Shares oh Shares... :)

dqnet

Hi folks!

I did some research and got to about page 12 on this forum!
I also did a search and got a fair few answers.


What I'd really like to know is, where is a good online company to do online share dealing that also trades in the US. I'd really like to get into the whole share dealing thing and see how it goes. I dont have much to play around with (900 quid) but all other high saving accounts are maxed out and i'm quite bored of simply 'saving' it... life's a risk and I feel like taking one with a fair few hundred! Any advice? Thanks peeps!

redped

I use TD Waterhouse, who will let you buy both UK & US shares. However, your £900 isn't a huge amount to be investing on the stock market, and it will soon get eaten up by commission if you're not careful. Plus I hope that isn't all your savings - as the old saying goes, only use money that you can afford to lose. Have you spent a while playing with a fantasy portfolio, just to see if you can spot winning companies?

Having said that, good luck if/when you do go for it!

cloud_dog

dqnet wrote: »

What I'd really like to know is, where is a good online company to do online share dealing that also trades in the US. I'd really like to get into the whole share dealing thing and see how it goes. I

Why the desire to begin your investing with US stock?

You are introducing direct currency exchange risks with your investment let alone the actual investment risk. There are lots of UK based companies with large exposure to the US.

atush

Both Barclays and HSBC can be set up to do US and UK trades.

zildjian

Barclays international trades commision starts from £12 per trade (they have plastered my homepage advertising it).

BLB53

Have a look at Interactive Investor. Flat price of £10 for buy or sell UK shares but you can take advantage of their portfolio builder and buy for just £1.50 per trade which will be far more economical with only £900 to invest. As someone else has already advised, I would avoid US shares - theres plenty of really good bargains in the FTSE 350 right now.

Jake'sGran

BLB53 wrote: »

Have a look at Interactive Investor. Flat price of £10 for buy or sell UK shares but you can take advantage of their portfolio builder and buy for just £1.50 per trade which will be far more economical with only £900 to invest. As someone else has already advised, I would avoid US shares - theres plenty of really good bargains in the FTSE 350 right now.

I can find the FTSE 350 but can you say which of those shares are "really good bargains" ? I generally buy in £500- £800 lots. Were you suggesting to DQNET that he buy just one share?

BLB53

Were you suggesting to DQNET that he buy just one share?

No, I wasn't suggesting anything, just providing information. If you can limit your purchase costs to just £1.50 per trade, it makes it more viable to purchase in smaller tranches of say £200 so provides an opportunity to purchase several different shares and therefore more diversity.

which of those shares are "really good bargains"

My personal approach to investing (as opposed to trading) is for dividend income. There are many quality blue chip companies in the FTSE 350 who are now yielding over 5% e.g. Vodafone, M&S, Aviva etc etc. I won't list them all here but you can look them up on a site such as Digital Look (research tab)

Ifts

BLB53 wrote: »

There are many quality blue chip companies in the FTSE 350 who are now yielding over 5% e.g. Vodafone, M&S, Aviva etc etc.

Don't you mean in the FTSE 100

agrinnall

Ifts wrote: »

Don't you mean in the FTSE 100

They're all in the 350 as well, as (I assume but can't be bothered to check) are all of the 100.

BLB53

Don't you mean in the FTSE 100

The 3 examples are all FTSE 100 but there are lots of bargains throughout the FTSE 350 currently yielding over 5%.