Select five companies for the purpose of tracking the stock market, conducting research on the companies, and preparing company reports. You will be investing in common stocks only, but you will be able to select from two national stock exchanges, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) and the NASDAQ.

On Friday of the third week from your starting date, make a simulated $50,000 purchase in the common stock of your five selected companies (Approximately $10,000 each; you have to buy whole shares and not a fraction of a share). To determine purchase price, check one of the business websites suggested above or in the External Links section of Blackboard. The Money section of USA Today or the Business section of The Washington Post is a good source for tracking stock market quotes.

Please provide the following information in your stock market update