Best of Navigators 2022: Top Features to Improve Your Trading Experience

As 2022 draws to a close, it's the perfect time to reflect on the year that was. From inflation to housing, and market volatility to quiet quitting, there are so many themes that define 2022.

But what about right here at RBC Direct Investing? Over the past year, improving your trading experience and supporting your investing decisions with tools and know-how has been a top priority. Here are five key initiatives that launched over the past year – inspired by what you've let us know is most important to you.

1. Timely quotes to inform your trades

You now have access online to real time pre-market and after-hours quotes for U.S. markets, which can help you gauge what's going on outside of regular trading hours. Some investors monitor pre-market and after-hours trading to see where markets and individual securities may go when trading for the next session opens – which can help inform trading decisions. Look for pre-market and after-hours quotes on detailed quote and order-entry pages, and learn more in What are Pre-Market and After-Hours Quotes

2. New Layout makes online navigation simpler

If you haven't noticed a new online experience yet, you will soon. A fresh design is rolling out, making it easier and more intuitive to find the information, tools and resources you need to make trades quickly. As part of the update, you'll now find your secure message centre, important forms and agreements, and more under the person icon (look for the head and shoulders in the top-right corner when logged in). Find out more in Navigators: New Site Layout, Simpler Navigation Coming Your Way.

3. Order-entry refresh puts more data at your fingertips

Your online order entry pages for stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and mutual funds got a refresh this year, giving you more data and integrated features to make it easier for you to trade. Some of the highlights? A more intuitive trade flow, less switching between pages and information where you need it. Check out Navigators: A Simpler Order Entry Page Rolls Out for more.

4. Trading dashboard enhancements make it easier to trade and monitor

The new, advanced Trading Dashboard received a number of enhancements to help you trade and monitor the markets and your investments. Using the heatmap view, you can now get a quick visual snapshot of gainers and losers. You'll also now find a collection of quick-start dashboard setups, offering an easy way to get comfortable using the Trading Dashboard, plus a comprehensive list of French-language tutorial guides can now be found under the Tutorials menu. Learn more in Navigators: Heatmap, Quick-Start Choices Now on Trading Dashboard.

5. Easily reorder securities in your watchlists

Since early this year, you've been able to easily reorder the securities within your watchlists by dragging and dropping securities to any position you like. When your interests change, your watchlists can, too. You can create up to 40 watchlists with 100 securities on each to ensure you catch the action on what matters to you. Any time you edit and save, this will become your new default view. Find out more in Navigators: Reorder Your Watchlists in a Snap.

BONUS: Homepage insights just for you

To help make your buy and sell decisions with more speed and certainty when trading on desktop, indicators and trends were introduced relevant to you – based on the securities you hold. On your holdings page, look for "Recent Events Driving Your Holdings" to see helpful insights such as: dividend announcements, earnings, performances when one of your stocks hits a 52-week high or low, and ratings changes.

Keep an eye on our regular Navigators feature in the year ahead to follow the latest updates to help improve your trading experience. For previous highlights, check out New & Noteworthy at RBC Direct Investing in 2021.