How to Stay Updated with the Stock Market: Introducing the Top Apps

What is the Stock Market

Like the physical market where buying and selling of goods and services takes place, the stock market is also a marketplace but unlike physical goods, publicly traded companies' stocks, bonds, and other securities are bought and sold. 

The stock market is vital to the global economy, hence why its performance is closely observed by policymakers, economic analysts, and investors.

In the financial sector information is a powerful tool, so staying updated on events in the stock market is non-negotiable for stakeholders and investors who want to make informed decisions about their portfolios. 

Here are some notable channels investors explore to stay abreast with the stock market Happenings 

1. News sources: these include financial print and broadcast media such as newspapers, and TV channels, that covers events in the stock market. 

The most popular financial news websites include Bloomberg, Investingport, CNBC, and Yahoo Finance.

2. Social media: Social media is a strong medium to stay updated on the stock market. Traders, investors, and even publicly traded companies leave insights, news, and crucial information on platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn that can are too vital to ignore.

3. Company reports: about the performance of public companies reviewing their quarterly and annual reports, which are publicly available on their websites and the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) website have proven to be important.

It assists inventors in knowing how well their stocks have performed and what to expect in the upcoming quarter.

4. Trading platforms: Trading platforms e.g Robinhood, Bamboo, Pillow, and TD Ameritrade provide real-time stock market information and updates.

The above list is not exhausted as each country's stock market websites are also a great source of data and market updates.

An example is the websites of the Nigeria Exchange Group (NGX), the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the Japan Exchange Group, and a host of others.

Top Mobile Apps to Stay Updated with The Stock Market

There are many mobile apps accessible to stakeholders to help stay updated on the stock market and here are the top 5:

a. Yahoo Finance: This provides real-time stock quotes, trending financial news, and customizable watchlists.

b. Bloomberg: This app offers market data, news, and up-to-date analysis of global financial markets.

c. StockTwits The app is social media for investors, where users can share market insights and ideas, and stock tips.

d. Investing.com: The app also offers real-time quotes, stock charts, indices, currencies, commodities, and up-to-date stock exchange news.

e. CNBC: The CNBC app like its website is one of the major go-to's for breaking news alerts, real-time stock quotes, and expert analysis on the stock market and other business-related news.

How does the Stock Market Work?

What are Stocks? 

Stocks are also known as shares or equities, they represent a percentage of a company's total valuation and in the stock market it is bought and sold when a company wants to raise money, 

Publicly traded companies issue shares to investors, and investors then buy and sell these shares on the stock market.

How are stock prices determined?

The price of a stock is simply determined by the concept of demand and supply. If many people want to buy a particular stock, its price will go up and vice versa if many people want to sell a stock, its price will go down.

The stock market is also influenced by many other factors, including economic indicators such as interest rates, inflation, and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, as well as news events, geopolitical developments, and investor sentiment.

Types of Stocks Market.

There are two types of stock markets, primary and secondary markets. When a company issues new shares to the public for the first time through an initial public offering (IPO) it is a primary market. 

In the secondary market, investors buy and sell shares that are already listed on a stock exchange.

Popular Stock Exchange by numbers of listed companies

The most popular stock exchanges in the world include the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the Nasdaq, and the Tokyo Stock Exchange. 

Trading on these exchanges is facilitated by brokers, who act as middlemen between sellers and buyers, and by electronic trading platforms that match buyers and sellers automatically.

The number of stocks listed on a stock market can vary from day to day, as companies can be added or removed from the exchange based on various factors such as their financial performance, compliance with listing requirements, and corporate actions such as mergers and acquisitions.

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) listed around 2,400 companies, as of the end of 2021, March 2023, the number is upward of 2800 companies.

The Nasdaq lists around 3,300 companies, carrying out over $1.8 billion per day.

While Tokyo Stock Exchange lists around 2,400 companies.

These numbers are subject to change, and there may be some overlap between the companies listed on different exchanges. 

Additionally, there are many other stock exchanges around the world, each with its listing requirements and the number of listed companies.