The Internet has been a revolutionizing force for many industries. One field which has arguably benefited the most from the World Wide Web is finance and investing. At any hour, small investors can make trades online, check their portfolio’s performance, and research opportunities with the click of a mouse button. If you’re new to investing, the following websites should be bookmarked and referred to regularly to keep you up to date on the latest economic developments and investing strategies.
Yahoo Finance
The Yahoo brand isn’t nearly as sexy or popular as it once was. Google’s eaten their lunch in the search department, but they’re still a great source of information when it comes to investing. Yahoo Finance is still the best site on the web for getting stock quotes, company profiles, and other information related to your investments. In addition, their user forums offer a great way to get the “word on the street” concerning current events and market moves.
Investopedia
There’s no shame in admitting you don’t know something. The world of finance has become so complicated and diverse that it’s difficult to remember what all the acroynms stand for. If you need a basic refresher course on anything from Credit Default Swaps to short selling, Investopedia is the website for you. Their in-depth, detailed articles often go beyond the beginner level, and are a great resource even for experienced investors.
Seeking Alpha
One of the biggest online trends we’ve seen during the last few years is the emergence of “indie finance” sites. Seeking Alpha features the same basic stock and commodity information and charts you’d find on other sites. Where they stand out is their user-submitted articles and op-eds, written by hundreds of independent traders and investing experts. You can personalize your own “dashboard” and receive E-mail updates when an author you follow publishes a new piece.
Zero Hedge
Since the market crash in 2008, Zero Hedge has gained widespread, albeit underground acclaim as a website that often breaks big stories before the MSM does. While Zero Hedge focuses more on macro-economic trends rather than specific companies, it’s still an excellent way to get a feel for which way the winds are blowing on the financial markets.
Marketwatch
For the neophyte investor, Marketwatch offers the complete package. Their site is easy to navigate and provides investors with all the information they could possibly want in graphical and tabular form. As far as financial analysis is concerned, Marketwatch also features daily articles by some of the best writers and investors on the web. As one of the most respected investor websites online, it’s definitely worth a look.
In Conclusion
It’s impossible to know “too much” about the market, which is why you should be spending a lot of time educating yourself online. These five sites won’t teach you everything there is to know about investing and trading, but they’re a great place to start. As with everything else in life, making money by investing comes down to preparation and consistency. Just remember to never stop learning, and you should be fine.
Miles Walker is a freelance writer and blogger who usually looks at car insurance quotes over at CarinsuranceComparison.Org. His most recent review looked at the best Arkansas car insurance.