5 Common Stock Market Mistakes Beginners Must Avoid

For beginners who aspire to invest in the stock market, it can be a profitable endeavour to grow your wealth — but for many new investors, it can also be a minefield of costly traps and expensive mistakes. Many beginners are inspired by "get rich quick" stories from full-time traders on social media, only to end up disappointed when their capital shrinks before they even taste any profit.

To help you avoid making the same mistakes, this article highlights five of the most common mistakes made by beginners based on our experience, along with how you can overcome them.

1. No Clear Investment Plan

Many new investors start investing without a clear strategy or direction. Beginners often buy shares simply because they hear "everyone is buying" or "it looks like it is going up". Where do they get these tips? — Forums and stock groups on Facebook.

Without an investment plan, you are essentially gambling, not investing. For a beginner, this is extremely risky.

Before buying any stock, ask yourself:

What is my investment goal? (Short-term or long-term?)
How much risk am I willing to bear?
What is my exit strategy if the price goes up or down?

Tip: Write your investment plan in the form of a "trading plan" or "investment checklist". When you have a plan, your decisions will be calmer and more rational — not driven by emotions.

2. Chasing Prices and Entering Trends Too Late

One of the biggest mistakes new investors make is entering the market too late, when the share price has already surged. This phenomenon is known as FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).

The beginner''s buy price at this point is essentially the smart money''s sell queue.

For example, when a particular stock goes viral on social media, many new investors rush to buy without checking the current price or the company''s actual potential. As a result, they buy at the peak — and when the price starts falling, they panic and sell at a loss. This mistake is frequently made by beginners.

Tip: Do not chase stocks that are overly "hyped". Focus on stocks with strong fundamentals that are still at an undervalued price. In the stock investment arena, patience is more profitable than impulsive action.

3. Letting Emotions Make Your Decisions

The stock market is not just about numbers — it is also a test of self-control. Emotions such as fear, greed, and overconfidence can destroy your investment performance.

For example:

Fear of loss — selling immediately even though the stock is still fundamentally healthy.
Greed — buying heavily without risk management because you are convinced "this time it will definitely go up".
Overconfidence — ignoring analysis and relying solely on gut feeling.

Tip: Always follow the strategy you have set. If needed, use a trading journal to record why you entered or exited a position — so you learn from your own decisions, not from beginner emotions.

4. Failing to Build a Diversified Portfolio

New investors often put all their capital into a single stock or a single sector. The problem is, when that stock falls — the entire portfolio suffers. This mistake happens because beginners lack experience.

Diversification helps reduce risk. If one stock falls, others can cushion the loss.

Tip: Split your investments into several categories:

Large-cap stocks (blue-chip) for stability — collect dividends
Growth stocks for high potential — buy low, sell high
Index funds or ETFs for automatic diversification

Remember — do not put all your eggs in one basket. This is a common mistake for any beginner.

5. Not Doing Your Own Research

Another major mistake: blindly trusting rumours and tips. Many new investors buy stocks because "a friend on Facebook said it is good" or "a TikTok influencer said it will skyrocket".

The problem is, most of these "tips" come without any real analysis. When the price does not rise as expected, investors are trapped with losing stocks. It is even worse if you fall victim to a pump-and-dump scheme by operators that beginners tend to trust.

Tip: Before buying, do your own research (DYOR). Check financial reports, revenue growth, debt levels, and industry prospects. You do not need to be an expert — just understand the company''s basic fundamentals. Then use technical analysis to find the best entry point at the start of a trend. Remember, no matter how good a stock''s fundamentals are, if the overall trend is still in a downtrend, never touch it — run far and fast — especially if you are a beginner.

There are no shortcuts to success in investing. Every great investor — from Warren Buffett to Minervini — learnt from their mistakes and built disciplined systems.

If you can avoid the five mistakes above, you are already one step ahead of the majority of new investors out there.

Remember:
"In the stock market, the most patient and disciplined — that is the real winner, not the one who is best at reading charts."

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What are the most common mistakes stock market beginners make?

The most common mistakes include not doing your own research (DYOR), buying stocks based on tips without analysis, not setting a stop loss, and investing money you cannot afford to lose.

Why do many beginners lose money in stock investing?

Most beginners lose money because they lack proper guidance, do not understand fundamental and technical basics, and are too driven by emotions such as FOMO and panic selling.

When is the right time for beginners to start investing in stocks?

Beginners can start investing after understanding the basics of fundamental and technical analysis. Make sure you only use surplus money and avoid buying stocks that are in a downtrend.

What is the difference between fundamental analysis and technical analysis?

Fundamental analysis evaluates a company''s financial health through financial reports, whilst technical analysis uses price charts and indicators to determine the best time to buy or sell stocks.

Avoid beginner mistakes by equipping yourself with the right investment knowledge before you start investing.

Open your CDS account through Register CDS Account with Mplus and start your investment journey on the right foot.

Just starting to learn about stocks? Download the Free Stock Basics Ebook to understand the fundamentals of stock investing before you begin.

Further reading:

5 Common Stock Market Mistakes Beginners Make — And How to Avoid Them