The year 2020 has informally been dubbed the “Generation Investor” — and for a good reason. According to a Charles Schwab survey, 15% of current retail investors entered financial markets last year. Experts explained that the rising interest in investing is due to the prolonged lockdowns. In addition, investors’ ages range from Gen Z to baby boomers, 55% of whom turned to the financial markets to build an emergency fund or create another income stream.
Regardless of age, investing is one way to build wealth, and you’ll need to know where to look for valuable information and advice. So with that in mind, here are five digital resources that are readily available to aid you in your investment journey.
Online investing courses and webinars
There are plenty of investing courses and webinars online where you can brush up on your knowledge of basic financial concepts and investing principles. In addition, digital resources such as the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) offer free educational programs and research to assist Americans with making sound money decisions. Under ‘Choosing The Right Investments’, for instance, you can learn more about products like stocks and bonds, as well as their risk factors and features. Meanwhile, ‘Managing Investment Risk’ can help you determine an appropriate strategy, from being conservative to a bigger risk-taker.
News sites
Staying updated on financial news is crucial because it informs you about the latest market trends and faring companies. Market Watch is one of the most valuable sources of information. It features business news, real-time commentary, and the latest financial headlines from all over the U.S. and Europe. Other credible sites include Bloomberg News and CNBC. In addition, news sites usually offer subscription newsletters and downloadable applications to help you keep track even when you’re on the go.
Additionally, you can check out financial journals compiled by industry experts to get more in-depth with financial topics that are the most relevant to you. Registering with a brokerage firm will also let you receive personalized research material that you can study.
Investment-centric, finance blogs
Other resources to look into include investment-centric finance blogs. These sites make it a point to explain more technical terms and concepts to those still new to navigating the ins and outs of financial markets. AskMoney even has its investing category, which breaks down key ideas like blue-chip stocks and compound interest investments. You should also find timely articles on finance sites, such as lists of worthwhile stock picks and growth funds. And our own Financially Genius blog provides information for people who want better financial instruments—from stock trading to retirement investments. You can find all the relevant financial information that you’ll need to keep in mind.
Analytical tools, charts, and maps
It’s important to use tools to manage your investments, such as the free financial dashboard on Personal Capital. These dashboards often feature investment tracking tools to keep all your investment accounts in one place, as well as cash flow tools where you can connect bank accounts and credit cards to manage your finances.
Aside from charts and maps, news sites like Yahoo Finance and Google Finance offer analytical tools such as screeners. They let you choose from hundreds of data filters to discover stocks, mutual funds, and ETFs. You can also keep track of event calendars to prepare for major economic events.
Investment calculators online allow you to picture how your initial investment, frequency of contributions, and risk tolerance can all affect your investments. In addition, you can adjust different factors such as time, type of investment, or the interest rate to tailor-fit the calculations to your situation.
Community-run resources
Experts recommend looking into social finance resources to help you learn directly from other investors. Stocktwits, for example, is an online community for traders and investors where you can join conversations on finance and keep up with corporations you actively follow. You can also join online forums and message boards; most have threads explicitly catered to new investors. In addition, look out for Q&A pages or YouTube channels run by registered financial advisors. You can even watch finance TED talks—you might learn something new.
The more you understand investing, the more you’ll discover that it’s not as complicated as people make it out to be. In addition, utilizing all the resources available to you will aid you in becoming more confident with your financial decisions and ultimately become a better investor.