange, has been marked by its dramatic volatility. The stock… read more…

May 5, 2021Trading stocks and investing in other securities can help with building a well-rounded portfolio. While the two sound similar, there’s a difference in trading and investing when it comes to the speed and reliability of reaching your financial goals. If you’re unsure whether you’re a trader or an investor, or what the distinction even means,… read more…