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Investing Risks

Investing in stocks and funds involves risk. Please read these points before acting on anything you see in our videos or elsewhere.

Stock prices can fall, and you can lose money

The value of any investment can go down as well as up. Prices move with company news, the economy, interest rates and investor mood, sometimes quickly. You may get back less than you put in, including all of it.

Past performance does not guarantee future results

How a stock or fund did before says little about what it will do next. A strong run can end, and a weak one can continue. Nothing on this site predicts or promises a return.

Individual stocks carry company-specific risk

A single company can be hurt by poor earnings, management mistakes, lawsuits, new competitors or changes in its industry. Holding one or a few stocks means one bad event can have a large effect on your savings.

Diversification can reduce risk, but not remove it

Spreading money across many companies, sectors or asset types can soften the impact of any one loss. It cannot eliminate risk, and broad market declines can hit many investments at the same time.

Consider your own goals and circumstances

Your time horizon, income, savings, debts and comfort with losses all matter. Only invest money you can afford to have tied up or lose, and consider speaking with a licensed financial professional before you decide.

Research sources

Public sources for researching companies and the economy. They are general education, not personalised advice, and the data they hold does not predict performance.

Company filings

  • SEC EDGAR company filings — Annual, quarterly and current filings from US public companies. Limitation: check filing dates and amendments. (No publication date listed)
  • Investor.gov guide to EDGAR — How to find company information on EDGAR. Limitation: a guide to searching, not an assessment of any company. (No publication date listed)
  • Investor.gov reading 10-K and 10-Q — Business descriptions and risk factors explained. Limitation: corroborate management claims with other sources. (Published January 25, 2021)
  • SEDAR+ public disclosures — Canadian company disclosures. Limitation: check document dates. (Last updated February 17, 2026)
  • Companies House register — UK company information. Limitation: not real-time prices or proof of listing. (No publication date listed)

Insider and short-interest data

  • SEC insider transactions — Explains Forms 3, 4 and 5. Limitation: insider activity alone does not predict performance. (Published January 26, 2021)
  • SEC insider transaction datasets — Quarterly extracts of insider transaction data. Limitation: consult the underlying filings. (Last reviewed or updated September 30, 2026)
  • FINRA equity short interest — Reported short interest figures. Limitation: reported snapshots, not live. (No publication date listed)

Economic data

  • FRED economic data — Inflation, interest rates and unemployment series. Limitation: series can be revised. (No publication date listed)
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI — Consumer price inflation. Limitation: not a company's individual costs. (No publication date listed)

Investor education

  • Investor.gov stock risks — General education on stock risks. Limitation: not a stock-specific assessment. (No publication date listed)

Market Lens content is for general education only and is not personalised investment advice.