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Step-by-step guide to stock investing in Singapore

When you’re ready to start investing, the stock market can be a natural first place you turn to. Most Singaporeans, even if they never invested before, know about the stock market, or more specifically, the Singapore Exchange (SGX).

When you’re ready to start investing, the stock market can be a natural first place you turn to. Most Singaporeans, even if they never invested before, know about the stock market, or more specifically, the Singapore Exchange (SGX).

The SGX acts as a market for people to buy and sell stocks. For many, when you start investing, you will likely turn to an online platform to carry out your trades and start building your investment portfolio.

For a start, you may think of investing in well-known companies in Singapore, such as DBS, SingTel, OCBC, Keppel Corp, UOB, CapitaLand and more. These companies are all listed on the SGX and you can start adding them to your portfolio.

The SGX isn’t a grocery store where you can go to see, smell and touch what you’re actually buying and put them into your shopping cart.

So, how do you start investing in these companies? Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can get started.

1. Open a brokerage account

Before you start buying stocks listed on the SGX, you first need to open a brokerage account.

Having an account with an authorised broker gives you access to buy and sell stocks on the SGX.

There are many stock brokerages in Singapore that you can choose from. Here’s a list of the stock brokerage firms in Singapore.

  • CGS-CIMB Securities
  • Citibank
  • DBS Vickers
  • FSMOne
  • KGI Securities
  • Lim & Tan Securities
  • Maybank Kim Eng
  • OCBC Securities
  • Phillips Securities (POEMS)
  • RHB Securities
  • Saxo Capital Markets
  • Standard Chartered
  • UOB Kay Hian

You would notice that many brokerage firms are either directly linked or have some form of affiliation with a commercial bank operating in Singapore.

Which brokerage firm should you choose?

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The first thing most investors look at is the commissions charged by the stock broker.

A quick check across brokers in Singapore would reveal that most firms charge similar commission rates between 0.08 per cent and 0.28 per cent of trading value, or a minimum of between $10 and $28 per transaction.

This would also vary depending on the type of trading account – CDP-linked or custodian – you choose to open.

Aside from commission charges, there are several other factors you should also consider when choosing a firm.

Fund Transfer: When you buy stocks, you need to think about how you’d like to pay for them. Some investors may find it more convenient to open a brokerage account with a bank that they already have an account with.

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For example, if you already have an OCBC savings account, you may prefer opening a brokerage account with OCBC Securities.

By doing so, stocks that you buy can automatically be paid for using money in your designated OCBC savings account. When you sell stocks, the money would be automatically credited into the same account.

You can also easily link your bank accounts with any brokerage accounts that you open in Singapore.

You can then simply make an Electronic Payment for Shares (EPS) via online or at Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs). You may also choose to make payment via GIRO.

Overseas Investments: You may be starting out your investing journey with stocks listed on SGX. As you become more experienced and confident, you may venture into investing in overseas markets as well.

Many of the local stock brokerages also allow you to invest in some of the regional and major overseas stock markets, including US, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Thailand and others.

Do note that buying and holding overseas stocks tend to come with additional charges, including currency conversion rates and fees associated with custodian accounts.

Platform: Not all brokerage platforms are built the same. We suggest trying out a demo account whenever possible with the brokerage to sample the service and platform.

If you can’t try a demo account, you can find out from more experienced friends about how user-friendly the platform is before you open an account with any stock brokerage firm.

2. Open a CDP account

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If this is your first time buying stocks in Singapore, you also need to open a Central Depository (CDP) account.

Think of a CDP account as a vault that stores all the SGX stocks that you have bought in a centralised location.

In most cases, when you buy a stock through a brokerage firm, the firm doesn’t keep it. Rather, it goes into a CDP account held under your name.

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The benefit of this is that you can easily move to another stock brokerage firm to continue buying and selling without worrying about your holdings.

Do note that not all brokerage firms will automatically deposit the stocks you bought through them into your CDP account.

For example, FSMOne and Standard Chartered do not offer CDP-linked accounts and will hold the stocks you bought as a custodian on your behalf.

Similarly, the stock brokerage firms that do offer CDP-linked accounts also offer their own custodian accounts.

Custodian accounts tend to offer lower brokerage fees as your securities are kept with them, and you will be retained as a customer rather than easily shifting to another stock brokerage firm.

However, custodian accounts do come with certain fees and charges that you should know as well.

3. Start off with a strategy

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When you are new to investing, it’s easy to become too excited and too overwhelmed, leading to you doing too much too quickly – which is typically a bad thing for new investors.

For a start, set for yourself small and realistic targets. You can start off with index investing, putting a small amount of money into the Straits Times Index (STI) Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) each month.

Index investing enables you to get exposure to a diversified portfolio of high-quality companies on the stock exchange.

Along the way, you can slowly add individual companies in Singapore and from overseas exchanges, or even other asset classes once you become more familiar with the investments.

Your initial strategy should also include how much money you are investing and how often you would invest.

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Even if you already have $20,000 set aside to invest, it doesn’t mean you should plough it into the stock market all at once.

Instead, you can space out your investment over time.

Commonly referred to as dollar cost averaging (DCA), this strategy of investing a fixed amount of money on a regular basis, rather than investing it all at one go, allows you to invest without worrying about whether it is a good time to buy stocks.

The simple advantage that DCA brings is that it allows you to invest without having to worry about timing the market.

You simply buy more shares when prices go down, and less shares when prices go up as you invest at regular time intervals.

Always remember that your investing journey is a marathon, and not a sprint. You want to start off at a pace that you are comfortable with and take it from there, rather than to sprint out of the gates and make unnecessary, and costly, mistakes.

Neither are you racing against other investors.

Hence, do not simply copy the investment strategies of other investors without first understanding for yourself why each investment strategy may or may not work for you.

Always bear in mind that other investors may have their own risk appetite and investment time horizon.

4. Understand the various types of assets on the stock exchange

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It’s easy to assume that you can only find stocks on the stock exchange. While that might be true when SGX first started in 1973, today’s exchange comprises various asset classes beyond just stocks.

For example, you can find retail bonds on the exchange. These include bonds issued by Temasek Holdings’ backed Astrea, CapitaMall Trust and Aspial.

Unlike stocks, where people invest with the hope that prices appreciate over time as the companies grow, bond prices do not fluctuate as much and are generally traded near the price they were first launched at. That makes it a more stable asset class with predictable cash flows.

Other asset classes you can find on the exchange include real estate investment trusts (REITs), exchanged traded funds (ETFs), warrants and daily leveraged certificates (DLCs).

This makes it important to understand what it is that you are investing in, especially since some of these investments carry much higher risks.

5. Constantly review your strategy and investment objectives

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Once you get familiar with investing, it’s easy to continue building on your knowledge to learn more and to try out new strategies in order to make better returns. That’s fine.

That said, it’s always important to ensure that new strategies you introduce fall in line with your investment objectives.

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For example, your original plan may have been to invest in high-quality dividend paying companies primarily to build a secondary source of income.

Along the way, you will definitely start reading up more and have conversations with friends and relatives who are in the “know”.

This may lead you to invest in companies on rumours or media hype, in the hopes of making a quick buck if the company turns around in the future.

This buy-low sell-high strategy would be very different from what you originally set out to do.

Always take the time to periodically review your strategy to ensure that it’s in line with your objectives.

Start Investing Today

There are of course many other areas of investing that you also need to learn.

You can even read the articles we have written about various types of investing mistakes that people make.

In the meantime, we always advocate for people to start investing early to benefit from a longer time horizon for their money to grow and ride out volatility.

This article was first published in Dollars and Sense.

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Daily Financial News

What is the best crypto wallet ?

What is the best crypto wallet_ a hardware wallet, a software wallet, or a mobile wallet_

What is the best crypto wallet: a hardware wallet, a software wallet, or a mobile wallet?

In the early stages of learning how to use Bitcoin, the security question arises: how to ensure your coins remain in your possession? Only by generating and storing keys in a way that can be verified can you be certain. It is impossible to be sure no one else has a copy of your keys unless you know they were created properly and stored offline.

Hardware wallets create your keys offline using a random number generator, so they cannot be logged. Additionally, the keys are kept permanently offline, so they cannot be accidentally shared on a network.

In software wallets and mobile wallets, random number generators are often built into the device the wallet is installed on. Since they use inputs like the current time to calculate randomness, they are difficult to verify and generally not secure. Even if your device generates randomness in a secure manner, host the resulting keys on a networked device, and an attacker can extract, view, or intercept them at any time.

It is transparent to verify that open-source hardware wallets create and store randomness securely, and that your keys are kept offline while being protected from threats like phishing. It is different in the case of open-source Bitcoin wallet though.

In addition to protecting against other vulnerabilities, hardware wallets resolve new attacks both progressively and reactively among security researchers. Supporting bug bounty programs ensures that all types of security issues are regularly checked.

What is the best crypto wallet_ a hardware wallet, a software wallet, or a mobile wallet_

What is the best crypto wallet_ a hardware wallet, a software wallet, or a mobile wallet_

Stay more secure everywhere

Hardware wallets have set a new standard for universal cybersecurity, as we discussed above. According to speculators, the future of the internet – dubbed Web3 – will rely on cryptographically secure keys backed up physically. In the cryptosphere, as well as in everyday business, e-commerce, and social media, hardware wallets are essential.

Your assets and identity are both protected offline when you use a hardware wallet for authentication, so there is no counterparty risk.

As a result of forgetting passwords and changing authenticator devices, security has long relied on third parties. Using the open recovery seed standard, users can backup their accounts safely without relying on a third party and recover accounts from any compatible device. Using Shamir backup, the recovery seed is split into multiple equal parts for stronger security.

Keeping in mind that not just crypto can be targeted is important. Similarly, your data can be leaked, resulting in phishing attacks, hostage situations, or compromised devices arriving by mail.

It has become easier and more affordable for everyone to have verifiable security thanks to hardware wallets.

The base layer of crypto security is hardware wallets

By bridging the digital and physical worlds, hardware wallets create digital keys offline and keep them safe. Crypto assets can be controlled with the keys in many ways, such as two-factor authentication, digital signatures, or two-factor authentication.

With open standards, you can ensure the same level of security across any app you use. As a result, dozens of hardware wallet manufacturers have appeared around the world, accelerating the adoption of crypto security and ensuring standards are maintained to ensure your coins remain yours regardless of wallet.

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Industry News

School4Trading Review – How to Spot Possible Forex Broker Fraud

School4trading Review

School4Trading Review – How to Spot Possible Forex Broker Fraud

In this School4trading Review, we will look at the features of the software, as well as the customer support. First, let us look at the interface. The design is simple and easy to navigate. It also provides a chatbot, which helps you to communicate with the broker. The customer service is warm and inviting, which is a hallmark of a good broker. In contrast, a fraudulent broker will use cold and impersonal customer support to lure people in.

Another problem with the system is that the login process is not always intuitive. You may have to retype your password several times to get in. Then, you may experience difficulties withdrawing your funds or accessing your account. In such cases, you might have to wait for days or even weeks before you can withdraw the money you’ve invested. This is not a good sign. It’s better to choose a different trading platform altogether.

If you’re having trouble logging in, you should also check the legitimacy of the broker. Whether the broker is licensed by a reliable regulatory body or closed down, you’ll want to be sure it’s legitimate. If the broker isn’t licensed by the right body, don’t trust him. You shouldn’t waste your time with an inexperienced company. This will only cause you problems in the long run.

The next factor that should be checked is the licensing. A legitimate broker will have a license from a high regulatory body. However, a broker without a license will be unreliable. Moreover, a reliable regulator will take away the license of a scam broker. As a result, a trustworthy School4Broker/Profittrade review should mention fees, account rules, and contract terms. A scam broker will be unable to operate legally.

Secondly, look for warning signs. The broker should be licensed and regulated by a reliable regulatory body. It should be regulated by a high level. If it doesn’t, it’s a scam. Lastly, it should have a website that lets you easily access your account. Moreover, you should not hesitate to check the contact information. If you find any information that seems suspicious, you should reconsider using the broker.

In summary, Forex trading isn’t easy, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s not as difficult as it seems if you’ve heard about the program. You’ll learn everything about the basics and how to become a professional. But if you’re still unsure about whether this program is right for you, don’t hesitate to contact a school4trading’s website.

The most important thing to remember when it comes to Forex trading is that it’s not easy. While it’s important to have a strong background in trading, there are a number of factors that can affect your success. Having a proper plan is vital in the long run, because you will be trading with real money. And, the platform should be reliable. Otherwise, you’ll end up losing a lot of money.

As we’ve mentioned, Forex is not easy. Investing isn’t something you can do in the comfort of your own home. You need a proven system. There are no free trials, so you’ll have to find a way to do it yourself. This isn’t a scam, and it’s a great way to make money without any help. A Forex system can help you learn the intricacies of the market.

Although the process of learning Forex isn’t an easy one, it’s certainly not impossible. Fortunately, there are many people who are willing to take the time to learn how to trade. But, even the most experienced trader needs to be aware of the risks of the market. While Forex trading isn’t easy, it can be done with the right knowledge. The software’s user-friendly interface is key.

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Daily Financial News

Don’t Count On JPY Correction; Staying Long GBP/JPY

The path of the potential pace of the JPY decline may still be underestimated by markets, which continue trading the JPY long.

While the 10% USDJPY advance from September lows looks impressive from a momentum point of view, it may no thave been driven by Japan’s institutional investors reducing their hedging ratios or Japan’s household sector reestablishing carry trades.

Instead, investors seemed to have been caught on the wrong foot, concerned about a sudden decline of risk appetite or the incoming US administration being focused on trade issues and not on spending. Spending requires funding and indeed the President-elect Trump’s team appears to be focused on funding. Here are a few examples: Reducing corporate taxation may pave the way for US corporates repatriating some of their USD2.6trn accumulated foreign profits. Cutting bank regulation could increase the risk-absorbing capacity within bank balance sheets. Hence, funding conditions – including for the sovereign – might generally ease. De-regulating the oil sector would help the trade balance, slowing the anticipated increase in the US current account deficit. The US current account deficit presently runs at 2.6% of GDP, which is below worrisome levels. Should the incoming government push for early trade restrictions, reaction (including Asian sovereigns reducing their holdings) could increase US funding costs, which runs against the interest of the Trump team.

Instead of counting on risk aversion to stop the JPY depreciation, we expect nominal yield differentials and the Fed moderately hiking rates to unleash capital outflows from Japan.The yield differential argumenthas become more compelling with the BoJ turning into yield curve managers. Via this policy move, rising inflation rates push JPY real rates and yields lower, which will weaken the JPY. Exhibit 12 shows how much Japan’s labor market conditions have tightened. A minor surge in corporate profitability may now be sufficient, pushing Japan wages up and implicity real yields lower.

JPY dynamics are diametrical to last year . Last year, the JGB’s “exhausted”yield curve left the BoJ without a tool to push real yields low enough to adequately address the weakened nominal GDP outlook. JPY remained artificially high at a time when the US opted for sharply lower real yields. USDJPY had to decline, triggering JPY bullish secondround effects via JPY-based financial institutions increasing their FX hedge ratios and Japan’s retail sector cutting its carry trade exposures. Now the opposite seems to be happening. The managed JGB curve suggests rising inflation expectations are driving Japan’s real yield lower. The Fed reluctantly hiking rates may keep risk appetite supported but increase USD hedging costs.Financial institutions reducinghedge ratios and Japan’s household sector piling back into the carry trade could provide secondround JPY weakening effects

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