Stocks – also known as company shares, equities, or shares in a corporation – are a fundamental part of many investors’ plans to build wealth. But their complex nature can make them hard to understand. Investing in stocks can provide the opportunity for significant returns, income through dividends and portfolio diversification, but it also comes with risks. Understanding these risks and balancing them with your own risk tolerance and financial goals is essential for success in the stock market.
Stocks represent ownership of a company and are sold on the public market. This allows everyday people to invest in companies, as well as gives companies the chance to access capital. This type of investment is typically the higher-risk portion of an overall investment portfolio, but can help you reach your financial goals through growth over time.
When you buy a share of a company, it can grow in value as the business grows and generates a profit for its shareholders. Over time, this can increase the amount you have invested, which is what most investors are after. The value of a share can fall, however, depending on a variety of factors, including the economy and how the company is performing.
Generally speaking, the stocks of stable businesses tend to have steady growth in value. Buying stocks of several different companies helps diversify your portfolio and reduce the risk that any one particular stock will decline in price.
While it can be easy to focus on the daily fluctuations of stocks, a long-term look at history shows that, on average, stocks have earned around 10% annually. This is even after adjusting for inflation, making it a great place to put your money if you are saving for retirement or other long-term goals.
The stock market is a human place and, like any market, can be subject to emotional and behavioral influences that can impact prices. It’s important to keep in mind that the short-term volatility often smooths into a general upward trend and, as with any investment, your return will depend on the amount of risk you take.
Another way to categorize stocks is by their industry, which may be a useful indicator of the stability of a company or its prospects for future growth. Cyclical stocks, for example, are stocks of companies that rely heavily on consumer demand and can suffer in economic downturns when consumers are less likely to be spending. Non-cyclical stocks, on the other hand, are likely to perform better during a downturn.