$9.95 trades for all investors: RBC Direct Investing removes yet another barrier for investors

$6.95 per trade continues for active traders

TORONTO, Jan. 14, 2014 /CNW/ - Starting today, all investors will pay a flat commission of only $9.95 per equity trade through RBC Direct Investing online and mobile channels. This low commission applies regardless of the size of investors' trading accounts or how often they trade. Until now, investors had to meet a minimum account balance or trading threshold to benefit from lower commissions.

"We are focused on removing barriers for those with fewer assets to invest who have found it challenging to obtain lower trade commissions and on helping clients keep their costs down," explained Rosalyn Kent, president and CEO of RBC Direct Investing. "We recognize that many Canadians who are interested in managing their own investments have smaller balances."

For clients who are active traders - those making 150 trades or more per quarter - RBC Direct Investing continues to offer an even lower $6.95 flat fee commission. In an industry study conducted by Ipsos Reid in 2013, trade commission pricing was one of the key factors identified by potential investors when choosing an online brokerage. Another key factor was the assistance provided in helping investors learn more about investing.

"Self-directed investors can sometimes be intimidated by the amount of information available and feel isolated when making investment decisions on their own," noted Kent. "This is where our online Community can help. Within Community, members can connect with like-minded investors to exchange ideas, obtain opinions about their investments from other members and learn from each other in a secure online environment."

Community was launched in 2013 as a secure online meeting space for RBC Direct Investing clients to discuss all aspects of self-directed investing. Members participate through anonymous user names. This anonymity enables Community members to compare their holdings to those with similar goals, time horizons and appetite for risk and to ask questions of "investors like me."

Community and the new $9.95 flat commission are just two of RBC Direct Investing's recent industry-leading initiatives. In the fall of 2013, the brokerage announced that the initial minimum investment purchase amount for Series D mutual funds was being significantly lowered and that three more mutual fund companies would be launching Series D versions of their own funds. More information about these and other initiatives is available at www.rbcdirectinvesting.com.

About RBC Direct Investing
One of Canada's leading online brokerages, RBC Direct Investing is a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada. RBC Direct Investing provides innovative tools and resources for investors who prefer to manage all or a portion of their investment portfolio. Clients have online access to their investments 24/7 and can choose from a broad range of investment products, including stocks, bonds, exchange-traded funds, GICs, and thousands of mutual funds. Online innovations such as Practice Accounts and the new RBC Direct Investing Community - together with comprehensive learning resources - help give all online investors the confidence they need to manage their own investments. RBC Direct Investing offers access to Series D mutual funds, a series created and priced for self-directed investors, providing them with lower pricing for conducting their own research and making their own investment decisions. For new as well as seasoned investors who wish to speak to someone directly, RBC Direct Investing has an award-winning team of investment services representatives available to respond to clients' account and trading inquiries. RBC Direct Investing is a Member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund. For more information, please visit www.rbcdirectinvesting.com.

SOURCE RBC