Introduction to Shares

Guide: Getting started

Conclusion

This brings our guide to a close. Hopefully it has shown you that despite all the mystique which surrounds the stock exchange, it is more a case of depth than complexity and with study and research any investor stands a chance of building a profitable portfolio. We hope we've shown that you need not be frightened by financial jargon, and that some of it encapsulates complicated ideas quite neatly.

Anyone can enjoy the benefits of direct investment in shares. As the private investor community grows, we can expect the doors to open further. Investments professionals are being encouraged to pay more attention to the private investor and as a result, new products and services, such as Exchange Traded Funds are available to us all.

The guide has explained what shares are and how to buy and sell them. We have shown you how you might like to start some of your own research, and how important it is to do it. Using off and online news sources, company accounts and by making a few assumptions, you should start to develop a technique for valuing shares.

Focussed on investing in shares, you should now look into other investment types: Spreadbets and CFDs for example. All of these investments should be candidates for inclusion in your portfolio, as they lead to a greater diversification of risk. You should include or eliminate these candidates according to the fit they may have with your portfolio strategy, see the finance guides for more information on these other financial products.

The internet is a powerful too the private investor. An unprecedented access to live information puts you on a level with the professionals and with the advances in online trading, you can be equally responsive to fast changing market conditions.

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