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Investing 101
What is investing?
Investing is a way of putting your money to work. You purchase something that offers potential profit through interest, income or an increase in value. That “something” can be financial products like stocks, ETFs, mutual funds or bonds.
If you make a profit, you can use that money for big purchases in the future, like a graduation trip or a new phone.
When should I start?
It’s a good idea to start investing as soon as you can. Investing early can pay off later on. The longer you wait, the less time you have to make your money grow. When you start early and invest a little bit on a regular basis, all those contributions will add up and have the opportunity to grow.
How can I invest?
Here are a few types of investments you could go for.
Stocks
Mutual funds
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs)
An ETF is an investment fund, but it’s traded like a stock. Some ETFs are managed by professional fund managers, but most are managed by computer algorithm. They’re usually cheaper than mutual funds.
Bonds
A bond is similar to a loan agreement or an IOU. When you invest in a bond, you’re basically loaning your money to a company or a government (the bond issuer) and getting interest in return. While other investments make no guarantees, a bond issuer commits to the terms of the loan, including the date when they will pay it back in full and the date and rate that interest payments will be paid to the bondholder.
Want to learn more about investing?
Your investing personality
Knowing what kind of an investor you are can play a major role in helping you put together your investment portfolio.
Managing your investments
Find tips on how to manage your investment portfolio.
CIBC Investor's Edge for students
Our online platform has educational tools to help you build your investment portfolio, even on a student budget.