How to Write a Stock Market Report

Stock Market IndexesIn order to write a good stock market report, you need to know the key elements and data to include. Always report on bigger-picture stock market indicators like the Dow Jones, S& P 500, and NASDAQ. In addition to these broader indices, you might choose to focus on a particular sector of the economy each day, so Monday you might report on stock market indexes that focus on health, and Tuesday focus on technology.
Key Weekly or Quarterly ReportsReport on key weekly or quarterly reports such as jobless reports and earnings reports, which have an effect on the Stock Market. Give advance notice as to when certain reports are expected to be published.
Key Stocks to WatchInclude a discussion of any major stocks whose dramatic rise, fall or upcoming business deals are affecting or projected to affect the overall stock martet. If the report is daily, include a discussion of the day's opening and closing Dow Jones, NASDAQ and S&P Index.
Get Up to Date InfoYou will need to do a serious amount of work keeping updated on the key elements of the stock market. You will want to include links to live data, where applicable.
TipsDepending on how the economy is doing, you may want to include a 'Tips' section for taking advantage of a particular growing sector, such as healthcare or technology, and explain how that sector's growth and focus might affect the stock market.
Publish OftenIn order to be relevant, you will need to gather data at least daily and publish reports online. Use online reporting tools so you can easily publish the report as a blog or an email newsletter. Make sure whatever format you publish in is accessible for BlackBerry or other mobile device users.

How to Read Stock Charts

Print out a sample stock chart to examine (see 'Additional Resources,' below). Stock charts can be set up on a daily, weekly or long-term format, but they all follow the same basic plan. Start at the top where you will see the stock symbol and date of the chart. Also at the top are the day's high, low, and closing prices and the volume of shares traded.
Look just below the top line of information. You will see an entry that says MA(30), MA (60) or some other number. This is the moving average. It is the average price of the stock over recent past. The number in parentheses tells you how many days the moving average covers. At the very bottom of the chart there should be a bar graph. This gives you the volume of shares traded each day the chart covers.
Examine the main graph between the top and the volume bar graph at the bottom. Each day's trading is usually represented by a short bar or 'candlestick.' The top of the bar indicates the high for that day and the bottom the low. If there is a graph line passing through these bars, it indicates the closing price.
Notice which way the graph of the stock price is pointed. If it is headed toward the upper right corner, the stock is in an upward trend. If it's pointed at the bottom right, it is in a downward trend. Sometimes the graph doesn't seem to be moving one way or the other, and traders call this a period of consolidation.
Understand the function of a stock chart. The point is to spot trends early so you can buy early in an upward trend and sell early in a downward trend. Traders use a number of indicators to do this. For example, look for price supports. A price support is a price below which the stock rarely drops. When it approaches the price support, it's likely to reverse the downward trend and start moving up. A price resistance is the same thing in reverse: a price the stock falls short of. If it gets close, the stock price tends to reverse direction and decline.

How to Buy Stock Online Immediately

Sign up for an account through an on-line brokerage company. There are links to 'E*TRADE,' 'ShareBuilder' and 'Zecco' below, but there are many more to choose from. Click 'Sign Up,' and follow the prompts to complete your registration.
Transfer money into the brokerage account. This will normally take one business day to be processed and appear in your account.
Once the money has posted to your account, find the ticker symbol of the stock you want to buy on the site's research page. Once you know the symbol, go to your site's quotes page, type in the symbol and click 'Get Quote,' or your site's equivalent.
Select 'Buy' once the quote comes up. Select the amount of shares you would like to purchase. Then you will be asked if you would like to place a market order or a limit order. With a limit order, you set the exact price you want to pay. A market order buys the stock at the price sellers are asking at the moment.
Confirm the trade when your site asks you to, and in a moment you will receive a notification that your trade was accepted or declined. Your trade will usually only be declined if you do not have enough funds to cover it.

How to Read Stock Charts for Beginners (5 Steps)

Locate the stock symbol at the top of stock chart. The chart will also contain information about the stock's highs and lows (depicted by vertical bars), the volume traded (shown by a bar graph at the bottom of the chart), and the closing price in plain English.
Find the trend direction by looking at a 20-day and 50-day moving average (MA). Moving averages are generally located below the stock symbol on a chart. For example, an MA might be (20) 45.30. That means the moving 20-day average is 45.30 for the last 20 days. A general rule of thumb is that if the 20-day MA is above the 50-day, then the stock is trending up; if the 20-day MA is below the 50-day, the stock is trending down. You can also spot an upward trend by noticing a graph tending toward the top right corner of the graph; a downward trending stock will start creeping toward the bottom right.
Identify the price support. A price support is a low point in trading that the stock never falls below. On a graph, the stock might go up and down haphazardly; you want to find the point on the graph that's the lowest.
Identify the price resistance. In general, price resistance is the point on the graph where the price 'tops out.' In other words, the maximum value on the graph. Price resistance is the opposite of price support.
Repeat the above steps for as many stocks as possible over a few weeks. You'll begin to notice trends, and will be more able to identify price support and resistance over a period of time. You'll also be able to see when the price resistance breaks through; when this happens, it can make for a flurry of trading, as it usually means something exciting has been announced in that particular company.

How to Invest in the German Stock Market

Work with a financial adviser who has experience helping people invest in foreign stock markets. Most of the larger financial services companies have advisers on staff who specialize in overseas investing.
Create a trading account at one of the United States' major brokerages. Together with your financial adviser, determine the amount of your initial deposit to your trading account and have the money transferred into it.
Research the major German indexes. Each has its own website, available in an English-language version, on which you can track the market's gains or losses for the day, see what companies and industries are the biggest winners and losers and get a sense of general trends in German investing. To complete this step, you'll need a working knowledge of stock trading, which you can gain by reading a reputable introductory book on the subject from your local bookseller.
Choose an industry to focus your attention on. Ideally, it should be an industry with which you have some familiarity in the context of the German economy. Your industry of choice will also depend largely upon your personal risk tolerance.
Identify a company you want to invest in, review the trading history of its stocks and bonds and discuss it with your financial adviser.
Have your licensed stockbroker act on your behalf to place a buy order on the stock you specified. Don't forget that your order must be placed through a German broker licensed to buy and sell on the German stock markets, so you may experience a slight delay. This could conceivably affect the price you pay for the shares.
Use the index of the German market on which the company you invested in is listed to track the performance of your investment. Overseas investing is not recommended for day traders because the third-party process can make it difficult for you to pinpoint your expected sale price with the kind of precise accuracy day traders thrive on.