Stock Market

business · investing · economy · money

What stocks are. A stock is a tiny piece of ownership in a company. When you buy a stock, you own a small part of that business, and you can sell it to someone else later.

Public exchanges. Stock exchanges are special marketplaces where millions of people buy and sell stocks every day. The New York Stock Exchange is one of the biggest and busiest in the world.

Making money from stocks. If a company does really well, your piece of it can become more valuable, so you can sell it for more money than you paid. Some companies also pay their owners a small bonus called a dividend.

Investment strategies. Smart investors don't just randomly pick stocks, they make a plan first, like deciding which types of companies they believe in and how long they'll hold onto their stocks.

Private and public stocks. Some stocks are sold on public exchanges where anyone can buy them, while other company stocks are only sold privately to special investors through crowdfunding or direct deals.