Saturday, December 19, 2009

Principles Of Investments In The Stock Market - Part 4

By Zigfred Diaz

This is the last installment of the series on stock market investment principles. We discussed about the first seven principles in the past three articles. Now we will be discussing the last three principles. If you wish to view the article in its entirety please visit my blog.

8.) You must devote your time to study - When you want to invest in the stock market you should devote time to study what it's all about. You can't just place in your money and hope that it will somehow grow someday. You have to read books and materials on the stock market. When I started investing I dug out materials in the internet related to the stock market especially the Philippine stock market. I bought books on the stock market. The Philippine stock exchange has an "investor's primer" for those who are new to the stock market. (See the Philippine stock exchange website for more information.)

Attend seminars on stock market investments. There are several brokerage firms that conduct free seminars for newbies in stock market investing. Last year, CITISEC Online did a 2 day free seminar. I took the time to attend that seminar. This brokerage firm is one of the most innovative, active and well managed brokerage in the Philippines. The information you will learn in the seminars is very helpful. Continual study is required if you want to succeed in the stock market. Once you stop learning you stop to succeed.

Do the best you can to read all the materials out there and attend all the seminars if possible. Do not give up just because you encounter terms that you could not understand. For example when you went over this article you would probably scratch your head since there are terms that are difficult to understand. Terms such as "points", Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi), "Blue Chips" or "Bull run" may sound foreign to you. Add to the fact that you don't even understand what a stock is and how it works. So what ? When I first began I did not even know what these things are.

You can never learn these things in school. However I learned these things by reading a lot about the subject and through experience. In order that you might be inspired, I suggest you watch the movie "Pursuit of Happyness." This inspired-by-a-true-story movie is about a man who overcame all odds to learn the stock market letting him make millions later on through stock market trading.For sure, you will be inspired by watching the film.

9.)Know what is happening in the world around you - There are several factors that affect the stock market. Be aware of the news that is making headlines in the news paper. For sure this will give you a hint on the direction that the market will take. Never skip the business news. It is here where you will be given an idea as to which stock you should buy. I prefer reading the online version of the Philippine Daily Inquirer in order that I may know where the market is heading.

10.) Now is the best day to start - Some people say that experience is the best teacher. I agree, experience is the best way to learn. It does not matter if you start small at first, the most important thing is that you start immediately. Never procrastinate but don't rush immediately without first studying the basics. When you have already learned the basics of investments, start buying your first stock. The most rewarding thing in your career as a stock market investor is when you have profited from your first sale.

About the Author: