The Core Principle
GTA 5's story mode stock market — comprising the BAWSAQ (online-influenced) and LCN (story-influenced) exchanges — can be manipulated to extraordinary profit by timing investments around Lester's assassination missions. Each mission guarantees a predictable stock movement. The key: have as much money as possible invested before each mission triggers.
The Golden Rule
Never complete a Lester assassination mission until after The Big Score. Do the Hotel Assassination (Lester's first mission, story-mandatory) only. Skip all subsequent ones until the final heist is complete. By that point, each character should have $30–40M+ to invest, multiplying returns dramatically.
Mission-by-Mission Investment Guide
Hotel Assassination (mandatory): Buy Betta Pharmaceuticals (BAWSAQ) before, sell after mission, then buy Bilkinton Research (LCN) immediately and sell when it recovers (2–3 days in-game). Multi-Target Assassination: Buy Debonaire (LCN) before, sell after, buy Redwood (LCN) immediately, sell when recovered (300%+ return on Redwood). Vice Assassination: Buy Fruit (BAWSAQ) before, sell after. Bus Assassination: No pre-mission investment needed; buy Vapid (BAWSAQ) after and sell at peak. Construction Assassination: Buy Gold Coast (LCN) before, sell after.
Maximising with Save/Sleep
Stock prices fluctuate over in-game days. Sleep (using a save point) advances time. After selling one position, sleep 3–7 times to allow the compensating stock to reach its peak before selling. The exact peak varies but generally occurs within 3–10 in-game days of the mission completion.
Total Expected Earnings
Using all missions correctly after The Big Score: each character can earn $150–300M+ from stock trading alone, on top of their $35–40M heist take. The exact amount varies based on timing precision and the current state of BAWSAQ (influenced by GTA Online player actions).