GTA 5 Lester missions: Stock Market Assassinations explained

GTA 5 mods go a step further to add untold riches – but today, we’re sticking to the vanilla single-player experience, which means you shouldn't expect to be making this kind of money in GTA Online, either.

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Perhaps we’ll see the stock market make a return in Grand Theft Auto 6, but no indication was made of it in the GTA 6 trailer - though it’s hardly the flashiest thing to show off.

We wouldn’t be surprised if Lucia will one day be sat in front of a computer manipulating markets, rather than appreciating the lovely new GTA 6 map and graphics.

But for now, we turn our attention to GTA 5 - and those pesky Stock Market Assassinations.

Stock Market Assassinations explained

As Franklin during the GTA 5 single-player story, Lester will offer you a series of Assassinations missions - with one of these, The Hotel Assassination, being compulsory.

This mission sees you assassinate Brett Lowrey, the CEO of Bilkinton Research, which causes the share price of Betta Pharmaceuticals to increase on the trading market, BAWSAQ (if you’re Scottish, you will understand), and the share price of Bilkinton Research to decrease on the Liberty City National (LCN) before rising again.

You need to invest in Betta Pharmaceuticals before the mission takes place, when the share price is lower, and sell them after, when the shares are at their peak.

After assassinating Brett, invest in Bilkinton Research once the shares plummet, and then sell them once they’ve increased in value once more.

After you have completed this one, you will get the best results if you hold off from completing the others until after you have finished the main story.

By this point in the game, you will have a lot more money to play with, which will net you the biggest returns - letting you hoover up all the best properties and vehicles the game has to offer.

You can invest as all three playable characters, too, so Trevor and Michael can cash in as well.

The following missions are all part of the Stock Market Assassinations, and we’ll guide you on what shares to invest in and divest when the time is right.

Once completed, everyone will be billionaires - allowing you to buy everything in GTA 5 with reckless abandon.

The Hotel Assassination

• Invest in Betta Pharmaceuticals (BAWSAQ) before the mission
• Meet with Lester and complete the mission
• Sell Betta Pharmaceutical shares once it reaches a return of 50 per cent
• Wait for a few hours after the mission before the Bilkinton Research (LCN) share price reaches its lowest and buy as many shares as you can afford
• Sell once it reaches a return of 80 per cent

The Multi Target Assassination

• Invest in Debonaire (LCN) before the mission
• Talk with Lester on the payphone and complete the mission
• Sell Debonaire shares after the mission once it reaches a return of ~80 per cent
• Wait a few hours until Redwood Cigarettes (LCN) share value decreases to its lowest point and buy as many shares as you can afford
• Sell once it reaches a return between 300-400 per cent

The Vice Assassination

• Invest in Fruit Computers (BAWSAQ) before the mission
• Talk with Lester on the payphone and complete the mission
• Sell Fruit Computer shares after the mission, once it reaches a return between 20-40 per cent
• Wait a few hours until Facade (LCN) share value decreases to its lowest point and buy as many shares as you can afford
• Sell once it reaches a return between 20-40 per cent

The Bus Assassination

• Talk with Lester on the payphone and complete the mission (you don’t need to invest in any stocks before)
• Wait a few hours after the mission for Vapid (BAWSAQ) shares to plummet and buy as many as you can afford
• Sell once it reaches a return of 100 per cent

The Construction Assassination

• Invest in Gold Coast (LCN) before the mission
• Talk with Lester on the payphone and complete the mission
• Sell Gold Coast shares after the mission once it reaches a return of 80 per cent
• You don’t need to invest in any rival company

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