A few questions.

[palflax]

I'm pretty new to this stock scene and i'm wondering what a bull and a bear market meant

I'm also wondering if there was pictures of the bear and bull he uses when he uses them during his show

[xboilermaker]

A bull market is a market that is going up, and won't be stopped, like a stampeding bull, though on any day, certain stocks are going to fall.
A bear market is a market that is going down, the bear maybe signifying hibernation, or maybe the fact that you stand a chance of getting eaten financially if you mess with it.
On any given day, you will hear bulls, meaning bullish people, arguing that we are in a bull market, and bears, meaning bearish people, arguing that it is a bear market.
In the stock market, there are always people with completely opposing opinions concerning almost every aspect. The thing to remember when you decide to buy a stock because you are convinced that it will go up from it's present price, is that the person that decides to sell it to you is just as sure that it's going down.
I'm sure others could explain it much better, and this is just my opinions, and you know what they say about opinions.

[palflax]

Oh so I get why Cramer uses bull as a negative even though some people think it as of good maybe? Oh well, atleast I got a better understanding, thanks

[Pytheas]

Right, sometimes during a lighting round someone will mention a bearish stock (one cramer doesnt like)...cramer hits the bear button. Then he will recommend a different stock (a stock he likes) in the same sector, and will hit the bull button.

Also make sure you look at the mad money glossary these folks put together. Very helpful. http://www.cramersmadmoney.com/viewtopic.php?t=151

[optimus25]

if you're bullish you think the market will be going up. same goes if you're bullish on individual stocks and vice versa for being bearish.

[palflax]

ah, Thanks

So, does philip morris have it's own stock or is it part of Altria?

[Anonymous]

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[palflax]

Thanks, I'm going to go buy some books so I can learn what dividend yield and all that jazz is about so I'm not totally clueless when I start trading in a few months/years

[palflax]

Anyone know of some great books (other than Jim's of course :D ) that are great to have for beginners alike?

[optimus25]

The following books are good primers to start investing. The first book is good for anyone who doesn't know anything about the market. The second book is a little more involved but will get you started on fundamental analysis of stocks. Check out chartguru's posts regarding books on technical trading.

Investing for Dummies
The Intelligent Investor

[Anonymous]

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[palflax]

Thanks

[cnelson]

Let me throw in Ric Edelman's "The Truth About Money." A great book that covers a wide array of investment, insurance, estate, and financial advice. An excellent place to start.

[palflax]

Oh yeah, and does anyone know how long Mad Money has been aired? Or first started?

[jm2552]

Another great book, also recommended here is Toni Turner's Beginners Guide to Short Term Trading. I picked it up on the recommendations here and am very glad I did. If you're looking to get your feet wet with technical analysis this is a good point to start.

[palflax]

Thanks folks

[xboilermaker]

I have learned most since I started investing by reading commentaries in MSN Money and the message boards, and just watching stocks that interest me. I know professionals, or even semi-professionals will probably snicker at this, but to get the daily upgrades and downgrades, I go to icecoldstocks.net, just out of habit, because it is easy, and also some good ideas, for example, at present, I am watching Hendrx (HDRX) due to glancing through that site. Also, I look to Cramer and this forum for good ideas, because I realize there are many here that have more knowledge than I. Before you know it, you'll be calling a broker, funding an account, and entering the biggest casino of all, realizing that the harder you try, and the more you practice, the more the odds are in your favor. I was 60 when I made my first trade, and it gets more exciting every year.

[jm2552]

Thanks XBM, at 53 I though I was late at getting in the game. Now I feel better :lol:

[optimus25]

xbm & jm2552,

better late than never. From beginners, technical experts, fundamentalists, etc, i enjoy reading everyone's perspective on stocks and the market. you're never too young or too old to start investing.