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Warren Buffett is waiting to deploy a $137 billion cash pile for a future mega-deal. Here are Berkshire Hathaway's 10 biggest acquisitions so far.

<ul><li><keyword id="6358963" type="DEFINITION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Warren-Buffett">Warren Buffett</keyword> considered making a deal as the coronavirus rocked the US economy, but the Federal Reserve's unprecedented stimulus efforts erased any appealing opportunities.</li><li>The legendary investor stepped in with billions of dollars to help some firms outlive the 2008 financial crisis. Those deals were "intelligent things to do" as <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/brk-a-stock">Berkshire Hathaway</a> "didn't really have much competition," <keyword id="54203" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Buffett">Buffett</keyword> said at his annual shareholder meeting over the weekend.</li><li>The Fed's actions allowed companies that had been calling Berkshire for aid to secure cash "at terms we wouldn't have given," Buffett added.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingestm=ingest">Visit the Business Insider homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Warren Buffett entertained the idea of using some of <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/brk-a-stock">Berkshire Hathaway's</a> $137 billion cash hoard to make deals amid the weakened economic backdrop. Then the Fed stepped in.The "Oracle of Omaha" leveraged billions of dollars to help ailing companies during the financial crisis, but the legendary investor has yet to find an appealing opportunity in the coronavirus-battered market. The 2008 and 2009 deals were "intelligent things to do" and came as Berkshire "didn't really have much competition" to offer liquidity, Buffett said during his annual shareholder meeting. The current downturn hasn't presented such value."We have not done anything because we don't see anything that attractive to do," Buffett said Saturday. "Now that could change very quickly or it may not change."Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-market-crash-history-since-1870-coronavirus-bear-rally-abnormal-2020-5">'Beware of the oddity': A Wall Street firm studied every market crash over the last 150 years to reveal how abnormal this one is — and concluded that stocks are doomed for another fall</a>Hopes for new deals were quashed in late March, the Berkshire CEO added. The Federal Reserve's historic move into buying corporate bonds lifted credit health stresses and offered a new out for companies struggling through recession-level headwinds.The widespread stimulus erased any chances of a near-term deal, Buffett said, and companies that had been eyeing Berkshire's cash pile as a lifeline turned to the central bank instead."There was a period right before the Fed acted, we were starting to get calls," Buffett said. "And the companies we were getting calls from, after the Fed acted, a number of them were able to get money in the public market frankly at terms we wouldn't have given."While Berkshire deployed swaths of cash during the 2008 meltdown, the company has lately taken a more defensive stance. The firm liquidated positions in United Airlines, Delta, Southwest, and American Airlines in April as the companies buckled under the coronavirus and its hit to the global travel industry. Buffett has also indicated he'd wait on any stock buybacks even as Berkshire shares sit down 19% year-to-date.The airline sales represent a different approach for Buffett and <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/warren-buffett-dumping-airline-stocks-big-deal-jeff-gundlach-says-2020-5-1029159381">investors should take heed</a>, Jeff Gundlach, CEO of DoubleLine Capital, said Sunday. "Warren Buffett selling all of his airline stocks corroborates the 'economic genie is not going back in the bottle' thesis. In late summer 2007 Warren doubled down on bank stocks (a bad call with hindsight benefit). So this airline bail now is a big deal," Gundlach <a href="https://twitter.com/TruthGundlach/status/1257085677054746624?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet">tweeted</a>.Now read more <keyword id="31671" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="markets">markets</keyword> coverage from Markets Insider and Business Insider:<a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/a-buying-spree-of-epic-proportions-how-the-federal-reserve-bucked-precedent-and-forever-changed-its-role-in-the-us-economy-1029157427">'A buying spree of epic proportions': How the Federal Reserve bucked precedent and forever changed its role in the US economy</a><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/goldman-traders-made-hundred-millions-days-first-quarter-volatility-gains-2020-5-1029155649">Goldman Sachs traders made more than $100 million on 14 separate days amid the first quarter's fierce volatility</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-picks-to-buy-high-dividend-yield-coronavirus-forces-cuts-2020-5">GOLDMAN SACHS: Buy these 13 stocks primed to keep delivering powerful dividends as their peers are forced to slash payouts</a>Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-mulled-deals-federal-reserve-coronavirus-stimulus-2020-5">Business Insider</a>

Warren Buffett backed away from potential mega-deals after the Fed announced market-saving stimulus efforts

<ul><li>The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Trust has $42 billion in assets under management.</li><li>The portfolio is unique in that it owns concentrated positions in less heard of companies.</li><li>These are the top 10 stocks held by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Trust as of December 31.</li></ul>Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has a $42 billion stock portfolio in what is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Trust.The trust's most recent 13F filing made with the SEC revealed its top investments, which are somewhat unique in that they're not your typical mega-cap tech companies.Instead, the trust owns concentrated stock positions in less heard of companies, like Coca-Cola FEMSA, which is a Mexican bottler of popular soft drinks.There is also an environmental theme that can be found within the portfolio, with top holdings including Ecolab, Waste Management, and John Deere. These are the top 10 stocks held at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at the end of the fourth quarter.10. FedEx<div type="image" title="FedEx plane" height="2016" width="4032" msid="107951478" hostid="261" sizebytes="391464"></div>Ticker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/fdx-stock">FDX</a> Market Value: $388.1 million Change in Shares: No change9. Walmart<div type="image" title="A customer loading shopping into the back of a car in the parking lot of a Walmart store" height="2564" width="5129" msid="107951481" hostid="261" sizebytes="726186"></div>Ticker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/wmt-stock">WMT</a> Market Value: $477.7 million Change in Shares: No change8. Coca-Cola FEMSA<div type="image" title="Bottles of Coca-Cola" height="1837" width="3675" msid="107951484" hostid="261" sizebytes="589184"></div>Ticker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/fmx-stock">FMX</a> Market Value: $588.2 million Change in Shares: No change7. Ecolab<div type="image" title="Blue EcoLab logo" height="200" width="400" msid="107951487" hostid="261" sizebytes="3572"></div>Ticker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/ecl-stock">UNH</a> Market Value: $1.03 billion Change in Shares: No change6. Deere<div type="image" title="line of green john deere tractors in a dirt lot with snow capped mountains in the background" height="1212" width="2425" msid="107951489" hostid="261" sizebytes="188060"></div>Ticker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/de-stock">DE</a> Market Value: $1.42 billion Change in Shares: -360,315 (-9%)5. Caterpillar<div type="image" title="n this April 20, 2007 file photo, a Caterpillar grader is trucked out of the plant in Decatur, Ill. Caterpillar Inc. said Friday, April 5, 2013, it plans to lay off more than 460 employees this June at its Decatur plant as part of an ongoing series of production cuts. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman,. File)" height="1025" width="2050" msid="107951491" hostid="261" sizebytes="143764"></div>Ticker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/cat-stock">CAT</a> Market Value: $2.17 billion Change in Shares: No change4. Waste Management<div type="image" title="Waste Management" height="1500" width="3000" msid="107951493" hostid="261" sizebytes="355010"></div>Ticker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/wm-stock">WM</a> Market Value: $6.31 billion Change in Shares: No change3. Canadian National Railway<div type="image" title="A Canadian National Railway train travels eastward on a track in Montreal, February 22, 2015. REUTERS/Christinne Muschi/File Photo " height="399" width="799" msid="107951495" hostid="261" sizebytes="42272"></div>Ticker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/cni-stock">CNI</a> Market Value: $6.89 billion Change in Shares: No change2. Berkshire Hathaway<div type="image" title="bill gates warren buffett" height="1500" width="3000" msid="107951496" hostid="261" sizebytes="160672"></div>Ticker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/brk-b-stock">BRK-B</a> Market Value: $7.10 billion Change in Shares: -2,613,252 (-12%)1. Microsoft<div type="image" title="Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft." height="3120" width="6240" msid="107951498" hostid="261" sizebytes="218604"></div>Ticker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/msft-stock">MSFT</a> Market Value: $14.37 billion Change in Shares: -1,075,301 (-3%)

These are the top 10 holdings of Bill Gates' $42 billion stock portfolio

<ul><li><keyword id="6709758" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Ether">Ether</keyword>'s 370% rally in 2021 had made the meme-based cryptocurrency worth $400 billion.</li><li>These are the 12 remaining companies that are still worth more than ether.</li><li><a href="https://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/10-things-opening-bell?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingestedium=ingest" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sign up here for our daily newsletter, 10 Things Before the Opening Bell.</a></li></ul>The market value of <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/eth-usd">ether</a>, the digital currency tied to the <keyword id="2810876" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="ethereum">Ethereum</keyword> blockchain, is now worth more than <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/wmt-stock">Walmart</a>.Ether jumped more than 10% to record highs on Tuesday, bringing its year-to-date rally to 370% and its market valuation to just over $400 billion. Ether touched a record high of just under $3,500, at $3,485. Ether is the go-to medium of exchange in the digital marketplace, especially for non-fungible tokens and other forms of digital art. The surge higher has left bitcoin behind in recent weeks, and Ark Invest on Monday <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/news/ethereum-analysis-3-reasons-ether-hitting-record-highs-ark-invest-2021-5-1030380065">laid out three reasons why the cryptocurrency has surged higher.</a>These are the 12 publicly traded companies that are still worth more than ether's $400 billion market valuation, based off of Monday's closing prices.12. Johnson &amp; JohnsonTicker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/jnj-stock">JNJ</a> Market Cap: $439 billion11. JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co.Ticker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/jpm-stock">JPM</a> Market Cap: $469 billion<div type="image" title="JPMorgan" height="1000" width="2000" msid="82390625" hostid="261"></div>10. VisaTicker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/v-stock">V</a> Market Cap: $504 billion<div type="image" title="visa cards" height="512" width="1024" msid="82390626" hostid="261"></div>9. Taiwan SemiconductorTicker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/tsm-stock">TSM</a> Market Cap: $555 billion<div type="image" title="FILE PHOTO: A logo of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) is seen at its headquarters in Hsinchu, Taiwan, Aug. 31, 2018. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File Photo" height="2739" width="5479" msid="82390628" hostid="261"></div>8. AlibabaTicker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/baba-stock">BABA</a> Market Cap: $633 billion<div type="image" title="Alibaba" height="500" width="1000" msid="82390629" hostid="261"></div>7. TeslaTicker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/tsla-stock">TSLA</a> Market Cap: $657 billion<div type="image" title="Tesla Shanghai China Factory " height="1249" width="2500" msid="82390630" hostid="261"></div>6. Berkshire HathawayTicker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/brk-b-stock">BRK.B</a> Market Cap: $678 billion<div type="image" title="Buffett_UNL" height="1000" width="2000" msid="82390633" hostid="261"></div>5. FacebookTicker:<a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/fb-stock">FB</a> Market Cap: $929 billion<div type="image" title="facebook apps" height="1249" width="2500" msid="82390635" hostid="261"></div>4. AlphabetTicker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/googl-stock">GOOGL</a> Market Cap: $1,644 billion<div type="image" title="Google HQs" height="1000" width="2000" msid="82390637" hostid="261"></div>3. AmazonTicker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/amzn-stock">AMZN</a> Market Cap: $1,709 billion<div type="image" title="Amazon Fresh UK store" height="512" width="1024" msid="82390638" hostid="261"></div>2. MicrosoftTicker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/msft-stock">MSFT</a> Market Cap: $1,899 billion<div type="image" title="Microsoft." height="1988" width="3976" msid="82390639" hostid="261"></div>1. AppleTicker: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/aapl-stock">AAPL</a> Market Cap: $2,259 billion<div type="image" title="iPhone 12 Apple iPhone 12 Pro" height="1500" width="3000" msid="82390640" hostid="261"></div>

Ethereum's $400 billion market value makes it bigger than all but 12 publicly traded companies

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A stock represents an investment and ownership interest in a publicly traded company.</li><li>A share is the smallest denomination of a specific company's stock.</li><li>Companies issue stock to attract investors and make money, while shares refer to the measure of a stock and doesn't have any value.</li></ul>If you think stock and share mean the same thing, you're missing the difference between the two terms. But you're not alone. People often intermingle the two terms, despite the fact they're not the same. The difference matters because the two terms relate to each other in a way that helps investors understand the role each plays. Read on to learn the real differences between <keyword id="11893878" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="stocks" source="Orion">stocks</keyword> and shares.<h2>Stock vs. share: At a glance</h2>The distinction between stocks and shares isn't as subtle as it first seems. Two simple definitions can help clear things up.<ul><li>A <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-stock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stock</a>, also known as an equity, is an investment that represents partial ownership interest in a company.</li><li>A share is the smallest denomination of a specific company's stock.</li></ul><table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" border="1"><tbody><tr><td style="width: 50%;">Stock</td><td style="width: 50%;">Share</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 50%;"><ul><li>Stock refers to the company that issues it (e.g., Coca-Cola stock).</li><li>Stock represents non-specific ownership interest in a company.</li><li>A stockholder owns stock in a company which can mean different things.</li></ul></td><td style="width: 50%;"><ul><li>A share is a unit of measurement of your ownership interest in a company (e.g., one share of IBM stock).</li><li>A share represents a specific unit of ownership of a stock.</li><li>A shareholder owns shares of stock in a company.</li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table>Despite the distinction between the two, stock and share are often used interchangeably, which is one reason there can be confusion. People will say, "I own stock in Coca-Cola," or "I own 10,000 shares of Coca-Cola."Stock is not specific. It doesn't tell you how much stock you own. Shares are specific. Each share represents a specific piece of ownership interest in a specific company's stock.<h2>What is stock?</h2>Companies issue stock to attract investors in order to raise money to allow the company to expand, launch new products, buy equipment, or for other reasons. When you buy stock, you buy an ownership interest in the company in hopes of getting a return on your investment.Quick tip: Ownership interest is not the same as ownership. Owning stock does not mean you actually own company property or assets.Four types of stocks are often discussed: common, preferred, Class A, and Class B.<ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-common-stock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Common stock</a>: This is the type most people invest in and represents the majority of stock issued. Common stock confers voting rights to stockholders, typically one vote per share of stock.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-preferred-stock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Preferred stock</a>: This type of stock does not typically confer voting rights but is reimbursed ahead of common stock (but behind <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-a-bond" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bonds</a>) in the event of liquidation. Preferred stock is really a hybrid between stocks and bonds.</li><li>Class A stock: This is a type of common stock that confers more voting rights than Class B stock. Other than that, Class A and Class B stock are the same.</li><li>Class B stock: This is also a type of common stock but with fewer voting rights.</li></ul>Note: The greater voting power of Class A stock comes at a premium price. For example, Berkshire Hathaway Class B shares (NYSE: BRK.B) trade for about $288 per share. Berkshire's Class A shares (BRK.A) trade for more than $422,000 per share with each share having more than 1,400 votes to BRK.B's single vote.Stock is traded on a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-exchange" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stock exchange</a>. This is where buyers and sellers engage in an auction process by placing bids and offers to buy and sell stock. The two biggest exchanges in the US are the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-stock-exchange" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Stock Exchange</a> (NYSE) and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-nasdaq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nasdaq</a> both of which are in New York City with the NYSE being the largest by <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-market-cap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">market capitalization</a>.Note: Stock exchanges do not own the stocks they trade. A stock exchange is a place where buyers and sellers exchange stocks.<h3>Example of stock</h3>An example of a stock would be stock issued by the Coca-Cola Co. Stocks are indicated by the name of the company and also by the stock's ticker symbol, often preceded by the name of the exchange where that stock trades. Ex. Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO). Owning Coca-Cola common stock entitles you to several important things:<ul><li>The right to receive a portion of Coca-Cola's profit in the form of dividends</li><li>The right to sell your stock for a profit when the value goes up</li><li>The right to vote in meetings with other owners of Coca-Cola stock</li></ul><h2>What is a share?</h2>Buying and selling stock would be impossible if there wasn't a way to measure ownership interest other than just in dollars invested. This is where shares come in.A share is a measure of stock, the smallest denomination stock comes in. Since each share has a value, which fluctuates daily on the stock exchange, investors can easily calculate the value of their investment by measuring stock in shares.Note: You can technically buy less than one share. Many brokers also let you buy and sell what's called <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fractional-shares" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fractional shares</a>, which allows you to buy a portion - or "fraction" - of one share. This provides opportunities to own stock you might not otherwise be able to afford.Investors are also able to determine the size of their ownership, or stake, in the company based on the percentage of all outstanding shares they own. For example, if Coca-Cola issued 100,000 shares of stock and you own 10,000 shares, you own 10% of the outstanding shares (but not 10% of the Coca-Cola Company). As with stock, there are different types of shares.<ul><li>Ordinary shares: These are the same as common stock.</li><li>Cumulative preferred shares: These are a type of preferred stock that requires payment of missed dividends ahead of other types of shares.</li><li>Deferred shares: These type of shares have no rights to assets in the event of a bankruptcy until preferred and common stockholders have been paid.</li><li>Non-voting shares: As you might expect, these shares confer no voting rights and are typically issued to employees and family members of primary shareholders.</li><li>Preference shares: These are the same as preferred stock.</li><li>Redeemable shares: These shares can be repurchased by the company on or after a predetermined date or following a specific event. This is essentially a built-in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/call-option" target="_blank" rel="noopener">call option</a>.</li><li>Redeemable preference shares are preferred stock with a call option.</li></ul><h3>Example of a share</h3>A share, then, represents a fraction of all the stock issued by the company. All of this is important when it comes to the return you receive on your investments.<ul><li>Suppose you purchase 10,000 shares of KO for $50 each. Your total investment would be $500,000. If the price of a single share of KO went up to $60 and you decided to sell all 10,000 shares, you would receive $600,000 or a $100,000 profit.</li><li>Suppose KO declared a $1 dividend, expressed as earnings per share (EPS). Your 10,000 shares of KO would earn a $10,000 dividend payment.</li></ul>Quick tip: Dividends, in the form of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/eps" target="_blank" rel="noopener">earnings per share</a> (EPS), are typically paid out four times a year (quarterly).<h2>Stockholder vs. Shareholder</h2>Stockholders typically own stock in a company, while shareholders own shares of stock. In this case, stock and shares are the same thing since stock is measured in shares. This means both a stockholder and shareholder have an ownership interest in the company.Technically, shareholder is the more accurate term since it clearly refers to someone who owns shares of stock and an equity interest in the company. A stockholder could be someone who owns inventory or raw materials rather than shares.Important: Do not confuse stockholder and shareholder with stakeholder. A stakeholder could be a shareholder, an owner, employee, vendor, debtor, or even customer. Stakeholders do not have to own shares. They have a reason to hope the company does well that may have nothing to do with an investment.<h2>The financial takeaway</h2>Although investors often use the terms stock and share interchangeably, there is an important difference between them. Stock is a generic term referring to an ownership interest in a publicly owned company. Share is specific and refers to the smallest denomination of a company's stock.When you own stock in a company, you really own shares of that company's stock. The term stock has no value and can relate to one or more companies. Each share has a specific value and relates to a specific company.<a data-type="611143fb0d5b755b492d74c3">Stock trading: How to get started for beginners</a><a data-type="60f98edda27a1f47a4057ae3">How stock quotes can better inform your investing decisions</a><a data-type="61119479e278c670ab20f527">What are stock warrants and why do companies offer them?</a><a data-type="603d0928507cd77b043e1cac">How many stocks should you own in your portfolio? Why there's no single 'right' answer</a>

Stock vs. share: What's the difference?

<ul><li>Indians are eyeing greater returns from the US stock markets. </li><li>New-age broking companies like <keyword id="10636221" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="indmoney">INDmoney</keyword>, Stockal, 5paisa, Vested Finance and more are making way for Indians to invest in companies like Tesla, Facebook, Apple, Amazon etc.</li><li>One of India’s largest brokerage firms Zerodha is reportedly working with a US stock broking firm to bring the option to its users.</li></ul>While most Indians are celebrating Sensex hitting the historic level of 50,000, there are many others going for bigger gains in markets abroad. Indians are now buying stocks like Apple, Facebook, Tesla, Netflix through stock broking companies ⁠— INDmoney, Groww and Stockal to name a few⁠— which have partnered with US-based broking firms to enable investing. For instance, Asian Paints was <a href="https://www.cnbctv18.com/market/from-40k-in-2019-to-50k-now-here-are-the-top-gainers-that-helped-sensex-achieve-the-milestone-8068721.htm">the best performer</a> among all stocks in the last 10,000 points of the rally that took a little under eight months. The country’s largest paint maker gained nearly 98% in that time. Even compared to that, the rally in some technology stocks in the US has been spectacular. Here’s a look at the returns offered by <keyword id="48211" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="US-stocks">US stocks</keyword>, according to wealth-tech platform Winvesta. Top 5 US Stocks on Winvesta <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Stock </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1 year return </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">3 year return </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">5 year return </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">TSLA </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">530% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">592.4% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">812.2% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">AAPL </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">71.5% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">156.4% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">264.8% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">BRK.B </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-5.2% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">10.3% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">51.6% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">AMZN </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">68.9% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">174.2% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">362.3% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">MSFT </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">42.9% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">145.3% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">290.7% </td></tr></tbody></table>Source: Winvesta, Yahoo Finance. Returns are in USD. While the decade-long bull run in the US has been a big pull for Indian investors, there are other factors, too, which make such investments attractive. “The declining value of the rupee and rising dollar value have also pushed more Indians to put their money into US markets,” Vinay Bharathwaj, Co-Founder &amp; Co-CEO, Stockal Inc told Business Insider, adding that, “the US market gives stable and even generous returns at lower volatility over the long term.” <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="How to invest in US stocks" comment="subhead" text="How to invest in US stocks">How to invest in US stocks</cmsannotation> Indians can start investing in the US stock market by opening an overseas account with an Indian brokerage, open an account with foreign brokerage or invest through Mutual Funds with global equities. Currently, the Reserve Bank of India allows an Indian to invest only up to $250,000 (₹2 crore) overseas per year without having to apply for special permissions. But here’s what you need to remember while investing in an US stock, the profits will be subject to currency exchange rates and some brokerages may charge high commissions. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Startups that offer US stock investment to Indians" comment="subhead" text="Startups that offer US stock investment to Indians">Startups that offer US stock investment to Indians</cmsannotation> <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Company </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;"> Brokerage </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">INDmoney </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Zero commission, transaction charges depending on banks </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Groww (in beta phase) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">NA </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Stockal </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Ranges from zero commission to subscription and volume based pricing. </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">5paisa </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Zero commission (wire transfer and foreign exchange conversion fees applicable) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Winvesta </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">$0 per trade for 3 trades per month (10 free trades in the first month). $1 per trade after free trades </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Vested Finance </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Zero (Subscription charges are separate) </td></tr></tbody></table>*Zerodha <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/markets/zerodha-to-offer-option-to-invest-in-us-stocks-says-no-minimum-investment-5251041.html">reportedly</a> has its US stock investment offering in the pipeline. One of the popular platforms that was also one of the first to offer US stocks to Indian investors is the Ashish Kashyap-led INDmoney. The startup in May 2020 partnered with DriveWealth, LLC, a member of FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) and SIPC (Securities Investor Protection Corporation) and a licensed carrying and self-clearing broker based out of the United States. The startup also claims “zero account opening fee, zero brokerage i.e. no charges on buying and selling.” <div type="twitter" handle="deepakabbot" handlename="Deepak Abbot" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1197371543287816192/pYK77Tn7_normal.jpg" favoritecount="140" retweetcount="9" status="Another awesome offering from @INDmoneyApp - bought my first ever US stock using indcoins 🤩 https://t.co/GEC5yfIkOV" createdat="1610376983000" id="1348644935222771715"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Indians are eyeing greater returns from US stocks" comment="subhead" text="Indians are eyeing greater returns from US stocks">Indians are eyeing greater returns from US stocks</cmsannotation> Bharathwaj believes that in today’s world it seems rather restrictive that an Indian investor should not have access to own shares of companies like Netflix, Tesla and Amazon. He said that the problem with wealth management firms was they came with large minimum account requirements, rigid investing plans, extra costs for research, high commissions, and entry/exit loads. “The availability of homegrown digital investment platforms that have made investing in the US market easy and accessible are also one of the major reasons why investors are considering expanding the scope of their investments. At Stockal, we have partly digitized the Liberalized Remittance Scheme (LRS) process, working with six banks in India, and are making it completely online, working along with a couple of our very large banking partners,” he said. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Duration </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Stockal Daily Transaction Volume </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Top traded stocks by Indians on Stockal </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">April-June quarter </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">$1 mn/per day </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Tesla (TSLA), Trivago (TRVG), Nio (NIO), Amazon (AMZN) and Palantir (PLTR) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Last six months </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">$2.5 mn/per day </td></tr></tbody></table> SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/economy/news/recession-in-india-will-end-latest-by-march-says-a-top-economist/articleshow/80399198.cms">Recession in India will end latest by March, says a top economist</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/do-not-panic-when-finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman-reads-out-the-revised-estimates/articleshow/80400869.cms">Do not panic when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reads out the revised estimates</a>

Here’s how Indians are buying Tesla, Facebook, and Apple shares through brokerage startups

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="123873" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="SP-500">S&amp;P 500</keyword> is a broad-based <keyword id="1761852" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="stock-market-index">stock market index</keyword>, consisting of the 500 largest US public companies.</li><li>The diversity and size of the companies it tracks make the S&amp;P a proxy for the entire stock market.</li><li>You can't invest in the S&amp;P 500 itself, but you can buy an index fund that duplicates its stocks and performance.</li></ul>People often say "The stock market is up," or "The market is down." But the stock market is an amorphous thing, encompassing thousands of equities and dozens of stock exchanges. What they actually mean is a particular stock market index, or group of publicly traded companies, is up or down.And if they're in the US, odds are that index is the Standard &amp; Poor's 500, or <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/s&amp;p_500_500">S&amp;P 500</a>. Named for the number of companies on its list, the S&amp;P 500 is "a broad-based index that includes the cross-section of economic sectors like information technology, healthcare and consumer discretionary, as well as major companies in the financial, energy, industrial, and consumer durable sectors," says Solomon Tadesse, who heads North American equity quantitative research at Société Générale. "As such, the S&amp;P 500 is a good proxy of the US equity market and, by implication, the economy and its near-term trends."Understanding the S&amp;P 500 can be important for investors. Here's everything you need to know about this influential index. <h2>What is the S&amp;P 500?</h2>Developed by Standard &amp; Poor's (now <a href="https://www.spglobal.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">S&amp;P Global</a>), the S&amp;P 500 launched in 1957. But its status as a proxy for the US equity market was cemented in 1968, when the S&amp;P 500 became one of the indicators used by <a href="https://www.conference-board.org/data/bciarchive.cfm?cid=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conference Board, </a>the business membership and research organization, to forecast economic trends. It's what's known as a weighted index, meaning companies with a higher <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/what-is-market-cap-1029851028" target="_blank" rel="noopener">market capitalization</a> (the total value of all their stock shares), carry more clout in the calculations, so the overall index correlates more closely to the broader market.The index's relative level - or the collective worth of the stock shares within it - is expressed in points. In January 2021, it stood at 3,750. So if the S&amp;P 500 goes up by, say 10% during 2021, it would mean an overall index gain of 375 points. <h2>What is the S&amp;P 500 made up of?</h2>One reason the S&amp;P 500 is so widely quoted is its makeup: the 500 largest public corporations in the US (though it actually contains 505 stocks because some companies issue more than one class of shares). They're organized across 11 industrial sectors.Individual companies may rotate in and out. The S&amp;P Global's U.S. Index Committee re-examines and rebalances the roster at least quarterly, although it can happen anytime in an attempt to ensure "the index continues to provide a representative reflection of the large-cap U.S. equity market," according to an S&amp;P Global <a href="https://www.spglobal.com/en/research-insights/articles/is-the-sp-500-doing-its-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blog</a>. For a company to qualify for the index, it has to meet these criteria:<ul><li>Be based in the US (though it can have overseas operations)</li><li>Have a market capitalization of at least $9.8 billion</li><li>Be highly liquid, with at least 10% of its shares outstanding in the public market</li><li>Have positive earnings in the most recent quarter, and in the four previous quarters.</li></ul><h3>What companies are in the S&amp;P 500?</h3>The S&amp;P 500 is full of familiar names, many of them blue-chip companies with strong performance histories of financial performance. As of December 2020, the <a href="https://fknol.com/list/market-cap-sp-500-index-companies.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10 largest companies </a>(by market capitalization) in the S&amp;P 500 include:<ul><li>Apple Inc. (AAPL)</li><li>Microsoft (MSFT)</li><li>Amazon Inc. (AMZN)</li><li>Alphabet Inc. Class A shares (GOOGL)</li><li>Alphabet Inc. Class C shares (GOOG)</li><li>Facebook Inc. (FB)</li><li>Tesla (TSLA)</li><li>Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B)</li><li>Visa (V)</li><li>Johnson &amp; Johnson (JNJ) </li></ul><h2>What's the average return for the S&amp;P 500?</h2>Over the past 10 years, the S&amp;P 500 has posted annualized returns of 11.18%. In 2020, it posted a return of 15.15%.Since the companies within the index are so diverse, and are collectively worth about <a href="https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/indices/equity/sp-500/#overview">80% </a>of all US stocks' total value, these performance figures are widely seen as synonymous with the performance of the US stock market overall. <h2>Limitations of the S&amp;P 500</h2>Though seen as widely representative, the S&amp;P 500 isn't perfect.The S&amp;P 500 is a weighted index, meaning companies with a higher market cap carry more clout in the calculations. As a result, the index may give "disproportionate weighting to the largest companies," cautions Leyla Z. Morgillo, a certified financial planner with<a href="https://www.madisonfpg.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Madison Financial Planning Group</a>. "Those weightings can then skew the performance of the index, resulting in a handful of stocks driving the overall index performance. You wouldn't be able to tell that just by looking at the overall performance of the S&amp;P 500, which is why it can be misleading at times."Case in point: Just two high-tech companies, Apple and Microsoft, together account for more than 11% of the benchmark. "That can create some anomalies as other, relatively smaller relative companies can get lost in the sauce," says Dan Veru, chief investment officer at <a href="https://palisadecapital.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Palisade Capital Management</a>.Then too, in an increasingly globalized economy and stock market, the S&amp;P 500 only includes US-based companies. That means major (and sometimes market-moving) foreign stocks, like China's Alibaba Group or Germany's BioNTech SE, can't figure in its performance - rendering it less useful as an indicator of economic trends.<h2>Other significant stock indexes</h2>Despite the S&amp;P' 500s prominence, investors watch other indexes as well. Among the competitors:<ul><li><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/dow_jones" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dow Jones Industrial Average</a>: One of the oldest indexes, the Dow tracks 30 leading US companies. Of course, that's far fewer than the S&amp;P 500 - too few, some financial pros feel. Also, its weighting system, which is based on share price instead of total market cap, may unfairly penalize a company that has a stock split.</li><li><a href="https://www.ftserussell.com/index/spotlight/us-equity-indexes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russell Indexes</a>: The <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/russell_3000">Russell 3000 </a>considers 3000 U.S.-headquartered companies, significantly more than the S&amp;P 500. So do two other indexes that are built off the Russell 3000: the large-cap <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/russell_1000">Russell 1000</a> and the small-cap Russell 2000. Many investment fund managers favor the Russell 3000 and its smaller sisters, though the latter can be more volatile than the S&amp;P 500.</li><li><a href="https://wilshire.com/indexes/wilshire-5000-family/wilshire-5000-total-market-index" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Wilshire 5000</a>:This index encompasses about 3,800 stocks (despite its name), giving it bragging rights as the broadest stock market index - virtually all the publicly traded corporations based in the US. Though obviously larger than the S&amp;P 500, and so arguably more representative, the Wiltshire also ignores the overseas <keyword id="31671" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="markets">markets</keyword>. </li></ul><ul><li><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/nasdaq_100" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Nasdaq-100:</a> This growth-stock-oriented index includes 100 of the largest domestic and international non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange. The index is attractive because of an emphasis on the technology sector, arguably the most influential, fast-growing industry in the US economy now. But its bandwidth is even narrower than the S&amp;P 500's and following it could put investors at risk in case of a sector downturn.</li></ul><h2>How to invest in the S&amp;P 500 </h2>You can't directly invest in the S&amp;P 500 - it's just a list, not a stock itself. But a variety of publicly traded mutual funds and ETFs (exchange-traded funds) buy securities that track the S&amp;P 500, or a particular group of the companies within it, like high-dividend-paying companies or more growth-oriented companies.All the leading brokerages and financial services companies offer S&amp;P 500 index funds: firms like Charles Schwab, Fidelity, and Vanguard. So do most online trading platforms and apps, like Robinhood and Stash. S&amp;P 500 index funds are also popular with robo-advisors like Wealthfront and Betterment, which use computer algorithms to invest and monitor investors' portfolios. <h2>The financial takeaway</h2>For more than half a century, the S&amp;P 500 has been a bellwether for the performance of the stock market overall. Because it represents the largest publicly traded corporations in the US, its performance is seen as a snapshot of the state of US business, and by extension, the US economy. But this index does have some shortcomings. Its market-cap weightings may favor some companies, or sectors, over others; the bandwidth doesn't always reflect the entire domestic stock market; and it excludes companies that aren't based in the US. Still, the returns of individual stocks, stock funds, and other assets are all compared against the S&amp;P 500. So it can be a good tool for investors as well - to guide their individual investment choices, get a sense of how their picks are performing, and even to duplicate via S&amp;P 500 index funds. <h2>Related Coverage in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/investing-reference" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Investing</a>:</h2><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-a-stock-market-index" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A guide to stock market indexes: What they measure and how they can guide your investing</a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-nasdaq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What is the Nasdaq? Understanding the global stock exchange that's home to the fastest-growing, most innovative companies</a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-invest-in-the-sp-500" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to invest in the S&amp;P 500 - a guide to the funds that mimic the influential index's makeup and moves</a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-otc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What is OTC? A beginner's guide to over-the-counter markets, and the risks and rewards of investing outside the major stock exchanges</a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-dow-jones" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Dow Jones Industrial Average is one of the most-watched stock indexes in the world - here's how it works and why it's so influential</a></h3><h3> </h3>

The S&P 500 is seen as a gauge of the stock market itself - here's how this widely watched stock index works

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/rusty_clark/6241304067">Flickr/RustyClark</a>You may have paid more than necessary for canned fish at some point in the last few years.Bumble Bee has agreed to plead guilty for its involvement in fixing shelf-stable tuna fish, the Department of Justice said in a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/bumble-bee-agrees-plead-guilty-price-fixing">statement</a> on Monday.Bumble Bee conspired with other companies to "fix, raise, and maintain prices of packaged seafood," the DoJ alleged in its <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/964856/download">charge</a>.The DoJ said the price-fixing took place from around the first quarter of 2011 through at least the fourth quarter of 2013. It was unaware of the exact timing.Bumble Bee has agreed to pay a $25 million criminal fine that could be increased to as much as $81.5 million if the company is sold, subject to some terms and conditions.Andrew Finch, the acting assistant attorney general in the DOJ's antitrust division, said the charge is the third to be filed in an ongoing investigation into price fixing among the largest suppliers of packaged seafood. This comes after a former Bumble Bee executive was placed on special leave after court documents showed he had agreed to fix packaged-seafood prices. Walter Scott Cameron, the former senior vice president of sales, talked to representatives of other major packaged seafood producers about fixing prices, <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2016/12/07/news/companies/bumble-bee-tuna-price-fixing/?iid=EL">CNN</a> reported. Bumble Bee did not immediately respond to a request for comment. <h3>More from Akin Oyedele:</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/warren-buffett-says-google-has-some-aspects-of-a-natural-monopoly-2017-5" rel="nofollow">BUFFETT ON GOOGLE: Imagine having a business where 'a cash register rung somewhere out in California' every time someone clicks (GOOGL)</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sturm-ruger-earnings-gun-demand-election-2017-5" rel="nofollow">STURM RUGER: Gun demand was unusually strong before the election, but now it's slumping (RGR)</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sinclair-buys-tribune-deal-2017-5" rel="nofollow">Sinclair is buying Tribune Media for $3.9 billion to create a local-TV behemoth (TRCO, SBGI)</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/retail-earnings-preview-q1-2017-5" rel="nofollow">Wall Street is expecting the worst of the retail apocalypse this week (M, HD, JWN, L)</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/warren-buffett-cybersecurity-berkshire-hathaway-meeting-2017-5" rel="nofollow">BUFFETT: This is 'the number one problem with mankind' (BRK.A, BRK.B)</a></li></ul> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-earth-would-look-like-if-ice-melted-world-map-animation-2017-4">Animated map of what Earth would look like if all the ice melted</a></h3> Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Bumble Bee will plead guilty for fixing canned-tuna prices

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">Bill Pugliano/Getty ImagesBillionaire investor Warren Buffett speaks at an event called, 'Detroit Homecoming' September 18, 2014 in Detroit, Michigan.</div></div></div>It's official: <a href="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160216005627/en/Yahoo-Finance-Host-First-Ever-Live-Stream-Berkshire">Yahoo Finance will live-stream</a> Warren Buffett's epic Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting. On April 30, Yahoo will stream the famous Q&amp;A Buffett and Berkshire's vice chairman Charlie Munger host with shareholders that last year lasted seven hours. That Berkshire's meeting would be streamed this year for the first time was <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/berkshire-hathaway-to-stream-annual-meeting-2016-1">reported back in late January</a>. And now we have the details. Here's the full release:SUNNYVALE, Calif. &amp; NEW YORK--(<a href="http://www.businesswire.com/">BUSINESS WIRE</a>)--Yahoo! Inc. (YHOO) today announced that it will host the first-ever live stream of Berkshire Hathaway's (BRK.A; BRK.B) annual shareholders meeting on Saturday, April 30. Approximately 40,000 Berkshire Hathaway shareholders from around the world are expected to attend the highly anticipated event, which until now, has been unavailable to the general public. The live stream will appear exclusively on Yahoo Finance - across all devices - reaching more than 75 million monthly users."Over the past 50 years, we've seen a tremendous increase in the interest around our shareholders meeting. Partnering with Yahoo Finance provides us with the opportunity to reach more people than ever, in key financial centers around the world, from New York to China and beyond," said Berkshire Hathaway's Chairman &amp; CEO Warren Buffett. "Yahoo Finance is a great platform to bring the energy and excitement of what happens in Omaha to an informed audience around the world."Live coverage kicks-off on Yahoo Finance at 10:00 am ET on Saturday with 30 minutes of on-the-ground reporting from CenturyLink Center Omaha, followed by the start of the shareholders meeting live stream at 10:30am ET. Viewers will get to hear first-hand from Mr. Buffett, and Vice Chairman Charlie Munger, as they offer up insights in a no-holds-barred Q&amp;A session with the on-site audience, and provide business updates on Berkshire and its subsidiaries. Yahoo Finance will serve as a guide throughout the weekend festivities, taking viewers inside the meeting and beyond, including highlights such as visits to Gorat's Steakhouse, Borsheim's, the Nebraska Furniture Mart, and the carnival-like atmosphere of the exhibition hall where many of Berkshire's subsidiaries will have exhibits describing their products and services and offering many for sale."The Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders Meeting has been called the 'Woodstock of Capitalism,' and we're thrilled to offer access to a worldwide audience for the first time ever," said Yahoo Finance Editor in Chief Andy Serwer. "Yahoo Finance is known for providing its users with unparalleled access to data, analysis, and financial insights. By giving them a virtual ticket to this highly coveted event, we're expanding on that experience in new and meaningful ways."An exclusive VOD replay will be available on Yahoo Finance for 30 days following the meeting. Yahoo will offer video and display advertising, as well as sponsorship opportunities alongside the live stream. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/silica-growths-discovered-on-mars-nasa-ancient-aliens-2016-2"> NASA's Spirit Mars rover found mysterious growths on Mars that could be the biggest discovery in science</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="tleTRvMDE6lkY00SLlsqUI5Ufsm6-kM7" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

Yahoo Finance will live-stream Warren Buffett's epic annual meeting this year

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images" title_caption="Rival railroad tycoons." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/540729e269bedda85d5326f0-960/173306495.jpg"></a>Kevork Djansezian/Getty ImagesRival railroad tycoons.</div></div></div>Bill Gates is the richest person in the world. Warren Buffett is number three. 
But as <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-02/gates-backed-cn-wins-in-2014-while-buffett-s-bnsf-falters.html">Bloomberg's Frederic Tomesco and Thomas Black report</a>, even though both billionaires are philanthropically entwined, when it comes to the old-school realm of investing in North America's railroads, Gates and Buffett part ways.
Tomesco and Black write:
<blockquote>
 Canadian National Railway Co. (CNR) is beating benchmark stock indexes as profits and shipments surge, a boost for Gates, the largest shareholder....
BNSF Railway Co., owned by Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK/B), is struggling. North America's biggest railroad by sales is grappling with slow traffic and is being scrutinized by U.S. regulators for poor service, spurring concern that it risks a permanent loss of some customers.
</blockquote>
It seems perfectly logical for Buffett to own a railroad company. His much-lauded investment philosophy hinges on putting money only into businesses he can understand - in terms of operations, products, and, crucially, opportunites.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Justin Sullivan/Getty Images" title_caption="Perfect for Buffett's portfolio." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54072a4a6bb3f74972fded2e-960/92633613.jpg"></a>Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesPerfect for Buffett's portfolio.</div></div></div>The Oracle of Omaha bought BNSF as the U.S. economic recovery was picking up steam. Buffett saw the railway as an idea way to play the bounce-back at a core level: resurgent demand for goods meant that those goods would need to be moved in greater numbers from point A to point B.
For Gates, on the other hand, being a latter-day railway tycoon seems far less in-character. A tech titan owning a big chunk of a business that runs on mid-20th century technology? Well, maybe Gates and his advisors just asked themselves "What Would Warren Do?"
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Justin Sullivan/Getty Images" title_caption="What Would Warren Do? He'd buy some of these." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54072ab3eab8ea4262fded39-960/92634233.jpg"></a>Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesWhat Would Warren Do? He'd buy some of these.</div></div></div>In Gates' case, his railroad stake can be viewed as simply an investment - evidently a timely one - but nothing more than that. Gates isn't running CN.
But Buffett, because Berkshire Hathaway owns BNSF, is effectively running the railroad. He's also responsible for promoting its story, which since he took over the company, has been an uplifting and compelling one - a tale of American comeback, cast in terms that excite the little kid in everyone.
Trains! Who doesn't get a thrill witnessing a long freight train, loaded with America goods bound for American markets and ultimately American customers, rolling through the America landscape? 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Getty Images" title_caption="Ain't that America?" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54072b026bb3f75d73fded2c-960/2166657.jpg"></a>Getty ImagesAin't that America?</div></div></div>So Buffett has a bit of a problem here. A harsh winter was unkind to BNSF, and as <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-as-buffett-praises-his-bnsf-railroad-customers-rail-against-delays-2014-03">Reuters reported in August</a>, the railway is in something of a rebuilding phase. That doesn't mean Berkshire Hathaway is backing down, however. Bloomberg and others have noted that Buffett is planning to put $5 billion into BNSF to improve the railroads operations. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Justin Sullivan/Getty Images" title_caption="Buffett isn't giving up." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54072b47ecad04772ab02c95-960/92633752.jpg"></a>Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesBuffett isn't giving up.</div></div></div>

Why Bill Gates And Warren Buffett Are Railroad Rivals

REUTERS/Mike BlakeUndercutting competition by burning unlimited amounts of investor cash is part of Uber's business model.Shares of rental-car conglomerate Hertz Global Holdings closed at $14.98 on Friday, after reaching an all-time low of $14.32 on Thursday. These shares have only been around since last June, when Hertz spun off its equipment leasing division. They've plunged 73% from their high last July.Hertz will report first quarter earnings on Monday. In the fourth quarter, it lost $440 million or $5.30 a share, much worse than "expected." Expectations for Q1 are so low that it will be hard to report "worse than expected" numbers.November 9 was its big day. Its shares plunged 52% to $17.20. Carl Icahn had been vociferously hyping and buying the shares, including 15 million shares during the plunge. He has lost money relentlessly.That day, Hertz doused car-befuddled Wall Street analysts with a dose of reality about the auto bubble. Deprecation of its vehicles was soaring as residual values were dropping. It also cited falling rental volume and falling rental rates in the US.In 2015, it was forced to restate earnings due to accounting "errors" going back to 2011 and announced it was being investigated by the SEC.Hertz, which is junk-rated and has $15 billion in debt, including $9.45 billion in "vehicle debt," has a tidal wave of bond maturities coming its way that it must figure out how to refinance. Some of its deteriorating metrics have breached debt covenants, and it has been forced to negotiate with its creditors to amend the creditor agreement to avoid technical default.Now it's "again at risk of being driven back to the negotiating table for another round of covenant revisions, according to a lender and two sellside analysts," <a href="http://www.debtwire.com/info/2017/05/02/hertz-cap-structure-get-rolled-secular-pressures-collide-maturities-covenants/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Debtwire</a> reported, adding: "Another covenant breach could jeopardize liquidity, since the bulk of liquidity is stored in the Barclays-agented revolver, the sources noted."So Hertz has, let's say, some issues. But there is something else going on, something structural that impacts the entire industry.Rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft are eating its lunch. OK, competition might not be all that fair. While Hertz gets keelhauled when it loses a few hundred millions dollars, Uber is considered a hero when it loses billions of dollars [<a href="http://wolfstreet.com/2017/04/15/uber-confirms-horrendous-loss-in-2016/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Uber Confirms Horrendous Loss in 2016</a>].It's easy to plow down competition when burning unlimited amounts of investor cash is part of the business model. This allows Uber to undercut any kind of competition.Data on the extent to which rideshare companies are taking market share from rental car companies is still sketchy. But there are some early indications.This chart shows how corporate spending on ground transportation was divvied up between rental cars (red line) and Uber (blue line) in Q4 of the past three years, according to a sellside analyst cited by Debtwire. Not shown: taxis, whose share is getting decimated.<a class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5910bfbf73f2f34f008b4580-960/us-rental-car-vs-rideshare.png"></a><a href="http://wolfstreet.com/2017/05/07/uber-lyft-rideshare-take-market-share-from-hertz-rental-car-companies/">WolfStreet</a>This is largely corroborated by Manheim's 2017 <a href="https://publish.manheim.com/content/dam/consulting/2017-Manheim-Used-Car-Market-Report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Used Car Market Report</a>, citing an analysis of business travel expenses by Certify SmartSpend, which pegged the market share of Uber and Lyft in Q3 2016 at 52% of ground transportation spending, up from 46% in Q3 2015. The share of rental cars dropped to 36%, and the share of taxis to 12%.Even if these numbers - like so many numbers - are extrapolated from limited data, and to be taken with a grain of salt, they nevertheless show a terrible trend for rental car companies in that segment of their business.This does not include spending by non-expense-account tourists. They too are shifting from rental cars to rideshare companies to get around in a city. They don't have to worry about driving and parking in an unknown city. And it could turn out to be cheaper, given the cost of renting, fuel, and parking (not to speak of parking tickets). I see this shift in San Francisco on a massive scale.This is a structural shift. And it will get bigger. Rideshare companies are not only hammering taxi enterprises, they're also hammering rental car companies in that segment of their business.Rental car companies are starting to respond by "rightsizing" their fleets. In 2015, they bought 1.78 million new vehicles, according to Manheim. That's about how many they have to unload this year just to maintain their fleet size. If they want to cut their fleet size, they'll have to unload more.But in 2016, rental car companies bought 1.82 million vehicles - the most since 2007. So the fleet isn't exactly shrinking. But revenue per vehicle, a key industry metric, has been shrinking since 2012. Hence the term, "over-fleeted." Something has to give.To shrink their fleets, they'll have to dump more vehicles on the wholesale market. But the wholesale market is already under pressure from the tsunami of cars that are coming off leases. In its recently released <a href="http://img03.en25.com/Web/NADAUCG/%7Bebd615bc-5417-4cb0-99b2-ae756510c632%7D_Guidelines_UCG_201704.pdf">April Used Car Guidelines</a>, the National Automobile Dealer Association reported that values of vehicles up to 8 years old fell 7.2% year-over-year to the lowest level since 2010. Note the price bubble in the years after the Financial Crisis:WolfStreetIt isn't going to be easy for rental car companies to rightsize their fleets without incurring large losses. And by rightsizing their fleets, they will further pressure used vehicle values. At the same time, rideshare companies, which can burn as much cash as they want to and still be heroes, are relentlessly eating into that segment.This has ramifications for new vehicle sales: rental car companies are unlikely to increase their vehicle purchases, which could further pressure new vehicle sales. They're already declining, despite record incentives, as inventory bloat spreads to zombie retail malls. Read… <a href="http://wolfstreet.com/2017/05/02/carmageddon-not-yet-but-hot-air-hisses-out-of-auto-bubble/">#Carmageddon Not Yet, But Hot Air Hisses out of Auto Bubble</a><h3>More from Akin Oyedele:</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sturm-ruger-earnings-gun-demand-election-2017-5" rel="nofollow">STURM RUGER: Gun demand was unusually strong before the election, but now it's slumping (RGR)</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/warren-buffett-says-google-has-some-aspects-of-a-natural-monopoly-2017-5" rel="nofollow">BUFFETT ON GOOGLE: Imagine having a business where 'a cash register rung somewhere out in California' every time someone clicks (GOOGL)</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sinclair-buys-tribune-deal-2017-5" rel="nofollow">Sinclair is buying Tribune Media for $3.9 billion to create a local-TV behemoth (TRCO, SBGI)</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/retail-earnings-preview-q1-2017-5" rel="nofollow">Wall Street is expecting the worst of the retail apocalypse this week (M, HD, JWN, L)</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/warren-buffett-cybersecurity-berkshire-hathaway-meeting-2017-5" rel="nofollow">BUFFETT: This is 'the number one problem with mankind' (BRK.A, BRK.B)</a></li></ul> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/exercise-like-navy-seal-commander-workout-2017-4">Here's the workout routine a retired US Navy admiral uses to stay in tip-top shape</a></h3> Please enable Javascript to watch this video

You Searched For "brkb" and got 11 results

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