TD Waterhouse launches European online trading platform

TD Waterhouse, one of the UK’s leading execution-only brokers, today announces the launch of online trading in European markets.

Markets in France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain are now available online as well as via TD Waterhouse’s existing telephone trading service, enabling retail investors to capitalise on stocks on some of the most buoyant global economies.

Angus Rigby, Chief Executive Officer of TD Waterhouse UK, said: “Interest in trading on foreign markets is booming. We’ve seen a year-on-year doubling of international trade volumes since 2003 and non-UK trades now account for up to ten per cent of our daily volumes. Much of this investor interest has been focussed on US markets, but we expect cheaper trading costs and greater flexibility to drive volumes in European markets as they move online.

Mr Rigby continues, “International trading appeals to those who want to invest directly in some of the world’s best-known companies, and want to do this in real time and on a level playing field with local investors. With no stamp duty in most markets outside the UK, direct access to tens of thousands of companies worldwide, and a flat rate trading commission of £12.50 online, there has never been a better time to look outside the UK for investment opportunities.”

Trading outside the UK allows investors to gain exposure to industry sectors that are not well represented on the London Stock Exchange, and to speculate on companies that are making global news. In recent weeks, some of the most heavily traded international stocks by TD Waterhouse customers have included Nasdaq-listed tech stock Apple and biotech company Dendreon Corporation; Paris-listed communications group Alcatel-Lucent and transport giant Alstom; Toronto-listed ECU Silver Mining; and Euronext-listed banking group ABN AMRO.