More than 70% of Australians have set a New Year’s resolution for 2022*. In addition to sorting out personal health and fitness, getting on top of finance is a key goal for many with three out four people saying they have financial goals for the year ahead.
Even though January is already behind us, there is no time like the present to get on top of your investment goals.
If you’re new to investing and not sure where to start, taking some time every week to learn more about different types of investments and how markets work, can help build your confidence and decision-making.
More experienced investors know ongoing research is key when it comes to staying on top of different investment opportunities, new investment categories, market trends and strategies.
ASX provides a range of reports, events and other resources to help investors at all levels – from those starting out through to those who are more experienced.
Here are just a few of the tools you could use to help you navigate through your investment journey.
New investors
Looking to invest for the first time can be daunting. ASX’s resources for new investors can help with quick, easy-to-understand information, as well as tools to help build confidence.
ASX Sharemarket Game
There are few safer places to experience the marketplace first-hand than with ASX’s Sharemarket Game.
The Game runs twice every year and participants sign up to receive a virtual portfolio of $50,000 to invest in a range of ASX 200 shares, a selection of small- and mid-cap companies, as well as Exchange Traded Funds and Listed Investment Companies.
Participants in ASX Sharemarket Games buy and sell shares using real-time data with simulated capital.
These free games are designed to help you learn how the sharemarket works, sharpen your investment skills or challenge others in some friendly competition.
For those interested in exchange-traded options, the ASX/TradeFloor Options Game can help to improve your options skills using real-time data in a simulated format.
The Ideas Exchange by ASX
If you are a fan of the podcast format, you can learn more about investment products by tuning in to The Ideas Exchange by ASX.
In our monthly podcast, the team from ASX exchanges ideas with a range of industry insiders and investment experts.
Getting down to the detail, they discuss everything from investment trends through to different ways to invest using products such as mFunds, ETFs, LICs and REITs.
Listen via the ASX blog or subscribe using your favourite podcast platform.
ASX online courses
For an introduction to different investments, such as shares, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and products (ETPs), ASX offers a range of online courses.
Aimed at beginners, each course module takes 10 to 15 minutes to complete and includes downloadable course materials and self-test quizzes.
Intermediate investors
For intermediate investors, ASX’s market insights, investment trends and expert views can be useful to maintain and keep track of investments and strategies.
ASX seminars and events
ASX hosts a series of seminars and online events, including the ASX CEO Connect series. It’s a great way to hear from CEOs of leading mid- to large-cap ASX-listed companies. Presented in partnership with nabtrade, CEOs discuss their company’s business vision, strategy and latest achievements.
The next ASX CEO Connect is on 1 March 2022 and registration is now open.
Twice a year, ASX hosts ASX Investor Day, now in an on-demand format featuring a range of topics with streams tailored for investors at each stage of their investment journey.
This event equips investors with all the necessary tools and knowledge to improve their investment strategy, better understand signs and signals of the market and build investing confidence.
Choose from a range of topics and hear from some of the sharpest minds in the financial services industry on everything from building a balanced investment portfolio to the psychology of investing and how to know when to buy or sell as you become a more experienced investor.
On-demand webcasts
ASX hosts regular webcasts on a range of topics featuring ASX and market experts. You can watch the webcasts live and ask questions or view recordings on the ASX website.
Webcasts are a convenient way to learn about market trends or ASX investment products from the comfort of your home and in your own time.
Research ASX-listed companies
The ASX Company Directory is a valuable research tool and includes details about all ASX-listed companies. You can sort the list alphabetically, by industry sector, listing date or market capitalisation. Or download the list into a spreadsheet and use the information as a basis for further research.
Investors who follow Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) and emerging companies can sort the directory by listing date to track and follow companies new to ASX.
Advanced investors
More advanced investors may look for in-depth reports and research to supplement their market knowledge and help with their own analysis. ASX offers a range of research and free tools.
Broking research
The ASX Equity Research Scheme has been supporting high-quality independent research on small-cap companies since 2012. The scheme has research on more than 100 ASX-listed companies, from 12 broking firms.
The research is useful for investors who follow companies outside the S&P/ASX 300 index. Smaller companies are often under-covered by brokers or have limited media coverage.
Any investor can subscribe to the ASX Equity Research Scheme. Each Friday afternoon, subscribers receive an email from ASX with links to reports in the past week.
Some emails feature a number of company research reports and stock recommendations from broking firms.
Charting Analysis Tools
Charting is a popular method used by professional traders to evaluate how and when to trade into and out of financial markets.
ASX provides free online charting tools for investors looking to use technical analysis (charting) to decide when to trade into and out of financial markets.
Technical analysis is the study of past price movements of an individual share or a market.
Some traders only use technical analysis; others combine it with their fundamental analysis of company information. Here, fundamental analysis is used to determine a company’s intrinsic (fair) value and technical analysis is used to time when to buy or sell the security.
There are also explanations of key terms and those new to charting can read the ASX’s free Education Course on Technical Analysis.
ASX Investment Products Directory
The ASX Investment Products Directory has the latest information on ASX product listings and quotations, such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs), listed investment companies and trust (LICs and LITs), Australian Real Estate Investment Trusts (A-REITs), infrastructure funds, absolute-return funds and funds offered through the mFund Settlement Service.
The ASX Investment Products Monthly Update provides information on hundreds of investment products across and within asset classes.
Investors can use the report, for example, to identify ETFs that provide exposure to international shares or latest discount/premiums in LICs and LITs to their net tangible assets (NTA).
Free LIC reports from Bell Potter and ASX/Morningstar are also available.
Other useful resources
Upcoming Floats and Listings
ASX provides information on upcoming floats and listings on the exchange. Investors get a snapshot of an initial public offering’s (IPO) principal activities, capital to be raised, issue price and expected listing date. There is also a link to the company’s website for investors who seek more information or to download the IPO prospectus.
Upcoming Floats and Listings is especially useful for investors who follow mid-, small- and micro-cap companies and seek investment opportunities.
Find an Adviser
Finding the right full-service or online broking firm for you is a critical part of investing. The ASX Find an Adviser tool can help.
Find an Adviser connects investors with financial advisers who work as ASX Market Participants.
This easy-to-use, free website suits current or prospective investors who seek financial advice but don’t know where to start.
More than 300 financial advisers are listed on Find an Adviser. ASX Market Participants on the website include Bell Potter, Canaccord Genuity, Evans & Partners, Morgans Financial, Ord Minnett, Shaw and Partners, and Taylor Collison.
Investors can use ASX Find an Adviser to search for advisers near their suburb, and filter the results by distance and investment amount.
Information brochures and glossary
Interested in a product or investment category, but not sure how it works or what the terminology means?
ASX’s brochure page contain a range of downloadable resources that covering a wealth of topics, from an overview of the CHESS system, through to understanding margins, information about taxation for various investment types as well as overviews of different investment types, and strategies.
Plus the A – Z glossary page provides a comprehensive list of terms and definitions used on the Australian sharemarket, making it easy to understand key concepts and acronyms.
Notes:
*Source: https://www.finder.com.au/14-million-aussies-have-a-new-years-resolution-for-2022
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The views, opinions or recommendations of the author in this article are solely those of the author and do not in any way reflect the views, opinions, recommendations, of ASX Limited ABN 98 008 624 691 and its related bodies corporate (“ASX”). ASX makes no representation or warranty with respect to the accuracy, completeness or currency of the content. The content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Independent advice should be obtained from an Australian financial services licensee before making investment decisions. To the extent permitted by law, ASX excludes all liability for any loss or damage arising in any way including by way of negligence.
