The Toronto Stock Exchange

Nearly five million people reside in or near the city of Toronto, which is the fourth largest city in North America. Toronto is Canada's financial center, and it is here that many important economic policies are developed for government review based on the old British parliamentary laws. The Toronto Stock Exchange is the country's leading economic indicator, comparable to the Wall Street Stock Exchange or Dow Jones index. Investors keep a close eye on the daily activity of the market to see how the economy will impact business plans and developments. Foreign and domestic investors buy shares of many kinds of Canadian stocks. These can be purchased through a mutual fund portfolio or by individual shares through monthly payroll deductions or occasional random purchases. Over time the holdings should increase in value, though they will go up and down with the changing market trends. There are many fine Canadian companies in which to invest. Check out any of these in the business pages of the newspaper or by browsing Internet sites. Look in the market indices for company reports and records. As you develop some expertise with and insight into the Toronto Stock Exchange, you may be able to do some trading to improve your portfolio with the help of an experienced broker who has been working with the system for a long period of time. The composite index has been relatively stable recently despite shifting global news and events, so this may be a good time to learn more and inquire about opening a mutual fund or stockholder's account. It might be wise to practice paper trading by following the daily business pages of the newspaper. Then you can gradually enter the market and buy real shares with less risk of losing all. One rule of thumb when playing the market at low, moderate, or high risk is never to invest more than you can afford to lose. Also, diversify your investments with bonds and money market accounts to keep your cash from getting completely tied up.

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