How to Buy Stock Online in Canada

Determine whether you wish to buy stocks through a stand-alone investment account or through your current financial institution. Some of the larger Canadian banks, such as the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), allow customers to invest a portion of their savings account in stocks. On the other hand, stand-alone investment accounts typically offer more features for investors and allow individuals to customize their investing strategy using a variety of investment-specific tools. Thus, stand-alone investment accounts are generally a better choice for investors.
Research the Canadian options for an online stockbroker or investment manager. Trading stocks online offers significant savings over a traditional stockbroker by offering individual investors lower fees for buying and selling. Canada has fewer options when it comes to online stockbrokers. For example, some of the biggest U.S. online stockbrokers (such as ShareBuilder) are not available in Canada. Three of the larger online stockbrokers available to Canadians include the Royal Bank of Canada's Direct Investing service (rbcdirectinvesting.com), ING Canada (ingcanada.com) and Questrade (questrade.com).
Evaluate each online stockbroker. Request detailed information on their pricing plans to find which broker charges the least amount for your investment lifestyle. Not all brokers are alike. Don't choose a broker just because it has what looks like a cheaper plan compared to its competitors. Some of the cheapest plans may require you to invest a certain amount of money each month, thus costing more than a more expensive plan that does not force you to buy a certain amount of stocks.
Register with the online stockbroker of your choice. You will need to provide personal financial information, such as your Social Insurance Number (SIN). You will also need to connect your investment account with a payment option, such as a credit card or a bank account.
Consult another stockbroker before buying stocks, and read books that deal with buying stocks for the first time. The stock market offers great potential to make money, but individuals can also lose money if they don't know what they're doing and invest in a poorly performing stock. Do as much research as you can before buying stocks for the first time. Many online stockbrokers provide guides and can help you select the right stocks for the level of risk you are willing to take. Typically, the higher the risk level, the more money you can lose (and earn).
Keep track of your stock market earnings from buying and selling stocks. Each year, you will have to pay taxes to the federal government of Canada on any capital gains you have made in your investments. Read the Canada Revenue Agency's guide to capital gains (see Resources).

How to Sell Stock After the IPO (4 Steps)

Speak to the company's CFO or a finance executive about your current shares. The CFO or financial executive should be able to tell you what you have and the value of your stock in the company.
Determine when you are able to sell your shares. In some cases, you cannot sell your shares immediately following an IPO. This depends on the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and your company's policy on individual shares. This delay is typically called a 'holdout period' or 'lockout period.'
Discuss the options you have to sell the stock with your company's financial manager. Do you need to go through a specific broker or firm? If so, contact that broker to sell your stock. Obtain your certificate for the amount of shares you own.
Bring your stock certificate to your bank and ask for the investment officer. Ask the investment officer to sell the stock at the current price. The value of the stock will be returned to you, usually within three days.

How to Become a Stock Investor

Contact your employer and review the stock market investments you have at work. If you work for a for profit company, you might have access to a 401k plan that can be invested in the stock market. Employees of public institutions can invest in a 403b plan. In addition, some companies sponsor employee stock purchase plans that allow workers to purchase company stock through payroll deductions.
Contact several online brokerage firms if you want to invest in individual stocks. The price of trades at online brokers like E*Trade, TD Ameritrade and Scottrade can be less than $10 each.
Review the requirements for an online brokerage account and make sure you meet them. Each broker will have different minimum balance requirements, and if you do not meet the minimum requirements you might be subject to maintenance charges and other fees.
Contact several mutual fund companies and request a prospectus for their managed and index funds. A study of mutual funds reported in Money Magazine found that most managed funds fail to outperform the index over the long-term, so choosing an index fund can be a good move.
Complete the application for the online brokerage firm or mutual fund you wish to use, then submit the completed form and your initial deposit to the address listed on the form. Keep in mind that some firms use a separate address for regular and overnight mail, so be sure to send the application to the right address.

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

Hire a stockbroker who is registered with the Australian Stock Exchange. Your stockbroker will help you fill out agreement forms, set up an international account for trades and advise you on changes in the market before you invest.
Gather friends and fellow investors together to follow the Australian stock market in an investment club. These clubs are popular all over the world because they allow investors to share in the educational experience of the nature of stock exchanges. Your club should gather regularly to observe rising stocks and discuss individual portfolios.
Purchase futures on the Australian Stock Exchange to counteract riskier investments. Those who invest in futures sell their shares back to the market at predetermined times with prices established before transactions are made. These investment tools give you longer-range stocks to mix with your day trading and other ventures.
Supply money to biotechnology firms through the Australian exchange to take advantage of the country's rapidly expanding industry. Hundreds of publicly owned biotech firms in Australia are accessible to foreign investors. These stocks are ideal if you want to invest over the long term in a gradually growing industry.
Decrease your risk level in Australian stocks by using listed-management investments. These investments are identical to common shares in terms of trading and transaction regulations but differ because they represent multiple companies in a single industry. Your use of this financial tool allows you to invest in banks, retailers and other companies of different sizes in one transaction.
Organize committed investors in your area into a self-managed superfund. These funds require fewer than five members and a long-term investment plan registered with the Australian Taxation Office. Your use of a superfund decreases risk because each member is an equal trustee, with a similar stake in the Australian market.