Any software to "simulate" stock trading?

[JustinSampson]

Hello all,
I was wondering if there is a software application that lets you buy "pretend" stocks in actual companies?

I was just interested in learning more about the market and thought it would be better then actually losing my real money.

Thanks,
Justin S.

 

[yllus]

Wouldn't it be easier to simply paper trade a few stock for a while?

 

[TommyVercetti]

Yahoo Finance?

 

[JustinSampson]

Originally posted by: yllus
Wouldn't it be easier to simply paper trade a few stock for a while?

Thanks, but what is paper trading? This is what I'm not sure of. If a stock goes from $1 to $2, you have 500 shares, then can you just cash out your $1000? What "trading fees" are involved?

 

[Hector13]

Originally posted by: JustinSampson

Originally posted by: yllus
Wouldn't it be easier to simply paper trade a few stock for a while?

Thanks, but what is paper trading? This is what I'm not sure of. If a stock goes from $1 to $2, you have 500 shares, then can you just cash out your $1000? What "trading fees" are involved?

search for "simulated trading" or "paper trading" on google.. I'm sure you can find something. Otherwise, as suggested, just use yahoo finance and/or excel.

You can assume something like $10 in commissions per trade (each way, ie $10 for each buy and $10 for each sell). At a typical investor's size, you won't be buying/selling enough to change the commission much or to have any market impact (unless you are trading some truly inactive names).