What investment might be best with $2,000? Can be long or short term.?

Your first option should be to fund fully a retirement account. If you do this, and you have extra cash, then one of the best things you can do is open a DRIP Plan.

Go to : low-cost-stock-recommendations

.com

Click on the "DRIP's" Button on the Navigation Bar

These powerful investment plans are seldom talked about because brokers make very little money when they suggest them. Yet, they have proven to be one of the best, if not the best, long-term strategy on Wall Street.

They are perfect for small investors, as well as big investors. They are safe and allow you to not care about whether the market is going up or down. They are a must for any serious investor.

If you decide you are interested in DRIP Plans, click on the advertisement on the same page "$4 to purchase stocks". This will answer your next question, which is, How do I get started? and what is the least expensive way to get started?

I strongly recommend looking into it. They are great plans.

Good Luck

If you can hurry and get in on Yahoo, Microsoft put in an unsolicited bid to buy them out. Would be a gigantic purchase and when all is said and done would shoot the stock through the roof!

Don't listen to Dr. Ima

you are too late, even if you get in now, your risk is much higher than your gain.

if merger gets through you are looking at a 10-15% gain top
if merger fails you will lose 45-50% in a heartbeat.

it's not worth it. just admit you missed the party. wait till the deal goes through then you can invest for a long run

I quite agree with apple. Stay with financial or defensive stocks you will be fine. Try buying in financial stocks. Some of them are around 40 to 50% down. You can buy them and hold for the long term. You will earn eventually. If you are looking for some examples, maybe try citigroup or Bank of America. For disclaimer sake, i do have some shares on citigroup. But Warren Buffet bought some Bank of America shares, so if you need security, maybe follow him ;)
All the best!