How to Start Investing in 2026: The Growth Stock I'm Buying Before Year-End
The stock market is one of the best vehicles for building wealth.
Overview
Investing in the stock market is one of the best ways, if not the best, to build long-term wealth, and starting to invest is an excellent decision. The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC), the closely watched index that tracks 500 of the biggest U.S. stocks, has historically returned an average of 9% per year, easily outpacing inflation and other asset classes like bonds and real estate.
For new investors, it's important to understand that that 9% gain is an average, and investing in the stock market comes with a lot of volatility. That means that the index doesn't just steadily gain 9% each year. You might have one year where you gain 30%, but then lose 25% the next year. That is normal, and investors must understand that the best way to make the stock market work for you is to invest over the long term, which means a time horizon of at least five years.
Details
Now, let's review some of the basics to get started investing.
Source
Originally published at www.fool.com.