Yorkieabroad

Can anyone recommend a reasonable execution only stockbroker that'll trade London equities for a new US based personal client (me!) that holds the physical share certificates (rather than thru a clients account).

I do most of my stuff through eTrade, but I have a bunch of share certificates that I bought a few years ago on a hunch that didn't pay off -minor oil exploration company about to strike it big blah blah blah - lost about 90% of value when they drilled a few dry holes, but now with the oil price where it is, they've recovered all of that plus a bit on the basis of the few reserves they have, so I want to unload them. Bought them through First Direct, but they've stopped their phone dealing for this, so looking for a way to sell - any ideas anyone?

Thanks

Rompers

I use Fastrade, who are very good.

I don't know about the physical share certificates but Fastrade have been very helpful with other matters.

britontour

Not sure if it makes a difference being a US client but I use www.squaregain.co.uk not the cheapest but they manage all the certificates, old certificates can be posted to them when you setup a new account.

Biggest problem is keeping tabs on the shares I have, as the LSE is usually closed by the time I think about it.

Anyone know of any good USA share tip sites that way I can deal during MT.

Rompers

I avoid share tip sites and use a stockbroker for execution only.

Stockbroker n. A person who invests your money until it's all gone.

(Oscar Wilde?)

britontour

Yes I do execution only I usually look for shares that have dropped in price and try to find out why and if they could recover, on the whole its been a pretty successful way of doing it no loses yet. This works ok in the UK but I need to understand a little more on how the USA market works probably select a few shares to watch first before I put the cash in.

Rompers

I only trade UK shares as I don't understand the US market. I can see how being on MT would be a problem though. Have you thought about starting with shares that are dual listed?

britontour

No good point might be worth look.

Yorkieabroad

[QUOTE=britontour]Not sure if it makes a difference being a US client but I use www.squaregain.co.uk not the cheapest but they manage all the certificates, old certificates can be posted to them when you setup a new account.

QUOTE]

Thanks - I'll have a look at that. eTrade (that I am with) offer the same facility - ie mail them the certs and they put them in your client account, but it takes 3 weeks or so, and I may want to sell before that..First Direct used to execute the trade for you, then you sent them the share certificate with the paperwork within a certain timeframe - I was hoping there would be someone else out there that did similar...

britontour

[QUOTE=Yorkieabroad] I think you can do it that way as well with Square Gain, when they sell the shares you tell them the amount and if there are any discrepensis with what you hold then you have to buy those shares at the current market value.

Yorkieabroad

[QUOTE=britontour] Thanks - I'll give em a call tomorrow.

Giantaxe

Will these places open accounts for US-based investors, or do you need to use a UK address?

anotherlimey

I thought you could do this with your high street bank?

Yorkieabroad

Which highstreet? US or UK? I used to be able to do it with First Direct int he UK, but they don't do it any more.

Yorkieabroad

Don't know - have asked them the question and waiting for reply..will let you know

anotherlimey

HSBC used to do it, but you'd have to be an account holder, and you had to send them the certificates before they would sell them.