Portfolio: Broadening Your Reach To US Stocks

Trading in the US markets has started to become more and more popular among Singaporean investors. Some purchase US stocks for its volatility, while others add US stocks to their portfolio for diversification into international markets.

There are 3 stock exchanges in the US: the NYSE (New York Stock Exchange), AMEX (American Stock Exchange) and NASDAQ (National Association of Securities Dealers). The NYSE is the largest American stock exchange by volume and it lists companies from around the world. The AMEX is a smaller exchange than NYSE, and is typically favored by smaller companies which cannot meet NYSE's strict listing and reporting requirements. The NASDAQ is traditionally heavy with technology stocks, since the exchange was friendly to tech startups in the early days.

With so many US stocks, where do I start?
To begin, it is always good to buy a stock that you are familiar with, one which has a global presence that we come into contact frequently. The Lim & Tan online platform lists the most frequently traded US counters by Lim & Tan clients under the "LTS US" tab.

5 familiar names that were spotted on the Top 100 list are:
Name	Code	Price as of 22May 2015
Apple	AAPL.O	USD 132.54
Facebook	FB.O	USD 80.54
Citigroup	C.N	USD 54.97
Alibaba	BABA.N	USD 86.52
Coca-Cola	KO.N	USD 41.21

Here's another 5 familiar names that we come across in our daily lives:
Name	Code	Price as of 22May 2015
Starbucks	SBUX.O	USD 51.48
Nike	NKE.N	USD 104.43
Walt Disney	DIS.N	USD 110.26
Amazon	AMZN.O	USD 427.63
JP Morgan	JPM.N	USD 66.47

*The minimum no. of shares for purchase in US markets is 1 share.

How do I search for a US stock?
If you are unsure of the stock exchange that the stock is listed in, you can search for the stock under "All US Markets".

How can I find out more info of a US company?
Right-click on the stock name and select "ViewTrade Info" to view individual US counter fundamentals, recommendations & charting.

Do I need to stay up late?
Unless you are a full time US market trader, no, you needn't stay up late. You can place your orders in advance, then check back in at breakfast the next day.
The US market is readily accessible via Lim & Tan online trading platform, LTS Station, Andriod, iPhone & iPad App. Account opening is completely free.