Survey reveals online traders’ secret deals

A survey of over 1,000 online investors by share dealing expert Alliance Trust reveals almost half (48%) invest while at work, and 14% of online traders confess to pretending to work while doing so.

Of those online share dealers who have enjoyed a substantial windfall from their trading, the survey finds that one in twelve (8%) have hidden a big win from their other half, while 13% of 40-somethings admit literally keeping it to themselves. Men are also the most likely to keep the truth from their partners.

The majority of traders like to invest privately, with over half (58%) saying they go to their study to trade online alone. Nearly two thirds of online investors prefer to rely solely on their own judgement and decisions when buying and selling investments. Only one in five will ask their partner for advice on trading decisions, and only 12% will take professional advice. Women are twice as likely to seek help from their partners as men (33% versus 14%)

Claudia Philips, Managing Director of Investment Dealing at Alliance Trust, comments: “Managing your investment portfolios online can be involving, fun, and rewarding, as long as you’re not jeopardising your day job in the process. Nearly half of the online share dealers we surveyed keep on top of their portfolios in the office, but only one in seven do so under the cover of working.

“Investors do like to follow their instincts and for the majority this is a fairly solitary pursuit, although some prefer to take professional advice along the way. Trading online is an ideal way for self-directed investors to manage their portfolios, taking advantage of increasingly user-friendly research and support services whilst steering clear of unwanted outside interference in their decision-making process.”

Alliance Trust currently offers online sharedealers commission free purchases on UK listed shares and a reduced £5 commission for their online share sales. The offer will apply to all online UK equity trades between 9 July and the 28 September 2007 across Alliance Trust’s dealing, ISA, PEP and Self Select SIPP accounts. To find out more go to: alliancetrust.co.uk/films.