The stock market is one of the most recommended ways to make your money work. It comes packaged with inherent risk and proportional returns. It also remains the most misunderstood investment avenue. Stock Market traders often make the news for creating and/or losing a fortune overnight. Such stories are enough to put off a new investor. The Internet has plenty of information to get a beginner started. Only if you know the best stock market sites. We have put together the 10 top stock market sites that would get you started on this exciting journey.
Motley Fool
If you are looking for a one-stop shop to all your financial queries, this is the website. Helping investors since 1993, Motley Fool comprehensively covers finances markets. For a beginner finding his feet in stock markets, Motley Fool is the ideal playbook. The best part about this website is its ability to present a well-rounded view of finance. Here’s a peek into what you can find here:
• Personal Finance
• Retirement Planning
• Banking Advice
• Investment Basics and Portfolio Tracking
• Brokers
Yahoo! Finance
No website covers financial news like this one. The landing page carries most of the information a user would ever need. Beginners can get a stock markets primer before they start investing. Seasoned investors can track their portfolio and set up their own investment plans. There is a “Personal Finance” tab that has a wealth of informative articles. It helps you create a portfolio according to your risk appetite and goals. You can also track the performance of your investments.
Investor’s Business Daily
IBD covers the entire spectrum of stock market investments. There is a “How to Invest” section for beginners to get you started. It has neatly organized educational content in the form of videos, webinars, and articles. It covers daily market trends, provides stock tips, research and news to give you a 360-degree view. Although overwhelming at first, it has quality content which is easy to navigate.
The Street
The Street is a publicly traded company and has been in business for over two decades. This Wall Street headquartered website covers the entire investment universe. There are specific sections dedicated to Personal Finance, Retirement, Investing, How-To, and Markets. This makes for easy navigation, especially for beginners finding their feet in investing. Their market analysis is top notch, and investors can put it to good use. They will teach you how to time your trades and diversify to profit from all market conditions.
Wall Street Journal
Finance professionals around the world use WSJ as their preferred information source. True to its name, it helps you keep tab of the pulse of Wall Street. The website’s landing page covers news and analysis of economies around the world. You get a snapshot of market indices and a bird’s eye view of market makers. There is a WSJ Students section at the bottom that will take you to a portal dedicated to education. You can set up alerts for notification about market conditions.
MSN Money
MSN Money has been a reliable market watcher for decades. A beginner will find excellent resources under “Personal Finance” and “Retirements.” It has comprehensive news coverage of global markets to keep you updated. It goes beyond financial markets and covers credit cards and savings tips. There is a “Tools” section which helps you calculate your financial needs. You can also analyze your portfolio’s performance and calculate retirement requirements.
Zacks Investment Research
Many stock investment websites may overload a beginner with information. Zacks Investment Research is an excellent starting point for a beginner. It focuses explicitly on investment ideas. A beginner will find excellent views about all the investment options. It has a section dedicated to Education, which is a useful resource for a beginner.
Morningstar
Morningstar is a time-tested, designed investment research website. Investors (esp. beginners) will love its minimalist design. Its Investing Libraries section provides up-to-date financial information. You can read the basics about stocks, mutual funds, ETFs and Bonds. It arms you with all the necessary information to manage your personal finances. Upon registering, you can create and track your portfolio. Users can also get personalized advice based on their portfolio to improve performance.
Investopedia
This is the investing Bible every investor should refer to. It delivers the ideal mix of stock market news and investment education. It has sections dedicated to Education and Academy. It is a treasure trove of information, especially for beginners. It highlights articles covering the basics of stock markets. This is very useful for a beginner to get up to speed. A Stock Simulator is icing on the cake, which lets you invest with virtual currency and learn hands-on.
How The Market Works
This is one of the most innovative websites you can use to learn about stock markets. The Internet is full of theories about stock market investments. Once a beginner absorbs that knowledge, he needs to get his hands dirty. How The Market Works gives you a virtual trading platform. A registered user gets virtual currency to invest on stocks. Stock prices mirror real markets which lend realism. The Education Center has useful content for beginners, intermediate and advanced level investors.
We wish these websites will provide you the information to get started. As education is a continual pursuit, we encourage you to keep visiting these. It will brush up your knowledge and keep you in sync with the times.