In some countries, such as France and Italy, stock markets have a rather negative image. This can be explained by cultural factors but also often by a wrong conception about stock investing. If you ask an average French individual investor, chances are that he will tell you that it is not rare at all for a stock investor to lose all of his initial investment. Let’s be clear on this point: unless you make major mistakes (such as using insane leverage or investing in only one or two stocks) there is absolutely no way that an investor will lose all his initial investment.