7 websites & blogs for your stock market news fix

Knowledge is power. Bookmark these 7 websites to stay in the know and win your share of the spoils when investing.

Because the economy and the stock markets are inextricably linked, trying to invest without any knowledge of stock market news will lose you half your capital faster than you can say ‘sub-prime mortgage crisis’. 

If only I had been aware of the trouble that was brewing halfway around the world, I wouldn’t have agreed to invest in a US real estate fund proposed by a financial adviser I met (true story).

Just so you don’t make the same mistake I did, here are seven websites you should include in your daily reading list before investing in the stock market.  

1. The Motley Fool

While they may have recently excited our sunny shores, The Motley Fool remains a top source of news, analyses and updates for the global stock market. 

This is mainly due to their proven track record. Their paid Stock Adviser service has 5X-ed the S&P 500 for the last 17 years, achieving 598per cent returns to date (vs the S&P 500’s 120per cent) based on in-house stock picks. 

However, even non-subscribers will find plenty of value here, as the site publishes an entire luxury yacht’s worth of useful and insightful content on investing and the stock market. 

As an added bonus, The Motley Fool also includes a rich library of information on retirement and personal finance, which means you can not only learn how to invest, but also how investing fits into the larger picture of your life. 

2. ShareInvestor.com

If you can look past the early-90’s design of the website, you’ll find plenty of investment and stock-focused content on ShareInvestor.com.

Of note is the corporate and market news sections, which does a nice job of capturing pertinent news reports from Singapore, Malaysia and around the region. The website also features a lively community section where you can find featured posts by follow investors, and take part in the discussion. 

Investors looking to track prices will be drawn to the Prices page, where you can find real-time updates of stock prices from exchanges around the world, including SGX, NASDAQ, HKEX, NYE and more.

Other useful sections include a webcast featuring videos from various entities on financial results, AGMs and the like, an online bookstore where you can pick up the latest recommended journals and investment books, as well as a blog for lighter, everyday reading. 

3. The Edge Singapore

Another website serious investors should pay attention to is The Edge Singapore, an online news portal focused on business and investment news in Singapore and around the region.

The editorial team is independently run, which should appeal to those who value independent, unbiased news reporting.

You’ll find a steady stream of stock market news, announcements and insights which you can access for free. There is also premium content available via subscription, which offers deeper analyses, insights and reports, including stock recommendations. 

For a change of pace, visit the Videos tab, where you can find the weekly podcast Broker’s Digest which discusses various stock market developments and their potential impact. There’s also Story of the Week, which highlights current business and economic news, and Forum videos that feature presentations by analysts and professionals.

4. The Fifth Person

If you prefer the more casual, down-to-earth style of personal blogs, have a look at The Fifth Person.

An investment and personal finance blog on a mission to spread financial literacy and sound investment knowledge, The Fifth Person publishes analytical pieces while blogging on personal finance topics spanning local themes such as CPF to universal ones like saving and budgeting.

You’ll also find a selection of guides and how-tos on investment topics, covering subjects like stock picks, metrics, IPOs and quotes. 

The magic of The Fifth Person is that it breaks down and demystifies the obscure world of stocks and investing through easy-to-understand blogs and everyman language, so you’ll soon be learning far more about the stock market than you’d expect, and quickly build the confidence to start your own portfolio.

5. MarketWatch

If you’re invested in the American markets, you should bookmark the MarketWatch website. The news portal offers in-depth coverage on the US that provides valuable context on stock market developments. 

You’ll find astute reporting on burgeoning opportunities (such as vaccine stocks), along with news reports on stock market shakers and movers, as well as opinion pieces, investment news and analyses.  

Other topics covered range from politics and economy, real estate and markets, to investing retirement and personal finance. There are also videos on finance and investment, with topics ranging from investing in space to how to master money. 

6. Yahoo! Finance

Despite the misfortunes of its search business, Yahoo! has managed to entrench itself in the financial markets niche, with Yahoo! Finance today being a respected global news portal ranked 107 on SimilarWeb.

Reporting on economic, stock market and financial news from around the world, Yahoo! Finance helps you keep tabs on important developments in the markets that matter to you. 

Besides breaking news and in-depth reports, the portal also offers a bevy of useful investment tools, such as stock screeners and watchlists. Those who trade on US brokers can also make use of the free My Portfolio platform to link their accounts and execute trades, allowing you to act on impactful news updates without ever leaving the website. 

7. Investopedia

If you’re a serious student of investing, there’s a good chance you have Investopedia bookmarked as a quick and handy reference when trying to decipher investment terms. 

However, besides being an excellent learning resource filled with definitions, explanations and examples, Investopedia is also great as a source of important investment news in markets around the globe. 

The site maintains a well-curated Market News section that tracks developments in global markets work, their interrelations, and how individual companies and sectors can influence market movements. 

True to its education-heavy slant, Investopedia’s news reports are clearly and simply written, with a conversational style that makes it easy even for beginners to follow along. 

Bonus: Online brokerages

Another good source of stock market news and literature may actually be sitting right under some of your noses. If you trade using an online brokerage, there’s a good chance there’s a blog, library or news section included. 

Some popular online brokerages such as IG, Tiger Brokers and Oanda attract a regular visitorship with their quality news coverage. In fact, it is common for top brokerages to run their own in-house research team to publish original blogs and content. 

Taken together with other news sources, these can often provide valuable counterpoints and insights on major stock market developments.

So the next time you login to your favourite online brokerage, be sure to check out the news, blog or education section, or sign-up for their newsletters to receive updates on new posts.    

This article was first published in SingSaver.com.sg.