Stock Broker
A financial professional who engages in buying and selling stocks and securities for commission is called a stockbroker. Normally these individuals also perform a counseling and advisory function for their clients, recommending investment strategies and vehicles. It is not at all unusual for a client to accord the broker a margin of discretion in sales and purchases up to an agreed upon amount of money.

There is, however, a degree of danger in allowing a broker too much discretion to carry out trades. If a broker is unscrupulous, he can "churn" an account, engaging in excessive buys and sells for the express purpose of generating commissions and thus augmenting his own income while destroying the investment integrity of the client's portfolio.

The best relationship between client and broker is one characterized by frequent consultations and full understanding on the part of the client in regard to the stockbroker's activities. Although the Internet has made it possible, in fact simple, for investors to trade on their own behalf, the majority of investors continue to prefer to work with a stockbroker.

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