Best shares to buy now

Note: We’ve added a link next to each trending stock which takes you to a share trading app where you can sign up to invest in that stock.

Rank	Stock	Monthly change in trade volume	Latest close price	3-month price chart	Link
1	Super Micro Computer (SMCI)	1,274.03%	$48.75	US stocks Tech stocks	Invest Capital at risk
2	Kaixin Auto (KXIN)	449.84%	$0.17	US stocks Penny stocks	Invest Capital at risk
3	Vistry Group (VTY)	425.18%	986p	UK stocks	Invest Capital at risk
4	NatWest Group (NWG)	175.60%	355.1p	UK stocks	Invest Capital at risk
5	National Grid (NG)	127.43%	1031.5p	UK stocks	Invest Capital at risk
6	Rolls-Royce (RR)	120.92%	560p	UK stocks	Invest Capital at risk
7	CleanSpark (CLSK)	94.45%	$11.84	US stocks Finance stocks	Invest Capital at risk
8	Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY)	90.42%	61.2p	UK stocks Penny stocks	Invest Capital at risk
9	Arm Holdings plc American Depositary Shares (ARM)	87.35%	$150.67	US stocks	Invest Capital at risk
10	Carnival (CCL)	76.22%	1494p	UK stocks	Invest Capital at risk

To generate this list, we’ve aggregated trending stock information from a number of the UK’s leading investment platforms.

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What are the best shares to buy today?

This will depend on how you prefer to invest. Are you looking to make money with a short-term trade, or do you want something to hold onto for the long run?

Looking for quality long-term investing opportunities is our preferred method here at Finder, but the best stocks for you to invest in will largely depend on what your tomorrow might look like.

Stock-picking can be quite a lengthy process involving plenty of research. If you do want somewhere to start, here are a few ways you might find the best stocks to buy:

Strategy 1: Keep an eye on investing trends

If you enjoy being an active investor and like to engage with the markets on a regular basis, keep an eye out on quality sources of information. If you’re not keeping an eye out, you might miss out on the latest movements.

However, it’s generally best to look at wider macro-economic trends when looking for the best stocks. Each day, the market can change drastically. Ideally, you should look at the bigger picture. Think about where the economy is and where it’s going, how things like interest rates and inflation, or perhaps a recession, could impact sectors.

Social media can be a useful tool to get news fast, but there’s also the risk of getting caught up in investing fads like meme stocks. No doubt a fun way to invest, but not ideal for long-term portfolio performance.

Strategy 2: Check the news

This ties into the first strategy and it is worth being aware of what’s going on in the world around you. Understanding the state of the economy will make it easier for you to find the best stocks to buy for this year and the coming years.

A key area to watch out for is making sure you don’t get consumed by the news. There is always going to be good and bad news related to the stock market. There will always be reasons not to invest. Similarly, there will always be reasons to invest.

So keep tabs on the world around you, but don’t flinch at every news story you read and start acting like Chicken Little thinking that the sky is falling.

Strategy 3: Look at expert analysis

No one knows exactly what will happen, but many of the smartest investors and analysts in the world will publicly give their opinions on stocks to buy.

You shouldn’t blindly follow what anyone says, but it can be worth leaning on some expert opinions – even if it’s just to see whether they agree or disagree with your ideas.

Lots of the best trading apps now have in-built features showing you what analysts think about the best stocks to buy and the stocks best to avoid. If you’re someone who’s still finding your feet in the market, checking what the experts have to say should leave you feeling more informed about the stocks you’re thinking about buying today.

Does Reddit have any impact on the stock market?

At the start of 2021, Reddit cemented itself as a key trading indicator for many seasoned and institutional investors around the world. This was because GameStop, a US-based video game retailer, spiked over 700% during a frenzied few days at the end of January.

GameStop sky-rocketed around 8,000% over six months. The stock became a piece in a rather complicated financial power struggle puzzle between a major hedge fund, Melvin Capital, and a group of internet investors who congregated on Reddit. GameStop became the subject of what’s known as ‘short selling‘, a process in which professional investors borrow shares of stock to sell them and then buy them back at a later date, allowing them to make a profit if the stock price goes down. In simple terms, short-selling is a bet that the company will fail, with infinite loss potential.

Long story short, Reddit investors found an opportunity to make some money by aggressively buying GameStop shares, which resulted in an internet pile on, with everyone from Elon Musk to Wolf of Wall Street’s Jason Belfort wading into the debate and hype. A boom of coverage of the now infamous subreddit r/WallStreetBets made sure the frenzy continued through January.

Is Reddit a reliable place to research stocks?

The internet has been used for talking about stocks and investments since its inception. Reddit is just the latest evolution of that. There are some advantages to researching stocks on Reddit, as well as some things you should watch out for.

Like any form of research, Reddit offers some things you can’t get elsewhere, but should probably just form a part of your overall research process – as opposed to being the start and end of your digging.

What are the best shares to buy for beginners?

If you’re just looking to dip your toe into the choppy waters of investing, then it’s best to start off in the shallow end.

Total beginners may want to consider picking a platform which manages all the investments for you, typically called robo-advisors, or take a look at index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track broad stock markets or even the global stock market. These are considered a beginner-friendly way to start investing, as index funds and ETF investments bundle together 100s or even 1000s of stocks to help you stay diversified with a single investment.

But if you’re dead set on diving straight into the deep end, the golden rule is to not invest more than you’re willing to lose. Tread carefully and make sure that if you buy shares, you do plenty of research first because stock prices can drop or even crash to zero in extreme cases. Blue-chip stocks and stocks on stock market indices, like the FTSE 100 or S&P 500 can be good options for beginners, but that doesn’t mean they’re completely safe. And, you could still just use an index fund or ETF to invest in all the stocks on the FTSE 100 or S&P 500 instead of attempting to pick individual winners.

Remember, there are absolutely no guarantees with any stock or investing strategy. So make sure you’re doing your research into a stock, regardless of how established the company is.

How to buy shares now

1. Choose a platform. If you’re a beginner, our share-dealing table below can help you choose.
2. Open your account. You’ll need your ID, bank details and national insurance number.
3. Confirm your payment details. You’ll need to fund your account with a bank transfer, debit card or credit card.
4. Search the platform for stock code: You can check out the table above for some inspiration
5. Research your chosen shares. The platform should provide the latest information available.
6. Buy your chosen shares. It’s that simple.

The whole process can take as little as 15 minutes.

This article offers general information about investing and the stock market, but should not be construed as personal investment advice. It has been provided without consideration of your personal circumstances or objectives. It should not be interpreted as an inducement, invitation or recommendation relating to any of the products listed or referred to. The value of investments can fall as well as rise, and you may get back less than you invested, so your capital is at risk. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you're not sure which investments are right for you, please get financial advice. The author holds no positions in any share mentioned.