A friend has approached you for advice because they know you are in an investments class. The friends grandfather has made a gift to the friend of $25,000 with the requirement that the money be used to invest in a minimum of 5 individual stocks. (The grandfather is an old-school stock investor and feels strongly that investing in stocks will help your friend understand the markets and the economy and will improve your friends decision-making skills.)

What are the three things you would want your friend to understand before they begin investing? In addition to those three things, how would you advise your friend to go about evaluating what stocks to choose? (You are not recommending a stock, you are advising them how they can choose a stock.) Finally, would you suggest they go about executing their transactions?