Keeping up with your investments

Where to find the information to run investment clubs

There are a multitude of sources of information you can turn to when you set up your investment club. Here are some suggestions. As a new investor it is important to get investment advice, but there is no substitute for being well informed and doing your own homework, so that you can evaluate any advice you get from professionals.

There are a multitude of sources of information you can turn to when you set up your investment club. Here are some suggestions. As a new investor it is important to get investment advice, but there is no substitute for being well informed and doing your own homework, so that you can evaluate any advice you get from professionals.

One place to start is A Way to Learn, a Way to Earn published by ProShare, normal price £5.99 including postage and packaging, and if you phone 0171 394 5200 and mention you are an Independent reader you pay only £4.99.

Motley Fool also produce a guide for new clubs, A Fool's Guide to Investment Clubs, list price £5.99 and available from Motley Fool if you click on to www.fool.co.uk.

Investment information often costs and you should expect to pay for more detailed, up-to-date information and analysis. But as the internet continues to grow this information is getting cheaper and many companies that used to charge for information are now offering detailed data at low or no cost. If you are not connected, don't despair. There are also many more traditional places to gain useful information on investing and shares.

Your Newspaper

The best place to start to gain an insight into the investment world is in The Independent. Share prices are carried each day. There is also the Independent's website, at www.independent.co.uk.

This site offers a range of advice and services on investment, as well as covering other aspects of personal finance such as mortgages, pensions, credit cards and the like.

Finance Magazines

Investment-related magazines come out weekly and/or monthly basis. These include Investors Chronicle, Shares, Bloomberg Money, The Investor and What Investment.

TV Text

Ceefax on BBC1, page 220, runs 2,000 share prices updated three times a day on a 20- minute delay. FTSE 100 index share prices are updated constantly with a 15-minute delay. The Money section on BBC2, page 232, has personal finance news. C4's Teletext, page 500, carries headlines, 400 share prices updated every 20 minutes, 3,000 share prices updated four times daily and FTSE share prices updated every 20 minutes. All prices are on 20 minutes delay.

Live UK equity share prices are on the Dow UK index, updated every five minutes. Family finance has personal finance information and news and starts on page 540.

Online Share Information

The internet is a good way for the private investor to gain access to up-to-date shareprices and information.

Through the Money World personal finance web site it is possible to access FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 values which are updated every 20 minutes, 20 minutes delayed. The Money World site can be found at www.moneyworld.co.uk and has useful information on other investment subjects.

It also offers a free portfolio tracking service with updates every 10 minutes. Other sites include www.find.co.uk, a useful guide to other sites: www.apcims.org, which lists brokers; www.hemscott.co.uk, www.iii.co.uk and www.ukinvest.com.

Reference Publications

The Estimate Directory contains profits forecasts for 1,400 companies from 40 brokers (0131 473 7070). Company REFS (0120 7278 7769) contains a page of data on all UK quoted equities. The Stock Exchange Yearbook, published by Macmillan is available from business book shops or by calling 020 7324 2343. It has history and financial information on all securities on the London Stock Exchange. Try your local library - some reference publications can be expensive.

TV & Radio

Business Breakfast (6am BBC1 Mon-Fri) and its sister programme Working Lunch (12.30pm BBC2 Mon-Fri) are good updates of UK business news, international market reports and news stories. The Money Programme (Sundays, usually 8pm, BBC2) is useful.

Radio programmes include Money Box (Sat 12 noon and Mon 3 pm on Radio 4), a personal finance programme and MoneyCheck (1.45pm Mon-Fri on Radio 5 Live).