Financial Expert

Welcome to the Financial Expert guide on how to choose a stockbroker or investment account to begin your investing journey. Design your investment strategy You need to first make two strategic decisions before you can choose a stockbroker. The pricing levels of different brokers will match to different investment strategies. Therefore, decide what kind of an investor you will become: …

“Is now a good time to invest in the stock market?” as well as “Should I save or invest?” are probably the most common question I am asked by readers, friends and family. In this article, I will tackle this subject and provide a few market timing tips. I hope to convince you that this question is the wrong one …

Two hundred years ago, shares were traded between an elite group of wealthy individuals through social groups which often met in coffee houses. How to research share prices back then was to order an espresso and ask the right individual! Now, a small investor only needs a good internet connection to gain access to almost unlimited amounts of information, analysis, …

An argument which has long raged in the halls of asset managers is the debate between investing styles. In particular; passive versus active investing. Financial Expert encourages one of these styles – we will use this article to explain which style we prefer, and why it has won our support. An active investor uses discretion to select individual investments that …

Knowing how to spot investment scams is an essential skill for a modern investor. Collectively, investors represent a gold mine for organised crime. Is there an easier target than a group of people who wish to pay £000’s in return for something intangible? The online space, in particular, can be a dangerous place. It is difficult to tell apart an …

Now that you have understood the science of diversification, this article will explain how to put these principles into practice by explaining how to build an investment portfolio. If you have read the previous articles, the following steps should feel like common sense. Indeed this article threads together many of the concepts from the Foundation learning series. Step 1: Understand …

This article will explain how to diversify your investments using the science of diversification. To get there, we will walk through logical steps which build to the conclusion. Therefore you will also be able to explain why sophisticated investors diversify in a specific way. The primary objective of successful investing is to generate high returns while minimising the risk. The …

Take our investing risk appetite questionnaire and discover how your attitude towards risk will influence your investing style. Imagine for a moment: It is 2 am and you cannot get to sleep. You are being kept awake by a stubborn worry that will not leave you alone. Your fear is that the stock market may fall soon, taking a portion …

If you’ve ever wondered ‘What are shares’ or ‘why are shares so popular?’ – this ultimate guide to shares article is the right place. This article is the second in the Foundation learning series. What are Shares? You gain partial or full ownership of a company by owning shares, also known as ‘stocks’ in the US. To delve deeper, we …

This article will explain how to buy in shares directly through stockbrokers and indirectly through fund managers. Investing in individual companies versus funds Before you rush to open an account with a stockbroker, you need to make a choice as to whether you want to invest in individual companies or whether you want to invest in funds. As explained in …