How to use InvestDirect International

Before you can start buying or selling shares, you’ll need to log on to your sharedealing account and view your portfolio page.

1. Log on to online banking using your Secure Key.
2. Find your InvestDirect International account in your list of accounts.
3. Select your account to open it in a separate window.
4. Select ‘My Portfolio’ to access your full sharedealing account.

1. Select ‘Buy’ on the red toolbar.
2. Select the ‘Trade from account’ drop down box near the top of the page and select your nominated HSBC current account. 
3. Enter the name or the code of the shares you want to buy and select ‘Get price’.
4. Enter the number of shares you want to buy in the quantity box.
5. Select ‘Preview order’ to check whether you’re happy with the price. This price is only available for 15 seconds. 
6. You can accept it by choosing ‘Place order’. 
7. If you change your mind, select ‘Cancel’ or ‘Amend’ to return to the previous screen.
8. You can view your order confirmation in ‘Messages’. This is on the left-hand side menu on your portfolio page. You should receive a confirmation within 24 hours.

Once you’ve bought shares, you’re in control of which shares you want to sell and when.

1. Select the ‘Sell’ button on the red toolbar. 
2. Select the ‘Select investment account’ drop down box near the top of the page then the account you want to trade from.
3. Select the blue ‘Sell’ button beside the shares you want to sell. 
4. Enter the number of shares you want to sell in the quantity box, or choose the ‘Sell all’ button.
5. If you want to set a limit on the price you’re willing to sell you shares for, enter a limit price. You’ll need to enter this in pence/cents (for example ‘£1.00’ would be written as ‘100’). 
6. Select ‘Preview order’ to view your order details and check whether you’re happy with the price. This price is only available for 15 seconds.
7. You can accept this by selecting ‘Place order’. If you change your mind, select ‘Cancel’ or ‘Amend’ to return to the previous screen.
8. You can view your order confirmation in ‘Messages’ on the left-hand side menu on your portfolio page. The confirmation should arrive within 24 hours.

When’s the right time to sell?

We’ve got tools to help you make better-informed selling decisions. You can: 

• set up email trade alerts on your portfolio page
• sign up for our weekly e-newsletter to stay up to date with what’s happening in the market
  
  

Good to know

If you place an order outside of our normal market hours, you’ll be shown an indicative price. The actual execution price won’t be received until the order is placed to market.

Because there’s a risk of higher price volatility for orders placed when the markets are closed, you may want to consider entering a limit price. This sets a limit on the price you’re willing to pay or the price you’re willing to sell your shares. 

If you don’t enter a limit price, your order will be executed at the price available at the time it’s placed with the market.