Choosing investments
Through your account with Selftrade you'll have access to a wide range of investments. There's everything from the well-known FTSE100 'blue chip' companies and the UK's best-known Fund Managers to international shares, 'smallcaps' and specialist fund managers. Plus the rapidly expanding Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) sector.
For the more active, adventurous, or experienced investor there's an extensive choice of 'off-market' investments like CFDs and derivatives, as well as market-listed products such as Covered Warrants and Exchange Traded Commodities.
Whichever types of investments you choose, it is important you understand the investment risks associated with each. So please take time to read our Investment Risk Warning.
Getting the balance right
A well-balanced portfolio will contain a mix of some or all of these different types of investments, depending upon your overall investment objectives. You can learn more about this and different strategies too, in the Picking stocks part of our Research & Education section.
Whilst it's generally understood that investing in the stock market involves taking a higher level of risk in exchange for potentially higher returns, different types of investments carry different levels of risk and reward. Finding the class of investments – shares, gilts, funds, ETFs etc – that best suit your aims and then picking the right individual investment is key to successful investing.
We'll help you make those decisions by providing you with free access to information, news and analysis, and by providing tools to help you with your individual selections.
Risk, return … and more
Understanding risk is an essential part of investing. What type and level of risk is acceptable to you, and how do you translate that into choosing investments?
To give you a starting point, use our risk and return ladder to see how different types of investment measure-up; take our risk quiz to help assess your appetite for risk, and take a look at our asset allocation models to see how your investment aims affect your selection.
They are all there to help you put the question of risk into the context of your approach to investing but, as always, if you’re not sure about how these different issues affect to you we’d recommend you seek independent financial advice.
You can also find out more about these issues in our Learning zone.
Trading ideas
Looking for ideas? Selftrade customers have free access to:
- 3 top tips each week from Investors Chronicle >
- A daily review of who's tipping what >
- A mid-day update of the latest analysts' up/down-grades >
SG Listed Product microsite
Find out more about Société Générale covered warrants, Turbos and Listed Structured products.
What's available?
Shares, Funds, Bonds, Warrants ... our guide to the different types of investment you can trade with Selftrade.
Horses for courses
Learn more about different types of investments, how they work and why you might want to include them in your investment portfolio.
Tools to help you choose
Our free investment selection tools will help you find the investments you want. Shares, Funds and Covered Warrant selectors plus calculators to help work out how to achieve your financial goals.
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Selftrade is a trading name and Selftrade® a registered trademark of Talos Securities Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA Register number 208271) and is a member of the London Stock Exchange and PLUS Markets. Talos Securities Ltd is incorporated in England and Wales (Registration No. 4196325, Registered Address: Boatman's House, 2 Selsdon Way, London E14 9LA).
Data Sources: AFX, Bondscape, Dow Jones, FIDES, FTSE, LSE, Morningstar (conditions apply)
