If you’re thinking about investing in stocks and shares, it’s crucial to understand the basics of the stock market. You don’t need to be an expert, but having a foundational understanding can make all the difference. Essentially, the stock market functions like an auction, but one that can be tricky for those who aren’t well-prepared.
The stock market operates based on supply and demand. If there are only a limited number of shares available in a company, the demand for those shares will be higher compared to when they are plentiful. Just like an auction, when many people want the same item, the price will increase to reflect that demand.
Once you understand the basics of how the stock market functions, you can start learning how to predict whether there will be a rise or fall in the demand for specific stocks. Many investors use technical indicators to try to predict which way the market or a particular stock might move. However, external influences can affect stock prices rapidly and unexpectedly, completely disrupting these predictions.
To further complicate matters, each stock can have several prices. To fully understand the stock market, you need to understand what these prices mean. The opening and closing prices refer to the price of a stock at the start and end of each trading day. However, the terms “bid” and “ask” are a bit less obvious. From a broker’s perspective, the “ask” price is the price being requested for a stock, while the “bid” price is the amount they are willing to pay for it. It’s all about understanding the stock market terminology.
Investing in stocks can be profitable and exciting, but only once you start to understand how the stock market truly works.