Useful tools and resources to help you invest
We take a look at the tools and resources we offer which could help you when making investment decisions and managing your portfolio.
Important notes
This article isn’t personal advice. If you’re not sure whether an investment is right for you please seek advice. If you choose to invest the value of your investment will rise and fall, so you could get back less than you put in.
20 July 2020
If you're looking to take control of your finances or start investing, it can be tricky knowing how to go about it.
Here are some of the most valuable tools, resources and calculators we offer, which could help make investing easier for you.
This article, our information and tools aren't personal advice. If you're not sure if an investment or course of action is right for you please ask us for advice. All investments fall as well as rise in value, so you could get back less than you invest.
Tools and resources
Find out how to start investing
Our learn page can be a valuable resource if you're just beginning to invest.
It explains the basics, as well as the risks of investing. It's a great place to start and build up your knowledge around topics like compounding, investing behaviours and diversification.
We also feature some steps we think all investors should bear in mind when building a portfolio.
Analyse your portfolio quickly and easily
We've written before about making sure you have a diversified and balanced portfolio. But how do you know if this is the case?
The idea of looking at every single fund factsheet to see the underlying holdings and cross-referencing with your investment account sounds like a pain.
Help is at hand.
Our Portfolio Analysis Tool can quickly show you a breakdown of your investments.
It lets you look at your portfolio in a variety of ways, including by sector, company and geographical area. It can show you where you're heavily invested, and where you're not.
You can also find the tool every time you login. It's in the 'Portfolio analysis' tab of your HL account on our website. You can also try out a demo version below.
Keep an eye out for new investments
Now you have an easy way to review what you've already got, you might want to look out for new opportunities too.
Watchlists can help you track both new and existing investments.
Far from a list of Swiss timepieces, this tool lets you add any investment we offer to a virtual portfolio.
It should help you keep an eye on funds, shares, bonds, ETFs and investment trusts before you invest. Or you can keep a track of how things could do alongside your existing investments.
You can set up multiple lists, add and remove investments as you choose, and even copy existing accounts to your lists.
HL clients can use Watchlists on our website. There's even a tour in the top right to help get you started.
Your Watchlists on our website can also sync up with the app and you can even set them to be viewed without having to log in.
If you're not an HL client yet, our Watchlists are available to everyone via the HL app for iOS and Android™ by tapping on the 'eye' icon.
Live prices
If you have an HL account you can see live prices for most UK shares – funds are usually only valued once a day. Live share prices will be shown when markets open and throughout the day.
You'll be able to see live prices on the app, or when logged in to your online account. Once enabled, you can edit your preferences, including being able to view live prices while logged out.
You can change your setting on the app by tapping the cog wheel in the right hand corner while logged in. To do this on our website, you can visit the 'Share dealing and live prices' section of 'Account settings' while logged in.
Find out more about live prices
View your live prices preferences in your account online
Our research
We provide research on funds, shares and investment trusts which can help you filter through the noise. Our research can help you stay up to date with HL's views on the markets and investments.
Our fund research team give updates on a wide variety of funds and regularly provide updates on major sectors.
They also cover a range of popular investment trusts and you can register to receive these updates via email.
Sign up for investment trust updates
Our share research covers a number of FTSE 100, FTSE 250 and overseas shares.
Find out more about how to use share research
We can email you when we write updates about shares you hold or are interested in. You'll get email updates automatically if you're invested in the company, but you can also sign up for stocks you don't hold below.
Sign up for share research emails
Calculators
Find out how much you could receive when you retire
Lots of us are investing to build up a pot for retirement.
The end goal for some is many years ahead. Others are starting to consider taking their pension.
A recent report by Loughborough University and the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association, says that to have a comfortable retirement you'll probably need an income of over £33,000 a year, but how do you find out where you currently stand?
Our pensions calculator will help you work out if you're on track to receive the income you expect when you start taking money from your pension. Please note the figures our calculator uses are just examples and won't necessarily be what you end up with.
From here you can work out if you might need to start making additional contributions if you can, or delay your retirement.
In the ‘Advanced options', you can select your estimated annual growth and charges.
Pensions are meant for retirement so you can't normally access your money until age 55, rising to 57 from 2028.
Regular investing calculator
If you're thinking about investing monthly with a Direct Debit, our calculator can show you how far your investments could take you. It'll take in to account some assumptions and show you the power of saving regular small amounts over time.
You can specify a monthly amount and the timeframe you're looking to invest for.
You can also use our calculator to work out how much you need to invest monthly to reach your goals, and to work out how long you might need to invest for.
Please note the figures our calculator uses are just examples, and investments can go down as well as up in value, so you could get back less than you put in. The results don't take into account charges or inflation.
Try our regular investing calculator
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Important notes
This article isn’t personal advice. If you’re not sure whether an investment is right for you please seek advice. If you choose to invest the value of your investment will rise and fall, so you could get back less than you put in.
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