See Day Trader . An index of 500 of the biggest and bestest companies in American industry. You can find out more about them in our Pension Centre . When a large seller is known to be trying to offload a large chunk of shares it is said to be overhanging the market. This often depresses the share price of the company concerned until all the shares have been sold.
Investors purchase stock as a way to own a part of a publicly traded business.
Woody Allen described a stockbroker as someone who invests your money until it has all gone. Normally it is a middleman who buys and sells shares on your behalf and earns commission on the transactions. Considered by many to be the fifth-oldest profession after prostitutes, pimps, tax collectors and accountants. A trading system whereby people will automatically decide to sell their shares if they fall by a set amount. On average, it takes more than seven years for the surrender value to equal the money you've put in.