really in sharez n stox
i mean 2 ask k whether any 1 of u dealz in stockz ya u r only intrstd in listenin 2 da newz related 2 it?
I was 100% in stock market up until 2001. Now I am 90% liquid. I mostly trade technology stock and options. I dealt some Futures for a lil while but just don't have the time for it. Right now I am on the sidelines waiting for an opportunity.
I am a conservative poker player - don't bet if there is no good hand.
I am a very small shareholder :) and became even smaller after the bubble bust cause I am 100 in tech. However I am a long term investor so to speak so the ups and downs are not really that much of importance if the right stocks bought.
I am sure matsui will have more advice though he may have to preface it with some notes cause of his profession :).
I'm seriously thinking about it.
So many people in my college, even lil freshmen, have stocks and have made so much money off it that its unbelievable!!!
I always used to shrug it off thinking, khamakha ki tension hae mein jaisi hoon waisay theek hoon, but recently I've been feeling like its high time for me to learn the ABC of this trade. I'm still thinking about it though...
Seema, are you into stocks? I've heard that its not allowed in Islam...but so many Muslims do it...any info abt that?
i want to invest but dont know how 
there are two views about shares in islam. Its generally considered ok if you are doing it for the long term which is similar to buying into a company. And it is generally considered wrong if it is short term or for speculation. Also mutual funds are considered better then stocks since you cant change those too often. The other thing to consider is the type of products the company makes eg you dont want to be dealing in budwiser or some similar alcohol concern.
There is actually an Islamic Dow or Nasdaq I think and also there are several companies who have made islamic mutual funds.
But before you invest in the market I would suggest you only use the money that you can spare to loose cause nothing is permanent. And be wary of the analysts - though this may sound skeptical - they earn money and bonuses based on how much money they get from clients and off your profits. Also if you look at the ratings there are none that are really negative cause the investment banks depend on the firms business.
okay .. this is probably a dumb question. but how does stocks n stuff works? and how do U invest in it and benefit from it?
In very simple terms, you buy shares in a company. If the company does well, the price of its shares increase, and you can sell the shares and the difference is your profit.
Some companies also distribute some of their profits as cash to their shareholders (it is called dividend). If you have shares from such a company and they announce dividend, you will get cash. Its usually not much.
Typically the price increase in shares is the main reason why people invest in them.
Shares are simply a piece of paper that you have paid some money that entitiles you to a certain percentage of the company. It is somewhat like buying land. Say the government owns all the land and start selling and give you a piece for a certain price.
now if you build something on it or the area suddenly hits gold, your piece of land becomes higher priced. Same thing with companies; the better they perform generally the more valuable the shares become. Ans just like in a plot of land, you may collect rent, in a company, as the firm makes excess money (profits), it can decide to either use that money next year to improve the firm (like improving the house on the land), save the money for use later on or give it out to the owners (pay the rent). The last option is called distributing dividends. However like buying land, the main thing of value is not the rent but the value of the land itself. Same thing here, the main thing of value is the price of the shares and not the dividends.
Oh god...my dad forced me into it...and yeah i have many shares...all long term. But usually i dun like to listen to alll that news and stuff...just check once in a while where my stocks are at....but usally i forget which ones i brought.
How can you trade and actually make a gain on your trading portfolio with this lax attitude towards the stocks you own? 
hmcq: what a good easy-to-understand description :k: aap school teacher to nahin hou? :~)
If wishes were horses, I would have a stable full or racing horses 
thanks for explaining it.. so another dumb question. how much minimum do u need to buy shares?
You can open up a trading account for as little as $100.
There are some stocks that are sold for pennies a share and some are a few hundred dollars per share. THe best thing would be to buy 50 shares each of at least two companies.
Now you can open an account to trade share in Karachi stock exchange as well 
^Akeel Seth...huh? :p
Yes..that's true.
Yes…except, their site freezes whenever the markets on a romp, and you really really need to buy/sell that piece of paper:D
I'm a moderate player in the stock/mutual fund market. I love this stuff...been investing for almost 8 years now. I don't believe in putting your $ where it sits and collects dust. Money, after all, makes money..if you're smart with it. Banks give you the lowest rates. As soon as you have a decent amount in the bank, shift it into mutual funds or stocks, leaving behind just enough to get you by on a monthly basis. You won't regret it.
:)
Bingo neva thot so many wud b intrstd in da borin stuff
i studied Share Holder Value Analysis wagaira n da teacher forced us 2 literally buy some of da stox 2 get da real taste of em but bein a small investor da experience waz kindda :yukh:
m more in2 money market :halo: simple n u can predikt whic way it’s goin
may b i’ll reconsider when thoze optionz / futurez will b introduced
till then m only makin softwarez 4 da stuff 