2008 Woodie Awards
The stock market
When to get involved, how to begin and everything in between
HAYLLEY JOHNSON Cynic Correspondent
Issue date: 10/30/07 Section: Life and Style
Although it can be confusing, the stock market is an integral part of United States commerce.
For new investors, especially if they are starting early, the stock market can be filled with opportunity, but you have to know what you're doing.
"It is never too early to start investing in your future," said Rocki Dewitt, dean of the UVM Business School, when asked if investing would be beneficial for students.
Dewitt also said that she encourages even seventh and eighth-graders to begin learning about investments and how the stock market works.
A new investor is suggested to begin through working with "the virtual stock exchange" that can be found online at http://www.vse.marketwatch.com. In this case, there is "no downside, because you don't [invest with] any real money," said UVM finance professor Michael Tomas.
Dewitt encourages students to look at the Wall Street Journal and to start looking at advertisements to get ideas of where to invest. She recommends the Web site the Motley Fool, found at http://www.fool.com, and Tomas championed http://www.Investopedia.com as another good Web site to begin learning about the market.
"The Motley Fool" provides up-to-date commentary on tradable companies. This Web site informs its users about stocks that have a high potential for growth, or a high possibility for decline.
Also on Investopedia, there is a section that is solely for "young investors." It provides a list of articles geared towards investors under the age of 30, and is particularly helpful to students looking to invest in the stock market.
After the initial research, the question arises of what to put in a stock portfolio.
"Think from a demographic stand point of where there are market opportunities," said Dewitt. Specifically, look for "companies [that] make a product, or provide a service where there will be rapid growth [causing] your initial investment to appreciate."
A common way for new investors to get started, since the majority of students are too poor to have their own stock broker, is to begin investing alone. This is not as risky as it might seem since "the most you'll ever be out is the money you put in," said Dewitt.
For new investors, especially if they are starting early, the stock market can be filled with opportunity, but you have to know what you're doing.
"It is never too early to start investing in your future," said Rocki Dewitt, dean of the UVM Business School, when asked if investing would be beneficial for students.
Dewitt also said that she encourages even seventh and eighth-graders to begin learning about investments and how the stock market works.
A new investor is suggested to begin through working with "the virtual stock exchange" that can be found online at http://www.vse.marketwatch.com. In this case, there is "no downside, because you don't [invest with] any real money," said UVM finance professor Michael Tomas.
Dewitt encourages students to look at the Wall Street Journal and to start looking at advertisements to get ideas of where to invest. She recommends the Web site the Motley Fool, found at http://www.fool.com, and Tomas championed http://www.Investopedia.com as another good Web site to begin learning about the market.
"The Motley Fool" provides up-to-date commentary on tradable companies. This Web site informs its users about stocks that have a high potential for growth, or a high possibility for decline.
Also on Investopedia, there is a section that is solely for "young investors." It provides a list of articles geared towards investors under the age of 30, and is particularly helpful to students looking to invest in the stock market.
After the initial research, the question arises of what to put in a stock portfolio.
"Think from a demographic stand point of where there are market opportunities," said Dewitt. Specifically, look for "companies [that] make a product, or provide a service where there will be rapid growth [causing] your initial investment to appreciate."
A common way for new investors to get started, since the majority of students are too poor to have their own stock broker, is to begin investing alone. This is not as risky as it might seem since "the most you'll ever be out is the money you put in," said Dewitt.
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