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Stockopedia Brings Social Networking to UK Stock Market Investors

Stockopedia, (www.stockopedia.co.uk) a London based startup, announces the launch of the first social network for private investors in the UK stock market. Through gathering and harnessing the collective intelligence of the community, the site aims to help its members make better and more informed investment decisions.

Managing Director, Edward Croft, said,

Being a former stockbroker, I'sve seen first hand the conflicts of interest and institutional biases that can exist in the City. UK Private Investors own 10 to 20% of UK listed companies but are hugely under catered for. The features of Stockopedia are designed to cut out the middle-man and give individual investors the ability to collaborate and share investment ideas directly with each other.

Inspired by the examples of success stories such as Wikipedia, Librarything and Facebook, Stockopedia uses social media such as tagging, wikis, friend finders and forums to encourage dialogue and activity.By monitoring users's investment interests, the Stockopedia recommendation engine can then introduce them to related companies in much the same way that Amazon introduces users to related books. As Edward Croft continued

The site allows users to easily follow themes and investment trends - by using social bookmarks and tagging to categorise the market, we are challenging the traditional top down hierarchy of sector categorisation. We aim to introduce our users to companies which are more laterally related and which they may otherwise miss.

One of the problems that private investors have compared with traditional institutions is a lack of access to company management. To counteract this, Stockopedia will give shareholders the ability to create groups and associated event calendars in order to better mobilize themselves.

Stockopedia will allow small investors to club together and constructively participate in a dialogue with the companies in which they invest - in the same way that the institutions do now, added Simon Stevens, Director of Throgmorton Trust plc and Siem Capital. It should be a valuable tool for directors like me to hear directly from private investors. It fits well with the current trend's8230;. the rise of the Instividual.

The current financial crisis is changing the structure of investment banking. It remains to be seen whether their research departments will survive increased regulation and job losses. Reuters News recently reported that 40,000 jobs could be lost in the UK finance sector by 2010. Many city professionals with time on their hands are signing up to sites such as Stockopedia in order to access quality research when investing their own funds.

Quotes

Stockopedia is just getting started but it could be the site that levels the playing field between the private and institutional investor said James Fowler, Partner, Quantmetrics Capital Management LLP.

UK financial information sites haven'st developed much in the last 5 years and they all have their own drawbacks. Private investors are crying out for a one-stop website that can fulfill their needs for both financial data and social interaction, I can see a big gap in the market for a site like Stockopedia said Private investor and finance professional, Dominic Williams.

About Stockopedia

Founded in 2007, Stockopedia is a social research network for Individual Investors. More than just a community site, Stockopedia is a fully featured market data platform aggregating opinion, prices and news while customising content according to the interests of each user. To view and/or contribute to quality user-generated investment insight and research, visit Stockopedia at

www.stockopedia.co.uk/admin/press/01/prweb

Contact:

Nicole McGowan, Media Relations

Stockopedia

07766107059

www.stockopedia.co.uk/admin/press/01/prweb

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