Interactive Investor free share trading service

Online stock broker and fund supermarket, Interactive Investor, announced its Portfolio Builder shares service will be free until 30 June 2010.

As a result, retail investors will be able to purchase shares on a regular basis absolutely free of charge - this applies to both current and new investors. Traders simply select one of four monthly dates on which to invest.

The portfolio builder service is ideal for those new to investing in equities and, as an added advantage, can be used within an ISA or SIPP account.

Rebecca O'Keeffe, head of investment at Interactive Investor, said: "Trading volumes have risen sharply this year as the markets have rallied since the slump. In addition, our share of retail trades has risen seven fold over the last two years, helped by consumers increasingly turning to online trading for its ease of use and cost savings benefits. We hope this free trading service will encourage more people to access the markets or switch from other, more expensive, services. When combined with our ISA account, which has no management or other administration fees, this is a great, low cost, way to invest.

"Portfolio Builder, which is now free, with us, for the next 9 months, is ideal for people who are starting out investing, or who want to take their first steps towards building a portfolio of shares for their long-term future. It is also perfect for those who want to build up core holdings of particular stocks, whilst retaining the ability to trade real-time as well.

"The key advantage of the Portfolio Builder service is its flexibility. You can control where and how much you invest at any time by stopping and starting the plan whenever you like, and even suspending a monthly payment if you have other financial priorities. It is a truly flexible way to build up a portfolio of investments, while taking advantage of zero-priced commissions.

"Regular investments also allow retails investors to have access to the stock market with modest amounts of money. It acts as a way of investing in the long-term and reduces the problem of any short-term volatility in the stock markets. The current volatility in the market may put off some investors, so making regular payments can remove some of the risk."

For more information, visit iii.co.uk.