Doing my own research is my plan - I just need to know what to research first. Advice appreciated.
learn to follow your judgment. that’s what doing your own research amounts to - discerning and following valid hunches.
learn to follow your judgment. that’s what doing your own research amounts to - discerning and following valid hunches.
The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need by Harvard MBA Andrew Tobias.
Don't let the Harvard throw you off -- he knows how to laugh at himself, and to discuss in layman's terms.
The Motley Fool who are stock pickers. They are not as good as they used to be, but their book The Motley Fool Investment Guide gives a good description of the basics of stock market trading. Most of their strategies are outdated, and, frankly, *suck*, these days. But for general knowledge of what stocks are, it's a good start. As an altenative to Motley Fool, you could try John Bogle (founder of the Vanguard Index funds.)
For advanced books (on stocks) I would recommend Jeremy Siegel or Benjamin Graham.
You *can* beat the market over time, but you have to have iron discipline and the willingness to spend a lot of time analyzing the finances of the companies you are interested in. Just remember, that the market can usually be irrational a lot longer than you can stand losses.
And if you want "infotainment" on stocks, try Jim Cramer. He comes across as a buffoon, he's a flaming liberal, and you shouldn't necessarily rely on his individual picks, but if you want a peek behind the curtain of Wall Street, he's a good resource.
Online resources would include Minyanville (Financial Infotainment), which again, give a sense of the movement of the market and why.
If you want FREEPERS to ask, the first one who comes to mind immediately -- and he trades not in stocks, but in options on commodities -- is SAJ. He has corrected my abysmal ignorance on multiple occasions, and is a fount of insight.
Cheers!