
What causes stock prices to move up or down?
What Causes Stock Prices to Change? Stock prices change everyday by market forces. By this we mean that share prices change because of supply and demand. If more people want to buy a stock (demand) than sell it (supply), then the price moves up. Conversely, if more people wanted to sell a stock than buy it, there would be greater supply than demand, and the price would fall.
What are all factors affect the price of a stock?
Mar 18, 2022 · Stock prices can move for any number of reasons over the short term. Political issues, economic concerns, earnings disappointments and countless other reasons can send stocks lower or higher. But...
How do events cause stock market prices to change?
May 02, 2016 · The short answer is two words: Supply and Demand. Earnest sellers cause prices to go down. In order to sell their shares quickly, they are likely willing to accept a lower price. On the other hand, earnest buyers cause the prices to go up. These buyers are drawn to bid higher prices than the current stock price.
Why do stock prices go up and down?
We can consider the stock market a living entity because of its volatility —and stock’s ability to change price minute to minute. A number of factors may determine this change. Market forces such as supply and demand at times determine share prices. If more people want to buy a stock (demand) than sell it (supply), then the price goes up.

What actually causes stock prices to change?
Stock prices are driven by a variety of factors, but ultimately the price at any given moment is due to the supply and demand at that point in time in the market. Fundamental factors drive stock prices based on a company's earnings and profitability from producing and selling goods and services.
What causes stock prices to go up or down?
Stock prices go up and down based on supply and demand. When people want to buy a stock versus sell it, the price goes up. If people want to sell a stock versus buying it, the price goes down. Forecasting whether there will be more buyers or sellers of a certain stock requires additional research, however.Jan 28, 2022
Should you buy a stock when it's going up?
For long-term investors, it's often best to ignore the ups and downs of the market. Instead, focus on your plan, and make sure that your money is well-diversified according to your risk tolerance. That's it. Don't rule out investing when the market reaches new highs—it's supposed to do that.
Should I buy stocks when they are low or high?
Stock market mentors often advise new traders to “buy low, sell high.” However, as most observers know, high prices tend to lead to more buying. Conversely, low stock prices tend to scare off rather than attract buyers.Feb 9, 2019
Why do stocks move up?
Often a stock simply moves according to a short-term trend. On the one hand, a stock that is moving up can gather momentum, as "success breeds success" and popularity buoys the stock higher. On the other hand, a stock sometimes behaves the opposite way in a trend and does what is called reverting to the mean. Unfortunately, because trends cut both ways and are more obvious in hindsight, knowing that stocks are "trendy" does not help us predict the future.
What drives stock prices?
Stock prices are driven by a variety of factors, but ultimately the price at any given moment is due to the supply and demand at that point in time in the market. Fundamental factors drive stock prices based on a company's earnings and profitability from producing and selling goods and services. Technical factors relate to a stock's price history ...
Who is David Harper?
Forces That Move Stock Prices. David Harper is the CEO and founder of Bionic Turtle. He is also a published author with a popular YouTube channel on expert finance topics. Thomas Brock is a well-rounded financial professional, with over 20 years of experience in investments, corporate finance, and accounting. ...
What is FFO in real estate?
Real estate investment trusts (REITs), for example, use a special measure of earnings power called funds from operations (FFO). Relatively mature companies are often measured by dividends per share, which represents what the shareholder actually receives.
Is inflation bad for stocks?
2 Deflation, on the other hand, is generally bad for stocks because it signifies a loss in pricing power for companies.
What is valuation multiple?
The valuation multiple expresses expectations about the future. As we already explained, it is fundamentally based on the discounted present value of the future earnings stream. Therefore, the two key factors here are:
What is discount rate?
The discount rate, which is used to calculate the present value of the future stream of earnings. A higher growth rate will earn the stock a higher multiple, but a higher discount rate will earn a lower multiple. What determines the discount rate? First, it is a function of perceived risk.
What is the objective of the stock price exercise?
The objective of this exercise is for students to gain an understanding of the relationship between current events and stock prices. Students evaluate the impact of internal and external events on a company.
How long has Good Health been in business?
The company developed a drug that can cure lung cancer and is ready to distribute it to the public. Good Health Pharmaceuticals requested the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to endorse and release the drug. The FDA asked for more tests to verify the safety of the drug and denied the release. These required tests could take up to ten years to complete!
Is inflation at an all time high?
Inflation is at an all time high. In response, the Federal Reserve decides to raise interest rates. Most people buy cars on credit, so the car manufacturers worry that the interest rates may have an effect on their business. As a response to this event, Ford Motor Company decides to have a major sale on their cars and trucks.
What does the price of a stock reflect?
The price of a stock not only reflects a company's current value but it also reflects the investor’s expectations of future growth and earnings. This lesson discusses events and situations that influence stock prices. A number of factors contribute to the minute-to-minute changes in a stock’s price.
How often do public companies report earnings?
Public companies must report their earnings four times a year (once each quarter). “Wall Street” carefully watches earnings results. Financial analysts base their opinions about future value of a company on its earnings projections. If a company's results are better than analysts expected, the stock price rises.
It's important for investors to understand what drives stocks and the market up and down
Tim writes about technology and consumer goods stocks for The Motley Fool. He's a value investor at heart, doing his best to avoid hyped-up nonsense. Follow him on Twitter: Follow @TMFBargainBin
What can affect stock prices?
High demand for a stock relative to supply drives the stock price higher, but what causes that high demand in the first place?
The big picture is what matters
Long-term investors, like those of us at The Motley Fool, don't much care about the short-term developments that push stock prices up and down each trading day. When you have many years or even decades to let your money grow, things such as analyst upgrades and earnings beats are irrelevant.
What is growth stock investing?
This is classic growth stock investing and generally involves buying stocks with high multiples. Some investors combine features of both strategies. Warren Buffett , the world’s most successful investor, is known to look for companies that he is very sure will grow relatively rapidly for at least 10 years.
What is the difference between category 1 and category 2?
Category 1 (multiple changes) are responsible for almost all of the day-to-day, minute-to minute, movement in stock prices. Category 2 (fundamental growth) is responsible for most of the long term change in a stock’s price over a period of years. This creates two major categories of ways to make money from stock price increases.

Fundamental Factors
Technical Factors
- Things would be easier if only fundamental factors set stock prices. Technical factors are the mix of external conditions that alter the supply of and demand for a company's stock. Some of these indirectly affect fundamentals. For example, economic growthindirectly contributes to earnings growth. Technical factors include the following.
News
- While it is hard to quantify the impact of news or unexpected developments inside a company, industry, or the global economy, you can't argue that it does influence investor sentiment. The political situation, negotiations between countries or companies, product breakthroughs, mergers and acquisitions, and other unforeseen events can impact stocks and the stock market. Since s…
Market Sentiment
- Market sentiment refers to the psychology of market participants, individually and collectively. This is perhaps the most vexing category. Market sentiment is often subjective, biased, and obstinate. For example, you can make a solid judgment about a stock's future growth prospects, and the future may even confirm your projections, but in the meantime, the market may myopica…
The Bottom Line
- Different types of investors depend on different factors. Short-term investors and traders tend to incorporate and may even prioritize technical factors. Long-term investors prioritize fundamentals and recognize that technical factors play an important role. Investors who believe strongly in fundamentals can reconcile themselves to technical forces with the following popular argument…