What is the stock market, and why is it important to learn about?

Unlike markets where actual goods are bought and sold, the stock market is where investors trade shares of companies that have “gone public” to finance their business through an initial public offering (IPO). The prices of these shares, or stocks, reflect what traders believe these companies will be worth in the future. “Betting” on individual stocks to rise in value is risky, but, in aggregate, the stock market reflects investor sentiment about the future of the entire economy. Learning about the stock market is important because it helps you to build a diversified portfolio that profits from the growth of businesses economy-wide. Historically, this strategy earns more over the long term than putting money in a savings account or investments in government bonds. Thus, everyone can benefit from an understanding of the stock market, whether to help guide their personal financial management strategies or to pursue a career in this field.

What kinds of careers can I pursue with a background in the stock market?

While a background in stock market is important for anyone that wants to understand the economy, deeper expertise in this area can lead to a variety of specialized - and, typically, lucrative - careers. Stock traders are a familiar archetype of stock market job from movies and TV, but they need to learn a lot more than “buy low, sell high.” While the fundamentals of trading strategies are largely unchanged, today most trading occurs on electronic exchanges, and professionals in this field increasingly need to be familiar with algorithmic trading and other high-speed, automated techniques. Familiarity with the stock market is also essential for a career in investment and portfolio management. Professionals in this field help individuals and institutional investors with portfolio construction and portfolio optimization across a variety of financial markets, including the stock market, bond markets, and investments in emerging markets.

Can I learn about the stock market through online courses on Coursera?

Yes! As with many other areas of business and finance, Coursera offers a wide range of online courses on topics related to the stock market, including trading basics, financial markets and investment strategy, financial management, and more. These courses are offered through top-ranked institutions from around the world, including Yale University, Rice University, and the Indian School of Business, so you don’t have to sacrifice the quality of your education to learn online. Best of all, taking classes remotely lets you learn on a flexible schedule that can fit into your existing work or family life. And, although online courses and Specializations through Coursera offer the same materials and credits as on-campus alternatives, they are available at a significantly lower tuition cost.

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Stock Market

Stock Market Courses

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Compare Stock Returns with Google SheetsCoursera Project Network

Building Candlestick Charts with Google SheetsCoursera Project Network

Portfolio Optimization using Markowitz ModelCoursera Project Network

Financial Markets
Yale University
COURSE
4.8
490k students
Beginner
Trading Strategies in Emerging Markets
Indian School of Business
SPECIALIZATION
4.2
70k students
Beginner
Financial Markets and Investment Strategy
Indian School of Business
SPECIALIZATION
4.5
61k students
Beginner
Trading Basics
Indian School of Business
COURSE
4.1
55k students
Beginner
Investment and Portfolio Management
Rice University
SPECIALIZATION
4.5
50k students
Beginner
Python and Statistics for Financial Analysis
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
COURSE
4.4
42k students
Intermediate
Finance for Non-Finance Professionals
Rice University
COURSE
4.8
70k students
Beginner
Bonds & Stocks
University of Michigan
COURSE
4.7
7.6k students
Beginner
Introduction to Financial Markets
Indian School of Business
COURSE
4.6
44k students
Beginner
Investment Management
University of Geneva
SPECIALIZATION
4.7
100k students
Beginner
Game Theory
Stanford University
COURSE
4.6
270k students
Beginner
Understanding Financial Markets
University of Geneva
COURSE
4.7
79k students
Beginner
Marketing Analytics
University of Virginia
COURSE
4.6
170k students
Beginner
Advanced Valuation and Strategy - M&A, Private Equity, and Venture Capital
Erasmus University Rotterdam
COURSE
4.7
29k students
Advanced
Financial Engineering and Risk Management Part I
Columbia University
COURSE
4.6
320k students
Mixed
Managing Your Money: MBA Insights for Undergraduates
University of California, Irvine
COURSE
4.5
70k students
Mixed
Master of Science in Accounting
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
DEGREE
Offered by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. A cutting-edge degree from an accounting powerhouse, completely online.
The Global Financial Crisis
Yale University
COURSE
4.8
85k students
Mixed
Compare Stock Returns with Google Sheets
Coursera Project Network
NEW
GUIDED PROJECT
4.3
Beginner
Financial Management
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
SPECIALIZATION
4.7
77k students
Intermediate

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Frequently Asked Questions about Stock Market

Unlike markets where actual goods are bought and sold, the stock market is where investors trade shares of companies that have “gone public” to finance their business through an initial public offering (IPO). The prices of these shares, or stocks, reflect what traders believe these companies will be worth in the future.
“Betting” on individual stocks to rise in value is risky, but, in aggregate, the stock market reflects investor sentiment about the future of the entire economy. Learning about the stock market is important because it helps you to build a diversified portfolio that profits from the growth of businesses economy-wide. Historically, this strategy earns more over the long term than putting money in a savings account or investments in government bonds.
Thus, everyone can benefit from an understanding of the stock market, whether to help guide their personal financial management strategies or to pursue a career in this field.
While a background in stock market is important for anyone that wants to understand the economy, deeper expertise in this area can lead to a variety of specialized - and, typically, lucrative - careers.
Stock traders are a familiar archetype of stock market job from movies and TV, but they need to learn a lot more than “buy low, sell high.” While the fundamentals of trading strategies are largely unchanged, today most trading occurs on electronic exchanges, and professionals in this field increasingly need to be familiar with algorithmic trading and other high-speed, automated techniques.
Familiarity with the stock market is also essential for a career in investment and portfolio management. Professionals in this field help individuals and institutional investors with portfolio construction and portfolio optimization across a variety of financial markets, including the stock market, bond markets, and investments in emerging markets.
Yes! As with many other areas of business and finance, Coursera offers a wide range of online courses on topics related to the stock market, including trading basics, financial markets and investment strategy, financial management, and more. These courses are offered through top-ranked institutions from around the world, including Yale University, Rice University, and the Indian School of Business, so you don’t have to sacrifice the quality of your education to learn online.
Best of all, taking classes remotely lets you learn on a flexible schedule that can fit into your existing work or family life. And, although online courses and Specializations through Coursera offer the same materials and credits as on-campus alternatives, they are available at a significantly lower tuition cost.

What Coursera Has to Offer

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GUIDED PROJECT

Learn a job-relevant skill that you can use today in under 2 hours through an interactive experience guided by a subject matter expert. Access everything you need right in your browser and complete your project confidently with step-by-step instructions.

COURSE

Learn Finance with online Finance courses. Take courses from the world's best instructors and universities. Courses include recorded auto-graded and peer-reviewed assignments, video lectures, and community discussion forums. When you complete a course, you’ll be eligible to receive a shareable electronic Course Certificate for a small fee.

SPECIALIZATION

Learn Finance with online Finance Specializations. Enroll in a Specialization to master a specific career skill. You’ll complete a series of rigorous courses, tackle hands-on projects, and earn a Specialization Certificate to share with your professional network and potential employers.

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE

Whether you’re looking to start a new career or change your current one, Professional Certificates on Coursera help you become job ready. Learn at your own pace from top companies and universities, apply your new skills to hands-on projects that showcase your expertise to potential employers, and earn a career credential to kickstart your new career.

MASTERTRACK™ CERTIFICATE

With MasterTrack™ Certificates, portions of Master’s programs have been split into online modules, so you can earn a high quality university-issued career credential at a breakthrough price in a flexible, interactive format. Benefit from a deeply engaging learning experience with real-world projects and live, expert instruction. If you are accepted to the full Master's program, your MasterTrack coursework counts towards your degree.

DEGREE

Transform your resume with an online degree from a top university for a breakthrough price. Our modular degree learning experience gives you the ability to study online anytime and earn credit as you complete your course assignments. You'll receive the same credential as students who attend class on campus. Coursera degrees cost much less than comparable on-campus programs.

Stock Market Courses

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