Instead of having to open an account in the U.S., and do all trades in dollars, investors will be able to use a U.K.-based account to buy U.S. shares. Ultimately, the companies hope to expand into other European countries. Meanwhile, Electronic Share Information's current basic services are some of the slickest on the European market. Unfortunately, Europe still doesn't have a single Internet company that allows traders to buy and sell stocks on a pan-European basis. Nonetheless, a few companies are trying.
European investors can also look to start trading more than just shares on-line.
Aimed at small to medium-size companies and wealthy individuals, the CMC service requires clients to register, put down a hefty deposit and undergo due diligence before they can trade. While not for everyone, the service has been lauded as a breakthrough in a trading world traditionally run by mammoth trading organizations. Some European sites are simply good jumping-off points. Grouped into simple, intuitive categories, Qualisteam is a good way to get a feeling for the best global sites in any of these fields. Other sites seek not only to point you in the right direction, but also to provide advice.