Where can I find reliable, up-to-date sharemarket information? Who are the prominent brokers and what services do they offer? How can I judge a good investment from a bad one? What type of investment most suits my personality? Ten years ago the main problem for new sharemarket investors was trying to find recent and reliable information. Now, it is precisely the reverse: thanks mainly to the internet, an information overload dominates the economic landscape. More than ever before, investors need tools, like this book, to help them analyse financial information and point them to superior websites, newsletters and magazines. In clear and simple terms, Martin Roth tells you How The Stock Market Really Works. In detail, he discusses: * investment risk and behavioural finance: understanding your investment personality * brokers: getting the best deal for you * market indices: grouping stocks for comparison * company analysis: separating the good from the bad * the internet: best sites for better information * the benefits of share ownership: dividends and tax incentives * how to read a prospectus, joining clubs and a dash of derivatives. The first edition of this book was enormously popular, selling out within 12 months. The second and third editions, with greatly expanded print runs, also sold out. Now, because the financial foreground is changing so quickly, a fourth edition has become necessary to help all investors attain a real and in-depth insight into the Australian stock market.