An Intro to Stock Markets

Nearly everything we own was made by a company. The chairs we sit on, the computers we work with, and the phones we use; all were made by Ikea, Google, Apple, and the like. Even the foods we eat and the houses we live in came into being with the help of some large agriculture or construction firm. These companies are incredibly large and powerful, with billions in net worth. To the average citizen, they may seem overwhelming. How could anyone hope to control these huge forces responsible for shaping the economy?

However, anyone can own a company with just a couple dollars. That’s because companies, in order to raise money, will sell pieces of themselves in packages called “shares”. How much do these shares cost? A measure called book value shows what each share of a company should be worth based on factors like net profit and numbers of shares issued. However, their selling(market) value ultimately corresponds to what investors think the company is worth. New information like quarterly earnings is always being absorbed into the market and reflected in a stock’s price. For example, if a company releases an innovative new product, its market price will likely jump up because investors will predict that the company will do well and rush in to buy its stock(increasing demand pushes its value up). Investors should take note if a company’s book value and market value have a large discrepancy: the stock may be overvalued, and will likely become cheaper in the future.

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Why Immigration is Great for the Economy

Immigration, especially the illegal variety, is a pretty hot topic. With such a large number of unemployed in America(4.9%), it seems likely that social welfare associations like the NASW(National Association of Social Workers) would lobby to tighten up border control and generally work to ensure that less illegal immigrants are able to find jobs, allowing “true Americans” looking for work able to obtain it. Thankfully, social welfare associations have learned that illegal immigrants provide not only unique and diverse cultures, but significant contributions to the economy as well.

Why Homelessness should be a Relic of the Past

Homelessness, especially in larger cities, is no uncommon sight. Scraggly people with signs and jingling cups can be found throughout any city. Of course, there are a variety of reasons why they might have to live that way; not all are drug addicts with money problems. Some have been kicked out of their homes, some couldn’t afford rent. The list goes on. While it seems logical that helping the homeless get back on their feet is a good thing(moral reasons, the economy improving from more buyers and spenders), would the cost of giving them housing, job training, and other services really be worth it? The answer, surprisingly, is yes.