By Mindy Tan

IF there is one website the young investor should be familiar with, it is arguably sgx.com, where investors can access daily market updates, product video clips and guides, price information, and sign up for investment courses, as made available by Singapore Exchange (SGX).

The SGX, an international exchange and listing hub, had 779 local and foreign companies listed, with a total market capitalisation of US$778 billion, as at end- 2011. Of these, more than 300 were international companies, accounting for more than 40 per cent of all equity listings.

The companies listed on SGX belong to one of two groups: the companies listed on the SGX mainboard and the companies listed on SGX Catalist. In order to be listed on the mainboard, a company has to fulfil certain requirements, as set forth by SGX.

To learn more about the different products available for investors, young investors should click on the 'Individual Investor' tab. Otherwise known as 'My Gateway', this portal is a particularly useful tool for young investors, whether you are new to investing, or are relatively familiar with the various products.

Launched earlier this year, the portal was introduced in response to increasing public interest in investment information and education.

Market updates: These updates are churned out regularly and may focus on a specific index, or a segment of the market.

Education: This segment features webcasts on topics including American depository receipts, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and bonds.

Beyond webcasts, it is also worth noting that SGX Academy and the Securities Investors Association (Singapore) (SIAS) conduct regular seminars and courses conducted by industry practitioners.

These courses and seminars cover a broad range of topics including the economic and market outlook, introduction to securities and derivative products, and fundamental and technical analysis.

In 2011, over 7,800 participants attended the more than 150 investor education activities organised by the SGX Academy. The list of classes available by SGX Academy and SIAS are available on SGX's website.