You could read the financial news, for example in the Wall Street Journal. With an online brokerage account at Merrill Edge, you get access to Merrill Lynch/BoA analyst reports, and with Schwab you get access to Credit Suisse. Such reports discuss the factors that affect the prices of individual stocks. However, since the financial markets are close to efficient, it is difficult to use such information to make money. If you can, you should consider getting a job on Wall Street.