investing in stocks !

For the basics of investing in stocks, here is some info from investopedia.

http://www.investopedia.com/university/stocks/.

For an  investor who doesn't have time and or interest in doing some level of research about an industry and the individual companies in that industry, investing in individual stocks is a risky affair. The best bet would be to invest in an index fund like S&P500 or any index fund of a specific sector. When picking stocks consider various industries and don't just stick to a specific sector like technology or banking etc. Potential investment opportunities exist across industries for the most part and are not limited to any specific industry. Dollar cost averaging is the best way to invest - that is buying periodically with a set amount.  Never fall in love with a specific stock unless you have intimate knowledge about the company, its competitors, the general industry it is in and the economics of that particular business. Speculating in stocks is a very tough game and the results are highly unpredictable.