Is there a stock market game (to learn the stock market)

[datdamkid]

I want to learn how the stock market works..I've seen some sites that do this, but there are fees to pay for it. But is there any free site for me to do this at? I know some of my teachers have done this in the pass w/some of there students, but I don't remmber what the sites where, and I don't go to that school, or I would ask.....thanks



Thanks again
-dat

 

[Kenazo]

Why not just use Yahoo Finance? You can set up a portfolio there. What more is there in a 'game'?

 

[DaveSimmons]

You can do it yourself without software "on paper" or in an Excel sheet.
- Give yourself a starting balance
- make trades at the prices for that day (adding a $10 transaction fee for each trade)
- check current value of your portfolio by looking up current prcies and multiplying by the number of shares you own.

(edit) if you're trying to learn about how the market works, things like how are stocks valued, then going to www.fool.com and checking out books from your library will teach you much more than a game with an oversimplified economic model. Also search "invest" in archived threads for an old thread listing investment books.

 

[datdamkid]

Originally posted by: Kenazo
Why not just use Yahoo Finance? You can set up a portfolio there. What more is there in a 'game'?

I don't want to invest money right now, I'm only 15 and just want to learn it.

 

[Hector13]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
You can do it yourself without software "on paper" or in an Excel sheet.
- Give yourself a starting balance
- make trades at the prices for that day (adding a $10 transaction fee for each trade)
- check current value of your portfolio by looking up current prcies and multiplying by the number of shares you own.

yeah... but it would be a pain in the ass, no?
I'm sure there are some good simulations out there if you google or something. Search this forum for "stocks", someone posted a place for a stock market simulation game just a few days ago.

 

[DanTMWTMP]

fantasysports.yahoo.com

they have a fantasy stock market challenge thing...

EDIT: ugh..they don't have it anymore??

 

[Hector13]

Originally posted by: datdamkid

Originally posted by: Kenazo
Why not just use Yahoo Finance? You can set up a portfolio there. What more is there in a 'game'?

I don't want to invest money right now, I'm only 15 and just want to learn it.

you can set up mock portfolios in yahoo. But it won't really help as it won't keep track of you fake transactions for you (at least I don't think so).

Plus, unfortunately, most people who want to get into "investing" are usually thinking they will be buying and selling into positions all day long (ie, "day trading"). A mock portfolio on yahoo will definitely not let you keep track of your p&l for something like this.

 

[slydecix]

Yahoo Finance lets you enter the shares purchased, price, etc, and you can keep track of stuff with that.

If you want a game, here is a decent one
Motley Fool is good for learning investment basics

I also highly recommend Clearstation for education about Technical Analysis (though some parts of the site are down for maintenance).

 

[DaveSimmons]

See above, also note that "how to invest wisely" is a different question from "how to trade stocks," and also different from "how does the market work."

Most people would be better off just buying stock index mutual funds instead of individual stocks. For example funds based on the S&P 500 index, like Vanguard's VFINX (www.vanguard.com).

 

[Hector13]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
See above, also note that "how to invest wisely" is a different question from "how to trade stocks," and also different from "how does the market work."

Most people would be better off just buying stock index mutual funds instead of individual stocks. For example funds based on the S&P 500 index, like Vanguard's VFINX (www.vanguard.com).

exactly... that is the point I was trying to make. Though hopefully these simulation games will atleast show some people that day trading is not something they will be able to make money doing.

 

[zillafurby]

Originally posted by: datdamkid
I want to learn how the stock market works..I've seen some sites that do this, but there are fees to pay for it. But is there any free site for me to do this at? I know some of my teachers have done this in the pass w/some of there students, but I don't remmber what the sites where, and I don't go to that school, or I would ask.....thanks



Thanks again
-dat

why are you interested, because you are interested in economics, businesses, or trading?

 

[DanFungus]

www.stocksquest.com