Dr. Cross's Stock Market Spectacular

Stock

A small ownership piece of a company. Prices move on whether investors believe the business is becoming more or less valuable.

Portfolio Value

Cash plus the current market value of everything you hold. This is your leaderboard score — it moves even when you don't trade.

Bull / Bear Market

A bull market is a sustained period of rising prices and optimism. A bear market is a sustained drop, often 20%+ from a recent high.

Diversification

Spreading investments across many companies and sectors so one bad outcome (even a company closing down) can't sink your whole portfolio.

Leadership Rating

A 1–5 star score for each company's fictional leader. It can rise or fall over the season as decisions play out.

Target Estimate

A directional clue for where a company's price might head — not a promise. Compare it against the current price, not as a guarantee.

Volatility

How wildly a stock's price swings. Higher volatility means bigger potential gains and bigger potential losses.

Think in Years, Not Days

Each market turn represents weeks of simulated time. Short-term noise rarely matters as much as the long-term story.

Dividend

Some companies share part of their profits with investors. These cash payments are called dividends and can provide income even if the stock price doesn't change.

Market Cap

A company's total value based on its stock price and shares outstanding. Bigger companies are often more stable, while smaller ones may grow faster.

Risk vs. Reward

Investments with higher potential returns usually come with higher risk. Every investment is a balance between opportunity and uncertainty.

Buy Low, Sell High

The basic goal of investing. It's easy to say, but emotions often make it difficult to do consistently.

Compound Growth

Earnings can generate more earnings over time. The longer money stays invested, the more powerful compounding becomes.

Recession

A period when the economy slows down. Businesses often earn less, unemployment may rise, and stock prices can fall.

Market Correction

A drop of about 10% from recent highs. Corrections are common and don't necessarily mean a bear market has begun.

Sector

Companies are grouped into sectors like Technology, Healthcare, or Energy. Different sectors often perform differently as the economy changes.

Earnings Report

Companies regularly report how much money they made. Strong or weak earnings can cause stock prices to move quickly.

Supply & Demand

Prices rise when more people want to buy than sell. Prices fall when more investors want to sell than buy.

Long-Term Investing

Investors focus on growth over many years instead of trying to predict every short-term market move.

Market Timing

Trying to predict the perfect time to buy and sell. Even experienced investors often find this difficult to do consistently.

Cash Reserve

Keeping some money uninvested gives you flexibility to buy opportunities or reduce risk during uncertain markets.

Price Target

An analyst's estimate of where a stock could trade in the future. It's an opinion, not a guarantee.

Portfolio Balance

Regularly adjusting your investments to maintain your desired mix of stocks, sectors, or other assets.

News Impact

Company announcements, economic reports, and world events can all influence stock prices, sometimes very quickly.

P/E Ratio

The Price-to-Earnings ratio compares a stock's price to its profits. Investors use it to help judge whether a stock seems expensive or inexpensive.

Dollar-Cost Averaging

Investing the same amount regularly, regardless of price. This reduces the impact of trying to pick the perfect time to invest.

Cash Available

Money that isn't invested yet. You can use it to buy stocks or keep it ready for future opportunities.

Unrealized Gain

A stock has increased in value, but you haven't sold it yet. The profit isn't locked in until you sell.

Realized Gain

Profit you've actually earned by selling a stock for more than you paid.

Holding Period

How long you've owned a stock. Successful investing often rewards patience over frequent trading.

Trading Volume

The number of shares bought and sold during a trading period. Higher volume often means more investor interest.

Market Sentiment

The overall mood of investors. Optimism can push prices higher, while fear can drive them lower.