I want to begin investing in stock. I have quite a lot of money to put into an investment however I don´t know where to start as I´ve never done it before. Can anyone advise me if it is sensible to deal with a broker or a company like that, who know what they are talking about and advise you on what stock you should buy?This might sound like a really stupid question but what are mutual funds?...in simple terms. Also why does nobody recommend dealing with a broker? Is it not a good idea to use one? I realise that I would have to pay to use them but I don´t mind that if someone knowledgeable is going to do the right thing with my money.

look at investopedia to get an idea about investing

Knowledge is power. Make sure you are very well informed before investing your money in the market yourself. My recommendation is to use a dummy account -- lots of investing sites will give you play money you can invest and see how it works for you -- and practice before doing the real thing. If you plan on having a broker invest on your behalf, I would recommend looking into mutual funds, as that automatically diversifies your funding.Be warned, though: This really is a very bad time to invest in the stock market, as our cycle is turning towards a downward trend. My personal recommendation is to look for "safe" funds that will give you a return on your investment with as little risk as possible at this time. Ask a financial planner for details as to what funds would be good for investing in at this time....

It's not about what stock to "buy". It's about establishing an "asset allocation" and finding the best ways to fill it. In addition, one never buys stock without establishing an "exit plan". Goal number one is always capital preservation (even with experienced, aggressive professional traders).Don't do anything for a year. Read as many books on investing as you can. Avoid books by "market gurus" who promise quick riches.The money you'll save following this advice will be large. You'll avoid all the typical mistakes of new investors!

Honestly I think you should keep 90-95% of your money in mutual funds, and then try investing the remaining in stocks.There is much more to stock investing then just buying stock and it takes years to really grasp stock investing. You have to learn your own tendencies and how well you take losers and then figure out why something went bad so you don't repeat the same mistakes twice.

Your question really scares me! I have no idea what you should do. After reading the comments so far, I would say, use the "play money" plan one guy told about, and one other guy mentioned about safe investing. I would be TERRIFIED to invest. Put the money you have in a good money market and wait it out. Good Money Market translates Vanguard Prime Money Market. That is my advice! PARK the money in the best money market you can get, till you figure out what you should do. I have my money in the money market I told you of, and it is paying poorly. However, it's paying more than anybody else! < big cheesy smile >! And the money will be THERE when I want it! :D < another cheesy smile! > :D!~Cindy! :O-------------------------------------------PART TWO, to your part two! :DMutual Funds are funds where a whole buncha people put money in, and it is managed by professional managers. Vanguard is one of the best, if not THE best. That is why Vanguard makes the most money for their customers. They also don't charge for anything, that I know of. All their money is made by performing the BEST! :)Finding a money manager to manage your money for you is very risky. You have to find one that is completely honest, and there AIN'T ANY! :O So many times I've heard stories... One money manager says to another, "My kid needs braces", or "My kid needs music lessons", or "my family needs a boat". So they call their customers, feed them a line about how much money they can make if they invest in XYZ, and collect a big fee for moving and managing the money. ALWAYS go to Vanguard for your needs. The have a GREAT web site! :D They do not have commissions, and you don't pay for anything. All their money is made by managers wisely managing other people's money, and they do it very well! :)~Cindy! :D..

stock may not a good choice .I suggest that you can choice gold or forex.

Investing a large sum of money is always a tricky thing. I would firstly suggest that you talk to an independent financial adviser who will be able to help you ascertain the risk that you want to take with the money. Then a unit trust investment or bond would be a good idea. The money could even be housed off shore but this tends to lead to higher charges. The benefit of using a bond/unit trust is that it enables you to hold one investment that can invest in any sector that you wish. These funds include the very low risk funds up to very high risk funds. By building up a portfolio this way you are minimising the risk as you are not buying shares yourself you are allowing a fund manger to do this. Another benefit is that most companies will allow you to switch between funds without charge that means that you can effectively change your investment at any time.

Before you make any investments, get hold of the book "Investing For Dummies." It will give you a good overview. Then read "Mutual Funds For Dummies" and "Stock Investing For Dummies." You can be your own best advisor.

Your first option should be to fund fully a retirement account. This is always a good investment regardless of who you are. If you have done this, or you wish to wait on the retirement fund, then one of the best things you can do is open a DRIP Plan.They are seldom talked about because brokers make very little money when they suggest them. Yet, they have proven to be one of the best, if not the best, long-term strategy on Wall Street. The best part is you get to choose from the best Blue Chip International Corporations in the world. You can have Toyota, General Electric, Royal Canadian Bank or McDonalds in your portfolio. Although there is always risk in stocks, these Blue Chip giants offer far less risk than most.They are inexpensive to start and maintain, and your dividends are reinvested for free.They are perfect for small investors, as well as big investors. They will allow you to sleep at night and not care about whether the market is going up or down. I am not a fan of mutual funds. About 75% of them under perform the market. All of them have management fees, and some have sales loads. There are better options.

do you want to be involved i what you invest in or just sit back and watch your investment grow? Have you considered being a business angel? i.e.investing in a SME then maybe being involved ona consultancy basis? Contact me directly if you may be interested I may have something for you

I would strongly advice you trade stocks, you can read books and get the skills to do well or you can cheat like me and go to http://www.goldenbullstocks.com

Hello there,I don´t recommend getting involved with a broker as they are expensive and can be dishonest, only out for them self. However I was in the same position as you about 7 years ago. I had quite a large sum of money but had no idea where to start investing it. After considerable research I was referred to a company that held my hand throughout the whole process of investing and they have shown me some incredible returns over the years. Using this company saves me doing too much research into the markets myself as this is left to my advisor, which is nice and easy for a busy man like myself, I just see the profits. If you would like me to give you more information email me at eric.hurst18@yahoo.co.uk