If you’re overwhelmed by the sheer number of stock research services available on the internet, give the New York Times’ online Basic Stock Screener a try. By plugging in your own parameters before beginning your search, you’ll be able to focus on those stocks best suited to your investment goals.
http://marketwatch.nytimes.com/custom/nyt-com/html-screener.asp
The king of all web search engines may also be the internet’s most user-friendly way to search for stock information and updates. Don’t be scared by the “beta” tag–Google Finance is a quick and easy reference for up-to-date quotes, charts, news and other basic financial data for North American stocks, mutual funds and public and private companies. Searching for stocks is as simple as any other Google search: Just type in a company symbol or name, click the “Search Finance” button, and–presto!–you have all the market information you need to make wise investment decisions. Google Finance is also a great tool for tracking daily gainers, losers and popularity leaders.