First Metro Sec Pro Review

Amazing Interface

Multiple Watchlists

Yup, one of my favorite features of this trading platform is easy creation of multiple watchlists.

You can create and group different watchlists according to your wish and navigate them with ease while viewing their Market Pressure in real time.

Blazing Fast Tools

I’d say it again, First Metro Sec Pro is blazing fast. I think it is designed this way.

Everything is effortlessly quick. So far, I have never experienced any frozen window, error or any glitch at all using this online trading platform.

Catchy Infographics

Market News in Real Time

Excellent Research

Seamless Trading

Consolidated Portfolio

• Amazing Interface
• Multiple Watchlists
• Blazing Fast Tools
• Catchy Infographics
• Market News in Real Time
• Excellent Research
• Seamless Trading
• Consolidated Portfolio

Use of Technology in Investing Still Eludes Millennials
By: Business Mirror
Source: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2018/09/09/use-of-technology-in-investing-still-eludes-millennials-broker/

THE stock brokerage arm of the Metrobank Group said millennials lag behind baby boomers and Gen X in terms of financial literacy.

In a statement released late August, First Metro Securities Brokerage Corp. (FirstMetroSec) said it estimates less than 10 percent of these “digital natives” have an investment or savings in some way or form.

Digital natives is a term attributed to millennials, because using technology for them is said to be innate. However, FirstMetroSec thinks otherwise.

“Millennials in general have a lot of financial aspirations,” FirstMetroSec Business Development Head Andro Leo L. Beltran was quoted in the statement as saying. “Often you’d hear they desire to gain financial independence by the time they reach 40, some [hope to do so] even as early as 30.”

Beltran added the millennials’ wish list “often includes being able to travel the world, spend worry-free and enjoy more-than-average standard of living for themselves and their family.”

“But a great majority has no clear strategy on how to achieve this,” he explained. “And if ever they do, they tend to go conservative, not maximizing the opportunities and resources available to them.”

Sans citing sources, FirstMetroSec said data show less than 1 percent of Filipinos invest in the stock market.

“Although it is where one can significantly grow his money, we noticed that millennials tend to be apprehensive due to unfamiliarity, confusion and intimidation,” Beltran said. “We think this shouldn’t be the case, especially now that technology has already made stock-market investing a lot easier and intuitive, especially for the tech-savvy millennials.”

Beltran finds it paradoxical that the supposed digital natives themselves have fears about stock-market investing.

“If they can figure out how to shop or sell pre-owned items online without the help of a manual, they can surely handle an online trading platform.”

He explained that the concept is pretty much similar.

One can choose the item—or from the listed securities the stock—from a catalog you want to purchase, fund your shopping—or online trading—account, buy—or place a bid—and wait for the item to be delivered to your doorstep in two to three days—or wait for someone to sell the stock.

Beltran added that, just like online shopping, an investor has to do his research.

“If you read reviews or compare prices before you buy items online, you have to do the same when you invest in stocks, lest you find yourselves losing the value of your investment. Although stock investing has many benefits—such as high returns, income from dividend and liquidity—there are also corresponding risks that may be due to market volatility and wrong stock picks, among others.”

“That is why it’s crucial you keep yourselves abreast of what’s happening to the market and the company you wish to invest in. Most online trading accounts give investors access to their research and publications. They are there to guide you in making a smart investment decision,” Beltran said.

He also admonished millennials to stop saying they have no time to trade stocks.

“That is becoming an excuse. Data on Filipinos’ Internet usage suggest otherwise.”

Beltran cited Global Web Index as saying Filipinos are connected to the World Wide Web over five hours daily, with nearly four hours spent on social-media sites.

“We’re not saying social media is bad. In fact, it can even help you get started into investing in the stock market,” Beltran said.

“There are online communities that promote healthy exchange of ideas and knowledge about investing.”

He added FirstMetroSec is advocating for “a more balanced and purposeful use of your time online.”

“You only need 10 minutes on average to trade stocks, so it’s really not time-consuming,” the brokerage executive said. “You can even use your smartphones.”

Beltran, of course, cited online stockbrokers like FirstMetroSec have a mobile app version of their online trading platform. “You can trade wherever you are.”

“If you’re still apprehensive, you can always get guidance from experts. Don’t be paralyzed by fear of the market,” Beltran said. “You are bound to lose more in the end if you don’t act.”

He said millennials can connect with investing influencers if they are on online social-networking platforms.

“A lot of them are more than willing to give assistance to those who are really interested.”

Beltran added, “You can also check the free seminars or webinars offered by the Philippine Stock Exchange and some financial institutions. Maximize your use of technology to include starting or growing your investments.”

SBG, FirstMetroSec conduct forum on financial literacy
By: Kimberly Maragañas
Source: https://atenews.ph/sbg-firstmetrosec-conduct-forum-financial-literacy

To cultivate financial literacy and money management among the students, a three-part talk symposium held at the Finster Auditorium last Jan. 27, 2018.

The seminar, organized by the School of Business and Governance (SBG) in partnership with the First Metro Securities Brokerage Corporation (FirstMetroSec), was attended by students of the graduate and undergraduate programs.

Margie Clavano, the assistant dean for graduate programs of SBG, shared the rationale of the event in her opening remarks.

“We hope that through this seminar we would be able to know what to do with our money and our excess funds. So that we would not only become richer but to also do it for the common good because that is the goal of the university,” Clavano remarked.

Andro Beltran, business development head of FirstMetroSec, shared his personal experience of being a student and becoming a young working adult.

“We were taught how to balance millions of pesos [in a balance sheet], without being taught how to even earn the first million, and there is the gap. That is why we are here in order to address that gap [of financial literacy],” Beltran cited.

He also stressed how 75% of Filipinos are financially illiterate and 80% of the working middle class have no formal financial plan.

Luis Zacal, an equity research associate of FirstMetroSec, discussed the impacts of 2018 economic and market updates to new investors.

Zacal also advised that new investors should be wary of investing by seeking stocks or experts that have at least a five-year track of moderate but consistent growth.

Alexander Gilles, the consultant for the market education of FirstMetroSec, also discussed the effects of the tax reform law on one’s finances.

Angelica Sucayan, a fourth-year accountancy student, shared her experience from attending the event.

"Eto ang first seminar na nakinig ako ng maayos. Noon pa ako nag-plan na mag-start investing pero kulang pa ang knowledge ko in this area so di ko pa natuloy. This seminar reassured me that it’s better to invest and allow my money to grow than to just set aside my savings.,” Sucayan commented.

The seminar ended with an open forum that allowed students to make consultations and ask questions from the three speakers.

First Metro Securities Lures Millennials with Tech-Savvy Tools
By: Bilyonaryo | www.bilyonaryo.com.ph
Source: https://www.bilyonaryo.com.ph/2017/05/05/first-metro-securities-lures-millennials-tech-savvy-tools/

The stockbrokerage business of the Metrobank Group has launched two investment products as part of efforts to reach out to a younger generation.

We are targeting the younger investor crowd, as they are the market who are into digital technology. They are the market who puts a premium on ease and convenience,? First Metro Securities president Gonzalo Ordoñez said in an interview with Sun Star.

These investment products give the public access to invest in the equities market.

Through FundsMart, one may invest in more than 25 peso-denominated mutual funds.

Margin trading account, on the other hand, allows clients to borrow funds using existing shareholdings as collateral.

By: KarenMNL.com
Source: https://www.karenmnl.com/first-metro-securities-online-fundsmart/


Here on the blog, I usually talk about how to save money or how to get the most for your money. But what do you do with the money you have saved up?

It’s important to learn how to grow your money. You can’t just always sell your time and your labor for money. Someday, you are going to be too tired, too exhausted, and too old to do so. You have to start learning how to let your assets work for you – let your assets work to give you money, and not you selling your time and labor working for money.
Not everyone has accumulated enough assets to set them financially free for life – not everyone has a successful business, and not everyone is a big investor. Not yet. Most of us are still working for a paycheck. But that doesn’t mean you can’t start small. You can start investing even with just a small amount, as low as P5,000!

The point is, you have to start an investment because it’s better to have something extra on the side rather than just relying on savings and your paycheck when you need money.

That P5,000 invested in a blue chip stock or a well-managed fund, even if you don’t touch it again, can grow to P6,000 in a few years while you are doing nothing. That’s P1,000 out of thin air, sort of. That’s the beauty of it. Your money is working for you and not you working for the money. Now, don’t you think you need to start something like that in your life? 

Now, if you’re starting an investment strategy, wouldn’t you want to pick a company who is well-regarded and knows what they’re doing?

FIRST METRO SECURITIES ONLINE

Back in the old days, people had stockbrokers who do all their trading for them. If you wanted to buy or sell a stock or do some other things, you had to call your stockbroker, often on the phone, to tell them what to do. It was a bit time-consuming because you had to wait for your stockbroker to get back to you about the results of the transaction, etc…

Nowadays, everything is online! You can log on to your account, and do all your transactions yourself. In many cases, everything is transparent and you are notified of the results of your transactions right away! There are no more delays between you and the stockbroker if time is precious. The downside is, there is also no one else to blame but yourself in case you lose money or miss an opportunity. 

The minimum deposit to open a trading account is only P5,000! If you have an existing Metrobank or PSBank account, that minimum is waived, so there is actually no minimum deposit!

They also have a mobile app for both Android and iOS, so you can also trade on the go.




Just because all of these transactions are available to you at the push of a button, doesn’t mean that you have to be an aggressive investor a la Wolf of Wall Street. Before you start investing, there’s usually a questionnaire to find out what kind of investor you are, and what type of investing you are comfortable with. How much risk are you willing to take? Are you the invest and forget type? Or are you the type to check the stock prices every minute?

I just recently opened an account with First Metro Securities Online to try my hand at a little online investing. I sent in my application and I’m just waiting for my application to be processed. Sign-up is online, but the printout / hard copy with your signatures need to be submitted (government regulations). You can either mail the application form to their office, or course it through any Metrobank branch.

FUNDSMART MUTUAL FUNDS ONLINE PLATFORM

First Metro Securities also recently launched some new products. FundsMart lets you invest in over 25 peso mutual funds of the six leading fund houses in the country using their web-based online trading platform.

You can invest and redeem mutual funds with no additional paperwork, sales loads, and transaction fees with only one First Metro Sec online trading account.

For the few mutual funds that I have, it’s always the bank branch manager who convinces me to invest a little into the bank’s mutual funds, and it is always processed by the bank so I end up not touching it because, blech, paperwork pa and I have to go to the bank pa. As long as it is appreciating in value, I’m okay.

I am actually looking forward to checking out FundsMart since everything is done online.If you are the type of investor who just wants to see your money grow but don’t want to make too much effort watching it like a hawk everyday, mutual funds are a good way to go. They are less volatile than individual stocks, and they are managed by seasoned fund managers. What’s a mutual fund? It’s like hiring your own fund manager to buy and sell stocks for you and to manage it all, but sharing him with many people so you all benefit from his expertise, and spreading the cost so each investor is not burdened with the big cost of maintaining the fund manager’s fees. I imagine when mutual funds started decades ago, that the people who participated in mutual funds knew each other and met regularly. But it’s 2017, and everything is very professional now and you don’t know who your co-investors are.

MARGIN FINANCING FACILITY

If you are a more seasoned investor and you know what you are doing, FirstMetroSec also has a Margin Facility that will enable you to buy more stocks using securities you already own as collateral.

You can buy securities like stocks, etc… by PAYING ONLY HALF the cost and then borrowing the rest of the money from FirstMetroSec. This doubles your buying power and magnifies your earning potential.

Interest is 0.9% per month, lower than credit cards and other unsecured loans, and there are no set-up costs or annual fees for this service.

My advice is to only use this for “sure-thing” type of securities, if there are such things. If the price of the stock ends up falling instead of rising as you expected, you’ll not only lose money on the stock, but also have debt to pay off. Double whammy.  However, if the price of the stock ends up going your way, then you will have made 2x than what you would have if you only used your own money 

This one has a minimum opening amount of P200,000.

First Metro Sees Millennial Market Boosting Client Base in 2017
By: Kristyn M. Lazo
Souce: https://www.manilatimes.net/first-metro-sees-millennial-market-boosting-client-base-2017/314334/ 

FIRST Metro Securities Brokerage Corp., the stock brokerage firm of the Metrobank Group, expects to expand its client base by 30 percent this year, driven by new online accounts coming from tech-savvy millennials.

Gonzalo Ordonez, president of First Metro Sec, told reporters Wednesday night that the firm is aiming to attract more millennial clients, tapping and educating them to financial literacy.

“Basically the driver is online [trading]… We want the online trading system to be really good, so that we can get more investors to come in. In terms of volume or percentage of the pie, it’s more of the FundsMart and the margin trading,” Ordonez said.

On Wednesday night at a posh nightclub, First Metro Sec launched three products intended to attract the millennial market, namely: version 2 of the FirstMetroSec mobile application, online mutual funds trading platform FundsMart, and the margin financing scheme.

The mobile app lets online account holders trade instantly through their phones anywhere they are. FundsMart is a trading platform that enables clients to choose from 23 mutual funds and trade according to their own assessment of the funds.

Margin financing, on the other hand, is a trade scheme that allows a client with at least P200,000 worth of marginable stocks to borrow an investible amount—up to double the amount they invested —from the brokerage firm. This enables the client to grow their investments fast by putting down only 50 percent of the total equity.

“In margin financing, if you have at least P200,000 worth of marginable stocks, that’s the minimum. Marginable stocks is not all of the stocks—we have a list of stocks that you can use as collateral. If you have at least P200,000 worth of that, you can apply for a marginal account, and you have to maintain at least P50,000. [The minimum amount] can go down to P50,000 eventually.

“So basically if you have P200,000, you can buy worth P400,000. You can double the number of stocks,” he added.

Ordonez said the move to the digital space through online and mobile application launches is to get millennials started in investing — whether in equities funds, fixed income funds, or mixed equities and fixed income funds.

At present, more than 50 percent of First Metro Sec’s clients are the traditional institutionals, while the balance are online accounts. Majority of the capital market players are also in their 30s and above.

“It is really enabling the Filipinos to invest, to think of their financial wealth — financial health first before spending. The millennials tend to spend a lot, right? If it’s easy and it’s accessible in your mobile, its instant gratification for them,” Ordonez said.

Ordonez sees diverse income generating channels in the next three to five years, from FundsMart (30 percent), margin financing (30 percent), and combined traditional and online stock brokerage operations (40 percent).

In 2016, First Metro Sec grew its client account base by 55 percent, comprised mostly of those in the 30-50-year age group.

Established in 1994, First Metro Sec is the stock brokerage firm of the Metrobank Group. It offers equity brokering services and solutions to individuals, public and private corporations and other financial institutions. It is the firm behind First Metro Philippine Equity Exchange Traded Fund (FMETF) which tracks the performance of the top 30 stocks that comprise the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi).

First Metro Securities sees 30% growth
By: Philippine News Agency
Source: https://edgedavao.net/competitive-edge/2017/02/26/first-metro-securities-sees-30-growth/

Metrobank Group’s stockbrokerage firm First Metro Securities Brokerage Corp. expects its business growing 30 percent this year with the launch of three new investment products, including the online trading platform for mutual funds.

First Metro Securities President Gonzalo Ordoñez said the firm also unveiled margin financing product and mobile app V2.0.

“Half of our business is online (though) we still have a lot of institutional accounts and foreign accounts. The bread and butter of the company are shifting now from institutional to online. But today, it is still on the institutional side. But i think, that’s the growth that we see,” he told reporters.

Ordoñez expects more investors, particularly millennials, to avail of these investment products through its online trading system.

“Overall, we will grow about 30 percent this year, the bulk of that is online,” he said.

FundsMart offers new benefits and features, such as convenient one-stop access to mutual funds offered by the six biggest fund providers in the country, including First Metro Asset Management, Inc.

Ordoñez further said under the margin financing, investors who have at least P200,000 worth of marginable stocks can apply for an account. Marginable stocks are those that one can use as collateral.

“You can make much more money, you can double your money, but you can also lose your money. So it’s for the more sophisticated investors. The mutual funds are for the investors that are just entering the market,” he added. (PNA)

First Metro partners with 6 stockbrokers
By: Business Mirror | www.businessmirror.com.ph
Source: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2016/11/23/first-metro-partners-with-6-stockbrokers/ 

FIRST Metro Securities Brokerage Corp., the stock brokerage arm of the Metrobank Group, has collaborated with six of the country’s top asset managers to offer the mutual funds through First Metro Securities’s online trading platform.

The platform now includes First Metro Asset Management Inc., ALFM–BPI Investment Management Inc., ATR Asset Management, Philam Asset Management, Philequity Management Inc. and Sunlife Asset Management.

“We are excited to offer clients ready access to the services of top professionals in the mutual-funds industry, with no up-front charges and in affordable amounts. We designed an intuitive and flexible interface, so that investors can best decide on funds that suit their individual needs,” First Metro Securities President Gonzalo Ordoñez said.

This platform broadens the services offered by FirstMetroSec, from Philippine Stock Exchange-listed stocks to peso-denominated mutual funds offered by various providers, he said.

It enables clients to buy and redeem funds without the need to fill out new forms or submit additional requirements.

Investors will be able to save on front-end fees that are normally paid when a mutual fund is purchased.

The platform features include scanning and sorting of funds by various criteria, accessing fund information, buying and selling, and generating consolidated statements.

“We are breaking barriers. This development is in line with our goal of providing Filipinos with investment products that are suitable, available and accessible.  We don’t require any minimum balance for Metrobank and PSBank customers,” he said.

“Our clients can now also opt to fund their investments through the online banking platforms of other major banks. And very soon, clients can further expand their investment options through mutual funds,” Ordoñez added.

Mutual funds will be available to clients of First Metro Securities by the first quarter of 2017.

FirstMetroSec Joins Money Summit For the First Time
By: Learning Curve, Inc.
Source: https://money-summit.com/firstmetrosec-joins-money-summit-for-the-first-time/

First Metro Securities Brokerage Corporation or FirstMetroSec for short, is a stockbrokerage house licensed to trade in the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE). Our company is wholly-owned by First Metro Investment Corporation (FMIC), the investment banking arm of the Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company (Metrobank).

At FirstMetroSec, we strive to provide our clients with easy and convenient access to the listed securities in the PSE, coupled with timely and accurate market research, as well as investor education programs. By fulfilling this mission, we hope to provide equal investment opportunities for all Filipinos.

FirstMetroSec is a Silver Sponsor at the 10th Money Summit & Wealth Expo.