Friday, February 8, 2013

Stock Market Investing For OFWs


Investing in stock shares is the most popular investment when it comes to paper or portfolio assets. You buy shares of stocks of listed companies in the Philippine Stock Exchange and sell them at a future time to gain profits. However, some investors who engaged in this type of investment experienced losses than gain due to the uncertainty and volatility of the share prices over time. A gain on share price today may unexpectedly turn into a loss tomorrow because of the changes in the market trend.

If you are an Overseas Filipino Worker and wanted to invest in stocks or equities, your first objective is to open your online trading account. However, the main hindrance for you is your physical presence to apply for one. The reason behind is that most stock brokerage firms offering this type of trading platform require the applicant’s personal appearance during the application process. The best time for you to do this is during your vacation which, for most land-based workers, happened annually. For sea-based workers, it may happen more frequently within a year.

If you are really driven to invest in stocks through the online trading platform, the following steps would guide you through the process.


STEP 1. CHOOSE AN ONLINE TRADING PLATFORM

At present there are several banks and stock brokerage firms which offer online trading facilities. You can select among these providers which will give you the best features to help you succeed in your stock shares investing.

To view the list of banks and stocks brokers which offers online stock trading facility, you can click on this link HERE. These are the list of the different online stocks trading platform and the requirements in opening an account.

It is more beneficial if the online trading platform you would chose may have an established online link with your bank account. This way you can fund your online trading account from your bank account or withdraw some of your investment returns from your online trading account in favor of your bank account.

Personally, my favorite online trading platform is BPI Trade. BPI’s online facilities gave me the convenience to fund my BPI Trade account through my BPI savings account by using the BPI Express Online facility anytime and anywhere I am.


STEP 2. PLAN TO OPEN AN ONLINE TRADING ACCOUNT

Most of the banks and stock brokerage firms from the list mentioned require your presence to sign and submit your application forms before they can process your online trading account application. For an OFW, the best time to apply for your online trading account is during your annual vacation.

Prepare all the necessary documents required in applying for your trading account. Check the nearest branch of the bank or stock brokerage firm near your area. During your annual vacation, you are ready to apply for your online trading account with the bank or stock brokerage firm of your choice.


STEP 3. APPLY FOR A BANK ACCOUNT

One of the most important requirements of opening an online trading account is having your bank account. This bank account will serve as your settlement account for your online trading account.

For convenience, open a bank account with an existing arrangement with the online trading platform provider. It would be more comfortable if your bank and your online trading account were provided by the same company.

An example of this is BPITrade and Bank of Philippine Islands, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation and RCBC ezTrade and Metrobank and First Metrosec Online.
Citiseconline, on the other hand, has a merchant payment arrangement with BPI, Metrobank and BDO Unibank, Inc.

Once you have your bank account, enroll it with the bank’s online internet banking facilities. Use this facility to monitor your account transactions as well as do fund transfers into your online trading account. Once you’re back into your work destinations abroad, do your banking and online trading through the internet.


STEP 4. APPLY FOR ONLINE TRADING ACCOUNT

Submit all the necessary requirements for your online trading account application. It will take few days for your account to be approved. Once your account is confirmed, you can fund your trading account by transferring fund from your settlement account via the internet banking facilities of your bank. Each online trading account may have minimum balance to be maintained. Please read the fine prints in your online trading facility user agreement to make sure about this.


STEP 5. BUY STOCK SHARES ONLINE

Fund your online trading account with sufficient amount to buy shares of stocks. In building your portfolio of stocks, you can implement the different stock investing strategies discussed here in PISO Ni Juan like the Peso Cost Averaging or the Peso Value Averaging methods whichever type you are comfortable with.

We are also posting the top performing stocks here at PISO Ni Juan on a monthly basis for you to be updated on the current stocks trends in the Philippine Stocks Exchange.

For regular updates regarding investing and personal finance, we encourage you to join our mailing lists and our groups account in Google+ and Facebook.


STEP 6. MONITOR THE PERFORMANCE OF YOUR PORTFOLIO

Monitor your stocks investment portfolio through your online trading account. Through your online trading platform, you can see the actual buying and selling actions in the Philippine Stock Exchange. You can participate on the current trading by posting your bids to buy shares of stocks or make an offer to sell stocks in your portfolio.