Week 8 Stock Journal: The Second Of Three Stock Journals ✓ Solved
Week 8 Stock Journalthis Is The Second Of Three Stock Journal Assignme
This is the second of three stock journal assignments that you will complete during this course. For this assignment, you will add your work for Week 8 to your previous work from Week 3, following the instructions below. Two templates have been provided for your use. In one template, you will enter your chosen companies, the share prices, and the number of shares you will be purchasing given your budget of $25,000. The other template is where you will write your rationale/summary.
Please download both templates, then complete, save, and submit both templates to Blackboard.
Assignment Instructions
For this week's portion of the assignment, complete the following: Record the current price of the stock for each company you selected in Week 3's Stock Journal. You may use any price during this week (e.g., day one price, the opening, the low, the high, the close, or any price you find when you check it during the day). Use the MS Excel spreadsheet or MS Word document to put your Week 3 and Week 8 stock prices side-by-side, to show your comparison. Determine the current value of your total investment.
Do not make any changes to your investment at this time. Calculate your total based on the number of shares and the new price per share, for each company. Evaluate the results of your current investment to provide your opinion/assessment of your investments. Consider the following questions as you provide your opinion: Why do you believe the stock increased, decreased, or remained static? Are you upset because your investment is worth less than $25,000? Are you happy with the result and the trend? Use at least two quality references. Consider using the sources of information ideas above or searching and locating resources from the Strayer University Library.
Note: Wikipedia and other websites do not qualify as academic resources.
Submission Requirements
Submit two documents for your journal assignment submission by uploading them to the assignment submission area:
- Completed Excel template with Week 3 and Week 8 data.
- Completed Word document template with your rationale, including Week 3 and Week 8 assessments.
This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards. For assistance and information, please refer to the Strayer Writing Standards link in the course menu.
Additional Resources
Resources for this assignment include the Weeks 3, 8, and 10 Stock Journal Project Excel Templates. These templates include instructions for recording your data across the weeks. You may use the provided template or create your own as long as it communicates the requested information.
For further understanding, watch the following videos: How the Stock Market Works and How the Stock Exchange Works (For Dummies).
Sample Paper For Above instruction
Title: Analyzing Investment Portfolio Performance: Week 8 Stock Journal Reflection
Introduction
The assessment of investment portfolio performance over time is essential in understanding market behavior and refining investment strategies. This paper reflects on the stock investment choices made in Weeks 3 and 8, analyzing the changes in share prices and their implications on the overall portfolio value.
Data Collection and Price Comparison
In Week 3, I initially selected three companies: Apple Inc., Microsoft Corporation, and Tesla Inc. I recorded their opening prices: Apple at $150, Microsoft at $250, and Tesla at $700. During Week 8, the stock prices changed to $155, $260, and $690, respectively. These prices were recorded at different points within the week, reflecting typical market fluctuations.
The comparison table (see attached Excel sheet) shows the prices side-by-side, providing a clear view of the price trends over the five-week period. These variations illustrate typical volatility in the stock market, influenced by market news, economic indicators, and company performance.
Investment Value Calculation
Based on the number of shares purchased in Week 3 within a $25,000 budget, I had allocated 50 shares of Apple, 40 shares of Microsoft, and 10 shares of Tesla. The total initial investment was $7,500 for Apple, $10,000 for Microsoft, and $7,000 for Tesla, totaling $24,500.
Using the Week 8 prices, I recalculated the total investment value:
- Apple: 50 shares x $155 = $7,750
- Microsoft: 40 shares x $260 = $10,400
- Tesla: 10 shares x $690 = $6,900
The new total value of the portfolio is $25,050, indicating a slight increase in overall investment value.
Evaluation and Personal Reflection
The increase in the total value of the portfolio can be attributed to positive market sentiments towards technology companies, especially Apple and Microsoft, amid ongoing innovations and strong earnings reports. Tesla's slight decrease reflects market concerns over supply chain issues and regulatory challenges.
I am pleased with this trend, as the portfolio appreciated marginally, surpassing the initial $25,000 investment. The market volatility exemplified by these stocks demonstrates the need for diversification and continuous monitoring to optimize returns.
My investment decisions are driven by current market analysis and economic forecasts. The rise in stock prices validates my belief in the growth potential of the selected companies, although the slight decline in Tesla underscores the importance of caution.
Using reputable sources such as Bloomberg and CNBC provided insights into recent market conditions, informing my investment assessment. In the future, I plan to diversify further and incorporate more fundamental analysis into my decision-making process to mitigate risks and enhance portfolio performance.
Overall, this exercise has reinforced the importance of ongoing portfolio review, market analysis, and the adaptation of investment strategies based on current data and trends.
References
- Investopedia. (2023). Stock Market Basics. Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/stockmarket.asp
- Bloomberg. (2023). Market Analysis and Trends. Retrieved from https://www.bloomberg.com
- CNBC. (2023). Stock Market News. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com
- Strayer University Library. (2023). Resources for Investment Analysis. Retrieved from https://library.strayer.edu
- Morningstar. (2023). Investment Research and Data. Retrieved from https://www.morningstar.com
- SEC. (2023). Understanding the Stock Market. Retrieved from https://www.sec.gov
- Yahoo Finance. (2023). Stock Quotes and Data. Retrieved from https://finance.yahoo.com
- Market Watch. (2023). Market Trends and Reports. Retrieved from https://www.marketwatch.com
- Financial Times. (2023). Global Market Insights. Retrieved from https://www.ft.com
- Edwards, W. (2022). Portfolio Management Strategies. Journal of Financial Planning, 35(4), 50-60.