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, mentioned in financial news, and held in retirement accounts. For example, if TechCorp issues 1 million shares and you own 100, you own 0.01% of the company. Stock prices fluctuate daily based on how investors feel about the company's future.