Brokers & Share-dealing
Investing in stocks and shares has gained some real momentum in recent years, especially as low interest rates have meant that returns from most savings accounts are no longer attractive and fail to keep up with the growing cost of living but also after introducing the AIM market to the Individual Savings Account (ISA), where investors can invest on AIM listed companies and enjoy returns free of income tax and capital gains tax.
Stocks and shares, or equities as they are also known (especially on AIM) offer the potential for a lucrative return, however stock markets are very volatile and investing in shares comes with its own risk, shares can lose their value very quickly and investors can find themselves losing their capital.
When you buy shares, you are basically buying part of a certain company, therefore it is important to conduct in depth research and only invest in shares that have the potential to deliver some sort of return in either the short, medium or long term, If that company performs well, then your shares will increase in value, but if it does poorly, your shares could become worthless and you end up losing money. The fewer the number of companies you invest in, the bigger the risks for your portfolio, but in the meantime if you invest in the right company at the right time, you could end up seeing some lucrative returns.
Those who are willing to accept the risks involved with investing in the stock market will need to trade (sell and buy) their shares via a stockbroker or share-dealing service. Costs and services can vary depending on the services provided and the type of stock broker or share-dealing service, so it is important to make sure you don’t end up paying more than you need to. And to use the appreciate service that suites your need.
Below are a handful of good brokers and share-dealing services to accommodate the need for different type of investors and traders.
X-O is an execution only share dealing service and it currently one of the cheapest around, the charges are a flat fee of £5.95 per trade whatever the size of the trade, they offer a wide range of accounts, from a normal trading account to an ISA, Junior ISA to a SIPP account. Unlike most of the other share-dealing services there are no account opening fees, management fees or inactivity fees.
You can manage your account Online, phone or by post
To open an account with X-O or find out more about them click Here
Hargreaves Lansdwon (HL) offer what they call a Vantage Service, a one-stop shop for investments, where you can hold all your funds, shares, ISAs and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPP) in a single, low cost, easy-to-manage place. HL offer a low cost trading platform with £5.95 per trade, there is a £45 annual charge to hold shares, investment trusts, ETFs and corporate bonds but No charges to buy and sell funds.
You can manage your account Online, phone, App or by post
To open an account with HL or find out more about them click Here
TD Direct have grown to become one of the UK’s leading online investing providers, they are an award winning online service provider, they provide good knowledge, tools and information, it cost £5.95 per online trade in the first 3 months, however that will change as follow: Active (£5.95), Frequent (£8.95) or Standard (£12.50) rates are based on the amount you trade online.
TD offers the ability to trade different stock exchanges such as Toronto Stock exchnage (TSX), Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) and Hong Kong stock Exchnage (HKE) and New York (NYSE)
The online platform is user friendly and so is the App. there are no charges to open an account, however Whether you’re looking for an everyday trading account, a tax efficient savings account or planning for your retirement, TD direct seem to have the appropriate account and tool.
You can manage your account Online, phone, App or by post
To open an account with TD or to find out more about them click Here
IG are the largest broker in the UK, they offer both financial instruments and binary options, so far IG are the only binary options broker fully regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
IG offer their clients a wide range of trading options such as Spread betting, CFD and Forex, alongside the share dealing services, they also offer features such as price alerts set ups, technical analysis, charting signal tools,
IG will charge £6 commission per trade for investors who deal in more than 20 shares a month, £9 for 10 to 19 shares, and £12 for investors who trade in nine shares or less.
You can manage your account Online, phone, App or by post.
To Open an account with IG or to find out more about them click Here
Optiva Securities provide a marketplace for growing companies and likeminded investors based on the cornerstones of research and due diligence - adding value throughout the lifecycle of their clients by providing unique and innovative solutions tailored to their respective financial goals and objectives. they provide both advisory and execution services depending on individual needs and requirements.
Optiva raise capital from £0.5M to £50M and have helped in excess of 60 firms reach their growth and financing goals during the past five years, which makes them an ideal broker service if you want to take part in placings or IPOs. You can view and access your account Online, but trading is conducted over the phone or emails.
To Open an account with Optiva Securities or to find out more about them click Here
Shard Capital Stockbrokers has an enviable combined wealth of knowledge, contacts and capabilities. Having built strong relationships with market counterparties and corporate brokers, our team of professionals can help you meet your investment objectives.
Shard Capital business encompasses Equities, Derivatives, Fund Management, Asset Management, Fixed Income and Structured Products. The stockbroking division offers discretionary, advisory and execution only dealing over a range of UK, European and International Equities and CFD's, including participation in smaller company equity placements/fundraisings. Trading can be completed within a personal dealing account, or within an ISA, SIPP or Company Account online or via the telephone.
Shard believe that one of the biggest frustrations for private investors when dealing within the Alternative Investment Market (AIM), is that they are restricted from investing in fundraisings, which often take place at significant discount to the prevailing market price.
With this in mind they allow their clients (where suitable) to participate directly in smaller company fundraisings ordinarily reserved for institutional investors, at institutional prices. Not only does this level the playing field, but can also offer tax advantages.
To Open an account with Shard Capital or to find out more about them click Here
RISK WARNING
The value of your investments can go down as well as up. You may not get back all the money that you invest.
