How to Be a Better Stock Investor

Yes, we live in trying times, and investors should be concerned about a feeble economy and volatile markets.

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Yes, we live in trying times, and investors should be concerned about a feeble economy and volatile markets. But more than ever, we need to approach our investments with logic, detachment and a long-term view.

By understanding the fundamentals of stock investing -- knowing how to buy and when to sell -- you can be a better investor in any market.

Anne Kates Smith
Executive Editor, Kiplinger's Personal Finance

Anne Kates Smith brings Wall Street to Main Street, with decades of experience covering investments and personal finance for real people trying to navigate fast-changing markets, preserve financial security or plan for the future. She oversees the magazine's investing coverage,  authors Kiplinger’s biannual stock-market outlooks and writes the "Your Mind and Your Money" column, a take on behavioral finance and how investors can get out of their own way. Smith began her journalism career as a writer and columnist for USA Today. Prior to joining Kiplinger, she was a senior editor at U.S. News & World Report and a contributing columnist for TheStreet. Smith is a graduate of St. John's College in Annapolis, Md., the third-oldest college in America.