Investing in the stock market
The Sun has selected the investment broker Hargreaves Lansdown to provide this investment section.
Whether you want to invest in funds run by some of the UK’s most highly regarded managers or pick individual shares, you’ll find the information and research you need to help you make your own investment decisions.
What’s more you’ll find out how the award winning range of Hargreaves Lansdown Vantage accounts can help you save money on charges, reduce the tax you pay and make your investments easy to manage. It’s important to remember that the value of your investments can fall as well as rise.
Fund investment ideas
Funds give you the opportunity to leave the picking of individual shares to a fund manager. There's over 2,000 different funds to choose from. Each offers its own unique profile and investment strategy. Hargreaves Lansdown have made it simple for you to find the funds that you think suit your needs.
The investment ideas section highlights a handful of funds we think show potential. You can also view the funds that are currently most popular with Hargreaves Lansdown's clients.
The Hargreaves Lansdown Wealth 150 list is also a great starting point if you're deciding where to invest. Hargreaves Lansdown's research team selects what they believe to be the best funds across all the major sectors so you should find something of interest.
The fund news & alerts section gives you access to the latest news and research on popular funds.
Share tips & research
There’s plenty of information here to help you buy and sell shares. Hargreaves Lansdown's share tipping service – Stock Hunter, gives you expert tips and commentary straight to your email inbox every month. Sign up now for your FREE 12 month subscription.
Visit Top of the Stocks for a weekly view of the shares Hargreaves Lansdown's clients were buying and selling most last week. The FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 pages give you the latest share prices for the UK's top companies.
How to save money when you invest
If you chose to invest in funds, Hargreaves Lansdown has negotiated special terms for clients choosing to invest in funds. This means you can get a discount on the initial charge on over 1,900 funds (typically between 3% and 5.5%). On a £7,200 ISA investment for example, this could instantly save you as much as £396.
Hargreaves Lansdown also save you money every year on the annual management charge of funds with Hargreaves Lansdown's ‘annual loyalty bonuses’ (not available in the SIPP). These bonuses of up to 0.5% of your fund value every year, are available on over 1,200 funds. Just click on a fund you’re interested in and you’ll see the initial and annual savings for that fund in the ‘At a glance’ box.
What’s more, Hargreaves Lansdown make no dealing charge for placing a fund deal both when you buy the fund and when you decide to sell it. All this means that more of your money gets invested.
If you choose to invest in shares, Hargreaves Lansdown's low cost dealing fees start at just £9.95 per deal, again helping you get the most from your investments.
ISA
An ISA (Individual Savings Account) is a simple, tax efficient way to invest. Each year you can invest up to a certain limit - currently £7,200 for this tax year.
In a stocks and shares ISA you can invest your money in funds or shares, manage your investments online and withdraw your money again at any time. What’s more, your investments will grow free from tax.
SIPP
A SIPP (Self Invested Personal Pension) is a type of pension that allows you to personally manage your own choice of investments.
You can invest in funds or shares, your investment will grow free from capital gains tax and you’ll also receive an instant tax boost of 20% on money you pay in to your SIPP. It is a pension so you can only access the money between the ages of 55 and 75, and there are restrictions on how this can be done.
Funds & Shares
If you’ve used your ISA allowance for this tax year and don’t wish to invest in a pension then you may want to consider the Fund & Share Account.
You can choose from over 2,000 funds, shares and other investments, plus manage your account online. You can withdraw your money at any time, but unlike the ISA, any gains will be subject to tax.
Why invest with Hargreaves Lansdown
Hargreaves Lansdown was established in 1981 and has grown to become one of the UK’s leading independent financial service providers and asset management specialists.
The Hargreaves Lansdown Vantage Service enables you to view and manage your ISAs, funds, shares and pensions in a single, convenient place, whilst benefitting from Hargreaves Lansdown's low charges, efficient service and award winning information and research.
Hargreaves Lansdown is a company of financial strength with a listing on the stock market, and is authorised by the FSA. As at 30 June 2008, Hargreaves Lansdown had £11.1 billion of assets under administration or management on behalf of private investors. For more information on the Hargreaves Lansdown business, visit the Investor Relations section of Hargreaves Lansdown's website.
