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Online stock trading makes it easy and affordable for anyone to begin investing in shares through the Irish Stock Exchange (or ISE, trading as Euronext Dublin) and other markets. Learn how online stock trading platforms work in Ireland, how to make money from stocks, what kinds of fees you’ll pay and what all that confusing terminology means in this guide.

How does stock trading work in Ireland?

Stocks and shares represent the partial ownership of a company. Selling these stocks or shares can raise funds for that company’s expansion and give you a profit. Shareholders, or investors, buy and sell shares through stock markets, such as Euronext Dublin.

A company’s share price changes several times throughout the day as people buy and sell the shares, so most shareholders aim to buy shares when they’re low in cost and sell when the price of the share increases in order to make a profit.

Where do I trade stocks in Ireland?

For Irish-listed companies, all stock trading is done through the ISE, which lists more than 50 companies. Overseas shares are traded on a variety of exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the NASDAQ and the London Stock Exchange (LSE).

How do I buy stocks in Ireland?

In the pre-Internet era, the only way to buy or sell stocks and shares was by hiring a full-service stockbroker, which could be expensive and time consuming. Today, investors can buy and sell shares themselves through online trading platforms with the click of a button.

Using an online investment platform is far cheaper for individual investors than using full-service brokers. When you buy shares online, you’ll pay a brokerage fee for each transaction, which typically ranges from €2.50 to €10 for ISE trades, as opposed to €20 to €100 for full-service brokers.

The standard ISE trading hours are 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, while other global exchanges keep similar hours. Along with investing in stocks, you can trade in index funds such as exchange-traded funds or ETFs (which track the performance of a range of stocks) and other products.

Compare brokerage fees on Irish stock trading accounts

Brokerage fees are an important factor when comparing trading platforms. However, there are other things to consider too. While stock trading accounts in Ireland tend to highlight the lowest available brokerage fee, this is usually impacted by how often you trade and how much you trade. Some accounts also have monthly inactivity fees if you don’t place any trades for a specific period of time.

How can I make money from investing?

There are two main ways to make money from investing in stocks:

• Capital growth. If you can sell your stocks for a higher price than what you paid for them you’ll make a profit. This is known as capital growth, given that your initial capital (your stocks or shares) has increased in value. This is possible both with short-term investments (where you sell the shares after a brief period of time) and over longer periods.
• Dividends. Some (but not all) companies pay regular dividends to their shareholders, based on the amount of profit they make, which can provide an ongoing income stream plus tax advantages for certain investors. Dividend payments are a great form of passive income and it means investors may never need to sell their shares in order to make a profit.

What is a blue chip stock?

Blue chip stocks are large companies that are financially strong and have a solid track record of producing good earnings to shareholders. Typically, they are industry leaders and household brands. Investing in blue chip stocks could be a good strategy for beginners, as they are usually considered to be very stable and have been in the market for a long time.

What should I consider before investing?

There are certain questions you should ask yourself before you start investing in Ireland:

• Have you got an emergency fund? If you have a bit of cash floating about and don’t have an emergency fund, it could be worth putting it aside in an easy access savings account to make sure you can get hold of it if you need it. Ideally, you have a couple of months worth of living expenses set aside in case anything goes wrong, just to ensure that you’re covered.
• Do you have any debt? If you have any expensive debt like credit cards, loans, payday loans or anything else in that category, consider paying the debt off before investing in stocks. The likelihood is that you’ll save more money in interest on these balances than you’d earn by investing.
• How much money do you have to invest? The amount you have available to invest makes a huge difference in what you’ll want to invest in.
• How long do you want to invest for? This is a huge consideration when investing. If you think you’ll need the money in the next three years, it’s probably not a good idea to invest it in stocks. You’re better off looking for a savings account to put it away. If you’ll need it soon, make sure it’s easy access.

How do I choose the best investment platform in Ireland for me?

When choosing an online stock trading platform, consider the following factors:

• Broker fees. This is the fee that is charged every time you buy and sell stocks. Brokers charge different fees depending on the product you’re trading (e.g. global shares, local shares, options), how often you trade in a month and the size of the trade.
• Monthly fees. Some brokers in Ireland charge ongoing subscription fees or additional inactivity fees if you don’t make any trades within a certain period of time. This may or may not suit you depending on your trading requirements.
• Availability of advice and research options. Online brokers sometimes offer market news and updates, as well as other research tools that will let you investigate the trading history of individual stocks.
• Integration with bank accounts. Some services let you transfer money easily from your trading account to a current or savings account. Others offer linked debit cards to use with your accounts.
• Access to global markets. If you want to invest in offshore exchanges, such as the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), check what options are available with each service.
• Foreign exchange fees. If you’re interested in trading global stocks, you’ll want to check what the foreign exchange (FX) fee is for converting your euros into the foreign currency of choice.
• Other trading options. Other products offered by some online brokers in Ireland include forex, CFDs, managed funds and options trading.
• Customer support. Check what level of customer support is available, what hours it’s available and if the support team is based locally in Ireland. This is particularly important for new investors.

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Tips for investing in Ireland

Here are some tips to help get you started:

• Read the news. It’s important to stay up to date with the broader economy, and learn how major events such as national elections impact the stock price of various companies.
• Research companies before buying stocks. If you want to buy stocks or shares in a company, research as much as you can about the company before making your final decision. It’s a good idea to read the company’s annual reports and meeting minutes to learn what’s coming up in the pipe-line, and what changes will be made that could affect its stock price.
• Consider blue chip companies. This is a good strategy for people new to the stock market, as blue chips often have more stable returns, are less volatile and often pay dividends.
• Diversify. Say you had €5,000 to invest in the stock market. Rather than invest it all in one company, consider spreading it out across a few companies from different industries. Diversification will help lower your risk, and ensure you don’t have all your eggs in one basket.

Stock trading glossary – learn the key stock trading terms and what they mean

• Bear market: This term refers to when prices on the market are falling and further falls are expected to occur
• Blue chip stock: A blue chip stock is a large company with a steady history of turning a profit
• Brokerage fee: This is the fee you must pay to a stock trading platform when you use the platform to buy or sell stocks
• Bull market: This is the opposite to a bear market. This term applies when stock market prices are rising and expected to continue to rise
• Contract note: This confirms a buy or sell transaction and includes details such as the type of stock, the price paid and the quantity traded
• Dividend: A company can distribute its profits or earnings to shareholders in the form of dividends. A dividend is calculated as a number of cents for each share you own
• Float: The initial raising of capital through public subscription to a security
• Fundamental analysis: This involves analysing the financial statements of a business to determine its overall financial standing
• Futures: Futures are contracts to buy or sell an asset at a specified future date
• ISE: The abbreviation for the Irish Stock Exchange, which trades as Euronext Dublin
• Limit order: A limit order specifies the maximum (when buying) or minimum (when selling) price you are willing to accept for a stock transaction
• Listed company: Listed companies have shares that are purchased and sold through the ISE
• Live price: This is the price of a stock at a precise moment in time
• Market order: A market order is an order to buy or sell a stock at its current market price
• Short selling: This is when you borrow a security and subsequently sell it, with the obligation to buy it back in future at a much lower price
• Volatility: This reflects the amount of fluctuation in stock prices
• Warrant: This gives its holder the right to purchase a security within a certain timeframe and at a specific price
• Yield: This is your return on an investment and is expressed as a percentage