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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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Striking match creates fire and light.
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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top TSX stocks to buy
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?”

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Recent Stocks for Beginners News

Stocks for Beginners

3 Secrets of Millennial Millionaires

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

It certainly is possible to become a millennial millionaire if you can make a few sacrifices, but even if you…

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Stocks for Beginners

New Investors: How to Use AI Effectively for Investing

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

AI stocks are exciting, but using AI for your regular investment research can be even more exciting, expanding your reach…

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Stocks for Beginners

2 Growth Stocks to Buy and Hold Forever

| Robin Brown

Are you interested in buy-and-hold investing for the long term? These two Canadian stocks are excellent picks for the coming…

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exchange traded funds
Stocks for Beginners

What’s the Best Way to Invest in Stocks Without Any Experience? Start With This ETF

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

This ETF provides newbie investors with a tailor-made portfolio of global stocks and bonds.

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Stocks for Beginners

Got $1,000 to Invest in Stocks? Put It in This Index Fund

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

This low-cost beginner-friendly ETF is a great way to invest $1,000.

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Dividend Stocks

Have $500? 2 Absurdly Cheap Stocks Long-Term Investors Should Buy Right Now

| Demetris Afxentiou

Want some absurdly cheap stocks for your portfolio? Here are two options trading at a huge discount right now.

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Dividend Stocks

Get Out of Debt Once and for All, And Turn It Into $12,592.38 in Your TFSA

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

By astutely managing your budget and paying down debt, you can free up more money to invest in your retirement.

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Stocks for Beginners

How to Invest Your $7,000 TFSA Contribution in 2024

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

Here's how I would personally invest a $7,000 TFSA contribution.

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Stocks for Beginners

Watching This 1 Key Metric Could Help You Beat the Stock Market

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

This data marker can tell you exactly what you can expect from the future of companies, and whether that's a…

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Stocks for Beginners

Agnico Eagle Mines Stock Soars Higher on 10.5% Increase in Gold Reserves

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

AEM stock (TSX:AEM) posted strong earnings, bringing the share price back up after falling 15% so far in 2024. And…

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Tech Stocks

Topicus Stock Jumps 16% on Killer Full-Year Earnings

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Topicus (TSXV:TOI) reported strong earnings after revenues surged higher, and with a volatile market this is exactly what you want…

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Dividend Stocks

Intact Financial Climbs to All-Time High on Buybacks, With an 11% Dividend Increase

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Intact stock (TSX:IFC) rose after the company reported a difficult year, but managed to increase buybacks and its dividend.

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protect, safe, trust
Stocks for Beginners

Fairfax Financial Stock Rises Back on Strong Earnings After 13% Short Seller Drop

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Fairfax stock (TSX:FFH) saw shares drop 13%, only to come right back up on strong, estimate-beating earnings for the fourth…

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Stocks for Beginners

Earnings Alert! Is Air Canada Stock a Buy After its Q4 Results?

| Jitendra Parashar

Here’s why I find Air Canada stock attractive to buy, despite its fourth-quarter earnings miss.

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Stocks for Beginners

Why Waste Connections Stock Rallied After its Q4 Earnings

| Jitendra Parashar

Waste Connections’s consistently expanding profitability and growing revenues could help it inch up further in the years to come.

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data analyze research
Dividend Stocks

Alaris Equity Partners Income Trust: Is its 8.24% Dividend Yield Safe?

| Karen Thomas, MSc, CFA

Alaris Equity Partners has a history of strong dividend income generation for its shareholders. It's also trading 21% below book…

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Dividend Stocks

1 Dividend Stock I’m Buying for Superior Passive Income in 2024

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Goeasy stock (TSX:GSY) has seen solid growth of 21% in the last year, making it a top dividend stock for…

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Stocks for Beginners

CAE Stock Falls 12% After Earnings: Is it a Buy Now?

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

CAE (TSX:CAE) stock looked like it was going to have another strong quarter, but disappointed investors with more costs.

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Stocks for Beginners

1 Dream Dividend Stock up 16% With Even More Upside to Go

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

WCN (TSX:WCN) stock reported earnings that passed estimates, and full-year guidance that remained solid, keeping it a safe stock to…

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Stocks for Beginners

I Was Wrong: S&P 500 ETFs Are Risky. This One Is Far Superior

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

The S&P 500 hit US$5,000 highs, but is now incredibly risky with over exposure to the Magnificent Seven. I'd get…

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Tech Stocks

Why Shopify Stock Dropped 12.6% Despite Beating Earnings Estimates

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Shopify stock (TSX:SHOP) dropped by over 12% on the TSX today after reporting earnings that beat estimates. So what happened?

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Retirees sip their morning coffee outside.
Stocks for Beginners

Here’s the Average Retirement Income for Canadians: How Do You Rate?

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

If you're worried about how much you'll earn in retirement, increase your income by investing in an ETF like this…

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Stocks for Beginners

Restaurant Brands Stock Drops 6% After Earnings: Time to Buy?

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

RBI (TSX:QSR) stock saw shares drop 6%, despite beating earnings estimates, as macro issues continued to weigh on performance.

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Stocks for Beginners

Beginner Investors: 5 Top Canadian Stocks for February 2024

| Puja Tayal

Begin your investing journey with these five Canadian stocks while they trade at their lows. You could gain in an…

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Stocks for Beginners

Is Bombardier Stock a Buy Now?

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Bombardier stock (TSX:BBD.B) fell 14% after earnings missed estimates, but climbed back slightly after the earnings miss.

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Dividend Stocks

Why Magna Stock Fell 8% Last Week

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Magna stock (TSX:MG) dropped 8% last week as the company reported earnings that fell below full-year estimates for the stock.

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Dividend Stocks

Buy 32 Shares in This Glorious Dividend Stock and Create $1,074.88 in Passive Income

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

This dividend stock is also a growth stock you're going to want on your side over the next year and…

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Energy Stocks

New Study Shows 36% of Couples Hide Spending From Partner, And It’s a Pressure Point

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Having the hard talk? It can literally pay to do so. Here's how to stop holding out on your partner…

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Retirees sip their morning coffee outside.
Stocks for Beginners

Value Investors: Are You Buying and Holding Forever? Think Again

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Value stocks are great, but if you don't have a goal in mind that stock can quickly turn from value…

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Stocks for Beginners

2 Stocks Under $50 New Investors Can Buy Confidently

| Puja Tayal

Are you new investor looking to start small before buying stocks trading in hundreds and thousands? You could consider these…

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Tech Stocks

3 Undervalued Software Stocks Set to Jump in 2024

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

These software stocks are overdue for a recovery, and that should certainly happen as they move back to profit in…

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Caution, careful
Stocks for Beginners

2 Threats to the Market Rally to Keep a Close Eye On

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

There are two threats that could possibly trigger another selloff, so be sure to watch for them in the near…

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Dividend Stocks

Planning a Wedding? Here’s How to Actually Make Money on the Big Day

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Inflation, interest rates, it all adds up when planning a wedding. So how can you ask for cash, keep costs…

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Stocks for Beginners

This Phenomenal Canadian Growth Stock Jumped 9% and Still Has More Upside

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

This Canadian stock surged after beating earning estimates, but there is even more room to run for this stock climbing…

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Tech Stocks

Nvidia Stock Is Heading for US$800: Is It a Buy?

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Nvidia stock (NASDAQ:NVDA) could be heading to US$800 per share, but with shares already climbing steadily, is a drop coming…

Read more »

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Dividend Stocks

1 Top Stock To Buy If Rate Cuts Come in April

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

Interest rates continue to wage war on the market, but in Canada we could see those come down by April.…

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Stocks for Beginners

3 Canadian Stocks Tailor-Made for Beginning Investors in 2024

| Robin Brown

New to investing, but want some stocks to hold for the long term? Here are three stocks buy in 2024…

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Stocks for Beginners

3 CRA Benefits Most Canadians Can Grab in 2024 

| Puja Tayal

The CRA has enhanced some of its benefits in 2024. Here’s how Canadians can make the most of these benefits.

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Stocks for Beginners

Move Over, China: Wall Street Is Betting Big on India

| Amy Legate-Wolfe

India looks as though it will take over China within the next decade as one of the largest economies and…

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Stocks for Beginners

Why the Vanguard Growth ETF Portfolio (TSX:VGRO) Is One of My Favorite ETFs

| Tony Dong, MSc, CETF®

VGRO ticks all the right boxes when it comes to an ideal core portfolio holding.

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