How to Get Started in the Stock Market

Start by doing some basic research into the stock market. Answer long standing questions you may have such as; what is the stock market, or how do you make money in the stock market. You should be working with a solid foundation of knowledge before you attempt to dabble in the market.
Read a financial newspaper such as the 'New York Times' stock section or the 'Wall Street Journal' to learn more about what is happening currently in the market. Stay updated on financial news every day.
Pick five stocks to follow and analyze their trends over the past four or five years. Utilize the Internet as a research to help you track their progress. Create a flow chart with information regarding those particular companies net inflow and outflow and try and distinguish trends amongst the various fluctuations in income production.
Play a virtual stock market game on the computer. Check into various online stock market games as they are a great primer to playing the actual market. Engage in the virtual market for a while before starting on an actual investment opportunities.
Decide what you want to invest in the market for; perhaps you are saving for your future, a house, a new car, or to amass a larger net worth. Determine your risk tolerance and how much fluctuation you can handle without getting nervous to pick on an adequate stock. For beginning investors, mutual funds are usually the safest and least anxiety provoking.
Figure out where you will get the funds to invest in the market and set aside anywhere from $500 at first to buy a few shares of the stock you've chosen. Find a reputable stock broker to help you buy and sell your shares of stocks. With your new knowledge, you might not need a full service broker but for beginners it is often recommended.

How to Invest in the New York Stock Exchange

Set up a stock market trading account. You can do this by depositing your start-up capital with a traditional brokerage or by using one of the many discount brokerages cropping up all over the Internet. If you're a novice investor, it is recommended that you open an account with a well-established brokerage and make all your trades through a stockbroker.
Spend some time following the New York Stock Exchange before you invest, and make practice trades using a stock-market simulator if you're brand new to the world of investing. Follow business news to track current trends in the NYSE and get the inside scoop on up-and-coming companies.
Choose a company to invest in. Because the New York Stock Exchange lists the topmost companies of any stock market in the world, virtually every imaginable industry is represented on it. Narrow your options by identifying an industry to invest in, and then turn your focus onto finding a good company in that industry.
Research directly from the definitive source by heading to the official website of the New York Stock Exchange (see Resources below).
Search for New York Stock Exchange-listed companies that are undervalued. Known as 'value investing,' this technique searches for solid companies with stock sitting below the market value it ought to have given its financial position. Work with your financial adviser to find undervalued stocks, or opt to go with a blue-chip corporation or up-and-coming company, depending on your risk tolerance.
Use your stockbroker or your online-trading account to buy shares of a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Especially for short-term investments, it is crucial to keep a close watch on daily activity. Sign up for stock alerts, or check frequently for quotes, keeping in mind that trading on the NYSE takes place Monday to Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST.