Article: The first step to investing is to have available investment capital in a single liquid account. Invest only capital you can afford to lose. The prices of equity securities are volatile, moving up and down in response to supply and demand. Investing in foreign securities is considered more risky than investments in U.S. companies due to lesser regulation and reporting requirements. In mid-2015, China's stock market crashed, and although it has stabilized some, remains somewhat volatile. If you are considering investing in Chinese stock, be aware of this volatility. The vast majority of investors and traders cannot get involved in economic plays on China without a professional broker or brokerage firm. Consider the big online brokerage firms. Several such companies offer easy, accessible trading in stocks and bonds. This is the easiest way to start up an investment portfolio that includes Chinese securities. Choose which kinds of investments seem the most practical. The beginning investor has several very different options at his or her disposal: Consider single-stock investments. One simple way to invest in China is to buy single Chinese stocks through online brokerage platforms or the Forex market, a global market serving international traders. Your broker may be unable to purchase specific Chinese stocks because they will likely have to act through an intermediary. However, you can set up a trading account with a Chinese brokerage to get better access. Evaluate different mutual funds and other fund offers. Mutual funds are actively managed and combine a variety of equities and securities in different ways to pursue specific kinds of gains. Look closely at available mutual funds or exchange traded funds. ETF shares are typically less expensive to own than mutual funds, can be traded throughout the market day (unlike mutual funds), and operate more like an index (they are not actively managed). Where mutual funds come with management fees and expenses, ETFs can often be bought for a single low commission, just like a single stock. Chinese real estate investment trusts (REITs) are expected to be available to the public soon, even though government regulations have held them back thus far. A REIT allows an investor to invest in a managed fund that buys income-producing properties. This gives the investor the chance to invest in real estate with less risk. Invest in an American company that is expanding to, or already operates, in China. There are many U.S. companies that have expanded to serve the Chinese market. One great example includes Yum! Brands, which encompasses several well-known restaurants such as Taco Bell and KFC. The advantage of investing this way is that you have the security of investing in a U.S. regulated company that also takes advantage of the economic growth potential that exists in China. Before buying any specific type of investment, do some careful research by reading through available prospectuses, fund reports or other documentation. Looking at the earnings, market capitalization and moving averages for a stock will help provide a better analysis of exactly what the investor is getting into and whether big gains may be in the future. Some of this information may not be available, as securities regulations in China are less sophisticated and reliable than those in the U.S. After formally buying into funds, stocks or other financial products centered on Chinese economic growth, be sure to keep tracking the investments using available charts and other resources to monitor investments for eventual sale. Good selling is just as important as good buying for realizing actual gains.

What is a summary?
Get together all of your available capital. Find a broker. Explore different investment options. Analyze potential investments. Keep track.