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Being a shareholder in a listed company, including an investment trust, is not just about the potential returns. Investors have responsibilities, such as voting rights, that should be considered carefully

Investing in a company’s shares is not an undertaking to be treated lightly. Placing one’s hard-earned cash in shares requires a degree of research, patience and ongoing monitoring. It also confers a level of responsibility. Becoming a shareholder means becoming an owner of a business; however small that stake may be, it is still, in part, the investor’s company. Yet many shareholders do not look at their investment portfolios like this, instead viewing them as a way to grow their capital and a source of dividend income. One area of share ownership that tends to be ignored by very many p...