Let’s look at the stock market today. Stocks have in past history earned their investors more money than other choices like money markets and bonds. Basically it’s like you’re buying a part of a business and investing in them. It’s the case of you giving them money to do what they do; your payment is partial ownership of a company.

When you invest in stocks you are supplying money to a company and in turn you will have partial ownership in this company. Common stocks are what most people will deal with when they become involved in the stock market. These are the stocks that no restrictions are placed on and any one is able to buy.

You will become what is known as a shareholder in a company. Meaning you own part of the company for the money you have placed into this stock. When the business succeeds and earns more money the price for the stock will increase, and you will earn money.

When the board of directors votes as a shareholder you get a say in the voting too. This means that new developments will need to be approved by the board. Becoming a part owner in a company is a big decision so you still need to choose your stock wisely.

It’s not all about making money when it comes to the stock market though. You can have times when a company may lose some money, or they could go bankrupt. You can lose all the money you’ve invested in some cases too.

Different types of stock are available. As an example we will talk about a family owned company. If they may want to bring in extra funds they will create another class of stock. These stocks may only entitle the holder to one vote, while the class of stock the family holds will be worth 10 votes. However, they have found a way in which more money can come into the business.

To learn more about the stock market join our stock market forum.