Demystifying Shares & the Stock Market

Standing far back and looking out on to the stockstockholder meetings. The more shares you own the
market one will see a very complicated world with agreater say you have.
lot of seemingly scary numbers that constantly runThe reason people buy shares in companies is so
back and forwards. Looking closer, though, the stockthey can make money. As a part owner the investor
market becomes a lot more clear and it is seen thatmakes money when the company makes money.
it really isn't that difficult to understand after all.The money the investor earns comes to form in
The stock market is just that. A market where oneseveral ways.
can purchase or sell stocks. To understand the stockFirstly let's look back at the company that the share
market, therefore, is not much different thanis in. That company will earn a certain amount of
understanding a fish market. The more people wantmoney in a given period of time. That money has to
them, the more they cost. They less people wantbe used to pay for its operating costs, paying salaries
them, the less t hey cost. But should you want thisand the like. Whatever money is left over from that
one or that one? Well, using the fish market analogy,is in one form or another distributed to its owners;
you can not really understand what to buy at thator, share holders.
market unless you understand something about fish.Most companies pay out dividends at various points
So before you can zero in on just what stocks tothroughout the year. These are chunks of the profit
buy at the stock market you must understand atbeing distributed to the people who own the shares.
least something about what the stock actually is. AIf you own that one percent then you get one
stock, in another word, is a share. It is a share of apercent of the dividends. What does not get paid out
company that wants to allow anyone in the publicin dividends goes back in to the company so that it
sphere the opportunity to invest in a piece of theircan grow.
business.When a company is doing very well then a lot more
A company offering shares for public trade would nopeople will want to buy themselves a piece of it. To
doubt offer thousands of shares, but to betterdo this they will need to get themselves a share. If
understand it assume that it only offers a hundred. Ifthere are only those hundred shares though, then
you buy one share for yourself then you own, inthere are not a lot to go around. That kicks off the
essence, one percent of that company. As a oneeffects of supply and demand and, as such, the price
percent owner you have one percent weight overof each share will rise.
some of the more important decisions the companyIf you choose that time to sell your share in the
makes. This is done by voting and attendingcompany, you will make a profit because of that rise.