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This authoritative guide to investing online, part of a new expansion of the trusted CliffsNotes brand, will help new investors achieve success.

Introduction.

Why Do You Need This Book?

How to Use This Book.

Don't Miss Our Web Site.

Scoping Out Online Investing.

Comparing Online Investing to Traditional Investing.

What's different about online investing?

Evaluating the role of the broker versus the computer.

Comparing speed.

Learning investment basics.

Finding out about minimum balances, fees, and costs.

Scrolling Through Online Investment Options.

Stocks and the stock market.

Bonds.

Mutual funds.

Index funds.

Others.

Getting Started: A Checklist.

Making the Online Decision.

Navigating Online Investment Web Sites.

Basic Online Investing Principles.

Invest online systematically.

Diversify your online investments.

Reinvest your online profits.

Select online investments for long-term growth.

Getting the Answers.

Doing a Self-Assessment.

Researching Stocks Online.

Diversifying Your Portfolio.

Diversifying according to sector.

Diversifying according to size.

Screening Your Stocks.

Creating a checklist of stock screening criteria.

Taking advantage of online stock screening software.

Using the screening software.

Going beyond the initial screening.

Evaluating the Stocks You've Screened.

Reading what the analysts have to say.

Reviewing a company's SEC filings.

Looking at annual reports.

Viewing other SEC filings.

Brainstorming with Other Investors.

Researching Mutual Funds.

Looking at How Mutual Funds Work.

Learning mutual fund basics on the Web.

Reviewing a copy of the fund prospectus.

Advantages and disadvantages of mutual funds.

Finding out about fund fees.

Considering Bond Funds.

Finding a Fund That Meets Your Objectives.

Researching Mutual Funds on the Web.

Comparing funds: Standard & Poor's Micropal Web site.

Using the Morningstar commentaries and fund screener.

Finding socially conscious funds.

Buying Mutual Fund Shares Online.

Buying Bonds Online

What's a Bond?

Looking at the bond issuer.

Researching the issuer's credit rating.

Taking inflation into account.

Understanding Bond Variations and Features.

A checklist of bond features.

Differentiating notes and bills.

Finding bond funds on the Web.

Researching tax advantages of bonds.

Researching Bond Basics Online.

Visiting the U. S. Treasury Web Site.

Finding Treasuries on the Web.

Buying Treasuries online.

Using other Treasury online services.

Opening an Online Brokerage Account.

Looking over Online Brokerage Services.

Finding a Reputable Online Broker.

Understanding Commissions, Costs, and Fees.

Questioning the advertised commission.

Looking for hidden fees and costs.

Asking the Right Questions before Deciding on a Brokerage.

Online Brokerage Rating Services.

The Gomez ranking services.

Visiting the SmartMoney site.

Narrative reports on brokerage firms.

Opening Your Account: The Process.

Bypassing the Broker with a DRIP Account.

Making Your First Online Trade.

Getting the Current Market Price.

Deciding What Kind of Order to Place.

Buying at market.

Issuing a limit order.

Placing a stop order.

Understanding the complex stop limit order.

Another variation: Fill or Kill.

Executing, Confirming, and Canceling Orders.

Executing and confirming an order.

Canceling or changing an order.

Taking Advantage of After-Hours Trading.

Coping When You Can't Connect.

Maintaining Your Portfolio.

Deciding When to Sell a Stock.

Rolling Over Your Mutual Funds.

Deciding When to Part With a Bond.

Saving the Right Paperwork.

Safekeeping the essential documents.

Discarding what you don't need.

Tracking Your Portfolio Online.

Determining what to monitor.

Types of portfolio tracking software.

Looking at Some Popular Portfolio Tracking Software.

Using the versatile Morningstar tracker.

The comprehensive Yahoo! Tracker.

Viewing your portfolio graphically with Quicken.

Tracking each transaction with Microsoft Investor.

Avoiding Online Scams.

Looking at Who Gets Cheated and How.

The Pump and dump.

Stock scalpers.

Illegitimate IPOs.

Web Sites That Protect You.

Cliffs Notes Review.

Q&A.

Scenarios.

Consider This.

CliffsNotes Resource Center.

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Index.

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.