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Shares are the units of the ownership of a company, usually traded on the stock market. They are also known as stocks, or equities.
Shares definition
Shares are the units of the ownership of a company, usually traded on the stock market. They are also known as stocks, or equities.
The total number of outstanding shares in a company is equal to its value on the market, or its market cap.
Stock dividends
When a company makes a profit, it can choose to give part of it back to its shareholders in the form of a dividend. Some companies do not offer dividends to shareholders; investors in companies without a dividend will hope to profit when the shares they own increase in value, and can be sold for profit.
Shares are usually traded on stock exchanges, with the use of electronic order books. To trade shares on an exchange, most traders will use a stock broker.
With IG
We offer a variety of different ways to trade shares. You can buy and sell shares with our execution-only share dealing service, or use CFDs and spread bets to speculate on the price movements of shares without taking ownership of them.
Investing news
Visit our investing news section for the latest news and analysis, and where potential investment opportunities may lie.
The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs bought through a share dealing account, a stocks and shares ISA, a SIPP or an IG Smart Portfolio can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. Spread bets and CFDs are leveraged products and can result in losses that exceed deposits. Spread betting and CFD trading are not permitted within the IG SIPP. Please ensure you fully understand the risks and take care to manage your exposure.
iShares® and BlackRock® are registered trademarks of BlackRock, Inc. and its affiliates (“BlackRock”) and are used under license. Further, BlackRock, Inc. and its affiliates including, but not limited to, BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited, are not affiliated with IG Markets Limited and its affiliates. Accordingly, BlackRock makes no representations or warranties regarding the advisability of investing in any product or service offered by IG Markets Limited or any of its affiliates. BlackRock has no obligation or liability in connection with the operation, marketing, trading or sale of any product or service offered by IG Markets Limited or any of its affiliates.
