Interactive Investor, the popular investment and savings platform, now owned by fund managers Abrdn, has launched shareholder voting in the latest version of its investing app.
In-app shareholder voting
Interactive Investor has added shareholder voting to its investing app. The new feature means eligible shareholders will now be able to vote, via the app, at AGMs and other meetings in the companies they hold shares in.
Private investors have to some extent been disenfranchised from voting by electronic trading, dematerialisation of share certificates and the aggregation of holdings within nominee and custodial accounts.
In truth, they have not lost any of their rights as shareholders they just haven’t been able to exercise them very easily.
A survey conducted by shareholder activists Tulipshare found that only 40% of retail investors in the US had ever voted at an AGM or shareholders meeting.
Until now technology has stood in the way but that seems to be changing.
To access shareholder voting on the II App you will first need to make sure you have the latest version installed on your device, that’s version 6.30 which can be found in the iOS app store and in Google Play.
Once that version of the App is installed Interactive Investor will inform you when there is an opportunity to vote in the stocks that you hold in your portfolio.
Increasing mobile investments
Interactive Investor has also highlighted the increasing use of their mobile app among private investors and traders, and they believe that as much as 25% of all mobile trades, made, in the UK are transacted over their App.
Traders can monitor pending, executed orders and cancelled orders, and view account performance and balances across their accounts.
Using the App traders can access more than 40,000 shares, ETFs, funds and bonds, they can carry out currency conversions from GBP into foreign currencies, and vice versa, for example to dividend payments in or sale proceeds from an overseas holding.
The App also offers news feeds and research, including expert articles on the markets, Market performance data and prices as well as customisable watchlists.
The ability to vote at AGMs and other meetings gives retail investors a voice, and a chance to have their say on important decisions at the companies they own a stake in. And whilst individual votes may not count for much, collectively private investors can be a force to be reckoned with.
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