How to Find Stock Symbols

Go to an established, reliable stock Web site, such as nasdaq.com or etrade.com.
Click on 'Symbol Look Up.'
Type in the name of the company you want to research. The results will display the company symbol, the type of stock (common or preferred) and the exchange it trades on. Amazon, for example, trades on the Nasdaq as common stock. Its symbol is AMZN.

How to Find Good Stock Investment Ideas

Check out the following websites: Yahoo Finance, MSN Money and Stockpickr. All of these sites have some great information for stock investment ideas. On Yahoo Finance, take a look under the Investment tab and 'Education;' On MSN Money, go to the Investing tab then 'Stock Research' on the left hand column. Also, MSN Money publishes what they call 'Expert Picks.' This is basically a handful of investing experts who make recommendations for stocks and publish them free of charge. These expert picks can sometimes be very useful and lead to good investments, however I would not base your whole portfolio around them.
Go to www.MotleyFool.com. This website has probably some of the best information for independent investors. The website is a massive community of expert and amateur investors looking to share their own knowledge and make sound stock picks. When looking up stocks on this site, you not only get basic information about the company, but you can also see who is recommending the stock and if they are Bullish or Bearish on it. There is also something called CAPS, which is a rating system for specific stocks. If the stock has 5 stars, then it may be a golden investment opportunity. You can also see a list all of the stocks on the website that have gained the golden-clad 5 star rating.
If your really serious about making some money and finding profitable stocks, you can purchase MotleyFool.com's 'Premium Services.' A team of expert investment advisers will publish stock recommendations and sell them for a moderate price. According to the website, these stock recommendations have earned investors very high returns year after year. The site's most popular service is the Stock Advisor. It's a $199 per year newsletter that is currently earning investors around a 41% yearly return...Not Bad.
Also consider buying paid research services from websites such as Zacks.com. They publish expert picks on stocks they think will rise in the market. Be very careful when looking at these websites, though. Some sites say they are selling stock picks, but will often make exaggerated claims on how much money you could make. Sometimes these stocks are very speculative and risky (i.e. penny stocks).
Watch investing shows on MSNBC and CNBC such as Mad Money with Jim Cramer. Some people criticize these shows for the lack of accuracy of their stock picks. However for a new investor, these can give some good ideas for stock investments. From there, you can do some of your own research.
Look for booming industries or companies. A simple way to get great stocks ideas, is to look for the companies or industries that are up-and-coming or making huge trends in the market. If you think an industry sector is going to shoot up over the next few years (i.e. Alternative Energy sector), then buy some stock for companies in that industry (i.e. buy solar energy stocks!). Also, look at the fundamentals of a company. If you think a company is going to be profitable and have a good balance sheet, then consider buying their stock. A good example of this is Apple; excellent products combined with good company leadership and earnings lead this company's stock to almost $200/share in 2008.

How to Start Online Stock Trading (7 Steps)

Pick an online discount broker. There are dozens of online brokers on the web, but finding one that fits your needs can be a challenge. Do your research, find which broker fits your specifics needs as well as possible, and then open your account.
Complete the registration process. You will be required to give all of the relevant information, such as your name, social security number, address, and other information the brokerage site will ask you for.
Fund your trading account. You can send in a handwritten check, or transfer the money through a wire transfer (with a fee) or a slower ACH transaction (free but takes three or more days).
Mail in the required paperwork (and funds) to the address provided by your online broker. It may take up to 7 days to process your account.
Complete the remaining registration process. Trading passwords, PIN numbers, and other security measures may be involved but takes only minutes to complete. Never share these with anyone, but it is wise to write them down at your home or office just in case you forget them.
Acquaint yourself with the menus and trading screens your broker has created for you. Take their online tutorial or watch any 'beginning investor' videos they site may have prepared to expedite your learning curve.
Buy your first stock. Choose the company you want to invest in, input the stock symbol it trades under, input the amount of shares you want to buy, and click 'Execute.'

How to Build a NASCAR Stock Car (12 Steps)

Select an old car, of any make and model and break out all the glass in the vehicle except for the windshield. Remove the fuel tank and deposit it far away from the work site. Do not spend a great deal of money on this old car. The majority of it will be destroyed anyway.
Create the roll cage using round and square steel tubing. Make sure it is large enough.
Weld firewall and floor panels. Make sure these are done smoothly and correctly. These panels could mean the difference in life and death in the event of an accident.



Weld a flat sheet of metal to the car using NASCAR templates. Make sure the templates you use are of NASCAR origin and not a spin-off with improper measurements.
Sand the seams so the car is one piece and smooth. Jagged seams can be dangerous to the drivers and mechanics.
Prime, paint and add decals. Decals should include headlight decals, the car make decals (Chevy, Ford, Dodge), as well as sponsorship decals. The headlights and taillights should be covered with aluminum duct tape. The only glass in the car should be the windshield.



Remove all front bodywork, the radiator and engine/transmission unit. Place these away from the work site.
Build or purchase a 340 cubic inch V8 motor. It is usually more cost efficient to buy one of these motors and tune it to your specifications.
Ease the motor into the area left vacate by the removal of all the insides of the car. Depending on the space that is left over, you may have to weld on or take away some metal. You want the motor to fit snugly, but not too tight or loose.



Use a treadless tire with inner liner. These can be purchased at tire dealerships. It is not a good idea to buy used tires for this instance. You may experience a blowout or flat because they are not in the best of shape.
Make sure the tires you choose fit the chassis and not rubbing the fenders.
Inflate the tires with nitrogen instead of air in the tires to insure less moisture content.

How to Get Real

Log onto the Internet and search for real-time stock market quotes. Web sites such as Yahoo!Finance and CNNMoney are also good places to start.
Look for a Web site that not only offers you real-tme stock market quotes, but also economic indicators and up-to-the-minute news that will help you make educated decisions about your investments.
It is important to remember that free Web sites usually offer streaming, not real-time stock market quotes. You'll probably have to subscribe and pay a fee to access sites offering real-time quotes and additional pertinent information.
Compare subscription fees carefully. Note the types of services and options you receive for joining. If having real time stock market quotes is imperative to your financial success, seek out a site that offers you that service.
Be sure to read the fine print contained in the service's rules of membership. Make certain you understand what you're getting and what you're expected to pay, if anything, for services rendered.

How to Buy De Beers Stock (5 Steps)

Find the current price for LVMH stock, which trades on the Paris stock exchange in France. LVMH owns a 50 percent stake in De Beers. Use the link in Resources for a direct connection to the Euronext site.
Convert the quoted price into U.S. dollars to figure out the per share cost. Use the link in Resources for an online tool to help with the currency conversion.
Contact your established brokerage firm (by phone or online) and place a trade for symbol 'MC' on the Paris exchange. The Paris exchange is open weekdays until 11:30 a.m. eastern time.
If the Paris exchange is closed or if the broker requires it, place an overnight order that will trade the next day in Paris. Use the per share price to specify the price in Euros that is the maximum to be offered.
Wait 3 business days and the trade will settle. You now own LVMH stock and through it you have bought De Beers stock.