Learn How The Stock Market Works
Plain-English guides in a sensible order. Start at step 1 if you are new, or jump to a topic below.
Start Here
- 1 How Does The Stock Market Work? Stocks, exchanges, prices, and how investors make money, explained simply. 2 min read
- 2 How To Buy Your First Stock Step by step: choose a broker, open an account, research, place a limit order, and exit. 4 min read
- 3 Will I Lose Money In Stocks? Risk management strategies and how to minimise losses as a new investor. 3 min read
Our Research
See All Research →Original backtests on 13 years of stock data, with the costs and the limits shown.
All Guides
Getting Started
The basics: what the market is, how to place a first trade, and how much you can lose.
How Does The Stock Market Work?
Stocks, exchanges, prices, and how investors make money, explained simply.
Updated Oct 7, 2026
How To Buy Your First Stock
Step by step: choose a broker, open an account, research, place a limit order, and exit.
Updated Oct 7, 2026
Will I Lose Money In Stocks?
Risk management strategies and how to minimise losses as a new investor.
Updated Oct 7, 2026
Reading The Market
The terms used to describe the market and to judge what a stock is worth.
Bull Vs Bear Market
The two market cycles every investor needs to understand, with historical examples.
Updated Oct 7, 2026
What Is Market Cap?
Large cap, small cap, micro cap: what the tiers mean and how they affect risk.
Updated Oct 7, 2026
What Is The P/E Ratio?
The most-used valuation metric: forward vs trailing P/E, sector benchmarks, and limits.
Updated Oct 7, 2026
What You Can Invest In
Funds, dividends and how much money you need to begin.
What Is An ETF?
ETF vs index fund vs mutual fund: expense ratios, types, and best ETFs for beginners.
Updated Oct 7, 2026
What Is A Dividend?
Dividend yield, payout ratio, ex-dividend date, and how to spot safe dividend stocks.
Updated Oct 7, 2026
How Much Money Do I Need?
Start planning for your first investment: how much is actually enough to begin.
Updated Oct 7, 2026
Active Trading
Shorter-term approaches, and the risks that come with them.
What Is Day Trading?
The PDT rule, tools, strategies (momentum, breakout, gap and go), and the real risk stats.
Updated Oct 7, 2026
What Is Short Selling?
How shorting works, short interest, the GameStop short squeeze, and unlimited loss risk.
Updated Oct 7, 2026
What Is RVOL?
Relative volume explained: how to read it, time-adjust it, and spot real momentum vs. noise.
Updated Oct 14, 2026
What Is A Moonshot Stock?
Speculative micro-cap stocks with multi-bagger potential, and how Diamond Finder screens for them.
Updated Oct 14, 2026
Options And Futures
Leveraged instruments. Read these once the basics feel comfortable.
What Are Stock Options?
Calls, puts, strike prices, expiration dates, and why options exist, explained simply.
Updated Oct 7, 2026
How To Read An Options Chain
Every column decoded: bid, ask, volume, open interest, delta, theta, and how to pick a contract.
Updated Oct 7, 2026
Options Strategies For Beginners
Long call, long put, covered call, and protective put: the four strategies to master first, with risk profiles.
Updated Oct 7, 2026
What Are Futures Contracts?
Margin, leverage, and how E-mini Nasdaq (NQ) and S&P (ES) contracts actually work, with a real example.
Updated Oct 7, 2026