Stock market

Broker

A company that holds an investment account for you and sends your buy and sell orders to the stock market.

Why does it matter?

Individuals can't trade on an exchange directly; a broker is the way in.

How do I read it?

Brokers differ in fees, available markets and tools. They are supervised by regulators, such as the SEC in the U.S. and the CVM in Brazil.

Example

To buy 10 shares, you place the order in your broker's app. The broker sends it to the market, a seller is found, and the shares appear in your account, in your name.