Financial Trading

The other part of my trading life is my interest in the trading of shares and bonds, as well as other instruments such as call and put options or commodities. I currently hold shares in several companies in the AIM and FTSE, although the account is under Dad's name because I'm under 18.  With Vodafone selling its 45% stake in Verizon Wireless a few days ago for a whopping $130bn (approx. £84bn), one of the biggest deals in corporate history, shareholders are expected to receive a bonus of £1 per share. I personally own shares in individual plcs but I'm still open to persuasion that investing in ETFs & other funds is the better option with its broader market exposure. Just wondering if this record Vodafone deal has swayed anyone else more towards individual stock picking?