Research stocks

The best research stocks depend on your portfolio and investment goals — while volatility can be ideal for day traders, long-term investors will want to look to stocks with steadier gains over time.

11 research stocks to watch

We round up a selection of stocks in or related to the medical industry, weighting the list more heavily towards popular mid- and large-cap US stocks.

1. Biocept (BIOC)
2. OPKO Health (OPK)
3. Natera (NTRA)
4. Danaher Corporation (DHR)
5. IDEXX Laboratories (IDXX)
6. Co-Diagnostics (CODX)
7. DexCom (DXCM)
8. Laboratory Corporation of America (LH)
9. Agilent Technologies (A)
10. Illumina (ILMN)
11. Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO)

3 tools to help identify new investments
We've compiled a list of research stocks to keep an eye on, but the stock market is volatile, and trends can change daily.

If you're actively trading stocks, staying on top of new industry trends and rising stocks can take a lot of time. Here are some of my favourite tools to keep up with trends and get new trading ideas.

• Stock screeners. You can use an online stock screener like Finviz or TradingView to see what stocks are making the biggest moves today and narrow your search by industry and market cap. Screeners are most beneficial for technical traders who have set criteria in mind for their trades. For example, if you're looking for stocks trending today in the medical industry, you can pull a list of all mid-cap and large-cap stocks for that industry and sort by percent change since opening.
• Newsletters. Some of my favourites include the Motley Fool Stock Advisor and the Alpha Boost and Cherry Picks newsletters published by Tastyworks. Newsletters can be a great way to find companies that may be worth investing in for the long haul.
• Social media. While I'd never make a trade based on a Reddit thread alone, social platforms like Reddit, Twitter and Tiktok can be useful tools for staying on top of what companies people are talking about. The trendiness of a stock can directly influence its price — but those trends can also be volatile. While social media can occasionally help buy-and-hold investors, it tends to be a more practical tool for active traders.

Take a deeper dive into research stocks

If you're interested in investing in the medical industry, take a closer look at what companies in this industry do and how the stocks have historically performed. Keep in mind that positive past performance doesn't guarantee that a stock will continue to rise in the future.

How to buy research stocks

1. Compare share trading platforms. Use our comparison table to narrow down top brokers by fees and bonuses.
2. Open and fund your brokerage account. You'll need personal and financial details, like your contact and bank information.
3. Search for the stock you're interested in. Find the stock by name or ticker symbol, like BIOC or OPK.
4. Decide on how many to buy. Some brokers will allow you to purchase fractional shares, while others require you to purchase whole shares.
5. Choose an order type. Invest in the research stocks now with a market order or use a limit order to delay your purchase until the stock reaches your desired price.
6. Buy the stock. Tap or click the Buy button on your brokerage account. Once you've invested in the medical industry, track how your stock performs to decide when it's time to sell.

Compare trading platforms

Compare online trading platforms by fees, asset types and bonuses to find the best for your investment in research stocks.

• Stock brokers

1 - 4 of 4

Updated regularly

Name	Product AUFST	Price per trade	Inactivity fee	Asset class	International
eToro Exclusive		US$2	US$10 per month if there’s been no log-in for 12 months	ASX shares, Global shares, US shares, ETFs	Yes	Exclusive: Get 12 months of investment tracking app Delta PRO for free when you fund your eToro account. T&Cs apply. Trade stocks, commodities and currencies from the one account and get access to social trading.	Go to siteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Tiger Brokers Finder AwardExclusive		US$1.99	$0	ASX shares, Global shares, Options trading, US shares, ETFs	Yes	Finder exclusive: Get 10 no-brokerage US or ASX trades in the first 180 days, plus US$30 NVDA shares (+US$30 TSLA shares ) when you deposit AU$2000 or more. Get 7% p.a. on uninvested cash for 30 days. T&Cs apply. Trade US, Asian and CHESS-sponsored ASX stocks and US options.	Go to siteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Moomoo Share Trading Exclusive		US$0.99	$0	ASX shares, Global shares, Options trading, US shares, ETFs	Yes	Finder exclusive: Unlock up to AUD$4,000 AND US$4,000 in $0 brokerage over 60 days. T&Cs apply. Trade US, Asian and CHESS-sponsored ASX stocks and get access to social trading	Go to siteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Superhero share trading Exclusive		$2	$0	ASX shares, US shares, ETFs	Yes	Sign up with code ‘finder24’ and get US$10 of Nvidia stock when you fund your account with $100 or more within 30 days. T&Cs apply. Enjoy US$2 brokerage (other fees may apply) on US stocks and buying ETFs as well as $2 fee to trade Australian shares up to $20,000.	Go to siteView details Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Important: The standard brokerage fee displayed is the trade cost for new customers to purchase $1,000 of either Australian or US shares. Where a platform charges different fees for both US and Australian shares we show the lower of the two. Where both CHESS sponsored and custodian shares are offered, we display the cheapest option.

Bottom line

While it's possible to turn a profit investing in research stocks, keep in mind that — like any investment — research stocks are not immune to risk. These stocks are subject to fluctuating conditions — both in the market and in the medical industry, so carefully vet your picks before you invest. And if you're new to investing, or if it's been awhile since you've taken a critical look at your investing accounts, compare brokers to make sure you're getting the best features in your trading account.