The stock market is the biggest scam in the history of mankind! When you buy a a stock you give your cash to a company. That company gives you a piece of paper that shows you own 100 shares of stock. What can you do with that paper? Only sell it to another CONSUMER on the open market. So in essence the company is GETTING FREE MONEY. Once they issue the paper with 100 shares they will never buy it back from you whether it goes up or down.