How to Open a Stock Trading Account (3 Steps)

Set aside funds for trading. You have to fund an account at a brokerage in order to purchase stocks, so it is important to decide how much cash you have available for trading.
Consider the services you need and the costs involved. Brokerage firms fall into three general categories. Online brokers specialize in providing web-based trading tools with a minimum of personal interaction between a client and a broker, and are the least expensive means of trading stocks. Full service firms establish a client-broker relationship, providing someone you can contact for advice or to initiate trades; most full-service firms also provide online trading. Broker-mediated trades at a full service firm charge a commission based on the size of the trade. Discount brokerages also offer personal service, but generally charge smaller fees than a full service broker. It pays to do your homework. Sites such as Motley Fool and Yahoo! Finance offer extensive guidance on considerations for choosing a broker, comparing the dozens of brokerage firms in each major category.
Apply for an account at your selected broker. You can apply online at most firms by clicking 'Open an account,' 'Apply for an account' or a similarly worded link on the company's web page. You have to provide your name and identification information along with your Social Security number and details of your bank accounts. You also need to fund a new account electronically or by sending a check in order to begin trading.

How to Invest in the UK Stock Market (6 Steps)

Search for an experienced broker who is registered with the London Stock Exchange. A number of major American firms have been well-established in London for years and provide expert knowledge on the vagaries of the UK stock market. Approach younger brokers with caution because of the high trading volume in the UK market.
Research available investment trusts to decrease the risk when you invest in the UK market. Investment trusts allow you to invest with a broker who pools client funds to purchase shares in leading stocks. These trusts spread the burden across an entire group of investors while diversifying your portfolio.
Familiarize yourself with the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 markets when you start investing. These are the basic stock and equity markets in the London Exchange because they offer the most fluid transactions available in the British economy.
Speculate in shares of a growing tech stock or expanding medical-supply company through the Alternative Investment Market (AIM). The AIM exchange features a higher level of risk because the 1,500 member companies have a lower profile or less stable financial history than the FTSE 100. Begin your AIM experience by purchasing a few low-priced shares as an experiment.
Find the next big company in the UK economy on the Off Exchange market. This market features unlisted publicly traded companies from other markets that do not have the same trading restrictions. This type of trading should be done only when you have experienced success in the other markets.
Broaden your investment in British companies by the newly created exchange-traded funds (ETF). These funds allow you to invest in a fund that is tied directly to the performance of a specific industry or index.