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system
where can i buy preferred stocks as opposed to common stocks?
user
preferred stock is traded on the market, so you can just buy it like any other. the symbol for a preferred stock is the ticker symbol followed by a dash and a letter for each class of preferred stock. examples: generally speaking, you should buy preferred stock with the intention of holding onto it for at least a  couple of years. often preferred shares are lightly traded and have wide spreads that made it difficult to make money in the short term.
assistant