Book excerpt: The bestselling Canadian guide to building a profitable stock portfolio, revised and updated Want to make money in stocks without losing your shirt? This practical guide gives you proven strategies for weathering any economic climate and for selecting and managing profitable investments in either a bear or bull market. You'll navigate the new economic landscape and choose the right stocks for different situations and you'll find fresh real-world examples that show you how to maximize your returns. Get started with the basics understand stock value, assess your finances, set your investing goals, and know your investing style Recognize the risks explore different kinds of risk and weigh risk against return Make informed investing decisions research stocks, understand growth and income investing, and use basic economics to improve your stock strategy Build a strong foundation for your portfolio investigate industries, evaluate a company's financial health, and understand the effect of government on stock investing Capitalize on emerging sector opportunities from precious metals to alternative energy, discover the hot sectors that will make your portfolio thrive Build (and hold on to) your wealth get expert tips and tactics for buying with fewer costs and keeping the CRA at bay Open the book and find: The differences between stock investing and trading How to understand and use indexes The various types of investment dealers and how to use one New ways to gather stock information online Methods for tracking insider trading Early signs of megatrends that can affect your portfolio Solutions for protecting your profits Canadian investing resources and financial ratios Learn to: Incorporate stocks into your investment plan Ride out the highs and lows of the market Balance risks and rewards to reach your goals Profit from emerging megatrends and sector opportunities