All You Need to Know About Shares & Stocks

How to invest in shares?

Before investing in shares, it's important to understand the risks and rewards associated with the stock market. Research and educate yourself. You can start by reading books, articles, or attending seminars.  XTB offers a wide range of educational articles for every trader. You'll need a broker to buy and sell shares on the stock market. Look for a reputable broker that suits your investment goals and budget. XTB offers 5400+ instruments from around the world giving you the opportunity to choose between Forex, Indices, Commodities, Shares and ETFs.  Once you've chosen a broker, you'll need to open an account. This typically involves providing personal information and funding your account with money. Start your journey by creating an account with the award-winning xStation platform. Conduct research on companies and industries that interest you.

Look at their financial statements, management team, growth potential, and industry trends.Once you've identified the shares you want to buy, you can place an order with your broker. XTB has a guide on how to place your first stock trade. You can choose to buy a set number of shares at the current market price, or set a limit order to buy shares at a specific price. Keep track of your shares and their performance over time. You may want to adjust your investment strategy or sell your shares if they're not performing as expected. You should always monitor your investments. Remember that investing in shares involves risk, and you should never invest more than you can afford to lose. It's also important to diversify your portfolio by investing in a variety of instruments. 

Why do companies introduce shares?

Companies introduce shares in order to raise capital or financing for their operations. By issuing shares, the company can sell ownership stakes to investors who believe in the company's potential for growth and profitability.When a company sells shares to the public, it is known as an initial public offering (IPO). An IPO allows the company to raise significant amounts of capital by selling a portion of the ownership of the company to a large number of investors. This capital can then be used to fund the company's growth, research and development, or other projects.

In addition to raising capital, shares provide a number of other benefits to companies. Shareholders may be more likely to support the company and its management team, as they have a vested interest in the company's success. Furthermore, the company may be able to use its shares as a currency for acquisitions or other strategic investments.Finally, shares also provide liquidity for investors. By being able to buy and sell shares on public exchanges, investors can easily enter and exit positions in the company, allowing them to manage their investments and respond to changes in market conditions.

What’s the difference between stocks and shares?

In general usage, the terms "stocks" and "shares" are often used interchangeably to refer to ownership in a company. However, there are some subtle differences in their meanings:

Shares typically refer to the individual units of ownership in a company that are available for purchase. When a company is formed, it may issue a certain number of shares of stock, each of which represents a portion of ownership in the company. Shares can be publicly traded on stock exchanges or held privately by individuals or institutions.

Stocks, on the other hand, are a broader term that encompasses all of the shares of ownership in a company. The stock of a company represents the total value of all of the shares combined. So, if a company has issued 1,000 shares of stock, the stock would represent the value of those 1,000 shares.

In essence, shares are the individual units of ownership, while stocks are the collective value of those shares.

What are fractional shares?

Fractional shares are portions or fractions of a full share of a company's stock. Instead of purchasing a whole share, investors can buy a smaller, more affordable piece of the share. Fractional shares have become more popular with the rise of commission-free trading and investing apps, which allow investors to buy and sell fractional shares in real-time. Fractional shares are often used to diversify an investment portfolio, as investors can purchase small portions of multiple stocks or exchange-traded funds (ETFs) rather than investing all their money in one or two companies. Additionally, fractional shares can be useful for investors who want to reinvest dividends, as they can buy additional fractional shares with the dividends they receive.

How to choose the best companies to invest in?

Choosing the best companies to invest in can be a challenging task, but there are several factors you can consider to make an informed decision. Here are some steps to follow:

• Research the company: Before investing in a company, research its financial statements, earnings reports, and other relevant information. Look for information about the company's revenue growth, profit margins, and cash flow. You can also consider the company's management team, competitive advantage, and market share.
• Look for competitive advantage: Consider whether the company has a sustainable competitive advantage, such as a strong brand, unique technology, or a dominant market position. This can help the company maintain profitability and growth over the long term.
• Check the industry trends: Evaluate the current state of the industry in which the company operates. Look for trends that could impact the company's performance, such as changes in consumer preferences, new regulations, or technological advancements.
• Consider valuation: Evaluate the company's current valuation compared to its historical valuation and its peers. A company that is undervalued relative to its peers may be a good investment opportunity.
• Diversify: It's important to diversify your investments across multiple companies and industries to reduce your risk. Avoid putting all your money into a single company, as this can be risky.

What are the differences between dividend stocks and shares?

Shares and dividend stocks are closely related but are not the same thing.

A share is a unit of ownership in a company, representing a portion of its total value. When you purchase a share, you become a part owner of the company and have the right to vote on important company decisions, such as electing the board of directors or making changes to the company's charter. Dividend stocks are shares of companies that pay regular dividends to their shareholders. Dividends are payments made by companies to their shareholders as a portion of their profits. The amount of the dividend paid to each shareholder is typically determined by the company's board of directors.

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So, in summary, all dividend stocks are shares, but not all shares are dividend stocks. Shares represent ownership in a company, while dividend stocks are shares of companies that pay regular dividends to their shareholders.

What is the Stock Exchange?

The stock exchange is a centralised marketplace where stocks and other financial securities are bought and sold by traders and investors. It is a platform that facilitates the buying and selling of stocks, bonds, options, futures, and other financial instruments. The stock exchange provides a transparent and regulated marketplace where investors can buy and sell securities based on the prevailing market prices. The prices of securities are determined by the forces of supply and demand, and they fluctuate based on a variety of factors, such as economic indicators, company performance, and geopolitical events. The stock exchange plays a crucial role in the economy by providing companies with access to capital and investors with opportunities for wealth creation. What is the best time for trading forex? Within the global market, the four major forex exchange markets are in London, New York, Sydney and Tokyo. Find out more about the markets and the best time to invest here. 

What is withholding tax?

The UK does not impose withholding tax on dividends paid to shareholders.

Instead of a withholding tax, the UK operates a system called the dividend tax regime. Under this regime, dividends are paid to shareholders net of tax, meaning that the tax liability is the responsibility of the shareholder rather than the company distributing the dividends.

As an individual shareholder in the UK, you may be subject to tax on dividends received based on your income tax rate. The current tax rates applicable to dividend income are as follows:

• Basic Rate: If you fall within the basic rate tax band, dividends are taxed at a rate of 8.75%.
• Higher Rate: If you fall within the higher rate tax band, dividends are taxed at a rate of 33.75%.
• Additional Rate: If you fall within the additional rate tax band, dividends are taxed at a rate of 39.35%. 

Please visit or contact HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to ensure you have the most accurate and up-to-date information

If you have a diversified portfolio you will most likely have shares from all over the world. If you have a UK trading account and have bought shares from the US, the US government will charge you tax on any profit you make due to the fact you are not a US citizen.  

If you complete a W8-BEN form (you can do this from the Client Office), you lower the withholding tax for dividends and interests from 30% to 15%. 

Investing in stocks on the XTB trading platform is easy and intuitive. The best way to make a transaction is to use the classic order window that contains full information about the transaction, which can be accessed by clicking the " + " symbol next to the instrument.

If you have any further questions our dedicated team is available to address any questions or concerns you may have. Feel free to reach out to us at uksales@xtb.com, and we will be delighted to provide you with the guidance you need.