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Stocks for Beginners

Investing in stocks can feel intimidating at first, but it’s one of the most effective ways to build long-term wealth. For beginners, the key idea to understand is that there’s no “perfect” time to start—because historically, markets have trended upward over long periods despite short-term ups and downs. Whether markets are rising or falling, consistent investing over time has rewarded patient investors, making any time a good time to begin if your focus is long-term growth.

More importantly, the stock market allows your money to work for you, rather than relying solely on your own time and effort to generate income. By investing in stocks, you’re putting your capital to work in businesses that grow, innovate, and generate profits—often compounding returns year after year. Instead of trading hours for dollars, investing gives you the opportunity to build wealth in the background while you focus on your career, goals, or everyday life.

To learn more about Stocks for Beginners and how to actually buy stocks in Canada, take a look at our Guide to How to Start Investing in Canada for all the details.

Top Articles

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Stocks for Beginners

3 Canadian Companies Powering the AI Revolution [PREMIUM PICKS]

| Motley Fool Staff

AI energy consumption is expected to double by 2026, and these companies could be set to profit from the boom.

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Stocks for Beginners

10 Stocks Every Canadian Should Own in 2025 [PREMIUM PICKS]

| Iain Butler

The Motley Fool's yearly list of "Starter Stocks" is our attempt to answer a simple question: “Where do I go…

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Stocks for Beginners

Can You Guess the 10 Most Popular Canadian Stocks? (If You Own Them, You Might Be Losing Out.)

| Iain Butler

The list is woefully predictable.

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Striking match creates fire and light.
Stocks for Beginners

Just Released: 10 Stocks Every Canadian Should Own in 2024 [PREMIUM PICKS]

| Iain Butler

The Motley Fool's yearly list of "Starter Stocks" is our attempt to answer a simple question: “Where do I go…

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Stocks for Beginners

Just Released: The 5 Best Stocks to Buy in February 2023 [PREMIUM PICKS]

| Iain Butler

Making money investing in stocks is not hard -- often, all you need is patience.

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Stocks for Beginners

TFSA Investors: 10 Stocks Every Canadian Should Own in 2023 [PREMIUM PICKS]

| Iain Butler

Motley Fool Stock Advisor's yearly list of "Starter Stocks" is our attempt to answer a simple question: “Where do I…

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Stocks for Beginners

Just Released: The 5 Best Stocks to Buy in January 2023 [PREMIUM PICKS]

| Iain Butler

Let’s cut to the chase: It’s absolutely true that shares of Redfin, an online real estate platform, have fallen 93%…

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Striking match creates fire and light.
Stocks for Beginners

Just Released: 10 Stocks Every Canadian Should Own in 2023 [PREMIUM PICKS]

| Iain Butler

Our yearly list of "Starter Stocks" is our attempt to answer a simple question: “Where do I go first?”

Read more »

Recent Stocks for Beginners News

Dividend Stocks

New Investors: Jump-Start Your Portfolio With These 3 Growing Dividend Stocks

| David Jagielski

Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSX:TD)(NYSE:TD) and these two other stocks would be great investments to start any portfolio.

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Energy Stocks

Is a Stock Worth its Price? Its P/E Ratio Will Help You Decide

| Susan Portelance

Is a stock worth its price? Look at its P/E ratio to help you decide. Let's look at Enbridge Inc.…

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Energy Stocks

2 Dividend-Growth Stocks to Start Your RRSP Portfolio Today

| Andrew Walker

TransCanada Corporation (TSX:TRP)(NYSE:TRP) and Fortis Inc. (TSX:FTS)(NYSE:FTS) are two of Canada's top dividend stocks. Is one more attractive right now?

Read more »

Dividend Stocks

Become a TFSA Millionaire by Investing in Dividend-Growth Stocks

| Haris Anwar

Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB)(NYSE:ENB) and BCE Inc (TSX:BCE)(NYSE:BCE) are among the dividend-growth stocks that you need to build your million-dollar TFSA…

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The Motley Fool
Energy Stocks

Investors: Beware of Stocks That Hold Too Much Debt

| Susan Portelance

Investors: beware of stocks that hold too much debt. Let's look at debt-to-net-equity ratios for Sierra Wireless, Inc. (TSX:SW)(NASDAQ:SWIR), Aurora…

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The Motley Fool
Dividend Stocks

2 Dividend-Growth Stocks for New TFSA Investors

| Andrew Walker

TransCanada Corporation (TSX:TRP)(NYSE:TRP) and Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSX:TD)(NYSE:TD) are two of Canada's top companies. Here's why they might be good additions…

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Stocks for Beginners

New to the Market? Buy These Stocks

| Ambrose O'Callaghan

If you are new to the market, stocks such as Fortis Inc. (TSX:FTS)(NYSE:FTS) and others can provide the growth potential…

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The Motley Fool
Stocks for Beginners

Investors: Use A Company’s Return On Equity To Help You Pick Stocks

| Susan Portelance

Need help picking quality stocks? Look at a company's return on equity (ROE). We'll use TD Bank (TSX:TD)(NYSE:TD) and Aurora…

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Dividend Stocks

Income Investors: 3 Reasons to Buy Enbridge Inc. Stock Today

| Haris Anwar

Enbridge Inc. has become very attractive for income investors after the double-digit losses this year. Here are the top 3…

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The Motley Fool
Dividend Stocks

Why it’s Important to Understand What Adjusted Earnings Really Mean

| Chris MacDonald

Here's why Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (TSX:CM)(NYSE:CM) actually bombed its earnings report for Q3 2017.

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The Motley Fool
Dividend Stocks

Young TFSA Investors: Prepare Your Retirement Portfolio for Higher Interest Rates With This Canadian Stock

| Andrew Walker

Here's how young investors can use stocks such as Sun Life Financial Inc. (TSX:SLF)(NYSE:SLF) to build a solid retirement portfolio…

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Dividend Stocks

2 Things That Should Be on Your Stock Checklist

| Colin Beck

Add these two points to your stock checklist to find great companies such as Fortis Inc. (TSX:FTS)(NYSE:FTS) and Fairfax Financial…

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The Motley Fool
Dividend Stocks

Beginners: How to Invest for the Long-Term in Your 20s or 30s

| Joey Frenette

Here's what beginners should do when becoming DIY investors, and why strong businesses such as Canadian National Railway Company (TSX:CNR)(NYSE:CNI)…

Read more »

Dividend Stocks

New Investors: How to Build a Dividend Portfolio

| Kay Ng

Do you want to benefit from growing income and steady price appreciation? Start with your first quality stock, such as…

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The Motley Fool
Dividend Stocks

Dividend-Paying Stocks: Should You Hold Them in Your TFSA or RSP?

| Susan Portelance

Should you hold dividend-paying stocks such as Toronto Dominion Bank (TSX:TD)(NYSE:TD) in your TFSA or RSP?

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The Motley Fool
Dividend Stocks

TFSA Investors: 2 High-Yield Dividend Stocks to Own Forever

| Haris Anwar

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (TSX:BIP.UN)(NYSE:BIP) and Shaw Communications Inc. (TSX:SJR.B)(NYSE:SJR) are two high-yield dividend stocks to include in your TFSA portfolio.

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Stocks for Beginners

How Diversified Should Your Portfolio Be?

| Kay Ng

It may not be a bad idea to have some Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. (TSX:WPM)(NYSE:WPM) in your portfolio. More importantly,…

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Dividend Stocks

Is a Long/Short Approach Worth Taking?

| Ryan Goldsman

For investors wanting to learn about the long/short strategy, shares of BCE Inc. (TSX:BCE)(NYSE:BCE) may be a fantastic learning tool.

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Stocks for Beginners

3 Great Stocks for Young Investors

| Ambrose O'Callaghan

New investors can get a strong start with Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (TSX:CM)(NYSE:CM) and others.

Read more »

Stocks for Beginners

Capitalize on Growth From This Emerging Market With Canada’s Warren Buffett

| Joey Frenette

Here's why Fairfax India Holdings Corp. (TSX:FIH.U) should be your top pick if you're curious about growth from emerging markets.

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Dividend Stocks

How to Make Money Consistently When Investing in Stocks

| Kay Ng

Make money in the long run by investing in great businesses such as Alimentation Couche Tard Inc. (TSX:ATD.B). Here’s how.

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The Motley Fool
Energy Stocks

New RRSP Investors: Should You Own Bank of Nova Scotia or Enbridge Inc.?

| Andrew Walker

Bank of Nova Scotia (TSX:BNS)(NYSE:BNS) and Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB)(NYSE:ENB) are two of Canada's top companies. Is one more attractive right…

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Dividend Stocks

Income Investors: Avoid This High-Dividend-Yield Trap

| Haris Anwar

Here is why Royal Bank of Canada (TSX:RY)(NYSE:RY) and Fortis Inc. (TSX:FTS)(NYSE:FTS) are better than some high-dividend-yielding stocks.

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Dividend Stocks

New Investors: What Should You Invest in?

| Kay Ng

Are you thinking of investing in bonds or stocks? I’ll explain why you should first consider dividend-growth stocks such as…

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Dividend Stocks

3 Things Every Young Investor Must Do

| Colin Beck

Young investors should follow these three tips and invest in great companies such as Toronto Dominion Bank (TSX:TD)(NYSE:TD).

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The Motley Fool
Dividend Stocks

RRSP Investors: A Top Canadian Dividend Stock to Start Your Retirement Portfolio

| Andrew Walker

Here's why dividend-growth stocks such as Canadian National Railway Company (TSX:CNR)(NYSE:CNI) are attractive RRSP picks.

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Stocks for Beginners

Investing for Beginners: How to Navigate Your Company’s Annual Report

| Jason Phillips

A company’s annual report can be an invaluable source of information. We take a look at how to get the…

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Dividend Stocks

A Top Canadian Dividend Stock to Consider for Your TFSA Retirement Fund

| Andrew Walker

Here's how top dividend stocks such as Royal Bank of Canada (TSX:RY)(NYSE:RY) can help you hit your retirement goals.

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Dividend Stocks

3 Top Dividend Stocks for Beginner Investors

| Joseph Solitro

Are you ready to buy dividend stocks? If so, Morguard Real Estate Inv. (TSX:MRT.UN), Laurentian Bank of Canada (TSX:LB), and…

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Dividend Stocks

Young Savers: 4 Top Dividend Stocks for Your TFSAs

| Haris Anwar

Stocks such as Royal Bank of Canada (TSX:RY)(NYSE:RY) and Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB)(NYSE:ENB) are great picks for your TFSA.

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The Motley Fool
Dividend Stocks

New Investors: 2 Canadian Dividend Stocks to Start Your RRSP Portfolio

| Andrew Walker

Here's why Bank of Nova Scotia (TSX:BNS)(NYSE:BNS) and Fortis Inc. (TSX:FTS)(NYSE:FTS) might be worth a look today.

Read more »

Stocks for Beginners

New Investor? Start Your Portfolio With These 2 Stocks

| Joey Frenette

Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSX:TD)(NYSE:TD) and another stock are two core holdings that new investors should consider.

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Dividend Stocks

Where Should New Investors Start?

| Ryan Goldsman

New investors need to consider investing in companies such as Canadian National Railway Company (TSX:CNR)(NYSE:CNI).

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Dividend Stocks

New Investors: 2 Top Canadian Dividend Stocks for Your TFSA

| Andrew Walker

Here's how owning top stocks such as Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSX:TD)(NYSE:TD) and Canadian National Railway Company (TSX:CNR)(NYSE:CNI) can help you save…

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Dividend Stocks

How to Start Investing Inside Your TFSA

| Ryan Goldsman

Great-West Lifeco Inc (TSX:GWO) is a defensive company with a long-term business plan. New investors may be best served starting…

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Dividend Stocks

Why Buy Options When Stocks Are Available?

| Ryan Goldsman

Although options may offer higher returns in some circumstances, investors need not look at further than the shares of Royal…

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Dividend Stocks

A Top Dividend-Growth Stock for New TFSA Investors

| Andrew Walker

Here's how top dividend stocks, such as Fortis Inc. (TSX:FTS)(NYSE:FTS), can help you save a bundle for retirement.

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Stocks for Beginners

Why You Should Sell Your Losers and Buy Your Winners

| Chris MacDonald

Here's some background on investment theory and different schools of thought for investing (contrarian vs. momentum). While a debate continues,…

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Dividend Stocks

New Investors: 1 Top Canadian Dividend Stock to Start Your TFSA

| Andrew Walker

Here's why Canadian National Railway Company (TSX:CNR)(NYSE:CNI) is worth a serious look.

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The Motley Fool
Stocks for Beginners

1 Canadian Growth Play for Young Investors

| Joey Frenette

Spin Master Corp. (TSX:TOY) is a great growth stock that I believe young investors should be scooping up today.

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