I'm trying to choose an online broker. Fees vs. site functionality and features are my main concern. (1) What is the best online broker for someone who has between 5 to 10K to invest? (2) Is there any advantage to paying higher per-trade or per-contract fees for use of a site that has better features, or can all of the common features be found elsewhere easily? (3) Which discount broker has the best site functionality? [more inside]
posted by mintyfresh on Nov 18, 2009 - 7 answers

How accurate are third-party stock analyst reports, such as S&P and Argus? [more inside]
posted by blahtsk on Sep 27, 2009 - 8 answers

UK Pension Filter: Is there a pension out there which will allow me to invest in the SSE Index, BSE Index and the Nasdaq/Dow Jones/S&P500 indexes? [more inside]
posted by lilyflower on Aug 26, 2009 - 1 answer

Where/How do you get your best stock tips? What is your routine when studying a market trade? What are some good websites to learn about finance? [more inside]
posted by theholotrope on Aug 20, 2009 - 12 answers

What are the best investment habits for a college student with decent income to get into, in order to maximize yield in 3 years? [more inside]
posted by Ricket on Aug 2, 2009 - 12 answers

What is the fastest way to learn online shares trading very quickly? [more inside]
posted by gttommy on Jul 19, 2009 - 10 answers

My stocks are paying dividends. Please teach me about this. [more inside]
posted by jefficator on Jul 15, 2009 - 22 answers

Is there a good mnemonic device to help remember whether the bull market or the bear market is the good one? [more inside]
posted by edavidoff on Jun 15, 2009 - 35 answers

Where can I find a list of public companies, sorted by headquartered state? [more inside]
posted by jefficator on Jun 10, 2009 - 12 answers

For investing small amounts every month, is a S&P 500 index fund or a tax-free bond fund more beneficial? [more inside]
posted by stevechemist on May 13, 2009 - 11 answers

Stock data for use in black box trading application? [more inside]
posted by Hypocrites on Mar 28, 2009 - 3 answers

Seeking fire-and-forget asset class investment advice for retirement: TIPS? Global Equities Index/Wilshire 5000? I know this is mildly controversial, but it seems like the 'common sense' approach has changed lately from "stocks for the long run" to "risk = loss." See especially here. [more inside]
posted by anotherpanacea on Mar 26, 2009 - 7 answers

How does short selling stocks harm the underlying company? To my way of thinking, it shouldn't. [more inside]
posted by gjc on Mar 20, 2009 - 28 answers

Have I been wrong on my financial core beliefs? [more inside]
posted by MrMulan on Feb 11, 2009 - 22 answers

I have started dabbling in the stock market again, and I've been trying to figure out why conventional wisdom suggests that trading in round lots (usually of 100) is better than trading odd lots (<100). Can you help? [more inside]
posted by Deep Dish on Jan 28, 2009 - 9 answers

How do I calculate the cost basis for stocks that were inherited by my father, who later gave them to me? [more inside]
posted by Elsa on Dec 30, 2008 - 4 answers

I'm doing an experiment about socks and want to find data about the commodity price of merino wool. My problem is that I know nothing about trading/stock/commodities vernacular and am having difficulties finding a good place to start. [more inside]
posted by 10ch on Nov 16, 2008 - 4 answers

Where can I find crude oil charts online? [more inside]
posted by fantasticninety on Nov 11, 2008 - 7 answers

Are market indexes usually at their historical low before a "declared" recession (or when the indicators are there even if not officially declared), do those market indexes tend to continue rising or falling afterward, by how much and usually for how long?
posted by CollectiveMind on Oct 29, 2008 - 4 answers

Investing/Day Trading -Why is it bad to pick stocks off the losers of the day assuming they will rebound? [more inside]
posted by SirStan on Oct 27, 2008 - 29 answers

How can I buy stocks at "exotic" stock markets like Kuwait? [more inside]
posted by yoyo_nyc on Oct 22, 2008 - 2 answers

Two years ago, when the DJIA was at 11,200, I thought the market was approaching its peak, and I moved money from an index stock fund to government bonds. For the next two years, I kicked myself as the market hit 14,000. [more inside]
posted by CollectiveMind on Oct 12, 2008 - 15 answers

Stock market investment filter: Buying opportunities? [more inside]
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium on Oct 9, 2008 - 21 answers

On the Financial crisis: If the Canadian economy is in a stronger state than the American economy then why is the TSX posting larger point and percentage losses than the Dow and Nasdaq? [more inside]
posted by Toto_tot on Oct 6, 2008 - 10 answers

Probably a stupid question -- Is selling a long position and then going long on same security on the same day day trading? Is it subject to any sort of SEC rules? [more inside]
posted by NormandyJack on Oct 5, 2008 - 16 answers

I'm trying to find out how much stock prices fell in their respective stock markets during three of the following "Big Five" financial crises: Spain(c.1977), Norway(c.1987), Finland(c.1991). Harvard's Rogoff claims a 20% average decline but this seems wrong given that the declines in the other Big Two crises, Japan and Sweden alone were 80% and 45% respectively.
posted by storybored on Oct 4, 2008 - 2 answers

If stocks continue to rise throughout the week and reach the previous point or "close enough", what reason is there for a bail out? [more inside]
posted by Mardigan on Sep 30, 2008 - 18 answers

I've never had anything to do with the stock market. I would like to learn more about it. Where do I start? [more inside]
posted by smeater44 on Sep 28, 2008 - 15 answers

Shorting ban, Options trade filter: I bought put options on Washington Mutual back in July. I held the contracts until right before expiration intending to exercise... [more inside]
posted by Rafaelloello on Sep 24, 2008 - 14 answers

Why do the lenders give short sellers the stock? [more inside]
posted by sophist on Sep 22, 2008 - 9 answers

Should I pull my money out of the stock market? I'm pretty clueless. [more inside]
posted by metamush on Sep 16, 2008 - 29 answers

Should use my mutual funds to pay off my credit card debt? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Sep 10, 2008 - 10 answers

Is there any way to buy stocks without an account online? [more inside]
posted by fantasticninety on Aug 20, 2008 - 5 answers

Anybody have experience in investing in virtual world banks/businesses/markets (such as those in SecondLife.com etc)? Do they provide a serious way of making a sensible risk/reward on five or six figure investments? [more inside]
posted by vizsla on Aug 12, 2008 - 22 answers

What are your trading rules? [more inside]
posted by unSane on Jul 24, 2008 - 24 answers

Is there anyone (especially online) who's collected reasonably well-informed stock picks from, say, 2, 5, or 15 years ago and explained why the recommendations did or did not work out? [more inside]
posted by ibmcginty on Jul 21, 2008 - 5 answers

I would like to know the best way to turn actual US dollars into foreign currencies... [more inside]
posted by Rafaelloello on Jul 12, 2008 - 7 answers

Financial / 401k advice for a 23-year-old engineer. Considering the state of the economy and the price of oil, what should I do with my stocks. Also, I have the option for a 401k but I have no idea what type of 401k to choose. [more inside]
posted by decrescendo on Jul 1, 2008 - 20 answers

InvestingFilter: Is there anything inherently flawed about investing in index funds? [more inside]
posted by reenum on Jun 18, 2008 - 24 answers

My father has recently found a stock certificate for 500 shares of Norpoint Exploration Limited (issued or certified by Sterling Trusts Corporation out of Toronto on April 22, 1966). This has been living in a junk drawer since 1966 or so, if I had to guess. He's convinced that he's hit the jackpot but I can't find much in the way of information on either of these companies which leads me to think that he hasn't found anything of value. Given that Google isn't helping, who should he talk to about this? Has he found something of value?
posted by pookzilla on Jun 1, 2008 - 6 answers

As a Canadian investor with a discount brokerage account (TD Waterhouse), what are the downsides to investing in NYSE stocks as opposed to TSX stocks? [more inside]
posted by sweet mister on May 27, 2008 - 6 answers

Bought a piece of land and only paying interest. Why would I do that? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on May 22, 2008 - 11 answers

Please to give ideas on depressed stocks/funds/securities to put some money into during the downturn. [more inside]
posted by SlyBevel on May 12, 2008 - 14 answers

Can someone point me in towards something considered to be the Canadian equivalent to the S&P 500? [more inside]
posted by plaidrabbit on May 12, 2008 - 8 answers

Please suggest publications or online resources you like for the purpose of monitoring the direction of financial markets. [more inside]
posted by beagle on May 7, 2008 - 2 answers

Gifts for a stock picker: I'm looking for a thoughtful gift for my secretary. She loves to play the market, so I thought that I could buy her a Vanguard gift certificate or something and let her speculate with the money, but that doesn't seem to be possible. Any suggestions? I'd like to spend around $100. Thanks!
posted by gd779 on Apr 22, 2008 - 12 answers

Stock market - do you believe that over 20 years it really outperforms other investments? [more inside]
posted by Penelope on Apr 4, 2008 - 14 answers

Does anyone have any recommendations for any fantasy stock market games online? [more inside]
posted by Weebot on Mar 31, 2008 - 11 answers

I own a (very) small number of shares of Apple Computer Inc. However, when I moved about four years ago, I forgot to update my address with them. [more inside]
posted by oaf on Mar 27, 2008 - 9 answers

Why does Manulife want me to sell my shares? [more inside]
posted by climalene on Mar 23, 2008 - 8 answers