Stock

A stock is a small piece of ownership in a company. When you buy stock, you're buying a share of that business—kind of like owning a slice of pizza instead of the whole pie. Companies sell stock to raise money for growth, and investors buy it hoping the company becomes more valuable over time. You'll encounter stocks everywhere in investing: they're listed on exchanges like the NYSE, tracked by financial sites, and form the core of most investment portfolios. For example, if TechCorp issues one million shares and you buy 100, you own 0.01% of the company. Your stake grows if the company profits increase, and you may receive dividends (cash payouts) as a shareholder.