Jump to content

Welcome to the new Traders Laboratory! Please bear with us as we finish the migration over the next few days. If you find any issues, want to leave feedback, get in touch with us, or offer suggestions please post to the Support forum here.

  • Welcome Guests

    Welcome. You are currently viewing the forum as a guest which does not give you access to all the great features at Traders Laboratory such as interacting with members, access to all forums, downloading attachments, and eligibility to win free giveaways. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free. Create a FREE Traders Laboratory account here.

shortbleu

Discount Stock Broker

Recommended Posts

Hi all,

 

I am looking for a discount stock broker (to trade stocks, not CFDs or spreadbetting) with the following criteria:

 

1) The account can be opened by a UK resident.

2) The account can be funded in British pound (GBP) and only the profit/losses would be exposed to the risk of currency.

3) No inactivity or monthly fees charged (eg. Interactive Brokers charge inactivity/monthly fees and would not suit me).

4) The account can be opened with an amount as low as GBP 6,000.

5) I will do less than 6 trades per year and I am looking to pay

commission fee per side of USD 8 maximum or GBP 5 maximum (eg. Selftrade, E-Trade, Barclays stockbroker are too expensive)

 

I made some research and I found the following stock brokers: Zecco, Just2trade, but I don't know if they allow UK residents to open an account and if the account can be founded in GBP. Does anyone know if they suit such criteria?

 

Any suggestions of brokers following ALL of the above criteria are welcomed.

 

Many thanks

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Hi all,

 

I am looking for a discount stock broker (to trade stocks, not CFDs or spreadbetting) with the following criteria:

 

1) The account can be opened by a UK resident.

2) The account can be funded in British pound (GBP) and only the profit/losses would be exposed to the risk of currency.

3) No inactivity or monthly fees charged (eg. Interactive Brokers charge inactivity/monthly fees and would not suit me).

4) The account can be opened with an amount as low as GBP 6,000.

5) I will do less than 6 trades per year and I am looking to pay

commission fee per side of USD 8 maximum or GBP 5 maximum (eg. Selftrade, E-Trade, Barclays stockbroker are too expensive)

 

I made some research and I found the following stock brokers: Zecco, Just2trade, but I don't know if they allow UK residents to open an account and if the account can be founded in GBP. Does anyone know if they suit such criteria?

 

Any suggestions of brokers following ALL of the above criteria are welcomed.

 

Many thanks

 

Less than 6 trades per YEAR and you want to pay like you trade 6 times per DAY.

 

:confused:

 

For 6 trades per year, any online discount broker is fine. Will they meet all your requirements? Probably not.

 

So either suck it up or start your own brokerage firm that caters to your niche.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Hi all,

 

I am looking for a discount stock broker (to trade stocks, not CFDs or spreadbetting) with the following criteria:

 

1) The account can be opened by a UK resident.

2) The account can be funded in British pound (GBP) and only the profit/losses would be exposed to the risk of currency.

3) No inactivity or monthly fees charged (eg. Interactive Brokers charge inactivity/monthly fees and would not suit me).

4) The account can be opened with an amount as low as GBP 6,000.

5) I will do less than 6 trades per year and I am looking to pay

commission fee per side of USD 8 maximum or GBP 5 maximum (eg. Selftrade, E-Trade, Barclays stockbroker are too expensive)

 

I made some research and I found the following stock brokers: Zecco, Just2trade, but I don't know if they allow UK residents to open an account and if the account can be founded in GBP. Does anyone know if they suit such criteria?

 

Any suggestions of brokers following ALL of the above criteria are welcomed.

 

Many thanks

 

If you are looking to make some real money, $10 USD commissions aren't going to kill you on 6 trades a year.

 

I have most of my personal financial business with Wells Fargo here in the USA and they give me 100 free trades per year on my trading account, my IRA trading account and my ROTH IRA trading account. That is 300 commission free trades per year and I get that every year. The price I pay is I have my mortgage, credit card, retirement accounts, checking, and savings account all with them. I do this because I like to simplify life. One bank statement and online portal that gets me to most of my finances.

 

See if the big banks where you live have similar offers for customers who do lots of business with them.

 

That's my :2c:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
If you are looking to make some real money, $10 USD commissions aren't going to kill you on 6 trades a year.

 

And if it does, this is probably not worth doing it and one can probably get a better return by just putting the money in a savings account, or buy a CD.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

3) No inactivity or monthly fees charged (eg. Interactive Brokers charge inactivity/monthly fees and would not suit me).

 

As far as I am aware IB do not charge inactivity fees. They may charge data fees if you sign up for different exchanges real time data (you may not need that with 6 trades per year:)) Some are subject to waiver if you generate $30 of commissions.

 

Having said that I am not sure you can enter an order into a market that you don't have a market data subscription for. I think not so that would scupper you sadly.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

(Its rare I get to correct Blowfish :cool: as he is such a good source of knowledge...)

 

But you can actually enter trades into IB without a market subscription.

They will give you a few warnings saying they advise against it, but it definitely possible.

I have done it a few times with some stocks listed on the ASX in Australia and also some futures and stocks in the USA.

WARNING: I would strongly suggest you have it as a limit order, already know roughly where the prices are trading, and be very very careful, as you dont want a typo....even with a limit order.

Re: the inactivity and IB, I think it is $30pm if you dont pay a minimum brokerage ($10pm) for use of the platform....so even if you dont subscribe to an exchange. Funny thing is if this is the case its cheaper to buy and sell a few times a month, even if you break even.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Re: the inactivity and IB, I think it is $30pm if you dont pay a minimum brokerage ($10pm) for use of the platform....so even if you dont subscribe to an exchange. Funny thing is if this is the case its cheaper to buy and sell a few times a month, even if you break even.

 

Actually it is neither. They have two fees.

 

  1. $10 a month for their standard subscription bundle market data iff you don't generate $30 in commissions a month.
  2. Up to $10 a month for inactivity fee. You pay the difference between the $10 and the comissions you generated.

So, if you generate $5 commissions a month, you pay $10 data fee plus 5$ inactivity fee.

If you generate $10 commissions a month, you pay $10 data fee and $0 incativity fee.

If you generate $30 commissions a month, you don't pay anything.

 

It is all on their website. Click on Activity tab....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
(Its rare I get to correct Blowfish :cool: as he is such a good source of knowledge...)

 

Hehe thank you (I think) :) I did say I wasn't sure, it was kind of an educated guess :) Anyway another thing to file away until senility sets in! It's actually a very sensible decision on IB's part when you think about it as it makes things attractive to precisely this type of investor.

 

Mind you I am not sure the minimum account requirements and the fee structure for stocks, but if I was to stick my neck out again I would guess that they would tick those boxes.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2) The account can be funded in British pound (GBP) and only the profit/losses would be exposed to the risk of currency.

 

If you are buying US listed securities, then wouldn't the entire principle be exposed to currency risk?

 

Best Wishes,

 

Thales

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

"US listed securities, then wouldn't the entire principle be exposed to currency risk?"

 

This is an interesting one as a lot depends on how you get the financing /margining from the broker.

Without going into too much detail.

example; base currency GBP. Buying stocks in USD

scenario 1) you are required to fund the whole amount in USD, hence the FX exposure is to the amount required to buy the stocks.

scenario 2) the broker loans you the money on margin, hence the FX exposure is to the amount of the margin + any PL on the trade. (This is how IB basically deals with it - you then get charged interest on the borrowed amounts of the margin amount, and its the PL and this margin that is expsoed to the FX risk - not the whole amount)

scenario 3) everything gets translated back and quoted in the GBP base currency with no FX exposure. (this can be more costly depending on how many transactions etc and is generally up to the investor to hedge the exposure out if the broker does not do it automatically - however the PL as it moves will produce a FX exposure as the prices move.)

 

Every broker may do it slightly differently and it is definitely up to each investor to work it out themselves. When looking at this accounting remember to keep in mind there is a difference between the actual positions held at a broker and the cash balances.

ie; you can have cash balances in different currencies - and hence FX exposures whilst having no positions.

From what I have seen from most brokers who over cross border services, generally its only the margin and PL amounts that are exposed to FX as this is reflected in the cash balances shown in USD, EUR, AUD etc;.

 

I hope this helps and does not confuse.

 

Hi Blowfish - yes it was a complement.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • Topics

  • Posts

    • lmfx just officially launched their own LMGX token, Im planning to grab a couple of hundred and maybe have the option to stake them. 
    • Date: 2nd April 2025.   Market on Edge: Tariff Announcement and Volatility Ahead!   The US economic and employment data continues to deteriorate with the job vacancies figures dropping to a 5-month low. In addition to this, the IMS Manufacturing PMI also fell below expectations. However, both the US Dollar and Gold declined simultaneously following the release of the two figures, an uncommon occurrence in the market. Traders expect a key factor to be today’s ‘liberation day’ where the US will impose tariffs on imports. USDJPY - Traders Await Tariff Confirmation! Traders looking to determine how the USDJPY will look today will find it difficult to determine until the US confirms its tariff plan. Today is the day when Trump previously stated he would finalize and announce his tariff plan. The administration has not yet released the policy, but investors expect it to be the most expansionary in a century. President Trump is due to speak at 20:00 GMT. On HFM's Calendar the speech is stated as "US Liberation Day Tariff Announcement". Currently, analysts are expecting Trump’s Tariff Plan to impose tariffs on the EU, chips and pharmaceuticals later today as well as reciprocal tariffs. Economists have a good idea of how these tariffs may take effect, but reciprocal tariffs are still unspecified. In addition to this, 25% tariffs on the car industry will start tomorrow. The tariffs on the foreign cars industry are a factor which will particularly impact Japan. Although, traders should note that this is what is expected and is not yet finalised. Last week, President Trump stated that he would implement retaliatory tariffs but allow exemptions for certain US trade partners. Treasury Secretary Mr Bessent and National Economic Council Director Mr Hassett suggested that the restrictions would primarily target 15 countries responsible for the bulk of the US trade deficit. However, yesterday, Trump contradicted these statements, asserting that additional duties would be imposed on any country that has implemented similar measures against US products. The day’s volatility will depend on which route the US administration takes. The harshness of the policy will influence both the Japanese Yen as well as the US Dollar.   USDJPY 5-Minute Chart   US Economic and Employment Data The JOLT Job Vacancies figure fell below expectations and is lower than the previous month’s figure. The JOLT Job Vacancies read 7.57 million whereas the average of the past 6 months is 7.78 million. The ISM Manufacturing Index also fell below the key level of 50.00 and was 5 points lower than what analysts were expecting. The data is negative for the US Dollar, particularly as the latest release applies more pressure on the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates. However, this is unlikely to happen if the trade policy ignites higher and stickier inflation. In the Bank of Japan’s Governor's latest speech, Mr Ueda said that the tariffs are likely to trigger higher inflation. USDJPY Technical Analysis Currently, the Japanese Yen Index is the worst performing of the day while the US Dollar Index is more or less unchanged. However, this is something traders will continue to monitor as the EU session starts. In the 2-hour timeframe, the USDJPY is trading at the neutral level below the 75-bar EMA and 100-bar SMA. The RSI and MACD is also at the neutral level meaning traders should be open to price movements in either direction. On the smaller timeframes, such as the 5-minute timeframe, there is a slight bias towards a bullish outcome. However, this is only likely if the latest bearish swing does not drop below the 200-Bar SMA.     The key resistant level can be seen at 150.262 and the support level at 149.115. Breakout levels are at 149.988 and 149.674. Key Takeaway Points: Job vacancies hit a five-month low, and the ISM Manufacturing PMI missed expectations, adding pressure on the Federal Reserve regarding interest rate decisions. Traders await confirmation on Trump’s tariff policy, which is expected to impact the EU, chips, pharmaceuticals, and foreign car industries. The severity of the tariffs will influence both the JPY and the USD, with traders waiting for final policy details. The Japanese Yen Index is the worst index of the day while the US Dollar Index is unchanged. Always trade with strict risk management. Your capital is the single most important aspect of your trading business.   Please note that times displayed based on local time zone and are from time of writing this report.   Click HERE to access the full HFM Economic calendar.   Want to learn to trade and analyse the markets? Join our webinars and get analysis and trading ideas combined with better understanding of how markets work. Click HERE to register for FREE!   Click HERE to READ more Market news.   Michalis Efthymiou HFMarkets   Disclaimer: This material is provided as a general marketing communication for information purposes only and does not constitute an independent investment research. Nothing in this communication contains, or should be considered as containing, an investment advice or an investment recommendation or a solicitation for the purpose of buying or selling of any financial instrument. All information provided is gathered from reputable sources and any information containing an indication of past performance is not a guarantee or reliable indicator of future performance. Users acknowledge that any investment in Leveraged Products is characterized by a certain degree of uncertainty and that any investment of this nature involves a high level of risk for which the users are solely responsible and liable. We assume no liability for any loss arising from any investment made based on the information provided in this communication. This communication must not be reproduced or further distributed without our prior written permission.
    • HLF Herbalife stock, watch for a bull flag breakout above 9.02 at https://stockconsultant.com/?HLF
    • Date: 1st April 2025.   Will Gold’s Rally Hold Strong as New Trade Tariffs Take Effect Tomorrow?   Gold continues to increase in value for a sixth consecutive day and is trading more than 17% higher in 2025. Amid fear of higher inflation, a recession and the tariffs war escalating investors continue to invest into Gold pushing demand higher. The trade policy from April 2nd onwards continues to be a key factor for the whole market. Can Gold maintain its upward trend? Trade Policy From Tomorrow Onwards Starting as soon as tomorrow, a 25% tariff will be imposed on all passenger cars imported into the United States. While this White House policy is anticipated to negatively affect European industrial performance, it will also lead to higher transportation and maintenance costs for everyday American taxpayers. The negative impact expected on both the EU and US is one of the reasons investors continue to buy Gold. Additionally, last month, President Donald Trump announced reciprocal sanctions against any trade partners that impose import restrictions on US goods. Furthermore, tariffs on products from Canada and the EU could increase even more if they attempt to coordinate a response. Overall, investors continue to worry that new trade barriers will prompt retaliatory measures, particularly from China, the Eurozone, and Japan. Any retaliation is likely to escalate the trade conflict and prompt another reaction from the US. Experts at Goldman Sachs and other investment banks warn that this will lead to rising inflation and unemployment. They also caution that it could effectively halt economic growth in the US.   XAUUSD 1-Hour Chart   The Weakness In The US Dollar Another factor which is allowing the price of XAUUSD to increase in value is the US Dollar which has been unable to maintain any bullish momentum. Despite last week’s Core PCE Price Index rising to its highest level since February 2024, the US Dollar has been unable to see any significant rise in value. Due to the US Dollar and Gold's inverse correlation, the price of Gold is benefiting from the Dollar weakness. Investors worry that new trade barriers will prompt retaliatory measures from China, the Eurozone, and Japan, potentially escalating the conflict. Experts at The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. believe that such actions by the US administration will drive rising inflation and unemployment while effectively halting economic growth in the country. Can Gold Maintain Momentum? When it comes to technical analysis, the price of Gold is not trading at a price where oscillators are indicating the instrument is overbought. The Relative Strength Index currently trades at 68.88, outside of the overbought area, since Gold’s price fell 0.65% during this morning’s session. However, even with this decline, the price still remains 0.40% higher than the day’s open price. In terms of fundamental analysis, there continues to be plenty of factors indicating the price could continue to rise. However, the price movement of the week will also partially depend on the employment data from the US. The US is due to release the JOLTS Job Vacancies for February this afternoon, the ADP Non-Farm Employment Change tomorrow, and the NFP Change and Unemployment Rate on Friday. If all data reads higher than expectations, investors may look to sell to lock in profits at the high price. Key Takeaway Points: Gold’s Rally Continues – Up 17% in 2025 as investors seek safety from inflation, recession fears, and trade tensions. Trade War Impact – New US tariffs and potential retaliation from China, the EU, and Japan drive uncertainty, boosting Gold demand. Weak US Dollar – The Dollar’s struggle supports Gold’s rise due to their inverse correlation. Gold’s Outlook – Uptrend may continue, but US jobs data could trigger profit-taking. Always trade with strict risk management. Your capital is the single most important aspect of your trading business.   Please note that times displayed based on local time zone and are from time of writing this report.   Click HERE to access the full HFM Economic calendar.   Want to learn to trade and analyse the markets? Join our webinars and get analysis and trading ideas combined with better understanding of how markets work. Click HERE to register for FREE!   Click HERE to READ more Market news.   Michalis Efthymiou HFMarkets   Disclaimer: This material is provided as a general marketing communication for information purposes only and does not constitute an independent investment research. Nothing in this communication contains, or should be considered as containing, an investment advice or an investment recommendation or a solicitation for the purpose of buying or selling of any financial instrument. All information provided is gathered from reputable sources and any information containing an indication of past performance is not a guarantee or reliable indicator of future performance. Users acknowledge that any investment in Leveraged Products is characterized by a certain degree of uncertainty and that any investment of this nature involves a high level of risk for which the users are solely responsible and liable. We assume no liability for any loss arising from any investment made based on the information provided in this communication. This communication must not be reproduced or further distributed without our prior written permission.
    • Date: 31st March 2025.   Trump Confirms Tariffs on All Countries, Sending Stocks Lower.   The NASDAQ continues to trade lower due to the US confirming the latest tariffs will be on all countries. In addition to this, bearish volatility also is largely due to the higher inflation data from Friday. The NASDAQ declines to its lowest price since September 11th 2024. Core PCE Price Index - Inflation Increases Again! The PCE Price Index read 2.5% aligning with expert forecasts not triggering any alarm bells. However, the Core PCE Price Index rose from 0.3% to 0.4% MoM and from 2.7% to 2.8% YoY, signalling growing inflationary pressure. This increases the likelihood that the Federal Reserve will maintain elevated interest rates for an extended period. The NASDAQ fell 2.60% due to the higher inflation reading which is known to pressure the stock market due to pressure on consumer demand and a more hawkish Federal Reserve. Boston Fed President Susan Collins recently commented that tariffs could drive up inflation, though the long-term impact remains uncertain. She told journalists that a short-term spike is the most probable outcome but believes the current pause in monetary policy adjustments is appropriate given the prevailing uncertainties. Although, certain investment banks such as JP Morgan actually believe the Federal Reserve will be forced into cutting rates. This is due to expectations that the economy will struggle under the new trade policy. For example, JP Morgan expects the Federal Reserve to delay rate cuts but will quickly cut towards the end of 2025. Market Risk Appetite Takes a Hit! A big factor for the day is the drop in the risk appetite of investors. This can be seen from the VIX which is up almost 6%, Gold which is trading 1.30% higher and the Japanese Yen which is the day’s best performing currency. Most safe haven assets, bar the US Dollar, increase in value. It is also worth noting that all indices are decreasing in value during this morning's Asian session with the Nikkei225 and NASDAQ witnessing the strongest decline. Previously the stock market rose in value as investors heard rumours that tariffs would only be on certain countries. This bullish swing occurred between March 14th and 25th. Over the weekend, President Donald Trump indicated that the upcoming tariffs would apply to all countries, not just those with the largest trade imbalances with the US. NASDAQ - Technical Analysis In terms of technical analysis, the NASDAQ continues to obtain indications that sellers control the price action. The price opens on a bearish price gap measuring 0.30% and trades below all Moving Averages on all timeframes. The NASDAQ also trades below the VWAP and almost 100% of the most influential components (stocks) are declining in value.     The next significant support level is at $18,313, and the resistance level stands at $20,367.95. Key Takeaway Points: NASDAQ falls to its lowest since September 2024 as the US confirms tariffs on all countries, adding to inflation concerns. Core PCE inflation rises to 0.4% MoM and 2.8% YoY, increasing the likelihood of prolonged high interest rates. Investor risk appetite drops as VIX jumps 6%, gold gains 1.3%, and safe-haven assets outperform. NASDAQ shows strong bearish momentum, trading below key technical levels with support at $18,313 and resistance at $20,367.95. Always trade with strict risk management. Your capital is the single most important aspect of your trading business.   Please note that times displayed based on local time zone and are from time of writing this report.   Click HERE to access the full HFM Economic calendar.   Want to learn to trade and analyse the markets? Join our webinars and get analysis and trading ideas combined with better understanding of how markets work. Click HERE to register for FREE!   Click HERE to READ more Market news.   Michalis Efthymiou HFMarkets   Disclaimer: This material is provided as a general marketing communication for information purposes only and does not constitute an independent investment research. Nothing in this communication contains, or should be considered as containing, an investment advice or an investment recommendation or a solicitation for the purpose of buying or selling of any financial instrument. All information provided is gathered from reputable sources and any information containing an indication of past performance is not a guarantee or reliable indicator of future performance. Users acknowledge that any investment in Leveraged Products is characterized by a certain degree of uncertainty and that any investment of this nature involves a high level of risk for which the users are solely responsible and liable. We assume no liability for any loss arising from any investment made based on the information provided in this communication. This communication must not be reproduced or further distributed without our prior written permission.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.