Investing online can be an easy and efficient way for self-directed investors to make their own investment decisions. Indeed, the technology now available to those investing online enables investors to seize market opportunities that previously appeared out of reach to the average investor. However, investing online does not diminish the importance of evaluating potential investment decisions and researching the fundamentals of a stock, such as a company's net earnings, P/E ratio, beta, the products a company offers and the market in which it competes. Additionally, the same technology responsible for online investing also has the capacity to amplify market risks, as well as create new risks unique to online investing. It is essential that you understand these risks before investing.

Day Trading:

The explosive growth of online investing in recent years reflects a corresponding growth in the use of a strategy known as "day trading." As the name suggests, day traders purchase and sell stocks in a short period of time in an effort to capture short-term profits created by rapid fluctuations in the prices of securities. Day trading has become a popular online strategy as real-time quotes and related market data now can be disseminated quickly to online investors. However, it is important to note that it is just as easy to lose money by day trading as it is to make money. For various reasons day trading is not for everyone.