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Save My ProgressWhat You've Learned
Stocks are ownership, not lottery tickets. When you buy a share, you become a part-owner of a real business. Stock prices move based on supply and demand - when more people want to buy than sell, prices rise. Company earnings matter, but so do expectations, emotions, and market conditions.
ETFs and index funds are your diversification shortcut. Instead of picking individual stocks, you can own hundreds of companies in a single purchase. Index funds that track the market have historically beaten most professional fund managers over the long term, largely because their fees are so low.
The market rewards patience. Bull markets (optimism) and bear markets (pessimism) are normal cycles. The market has always recovered from every crash in history. Dividends provide income while you wait. The biggest risk isn't volatility - it's staying on the sidelines while inflation erodes your savings.
Stocks and bonds serve different purposes. Stocks offer higher returns but more volatility. Bonds provide stability but lower growth. Understanding this tradeoff is fundamental to building a portfolio that matches your goals and risk tolerance.
Lessons in This Course
What Is a Stock
Stocks represent ownership in companies
Stock Markets
Marketplaces where stocks are bought and sold
ETFs Explained
Baskets of stocks you can buy all at once
Dividends
Cash payments companies share with stockholders
Bulls and Bears
Market cycles of optimism and pessimism
Index Funds
The lazy way to beat Wall Street
ETFs vs Index Funds vs Mutual Funds
Understanding the differences between fund types
Stocks vs Bonds
Two ways to invest with different risk profiles