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Stock market facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
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A 'ticker': dealers' tool for watching market changes

A stock market is an institution where humans and computers buy and sell shares of companies.

Shares

Shares are small pieces of a company. Shares can be bought by humans, companies, and mutual funds. When buying shares in a company, the buyer owns a small part of that company. The price of a share can be based on many different things. The main thing that affects the price is the balance between supply and demand. If many buyers want to buy a stock the price goes up. If there are more sellers than buyers, the price goes down.

Stock brokers

Some buyers trade shares in stocks through a stockbroker. A stockbroker is a person who buys or sell stocks for their customers. A stockbroker can also help customers make choices in stocks. Their advice is based on public information about the companies.

Advice from stockbrokers

Stockbrokers advise their clients on how to manage their stocks. Some of the advice they give is:

  • BUY (good expectation - buy the stock)
  • HOLD (neutral expectation - keep the stock)
  • SELL (low expectation - sell the stock)

Stock markets in the world

Cultural changes in the stock market

Trading stocks online has become more popular. Stocks can be traded online. There is a fee or commission each time a position is opened.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Mercado de valores para niños

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Stock market Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.