For new investors, one of the most challenging aspects is keeping track of shares and stocks in a simple and organised manner. Doing so, however, is a prerequisite if you wish to monitor your portfolio and grab every opportunity to make smart investments. Fortunately, we live in the golden age of technology, where any piece of information is only as far as the click of a button, including the ups and downs of the stock market. In this vein, here are a few ways in which you can stay on top of the news and become a well-informed shareholder:
- Create a Portfolio Tracker:
There are many reputable websites that maintain a list of your stocks and fund holdings for free. Not only that, they also allow you to customise your tracker and provide you with regular updates from the financial world. Google Finance and Yahoo Finance are two of the most popular tools wherein you can enter details of your shares and the price at which you bought them. These trackers give you access to all the information available about the company, from current news to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Yahoo even sends you an email or SMS if a stock in your portfolio sees a considerable rise or drop.
- Study the Source:
Every company has a website that archives important information such as fact sheets, stock history, and even financial reports filed with the SEC if it is publicly traded. Keeping an eye on this section of the site once every six months will keep you involved with the organisation you have invested in. It is also a good idea to browse through the rest of the website and check for updates on upcoming earnings calls, where the management of a public company discusses its financial results from the previous quarter with analysts and investors. This is the perfect chance to gather information and sometimes even pose questions to executives.
- Be Alert to Market Trends:
Gaining access to market news has never been easier. Just go to a financial site like MarketWatch or Investopedia to receive an updated rundown on stock market trends and tidings. This is important because even small changes can affect your portfolio holdings in a big way. If you are alert and informed, you won’t be caught off guard and will be better equipped to make quick decisions.
- Use Your Smartphone:
When you have the option of tracking the share market live, why do it any other way? The Kotak Stock Trader (KST) app is a mobile trading application that brings the stock market to your fingertips. It lets you track market movements, make trades online, track your portfolio in real time, create personalised watchlists, transfer and check available funds, and enjoy multi-level security for your data. All you need to do is download the KST app, which is available on Android, iOS, and Windows smartphones. The complete version of the app is free for all Kotak Securities online trading customers and is also accessible to offline trading customers and non-customers.
By simply being more vigilant about events affecting your investments, you will find yourself getting more comfortable with the seemingly complex world of stocks and shares. This will certainly reflect in the way you interpret any changes that occur and make decisions to get more out of your holdings.
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