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Every now and then, we get a few questions about stock market terminology. The most common question that we’ve heard lately is “what is premarket stock trading?” Well, we’re happy to oblige! Here’s a summary of premarket trading, and its potential benefits to you.

What is Premarket Stock Trading?

Premarket stock trading is pretty much precisely what the name implies. It is all trading that occurs before the markets open. The New York Stock Exchange, for example, is open from 9:30 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon. So, premarket trading on the NYSE is anything that happens before 9 in the morning.

Generally speaking, most premarket trading happens between around 7 or 8 and 9:30 in the morning. And it’s important to note that not all brokerages will allow it. So because the markets aren’t yet open and not everyone will participate, there’s usually not a whole lot that goes on during premarket hours.

Should you Participate in Premarket Trading?

Premarket trading can be extremely beneficial to investors. There are a number of reasons for this. The first reason is that companies often release quarterly earnings reports in the wee hours of the morning, so an investor may be able to take advantage of any indicators that the reports may provide.

Secondly, the same applies for news. If an acquisition, a natural disaster or another event which could impact the markets occurs while the markets are closed, premarket trading will allow investors to jump on a transaction, rather than wait until the markets open.

Finally, there are a lot of people who make a living analyzing the stock markets. They’re studying market trends, economic indicators and other factors which could influence your transaction decisions. Reports of those economic indicators are released at 8:30 in the morning, an hour before the markets open. Premarket trading will allow you to use this news, and give you a head start on trading for the day.

How to Participate in Premarket Trading

As we mentioned, not all stock brokers will allow you to participate in premarket trading. Some brokers will restrict transactions to regular trading hours only, so make sure you do a bit of research with your broker before you decide you want to trade during premarket hours.

If you’re using an online platform or an app on your device, you should read the fine print before you sign up. But if your broker or app does allow it, it’s quite simple. Just designate the transaction that you’d like to perform, pay any applicable fees, and you’re set.

Premarket Trading Hours (US, UK)

Obviously, the premarket stock trading hours will differ from stock market to stock market and from timezone to timezone. There is no set time, as the premarket hours in one country could be the trading hours in another.

To see the exact hours for yourself on markets like the London Stock Exchange, as well as China Stock Market, just pay a visit to our Stock Market Trading Hours page. This will tell you when the stated hours are for each market; when the holidays and non-trading days are; and more. From this you can work out when the pre-market trading hours will be.

You can also pay a visit to the main stock market pages. All major stock exchanges have these, from the US markets to markets in Pakistan and Australia. As an example, the NYSE main page can be found on NYSE.com.

The Downside to Premarket Trading

It may sound pretty cool to be able to trade before the stock market wakes up. But as we mentioned, the markets are pretty thin, and it may actually work in your favor to wait. If you decide to do it anyway, be sure that your transactions are based on research and not following the lead of other investors.

The biggest reason you might have to wait is that when those earnings reports are released, thousands of other investors will decide that they either do or don’t like the results. They’ll be quick to make snap decisions, and buy or sell their stock without having fully comprehended the scope of the report.

So in summary, premarket trading is trading that occurs before the markets are open. Is it beneficial to you? Maybe. But you’ll need to make sure you put your research into it first, and avoid jumping to conclusions before you make that trade.

You know the name Tesco. It’s the biggest grocery store in the UK in terms of both revenues and market share. And if you’re not familiar with it, we suggest you check out our TSCO investment guide.

But what you may not know is that Tesco is more than just a grocery store. It’s the largest retailer in the UK, and a few years back it was stated that one in every seven pounds spent was spent at Tesco.

So what’s contributed to Tesco’s success? How did Tesco finance become such a popular investment? Let’s take a look at how the company grew from a tiny military surplus stall to the multi-billion retail giant that it is today.

Tesco’s Early Years

If you’ve read our Tesco investment guide, you’ll have a bit of background information about how the company was begun. Jack Cohen opened a little shop in Hackney, and as his sales grew, he expanded to own several shops. Soon after, he opened a few stores in the London area, and Tesco was created.

The name Tesco was formed when Cohen ordered a shipment of tea. The supplier’s name was T.E. Stockwell, and Cohen combined the letters T, E and S with the first two of his last name. At that time, Tesco was a retailer of army surplus materials, dry goods and tea. But as Cohen reached higher and higher profits, he began to sell groceries and opened several superstores.

Tesco Finance Today

Tesco PLC has come to rule the market in the UK by becoming more than just a one hit wonder. Originally opened as a grocery store, the company now claims quite a few subsidiaries. Diversity in the products that it offers has allowed TSCO to steer a straight course through an otherwise turbulent market.

One subsidiary, Tesco Lotus, is the company’s network of superstores in Thailand. In 1994, Tesco opened its first store in Thailand as a test market. The store was successful, and in 1998, Tesco Lotus was created. There are now 1,400 stores in the Lotus market.

The United States has Straight Talk, and the UK has Tesco Mobile. You may be familiar with how Straight Talk works. Users purchase a phone at Walmart, and the phones operate using AT&T and other towers. Tesco Mobile is similar in structure, and is also a subsidiary of Tesco.

Now, to understand the third subsidiary, think in terms of the Target REDCard. Target offers customers credit or debit cards. The cards can be reloaded online or at customer service, and used in the store to get discounts on Target products. Like Target, Tesco has a banking product. Tesco Bank offers a debit card for consumers, and also offers savings accounts and credit lines.

Tesco owns a few other subsidiaries as well. Dunnhumby is a market research company based in the UK but with a presence in the US. Tesco also owns subsidiaries for each of its markets in Ireland and Turkey, and owns Spenhill, its development branch. Such a diverse portfolio of subsidiaries has certainly contributed to the success of Tesco finance, and has created a brand that’s much more than just a grocery store.

Tesco Stores

Along with its subsidiaries, Tesco finance relies on the success of the types of Tesco stores that have been launched. Tesco Extra is a hypermarket, much like a Super Target (NYSE: TGT) or Super Walmart (NYSE: WMT). Tesco Extra locations offer groceries as well as electronics, clothing and other products. The larger locations also offer services like opticians, photo services and gas stations.

Tesco also owns smaller locations; grocery stores with a few extra services. These locations don’t generally carry as many non-grocery products, but are still larger than Tesco’s Express and One Stop locations.

Tesco does offer an internet shopping service. Tesco Direct is the online extension of its stores, offering the apparel and household items available in its retail locations. There’s also the option to “pick up in store” for both the household items and grocery products.

The company’s got quite a broad range of stores, and that’s allowed them to generate profits through the sale of fuel, household goods and financial products. Having a one stop shopping business model allows Tesco to provide consumers with a perception of convenience. That is to say, if you can buy your milk, fill up your gas tank and subscribe to cell service all at the same location, why would you go anywhere else?

The Outlook for Tesco

In recent months, Tesco has reported a 30% rise in operating profit, but its shares are quickly falling. Inflation and accounting scandals are beginning to impact the company, and consumers are experiencing significantly higher food prices.

With that said, Tesco has always had a bit of a bizarre psychological approach to marketing. The company positions products within its stores to encourage impulse buys. But at the same time, Tesco reminds shoppers that in order to save money, they should skip the impulse buys. You can interpret this to mean one thing: Tesco finance is largely dependent on impulse buys.

You’ve probably heard someone joke about it before – it’s easy to walk into Walmart for a loaf of bread and walk out with a loaf of bread, a trash can, some motor oil and a rifle. It’s the same way with Tesco shopping. But UK consumers are finding it increasingly necessary to clutch their wallets just a little more tightly, and to not spend as freely on fuel and groceries, much less impulse buys. Tesco may soon see this frugality affect its bottom line.

So is it a good time to buy shares in Tesco? Honestly, it’s got a lot going on right now. It was recently hit with a fine of £129 million plus additional costs after a 2014 accounting scandal. We mentioned inflation and how that could hurt the company’s profits. And the UK based company will be more deeply hurt by recent political changes than competitors Aldi and Lidl simply due to its location.

But as we noted, Tesco is still seeing its profits rise, and the majority of its competition will face similar struggles with the economy. Overall, we think that with its huge market share and the persistence of its rising profits, Tesco remains a good buy for investors.

Hot Stocks Right Now

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been getting a lot of questions from you about a few hot stocks you were thinking about trading. But, humble as we pretend to be, we’re going to admit that we’d never heard of a few of them.

So, because we want to make you happy, we decided to do a bit of research into these seemingly obscure stocks. We want to know if you could be on to something. Here’s what we found out about these hot stocks. You’re welcome! (Oh, and thank you.)

SunEdison (NYSE: SUNE)

So, renewable energy has become a bit of a buzzword over the past few decades. Even large companies have been transitioning to wind and solar power. Whether you believe global warming’s impending or not, it’s still not going to hurt to make a switch to renewable resources, right?

That’s what SunEdison thought, too. The US based company has main offices in Missouri and California, and focuses its attention on wind and solar energy products. It was originally a Monsanto company, but in 1989 Monsanto sold it, and in 2013 it became known as SunEdison to better reflect its purpose. (Get it? Reflect?)

So what are they doing in the markets? Nothing much. In April of 2016, SunEdison filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and their SunEdison stock is trading at less than $.40 per share at the writing of this article.

But wait! Recently, SunEdison has reached settlements with their former subsidiaries, TerraForm Power and TerraForm Global, which will mean that restructuring the company is possible. Keep watch on this SUNE stock, because by the end of March, the company intends to file a Chapter 11 exit plan. You may see those SUNE stock prices take off.

Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bull and Bear 3x Shares (NYSEARCA: JNUG)

Big name, little price. And reviews are mixed about the profits. This index tracks daily investment results of the Market Vectors Junior Gold Miners Index (GDXJ). That long name is actually pretty descriptive: they’re looking for a return that’s 300% or -300% of the return of that index for one day. No more, no less. One day.

If you’re not familiar with the GDXJ, the name “Market Vectors Junior Gold Miners Index” doesn’t refer to teenage gold miners. The GDXJ covers all of the precious metals (silver, gold, palladium and platinum) mining companies that don’t meet the market cap cutoff to be a part of the GDX. GDXJ is like the GDX’s baby sister.

So should you trade it? Like any ETF, JNUG can be traded to an investor’s benefit. But you’ve got to do it right. If you’re looking to invest long term, JNUG might not be for you. But if you’re thinking more short term, and are willing to trade in and out a few times each week, you can actually do quite well with 3x shares.

Right now, you can get in on the JNUG action for less than $10. If you’re okay with playing with a volatile trade, go ahead and buy in. Just remember that you won’t be able to exit quickly if things go pear shaped, and to watch the big brothers’ gold miners index as well.

Ziopharm Oncology (NASDAQ: ZIOP)

Ziopharm wants to cure cancer. Based in Boston, Mass, the company is working on a portfolio of advances which will help to treat patients of cancer and graft-versus-host disease.

So with plans so big, why are ZIOP shares trading at just around $6? Well, even GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) is only trading at about $42. But biotechnology is huge, and keeps getting bigger every day. As noble a cause as cancer treatment may be, Ziopharm is only one of many companies seeking to treat disease – cancer, Alzheimer’s and Multiple Sclerosis to name a few.

Because of the increase in popularity of biotech stocks, Ziopharm may see stock prices skyrocket as the sector starts to take off. To us, that sounds promising. Why not get in now while you can buy shares in ZIOP for less than a Netflix subscription?

Eleven Biotherapeutics (NASDAQ: EBIO)

Here’s another drug company from Massachusetts. Eleven Biotherapeutics is tailoring its research to include treatments for bladder cancer and carcinoma of the head. They’re researching Targeted Protein Therapeutics, which apparently work better than traditional antibody treatments.

At the time this article was written, investors could buy stock in EBIO for $1.90. But because of recent research showing that 100 of their brain cancer patients were still alive in their tenth year, analysts have projected that the stock price may reach upwards of $8-9 by the end of 2017. That’s not bad for a company less than a decade old. The Cambridge company’s IPO was in February, 2014 at $10 per share.

Relypsa (NASDAQ: RLYP)

Just kidding. You can’t buy shares in Relypsa anymore; they were acquired by Galencia back in 2016. But you asked if it was a hot stock, so we’ll give you a little info.

Galencia (VTX: GALN) owns subsidiary Vifor Pharma, into which is incorporated Relypsa. Got it? Galencia is a Swiss company which is currently trading at $1,117, a far cry from the price of the stocks we’ve been quoting you.

Now, if you can afford that, we’ll offer you this little piece of knowledge. Last year, when it was announced that Galencia would be purchasing Relypsa, RLYP stock shares spiked almost 60%. Relypsa’s drug Veltassa was acquired by Galencia in the acquisition, and gave Galencia a huge presence in the United States. We’ve already covered a bit of the biotech market, and we feel that Galencia’s presence in the states might offer a bit more competition and drive markets as a result.

At the moment, shares in Galencia can only be traded on the Swiss stock exchange.

So there you go! You asked, and we delivered. While not all of your hot tips led to hot stocks, you were absolutely on the right path. Keep an eye on biotechnology, in particular. It may just be that you can buy in while stock is cheap and see a great return on your investment in the very near future.

Investing doesn’t just have to be for grown ups. It can actually be pretty fun for kids, too. They just need to know how to invest and to understand the basics of the stock market.

That’s not to say that we’d encourage you to empty your savings account and buy shares in Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) or anything, but if you get a head start on learning the market game, you’ll be more ready to make informed investments when it is time.

Stock market worksheets are one of the ways that you can familiarize yourself with trading. They’re easy to use, and you can learn a lot from them. Here are just a few of the things you can learn with stock market worksheets.

Learn How Stocks Work

Stock market worksheets are useful only if you know what stocks are. You’ve heard of the stock market, and about people who have made a lot of money by buying and selling stocks? But what is a stock, exactly? When you buy a stock, you buy a share in a company. That share allows you to vote in shareholder meetings, sell your shares, and earn money from the company. Owning stock doesn’t mean that you own a part of the company. You can’t make decisions on behalf of the company, and you don’t own any of the company’s things.

But if the company does well and makes a profit, you can make money, too. Companies pay out something called dividends to shareholders. Dividends are when a company pays out a portion of its earnings to investors. You might receive this money just every now and then, or it may be a quarterly or annual payment. The dividends themselves aren’t usually a huge amount of money – maybe $.50 or so each year. But when they’re part of a bigger portfolio, you can make a bit of money.

Stock market worksheets will give you a better idea of what stocks are by allowing you to play around with them. You’ll be able to choose stocks, track them, determine how much money they’d earn you and learn when to buy or sell.

How to Build a Stock Portfolio

Stock market worksheets can help you learn how to build a portfolio. So wait, what’s a portfolio? A portfolio is a collection of everything you own, from stocks and bonds to mutual funds and ETFs. Stocks just make up a small part of your portfolio, but they’re a very important part. There are some parts of a portfolio, like bonds, which won’t increase or decrease in market value too much over time. But stocks will! And that’s why it’s important to know how to choose stocks. Stock market worksheets will help you learn how to decide when to buy shares in a company, sell shares or hold on to them.

There are stock market worksheets which will allow you to choose a few stocks and track their value over a few days or weeks. You can easily find stock prices by typing the ticker symbol into a Google search. For example, to find the stock price of Twitter, you’d just put “TWTR” into your Google search. If you don’t know the symbol, you can type something like “buy shares in Twitter.”

Usually, once you hit search, a graph will pop up on your results page, telling you the current price of the stock and what all the prices have been over the course of today, or a longer period of time. Using a stock market worksheet can help you determine how good you are at using the news, a stock’s history or industry reports to guess whether a stock price will rise or fall.

Understanding Wall Street Vocabulary

It can be confusing to hear people talking about the stock market. Bull markets, bear markets, ROI, dividend yield, market cap, OTC… good grief it can be overwhelming. Stock market worksheets are a very good way to learn the terminology, and then learn how to apply it. Say, for example, that you have no idea what a dividend yield is. Well, it’s actually pretty simple. It’s how much a company pays annually relative to the price of a stock.

Okay, maybe that didn’t clarify it for you. That’s why you need stock market worksheets. You can recite the definition all day long, but until you understand how a dividend yield is calculated, it won’t make sense. On stock market worksheets, you’ll probably have a few examples, broken down into a simple equation: dividend yield = dividend per share / share price. That’s it!

Calculations are just one way of using stock market worksheets to learn vocab though. Some classroom teachers play a vocabulary bingo game – she’ll call out a term, and if a student can correctly define the term, they check off that space on their worksheet. There are other ways you can play, too. The point is, stock market worksheets can make learning about stocks fun.

Beyond Stock Market Worksheets

If you’re lucky enough to have computers in your classroom, there are a ton of ways that you can use what you’ve learned with stock market worksheets. There are dozens of games that you and your classmates or your friends can play – they simulate the stock market, using stock quotes that are current as you play them.

HowTheMarketWorks is one; they offer you a chance to set up your own game and compete against your buddies to see who makes the most money trading stocks. Wall Street Survivor is another. Your teacher can set up a contest between class groups or individual traders – maybe she’ll even offer a prize to the winner. No homework for a week? It’s worth a shot.

If you don’t want to compete against your friends, there are stock market simulations that you can do on your own, too. You’ve mastered the vocabulary and math with your stock market worksheets – try an app like the one on Investopedia to set up your own portfolio using fake money, and see how much you can earn if you buy shares in your favorite companies.

Even if you’re not learning about finance or the stock market in school, stock market worksheets are a great way to brush up on the knowledge you’ll need now to become a good investor later. You’ll learn the basics as well as terminology, and you’ll learn how to use formulas commonly used by investors. Before you know it, you could find yourself giving your adult friends advice on how to play the market.

What are the best penny stocks on the market right now? This is question we receive a lot, and it’s one we will address in this article as we look at the “Top Penny Stocks to Watch” right now. We typically don’t cover penny stocks here on Buy Shares In, so this makes for a refreshing change.

Penny stocks have a loose definition, and in this article we have probably made that definition even looser. These “top penny stocks to watch” are basically stocks that can be bought cheap. They are stocks that will give you large numbers for your relatively small investment, which in turn will mean you’ll be in of a big payday if the price goes up.

Why Invest in Penny Stocks?

Many first-time investors and non-investors have a misconception about the stock market. They think that it’s a place where you can enter with pennies and walk away with millions. They see the successful traders and they think that this is a high-risk game of chance where you can walk away a multi-millionaire.

As soon as they start trading, they realize that that’s not the case. The stock market is about small margins. It’s about playing the long-game and focusing on slight gains and dividends. At least, for the most part. Because there is a way that you can trade small and win big. That’s where penny stocks come in.

The beauty of penny stocks is that, as their name suggests, they cost mere pennies to buy. That leaves a lot of room for growth. And if you get in while the company is still small and stay there until it’s huge, then you can secure a small fortune. Such was the case with investors who bought shares in Netflix, and to an extent it was also the case with shares in Apple.

This this guide we’ll look at the Top Penny Stocks to Watch for 2017. At the time of writing, there is a lot of movement in the markets. There is a lot going on and a lot of promise. These top penny stocks to watch all have the potential to be huge, but they also have the potential to fade away into nothing. So, don’t expect a sure-thing.

Top Penny Stocks to Watch

So, let’s get to it. These are the companies that have made our list. Below each one you will also find a stock ticker, which flashes real-time stock prices for each penny stock.

Aerotech (NASDAQ: ARTX

This is company with a big future, because it’s a company that has invested in the future of virtual reality. As discussed on our Buying Virtual Reality Stocks page, there are many ways to invest in this technology. But tech stock like Aerotech are by far the best. They have direct involvement. If this tech takes off, then so will ARTX stock.

This is one of our top stocks to watch right now because so many factors can trigger a successful year for this company. What’s more, they haven’t been recognized for their success and their promise, which means ARTX stock is very reasonably priced. So, if you want a big 2017 then make sure you invest in a company that is also likely to have a big 2017. Buy Aerotech stock and you won’t regret it. Probably (come on, we’re not psychics)

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Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL)

This is one of the oldest mining companies n the world. As far as we can see, it’s also the oldest mining stock on the New York Stock Exchange. It has had its ups and its down. But there is still a lot of promise in NYSE: HL stock. If you want to buy Hecla Mining Company stock then now is the perfect time.

There is a lot of uncertainty out there right now. The UK is leaving the EU. Trump is causing chaos in the United States. The world could be on the brink of a trade war, if not a world war. With all of that going on, the markets will likely look to trusted mining companies like this. There will always be value in minerals as any investor will tell you. And when it comes to profitable minerals, HL stock is a good bet.

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Five Below (NASDAQ: FIVE)

Another one from the NASDAQ, this one has heaps of promise and is increasing month by month. Already Five Below stock has increased in 2017 by as much as a quarter. In months to come it will like jump even further up. So, buy Five Below stock and you will be buying stock in a company that is only looking up, a company that is only moving forward.

For those not in the know, Five Below is a department/discount store that is focused on California, Florida and Texas. They have plans to open a total of 2,000 stores across those states, adding around 1,600 to the number that they already have. If hat’s not a valid reason to buy stock in Five Below, we don’t know what is.

[stock_ticker symbols=”FIVE” show=”” static=”” nolink=”” speed=”” class=””]

Twitter (NYSE: TWTR)

This might be a surprise to see on a list of the top penny stocks to watch, because you might not see it as a penny stock. But the value is very low, much less than the likes of Facebook. Of course, there is a reason for that. Twitter doesn’t make as much money as Facebook. It also doesn’t have the additional support from services like WhatsApp and Instagram.

Twitter may be commonly seen as the second largest social network and that may be true, but as close as these two are in social network stakes, there is a huge gap between them in the markets. However, the future is bright for TWTR stock. It might be struggling now, losing members and investor faith, but we have a good feeling Twitter’s stock price will rise throughout this year and will be huge within a few years.

Buying Twitter stock could be the best thing you do this year. That is why this one makes it onto our list of the top penny stocks to watch, and why it will probably feature on many similar lists from here on out.

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You’ve probably noticed that we at Buy Shares In are big fans of stock market simulations. They’re great tools for learning how the stock market works, and they’re entertaining, too. But if you’ve been playing them for a while, you’re probably to a point where you just want to win. We’re going to use HowTheMarketWorks as an example as we show you how to beat the (virtual) stock market game using HowTheMarketWorks cheats.

Stock Market Games are Fake

You know that already. But if you join a stock market simulation thinking in terms of “real” money, you’re probably not going to spend it all. When you play a stock market game, use all of your money. Every cent. You may see a small return on your cash, but it’s nothing compared to what you’ll see if you buy shares in the right companies.

HowTheMarketWorks has quite a few contests available. Some are quarterly, others will take place over a 52 week span. That said, if you join a 10 week contest, you’ll need to make the most profit in 10 weeks as possible. We’ll repeat: use all of your money!

HowTheMarketWorks Cheats: Be Aggressive

If you’re trading in the real world, you’ll carefully watch the market, following stocks as they move. After weeks or months of reading news, following market trends and researching the company, you’ll decide to buy shares in, say, Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT). It’s not performed well recently, but overall has a pretty good track record for increasing profits.

In virtual trading, you don’t have time! You’ve only got a few weeks to make the most of your money. You’ll need to be aggressive, deciding quickly to buy, sell or hold. There are two ways to do this: day trading and trend following.

HowTheMarketWorks Cheats: Day Trade

HowTheMarketWorks is a great little game in that it charts, in detail, stock prices over the course of the day. Let’s say we want to add Alphabet Inc (The Google people) to our portfolio. On HowTheMarketWorks you can search for a company’s ticker symbol, in this case, GOOG, and view a graphic which charts activity over the course of a day.

Let’s pretend that Alphabet was trading for $850 per share when the markets opened this morning. You decide that Google’s a pretty solid investment, and buy a hundred shares. Suddenly, at 2 in the afternoon, CEO Larry Page announces that his company has found a cure for Spontaneous Combustion, an increasingly prevalent concern as global warming becomes apparent. The market reacts and suddenly a share in Alphabet Inc is worth $925.

Trading with real money, you may be tempted to hold on to this stock. Who knows what that clever Mr. Page will think of next? But if you’re day trading, it’s a great time to sell. You’ll immediately see the profits from your brilliant investment and can cash out or reinvest in another company.

HowTheMarketWorks Cheats: Trend Following

Now, that Alphabet Inc maneuver was probably a lucky break. And the down side to day trading is that you’ll basically be sitting at your computer all day, watching the stocks in your portfolio rise and fall.

If you’re looking for a winning strategy that’s a little more hands off, try trend following. Trend following is exactly as it sounds. You’ll watch the markets as they either rise or fall, and buy shares in trending companies accordingly.

Trend following trading doesn’t require you to spend as much time staring at a screen, but you’ll have to do a bit of research. Our best suggestion to you is to keep up with the news, as anything can make a difference in the market.

HowTheMarketWorks has its own built-in cheat for trend following. On your dashboard, you’ll see a section entitled “research tools”. You can look at market trends, stocks by sector, historical prices and news. Market trends is particularly useful in helping you to choose stocks with a trend following strategy.

HowTheMarketWorks Cheats: News

Yes, we’ve already mentioned this, but there’s more to say. You’ll need to interpret the news like an investor would so that you don’t miss out on an opportunity. The HowTheMarketWorks cheat here is simply using the news feature. Let’s look at another imaginary example.

You’re interested in buying shares in Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA). Last week, Tesla announced that it was going to purchase Nintendo (TYP: NTDOY) but you read the news and scoffed.

Researching the company the following week, you noticed a shift in stock prices following the announcement; shares in TSLA jumped from $250 to an incredible $400. You ask yourself, “what is the meaning of this?!”

Upon further investigation, you realize that TSLA also announced that its SpaceX program had discovered the real Super Mario Land on a recent mission. Because you failed to interpret the news, you lost out on a huge profit.

So, be smart. Follow trends and follow individual stocks, but also pay close attention to breaking news and interpret it wisely.

The Ultimate HowTheMarketWorks Cheat

Built into the HowTheMarketWorks game itself is a surefire cheat. The website allows you to trade in real time, giving you access to the latest stock quotes and allowing you to buy shares at their real, current prices.

Almost.

HowTheMarketWorks stock quotes are actually delayed about 15 minutes. Now, it’s not going to make a huge amount of difference in the long run, but this time lapse can certainly help.

As a general rule, stocks fluctuate by at least a few cents over the course of a day. But sometimes they can rise or drop drastically. We’ve already talked about how the news can affect a stock, but let’s look at one more hypothetical situation.

Yesterday, you bought stock in Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN). Amazon uses a cloud platform called Amazon Web Services to provide services, and if AWS is in any way compromised, companies like Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Twitter (NYSE: TWTR) will be affected.

Unfortunately, Amazon did experience an outage of its AWS platform. Twitter users could not tweet, and Donald Trump was “very mad.”

Once the service was back online, he took to his Twitter account, blasting Amazon and calling it “one of the most bad companies, like, ever.” Amazon share prices abruptly fell by over $100 per share.

Meanwhile, you took our advice, and you paid attention to the news. You anticipated the decline and checked it out in real time. Knowing that the stock prices had fallen dramatically, you sold your shares in AMZN at the higher prices still reflected on the HowTheMarketWorks website. Fifteen minutes later, the website caught up to real life and you came out a winner.

This is quite a simple little cheat. It’s especially useful if you’re playing against other investors. But it’s very dishonest, too. We think you’ll have more fun playing by the rules. You’ll learn more as well.

We do hope you have fun playing your stock simulation contest. HowTheMarketWorks isn’t the only simulation that these tricks will work for; you can use most of them anywhere. Good luck and enjoy your game!

Eight out of ten investors agree that getting started in trading is easiest when you play investment games first. Alright, our sample might be a bit skewed, because we only asked around the office. But it’s fair to assume that if you’re nervous about starting to buy shares in real stock, you’d feel more comfortable using a stock market simulation first.

If that’s the case for you, great! In this article, we’ll explore a few investment games to help you feel more confident in your trading abilities. These trading platforms offer a venue for real trading, but also offer stock market simulations in which you can execute virtual trades with virtual money. You’ve got absolutely nothing to lose.

Plus500 Investment Game

Let’s start with Plus500. This is a large website, but it’s unique in that it gets right to the point. Without the miscellaneous blog entries and news reports you’ll see on other sites, Plus500 is a clean, focused program.

If you feel that you’d rather read real time news while you trade, perhaps this isn’t the best stock market simulation for you. But if you’d prefer to trade without distraction, try a demo account here. Headquartered in London, Plus500 offers trading in the US, UK, European and Asian exchanges. Unfortunately, if you’re a US investor you’ll have to play elsewhere.

To open a demo account, you’ll need to register with the site and provide some information about yourself. Plus500 strongly discourages opening multiple accounts, but you’ll be able to switch between your stock market simulation account and your live account easily within your dashboard.

Overall, it’s a user-friendly program, useful for learning the ropes. Once you’re ready to move to live investments, you’ll have no problem making the switch. Plus500 is also available on iPhone and Android, and offers an Apple Watch app.

Investopedia Stock Simulation Game

We lauded Plus500 for its clean interface and user friendly platform. But if you’re looking for a site that’s truly geared to the beginning investor, try the stock market simulation at Investopedia.

Investopedia is one of the most comprehensive resources available on the internet for new traders. Its dictionary, for example, includes entries for everything from Autotrading to Z-bond. The site includes tutorials on stock basics and even exam prep for the Series 7. But we’re most impressed with its stock market simulation.

After creating a free account, you’ll have the option to join an Investopedia game or a public stock simulation game. You can actually join as many as you like; there’s no limit. Each game will give you a unique portfolio. For example, if you join the Investopedia quarterly simulation and buy shares in Boeing, these stocks won’t be visible on your portfolio in the Warren Buffet Million Dollar Challenge simulation.

For research purposes, we joined a beginner’s game. We were immediately given a $10,000 starting balance, and a look at our portfolio. At first glance, the user interface wasn’t particularly attractive. But, like Plus500, the game itself was uncluttered, allowing us to focus on our purchases without distraction.

Trading is easy: it’s as simple as filling in the blanks and clicking the mouse twice to purchase stocks. Trades are based on real time quotes, and overall, it’s a nice stock market simulation game to practice with. The only negative we found was that commissions in the simulation were phenomenally high, ranging from $20 to $30. These commissions were significantly higher than other games, and honestly higher than many real life commissions.

Like most other games, you will have the option to create your own simulation to play with friends or the public. You can set your own rules governing everything from those pesky commissions to cash interest rate.

We highly recommend this game for its teaching ability, its simplistic approach to trading, and its real-time trading accuracy.

Trade.com Investment Game

If you’ve spent any time researching stock market simulation games, Trade.com is probably in line with what you’ve seen. Its format is more “busy” than Investopedia and Plus500, displaying news reports, stock quotes and self-promotion from the landing page.

Like Plus500, Trade.com accounts aren’t available to United States traders, though you can buy shares in US companies. For example, you’re able to access any company listed on the NYSE or within NASDAQ despite the site not being open to accounts originating in the US.

The most impressive feature of Trade.com is their customer service. While customer service may not be a huge issue if you’re trading virtual stocks, it most certainly will be important should you convert to live trading.

We wanted to experiment a bit with the Trade.com customer service chat function, so we pretended we were unable to find some information. Nicole, our rep, responded to our query within one minute, and answered each our questions accurately.

If you’re a UK customer who’s looking to eventually switch to real trading, we recommend Trade.com for its educational resources, its accessibility by mobile devices, and its customer service.

Robinhood

Are you ready to buy shares in companies using real money? It’s time to head over to Robinhood. Robinhood doesn’t offer a stock market simulation, but instead focuses on keeping the cost of commissions down for traders.

Robinhood is headquartered in California, and is owned by two college graduates. After attending Stanford, the men worked designing trading platforms for large scale investment companies. Through their work, they realized that the investment firms were charging exorbitant commissions on trades, despite being charged very little themselves.

The men got to work to design a platform of their own, and Robinhood was launched. The site offers free trading, allowing you to buy shares in companies without paying commissions.

Here’s what’s unusual about Robinhood’s trading platform: you’ll need to trade from your mobile phone. They’ve got apps for both iPhone and Android devices, so you’re not limited to one brand. They’ve even got an Apple Watch application.

You can download the app and register from there, or begin your registration online at their website. Because you’re using real money, the app will need to collect information about you, such as your address and your social security number. Once your account is approved, you can start trading.

So how does Robinhood make money? They offer Robinhood Gold, which costs $10 each month. Gold members enjoy the same free commission structure, but also extended trading times and access to “Gold Buying Power”, Robinhood’s lending service. Robinhood is an optional service; you can still trade with a free account.

Robinhood is a nice little application. It’s easy to use, and the mobile convenience is appealing to busy people. The commission free trades are definitely a plus. We also like that there’s no required minimum balance to open a basic account. (Robinhood Gold does have requirements.)

The downside to Robinhood is that you can buy shares in companies like Sony or Facebook, but won’t have access to options, mutual funds or OTC securities. These may be coming to the site in the future.

The inauguration of a new president. The S&P 500’s solid start to the year. The announcement of raised interest rates by the Federal Reserve. And terrifying headlines indicating a bacon shortage.

The new year got off to an interesting start. And while it’s since been confirmed that the world’s bacon is not, in fact, in short supply, other economic news has dominated headlines.

Let’s take a look at what’s predicted for 2017, current market conditions in March, and what they mean for you as an investor.

2017 Market Conditions Under a Republican Administration

The United States economy is operating under unusual circumstances. It’s not unprecedented, but it’s rare for one party to hold the House, the Senate and the presidency.

What does that mean for the 2017 market outlook? Well, it’s probably a good thing. Historically, markets have fared better with a single party administration. The reason for that can pretty much be deduced with a little bit of common sense. If the government is arguing about what should get done, nothing will get done. A single party administration can mean definitive changes and an overall increase in productivity. That, in turn, means good things for the current market conditions.

The first two years of President Barack Obama’s term, he enjoyed a Democratic majority in both the House and Senate. This legislature enacted swift changes to enable Wall Street reform, lessen instances of abusive policies by lenders, and create jobs through investments in health care and clean energy. Investors reflexively jumped, and US stocks rose an average of 12% each year during his term.

March 2017 market conditions exist under similar governmental composition, but this time it’s the Republicans who control Washington. Similar to the early years of Obama’s term, Donald Trump will benefit from the presence of like minded politicians.

Ask ten people, “Which party is better for the stock market, Republican or Democrat?” You’ll get 12 different answers. So let’s look at history once more. Bloomberg LP has released rankings of the US economy with respect to the last six presidents in office. These rankings are based on statistics such as the S&P 500, gross domestic product, and bond performance.

Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama ranked first and second on the chart, respectively. The less successful four presidents were Republicans. Now, we understand that this is a pretty small sample. But looking back even further, average annual gain under a Democratic president has been an average of 9.7% since 1945. Under Republicans, it’s been only 6.7%.

In 2016, Trump campaigned heavily on a promise of creating American jobs and protecting American trade. He’s repeatedly criticized trade agreements such as NAFTA, and has proposed a border tax be levied against neighboring countries. However, be all this as it may, it probably means good things for 2017 market conditions. Whether or not you agree with his politics, President Trump’s consistency in stating his desire to strengthen American companies will likely lead to an ultimate positive for the American stock market.

2017 Market Conditions Under Raised Interest Rates

In December of 2016, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates for only the second time since 2008. The Fed announced this most recent hike to .5 to .75%, citing an improvement in the American economy. There are reportedly more rate increases planned for 2017.

Interest rates do affect current market conditions. At the most basic level, the rate which most impacts the stock market is the federal funds rate.

To put it quite simply, the federal funds rate determines how much it costs a bank to borrow money from the government. When the interest rates are higher, banks will choose to borrow less, or may charge consumers more.

This higher rate impacts businesses, too. Let’s say that interest rates have gone up and Apple wants to borrow money. The money that Apple borrows will now cost Apple more, too. So how does this look on a spreadsheet? It looks like Apple has a higher debt, and therefore is less profitable. If Apple chooses not to borrow money under raised interest rates, it has a similar effect. The market sees this lack of expansion and projects it to estimate less cash flow in the future.

There are industries to watch as the interest rates rise, though. If you’re looking to invest under current market conditions, keep your eyes on banks, mortgage companies and insurance firms. These industries tend to thrive when federal interest rates are higher, simply because they can charge more.

Current Market Conditions in March 2017

So where do you go from here? Since the start of the year, investors have jumped heavily into the purchase of stocks. But Wall Street is having trouble predicting what the US markets will look like by year’s end.

An increase in American productivity is expected to cause an increase in inflation. This, in turn, would cause the federal interest rates to soar even higher. You already know what this means for the stock market. But as an alternative to stock market investments, Wall Street is looking more closely at bond investments. The relative safety of buying into a company’s debt through bonds is as attractive as the unpredictability of the 2017 market is apparent.

Investment companies like Wells Fargo have also predicted that 2017 will be a volatile year for stocks, suggesting that it’s a good time for active trading. And generally speaking, Wall Street is ignoring Donald Trump’s trade policy promises. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley have both predicted a growth in imports to the United States, countered by a comparatively slow growth in exports. This will directly affect the country’s trade deficit, meaning a shift in current market conditions and a decline of the domestic stock market.

Finally, it’s important to look at a most unusual factor in the current political climate: Donald Trump’s Twitter account. The President has taken to his Twitter account with unmatched abandon, even on the campaign trail. Frequent tweets about economic issues, such as immigration and trade have had a direct and immediate impact on the stock market. In early December of 2016, for example, shares of Boeing plummeted as the President-elect publicly slammed the company for their estimated cost to build a new Air Force One. Similarly, Lockheed Martin was targeted by Trump, affecting the market and even triggering suspicions of insider trading.

This is not to say that you should open a Twitter account and base your stock market activity on Donald Trump’s tweets. It’s simply indicative of another factor causing this year’s unpredictable market conditions.

Invest wisely, and if you’re a beginning trader, it may be best to focus your resources on bonds and other low risk investments. As the administration matures, we’ll likely have a better concept of where the best investments lie.

Do you think you’re ready to start stock market trading? One of the best ways to find out is by playing a stock market game. Practice makes perfect, and there’s no need to dump money into stocks if you’re not quite sure you’re ready.

There are dozens of free stock trading games available on iPhone, Android and on the internet. Let’s take a look at some of the best.

Market Watch

Market Watch is a free stock trading game which is a part of a larger site. The site, as a whole, provides stock market reports in real time, as well as financial news and a blog.

To play this stock market game, you’ll need to register with a valid email address, as you’ll be sent a verification email. Reply to that, and you’re ready to play.

When you enter the games section, you’ll see several tabs. The welcome screen just has financial news, which will help you play smarter. But if you’re ready to just get in there and play, click the “find a game” tab.

Under this tab, you’ll see a list of games, which you’re able to sort by attribute. You can choose a beginner game with a “normal” setting, or you can choose an advanced game. All the games are created by fellow users, and you’ll be able to see how many other players are in a particular game room.

Click on the name of the room to get more information, and when you find one you like, choose to “join”. You’ll see your personal stats listed, as well as a “trade now” button. Each player starts with a certain amount of money, which is determined by the room’s creator.

As you play, you’ll learn about commissions, short selling, margin selling and other factors, without spending your own money.

If you’d like to create your own free stock trading game room, you’ll choose the “create a game” tab. With this option, you set the limits, and choose whether your stock market game is public or private.

HowtheMarketWorks

This stock market game is a little bit different. First, you’ll be asked to create an account, but you can use Facebook to register if you like. Once you’ve registered and set a password, the site will ask you how much money you’d like to start with.

While it may be tempting to start with a huge amount of money, we recommend that you start in a realistic range. Try $10,000 to begin.

Once you’ve created your account and chosen your starting cash, you’re ready to trade. You’ll be taken to a screen with purchase instructions which are very easy to understand. Build your portfolio using real time stock figures.

A fun feature of HowtheMarketWorks site is that you can join a contest. You can choose to create your own and compete against friends, or you can join a public contest and win real cash prizes.

Wall Street Survivor

This game is also part of a larger site. Wall Street Survivor is a resource for beginning investors who are interested in taking courses about trading the stock market. There are news articles, real time tickers and a financial blog.

To play this game, you’ll join a league. Alternatively, if you’d like to play with friends, you can create your own league. Again, you’ll have a starting cash balance, usually between $10,000 and $100,000.

As you build your portfolio and engage in trading, you’ll be able to track your ranking among other members of the league. Building your portfolio can be an educated decision, or you can choose a random stock.

You may also find the courses offered on this site useful. There are courses which will help you succeed in your stock market game, and in real trading. Topics include “Getting started in the Stock Market” and “Investing Like the Greats.”

Best Brokers

If you’re a beginning investor who’s not yet independently wealthy, you probably would appreciate an app you can use at your day job. Best Brokers is a free stock market game that’s available on both iPhone and Android devices.

This is a real time game with over 60,000 available stocks. Markets are updated every minute.

Begin the game with $25,000 and build your portfolio, setting limits and stops as you go. You’ll be able to track your performance via weekly, monthly and annual charted reports. Plus, this stock market game is unique in that you’ll also be able to search for funds, bonds and even Bitcoins.

This easy to use interface has other options as well. You can read financial news, view an app-wide leaderboard, and ask friends to join you.

Student Stock Trader

Okay, this one’s for kids. But grownups can play, too! Every parent wants to raise a financially sound child; what better way than by teaching them the stock market?

To register for this game, you’ll need a valid email address, as you’ll be asked to confirm it. To play this, an adult (a parent or a teacher) will create a game. Once the stock market game is created, the adult will receive a code to distribute to their little traders.

While most classrooms may prefer to access the game via the internet or computer lab, it’s also available as an app for both iPhone and Android. If your kid is excited about watching his stocks grow, he can access his dashboard right from his phone.

This game has tons of options, including the choice to play as a team or individually. Regardless of the choice, each child can see his name on the leaderboard with real time metrics tracking his progress.

Within the game, students can easily search for stocks by industry, or find stocks selling for under $5. They can also research companies to make informed purchases. The site claims that their data is “loosely based” on real data, so the stocks aren’t being sold at real time prices. But kids will certainly learn a lot about trading with this free game.

There are a ton of free stock trading games out there, both on the internet and on your mobile phone. Once you find a stock market game that’s easy to use, stick with it. You’ll be able to gauge your own progress, and decide if you’re ready to enter trading with real money.

If you want to invest in American stock, you don’t need to look any further than the US stock market. Simple as that, right? Well, yes, but not quite. Thanks to foreign investments, outsourcing and other aspects of globalization, it’s difficult to find an “an all-American” company anymore.

A few of our readers requested that we write this article and we assumed it would be as simple as pointing to a few key NASDAQ or NYSE companies. But the more we looked into it, the more we realized that that just isn’t the case. The companies at the top of those exchanges are not exactly what you would call “all-American stock”.

As an example, Walmart owns one of the biggest supermarkets in the United Kingdom; Apple outsources most of its manufacturing to China. Simply put, all-American companies are hard to come by. But if you’re a patriotic and want to keep it in the US, then we’ll try to help by pointing you toward the best American stock.

American Stock: 100% American Stocks

All of the following stocks have been picked by the writers here at Buy Shares In. We are basing our opinions on outward perceptions, taking into account where the companies operate, where they were founded, where they are based and where they do business. We’ve tried to focus on 100% American stock where possible. But if that’s not the case, we apologize. Please don’t lynch us!

Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BNED)

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It’s difficult for any bookstore to compete with the mighty Amazon. But Barnes & Noble have somehow managed to do that. Not only are they a direct competitor selling paperback titles, but they also have their own version of the Kindle. The B&N Nook may not perform as well, but it ensures that this bookstore can stand on its own two feet.

Founded in NYC, Barnes & Noble hires close to 30,000 American workers. This is where it does all of its business offline, and where it does most of its business online. It’s easy to take a chain global these days, but it’s rare for that to happen to a bookstore. As a result, each country seems to have their own, and in the United States nothing comes close to B&N.

Anyone looking to buy shares in Barnes & Noble has to bear in mind that tis is a saturated, competitive and struggling market. But at the same time, it’s one that B&N have performed well in. Chains like this have a way of adapting and staying on course regardless. Profits may be down, but they still have a revenue of over $4 billion and brand power that is the envy of countless companies worldwide.

Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: BUD)

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Don’t recognize the name Anheuser-Busch InBev? Then just take a look at their stock ticker (BUD) and that should tell you all you need to know.

Anheuser-Busch InBev are the makes of Budweiser, a true all-American beer that is exported around the world. It has been called “flavored urine”; it has been called dishwater liquid. In some areas of the US and some countries it is despised. But for every person that hates it there are hundreds more that love it. After all, you don’t create one of the best selling beers in the world without picking up a few diehard fans along the way.

Anheuser-Busch InBev is actually based in Belgium, the home of great beer. But the brand is traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Other brands owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev include Corona, Stella Artois, Beck’s and many more. Those subsidiaries make this brand a little less American, but you can’t argue with the authenticity of Bud. And if you want to buy stock in Budweiser, then you have to buy stock in Anheuser-Busch InBev.

Papa Johns (NASDAQ: PZZA)

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We know what you’re thinking, this is hardly a 100% American stock. Papa Johns has locations around the world and is as global as it is possible for a fast food chain to be. However, the reason PZZA stock makes this list is because of the way its creation embodies the American Dream.

“Papa” John Schnatter’s decided that he wanted to run his own pizza place, but he didn’t have the money or the space. So, he sold his car, invested every penny he had in kitchen equipment, and then setup shop in his father’s tavern. He took over what was essentially a broom closet and cooked pizzas for the patrons of the tavern.

Through sheer determination and hard work, he made enough money to buy his own store. From there, the franchise grew, with Papa John continuing to lead the way. These days he can be seen in their TV adverts, on their billboards and everywhere else. So, by buying Papa John’s stock you’re buying a piece of the American dream.

Potbelly Corp (NASDAQ: PBPB)

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Potbelly is a chain of sandwich shops that was founded in 1977. The story of Potbelly is a unique one, to say the least. It began life as an antique store selling sandwiches on the side. These sandwiches were cooked using antique equipment and then sold to customers. Over time, the owners realized that the sandwiches were making more money, so they focused on them and the antiques became part of the furniture (quite literally).

Potbelly is not as big as Subway and other sandwich chains. But this is a hard working chain in a very rich and in-demand industry. It is a chain that covers close to 500 stores, is loved by the American people and has also expanded into several other countries. Potbelly was born of innovation, hard work and a drive that perfectly reflects the American dream.

Texas Instruments (NASDAQ: TXN)

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Located just down the road from the Dallas Cowboys, known as “America’s Team”, this chipmaker is one of the biggest in the country. It is a true all-American brand, and one that is based is one of the true all-American states.

Texas Instruments create a host of consumer products, focusing on electrical products, including data storage products, calculators and more. If it requires a chip, if it runs on a circuit of some kind, then there’s a good chance they make it.

Texas Instruments have created some pioneering inventions that have helped to change this industry, and they are continuing to make those innovations to this day. This stock continues to perform very well even in the modern age and the future is bright for the TXN stock price.