When should you buy a stock?

Asked by: Kamryn Ruecker  |  Last update: February 19, 2026
Score: 4.7/5 (54 votes)

Best Times of the Day to Buy or Sell Stocks Many professional traders focus on the opening period (9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. ET), as it typically offers the most significant price moves in the shortest time.

How do I know when to buy into a stock?

The best time to buy stocks is when the share prices of a given stock are at a low. There is always a chance that they will drop even further, but buying at a low price is significantly safer than buying at a high price where the price of the stock is unlikely to climb much higher.

Is it better to buy stocks when they are down?

Yes. The best time to buy stocks is when the share prices of a given stock are at a low. There is always a chance that they will drop even further, but buying at a low price is significantly safer than buying at a high price where the price of the stock is unlikely to climb much higher.

What is the best time to buy a stock?

November to April. Known as the ``best six months'' strategy, the stock market tends to perform better during this period. This phenomenon is partly attributed to the end-of-year rallies and the beginning of the new year, often fueled by holiday spending and positive investor sentiment.

What is the 7% rule in stocks?

The 7% rule is a straightforward guideline for cutting losses in stock trading. It suggests that investors should exit a position if the stock price falls 7% below the purchase price.

How I Pick My Stocks: Investing For Beginners

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What is the 90% rule in stocks?

The Rule of 90 is a grim statistic that serves as a sobering reminder of the difficulty of trading. According to this rule, 90% of novice traders will experience significant losses within their first 90 days of trading, ultimately wiping out 90% of their initial capital.

Is it better to keep stocks or sell?

In most cases (the 8-week hold-rule being an exception), you're better off locking in at least some of your gains to avoid watching your profits disappear as the stock corrects. And you can potentially compound those gains by shifting that money into other stocks just starting a new price run.

What time is it good to buy stocks?

Many professional traders focus on the opening period (9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. ET), as it typically offers the most significant price moves in the shortest time. By 11:30 a.m., volatility and volume often decrease significantly, leading many day traders to close their positions.

Is Amazon a good stock to buy?

Analysts See 13% Upside For Amazon Stock

The 30-year-old Amazon is among the world's most valuable companies. It is a leader in e-commerce spending and in cloud computing through its Amazon Web Services business. It is also quickly growing its advertising business into a challenger to Google (GOOGL) and Meta (META).

What is the 11am rule in trading?

The 11 a.m. trading rule is a general guideline used by traders based on historical observations throughout trading history. It stipulates that if there has not been a trend reversal by 11 a.m. EST, the chance that an important reversal will occur becomes smaller during the rest of the trading day.

When to not buy a stock?

Other warning signs might include lower profit margins than a company's peers, a falling dividend yield, and earnings growth below the industry average. There could be benign explanations for any of these, but a bit more research might uncover any red alerts that might result in future share weakness.

Is it worth buying 10 shares of a stock?

The number of shares you should buy depends on the price of the stock and how much money you are willing to invest. For example, if a stock is worth $10 and you have a $10,000 portfolio, a good number of shares would be between 20 to 100 depending on your risk tolerance.

Which day of the week is best to buy stocks?

Generally, the more liquid and volatile a market is, the more opportunity for potential profit exists (this also means risks of loss are higher too.) So, if a significant macroeconomic event like an election takes place on a Tuesday, chances are that'll be the best day of that week to trade.

What is the 3-5-7 rule in trading?

The 3 5 7 rule is a risk management strategy in trading that emphasizes limiting risk on each individual trade to 3% of the trading capital, keeping overall exposure to 5% across all trades, and ensuring that winning trades yield at least 7% more profit than losing trades.

How long should you hold a stock for?

How long must you hold a stock before selling? Ideally, hold a stock until it meets your financial goals or circumstances change. However, waiting at least one year can reduce capital gains taxes and maximise growth potential, especially in stable, long-term investments.

At what price should I buy a stock?

The Most Favourable Conditions

The best time to buy stocks is when the share prices of a given stock are at a low. There is always a chance that they will drop even further, but buying at a low price is significantly safer than buying at a high price where the price of the stock is unlikely to climb much higher.

Should I buy stock now or wait?

You can't time the market

If you have extra money to invest that you can afford to risk, the earlier you put it into the market, the longer it will have to grow, and the more you'll have later on. If that's now, invest it now. If it's after the end of 2024, invest it then.

How much will Amazon stock be worth in 5 years?

Of the 47 analysts who recommended Amazon in June, 44 rated it a buy or a strong buy. Forecasters predict that Amazon will reach $200 per share a year from now and will continue to rise to $250 per share at the end of 2026. In 2027, the prediction is for a price of $300, and $250 by the end of 2028.

Is Costco a good stock to buy?

“COST/AMZN/WMT—aka 'The Big Three' will likely gobble ~60%+ of U.S. retail growth this year, so we see Costco's elite share gain as likely to sustain outperformance.” Most of the Street sides with Melich, with 58% of analysts rating Costco stock a Buy, 37% a Hold, and 5% Sell, according to FactSet.

What is the 10 am rule in the stock market?

Some traders follow something called the "10 a.m. rule." The stock market opens for trading at 9:30 a.m., and there's often a lot of trading between 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. Traders that follow the 10 a.m. rule think a stock's price trajectory is relatively set for the day by the end of that half-hour.

When to buy shares for beginners?

It is imperative to buy shares when prices are at their lowest and sell them when prices are at their highest.

How long to hold stock to avoid tax?

Although marginal tax brackets and capital gains tax rates change over time, the maximum tax rate on ordinary income is usually higher than the maximum tax rate on capital gains. Therefore, it usually makes sense from a tax standpoint to try to hold onto taxable assets for at least one year, if possible.

When should you cash out stocks?

Investors might sell their stocks to adjust their portfolios or free up money. Investors might also sell a stock when it hits a price target or the company's fundamentals have deteriorated. Still, investors might sell a stock for tax purposes or because they need the money in retirement for income.

Do you owe money if a stock goes negative?

Do you owe money if a stock goes negative? No, you will not owe money on a stock unless you are using leverage, such as shorts, margin trading, etc., to trade.

Are stocks actually worth it?

In the following chart, you can see that stocks have a long track record of providing higher returns than bonds or cash alternatives. In fact, large domestic stocks have provided an average annualized return of 9.7% over the past 20 years. But remember — you need to balance reward with risk.