SEATTLE, Dec. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- In its ongoing quest to empower self-directed investors, Capital One ShareBuilder has introduced a selection of new tools designed to help investors research securities and better understand their investments.

"As we approach the New Year, now is a great time for investors to review their portfolio holdings and performance, and determine if their current allocation aligns to their long-term goals," said Dan Greenshields, president of Capital One ShareBuilder. "Self-directed investors are looking to build a sound investing strategy, and these new tools may help them keep track of their investments and better understand the outcomes of their investing decisions as markets and personal circumstances change."

ShareBuilder's new Portfolio Allocation and Performance tools are designed to educate investors on strategic asset allocation and the relationship between allocation and return. The What If I Had Invested tool allows investors to determine how a theoretical investment would have performed.  

• Portfolio Allocation breaks down a portfolio by asset class, market cap and security. This tool may help investors better understand the level of diversification among their asset classes, and determine if they have enough exposure to various asset classes.
• Performance provides a transparent overview of each account's overall performance, highlighting time-weighted returns for specific periods of time. This tool offers investors greater transparency and a clear understanding of gains and losses amongst their investments.
• Using What If I Had Invested, investors can learn how a U.S.-listed stock investment may or may not have paid off (had they actually made the investment). Performance is broken down by total gains and losses, total market value, total transaction fees and annualized and cumulative returns, offering investors insights into specific equities' historical performance.

Capital One ShareBuilder also introduced a new Global Markets research and trading tool available on its iPad tablet app, enabling investors to track 19 major global exchanges (three domestic and 16 international) and research the indexes, ETFs, mutual funds and equities that provide exposure to each country or region. Investors can track performance and make trades from their iPad.

"Today investors are increasingly aware of international markets, and we've seen immense interest in well-known international equities like the Chinese e-commerce site Alibaba. We're also experiencing strong growth in mobile trading, with nearly one-quarter of our trades now being made via mobile device," said Greenshields.

Showcased below, the Global Markets iPad tablet app allows investors to explore a virtual globe to assess the performance of various indexes over time and research securities within each index, as well. 

For full information on each of these products, visit www.sharebuilder.com.

About Capital One ShareBuilder

Capital One ShareBuilder is a leading online investing site for investors who have long-term financial goals and want to say goodbye to investing complexity. Whether you're a seasoned investor or just getting started, ShareBuilder by Capital One has tools and resources to help Americans plan their financial futures. No minimum balance required when you open an account and pay low commissions when investing. Trade when you want, any amount you want, and what you want — stocks, exchange-traded funds, mutual funds, options and retirement tools.

Portfolio Allocation analysis does not ensure a profit or guarantee against a loss. The analysis provided is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be the primary basis of an investment decision or a recommendation to buy or sell securities.

Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

The What If I Had Invested Tool is for informational use only. It should not be considered advice or an invitation to buy or sell. The tool is not intended for use as a basis for an investment decision.

Securities products are offered by Capital One ShareBuilder, Inc., a registered broker-dealer and Member FINRA/SIPC. Capital One ShareBuilder, Inc. is a subsidiary of Capital One Financial Corporation.

Securities products are: Not FDIC insured - Not Bank guaranteed - May lose value

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SOURCE Capital One Financial Corporation

Mary Kate Kim, 617-817-6900, Mary.Kim@capitalone.com