3 Steps Guide on Buying US Stocks from Canada

While Canada’s stock market offers great investment opportunities, the American stock market remains the international gold standard. It offers favorable costs and ease of investing in US equities for Canadians. Fortunately, several online trading platforms grant access to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ, enabling the purchase of shares in popular companies like Tesla, Netflix, and Meta Platforms (Facebook). Investing in US Stocks from Canada equities is an appealing approach for many Canadians as it is a crucial tool for portfolio diversification. If you’re considering investing in US stocks, you may wonder which trading platform to use and why it is worth investing in US stocks as a Canadian.

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The United States has one of the strongest economies globally, making it an attractive destination for investors. Over the past decade, the S&P500 index on Wall Street has generated an annualized average return of around 14.1%, compared to the S&P/TSX index in Canada, which has generated an annualized average return of about 6.9%.

While stock returns generally follow a bell curve distribution, stock prices can be volatile. However, over the long term, owning stocks can help individuals outperform inflation and accumulate savings for retirement. In fact, from 1825 to 2019, the average total annual return was 9.56%, and nearly 70% of all yearly returns over that period were positive. Therefore, investing in US stocks could be a wise decision for Canadians looking to increase their investment returns.

Investing in US stocks provides Canadians with access to a broader range of companies than those available solely on Canadian exchanges. With the NYSE and NASDAQ being the two largest stock exchanges globally by market capitalization, they offer some of the most profitable investment opportunities. The US market hosts several of the world’s largest growing companies, including FAANG (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google). By investing in US stocks, Canadians can tap into the growth potential of these companies and diversify their investment portfolio.

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Investing in several US stock exchanges, marketplaces, and sectors can increase portfolio diversity and reduce investment risk. A well-diversified portfolio should comprise a wide range of assets to lower overall risk. Owning shares in just a few businesses can expose investors to significant losses. Stock diversification involves investing in several economic market sectors, asset types, and geographic locations to balance the positive and negative performance of various assets. To be effective, it’s essential to hold assets that are not strongly correlated or those that won’t move simultaneously in the same direction and at the same time. By investing in US stocks, Canadians can diversify their investment portfolio and reduce their risk.

Investing in US stocks can be a highly profitable investment for any individual. In the past, purchasing US stocks was a complex and difficult process, but modern technology and innovative methods have made it simpler. Canadians can purchase American stocks through several methods, including:

However, not all trading applications are available in Canada. It’s crucial to check which locations, nations, and exchanges are available, along with the associated costs before choosing a new account or broker. In my opinion, the most straightforward method of purchasing US equities in Canada is through online stock trading platforms that offer access to US markets. By selecting a suitable platform, Canadians can fund their account and begin trading US equities with ease.

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There are several benefits of buying US stocks that Canadians should consider. One of the most significant benefits is access to a broad range of investment opportunities that are not available in Canada. The US market is home to some of the world’s most diversified and powerful corporations, including tech giants like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook.

Another benefit is increased affordability. As more online share trading platforms compete for market share, brokerage costs are decreasing, making it easier and more cost-effective for Canadians to invest in US stocks.

Lastly, owning a diverse portfolio across various asset classes and industries reduces the overall risk of holdings. Market volatility has less impact since investments are spread across a variety of sectors and companies. Owning interests in a variety of funds also ensures that risks associated with a particular sector or company are minimized, leading to greater profits in the long run.

In this blog, we have explored the advantages of buying US stocks for Canadians, including the high returns offered by the S&P500 index, the access to a wider range of firms, and the ease of investing through online trading platforms. As technology has made purchasing stocks much simpler than it used to be, Canadians can now take advantage of the many investment opportunities offered by some of the world’s most diversified and powerful corporations, such as Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook.

Several Canadian online share trading services also provide access to global stock markets. It is recommended to check which locations, nations, and exchanges are available before signing up for a new account or broker. With this knowledge, purchasing US stocks from Canada has become an accessible and profitable investment option. Best of luck with your investments!

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