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How to Place a Stock or ETF Order

This article will show you how to place a stock or exchange-traded fund (ETF) order in just a few clicks.

To search for a stock or ETF, click the search icon at the top of the Trading Dashboard. A search window will open.

Enter a symbol or company name. In the list of results, click the stock or ETF you would like to buy or sell.

GIF searching for a quote

A Factsheet widget will open, displaying information about the stock or ETF.

Factsheet widget displaying RBC stock.

Click the Trade icon in the top right corner. It looks like two arrows pointing in opposite directions. (You may have also noticed the Trade icon elsewhere, including your Watchlists, Portfolio and other widgets. You can click this icon to place an order directly from those places as well.)

Factsheet with an arrow pointing to the Trade icon.

An Order Entry window will open. This window shows you how much buying power you currently have.

Order entry form with the buying power highlighted.

To fill out the form, first select which account you want to use for the order.

Order entry form displaying account type

Under the Market dropdown, ensure that the correct currency is displayed.

Order entry displaying market dropdown.

Next, select the action you would like to take, the order type and the quantity or estimated value of the shares.

Order entry highlighting empty fields.

Once you've filled out all required fields, click Continue.

Continue button highlighted on order entry page.

Review your order. If everything is correct, click Verify.

Verify stock order pop-up

A trade confirmation message will appear.

Trade confirmation message.

You can close this window, or you can click Open Order Status to view details about your orders.

Order status widget

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RBC Direct Investing Inc. and Royal Bank of Canada are separate corporate entities which are affiliated. RBC Direct Investing Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada and is a Member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada and the Canadian Investor Protection Fund. Royal Bank of Canada and certain of its issuers are related to RBC Direct Investing Inc. RBC Direct Investing Inc. does not provide investment advice or recommendations regarding the purchase or sale of any securities. Investors are responsible for their own investment decisions. RBC Direct Investing is a business name used by RBC Direct Investing Inc. ® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. RBC and Royal Bank are registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. © Royal Bank of Canada 2021.

Images presented in the image are for illustrative purposes and may not represent the actual web pages within the RBC Direct Investing online investing site.

The views and opinions expressed in this publication are for your general interest and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of RBC Direct Investing. Furthermore, the products, services and securities referred to in this publication are only available in Canada and other jurisdictions where they may be legally offered for sale. If you are not currently resident of Canada, you should not access the information available on the RBC Direct Investing website.

> Next: How to Research Stocks With the FactSheet Widget

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