Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.3, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Contracts-For-Difference.com CFD Trading and Contracts for Differences ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [Course in Contracts for Difference](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/cfd-guide.html) - [Everything to Learn About Online Casino Games](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/everything-to-learn-about-online-casino-games) - Before anything else, it is important to understand what online casino games are. Firstly, online casino games can be defined as any virtual game, that has its roots in the casino or gambling industry... - [What are the Most Traded FX pairs and CFDs? Looking at the Volumes](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/what-are-the-most-traded-fx-pairs-and-cfds/) - t is always tricky to get the exact data for daily volumes for each of the trading pairs and CFDs. However, there is still some data available to indicate which pairs are most popular among FX traders. - [Can Ukraine Trust Trump? The Risk of Shifting Alliances](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/can-ukraine-trust-trump-risk-of-shifting-alliances/) - A thought-provoking analysis of global power struggles, economic warfare, and the unintended consequences of political decisions—this article dissects the shifting alliances, military missteps, and environmental policies shaping the modern world, exposing the cracks in Western leadership and the fading dominance of global superpowers. - [Are Crypto Casinos Any Different From Basic Online Casinos?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/are-crypto-casinos-any-different-from-online-casinos/) - With the advent of cryptocurrencies, the online gambling industry has also witnessed the emergence of crypto casinos. But, are these crypto casinos any different from basic online casinos? Let's find out. - [eToro](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/etoro.html) - There are no fees to use eToro, the only costs being the spreads and the charges to hold overnight positions (both higher than most brokers). The simple, game-like user interface and integrated... - [The Hidden Costs of Using Hargreaves Lansdown; Review of the UK’s Popular Investment Platform](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/hargreaves-lansdown-review/) - An in-depth analysis of Hargreaves Lansdown, covering its features, fees, international trading options, and suitability for different types of investors. - [Rolling over Profits and Deferring Tax by Opening New Positions](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/taxes/rolling-over-profits-and-deferring-tax-by-opening-new-positions/) - Strategically deferring or rolling over capital gains with correlated trades or leveraging EIS relief can provide tax-saving opportunities, though it requires careful risk management and compliance with tax rules. - [Using CFDs with Your Share Investments to Delay Capital Gains Tax](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/taxes/using-cfds-with-your-share-investments-to-delay-capital-gains-tax/) - Investors can use a CFD to hedge against price falls and this short selling is a useful way managing your liability for capital gains tax. - [When Traders & Investors in Options, CFDs and Futures Should Use a Company to Reduce Taxes (Part 1)](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/using-a-company-to-reduce-taxes/) - One of the key tax planning opportunities available to anyone trading or investing is to consider using a company. The company tax regime is completely different to how individuals are taxed. Note only are the tax rates different but how the tax is calculated along with loss relief rules and methods of extraction are all completely different. - [Day Traders And Investor Status for Tax Purposes](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/taxes/day-traders-and-investor-status-for-tax-purposes/) - Let's explain the differences between share trader and investor statuses, the historical and current tax treatments, and how HMRC applies the badges of trade to determine classification, with a focus on the implications of the 2008 tax changes, CGT rates, loss relief, and the impact on AIM investors. - [The 45% Income Tax Rate: A Significant Shift in the UK Tax System](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/taxes/how-can-traders-avoid-the-super-tax/) - Let's examine the introduction of the 45% additional income tax rate in 2010 and its evolution over the years, comparing it with current tax rates, exploring its impact on high earners, and providing strategies for reducing tax liability through capital gains, pensions, company structures, and non-dom remittance rules. - [Moving Overseas to Avoid Taxes: A Guide for Financial Investors and Traders](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/taxes/moving-overseas-to-avoid-taxes-a-guide-for-financial-investors-and-traders/) - What are the best tax havens for traders and investors in shares, options, forex and CFD's? We categorize tax-friendly destinations into nil-tax havens, foreign source-exempt havens, and low-tax havens, while discussing the tax implications, compliance requirements, and lifestyle factors involved in moving overseas. - [Current-Year Loss Offsetting: CFD Losses and Offsets](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/taxes/tax-loss-offsetting-cfd-losses-and-offsets/) - What losses can you offset against your share/option/CFD/forex gains? If you're investing in shares, options, CFDs or forex you'll no doubt be aware by now that you're subject to capital gains tax on the profits. A common question we're asked is how these capital gains can be reduced by losses. We've therefore highlighted below the What losses can you offset against your share/option/CFD/forex gains? This is a guide on how to offset losses against gains from shares, options, CFDs, and forex, including capital losses, trading loss relief, and the rules for carrying losses forward, with considerations for tax planning and exemptions. - [The Hidden Costs of Trading: A Look at Plus500 and eToro’s Obnoxious Fees](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/the-hidden-costs-of-trading-a-look-at-plus500-and-etoros-obnoxious-fees/) - We highlight the high overnight fees and hidden costs of eToro and Plus500, emphasizing their financial impact on CFD traders. - [Financial Turmoil: GameStop and Volkswagen - A Tale of Two Short Squeezes](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/gamestop-and-volkswagen-tale-of-two-short-squeezes/) - Dive into the GameStop story, drawing parallels with Porsche's 2008 move on Volkswagen, where Reddit traders clash with Wall Street, resulting in a short squeeze, substantial hedge fund losses, and regulatory investigations. - [Paul Tudor Jones and the 1987 Market Crash: A Visionary's Tale](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/paul-tudor-jones-the-trader-1987/) - Paul Tudor Jones - The Trader (1987) Filmed just before the infamous Wall Street crash of October 1987, TRADER offers a captivating one-hour glimpse into the world of Paul Tudor Jones II, one of the most intriguing figures in finance. This rare documentary pulls back the curtain on the fast-paced, high-stakes realm of futures trading, Filmed just before the infamous Wall Street crash of October 1987, TRADER offers a captivating one-hour glimpse into the world of Paul Tudor Jones II, one of the most intriguing figures in finance. - [Are David Hunter’s Predictions and Market Forecasts Too Convenient?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/david-hunter-market-predictions/) - 08th December 2024 David Hunter, a veteran macro strategist with over 50 years of experience on Wall Street, is a polarizing figure in the world of financial forecasting. Known for his bold and often contrarian market predictions, he has built a reputation as someone who challenges conventional wisdom and isn't afraid to stake out positions David Hunter's market forecasts, while bold and occasionally accurate, often involve shifting targets, highlighting both the value of contrarian thinking and the inherent challenges of predicting complex financial markets. - [Is Gold a Good Investment in 2025?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/is-gold-a-good-investment/) - Gold has long been considered a “safe haven” investment, prized for its ability to retain value during economic turbulence. In diversified portfolios, gold serves as both a hedge against currency depreciation—especially the U.S. dollar—and as a tool for managing risk. But does this theory still hold true in today’s complex global economy? Let’s take a Gold remains a valuable asset for those seeking protection against economic uncertainty, inflation, and currency devaluation. While it may not offer the growth potential of stocks, its historical performance and intrinsic value make it an essential part of a balanced investment strategy. - [Automated Trading with MetaTrader EAs: A Word of Caution](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/black-box-systems-versus-doing-it-yourself.html) - MetaTrader (MT4/MT5) has become one of the most widely used platforms for automated trading, thanks to its support for Expert Advisors (EAs) but trading cfds with. a robot is tricky at best. - [How Bitcoin Works: The Technology Behind the Cryptocurrency](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cryptos/bitcoin-the-technology-behind-the-cryptocurrency/) - What is Bitcoin? Bitcoin is a digital currency or so called “cryptocurrency” introduced as open source software in 2009 by a developer or group of developers under the name Satoshi Nakamoto. With no influence of big corporations or central banks it is purely controlled by a mathematical algorithm. For online retailers, Bitcoins are an interesting This feature explores Bitcoin's origins, technology, mining process, economic implications, government regulation, and its impact on central banks, while discussing its volatility, security concerns, and future potential as a global digital currency. - [Exploring the Richest Companies: A 30-Year Journey Through Global Revenue](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/exploring-the-richest-companies-on-wall-street/) - Over the years, the list of the world’s richest publicly listed companies by annual revenue has served as a dynamic snapshot of global economic power, reflecting shifts in industries, market demands, and geopolitical influences. From the late 1990s to 2024, the dominance of energy, technology, and consumer goods industries has become particularly evident, with certain Over the years, the list of the world’s richest publicly listed companies by annual revenue has served as a dynamic snapshot of global economic power, reflecting shifts in industries, market demands, and geopolitical influences. From the late 1990s to 2024, the dominance of energy, technology, and consumer goods industries has become particularly evident - [Best Performing S&P 500 Stocks Last 20 Years](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/best-performing-sp-500-stocks/) - Investing is often described as a long-term game, and the last two decades have delivered some stunning results for patient investors. A newly released analysis of the best-performing stocks in the S&P 1500 since 2004 highlights how a handful of companies turned modest investments into extraordinary wealth. But before we dive in, a word of Discover the best performing S&P 500 stocks of the last 20 years and the lessons they teach about long-term investing. - [The Craziest Stock Stories of Recent Years: From 50x Gains to Meme Stock Madness](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/craziest-stock-stories-of-recent-years-from-50x-gains-to-meme-stock-madness/) - 27th November 2024 The stock market has been a rollercoaster ride in recent years, packed with speculative bubbles, massive rallies, and some seriously wild trends. From zombie fintechs making a comeback and SPACs creating billion-dollar unicorns to the meme stock craze and the unstoppable hype around AI, it's been nothing short of chaotic. We're also We explore the most outrageous stock market stories of recent years, from massive gains in speculative sectors like AI, EVs, and SPACs, to cult-favorite stocks, meme-driven short squeezes, and companies thriving on skilled labor shortages. - [The Biggest Stock Market Crashes in History](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/biggest-stock-market-crashes-in-history/) - [Updated Trade Nation Broker Review (2024)](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/compare/trade-nation-review) - [Pepperstone Broker Review](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/compare/pepperstone-review/) - Pepperstone stands out as a reputable broker with a range of attractive features for traders seeking access to global financial markets. - [The Pioneering Women of Wall Street](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/pioneering-women-of-wall-street/) - You make money by taking a stand and being right - Muriel Siebert There is a legend that the New York Stock Exchange was founded under a buttonwood tree near its current Wall Street location after a meeting in 1792 of a group of male traders. While this may not be entirely true, Wall Street Wall Street has always been a hard place to be a woman. But throughout its history, determined female traders have succeeded in breaking down its barriers... - [Great Trades of History: Warren Buffett and GEICO](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/great-trades-of-history-warren-buffett-and-geico/) - Renowned investor and trader Warren Buffett has got married twice, the second time on his 76th birthday. But arguably one of the greatest passions of his life has been for an insurance company. This is US-based Government Employees Insurance Company, usually known as GEICO and, which Buffett once dubbed in an article, “the Security I One of Warren Buffett's greatest passions has been for an insurance company. It can be no coincidence then that US-based Government Employees Insurance Company - known as GEICO - is integral in the story of his greatest trades... - [Top 10 Habits That Can Damage Your Brain - and Your Trading Edge](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/damage-your-brain-and-your-trading-edge/) - As an investor or trader, your brain is your most valuable asset. Clear thinking, quick decision-making, and emotional resilience are key to success. Yet, certain habits can chip away at your cognitive edge, leaving you vulnerable to costly mistakes. Here’s how to avoid the pitfalls: Watching Garbage TV Filling your spare time with low-quality content Your mental habits are just as important as your trading strategy. By avoiding these brain-damaging behaviors, you can maintain clarity, confidence, and resilience in the face of market challenges. - [How MicroStrategy Grows Its Crypto Money Tree With Stock Sales](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cryptos/how-microstrategy-grows-its-crypto-money-tree-with-stock-sales/) - 22nd November 2024 Every big market trend needs its own buzzwords to attract investors and justify its hype. For the bitcoin frenzy, one such term is "BTC yield." MicroStrategy, a company that used to focus on software, introduced this unique concept to investors back in August. If you're unfamiliar, BTC stands for bitcoin. Normally, "yield" MicroStrategy’s bold bitcoin strategy, fueled by stock offerings and measured by its unique BTC yield metric, has turned the company into a crypto treasury powerhouse, driving its stock value far beyond the actual rise in bitcoin price. - [What Tulipmania Teaches Us About Speculative Bubbles](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/crazy-tale-of-tulipmania-first-market-bubble/) - Tulip Fever, the recently-released film of Deborah Moggach’s 2000 novel of the same name, is unlikely to generate the hype or the revenues it was once expected to for a number of reasons. Not only did the critics hate it, but it was also made by the Weinstein Company. Its crash from high-value cultural property Tulipmania of the 1630s illustrates the perils of speculative trading detached from intrinsic value. The tulip, an exotic luxury at the time, became an object of frenzied speculation in the Netherlands. - [FX Trading: 5 Years, 9 Lessons Learned...](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/fx-trading-lessons-learnt/) - I fancy the best chance you have of profiting from the forex market long-term is to actually take the time to learn how to read the charts. - [Learn About the Most Notable Benefits of Bitcoin!](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cryptos/most-notable-benefits-of-bitcoin.html) - Bitcoin is the world-famous crypto that has a considerable worth in today's time. It is the oldest crypto, so many investors are already investing in this digital currency. - [Why Smaller Mining Companies Pose High Risks for Investors](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/why-smaller-mining-companies-pose-high-risks-for-investors/) - The mining and exploration sector has seen a surge in speculative investments, particularly in smaller companies listed on the AIM market. Many of these firms lack actual production or tangible assets, relying instead on speculative stories. Investors are cautioned to diversify their trades, set stop losses, and avoid overexposure due to risks like liquidity issues Mining shares are hot and I see no let up in investor's appetite for these junior stocks, however I warn you that whilst some of these companies will go on to great things the majority will never report a profit or find anything, and a lot of people will get burnt. So play the mining mania carefully. - [Enhancing Control: The Role of EAs in Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/role-of-eas-in-trading/) - Despite hesitations, traders can benefit from Expert Advisors (EAs) by understanding that EAs enhance rather than replace control, simplifying setup processes, and offering customizable strategies. - [The Challenge of Selling: Tips and Tricks for Success](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/selling-is-far-harder-than-buying/) - Selling is FAR harder than buying. As rules of thumb, keep an eye on 12-month highs and lows for indications of shares that might be good to top up or reduce. - [Investor's Dilemma: To Sell or Not to Sell, That Is the Question](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/selling-losers/) - [The Perils of Overconfidence: A Costly Mistake](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/perils-of-overconfidence-when-trading-or-investing/) - Confidence can be both beneficial and detrimental when trading. Risk tolerance is a deeply personal concept. - [Speculative Bubbles and Easy Money: Lessons from the Crypto Craze](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cryptos/crypto-speculative-bubble/) - Love the way people think the rise in crypto related assets proves the thesis behind them. How many of today’s capital allocators experienced the dotcom boom and bust? Those who were around know full well it’s impossible to call the top, but we know a mania when we see one. The crypto craze can be The crypto craze can be seen as a reflection of excess liquidity in the financial system. This dynamic becomes especially evident during periods of expansive monetary policies, when central banks flood the markets with liquidity. - [Getting Things Straight](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/introduction.html) - Remember, trading is a life long learning curve, and I think too many people don't realise, forget or blindly ignore this truth. Think of it this way; the methods that we use as traders are based on technical analysis. - [Santa Stock Market Rally and January Effect](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/santa-stock-market-rally-and-january-effect/) - I collected some charts and data on the Santa Rally and January effect in relation to the stock market - [A Buy And Hold Strategy Is No Longer A Viable Option](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/buy-and-hold-strategy.html) - In today's market, you are doing a disservice to yourself if you buy stocks and forget about them. With all of the variables coming into play (credit worries, oil prices, recession, stagflation) you need to take an active role in managing your money. - [Facing the Inevitable in Trading: Embracing Losses and Moving Forward](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/stops/trading-losses/) - [Renewable Infrastructure Trusts: Are Renewable ITs Basically Cons?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/are-renewable-infrastructure-funds-bad-investments/) - I've long believed that most, if not all, renewable infrastructure trusts (ITs) are essentially cons. The problem? They rely on wasting assets rather than operating as traditional trading businesses. - [Genius or Reckless? The Debate Around Saylor’s Bitcoin Strategy](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/microstrategy-bitcoin-strategy/) - Michael Saylor says MicroStrategy beat every single company in the S&P index using Bitcoin strategy. Will Micheal Saylor be the richest man in the world one day? Or could his strategy be simply a Ponzi scheme!? - [Hedge Fund Veteran Shares 19 Rules of Thumb for Better Investing](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/tips-for-better-investing/) - Julian Klymochko has over 15 years of experience managing hedge funds. Five years ago, he created a list of easy investing rules of thumb representing the key lessons he's learned throughout his career. He hopes these insights will be helpful to others. - [What Really Stopped the 2008 Market Crash? Exposing Common Myths](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/what-really-stopped-the-2008-market-crash/) - With stocks currently at extreme valuations and near all-time highs, let's take a moment to revisit history and debunk a few common myths about the 2008 Market Crash. - [Michael Burry’s Contrarian Stock-Picking Strategies: Finding Value in Unpopular Companies](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/michael-burrys-contrarian-stock-picking-strategies/) - What are contrarian investor Michael Burry's (re Big Short) stock picking & portfolio management strategies? - [Where do you place the Stop Loss?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Averaging-down.html) - Where do you place the stop loss? Learning to accept plenty of small losses allows you to protect your capital for the winning CFDs trades; although this is only possible with a bit of forward thinking. - [Picking the Right Online Broker for US Share Dealing](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/picking-the-right-online-broker-for-us-share-dealing.html) - [How Inflation Destroys Your Spending Power](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/how-inflation-destroys-your-spending-power/) - Inflation is a persistent increase in the general level of prices for goods and services in an economy over time. When inflation occurs, the purchasing power of money decreases, meaning that the same amount of money can buy fewer goods and services. - [Red Flags of Investment Fraud Checklist](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/red-flags-of-investment-fraud-checklist/) - FinTwit Red Flag Checklist - what else should be added? - [The Art of Stock Picking: A Love for the Process](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/love-the-process-of-investing/) - I really love the investing process and can spend many hours everyday analyzing stocks in a number of markets . It’s obviously great to make money whilst doing this... - [How Trustworthy are TrustPilot and TripAdvisor for Analyzing Customer Reviews and Ratings?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/how-trustworthy-are-trustpilot-and-tripadvisor-for-analyzing-customer-reviews/) - I hate the likes of Trust Pilot and the culture of star-based reviews as I think it encourages the wrong behaviour. In my experience a customer that doesn't get their way over something (irrespective of whether they are right) will leave a 1* scathing review as revenge / anger management. - [RIP Charlie Munger. Best Memorable Quotes ✅](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/charlie-munger-best-memorable-quotes/) - RIP Charlie Munger, the greatest and most quotable investor of all time. The first rule of a happy life is low expectations. - [Navigating the Turbulent Waters of UK Small and Mid-Cap Markets](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/navigating-the-turbulent-waters-of-uk-small-and-mid-cap-markets/) - Given the market rout in UK small and mid caps I think you would be hard pressed to find a handful of related shares that are not in a downtrend. Company buybacks aren't workings and liquidity is draining from the stock market. - [SPACs: A Speculative Mania Story of Boom and Bust](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/spacs-trading-boom-and-bust/) - Although SPACs have been around for decades, they took off in the trading boom of 2020-21 that also propelled cryptocurrencies and meme stocks. Sometimes called blank-check companies, they have no operations but simply raise money by going public - [Navigating the Risks: Why Shorting Beaten-Down Small Caps Is Too Risky](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/risks/why-shorting-beaten-down-small-caps-is-too-risky/) - While shorting stocks can be a viable strategy in certain market conditions, shorting small caps that have already been beaten down carries heightened risks. - [Cherry-Picking Success: Unveiling the Strategy of Selecting Stocks from Small Successful Fund Managers](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/selecting-stocks-from-small-successful-fund-managers/) - One investing strategy gaining traction among private investors involves cherry-picking stocks from small, successful fund managers. - [Sweet Talkers and Bad Investments: A Cautionary Tale of Company Meetings](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/attending-meetings-or-company-webinars-when-investing-in-stocks/) - What do other readers here think on this point of meetings with management when investing in stocks - good, or bad? - [Similar Strategies Used in both Betting and Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/similar-strategies-used-in-both-betting-and-trading) - Betting and trading are two very different activities, but there are certain similarities between the two. - [No Crystal Ball: Predicting Recessions and Market Behavior](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/rebouncing-from-market-panic/) - The current state of the markets represents a perfect storm for massive overselling of stocks with underlying issues. It's not merely a case of the glass being half empty; rather, it's as if the glass is completely empty and shattered into pieces. - [There is a Holy Grail. It's called...Backtesting and Patience](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/backtesting-and-patience/) - In my eyes, the Holy Grail of trading holds the vital ingredients that enable you to become a consistently profitable trader over the long term, regardless of style of trading... - [Why I Love Day Trading...](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/why-i-love-day-trading/) - I've been itching to pen an open letter to defend the love of my life, Day-Trading, ever since I came across an apparently popular article online titled Why I ‘Seriously’ Hate Day Trading. - [Winning as a Trader vs. Losing as a Gambler...](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/winning-as-a-trader-vs-losing-as-a-gambler/) - Repeated disaster in the markets can often signal a gambling problem. In this article we review how to overcome the fear of the losing statistic by understanding it. - [Price Action Strategies](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/price-action-strategies) - The concept of filters and triggers fits perfectly into a price action trading approach. Each trader has his own methodology - however, these price action trading strategies have worked for me. - [What is Price Action Trading?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/price-action-trading) - Price action trading is a method of trading the financial markets using pure price and change in price as a guide to making effective trading decisions. - [Pandemic Boom and Bust: A Compilation of Companies](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/pandemic-boom-and-bust/) - The pandemic also coincided with the Quantitative Easing/Quantitative Tightening cycle so this could have also been called the QE/QT boom and bust. - [10 Powerful Stoic Lessons from Marcus Aurelius' Meditations](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/mastering-your-mind/) - Marcus Aurelius' 'Meditations' offer traders 10 Stoic-inspired lessons, highlighting the importance of emotional control, adaptability, and a long-term perspective in navigating the financial markets - [The Dangers of Leveraged ETFs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/risks/the-dangers-of-leveraged-etfs/) - Leveraged ETFs can offer the potential for higher returns but come with increased risk and complexity. They are best suited for experienced traders - [Is TLT a Good Long-Term Investment?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/is-tlt-a-good-long-term-investment/) - If you think the Federal Reserve will soon stop hiking interest rates and will start reversing direction is taking a long position on TLT wise? - [Navigating A Financial Crisis: Investor Behavior and Market Dynamics](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/how-to-deal-with-a-financial-crisis/) - In a financial crisis, investors tend to sell first and ask questions later. This selling often triggers a chain reaction, leading to more selling. At this juncture, stock prices can experience significant downward movement, driven by any reason or even no reason at all - [Questionable Practices: Inside Binance and FTX's Operations](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cryptos/questionable-practices-inside-binance-and-ftx-operations/) - Binance has exactly the same problems as FTX and I'd dare say it has more problems than that. - [Trading Discipline vs Trading Self Discipline](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/trading-discipline-vs-self-discipline/) - How much self-discipline is required to succeed in trading? - [Strategic Investment Insights: Profiting from Cycles and Timing in the Commodities Sector](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/profiting-from-cycles-and-timing-commodities-sector/) - I believe commodities are the right sector to invest in (especially royalties, which are somewhat insulated from profit squeeze). However, the post-COVID price (and especially profit) surge has led people to expect too much, too soon. - [How to Cope with Challenging Markets (London/UK Stock Market in 2023)](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/how-to-cope-with-falling-markets/) - 2022 has been a difficult year for UK equities and this year (mid-August 2023) has proven to be a very tough year so far for UK stocks - [What does EBITDA tell you? EBITDA vs Adjusted EBITDA](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/ebitda-vs-adjusted-ebitda/) - Companies seem very fond of using EBITDA to measure profitability - but what does it really measure? Pre-tax profit is the measure I want to see. Warren Buffett hates EBITDA, his quote... - [Jesse Livermore: Lessons From a Legendary Trader](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/jesse-livermore-lessons/) - These are some of the best inspiring words from the mouth of Jessie Livermore who was a legendary trader in his time. - [Chamath - The King of SPACs or the King of Grifters!?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/chamath-the-king-of-spacs-or-the-king-of-grifters/) - Never forget the time Chamath thought he had an edge on Buffett. The arrogance was insane but not surprising. But time catches up and spares no one - unfortunately! - [Interest Rates Up - Bond Prices Down, Apple 2060 Bond!](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/interest-rates-up-bond-prices-down/) - $1 million invested in this Apple AAPL bond is now worth $600k. Long duration bonds are more sensitive to interest rates. Also, low coupon doesn’t help when it comes to duration/price sensitivity of the bond. - [How to Use Google's Bard for Stock Analysis](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/how-to-use-google-bard-for-stock-analysis/) - This is an example of how people are exploring data and AI for investing research. - [The Pitfalls of Measuring Price and Value in Units of Variable Value](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/the-pitfalls-of-measuring-price-and-value-in-units-of-variable-value/) - [Fraud When Trading or Investing in Stocks!](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/fraud-when-trading-or-investing-in-stocks/) - [The Ethics of Paid Research: Navigating Transparency and Bias](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/paid-research-bias-vs-transparency/) - The issue of paid research and its potential impact on the availability and quality of coverage for small-cap companies is a complex one, and it involves various perspectives and considerations. Let's break down the main points - [Understanding Pension Contributions and Their Impact on Company Finances](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/understanding-pension-contributions-and-pension-deficits/) - Pension contributions usually means that a company has a defined benefit pension (DB) pension scheme that the actuaries say has liabilities that exceed its assets. The company then has to agree with the trustees of the pension fund a plan of contributions to eliminate the deficit over a few years. - [Profound Technological Advancements: Beyond Smartphones](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/profound-technological-advancements/) - We are living in a fast-changing financial environment where technological discoveries, geopolitical events, and economic trends change rapidly. - [ChatGPT's Impact: Shining a Light on AI Advancements](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/advancements-in-generative-ai-chatgpt/) - [Beyond the Hype: Navigating the AI Technology Cycle for Smart Investments](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/investing-in-ai-technology-avoiding-the-hype/) - People just need to temper their expectations in terms of what this generation of AI is capable of, and how quickly companies will be able to turn it into profitable products. - [How Small Caps and AIM Companies Manipulate Investors](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/how-aim-companies-manipulate-investors/) - In the last months we've seen what I call 'poker chip' stocks (those going bust/up for sale) being relentlessly pumped by rampers on bulletin boards and social media. - [How Companies Report their KPI's and Manipulate Earnings Reports](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/how-companies-report-their-kpis-and-manipulate-earnings-reports/) - How companies report their key performance indicators (KPIs), both financial and non-financial to their advantage and manipulate earnings! - [$ARKK Cathie Wood's ARK fund has Destroyed Many Small Investors](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/arkk-cathie-wood-investment-management/) - $ARKK Cathie Wood's ARK fund has destroyed many small investors. You need a miracle to just break even, but don't worry, Ms. Wood has your 0.75% a year. - [Distressed UK Markets: A Buying Opportunity?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/distressed-uk-markets-a-buying-opportunity/) - The market is falling partly because there is intense competition for our cash. The 5 year gilt is priced at 85 p which means you get a 100 p in five years and on top of that you get a pay out every year, yield of 5% tax free too. - [Inflation, Interest Rate Hikes and the Yield Curve Inversion](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/yield-curve-inversion-recession/) - With the accumulation of negative economic and financial news, there is growing apprehension about an impending recession. Market participants and clients express their greatest anxiety regarding the possibility of a prolonged, severe downturn. - [The Advantage of Emerging Managers: Outperformance Potential](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/emerging-fund-managers-vs-star-fund-managers/) - Newer fund managers tend to outperform their more established peers because they have a greater incentive to outperform since they need to attract assets under management (AUM) and build a successful track record. - [A Story on SPACs and How Far They've Crashed and Burned](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/spacs-disasters/) - So what were the most popular SPACs from 2022 and how did they perform? SPACS as a whole turned out to be terrible investments for 2021 and 2022. - [Stock Buybacks](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Stock-Buybacks.html) - Stock buybacks are a bullish signal and shrewd traders can take advantage of them using a CFD trade. - [Lessons from the Pros: Star Manager Stanley Freeman Druckenmiller](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/stanley-druckenmiller-fund-manager-investing-tips/) - Stan Druckenmiller is one of the world’s greatest money managers and has traded through market cycles for more than 30 years. - [Trade Gold with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Gold-CFDs.html) - A gold CFD is a theoretical order to buy or sell a certain amount of gold, and the profit or loss on the CFD is determined by the change in price of the gold. As it is a derivative, you never have to deal with taking ownership of the metal - [Trading Sideways, Choppy or Trendless Markets](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/trading-sideways-choppy-or-trendless-markets/) - Sideways, choppy, or trendless markets can weigh on a traders' mentality. When the market is in a sideways trend, trading become a lower probability venture. - [Eight Lessons from Leading Entrepreneur and Investor Peter Thiel](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/peter-thiel-investing-tips/) - Peter Thiel is one of the world's most prominent venture capitalists with a net worth exceeding $8 billion. He is known for his early investments in PayPal, and Facebook, and for co-founding Palantir. - [The Importance of Stop Losses](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/stops/Importance-of-using-stop-loss/) - CFD providers now routinely support a range of sophisticated orders that are designed to help clients manage their positions. Perhaps the best known of these are stop orders - [Controlling Risk, Cutting Losses and Newsletters](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/controlling-risk-cutting-losses.html) - You’re not alone if you feel you need to improve your trading. As many as 90% of would be traders find they can't make a profit and give up in the first six months of trying. The general issues you face are the prospect of easy money, the excitement, and the lack of reality. - [Money Market Funds Are Back in Vogue](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/the-resurgence-of-money-market-funds/) - Money-market funds and tech shares have both enjoyed a resurgence in recent times. These funds are highly influenced by changes in interest rates. - [How to Trade Silver with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Silver-CFDs.html) - Depending on your CFD broker, you may be able to trade on the spot price of silver, that is the current price, or you can also take out a contract on the price on a future date. Using CFDs it is as easy to profit from a fall in value as from a rise - [Dissecting the Impending Commercial Real Estate Crisis](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/commercial-real-estate-crisis/) - Soon you will hear a lot more on Commercial Real Estate.Why? Because US banks & PE firms are headed for real estate doomsday. - [The USA Regional Banking Crisis; Absolute Layout for Noobs Out There.](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/usa-regional-banking-crisis-explained/) - You told us in 2021 rates will be zero until like forever! So the banks loaded up on some crap mortgage bonds that pay peanuts. - [Trading Platinum using CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Platinum-CFDs.html) - You can take a position on the price of platinum via CFD trading and a number of contracts are available as well as well as of course as mining and exploration companies with interests like Johnson Matthey - [First Republic Bank and The Regional Banking Crisis in the USA](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/first-republic-bank-and-the-regional-banking-crisis-in-the-usa/) - Hundreds of banks, both big and small, have so-called unrealized losses on their books -- $620 billion in total according to the WSJ. - [Companies and Pension Scheme Deficits](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/stocks-and-pension-scheme-deficits/) - Many stocks have been, and still are, encumbered by the size of their pension scheme deficits. - [Secrets Casinos Don’t Want You To Know](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/secrets-casinos-dont-want-you-to-know) - The best places to put premium slots are in high traffic areas, such as those near the entrance or those that link to other parts of the casino, such as the in-house mall or hotel. - [Silicon Valley Bank Collapses Following Run on Deposits](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/silicon-valley-bank-collapses-following-run-on-deposits/) - Silicon Valley Bank has been hit by a bank run, with a large number of depositors withdrawing their funds at the same time, leading to a severe liquidity crisis for the bank. - [Insiders/Management Buying and Selling?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/insider-management-buying-and-selling/) - When insiders buy should investors follow them!? What does it mean if insiders/management are buying? And what if directors are offloading stock? - [Jim Chanos; "I'm Not Sure Speculation Is Gone"](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/interview-with-jim-chanos/) - Jim Chanos, the founder and president of Chanos & Company, asserts that the degree of absurdity and speculation observed in 2020 and 2021 was a critical turning point for valuations. He talks about the biggest fraud which is hiding in plain sight - [Betting Against Jim Cramer Now A Reality](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/inverse-cramer-etf-betting-against-jim/) - Betting against Jim Cramer is finally a reality. These are some of the things you should know about betting against Jim and the inverse Cramer ETF. - [Warren Buffett's Annual Letter: Wit and Wisdom from the World's Greatest Investor](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/warren-buffett-wisdom-from-a-great-investor/) - Warren Buffett also expressed his enthusiasm for stock buybacks in the letter. The caveat being buybacks at the RIGHT price. Like any tool, there is a right way and wrong ways - [Trading and Investing in Meme Stocks](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/meme-stocks/) - In early 2021, meme stocks dominated the headlines. The stock prices of certain companies, such as GameStop, AMC Entertainment and Bed, Bath & Beyond showed exceptional volatility. - [The Returns of Bankrupt Equities: Buying Stocks of Companies with Debt Priced at Distressed Levels is a Losing Strategy](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/buying-stocks-of-bankrupt-companies/) - It has been proven that buying stocks of heavily indebted companies is a losing strategy over time. I want to discuss the recent trend of companies' shares in bankruptcy or near bankruptcy skyrocketing... - [Trading AIM and Small Caps](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Trading-small-caps.html) - Another problem if you use CFDs to trade on smaller shares is that you can expect to see very large spreads compared to dealing in the largest stocks... - [Some Basic Knowledge Regarding Bitcoin and Ethereum](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cryptos/bitcoin-and-ethereum-things-to-know.html) - Out of 20,000 cryptocurrencies, Ethereum and bitcoin have maintained the top spot without any close competition. Undeniably in terms of spot value, there is nothing better than bitcoin, but the future applications of Ethereum seem way more proficient than bitcoin. - [Ways to Earn Bitcoin without Trading or Investing](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cryptos/ways-to-earn-bitcoin-without-trading-or-investing.html) - Several others present discussing the method to earn enough money through BTC. Apart from bitcoin investing and trading, the most popular methods to make huge money, folks can earn by performing many other jobs. - [How can you get Leverage in the Cryptocurrency Market?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cryptos/how-can-you-get-leverage-in-the-cryptocurrency-market.html) - Crypto traders often use a known approach that can help in working as a trading approach that can help increase the profit margins in your chosen venture. - [Should You Buy Bitcoin? - Learn about the Pros and Cons of Bitcoin!](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/should-you-buy-bitcoin.html) - Bitcoin is the virtual sort of currency which works on a public ledger known as the blockchain. As with many things there are pros and cons in trading bitcoin - [Is the Stock Market Rigged? Are the Markets Rigged?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/is-the-stock-market-rigged/) - Is the stock market rigged? Are the markets rigged? The game is rigged in favor of the house (those with inside information and the ability to temporarily move the market in ways that enriches them) - [The Forgotten Lessons of 2008: Seth Klarman](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/the-forgotten-lessons-of-2008/) - Below, we highlight the lessons that we believe could and should have been learned from the turmoil of 2008. Shockingly, virtually all of these lessons were either never learned or else were immediately forgotten by most market participants. - [Patience: How to Develop it as a Trader](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/patience-how-to-develop-it-as-a-trader/) - Is impatience really costing you when you trade and take rash decisions? If so, how much is it costing you and how can you develop patience when trading - [Can Chat GPT Help You Analyse Stocks!?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/can-chat-gpt-help-you-analyse-stocks/) - Let's discuss the artificial-intelligence chatbot ChatGPT. Can Chat GPT Help You Analyse Stocks!? - [Trading Small Caps: How to Distinguish the Bad, the Dubious and the Frauds](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/how-to-research-small-cap-stocks-distinguishing-the-bad-from-the-dubious/) - If you do not know exactly what you are doing, it is not easy making money in the speculative small cap markets and often preconceptions can get in the way. There are many books on investing and trading, but hardly any that address the actual peculiarities of these markets. - [Michael Burry of 'The Big Short': Controversial Value Investor](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/michael-burry-controversial-value-investor/) - Michael Burry is one of the most popular value investors in the game. He's a contrarian that buys odd-ball, roadkill stocks that others don't. I dissected his seven write-ups to see how he analyzed stocks. - [Analysing and Researching Stocks](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/analysing-and-researching-stocks/) - How do you analyse and research individual stocks? What to look for when analyzing a stock? - [FTX Crypto Exchange Scandal and Bankruptcy](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/ftx-scandal-bankruptcy/) - This is the real story behind FTX's bankruptcy. The lack of due diligence at all of the investors in FTX is totally shocking, to say the least. - [Signs That a Stock is Not a Fraud!](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/signs-that-a-stock-is-not-a-fraud/) - Is a company or stock a fraud? How do you know? What are the signs of a questionable/fraudulent company - [What is Tiger Global Management? What is their History?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/tiger-global-management-story/) - [How Deep and Long Will the Recession Be?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/how-deep-and-long-will-the-recession-be/) - So how deep and long will this recession be, can employment hold up and what does that mean for earnings and valuations? - [Simple Market Drivers: Fear and Greed](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/fear-and-greed.html) - Fear is probably the stronger of the two drivers. You will find fear in many forms - fear of losing your money is an important one which you face every second you are trading. Other fears include fear of what people or your family will think of you and your trading, and perhaps even fear of succeeding. - [Selling Products or Services Below Cost is Not Disruptive or Innovative](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/selling-products-or-services-below-cost-is-not-disruptive-or-innovative/) - The hard truth many don’t like to hear: Selling products or services below all-in-cost is not disruption, or an innovative business model. Its not a moat. It’s not investing in growth. - [CFD Trade: Going Short and Making a Profit](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/going-short.html) - The way that you can profit on falling prices is called going short or short selling, and although many people are worried about it when they first start trading, mastering going short is one of the keys to making a profit in good or bad markets. - [Bitcoin and Loss of Trust of CryptoCurrency Exchanges](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cryptos/bitcoin-and-loss-of-trust-of-cryptocurrency-exchanges/) - [Tax Loss January Effect](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/tax-loss-season/) - December is sometimes referred to as the tax-loss season, when numerous investors in North American markets, whether institutional or private, sell down their losers in order to realise a loss, which they can then off-set against gains elsewhere in order to reduce their tax liabilities. - [Tax Loss Harvesting](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/tax-loss-harvesting/) - Are CFD profits taxable in UK? How much is capital gains tax on CFD? Gains on CFD trading are taxable at the normal tax rates applicable to capital gains taxes in your country. - [Why is Bitcoin a Big Deal?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/why-is-bitcoin-a-big-deal.html) - Bitcoin continues to attract immense popularity as a transaction currency and a store of value. Here's why Bitcoin is a big deal. - [Is There an Underlying Asset for Bitcoin?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/is-there-an-underlying-asset-for-bitcoin.html) - Bitcoin does not have an underlying asset, but it remains one of the most valuable assets today. Here's how Bitcoin holds its value. - [The Basics of Bitcoin That Every Beginner Should Know](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/the-basics-of-bitcoin-that-every-beginner-should-know.html) - Are you a newbie looking to learn more about Bitcoin? If so, you need to master these Bitcoin beginner basics. - [How Bitcoin Manipulation Can Occur](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/how-bitcoin-manipulation-can-occur.html) - price manipulation bitcoin - [Can Bitcoin Help Hedge Against Inflation?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/can-bitcoin-help-hedge-against-inflation.html) - Bitcoin aims to mitigate the harms of inflation. Find out how Bitcoin can help hedge against inflation. - [Inflation and Bitcoin – What You Should Know](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/inflation-and-bitcoin-what-you-should-know.html) - Many investors have accumulated significant Bitcoin holdings to protect their wealth from inflation. This article elaborates on Bitcoin and inflation. - [Investing/Trading Copper and Copper Mining Stocks](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/investing-trading-copper-and-copper-mining-stocks/) - [The Jargon Contracts for Difference](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/contractsfordifference.html) - [How to turn £20,000 into £1m;](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Cfd-trader.html) - A former Glasgow stockbroker has set himself a m pension challenge after turning his 20,000 /Isa into 1.2m in five years. - [New Disclosure Rules for CFDs to take effect in June 2009](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Regulators-fsa.html) - Contracts for difference have caught regulators eyes as being at the centre of possible market abuse scandals. When defence and aerospace giant BAE Systems used a surprise weapon of its own in a takeover bid for the UK-based military vehicle manufacturer Alvis some investors started to cry foul - [Dealings in Derivatives - Changes to the Takeover Code](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Derivatives-options-cfd-changes.html) - But thanks to Takeover Panel rule changes introduced a few months ago, anyone who has built up a stake in a company worth 1% or more using derivatives will have to make an announcement to the market. - [FTSE 100 vs DAX vs Nasdaq: Performance in 2022](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/ftse-100-vs-dax-vs-nasdaq-performance/) - Impressive how well the FTSE 100 has held up this year. Currently on track to end the year flat, while the Nasdaq is at the other extreme at -33% in 2022 thus far. - [Recommended Trading Books](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/recommended-trading-books/) - Here a list of some of my favourite trading and investing books, hoping someone finds something useful in this list. - [Overtrading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/risks/Overtrading.html) - Overtrading has to be one of the major dangers when trading contracts for difference. Over trading is easy to do, and when it goes wrong it is hard to recover from - [Video: The World’s Countries Compared by 20 Key Metrics](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/features/video-the-worlds-countries-compared-by-20-key-metrics/) - Very interesting video where the world’s countries are compared by 20 interesting metrics. - [Long Term vs Short Term Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/long-term-vs-short-term-trading) - [The Psychology of Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/trading-psychology.html) - When we talk about psychology for share trading, we are really talking about two different things. We are talking about the psychology of the masses, of all the share traders combined - [Trading the Bear Market of 2022: Reflections from the Trenches](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/tips-for-trading-the-bear-market) - Here are some tips and reflections from our own trading experience when trading the bear market of 2022 and trying to profit from the downswings. - [Should I Invest in Travel Assets Again?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/should-i-invest-in-travel-assets-again.html) - The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines has resulted in the emergence of vaccine tourism in countries like Russia, Maldives, and the United Arab Emirates. - [CFDs vs. Stocks - Choosing the Best Option for You](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/cfds-vs-stocks-choosing-the-best-option.html) - Choosing what to invest in is guided by several elements, such as your risk tolerance and investment period; but both CFDs and stocks are popular choices. - [CFD Trading vs Gambling](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/cfd-trading-vs-gambling) - Trading CFDs may involve risk, but it's very different to gambling - do you know the difference? Find out the facts with the City Index guide to tradingThere are many different ways to enter the stock market, and not all of them involved the traditional methods of buying and selling. While ownership of stocks and shares can be highly beneficial, it's not as flexible as other options and may have greater tax implications. If you want to avoid these complications, you could - [Counterparty Risk in Trading CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/risks/Counterparty-risk.html) - When you consider how even the largest of the financial institutions have struggled to survive in the current economic climate, you have to think twice about counterparty risk when trading CFDs with companies that are far smaller - [Trading Cryptocurrency on an Exchange vs Trading Cryptocurrency CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/trading-cryptocurrency-exchange-vs-trading-cryptocurrency-cfds.html) - Although CFDs seem more intimidating and involved compared to the straight up purchase and sale of cryptocurrencies, they do enable you to steer clear of the security risks involved in trading cryptocurrency on an exchange. In addition, these CFDs also provide you with an opportunity to profit from the market fluctuations, and potentially avail very high rewards. - [The Primary Advantages of Bitcoin CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/trading-bitcoin-cfds.html) - As you might be already aware, bitcoin CFDs enable traders to speculate the bitcoin price without actually owning the cryptocurrency. It’s essentially about making a contract with the broker wherein your loss and profit from the activity is dependent upon the difference between closing and opening prices of bitcoin. - [Online Financial Trading and Investing](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/online-trading-and-investing) - online trading, financial trading, financial investing - [Trading Cryptocurrencies on CFD Platforms](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/trading-cryptocurrencies-on-cfd-platforms.html) - Some traders don't know but you can trade cryptocurrencies on a CFD platform. - [Cryptocurrency Trading Opportunities Solid Amid Hard Forks and All](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/cryptocurrency-trading-opportunities.html) - Cryptocurrency news and developments are starting to make it more and more into mainstream media. For good reasons too. With an impressive price surge of more than 700% for Bitcoin and 4000% for Ethereum year to date, it is fair to say that Cryptocurrencies have outperformed and by far other types of investments - [How to Profit from a Short Squeeze](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/how-to-profit-from-a-short-squeeze.html) - Profiting from short squeezes and shorting the market usually generates negative sentiments. However, some of the most successful traders on the market are shorting stocks in their benefit. - [Extra, Extra: How Fake News Affects the Stock Market](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/how-fake-news-affects-the-stock-market.html) - As you probably know, even if you have only read an Investing for Dummies type blog or ebook, there are certain pieces of news that have the potential to influence the stocks of certain companies or the markets as a whole. - [Here's Why ETFs are Booming](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/investing-in-etfs) - Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are fast emerging as one of the most popular options, with both retail and institutional investors piling into this investment vehicle. Data from State Street Global Advisors reveals that ETFs topped $464 billion - [Trading Shares CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Shares-Trading.html) - Here is a worked example of a series of CFD trades in a stock called XYZ Pty Ltd, all executed within the same day... - [Introduction: What are CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/what-are-cfds.html) - Learn how Contracts for difference (CFD) work. Understand the basics of trading CFDs with several easy to follow examples. - [Forex CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/forex-cfds.html) - Forex CFDs are exciting and offer traders excellent opportunities. The forex market is traded 24 hours a day, 5 days a week with an extraordinarily large liquidity traded daily at over 4 trillion dollars exchanging hands every day. - [Trade Forex CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Forex-CFDs.html) - When you trade Forex using CFDs, the situation is quite clear – the base price is the price when you buy the CFD, which can be bought in convenient sizes. This is your reference price and your profit... - [Australia, New Academic Paper on CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/8301-australia-new-academic-paper-on-cfds/) - A new academic paper investigates the after cost performance of investors in Australian Securities Exchange listed share CFDs. - [Europe, OTC Derivatives Regulation Under EMIR](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/8201-europe-otc-derivatives-regulation-under-emir/) - The impending European Union rules governing over-the-counter derivatives, central counterparties and trade repositories (EMIR) targets to adopt the G20 commitment to oblige clearing of standardised OTC derivative transactions by central counterparties by the end of this year. - [Australia, ASX Derivatives Trading sees 9% Growth in August](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/2571-australia-asx-derivatives-trading-sees-9-growth-in-august/) - [Shorting Shares with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Shorting-Shares.html) - ow short selling using CFDs is just as simple, and it comes with the advantage that you do not need so much money to take part in the gains from the shares fall in value. Take as an example the Royal Bank of Scotland - [Taking Advantage of Auctions with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Auctions-CFDs.html) - One of the simplest trading plans is to buy when the price retraces in an established uptrend. Inevitably, even in strong uptrends, prices fluctuate up and down. - [Australia, ASIC releases Investor Guide about CFDs Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/3611-australia-asic-investor-guide-cfds/) - Just a week after expressing concern about consumer understanding of over the counter products such as CFDs, the Australian regulator has issued a 45-page investor guide... - [Europe, Regulating Europe’s Derivative Markets - Where Are We Now?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/8051-europe-regulatory-update/) - After the publication of fifteen revised drafts of the long-awaited Regulation of the European Parliament and Council on OTC Derivatives, Central Counterparties and Trade Repositories (commonly known as “EMIR”), you would be forgiven for thinking that the Europeans were never likely to see a conclusion to legislative attempts to regulate their over-the-counter (“OTC”) derivatives market. - [Australia, ASIC seeks more Disclosure on CFDs‎](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/6091-australia-asic-seeks-more-disclosure-on-cfds/) - The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has tightened the rules governing contracts for difference which now require clearer disclosure in seven areas. - [Risks Associated with Trading CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/risks.html) - A leveraged investment in derivatives carries a higher degree of risk to the investor, and due to fluctuations in value you may not get back the amount you invested. - [Sector Speculating](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Sector-cfds.html) - The beauty of trading through cfds a sector is that the trends can be both long-term and substantial. Over the course of the last year, for example, the FTSE350 mining sector has been in a strong upwards trend that has taken it from around 8300 last May to a peak of over 17000. - [Managing the Risks of CFD Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Managing-risk-derivatives.html) - CFDs trading should be treated no differently to trading Shares. So in that respect it IS easy. Share trading for sustained profit is NOT easy. I am no expert on CFDs but here are my views, and thoughts to date to help or hinder. - [UK, IG Markets Launches Insight Platform](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/7591-insight-platform/) - IG Markets has launched a new platform designed to help traders research markets events and analyse data. The new research software application which IG has baptized as the new Insight platform is a centralised platform encompassing market data, live news and expert analysis on the financial markets. - [Australia, Sonray director fronts Court](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/6681-australia-sonray-director-fronts-court/) - Russell Johnson, a co-founder of collapsed brokerage company Sonray Capital Markets appeared in a Melbourne court on 24 charges including theft, conspiracy and dishonesty over his role in the downfall of Sonray. - [The Dangers of Selling Short](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/risks/Dangers-selling-short.html) - Short selling is risky. In fact, the best way to being a search for stocks that will decline is to look at what is popular, rather than what is out of favor. - [CFD Trading Strategy](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/CFD-trading-strategy.html) - To come out on top in the fast-moving world of contracts for difference you need a trading strategy. After 17 years trading financial markets I have learned that the one thing all consistently winning traders have is a winning cfd trading strategy - [Trading Pairs - More Practical Examples](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Contract-for-difference.html) - To trade pairs you need to pick two stocks that move in a similar way, have similar business models and are likely to be affected similarly by market events. They are likely to be in the same sector. Statistically speaking, they should have a high positive correlation coefficient. The correlation coefficient measures the strength of the relationship between two stocks. - [Contracts for Difference SIPPS](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Cfds-sipps-cfds.html) - Changes in UK tax regulation in the Summer of 2004 have opened up all the features and benefits of trading CFDs within a low cost SIPP* wrapper. Thereby trading Contracts for Difference (CFDs) within a SIPP is now permitted under current legislation. - [UK, Team Sky new Official Partner: IG Markets!](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/announcements/3371-team-sky-ig-markets/) - CFD provider IG Markets, part of IG Group has become the official sponsor of professional British road cycling outfit Team Sky. Team Sky is Britain's leading professional cycling team - [Sakata's Five Methods](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/sakatas-five-methods.html) - Sakata’s Five Methods consist of five specific patterns: three mountains, three rivers, three gaps, three parallel lines, and three methods. What’s the significance of three? Japanese culture at the time believed three to be a significant - [The Wait and See Patterns](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/wait-and-see-candlesticks-patterns.html) - While most patterns on the candlestick chart can show you possible up or down trends, certain patterns can also indicate when traders should slow or stop trading and wait for clearer market signals. These are called wait and see patterns; two of the best known are the inside range and tweezers. - [UK, IG Markets now on iPad](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/6781-ig-markets-now-on-ipad/) - IG Markets has announced that its trading platform for the iPad is now available for download from the App Store. - [UK, IG Markets updates iPhone CFD Application for DMA Access](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/5841-ig-markets-iphone-dma-access/) - CFD provider IG Markets has launched an updated version of its iPhone trading application which will allow its clients the ability to execute Direct Market Access (DMA) trades - [Australia, Ex-Macquarie Banker pleads guilty to Insider Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/2841-ex-macquarie-banker-pleads-guilty-to-insider-trading/) - [Ireland, Irish Regulator Reviewing Disclosure Restrictions of CFD Holdings](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/2151-ireland-ireland-regulator-reviewing-disclosure-of-cfd-holdings/) - [Contracts for Difference Tax Implications](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tax-status-of-cfds.html) - Contracts for difference and spread betting - tax free or not? - [Japanese Candlesticks Analysis](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/japanese-candlesticks-analysis.html) - This brings us to candlesticks, which you should be very familiar with, as they are probably the clearest way to see quickly what the market is doing. They aren't magic, but very close to it, and some traders rely totally on what they say to govern their trading. - [What is Technical Analysis?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/technical-analysis.html) - You can take out contracts for difference on many major stocks on many global stock markets, so you would apply technical analysis directly to the stocks to help with your selection. - [Groundbreaking Techniques: Ichimoku Charting](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/ichimoku-charting.html) - If your charting program does not offer Ichimoku yet, then you can follow along by looking at www.stockcharts.com, as the free Sharp Charts allow you to plot all the Ichimoku indicators - just scroll down to the Overlays section and pick Ichimoku Clouds - [One Day Candlestick Reversal Patterns](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/one-day-candlestick-reversal-patterns.html) - One pattern that traders frequently look for is a candlestick reversal pattern. You may already know that a reversal indicates a sudden change in the market direction. - [Two Day Candlestick Reversal Patterns](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/two-day-candlestick-reversal-patterns.html) - Another type of candlestick reversal pattern is the two-day reversal pattern. Again, this kind of reversal signals that the general direction of the market is changing, but the change occurs over two days. - [Reading Candlesticks](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/reading-candlesticks.html) - The appearance of the candlestick body and its shadows provide a lot of information about the state of the market and where it's going. The length of the candlestick body shows where the majority of the trading took place. - [Recording & Measuring Your Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/recording-your-trades.html) - Reflection of trading. This will allow you go over trades without the pressure of the clock and the markets and provide vital feedback for improvement. - [Direct Market Access (DMA) & Market Makers (MM)](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/DMA-CFD.html) - There are plenty of factors to consider when selecting a CFD provider, but perhaps the most fundamental issue is whether to go for a direct market access (DMA) or a quotedriven product. This important decision can have significant implications for the feasibility of different trading strategies and the costs of actually implementing them - [Developing A Trading Plan](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/developing-a-trading-plan.html) - I cannot outline one generic trading plan for everyone as this will not work as everyone has different needs and ideas. There are 3 main areas that should be assessed before developing a trading plan: - [Day Trading with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Day-trading-cfds.html) - If day trading appeals to you, then you should know that contracts for difference are well suited to this timescale. The leverage that you obtain with CFDs means that you can profit substantially... - [Bed and Breakfasting - Contracts for Differences](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tax-free-trading-with-cfds.html) - Tax Free Trading - Mimicking Bed and Breakfasting with CFDs. Having just spent the last few days finishing the dreaded tax return the mere mention of anything tax related makes me want to throw the monitor out of the window. - [Margin and Managing Risk - Winning CFD Strategies](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Contracts_for_difference.html) - To come out on top in the fast-moving world of contracts for difference you need a trading strategy. After 17 years trading financial markets I have learned that the one thing all consistently winning traders have is a winning cfd trading strategy - [The Argument for Options Trading against CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Options-vs-CFDs.html) - I would argue that at their best, options should outperform CFDs hands down when it comes to risk to reward, but to do this, the options environment needs to satisfy specific conditions - [CFDs In Australia](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/CFDs-Australia.html) - The scary side of CFD trading is demonstrated by a trade I took in Jubilee Mines (JBM) in early September 2005...CFDs are so popular in Australia that every major Australian stockbroker now either offers them or is in the process of adding them to their product list. - [Why trade CFDs?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/trade-cfds.html) - Investors and traders from all backgrounds and levels of experience are now using CFDs to increase their returns and better manage their risk. - [Making Money from CFD Trading - by Catherine Davey](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Trading-books.html) - A must-read for those wanting to know more about CFDs and for traders of any financial instrument who want to take their performance to the next level. - [What is Level 2? Who needs it?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Level-2-cfds.html) - What is Level 2 and do you really need it? The format of the Level 2 display is the same for SETS, SETS/MM and SEAQ, but the content (the mix of orders or MM prices within that grid) will look different and will be interpreted differently. Contracts for Difference... - [Advice/Tips on Level 2 and DMA](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Level-2.html) - Level 2 is essential for CFD day traders. This means you can see the order book. Many commentators say when you haven't got level 2 you might as well be driving through a forest with no head lights on in the middle - [Exchange Traded CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/costs/exchange-traded-cfds.html) - In OTC contracts for difference, you trade with and against the provider, and you get the provider's price, however with exchange traded CFDs the prices will be the same as the underlying physical shares like as in OTC DMA providers. - [CMC's Peter Cruddas - The rags-to-riches rise of a likeable billionaire](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/CMCMarkets-Cruddas.html) - CMC Markets' Cruddas hasn't let fame - or a net worth of $2.12 billion - go to his head - [Self Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) and CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/sipps.html) - SIPP stands for self-invested personal pension and, as the name suggests, it is a type of DIY personal pension where you pick the investments yourself. Until fairly recently, most Sipp holders used the wrapper as a way of drawing down on the income in their pension plan and to avoid taking out compulsory annuities... - [Trade: SHORT on Kazakhmys (KAZ.L)](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Shares-trading-examples.html) - A trade that we took in 2009 was a short CFD in Kazakhmys (KAZ.L). With the shares having risen consistently for 11 straight sessions, momentum had begun to look incredibly overbought - [Australia, CFD providers 'need to do more': ASIC](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/1871-australia-cfd-providers-need-to-do-more-asic/) - [CMC Markets Integrates Pattern Recognition Charting Application](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/2401-cmc-markets-integrates-pattern-recognition-charting-application/) - [Moving Average Convergence-Divergence indicator (MACD)](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/macd-moving-average-convergence-divergence-indicator.html) - The Moving Average Convergence-Divergence indicator (MACD), or Mac D as it is usually referred to, was devised by Gerald Appel a US investment manager in 1977. It is one of the most popular technical oscillators and uses a moving average crossover - [Australia, Former Macquarie fund manager sentenced for Insider Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/5321-oswyn-de-silva-former-macquarie-fund-manager-sentenced-insider-trading/) - Former Macquarie Bank trader Oswyn de Silva has been sentenced to 2 1/2 years' jail time for insider trading by "front running" his orders on the Singapore Stock Exchange in 2006 and 2007. - [UK, CMC Markets Introduces Precision Pricing](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/3521-uk-cmc-markets-introduces-precision-pricing/) - CMC Markets has introduced new pricing technology which we are told provides a greater degree of transparency on pricing of CFD contracts plus a number of spread cuts.. - [UK, Former Blue Index Directors & Trader Charged by UK's FSA With Insider Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/3831-blue-index-fsa/) - The British FSA has charged five individuals with 17 counts of insider dealing; four men and one woman linked to defunct UK specialist brokerage Blue Index Ltd have been charged with 17 counts of insider dealing - [Ireland, Seán Quinn's Incredible Half a Million Punt on Anglo-Irish Bank's Stock](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/6391-ireland-sean-quinn-anglo-irish-bank-gamble/) - It is thought that Sean Quinn bought over half a billion worth of shares in Anglo-Irish Bank on a single day, on two separate occasions. - [USA, MF Global Files for Bankruptcy After Bad Bets on European Debt](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/7021-mf-global-bankruptcy/) - MF Global filed for bankruptcy on Monday morning in New York after revealing $6.3bn of eurozone debt exposure... - [Australia, Technical glitch takes ASX offline for hours](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/6951-australia-technical-glitch-takes-asx-offline-for-hours/) - Australian Stock Exchange operator ASX Group stopped market trading last week due to technical problems, leaving brokers and CFD traders furious during a period of extreme market turbulence. - [Australia, Broker Sonray Capital Markets goes into Administration](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/41-broker-sonray-capital-markets-goes-into-administration/) - [Stop Loss Orders: A Necessity](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/stop-loss-orders.html) - If you have traded CFDs or shares for any time at all, you will have come across the idea of a stop loss order. These are the main types of CFD orders that can be placed to enter or exit CFDs, and a description of each - [Index Reviews](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Index-Reviews.html) - One trading strategy is to speculate on which companies might be expected to get relegated from, or promoted to an index such as the FTSE 100. Trading index reviews can be a very profitable strategy for CFD investors, even if there are caveats here, too. A stock which announces entry into an index like the FTSE 100 is likely to move up sharply and CFD traders can take advantage of these short-term opportunities... - [Berkeley Futures Interview](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Berkeley-futures.html) - Interview with the powers at Berkeley Futures Limited - [Saxo Bank CFDs Reviewed](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/Saxobank-broker-review.html) - Reviewing Saxobank and what they offer. Saxo Bank does not charge commissions, but makes its money on the bid/ask spreads. Although it offers live pricing on the platform, much of its business is as a market maker. - [Plus500](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/plus500.html) - Plus500 acts as a market-maker, which means they are on the opposite side of your trades. The good thing is that you can't lose more than you deposit and that you can use guaranteed stops. - [IG Markets PureDMA Trading Platform](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/PureDMA.html) - IG Markets says that anyone can upgrade to PureDMA as long as they have at least a minimum balance of $5000 in their account, or £1000 in the UK. You simply have to change your preferences within the settings menu to activate it. - [Stock Splits](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Stock-Splits.html) - Traditionally viewed as a bullish signal, stock splits have established an almost cult following in the States.... - [Taking Advantage of Director Dealings with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Director-Dealings.html) - Directors' dealings can provide a useful signal for CFD traders but you should be careful before taking directors trades as an indication to buy or sell CFDs in the company, as there can be several reasons that directors trade their own shares. - [Trade Volatility (VIX Index)](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Trade-Volatility-VIX.html) - A number of CFD providers offer futures contracts on the Volatility Index, including IG Markets and CMC Markets, all with fairly competitive spreads. - [Mean Reversion Trading Strategy](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Mean-Reversion-Strategy.html) - Mean reversion is about identifying the trading range for a share, and then calculating the average price using fundamental data (assets, earnings..etc) to open a CFD trade. Mean reversion may look to be a more scientific system - [Rotational Trading Strategy](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Rotational-trading-strategy.html) - Rotational Trading (RT) is a medium term technique that takes advantage of a well-documented market anomaly whereby rapid long term price increases are often followed by a continued move in the same direction - [Scalping with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Scalping-cfds.html) - There is really nothing to compare with scalping when it comes to excitement in trading, and contracts for difference are a great way to take part. But it is not for the faint of heart and you need... - [CFDs Trading vs Futures](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/compare/Futures-versus-cfds.html) - With that said, how can you choose between trading CFDs and trading futures? Well, there are some differences. A futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell something at a set price at a set date in the future, regardless of how... - [Develop your CFD Trading System](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Trading-system.html) - What makes a good CFD trading system? Trading systems are very much personal things - what suits one trader probably wouldn't suit another and their tolerance to pain i.e. seeing their trading capital shrink as the price moves against them. - [Primary Order Types](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/order-types.html) - Successful traders know how to use different order types. Read about market, limit, stop and 2 advanced order types and how to use them when trading CFDs. - [Day Trading DMA CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/DMA-CFDs.html) - With DMA CFDs your trade order instructions are dealt immediately through to the underlying exchange without any dealer intervention which implies that orders are filled transparently without re-quotes - [Diversify your Investments Across Different Asset Classes](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Diversification.html) - Maintain a healthy CFDs portfolio balance. Speculative shares should be kept to around three or four stocks of a 10-stock portfolio. - [OCO Orders](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/stops/oco-orders.html) - One Cancels the Other Order (OCO) is an extremely useful device which allows you to program your trading, and goes a step beyond the Parent and Contingent Order - [Guaranteed Stop Loss Orders](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/stops/Guaranteed-stops.html) - Here we consider what a guaranteed stop loss order is, and where it can be useful in your CFD trading. To understand the need for a guaranteed stop loss, you have to realize that an ordinary stop loss order simply instructs - [Covered Warrants and Listed CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/compare/Listed-cfds.html) - As with covered warrants, turbos (formerly known as listed CFDs) offer a geared exposure with the maximum potential loss restricted to the initial outlay. Both types of securities allow investors... - [What are Bollinger Bands?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/bollinger-bands-explained.html) - Bollinger Bands appear as an overlay on a chart and are plotted a number of standard deviations above and below a moving average. - [CFDs Trading Costs and Fees](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/trading-commissions-fees.html) - Firstly, when you buy a CFD, you pay commission for each trade, and this can be 0.1% or 0.2% of the underlying value. This is charged both for taking the position and for liquidating it, or in and out Some CFD providers do not charge commission - [CFDs and Variation Margins](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/variation-margin.html) - Read what maintenance margin is. Traders must understand maintenance margin to ensure their trades are not automatically closed by their broker. - [Overnight financing on CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/overnight-financing.html) - CFD Positions held overnight are subject to an overnight financing charge. This is because when you buy a CFD, the broker is effectively lending you money. - [Types of CFDs: CFD Markets](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/types-of-cfds.html) - The following examples are ways in which CFDs can be used in your trading. There are commodity and gold CFDs, oil and gas CFDs as well as contracts for differences based on indices - [Concepts Of Trading A Leveraged Product](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/leveraged-trading.html) - What do we mean by a leveraged product? A leveraged product is simply a means of 'gearing' your investment up, so that you’re controlling a larger position, but only paying now for part of that overall position. What this does mean is that any gain or loss is magnified, simply because the position you’re controlling and exposing yourself to is much larger than the amount of money tied up in that trade. - [Can Martingale Strategy Help Traders Get More Success?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/martingale-strategy.html) - A real world application of the Martingale strategy requires deep pockets. On paper, the system happens to work extremely well as there has to be a reversal in fortunes at least once - [Using CFDs to Hedge Share Positions](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/hedging-with-cfds.html) - To hedge your shares portfolio and protect yourself against losses you can instead take out short positions with contracts for difference that match your shareholding. Now if the shares drop in value your original portfolio becomes worth less, but the CFDs gain by the amount the shares - [How To Hedge a $150,000 Shares Portfolio using CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/hedging-strategy.html) - An incidental advantage of using CFDs as a hedging mechanism is that you are paid interest on a daily basis on the short CFD position while you hold it. This hedging strategy also means that if your shares go up instead, the gains you make by holding them will be countered by the loss - [CFDs: Tax Implications](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/taxes.html) - How are CFDs returns taxes in the United Kingdom and Australia? First, your gains on CFD transactions may be regarded as regular income or as capital gains. In Australia, these are known as revenue and capital accounts. Obviously, the tax you pay will depend on this decision - [How to Trade Charts and Chart Patterns](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/how-to-trade-charts.html) - CFD traders often use chart patterns to analyse the market. Learn how to apply charting techniques to help recognise opportunities in the market. - [What are Price Charts?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/price-charts.html) - Price charts plot the recent prices of a market on a graph and provide a snapshot of market movements over a particular period of time. In this section we examine some of the most common charting patterns - [What is Fundamental Analysis?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/what-is-fundamental-analysis.html) - What is Fundamentals analysis? Fundamental analysis traders track these political, social and economic forces to forecast whether the value of a currency will go up or down. - [Trading for Income: How Much can I Make?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/how-much-can-i-make.html) - Wealthy people don't just end up wealthy – they develop a strategy and stick to it. We encourage you to design your own wealth creating share / stock trading strategy. - [Share Trading Course](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/share-trading-course.html) - A good share trading course will equip you with the knowledge and fortitude to assess market conditions, identify winning stocks, and develop in you the clear knowledge of when to enter and exit trades - [The Truth About Setting Stops](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/truth-about-setting-stops.html) - You may have heard some conflicting information about setting stop losses, and be wondering what to do. Some people say to always set them, others say never do that, and sometimes you're supposed to figure out for yourself if you need stop losses set. - [Money Management: Preserve Your Trading Capital](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/money-management.html) - In my opinion, money management is the single most important aspect of any trading system and is badly neglected by many new (and not so new) traders. - [CFDs Comparison to Shares Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/shares-trading-versus-cfds.html) - CFDs trading is similar to normal shares trading with some important differences. You deal at the actual price of the stock, and pay a commission which is calculated as a percentage of the value of the transaction. One such difference is that when you trade a CFD you don't own the actual share. - [Lee Foster Bowman: Managing Director of IDealing](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Lee-Foster-Bowman.html) - Lee Foster Bowman is managing director of one of Britain's largest independent online dealing operations, iDealing.com. - [Contracts for Difference: Why trade CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/trading-on-margin.html) - The array of contracts for difference providers, stockbrokers and futures traders, all competing to offer similar products, but with different charges, commissions and account conditions can be daunting for first-time traders. - [Advantages of CFD Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/why-trade-cfds.html) - So why to people trade Contract For Difference or CFDs? They are becoming a more well known product, but you have to know the benefits and risks of CFDs... - [Interview with Mr Hayden Brooks, CFD & Equity Sales at First Prudential Markets](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/First-Prudential-Markets.html) - Review of First Prudential Markets and interview with Mr Hayden Brooks, CFD Equity Sales at FP Markets - [iDealing](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Idealing.html) - iDealing.com is an execution-only internet service designed for private investors and also offer CFD trading... - [ETX Capital Interview](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/etx-interview) - ETX Capital (formerly known as TradIndex) has existed since 2002 and has grown steadily since then to become one of the major players in the spread bet and CFD arena - [Interview with the Powers at Hargreaves Lansdown](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Hargreaves-Lansdown.html) - Review of Hargreaves Lansdown and interview with David Rawlings Head of Commercial Development at H-L.co.uk - [CMC Markets Interview](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/CMC-Markets.html) - Interview with David Jones, CMC Markets was originally founded by Peter Cruddas as the Currency Management Corporation back in 1989. CMC Markets released the first Internet FX trading platform in 1996, which made FX trading accessible to a much wider retail audience. Since then, we have spent over $60 million developing our trading software and expanding our product range to include CFDs and Spread Betting - [Internaxx Interview](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Internaxx.html) - Interview with Mr Robert Glaesener, Managing Director at cfd broker Internaxx - We simplified our past institutional name to include our commercial name Internaxx, with which we are active on the international markets since our launch five years ago. - [ETX Capital](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/etx-capital) - [Activtrades Review](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/activtrades-review.html) - According to information from the Activtrades website, the differences in their use in this application are small – they both allow 1:400 leverage with a minimum deposit of 100, but MetaTrader 4 does not support CFDs - [Exchange Traded CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/Exchange-traded-CFDs.html) - The advantages claimed for exchange traded CFDs are three-fold. There is the market independence of using the ASX, which means it does not matter which CFD broker you trade through. There is a standard contract and regulation - [Heated points of difference - Australia](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/781-heated-points-of-difference-australia/) - [FSA Fines e-mail Snooper](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/611-uk-fsa-fines-e-mail-snooper/) - [Ireland: New product limits the dangers for smaller investors in CFD market](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/681-ireland-new-product-limits-the-dangers-for-smaller-investors-in-cfd-market/) - [UK: CFDs come in for closer scrutiny](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/701-uk-cfds-come-in-for-closer-scrutiny/) - [Ireland: Investors face tough CFD crackdown](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/721-ireland-investors-face-tough-cfd-crackdown/) - [PSE eyes equity derivatives for OFW market](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/741-pse-eyes-equity-derivatives-for-ofw-market/) - [CFD rules set for major overhaul – Ireland](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/801-cfd-rules-set-for-major-overhaul-ireland/) - [Irish market to be hit hard following CFD losses – Ireland](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/821-irish-market-to-be-hit-hard-following-cfd-losses-ireland/) - [FSA says derivatives transparency hard to enforce](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/841-fsa-says-derivatives-transparency-hard-to-enforce/) - [Australia’s capital markets in 2007](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/861-australias-capital-markets-in-2007/) - [Call for a crackdown on CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/901-call-for-a-crackdown-on-cfds/) - [Law firm IDs further MiFID fears](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/941-law-firm-ids-further-mifid-fears/) - [Pension Diary: Turning my Sipp into 1m](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/1001-pension-diary/) - [FSA plan to let stakes stay secret up to 5%](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/1021-fsa-plan-to-let-stakes-stay-secret-up-to-5/) - [Investors unlock value of Gearing Up](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/1101-investors-unlock-value-of-gearing-up/) - [FSA moves on Contracts for Difference](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/471-uk-fsa-moves-on-contracts-for-difference/) - [Shorting still weak after UK ban ends](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/441-uk-shorting-still-weak-after-uk-ban-ends/) - [ASIC pushing for Greater Transparency from OTC Providers](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/361-australia-asic-pushing-for-greater-transparency-from-otc-providers/) - [ASIC to scrutinise Speculative Share Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/101-asic-to-scrutinise-speculative-share-trading/) - [EU, CESR publishes consultation paper on Standardization and Exchange Trading of OTC Derivatives](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/2251-australia-asic-releases-report-on-structured-products-disclosure/) - [UK, Betfair’s CFD Exchange Platform gains FSA approval](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/2471-betfair’s-lmax-gains-fsa-approval-to-trade-cfds/) - [Australia, CFD Growth Continues](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/2531-australia-cfd-growth-continues/) - [Ireland, Regulator to Outline CFD Disclosure Framework within a month](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/2921-ireland-regulator-to-outline-cfd-disclosure-framework-within-a-month/) - [EU, More Details on Proposed Regulation on Short Selling](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/2951-eu-more-details-on-proposed-regulation-on-short-selling/) - [Australia, Capital CFDs: Launch of CFD service in Australia](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/3121-australia-capitalcfds-launch-of-cfd-service-in-australia/) - LCG plc, a leading online financial spread betting and trading company, is pleased to announce that, after successfully acquiring regulatory status with ASIC in Australia, it has today launched a CFD trading platform operating from Sydney, Australia.. The platform Capital CFDs... - [UK, FSA releases Guidance on Transaction Reporting of Chi-X Centrally Cleared CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-newsindustry-news/3291-fsa-chi-x-centrally-cleared-cfds/) - Chi-X is launching trading in a new type of instrument on 8 November 2010 – centrally cleared contracts for difference (ccCFDs). The FSA wishes to clarify in guidance how these instruments should be reported and which parties have transaction reporting obligations. - [Portugal, Disclosure of Long Financial Exposures for CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/3341-portugal-disclosure-cfds/) - Portugal and the CMVM have brought into force new rules regarding disclosure duties to the market with regards to cash-settled derivative contracts like CFDs and other financial instruments. - [Australia, Joseph Hartman falls from Luxury to Jail for Insider Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/4021-joseph-hartman-insider-trading/) - On December 2 John Joseph Hartman, 25, a former employee of Orion Asset Management, of Mosman, New South Wales was sentenced to four years and six months imprisonment on 25 charges related to insider trading in CFDs brought by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). - [UK, Goldman Sachs writes down stake in CMC Markets](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/4281-goldman-sachs-writes-down-stake-in-cmc-markets/) - Investment bank Goldman Sachs has reportedly written down its £140 million stake in financial trading firm CMC Markets PLC only three years after making the landmark investment. - [Australia, CFD newcomer supports tighter ASIC Rules](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/4351-australia-capital-cfd/) - Capital CFDs back ASIC's moves to close loopholes on regulations on the Australian market. - [Dubai and Qatar to be first Gulf Countries to allow Short-Selling?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/4381-dubai-and-qatar-permit-short-selling/) - The United Arab Emirates and Qatar may well become the first two Gulf countries to permit short-selling as regulators try to revive trading volumes and secure MSCI Inc.'s Emerging Markets status - [Australia, ASX urges ASIC to tighten broker rules](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/industry-news/4761-asx-urges-asic-to-tighten-broker-rules/) - The Financial Ombudsman Service, in a report to the ASIC, has urged the commission to increase protection for investors in CFDs. The commission plans to introduce new requirements for CFD providers this year, but the ombudsman has called for more stringent minimum standards that would restrict CFD providers from allowing unexperienced - [UK, Financial Ombudsman Service registers an Increase in Advisory CFD Services Complaints](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/4991-uk-financial-ombudsman-service-registers-an-increase-in-advisory-cfd-services-complaints/) - The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) has registered an increase in complaints in relation to advisory CFD providers with particular emphasis on broker charges. - [UK, Chief quits Betfair’s LMAX months after retail launch](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/5431-uk-chief-quits-betfair’s-lmax-months-after-retail-launch/) - The CEO of Betfair's financial trading exchange LMAX has left the company - only three months after the trading platform launched for retail investors. - [Australia, Regulator to close loophole on CFDs Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/5531-australia-regulator-to-close-loophole-on-cfds-trading/) - ASIC is thought to be working to close a loophole in CFD trading in which some CFD issuers keep trading even when the underlying security has stopped trading. - [UK, Retrieving Money from Direct Sharedeal](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/5591-uk-retrieving-money-from-direct-sharedeal/) - Glasgow-headquartered CFD stockbroker has been put into administration. This could spell trouble for some independent financial advisers... - [Australia, ASIC aims to tighten rules around CFDs and Margin Forex Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/5651-asic-seeks-to-tighten-rules-around-cfds-and-margin-forex/) - The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has proposed a tightening of the rules around the financial requirements for issuers of over-the-counter derivative products. - [UK, LMAX Troubles](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/6171-uk-lmax-troubles/) - Apparently things aren't too well over at LMAX. The LMAX CFD and FX trading backed by Goldman Sachs and owned by Betfair reported a pre-tax loss amounting to £13.2m in the year to April 30, 2011 on revenues of £271,000. - [Australia, Slow Down in CFD Activity](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/6261-australia-slow-down-in-cfd-activity/) - The number of investors dealing in CFDs in Australia has slowed down given the persisting high levels of market volatility and increased awareness of the risks involved. - [Australia, Beware of Frontline Financial Planning: ASIC](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/6311-australia-beware-of-frontline-financial-planning-asic/) - It has been reported that Frontline Financial Planning, a company that is presently under investigation by ASIC is running an unauthorised operation offering Australians the ability to buy and sell CFDs and trade foreign exchange. - [Australia, ASIC looking at Misleading and Deceptive Advertising](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/6471-australia-asic-looking-at-misleading-and-deceptive-advertising/) - After seeking more disclosure from CFD companies, the Australian Securities & Investments Commission is now looking to curtail cases of abuse involving misleading and deceptive advertising by financial services companies including CFD providers - [Australia, Record month for IG Markets: IG Group Reaps 26% 1Q Revenue Rise In Volatile Markets](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/6521-australia-igmarkets/) - IG Markets, one of the leading global providers of CFD trading has witnessed its busiest month ever as far as transaction numbers and revenue go according to a press release from the company. - [Australia, CMC Markets Fully Segregates All Client Funds to Provide Customers with Additional Security](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/7241-australia-cmc-markets-fully-segregates-all-client-funds-to-provide-customers-with-additional-security/) - In the aftermath of MF Global's crisis last month, CMC Markets has formally announced in a press release that it has decided to completely split client investments and adopt a fully segregated client money model, including client margins to completely eliminate client risk in Australia and New Zealand. - [Netherlands, Disclosure of CFDs and Other Cash-Settled Equity Derivatives](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/7461-netherlands-disclosure-of-cfds/) - As from January 2012 Dutch listed companies are obliged to notify the market for substantial shareholdings including cash-settled financial instruments which have a similar economic effect to holdings of shares. In particular, the Dutch government now imposes the obligation for parties to aggregate holdings of CFDs and other financial instruments with a similar economic effect - [Australia, New ASIC Guidelines Target Misleading Ads](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/7801-asic-guidelines-target-misleading-ads/) - The Australian Securities & Investments Commission has taken its crackdown on misleading ads for financial products and services one step further by issuing a guide that strives to restrict the language of financial planners. - [Europe, NYSE Euronext Plans CFD Exchange For Retail Traders](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/7951-euronext-plans-new-derivatives-market-for-retail-traders/) - The NYSE Euronext (NYX) announced that it planning to launch a new derivatives marketplace in the UK and Europe in 2013 that will empower private traders and investors to trade CFDs mirroring currency pairs, commodities and other markets, according to insider sources. - [Singapore, MAS to Tighten CFD Rules](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/8001-singapore-mas-to-tighten-cfd-rules/) - The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is planning to tighten its rules regarding CFDs trading. - [Australia, Australian Securities and Investments Commission highlights CFD Compliance Issues](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/8121-asic-compliance-issues/) - The Australian Securities & Investments Commission review of client money practices and reconciliation practices has found out that a number of issuers of OTC contracts for difference and margin FX derivatives are non-compliant. - [South Africa, JSE To Launch CFDs Exchange](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/8241-jse-cfds-exchange/) - South Africa's Johannesburg stock exchange plans to start offering CFDs on its platform early in 2013. The JSE released the announcement this morning citing increased awareness and demand for the leveraged retail product. - [Investment Trends Report](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/8421-2013-investment-trends-report/) - Investment Trends is an Australian research firm which has been reporting on the UK's online trading market for the last five years. Its report for 2013 emphasizes the growth in mobile trading and the continuing dominance of IG in the marketplace. - [FCA gets tough on Retail CFD Sector](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/8471-fca-gets-tough-on-retail-cfd-sector/) - On 6 December 2016, the UK Financial Conduct Authority proposed stricter rules for firms selling 'contract for differences' products (CFDs) to retail customers. The proposals follow heightened regulatory scrutiny on the sector across Europe, amid concerns that a growing number of retail customers are trading in CFDs without understanding the risks involved. - [Analysis: Germany’s Ultimatum to CFDs Brokers - Negative Balance No More](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-news/8531-germany-ultimatum-to-cfds-brokers-negative-balance-no-more/) - Negative balance protection is becoming a must even for STP brokers. Contracts with an additional payments obligation, such as margin, will soon not be available to retail clients in Germany. - [UK, CMC Markets Launches New 'Tracker' CFD account](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news5741-uk-cmc-markets-launched-new-tracker-cfd-account/) - CMC Markets has launched a new 'Tracker' CFD account which allows traders to choose the exact level of funds required to finance their position – known as customisable financing. - [Australia, CMC Markets appoints new Australia and New Zealand head](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/5251-australia-cmc-markets-appoints-new-head/) - Global derivatives company CMC Markets has appointed Louis Cooper to act as head of its Australian and New Zealand operations. - [UK, IG Markets Reduces Margins on Indices](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/5071-ig-markets-reduces-margins-on-indices/) - Following the recent cuts made to IG Markets' forex margins, IG have now proceeded to reduce the margin requirements for sixteen stock indices - [UK, IG's Forex Margins Cut and iPhone Trading Application](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/4871-igs-forex-margins-cut-iphone/) - IG Markets has announced that it is reducing its margin requirements to just 0.5% on ten major FX pairs - [Europe, ETX Capital Introduces Eastern European Currencies and Shares to its CFD platform](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/4191-etx-capital-cfd-platform/) - ETX Capital was reported by CityAM to have expanded its range of markets by introducing Eastern European forex pairs and shares to its CFD platform - [UK, Variation of CMC Markets UK plc CFD Terms of Business](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/broker-news/4441-cmcmarkets-segregation-of-client-monies/) - CMC Markets have sent a circular to their clients informing them of a change to their CFD terms and conditions where it makes clear that if they are a retail client, they will hold funds equal to their total equity in a segregated bank account. - [UK, FTSE 100 and Dax 30 Spread Cuts at IG Markets](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/3031-ig-markets-spread-cuts/) - IG Markets, a leading provider of spread betting and CFDs products has announced that it has further improved its pricing on a number of popular index contracts. In particular IG have reduced the spreads on their most popular stock index CFDs by up to 50% - [Australia, Gain Capital's Forex Division Expands Product Offering to include Equity Index CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/2331-australia-gain-capitals-forex-division-expands-product-offering-to-include-equity-index-cfds/) - [IG Markets now includes BATS MTF](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/121-europe-ig-markets-now-includes-bats-mtf/) - [IG Markets Multi-Venue Technology](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/301-europe-ig-markets-multi-venue-technology/) - [UK: New customers to trade CFDs commission free with City Index](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/421-uk-new-customers-to-trade-cfds-commission-free-with-city-index/) - [Global Forex Trading expands Australian offering](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/591-australia-global-forex-trading-expands-australian-offering/) - [MF Global sees Liquidity; Ups some Margins](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/651-usa-mf-global-sees-liquidity-ups-some-margins/) - [Trading In Catastrophic Events](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/761-trading-in-catastrophic-events/) - [US broker tells Irish clients to prove Wealth or face Costly Sanctions](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/961-us-broker-tells-irish-clients-to-prove-wealth-or-face-huge-trading/) - [Online Trader Has Big Expansion Plans](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/1061-south-africa-online-trader-has-big-expansion-plans/) - [Sucden Launches New Electronic Trading Platform](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/broker-news/1081-sucden-launches-new-electronic-trading-platform/) - [Australia, Leading CFD Providers form Industry Body](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/7851-australia-cfd-forum/) - Six leading CFD brokers in Australia have joined in an initiative to produce a set of industry standards as they attempt to win back the trust of traders and investors hit by the demise of MF Global. - [Exchange alarm as Revenue eyes CFD stamp levy](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/1041-exchange-alarm-as-revenue-eyes-cfd-stamp-levy/) - [Minister moves to offset Revenue decision on CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/981-minister-moves-to-offset-revenue-decision-on-cfds/) - [Bourse in world first with CFD exchange](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/921-bourse-in-world-first-with-cfd-exchange/) - [London Brokers Raise Margins to Cover CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/631-uk-london-brokers-raise-margins-to-cover-cfds/) - [Short-Selling Bans 'Causing Chaos'](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/501-australia-short-selling-bans-causing-chaos/) - [Trouble at Dealstream](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/industry-happenings/551-south-africa-trouble-at-dealstream/) - [FSA brings forward CFD Rule](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/401-uk-fsa-brings-forward-cfd-rule/) - [LSE Drops Plan to Offer CFD, Stock Trading on Same Platform](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/381-uk-lse-drops-plan-to-offer-cfd-stock-trading-on-same-platform/) - [LCH.Clearnet & Chi-X set to clear European Equity CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/251-europe-lch-clearnet-chi-x-set-to-clear-european-equity-cfds/) - [Australia, Saxo Capital Markets Launches Australian Retail Operations](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/7551-saxobank-launches-in-australia/) - After a few forays in Australia as a financier and platform provider for failed trading houses like Tricom and Sonray, Danish bank Saxo has decided to ramp up its business in Australia and has now opened a direct office in Sydney. - [China, China looks to Strengthen Short Selling Activity](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/7441-china-strengthening-short-selling-activity/) - China is planning the setup of a Centralised Securities Lending Exchange to boost short-selling, a move that would add liquidity to its capital markets and help develop the country's nascent hedge fund industry. - [Singapore, Worried Singapore investors rally at MF Global office](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/7141-singapore-worried-singapore-investors-rally-at-mf-global-office/) - Private investors in Singapore concerned about their investments rallied outside MF Global's local offices in the country but ended up distressed and empty-handed on Wednesday after they were informed that their dealing positions were closed and their funds were presently frozen. - [USA, MF Global Acquires Multi-Asset Retail Trading Platform](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/6891-usa-mf-global-acquires-runner-trading/) - F Global Holdings Ltd., a broker-dealer based in New York that provides stock market trading and hedging solutions has just announced that it has acquired Chicago-based Strategy Runner Trading Ltd., a diverse and multi-asset front-end trading platform and algorithmic trading solutions provider - [UK, TD Waterhouse launches enhanced Retail Derivatives Service](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/5701-tdwaterhouse-cfds/) - TD Waterhouse, UK execution only broker which services more than 200,000 customers has enhanced its contracts for difference service by launching TD Derivatives Trading for CFD trades, which will also include Forex and Futures in partnership with Saxo Bank - [UK, Chi-X Europe and LCH.Clearnet offer CFD clearing](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/4651-uk-chi-x-europe-and-lch-clearnet-offer-cfd-clearing/) - LCH.Clearnet has been reported to have joined forces with Chi-X Europe, Europe’s second-largest equities market stock trading hub, to launch the world’s first contract-for-difference (CFD) clearing service) for institutional investors. - [France, French Regulator Urges Public Caution On Forex CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/3961-french-regulator/) - The French market regulator Wednesday called for 'great caution' on foreign-exchange trading via Contracts For Difference, or CFDs, and forex forwards - [UK, IG Group faces €25m claim from former Echelon Clients](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/3471-ig-markets-echelon/) - Three ultra-rich clients of the collapsed Scottish trading house Echelon Wealth Management are suing IG Markets for damages amounting to more than €25 million (£21.3million). - [UK, London Multi-Asset Trading Exchange Debut Today](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/3061-trading-exchange/) - Betfair’s financial trading spinoff, LMAX which stands for London Multi-Asset Exchange, will make its debut today, seeking to connect retail investors online and book a commission on their trades. The trading platform will allow retail investors to trade CFDs in market indexes, fixed-income instruments, commodities and Forex products. - [UK, London Stock Exchange launches CFD 'swaps portal'](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/3001-london-stock-exchange-launches-cfd-swaps-portal/) - [EU, European Commission releases proposals on OTC Derivatives Markets and Short Selling](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/2731-eu-european-commission-releases-proposals-on-otc-derivatives-markets-and-short-selling/) - [South Africa, IG Group's Acquisition of IdealCFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/industry-happenings/2671-australia-ig-groups-acquisition-of-idealcfds/) - [UK, LCH.Clearnet goes live with CFD Clearing](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/announcements/3241-lch-clearnet-goes-live-with-cfd-clearing/) - LCH.Clearnet Ltd (LCH.Clearnet) has launched with Europe’s first clearing service for CFDs. LCH.Clearnet is the central counterparty to LMAX, the new multilateral trading facility for retail customers owned by betting exchange Betfair. - [Australia, IG Markets Responds to the ASIC Report](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/news/announcements/announcements/3711-igmarkets-asic-cfds-report/) - IG Markets, Australia’s Number One CFD Trading Provider* supports ASIC’s proposed introduction of disclosure benchmarks for CFD providers. ASIC’s release suggests that investors ask an array of questions when looking for a secure CFD provider. - [More on CFDs Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/CFDs-trading.html) - Contracts for difference give individuals a freedom of financial action that was previously the preserve of the big institutions. Unlike other equity derivatives, CFDs are transparently priced and mirror the current market prices.. - [Index CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Index-CFDs.html) - On the index level the workings are similar to that of trading futures except that with a CFD there is no expiry date. But are index CFDs really commission free? - [Avoid Costly CFD Mistakes](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/CFD-uses.html) - CFDs offer big potential rewards. You can guard against the risks if you pay attention to history. - [Uses of a CFD](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds-to-add.html) - Contracts for difference: The basics. Here are some reasons why it might be advantageous to use CFDs to trade the markets. - [Downsides of Using CFDs to Day Trade](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Downsides-cfds.html) - Although there are many advantages to using CFDs in your trading strategy, there are also some downsides. Some of the disadvantages are listed below - [Advantages and Disadvantages of CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/advantages-disadvantages-cfds.html) - There are no advantages or disadvantages of trading contracts for difference as such but theadditional cost in running a CFD position compared with a traditional stock transaction needs to be taken into account.. - [A Regulated Broker and CFD Provider](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/Regulated-broker.html) - It may seem a matter of common sense to make sure that the broker you intend to use is registered and regulated before depositing your trading capital. However, unless you know your way around the CFD world - [Risk Management Tools](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/Risk-management.html) - While risk management is your responsibility, you will find that different CFD providers give you a range of risk management tools (i.e. stop-loss orders) to help manage the risk, and as part of your selection of a provider you need to take this into account. Note however that not all CFD brokers offer trailing or guaranteed stop loss orders - [Trading Charts and Research Resources](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/Trading-charts-research.html) - Sometimes CFD brokers offer different tiers of service depending on the size of your trading account, or related to trading volumes. Take time to view the range of charting tools available from the different providers as this will help you both when starting out and when you get more experienced too. - [Trading Platform Performance](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/Trading-platform-reliability.html) - The platform performance in real world conditions is very important. In fact, in my opinion when deciding on a broker to use, price should not be topmost of one's agenda. The priorities should be a) reliable platform, b) reliable backup plan should platform go down, c) speed that system deals. Here, I'm not saying cheap is bad and expensive is good - [Direct Market Access](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/Direct-market-access.html) - Of the two systems in common use, Direct Market Access for CFD trading provides the most fair and transparent pricing since DMA CFDs mirror the price and liquidity of the underlying instrument on which the CFD is based. I love when my bid/ask order goes directly to exchange floor and i am trading among real human beings. - [Comparing CFD Provider Spreads](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/Compare-broker-spreads.html) - What are the spreads? How small is the spread that they offer? ,Some CFD brokers are split in their provision of fixed or variable spreads. Unlike the direct commission costs, spreads are a hidden cost of trading CFDs. - [Comparing CFD Margins](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/Compare-CFD-margins.html) - Each CFD broker offers CFDs on different margin rates, these can be as low as 1 percent or up to 100 percent. This is a controversial area and something where the difference between providers can be vast. Comparing CFD providers in this area... - [What CFDs Can I Trade?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/Comparing-cfd-markets.html) - You will find that competition has meant that many CFD providers do offer a large range of underlying financial instruments for you to trade. It is not unusual for a single provider to offer many thousands of different CFDs - [Which CFD Trading Platform?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/CFD-trading-platforms.html) - Top five tips on how to choose a CFD broker. What to look for in CFD trading platforms with links to broker reviews and broker comparisons. - [DMA Trading or Market Maker CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/DMA-or-market-maker.html) - Some CFD providers offer a DMA model (Direct Market Access) while other providers are market-making,setting their own prices which are somewhat broadly in line with the market. Comparing CFD brokers is not always straightforward but... - [Financing Charges and Fees](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/Financing-charges-fees.html) - What margins and fees do I pay? Since you are technically 'borrowing money' from your CFD provider, you will be charged what is called a financing charge. Other direct costs of trading CFDs, and ones which you will want to check with the provider you are considering using, include any data feed or charting subscriptions - [Internaxx Broker Review](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/Internaxx-broker-review.html) - Reviewing Internaxx brokerage and CFDs offering. My main qualm (perhaps only) problem is the fees and the charges that are imposed. CFD and share dealing charges are relatively high and fees of up to 0.2% may be applicable each year. - [WebIRESS Trading Software](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/WebIRESS.html) - WebIRESS is a popular browser based trading platform, which is available from several CFD providers including Comsec and Etrade in Australia . It is very well regarded, but is usually offered with a subscription fee rather than being free - [PureDeal Trading Software](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/PureDeal.html) - PureDeal is a trading platform provided by IG Markets for online CFD trading and spread betting. They claim it is used by more than 88,000 clients. As it is browser-based - [City Index CFD Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/Cityindex-review.html) - When using the GFT DealBook 360 demo, I didn't once get a re-quote - stupid me for thinking this would be reflected in their real platform. For the beginner, DealBook 360 is user-friendly, and has user customizable features so you can choose how to navigate the screen and place your trades. - [Barclays Stock Brokers](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/barclays-stockbrokers.html) - You can trade shares, ETFs and CFDs with Barclays Stockbrokers but keep in mind that Barclay UK is more expensive than other basic online brokerages - [Market Made or Direct Market CFDs: Which Variety Suits You?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/Market-maker-direct-access.html) - It is generally agreed that if you are an active trader or you plan to day trade or scalpe you need to go with direct market access as opposed to a market maker or quote-driven provider for a couple of reasons. With direct market access your order goes directly onto the underlying exchange, and you're not likely to be re-quoted once you place the order - [Market Made CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/Market-makers.html) - An advantage of using a market maker for trading CFDs is that they are likely to have a much bigger selection of underlying financial securities on which to trade. They can make the market for financial instruments such as index and commodity CFDs as they are not required to directly hedge the position - [Market Maker Trading Platform](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/Market-Maker.html) - Marketmaker is the name of the trading interface that you get from CMC Markets. Actually, Marketmaker is a set of software applications, either be downloaded on to the desktop, or accessed via a web browser or handheld. - [TradeNext Review](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/tradenext-review.html) - TradeNext offers a selection of account sizes, and varying spreads. The Micro account can be opened with as little as 100 quid, and offers leverage up to 1:300. - [Avatrade Review](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/avatrade-review.html) - Avatrade scores over many other brokers by having more than 200 financial instruments available for trading. But as this includes many diverse markets, it may not be such an advantage as it seems... - [Admiral Markets Review](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/admiralmarkets.html) - Somewhat confusingly, Admiral Markets has decided to have completely different trading instruments - [How Contracts for Differences Pricing Works](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds-pricing.html) - Some CFD providers charge a fixed fee or commissions on cfd trades. The other alternative for traders is a quote-driven service, where investors are simply presented with their providers bid and offer prices. Another option is Direct Market Access which comes ready with Level 2 - [How Market Makers Work](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Market-Makers-workings.html) - Usually, we would expect spreads offered by market makers to be slightly wider than if we were to trade the underlying market direct, such as trading on a futures exchange or buying the shares directly. - [Comparing Direct Market Access to a Quote-Driven Service](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Direct-Access-CFDs.html) - There are plenty of factors to consider when selecting a CFD provider, but perhaps the most fundamental issue is whether to go for a direct market access (DMA) or a quotedriven product. This important decision can have significant implications for the feasibility of different trading strategies and the costs of actually implementing them - [Dealing Costs and Direct Market Access Contracts for Difference Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Direct-Market-Access.html) - Arguably the best way to exploit the power of the Level 2 screen is to sign up with one of the companies offering online direct market access CFD trading. Clients can use this technology to enter orders directly on to the LSEs electronic order book... - [Contracts for Difference Trading Fees and Charges](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/CFD-fees.html) - CFDs are normally subject to a commission fee on shares trading equivalent to a percentage size of the value of the position. There is also a daily financing charge for holding positions overnight and investors are usually required to maintain a certain amount of margin - [Calculating Profits and Losses on CFD Trades](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Calculating-profits-losses.html) - How do I calculate my gains and/or losses when I sell a CFD? There are two techniques that can be used when calculating profit and loss; the exposure and per point method. - [CFDs and Dividends - What Happens?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/CFDs-dividends.html) - Sometimes traders get confused when talking about dividends being paid on the shares for which they hold CFDs. In actual fact, the situation is more straightforward than if you hold the shares themselves, and the basic principles are easy to understand. - [Save TAX on CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Save-tax-on-cfds.html) - The first point to note is that as CFDs are chargeable to CGT, any losses would also be allowable... - [Even More on CFD trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/CFDs-trading-strategies.html) - To come out on top in the fast-moving world of contracts for difference you need a trading strategy. After 17 years trading financial markets I have learned that the one thing all consistently winning traders have is a winning cfd trading strategy - [Contracts for Difference - The Basics](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/CFD-trades.html) - Buying or selling the performance of a share through a CFD is almost identical to a physical equity trade financed by a loan. A client could borrow $20,000 from a bank to buy shares - [Reasons for Trading CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Reasons-for-trading-CFDs.html) - Here are some of the most useful for wanting to trade CFDs: speculation, leverage, hedging purposes, shorting an instrument, exemption from stamp duty, no expiration date and flexibility - [CFDs on other Instruments](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/CFDs-markets.html) - Equity CFDs are now also available on a range of international markets though not all providers offer this facility. Other instruments include fixed income and currencies as well as equity indices and sector index CFDs - [The Do's and Don'ts of CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds.html) - The Do's and Don'ts of CFDs - [Hedging Exposure on CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Hedging-exposure.html) - CFD brokers hedge their exposure in the underlying market to limit their exposure to adverse market movements. Trading is usually offered on an execution-only basis and Advisory services are usually paid for by way of higher commission levels - [Self Invested Personal Pensions and Contracts for Difference](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Cfds-sipps.html) - The Inland Revenue has recently confirmed that CFDs (contracts for difference) are an acceptable investment for Sipps - providing they are linked to shares traded on a recognised stock exchange - [CFD Pairs Trading Examples](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfd-pairs-trading.html) - Trading contracts for difference pairs - [Advantages and Strategies](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Pairs-trading.html) - Pairs trading is what professional arbitragers do, notes Salim Sebbata, director of UK retail at E*TRADE Securities. The first hedge funds aimed to be completely hedged, which means half the portfolio was long... - [Contracts for Difference Pairs Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Contracts-for-difference-pairs-trading.html) - Learn the secrets of cfd pairs trading for free - [Know the Basics: Tips, Tools and Tactics](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Basics.html) - Provides CFD trading strategies and tips to increase the trading odds of success in trading contracts for difference... - [Share Dealing, Spread Betting or CFDs - Which instrument for which Job?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/compare/Share-dealing-spreadbetting.html) - Thus in summary, for 1 day to 1 week - use spread betting, for 1 week to 3 months - use CFDs, for 3 months and over use share dealing... - [Examples of CFD trades when compared to a Financial Spread Betting](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/compare/CFDs-spread-betting-differences.html) - [Holding CFDs versus Stocks Trading and Margin Lending](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/compare/Margin-lending-vs-CFDs.html) - When you get right down to it, there are significant differences between contracts for difference (CFDs) and stocks and margin lending. Many of these are advantages, but you should also know about the disadvantages... - [Dividend Stripping with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Dividend-Stripping.html) - Active share traders have traditionally done dividend stripping by buying the equities. The way it works is that the trader buys the shares before they go ex-dividend. When the shares go ex-dividend, the shareholders no longer qualify to get the dividend - [Trading Australian Shares Using CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Trading-Australian-shares.html) - Why would you want to trade on Australian share prices? If you take a look at the international economic climate, you may be able to answer this question for yourself - [Trading USA Shares](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/USA-share-CFDs.html) - Even though the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), the controlling body of the financial markets in the US, doesn't allow contracts for difference (CFDs) to be traded in that market, most other countries in the world who do allow CFDs have markets that let the trader take advantage of USA shares. - [Trading Mid Caps (FTSE 250/FTSE 350)](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Trading-midcaps.html) - Large caps may not give you the action that you want when you're trading. The obvious answer is to strike a balance between the two, finding stocks that have a reasonable amount of trading activity and volatility. - [Trading Blue Chip Stocks](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Blue-chip-stocks.html) - CFDs allow you to profit directly from the performance of the blue-chip stock underlying the contract, you can benefit from corporate actions and stock splits, and you'll even get dividends if you're in a long position. - [Trade Indices with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Index-CFDs.html) - Index CFD trading provides a great way to speculate on the performance of each overall stock market, as opposed to selecting individual stocks and shares. - [Comparing the Costs of Spread Betting and CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/compare/Cfds-spreads.html) - Suppose you start off with £10,000 of capital and use it to trade CFDs or spread bets. That much initial capital might let you open up a position worth £100,000 (if you trade on a 10 per cent margin). Now imagine that you make a 10 per cent gross return on that total exposure, or £10,000 in a year. You have doubled your capital to £20,000. That gross return ignores financing fees, though... - [CFDs and Spread Betting Compared](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/compare/cfds-vs-spread-betting.html) - What are the differences between spread betting, cfds, covered warrants and futures - we compare each of the difference trading models and how each relate to each other - [Covered Warrants and Turbos - The Basics](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/compare/covered-warrants-1.html) - Covered warrants can be used to profit from an upturn in an index, a sector or a share... - [Are CFDs a better trading instrument than Spread Betting?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/compare/Skewed-spreads.html) - The only good thing about spread betting versus CFD is tax, i.e. no CGT. However there is a lot wrong with spread betting. The main problems are... - [Forex Spot Trading vs Forex Trading with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/compare/Forex-trading-vs-forex-cfds.html) - With both Forex CFDs and the normal Forex market there is an enormous amount of leverage available. Whether you get more leverage with CFDs or a Forex broker may depend on your relationship with them, but it may well be 100 to 1. - [Trade CFDs or Options?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/compare/Options-versus-cfds.html) - There are similarities between trading CFDs and trading options. For instance, you don't need a large account to start with either. They both, in different ways, allow you to control a greater value of financial securities... - [Exchange Traded Funds or CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/compare/CFDs-or-ETFs.html) - But when you come to compare CFDs with ETFs, you will find that there are many differences. CFDs are a derivative, giving you substantial gearing of your investment, which means you can control and profit - [CFDs Compared to Warrants](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/compare/Warrants-versus-cfds.html) - Contracts for difference and warrants are both derivatives, meaning that they derive their value from some underlying financial security or stock but are not actually ownership of it - [CFDs versus Share Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/compare/Shares-trading-versus-cfds.html) - Should I carry on trading shares as I always used to, or is there any advantage switching to CFDs in certain circumstances? - [Trade CFD Sectors](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Trading-Sectors.html) - Only market makers are able to offer sector CFDs and not all providers cover them. Two that do are IG Markets and CMC Markets. CMC cover 19 UK sectors and a number of sectors - [Trade Commodities with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Commodity-CFDs.html) - When a trader hears the term commodities, he is quite likely to think of the futures market where commodities have been traded for many years. Commodities include agricultural products such as corn and wheat, energy products such as oil and gas - [Trading the Dollar Index](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Trading-Dollar-Index.html) - Using CFDs you can equally well go long or short on the US Dollar Index. If you have a basket of assets that are denominated in US dollars, you can use the dollar index CFD to hedge against the volatility of the dollar. Alternatively, if you have convictions on the strength - [Trading the ASX 200 Index](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Trading-ASX-200.html) - The Aussie 200 Index CFD is good for practising and developing your day trading skills, as owning one contract is equal to one dollar per point. Trading the ASX 200 Index... - [Trading the S&P 500](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Trading-S&P_500.html) - To get some exposure to the US markets, you might want to consider trading contracts for difference (CFDs) on the S&P 500. The Dow covers 30 of the major blue-chip US companies, but the S&P 500 - [Trading the Dow](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Trading-Dow-Jones.html) - Many traders like to trade the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), often known as the Dow, because of the volatility of the American markets. It's easy to do using contracts for difference (CFDs). - [Trading the DAX](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Trading-Dax.html) - One thing that this means for you is that you cannot trade the DAX in the same way as you trade the DJIA. For example, you'll find that the stop loss levels use on the Dow - [Trading the FTSE](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Trading-FTSE.html) - The FTSE 100 can be successfully traded using CFDs, but you have to do your homework and look up the factors that will have a significant impact on it. Don't assume that they are what you thought they were. - [Trade Oil with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Trading-Oil.html) - Crude oil CFDs are available on two main products, either the US WTI/Light Crude as traded on the New York Exchange (NYMEX), or the Brent crude which is traded on the Intercontinental Exchange - [Benefit From Rising Gas Prices with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Trading-Gas.html) - While many people know that contracts for difference can be used on stock indices, not so many traders think of CFDs for profiting from commodities like gas - [Trading Sugar using CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Trading-Sugar.html) - You can even trade Sugar using contracts for difference (CFDs). The price of sugar reached a 29-year peak on 1 February, 2010 as speculators reacted to reports that harvests were going to be worse than expected. However, prices have now fallen. - [Trading Wheat CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Trading-Wheat.html) - "As an example of trading on news, consider the soft commodity wheat. One CFD is typically 100 bushels, which weighs around 3 tons. A futures contract covers 5,000 bushels. Here’s a chart of the price in recent years. - [Trading Bitcoin Contracts for Difference (CFDs)](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Bitcoin-trading.html) - Without ever buying or selling bitcoins, CFDs offer you a way to trade on their value. And with CFDs, you can profit whether the price goes up or goes down. - [Carbon Trading with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Carbon-trading.html) - As an example, the carbon emission CFD may be trading at €12.69 to €12.80. This is the price per tonne. The minimum you can trade would be 25 tonnes, or 25 times this amount - [Trading Inflation with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/markets/Inflation-CFDs.html) - The great advantage of these inflation CFDs is that they are straightforward, and deal in a concept that most people are familiar with. Apart from straightforward betting for profit - [Trading Index CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/trading-indices.html) - Using index CFDs you can get exposure to the ups and downs of any particular country's economy. - [Should You Day Trade or Hold for the Longer Term?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/day-trading-or-longer-term-holding.html) - Is day trading really something new? I don't think so. Even if we have traders who use various styles of trading, such as momentum trading, Elliot Wave trading, trend trading, channel trading, and so on - [Trading Software](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/trading-software.html) - Using a software package to select, track, and manage your investments can be a great help to most traders and investors but with so many software packages available.. - [Stock Day Trading - Top 5 Day Trading Techniques](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/trading-techniques.html) - n this article, I'll share 5 of the top trading techniques you can choose from to start your stock day trading career. - [Risk-Reward](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/risk-reward.html) - To start with, you are going to be doing this as a practice. However, as this is going to be a source of income to you, you must take it seriously. They say that even the best traders are only right about 70% of the time. The profit is in cutting your losses and riding your gains. That's why whenever you enter a trade you should know the upside and the downside, and aim to get a potential 3 to 1 or better ratio. - [Making a Trade Plan: The Importance of a Trading Plan](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/trade-plan.html) - Developing a good trading plan will provide you with a solid framework to improve your trading. Once you've learnt all the fundamentals about trading, and are ready to get on with it, you have to take one more step and that is to make a trade plan. This is where and how you put into action what you learned about technical analysis applied to price charting. - [Backtesting](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/backtesting.html) - Backtesting is key to knowing that your system, however innovative and original, is actually going to work to make you a profit. If you think you have it right, you can always try it out in the market straight away, but that’s not much fun, and expensive, if it doesn’t work. - [CandleStick Clues (Wicks/Shadows - Doji Candles And Types)](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/candlestick-clues-doji-candles-and-types.html) - I've covered some of the common candlestick sequences that you will find in the previous notes. You can also get into a bit more detail on the other traders' psychology when you really think through what the lines mean, including the upper shadow, or wick, and the lower shadow. - [Simple Trading Setups That Work](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/trading-setups.html) - There are some advantages to setup trading. Until you identify a setup, you're out of the market, so you are at no risk. When you spot a setup, it's a head start in getting in on a move, as it identifies the conditions that precede a move. - [Tools of the Trade](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/trading-tools.html) - Now you have to look at the tools that you can use to check out the stocks in your first folder. You can get a lot of free information online or you can subscribe to a charting service. - [Finding and Researching Trades](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/researching-trades.html) - So how do you find the trades that you want to make? In your scanning for stocks to trade, you should try to restrict yourself to the major indices, and start with the FTSE100 until you think you can cope with more - [Bounce and Retrace](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/bounce-and-retrace.html) - I've mentioned retracements and bouncing before, and you should know what I mean, if not from your reading, then from the idea conveyed in those words. - [CFDs and Initial Margin](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/deposit-margin.html) - Margin is a very important concept when trading CFDs. Learn what margin is and how it plays a role when trading. Initial margin is always higher than variable or maintenance margin - [CFD Shares Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/cfd-shares-trading.html) - CFD shares trading involves leveraging your money. Rather than having to find money to own stocks, for a fraction of the price you can control and benefit from the change in value of the shares - [Trading Risks](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/trading-risks.html) - What are the trading risk? An important aspect of trading often neglected is risk management. Trading is the same as operating a small business – to survive you... - [Charts](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/charts.html) - No I haven't gone mad, we really need to clear up that you understand what type of chart we use and why. Otherwise, what follows in the methods and tech-niques will simply be a waste of time. - [HYIP Investments](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/hyip-investments.html) - In recent years, HYIP investments have become popular amongst investors who are tempted by their apparent very high yields. HYIP stands for High Yield Investment Program, and you’ll find many of these available - [Higher Highs And Lower Lows](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/higher-highs-and-lower-lows.html) - If the share price hits a higher high than it did on the previous day, it gives you some indication that it may continue going up. On the other hand, if the price hits a new low, that is a lower low than it hit the day before, well, I think it's quite likely that traders are not so happy with the value, and the confidence that they used to have has gone away. - [The New Bounce](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/new-bounce-strategy.html) - The new bounce uses the techniques of the old bounce, but includes using the candle shadows to gauge whether there is likely to be a break in support, or above resistance. For example, when we see the price on the chart reaching support - [Fibonacci Retracements](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/fibonacci-retracements.html) - A long time ago, this Italian mathematician called Fibonacci, or Leonardo of Pisa, got credit for discovering a sequence of numbers which he used in a book to demonstrate the reproduction rate of rabbits. - [Support and Resistance](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/support-and-resistance.html) - The support is the line along the lows that you don't expect the value to drop below, as it has hit that level before and bounced back. The resistance is the opposite, a glass ceiling, which the value won't go over. - [Establish What You Will Trade](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/which-markets-to-trade.html) - There are so many markets to choose from these days which you can access at your fingertips thanks to technology. I would always recommend sticking to markets you know, markets you’re involved in everyday so you have a better understanding of what’s going on day to day. - [Technical versus Fundamental Analysis](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/technical-versus-fundamental-analysis.html) - So do we simply ignore fundamental data and use technical analysis for our trading, or are we being foolish if we do? Fundamental data is great for long term trading, or investing, and provided we have a wide enough stop, you can do well, if you have deep pockets and ride the tide created by the intraday, daily, weekly and monthly swings in that trade. - [Fundamental Data, Sometimes It's Worth Noting](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/fundamental-analysis-limitations.html) - Fundamentals help us understand the underlying trends on which we can project the technical side. Our technical analysis is all about timing, and we need to have this on the sound footing of a valued stock. Much of the time, technical analysis can find an order to the way the price moves, or maybe a pattern. - [The Markets](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/the-markets.html) - What do we mean when we say the Markets? It’s such a broad term really, the market was good today, or the markets were weak and so on. Quite simply, it’s an easy way to group everything to do with the stock market in one simple phrase, and usually refers to the stock market activity. - [The Exchanges And Sectors](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/exchanges-and-sectors.html) - Now, I think sector trading is fantastic. Because they allow us to see a snap shot of an area of the markets, such as telecoms or oil & gas, and there are some clever things we can do with sectors, which I will teach you about later, providing I remember as there’s a load of other stuff I need to cover in this manual. - [Sector Tips!](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/sector-tips.html) - To find a trade quickly we simply look at the sectors, for example look for the ones that have been very bullish the last few days. In each sector, we can look for the key stocks that are pushing that sector. More than likely, it will be the ones that are in the FTSE 100, as these are the ones that are traded more often than the others - [Goal Setting for Traders](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/goal-setting-for-traders.html) - One of the most important things you can do is to set a daily, weekly, and monthly goal for yourself. - [Looking to become a Better Trader? Get a Mentor](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/what-is-a-mentor.html) - All the great traders, sports professionals, business pro's and successful people have one thing in common - they have a coach or mentor. - [Attitude](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/attitude.html) - I've seen more people fail, not because they couldn’t or didn’t have the ability, but because of the wrong attitude to why they were trading, or to wealth and money and the attainment of those - sometimes, I’ve seen both, and for those there is little hope. - [Why Trade?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/why-trade.html) - I know this may sound like a completely ridiculous question, but I do get asked this many times, more often than you'd expect. However, when you think about it and realise there is a great deal of ignorance of even the basics of professional trading, it comes as no real surprise that not many people do trade. - [Stop Losses: Losing to Succeed?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/stop-losses-losing-to-succeed.html) - You have to consider each situation and your method of trading to see whether you should put your stop loss order in the market. Think about it, no trading plan or system is going to produce 100% wins, in fact if your system makes as much as 70% good calls it is doing better than many profitable systems. - [How to Start Investing in Shares](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/how-to-start-investing-in-shares.html) - Trading is often said to be a counter intuitive activity. What you think or feel might be the right thing to do is too often not. - [Can you really Compete with Active Fund Managers?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/can-you-really-compete-with-active-fund-managers.html) - Is it arrogant to think that a lone individual can outsmart and outperform an active fund management firm that has many times the resources and capital? It would certainly appear so. - [How to Successfully Invest in the Stock Market](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/how-to-successfully-invest-in-the-stock-market.html) - We treat trading as a business and every business needs a business plan to be successful. - [Trading on the Stock Market](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/trading-on-the-stock-market.html) - When we are trading on the stock market, what do we want to see happen? Obviously we want the price to go up. I've call this the Prime Criterion. - [Effective Share Trading Strategies](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/effective-share-trading-strategies.html) - What are the elements of an effective share trading strategy and trading plan? - [Develop your CFD Trading Plan](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Trading-plan.html) - Every CFD trader needs a set of rules to guide them in their trading. The following list of rules is an example that we use. - [What do you need to start CFD Trading?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/cfd-trading.html) - What do I need to start CFD Trading? If you want to start trading CFDs there are a few things that you will need. - [Basic Requirements to be Successful as a Trader](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/successful-trading.html) - Successful trading is profitable trading. With all the recent stock market action I think we all need a reminder of what makes a successful trader. - [Trading Shares with Technical Analysis](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/trading-shares-with-technical-analysis.html) - Many people are still skeptical in relation to technical analysis. I would try to make them understand how it was possible to make good returns from using a technical approach. - [How to Build a Winning Portfolio](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/how-to-build-a-winning-portfolio.html) - The truth is that just about anyone can build their own share portfolio and achieve good returns without too much knowledge or risk. The key to being successful is to practise good portfolio management. So how do we do this? - [You want to be a Share Trader? Treat it like a Business](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/trading-as-a-business.html) - You want to be a Share trader? Treat it like a business. Now is the time. Time for what? Time to get serious about your financial future. Why do I say this? - [Commodity CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/commodity-cfds.html) - Trading commodities using CFDs has some advantages for a speculator. Many commodity CFDs have the futures market as the underlying, rather than the commodity itself. - [What is a Stop Loss Order?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/what-is-a-stop-loss-order.html) - What is a stop loss order? Find out what they are and how they work with CFDs - [Limit Orders](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/limit-orders.html) - Learn what CFD limit orders are and see how this order type operates. - [Learn from your Mistakes](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/learn-from-your-mistakes.html) - The market forgives traders' mistakes in easy times, letting us profit despite bad judgment and poor timing. But it's a different story when no clear trend guides the price action. In choppy and confused markets, a big loss can follow every small error. - [Introduction - CFD Questions and Answers](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/cfd-questions.html) - We speak to Martin Slaney about contracts for difference; a person who has been involved in the brokering industry since 1995 - [Who Trades CFDs?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/who-trades-cfds.html) - CFDs attract various groups of traders due to their benefits. Find out who trades contracts-for-difference and why. - [A Brief History of CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/history-of-cfds.html) - An overview of the history of Contracts-for-Difference and information about where CFD trading is allowed... - [Your Trading Personality](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/trading-personality.html) - We all have different personalities; some people are very extrovert while others are shy and retiring. Some people thrive on taking risks while others want guarantees on everything before they are prepared to make a decision. And even if they do take a risk, they want to sue someone if it all goes wrong! - [Eye-opening Reality of Black Box Systems v. The Omnipotence of Technical Analysis](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/black-box-trading-systems.html) - Just stand back for a moment. The price of these black box trading systems robots varies from $97 for a whole plethora of Forex EAs up to several thousand dollars for the highly promoted versions. But do you really believe the claims? - [The Personality of the Market](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/personality-of-the-market.html) - Because every share, index or commodity has it's own personality. Some will be volatile intraday, some will follow their sector or main index (market followers), some will do their own thing, some will spike up and down regularly, some will stop at key moving averages and some will just plough through. - [Common Terms (Long, Short, Stop)](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/cfd-terminology.html) - Going long means that we buy the stock, and want the price to go up. We open the trade by buying stock or a financial instrument that we think will increase in value over time. As we are trading, and not investing, we are looking for a pattern that tells us the price will rise soon - [Developing a Trading Strategy](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/trading-strategy.html) - A trading strategy should include entry and exit criteria, trade time frame, risk management, stop loss planning and of course and exit point - [CFDs: Keeping Your Balance](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/keeping-your-balance.html) - When you trade contracts for difference (CFDs), it's very important to keep an eye on your balance. A shortage in equity occurs when the account balance falls below the required initial deposit margin. - [Value of One CFD](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/contract-value.html) - What is the value of one CFD and in what currency is this traded in? For shares, a single CFD contract between you and your CFD provider has the same value as buying one share in the underlying company - but how does it work for indices and forex - [Moving Averages 20, 40, 60 And 200](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/moving-averages.html) - You should know what moving averages are from your previous studying, but if you don’t, they are the average value of the last so many days of values, and they smooth the prices out so that you can see better which way and how much they are moving. They are called moving averages, as they move each day - [Dow Theory](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/dow-theory.html) - The Dow Theory is named after Charles Dow, co-founder of The Wall Street Journal, and creator of various stock averages, whose editorials formed the basis for the philosophy. Dow really created the idea of technical analysis and price action. - [Trends](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/trends.html) - A trend is a price move in any particular direction in a given chart, be it upward (bullish) or downward (bearish). Trends are established over time, usually a mat-ter of months and years. - [Concepts Of Trading A Leveraged Product](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/concepts-of-trading-a-leveraged-product.html) - [Choosing a Broker](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/choosing-a-broker.html) - Your choice of a broker will depend to some extent on what you have decided to trade. There are many brokers out there who will allow you trading on the stock market, and you can also find brokers for currencies, spread betting, CFDs and anything else that I've taught you about. - [Finding and Short-listing Stocks for Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/finding-and-shortlisting-stocks-for-trading.html) - Previously, I ran through the system I use to narrow down and find the stocks that I would consider trading. You could do worse than look at the FTSE 100 stocks, and that is where I suggest you begin your search. Even if you not in the UK, you may find it easier than trading in your local market. The stocks included are reasonably well traded, giving no liquidity problems... - [Summary: Putting It All Together](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/summary-trading-course.html) - I have given you a lot of information and advice on tools, and you should go watch the videos if you want to reinforce what you have learned. Each goes into the how and the why of what I use the indicators for, and shows you how I trade. - [Support And Resistance Revisited](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/support-and-resistance-revisited.html) - An alternative considers that the support and resistance are lines that touch the peaks of the low and high prices, and these lines may be angled. These are sometimes associated with the term trend lines, and they can lead to other analysis - [The New Retrace](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/new-retrace-strategy.html) - The new retrace again takes further information to try and confirm the likelihood of the retrace happening, rather than just trading range bound and hoping that it never breaks out. Again, this is something that you will look at when the chart - [Opening a CFD Account](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/opening-a-cfd-account.html) - In order to open a CFDs account and be accepted by a CFD provider as a client, you have to meet certain minimum criteria. This includes minimum savings and earnings but also minimum levels of experience. In other words you have to be appropriate... - [Personality of Charts](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/personality-of-charts.html) - On the basic chart, I put four moving averages to give me buy and sell indicators. I use SMA20, SMA40, SMA60 and EMA200 for the main trends. If you add candlesticks, then you can look for set ups that play into what the moving averages are indicating - [CFD Trade: Going Long](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/going-long.html) - A common way to trade is to go long with a CFD. This means that you are hoping and expecting the value of the asset to increase. To place a long trade you need to place an order to buy the CFD. Each broker will use a slightly different method to place orders but if you have bought a share before, it will be very easy to adapt to buying CFDs. - [CFD Terms: Tick, Quote, Stake and Underlying Market](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/tick-quote-stake.html) - Before we jump into actual trade examples, it is useful to look at some common CFD terms such as what terms like tick, quote, stake and the underlying market mean - [What Does Over-The-Counter OTC Mean?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/over-the-counter-otc.html) - All CFDs used to be traded over the counter, with the CFD dealer being the market maker. That's why you may have found different spreads and charges when shopping between different dealers. However, in 2007 the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) decided to provide an alternative - [Avoid Common CFD Mistakes](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/mistakes.html) - View the top five most common cfd trading mistakes committed by top traders again and again. Learn how you can avoid mistakes and become a successful, profitable trader - [Advisory CFDs and Managed Account Services](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/advisory-cfd.html) - With a CFD advisory service the broker will provide recommendations but I've never heard a CFDs advisory divulging past performance. How then is anybody supposed to choose a good advisory CFD broker? I believe that if a broker calls themselves an expert or invites you to use their services... - [Momentum](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/momentum.html) - Where was I, oh yes, momentum. That’s not such an efficient indicator usually as RSI, but it is easier to understand, which can’t be bad. This is an indicator that you will show you the momentum, which is kind of like the speed of the price movement. - [Relative Strength Index (RSI)](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/relative-strength-index.html) - Some of the ways we can use the RSI to support a trade include watching for it to rise up from 30% or below, in an oversold situation; rising from below 50% in an uptrend; and diverging from the price movement, making a bullish move when the price is consolidating or pulling back in an uptrend. - [What is Technical Analysis?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/what-is-technical-analysis.html) - What Is Technical Analysis? Technical Analysis, to me, is the reading and assessment of a financial chart and technical algorithmic indicators that show possible patterns of sentiment, and being able to track to a greater degree the changes in future sentiment. - [Beware of 'Rogue' Advisory Brokers](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/risks/CFD-losses.html) - Alarmed at the speed of his losses, Dave called Blue Index. Some advisory brokers are only after their own self-interest and will churn client accounts to increase their commissions - [Stock and Market Risks](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/risks/Stock-market-risks.html) - High rewards usually come with higher risks and the speculator has to balance the risks with the rewards and devise ways to contain the risks as much as possible. Experienced CFD traders welcome these risks because they constitute opportunities to make money though boom or bust. - [Trading CFDs in Volatile Market Conditions](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/risks/Volatile-market-conditions.html) - Volatile market conditions are now the order of the day and CFD traders need to adjust... - [Contracts for Difference: Volatility Risk](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/risks/Volatility-risks.html) - The risk is exacerbated in particularly volatile markets that are subject to sudden and dramatic price moves. When trading individual shares or commodities for instance it is particularly important not to take too big a position. - [Using an Inappropriate Strategy](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/risks/Wrong-strategy.html) - One of the most common mistakes among CFD traders involves using a wrong strategy, or worse still, having no strategy at all. - [Not Taking Responsibility for Trades](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/risks/Responsible-trading.html) - Admit your mistakes. You are responsible for your own success or failure; It is not because of your CFD broker that you have lost money... - [Trading Against the Trend](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/risks/Trading-against-the-trend.html) - Trading against an established trend is dangerous. I think that many traders get to a point in their education when they are sure that they can read the market, and feel that they can foresee the reversals, which would give larger returns. What they fail to see is that the market will always win. - [Trading Stocks, CFDs or Markets You Are Not Familiar with](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/risks/Unknown-markets.html) - It can be exciting and interesting to try trading something that you haven't done before, but if you use scared money because you're frightened that you don't completely understand - [Lack of Transparency](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/risks/Transparency.html) - One issue that Contracts For Difference (CFDs) have been involved with is the lack of transparency when you trade those rather than the shares themselves. Regulators are considering ways in which this situation can be dealt with. - [Wiping out Your CFD Trading Account...Plus Some!](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/risks/Wiping-cfd-trading-account.html) - The general rule of thumb to protect any trader from being wiped out is that you only risk losing 2% of your account. Some people also say you should not put more than 10% of your account into any single trade. - [Slippage in CFD Trading: Can it be Avoided?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/risks/Slippage-cfds.html) - Why should slippage occur? There are several reasons for it. One reputedly is the use of brokers who are market makers rather than having direct market access (DMA), who can then choose to manipulate the price. CFD and other market prices can move very quickly and sometimes they can even skip one or more price points. - [Not Understanding CFD Leverage](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/risks/CFD-leverage.html) - Not understanding CFD leverage is a dangerous thing. It's a pity, but some people are attracted by exaggerated claims of the fortunes that can be made trading contracts for difference, and never learn how to use their accounts safely before they... - [Dangers of Margin Trading and Very Short-Term Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/risks/Dangers-margin-trading.html) - In summary, if there was no danger of a margin call you would in average in the long run most likely have the same amount that you started with. However, a relatively small drop in stock price can trigger your stop-loss or margin call, so the probability of losing money is greater - [Risks of Trading CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/risks/Risks-CFDs.html) - You hear a lot about the advantages of using contracts for difference to increase your trading income compared to other investments, but with the benefits come implicit risks that you need to watch for so that your trading is successful. - [Limit Orders](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/stops/limit-orders.html) - Most share traders may already be familiar with limit orders and these can be used in a similar way with CFDs. In particular they serve the purpose of entering the market at a requested level. - [Making use of Stop Loss Orders](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/stops/stop-orders.html) - While most traders use stop loss orders to limit their losses, there are some other ways that they can be used to help your trading. For instance, you can use a buy stop order to get into a long position. - [If Done and Contingent Orders](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/stops/contingent-orders.html) - Find out what an If Done order is and how this order type works. An if done or contingent order, for example, is linked to an existing pending order - most commonly a limit or stop order to open a position. - [Using Options with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/stops/options-cfds.html) - Options are employed by a number of CFD traders as a type of guaranteed stop loss. Options have an advantage over guaranteed stoploss orders in that they are often cheaper. Hedging CFD positions using options is a common strategy - [Trailing Stop Loss Orders Workings](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/stops/Trailing-stops.html) - How does a trailing stop loss order work? Is it really worth using a stop loss order that trails the price - isn't there a risk of a market spike taking out your position early? - [Parabolic SAR applied to CFD Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Parabolic-SAR.html) - As a trading strategy, you can make sure that you are on the right side of the trade by the question of whether the price is above or below the indicator, but this is just for confirmation. - [Relative Strength Index applied to CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Relative-Strength-Index.html) - he CFD trading strategies surrounding the RSI are similar to those applied with many other technical oscillators. When the value is over 70%, the stock is considered overbought. Being overbought mean that there has been a rash of enthusiasm for buying the security, perhaps to the point of excess. - [Trading CFDs using Bollinger Bands](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Bollinger-Bands.html) - Your CFD strategy to use Bollinger Bands should include watching the price running along the border for confirmation of a continued trend, and looking for a crossing from one side to the other to suggest a change of direction. - [Crossovers CFD Trading Strategy](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Crossovers.html) - One of the most basic signals that you learn to help in your CFD trading is the crossover signal. Actually, there are several variations of the crossover rule, which we'll cover here. - [Trading CFDs using Pivot Points](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Pivots-CFDs.html) - Perhaps because so many ways have been invented to technically analyze trading charts, the use of a simple pivot is often overlooked. By calculating the second support and resistance lines in this way, you are now identifying what may be considered the extreme levels for the price. The first lines give the normal range, the second the extremes. - [Stochastics Trading Indicator](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Trading-Stochastics.html) - Trading strategies for using the Stochastic can be similar to other oscillators. For instance, you may take a long CFD position when the %K rises up through the 20% level, signifying that the market is recovering from being oversold. - [Average Directional Movement Index (ADX) applied to CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Average-Directional-Movement-Index.html) - The Average Directional Movement Index was another indicator developed by Welles Wilder, who invented the Relative Strength Index, and it shows the strength of the price movement. - [Bias Indicator (BI)](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Bias-indicator.html) - The Bias Indicator is defined in terms of time and price. The time element is simply the first X number of minutes in the trading day. The number of minutes used to define the Bias Indicator is your decision as a trader - [Elliott Wave applied to CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Elliot-Wave.html) - If you are considering using the Elliott Wave Theory in your CFD trading, be prepared for seeing contradictory opinions and subjective evidence. While the principles espoused by Ralph Elliott appear sound, the matter of their interpretation sparks a great deal of discussion - [USA Non-Farm Payroll Numbers](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Non-farm-payroll-numbers.html) - Whichever way you choose to trade the Non-Farm Payroll Numbers report, you need to watch out in the moments following its release. If you are adventurous in your CFD trading - [Triple Witching Hour](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Triple-Witching-Hour.html) - Triple witching hour is the final hour of the stock market trading session on the third Friday of every March, June, September, and December. In the UK a triple witching hour occurs between 10.15 am and 10.30 am while in the US it happens - [The Triple Screen CFD Strategy](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Triple-Screen-Strategy.html) - The triple screen is a trading strategy first described by Dr. Elder, and as the name suggests it uses three screens or charts to confirm when to trade. He applied it to futures contracts, but it works just as well with CFDs - [Using CFDs to trade Smaller Stocks](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Smaller-Caps.html) - A few main CFD providers like CMC Markets and IG Markets also quote a number of small caps. Here, traders are more likely to take longer term positions probably because people... - [Trading USA Stocks Using CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Trading-USA-stocks.html) - Because these are CFDs, it is as easy for you to go short on USA stocks, and you could have used this strategy recently to profit from the economic decline. - [Dog Strategy of Investing](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Dog-Strategy.html) - Backing a so called dog strategy of investing in the losers has delivered especially strong returns and small caps have outgunned their larger peers. However, history suggests these recently established themes are more likely to reverse - [Using CFDs to Profit from Takeovers](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Profiting-from-takeovers.html) - One of the simplest trading plans is to buy when the price retraces in an established uptrend. Inevitably, even in strong uptrends, prices fluctuate up and down. A takeover bid, can cause an exciting rally in a company's share price and a smart cfd trader can use several strategies... - [Selling on a Rally](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Selling-Rally.html) - This trading strategy is similar to the buying on a retracement strategy, but applies to a down trending market. The idea is that there is a steady and established downtrend, which in the nature of things will have the occasional rallies. - [Selling Weakness](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Selling-Weakness.html) - Selling weakness is a CFD trading strategy for use in a bear market, and it exploits the existing trends to achieve excellent results. As a trend following strategy, it uses the flow of the market to profit - [Using CFDs as a Hedge to Share Portfolio](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/CFDs-hedge.html) - Hedging is both cost and tax efficient. CFDs can be used by long-term investors for short-term short-selling opportunities during periods of price correction or short-term pullbacks in the price of shares held within an investment portfolio. - [Trading Strategy: News Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Trading-News.html) - The trading strategy called trading the news seems so obvious that you wonder why don't all day traders do it. News does move markets after all - but I have to say, I see it move. I will one day be able to trade the move I hope. Trading the news is often mentioned in connection with Forex markets, and this is because it is easy to get news from different countries and economic announcements. - [Trading Share CFDs on Corporate Updates and Trading Statements](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Trading-statements.html) - Trading the news and trading just before or immediately after a company releases a trading statements has long been an approach to share and security trading as it seems to make so much sense... - [Trading on Over-Reactions](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Trading-Over-Reactions.html) - There is money to be made from trading over-reactions. In effect you are taking a contrarian position, although it is only a very short term one. You need to be ready to see where the market is going, and trade against it as soon as there are signs that the burst of movement is waning. - [Why Martingale is a Losing System?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Martingale-system.html) - The Martingale System is one trading system that many people have heard of, but may not know the name. It was originally proposed as a gambling system, has been used a lot in Forex circles where sometimes it has been coded into Forex robots or expert advisors - [Long Short CFD Portfolio](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Long-short-portfolio.html) - The long short strategy is one that has been used by hedge funds for a time, and is designed to succeed whether the market as a whole goes up or down. CFDs are an efficient way to take positions on share movements, so the long short CFD portfolio - [Riding Trends and using Trendlines to Trade](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Trendlines.html) - The first CFD basic strategy is to buy in an uptrend, and for this you will wait until the price comes down to the trendline during a retracement. As you can easily take a short position using a CFD, you can use the same technique when you see a downtrend... - [Momentum Trading / Trend Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Momentum-trend-trading.html) - One of the more popular trading strategies is called momentum trading, or trend trading. This is because it is a relatively low risk strategy, not looking for and trying to anticipate sharp deviations in the price chart, but relying on the tendency for trends to continue for some time. - [Trading with Momentum Indicators](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Momentum-indicators.html) - One can also trade CFDs using a momentum indicator such as the RSI (Relative Strength Index). This combines facts about the strength of the price movement of a security to produce a number that is typically represented. - [Pairs Trading with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Pairs-trading-cfds.html) - Pairs trading is a popular trading strategy that has been around for more than 20 years. It is sometimes known as statistical arbitrage, or a market neutral strategy. When you apply it to CFDs... - ['Long-Short' Trade](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Long-short-trade.html) - A long short trade is a form of pairs trading and is usually referred to as a box trade. It involves placing two opposite trades on the same instrument at the same time; one long and one short. This is in contrast to the traditional pairs trade - [Trading Support and Resistance](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Trading-Support-Resistance.html) - For most of the times markets tend to trend and during these times you can adopt a CFD trading strategy which uses the apparent limits of the support and resistance. - [Buying into Strength](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Buying-Strength.html) - This CFD trading strategy is a trend following strategy. Let the trend be your friend is one of the sayings that traders have, and it is based on the sound idea that it is easier and less risky to trade in the direction of the prevailing trend. - [Buying on a Retracement](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Buying-retracements.html) - One of the simplest trading plans is to buy when the price retraces in an established uptrend. Inevitably, even in strong uptrends, prices fluctuate up and down. - [CFD Trading with Moving Averages](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Moving-averages-cfds.html) - Look first at a simple moving average and an exponential moving average, both based on 100 days. That is, put SMA 100 and EMA 100 on your price chart. These will allow you to confirm the direction of the trend. If the EMA is above the SMA. - [Trading Using Chart Patterns](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Trading-chart-patterns.html) - When trading CFDs in particular, you want to be able to find the best entry point so that you do not have to bear swings against you, with the possibility of margin calls. For the head-and-shoulders pattern you would wait until the price - [Long Term Trading Strategies with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Long-term-trading.html) - Longer term trading with CFDs involves the classic buy and hold. If you have read about contracts for difference on other websites, you may be wondering about whether they are a wise choice for long term trading positions. - [Trading in Fast-Moving Markets](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Trading-fast-moving-markets.html) - In fast-moving markets stock prices can change very rapidly, particularly if you get involved in trading 'hot' shares such as IPOs via CFDs. As almost by definition a fast-moving market has a lot of trader activity. - [Strategies for Range Trading Markets](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Trading-range-trading.html) - If you think you have a range trading market that you would like to trade, then your first task must be to identify the range of prices that the security is trading within. This involves determining a support level - [Strategies for Trending Markets](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Trending-markets-strategies.html) - It is recognized that the least risky form of trading is to be found in a trending market. You can seldom if ever identify the exact bottom or top of a price chart. - [Swing Trading with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Swing-trading-cfds.html) - When many people start trading the markets they have the idea of swing trading in mind, whether or not they know it by that name. It is probably the most popular way of trading, as it does not require you to be constantly... - [Position Trading with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Position-trading-cfds.html) - If you come from a traditional trading background and are thinking about trading CFDs, then position trading is probably not the first thing that comes to mind.... - [Discretionary Trading Strategies with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Discretionary-trading.html) - Discretionary trading with CFDs can be just a short step from using a mechanical system, with discretion only being exercised in a minor way, or the system adopted may require the trader... - [Mechanical Trading with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Mechanical-trading-cfds.html) - Using a mechanical trading system with CFDs is an excellent way of entering the trading field. Both CFDs and the mechanical system have advantages that allow easier.. - [Intraday Trading with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Intraday-trading-cfds.html) - Intraday trading with CFDs can be the path to fortune, but it takes courage and alertness to maximize profits from this type of trading... - [Short Term Trading Strategies with CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Short-term-trading.html) - With few changes you can develop short term trading strategies for CFDs based on stock trading strategies. These would include trading with a trend as soon as you can identify it, and allowing the trend to progress.. - [Trading CFDs Short Term or Long Term?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/strategies/Short-vs-long-term.html) - My conclusion is that like for like screen time, risk:reward and trading capital, stock trading is more profitable in bull markets and day trading is more profitable in bear markets because markets fall much faster than they rise - [Common Investing and Trading Clichés](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Trader-sayings.html) - The Internet abounds with investing clichés, but some old adages are very much worth repeating. We thought we might indulge in some of the most common stock market and investing clichés and explain what they mean. - [How can you Make Money Trading the Stock Markets?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Making-money-trading-stocks.html) - In terms of what makes me think I can make money from the stock market: Profiting at the expense of participants making emotional decisions. - [The Secrets to Success and Successful Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Trading-secrets.html) - In terms of what makes me think I can make money from the stock market: Profiting at the expense of participants making emotional decisions. - [How Successful Traders Think and Trade](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Successful-cfd-traders.html) - A common characteristic of successful CFD traders is that they all stick to a strategy of taking profits while cutting losses. These CFD investors incorporate losses as a cost of doing business. - [The Dangers of Overtrading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Overtrading.html) - If you trade frequently, the biggest hurdle you will face is making more money than you pay away in bid/ask, most people don't want to face this fact... - [Learning to Trade: Trading Experience](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Learn-CFDs.html) - If I were a new trader I would not sit on the sidelines for too long. I would learn as much as I can about trading and CFDs from the talent of other traders, books and mentors, mentors...etc. However, you will only really start learning when you jump in with patience and risk management as your primary tools of the trade. - [How to Lose Money Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Losing-money.html) - To learn how you can make money trading CFDs you need to understand how you can lose it first. This may sound counterintuitive, but believe me - if you don't know what you are doing with contracts for difference you can and will lose money, and quite quickly! - [Avoid Common CFDs Trading Mistakes](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/CFDs-mistakes.html) - Here are some of the most common mistakes and blunders that CFD stock market traders continue to commit over and over again - closing out winning CFD trading positions way too early, chasing losses, lack of discipline, placing stop losses too tight, boredom trades are all... - [How much of your Portfolio should be kept as Cash?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Portfolio-cash.html) - How much of your portfolio is kept as cash (the safe and boring)? Or do you even edge by keeping cash in foreign currency? This is another one of those hard questions for which there is no single best answer for everyone. - [Patience and Trading: Making Money Consistently is Hard](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Trading-hard-patience.html) - Trading is not the easy-life, loads-a-money kind... I believe so many start trading in the belief that they will have fantastic riches with very little effort. Sadly they will definitely be in the 80% that lose and give up. - [Understanding how CFD Providers Work](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/CFD-providers.html) - The CFD provider acts as a market maker and provides the liquidity in CFD products. They are thus making the market and they are also your broker, which creates a potential conflict of interest. - [Trading Volatile Markets](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Trading-volatile-markets.html) - Take advantage of volatility. Don't put your stop losses too tight - by placing the stop further away while reducing the position size the amount at risk stays the same but there is a better chance that the CFD trade - [Don't be Afraid of Shorting Markets](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Shorting-markets.html) - CFDs come in useful here as they offer the ability to profit from a fall in prices as well as a rise in prices. To profit from a fall in prices is referred... - [Emotions and Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Emotions.html) - There are a few things you can do to avoid getting gripped by emotions and impulse trades. Those are having a concise simple strategy, trading in low trading sizes, print daily charts with a record of what you did right and wrong - [Trade for Real or use Demo Account?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Trade-real.html) - A number of CFD providers offer demo accounts. Demonstration or simulator accounts cost nothing to open and use only virtual money. So, you can open and close trades and get an idea - [Short Term Trading Tips](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Short-term-trading-tips.html) - I think intraday and short-term trading is a totally different ball game to end of day trading and requires a wholly different mindset to succeed. I think it's something to do with short term traders don't want to hold positions over the weekend - [Learning to Trade: Information Overload and Analysis Paralysis](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Learning-to-trade.html) - The issue for the novice trader is that there is so much stuff out there that doesn't work they can lose a lot of money finding out what works for them and what doesn't. And unfortunately there isn't any way out of the analysis paralysis - [CFD Trading Using Stop Losses](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Stop-losses.html) - For products traded on margin like CFDs stop losses are a must. In my opinion the most important thing to drill into one's head is stop loss stop loss...no matter whether investing or trading CFDs one needs a way to limit drawdowns. - [Trading Timeframes](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Trading-timeframes.html) - Trading Timeframes - are your a short-term trader, swing or position trader? Most traders describe themselves as 15 minute chart traders, others as end of day - [Leverage: Gearing and CFD Position Sizing](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Gearing-trade-size.html) - Your biggest enemy will be overleveraging. Taking bigger CFD positions than you should will overemphasize all the things I mentioned. And that will kill you fast. - [Exercise Good Money Management](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Prudent-money-management.html) - Money management helps to protect you against big losses while preserving capital. While there are many theories on the subject the essence is to avoid risking big amounts on any one trade. - [Preserving and Maximising Profits](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Preserving-profits.html) - On the other hand taking profits too early and running losses for too long are two common flawed strategies especially amongst beginner contracts for differences traders. Some traders just can't hang onto a winner. - [Using Technical Analysis to trade CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Technical-analysis.html) - Plot a few moving averaging on your price charts and study price action looking for candles as they approach the lines - [Tips for Trading Share CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Trading-share-cfds.html) - Take smaller CFD share positions in speculative stocks. High-risk stocks should of course be treated differently. Speculative stocks add some spice to your overall portfolio - [Don't Trade Too Many Markets](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/tactics/Markets.html) - So just concentrate on a few markets that interest you or where you feel you have better information. To trade a market effectively, you need to follow not just the price action but also understand what makes it moves and its peculiarities. - [Emotional Highs and Lows](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/emotions.html) - Trading is a bit of an emotional roller coaster! You will have great days when you are on cloud nine and other days when you feel that the whole world has contrived to be against you. Sometimes important news will affect the market and help you or destroy a good position. - [Summary](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/summary.html) - There are many, many more trading ideas than the ones in this guide and I suggest that if many of the concepts I have discussed in this CFD guide are new to you, then you have some work to do in learning how to read charts before you can develop a reliable strategy of your own. - [Technical Tools](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/course/technical-tools.html) - Traders can use several tools that are called oscillators. As the name implies, these go up and down on a range of figures, which may be labelled something like 0% to 100%, or 0 to 2, depending how they are set up. ## Pages - [Home](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/) - Contracts for Difference trading guide written by an expert in the field giving news, views, articles and information on using CFDs to trade and invest. - [Compare CFD Brokers and Contracts for Difference Providers](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfds/compare-brokers.html) - [CFDs in Singapore](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Singapore-CFDs.html) - In Singapore CFDs compete with extended settlement (ES) contracts which have been offered by the SGX since February 2009 and basically work in a similar way. It seems, however, that CFDs are gaining ground since extended settlement - [Is Shorting Bad? Is Short Selling Evil?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Evil-shorting.html) - Is short selling evil? It shorting legal? There's nothing evil about short-selling, rather I would say that short-sellers make the market more efficient as they challenge market's consensus view regarding a stock's business model or valuation - [Why is Shorting Riskier than Buying?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Shorting-risky.html) - What are the dangers of shorting a stock? Why is selling a share anymore risky than buying one? Buying a share exposes you to limited risk (you can lose up to 100% of your initial investment) and unlimited gain (share price can go to the moon, e.g. takeover bid or other disruptive announcement). This is reversed with shorting... - [Small Cap Shares vs. Blue Chip Stocks?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Smallcap-vs-blue-chip.html) - Small Cap Shares vs. Blue Chip Stocks. How do they compare? The larger shares are traded in bulk by investment houses, as well as being available for the private trader. As you are trading with CFDs, there is another factor, and that is the margin or deposit required. - [Researching Stocks](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Researching-stocks.html) - You first hear mention of a company from a friend's tip or newspaper article or newsletter - how do you go on researching it? Research comes in all different forms, whether looking at in-depth financial company reports, studying the company history, checking historical data - [Benefits of Short Selling](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Shorting-benefits.html) - Market makers cannot make proper markets if they are not allowed to short stock. To facilitate Nasdaq or OTC market trading, market makers always run short positions. - [The Successful Duo - Metatrader 4 and Trade Nation](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/metatrader_4) - MetaTrader 4 is perhaps the most famous online trading platform designed to provide brokerage services to retail customers in Forex, CFD and Futures markets. With all the above in mind, it's easy to understand why Trade Nation decided to concentrate on MT4 as a core part of their offering. - [MetaTrader (MT4) Tips and Tricks](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/metatrader-tips-and-tricks) - Below are some tips and tricks that you might find helpful when using MetaTrader (MT$) either to trade or to perform analysis and research - [A New Trader's Rough Guide to Metatrader 4](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/traders-guide-mt4) - Metatrader 4 is the most recognised online platform offered by the majority of brokers who cater to retail customers trading in the forex, CFDs (contracts for difference) or futures markets. - [BUX Markets Broker Review](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/bux-markets-review) - Social trading has a lot in common with social networks - and Sarah Brylewski from Bux Markets is going to tell us everything about it. - [How to Prevent your Shares Holdings from being Shorted](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/borrowing-lending-shares.html) - Now what can the average personal investor do to stop their own shares being shorted, as believe me your own broker, if approached, WILL sell your own shares that they hold on your behalf as a nominee account. - [General Points](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/igmarkets/Compare-igmarkets.html) - In this section we compare IG Markets CFD spreads and pricing to other brokers such as CMC Markets, City Index and SaxoBank - [Social Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Social-trading.html) - Social trading is a new online trend quickly picking up traction across financial markets. While there are just a few operators offering the service, there’s a strong likelihood that this movement could very well be the next big thing in investment markets. - [Bux Markets Trading Platform](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/ayondo) - The Bux Markets trading platform is called Tradehub, and is a modern and intuitive software solution - [Forex CFDs versus Forex Spot Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Forex-spot-CFDs.html) - The only technical difference between forex spot trading and forex cfds is that when you are trading with a provider on a Forex CFD, you will not be buying the actual currency. You will be trading on the provider's prices. - [CFD Providers Hedging Exposure](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Hedging-cfd-trades.html) - As I understand that some CFD providers hedge their client positions on the stock market by shadowing client trades...however brokers have different business plans. For instance, I had always heard that CMC rarely hedged any client positions. - [Interviewing Top Trader Stefan Risse: Profile HPMStefanRisse at Ayondo](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/stefan-risse-top-trader) - Interviewing Top Trader Stefan Risse: Profile HPMStefanRisse at Ayondo. Ayondo offers social trading where you can copy the trades of top traders. - [InterTrader Review](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/intertrader) - InterTrader is a financial spread betting company that provides tight spreads on the market and an easy-to-use platform. - [Short Selling Questions Answered](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Shorting-questions.html) - What is Shorting, what is short selling and why the recent banking crisis? The idea that you can sell something you don't own is somehow unethical and morally disturbing... - [CFDs in Germany](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Germany-CFDs.html) - Having been introduced to Germany in 2005, contracts for differencein german known as a contract for differenz have grown in popularity since last year's (2008) financial implosion - [Pros and Cons of IG](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/igmarkets/Advantages-cons-ig.html) - IG Markets advantages and downsides. Here we review some of the pros and cons of trading cfds with IG Markets. - [Partner with Us](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Affiliates.html) - Stock Market CFDs Affiliate Programme - Partner with us and promote our CFDs Trading Guide for a 50% commission split on all sales - [History and the CFD Revolution!](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/contracts-for-differences.html) - Originating in Futures and Options, CFDs were originally developed in the early 1990's by the derivative desk of Smith New Court - [Premium Quality Trading Domain Names For Sale](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Domains.html) - Premium Quality Trading Domain Names For Sale - [Introduction to Contracts for Difference](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Trading-Guide.html) - CFDs are currently available in over-the-counter markets in the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Singapore, Thailand, South Africa, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, France and Spain and the US with expansion into new markets occurring virtually every year. - [CFDs in France](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/France-CFDs.html) - 20,000 people in France trade either contracts for difference (CFDs) and/or do retail foreign exchange (FX) trading, comprising 16,000 who trade CFDs and 15,500 trading FX, including 11,500 who do both - [Charts and Tools](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/igmarkets/Charting-technical-analysis.html) - [Forex Trading at IG](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/igmarkets/Forex-trading-igmarkets.html) - At IG Markets profits are held in the currency profits are made. If you short USD/CHF and make +10 you get +10 CHF. If you take a profitable GBP/JPY trade your profits are held in JPY. Nonprofessional igmarkets accounts are set to convert all currency - [Fees](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/igmarkets/Igmarkets-commissions.html) - For UK stocks the commission that igmarkets charges is taken as a percentage, with a minimum commission per trade of 10 quid. All UK shares look like they are commissioned at 0.1% at IG Markets...regardless of where they are placed in the FTSE - [IG Markets Interview](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/igmarkets/IGMarkets-interview.html) - [IG Review](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/igmarkets/Igmarkets-review.html) - [What is Naked Short-Selling?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Naked-short-selling.html) - Naked shorting is when an investor sells the shares without borrowing them first, agreeing to deliver them at a fixed time. The seller buys the shares once the price has fallen and before he has to deliver them to the buyer. - [The Recent Banking Crisis - Are Derivatives to Blame?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Banking-crisis.html) - The seeds of the banking and credit crisis were sown long ago in cheap credit over-availability. The average securities firm was leveraged 27 to 1 - that is, had borrowed 27 times its capital - in 2007. - [CFDs Trading Costs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Trading-costs.html) - What are the costs of trading CFDs? In CFD trading, is the spread offered by your CFD broker the hidden cost that the broker doesn't want to talk to you about? - [Level 2 Workings](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Level2-workings.html) - Does anyone know anything about Level 2? I know that there are 2 types of level 2 screen - SETS or SEAQ. THUS has a SEAQ screen and the SEAQ screen shows the initials of the MM beside each buy or sell order. Level 2 data is especially valuable when combined with Direct Market Access (DMA). - [Famous Short Sells: George Soros and Simon Cawkwell](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Famous-short-sells.html) - In September of 1992, one of the founders of the first hedge funds, George Soros, shorted sterling by risking $10 billion that the value of the currency would fall. He turned out to be right, and in a single day the trade generated a profit. - [All your Short Selling Questions Answered here](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Shorting.html) - Short-selling is when an investor believes that the price of an asset, such as stocks, currencies oil or gold contracts, is going to fall, and agrees to sell that asset in the relevant market at a certain price - without having actually purchased the asset - [Day Trading and Swing Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Day-trading-swing-trading.html) - Whether you choose to trade intraday or end-of-day is not important IF you have a system. What is important is that you stick to just one strategy until you find your feet. Dabbling with intraday trading and swing trading - [CFDs versus Options Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/CFDs-vs-options.html) - There are several reasons why you should trade CFDs instead of stocks - gearing, the ability to go short, avoidance of stamp duty in the uk and direct trading on live tradable prices being just a few.. - [CFD Trading Risks and Stop Loss Orders](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Stop-losses.html) - There are several reasons why you should trade CFDs instead of stocks - gearing, the ability to go short, avoidance of stamp duty in the uk and direct trading on live tradable prices being just a few.. - [Spread Betting versus CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Spread-betting-vs-cfds.html) - The difference between CFDs and spreads is not how they are hedged. Neither are required to be hedged. CFDs are opaque derivatives, and the provider is not required to hedge, except to protect themselves. The key difference between CFDs and spreadbetting are the tax implications and the transparency - [Exchange Traded CFDs / Commsec ASX CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Exchange-traded.html) - An exchange traded CFD is an alternative arrangement (at the present time only set up on the Australian Stock Exchange where CFDs are quoted directly on the exchange with the price including margin and financing as a standardized contract. ASX CFDs on the the ones that Commsec trade through the SFE - [Difference between Investors and Speculators](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Investors-speculators.html) - Short-term trading is zero-sum. Before you start investing it is important to identify whether you want to be an investor or speculator.. - [CFDs Trading Examples](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/CFDs-trading-examples.html) - Show me some examples. In this section we illustrate how one can trade Share CFDs or Index CFDs. CFDs are available on a vast range of different assets although the types of contracts for differences that can be traded will vary from provider to provider. - [Where did CFDs come from, and why the Weird Name?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/CFDs-questions.html) - Where did CFDs come from, and why the weird name? - [CFD Trading Examples: Workings](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/CFD-interactive-examples.html) - Check these interactive examples to see how CFD trading works - [Australia CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Australia-CFDs.html) - Contracts for difference have been available to Australian investors since 2003. In this time they have completely changed what it means to be a trader or speculator in many different investments. - [CFDs in South Africa](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/South-Africa-CFDs.html) - Over-the-counter contracts for difference, much of it driven by retail traders who value the simplicity and value that CFDs offer are also on the increase in South Africa. - [Contracts for Difference Trading in Canada](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Canada-CFDs.html) - CMC Markets Canada has been selling contracts for difference in Canada for years but only to accredited investors - informed individuals who passed the criteria established by provincial regulators; these would be individuals who have $1 million in financial wealth - [Contracts for Difference Trading in New Zealand](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/New-Zealand-CFDs.html) - CMC Markets is claimed to be New Zealand's leading CFD (Contract for Difference) provider having moved into the market in April 2006 and opened an office in Auckland. - [CFD Trading Examples](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/cfd-trading-examples.html) - Contracts for differences and CFDs trading examples - [Contact](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/contact.html) - [Initial or Deposit Margin: CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Initial-margin.html) - CFD trades are margin-based transactions with the gain/loss being set by the difference between the price the CFD is opened and the price at which it is closed. Margin refers to the deposit the stock market trader - [CFDs Explained](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/what-is-a-cfd.html) - What is a CFD? What are they similar to and how do CFDs compare to shares trading? Contracts for difference, sometimes referred to as swaps or waves, are one of the world's fastest-growing trading instruments - [How Dividends, Stock Splits...etc are accounted for in CFD Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Dividend-stock-split.html) - Find answers to common questions about CFD shares, including details about dividends and how stock splits are accounted for with CFDs. - [Who trades CFDs? - Retail Traders or Institutions?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/CFD-traders.html) - CFDs appeal to a broad range of users for different reasons and the people trading in CFDs range from sophisticated retail traders to day traders, to mums and dads. Before you start investing it is important to identify whether you want to be an investor or speculator. - [Markets Makers - to use or not to use?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Market-makers.html) - [The Small Print in CFD/Spread Betting Accounts](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Small-print.html) - There are several reasons why you should trade CFDs instead of stocks - gearing, the ability to go short, avoidance of stamp duty in the uk and direct trading on live tradable prices being just a few.. - [CFDs versus Warrants](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/CFDs-vs-warrants.html) - There are several reasons why you should trade CFDs instead of stocks - gearing, the ability to go short, avoidance of stamp duty in the uk and direct trading on live tradable prices being just a few.. - [Is Trading or Investing Gambling?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Is-trading-gambling.html) - Is investing gambling? Is CFD trading gambling? Doing lots of background and putting money into companies you feel have good potential may be also gambling to some extent, but I like to call it investing. - [CFDs Suitability in an Investment Portfolio](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Invest-day-trading.html) - CFDs may not be the best tool for long term buy and hold investing but it still has a place in any investor's portfolio. Even if you're a long term buy and hold investor you can use contracts for difference to take advantage of short-term market swings - [But aren't CFDs more risky than Shares Trading?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Margin-trading-risky.html) - A number of people suffer with CFDs because margin is used. If you take on too much margin (risk) then even small moves in the underlying can cause serious problems. - [Amount to Risk and Position Sizing](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Position-risk-size.html) - How much should you risk per CFD trade? How do price changes impact your profit and loss? A common approach is to risk only 2% of your total capital per trade. Some say that this is too much and others say that it is too little, however 2% is a good starting point for risk management if you are having 50% success with your trades - [Contracts for Difference FAQs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/contracts-for-difference-3.html) - Everything about contracts for difference, cfds, spread betting - the preferred vehicles for active traders. - [Stock Index Futures, their Application and their link to CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Stock-futures.html) - Futures provide a similar exposure to CFDs, but the minimum trade size is normally much bigger Stock index futures like most other derivative instruments have their origin in the United States and have been on the investment map since their introduction in the early 1980s although they have only recently appeared on the radar of the smaller investor. They are also used as a basis for pricing CFD index futures. - [Developing a Trading System or Strategy](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Trading-system.html) - How do you improve your trading strategy and how do you develop a trading system? Assuming you have a specific strategy in place - you can improve it by reading relevant books and publications about on the topic of trading strategies. - [Technical Analysis vs Fundamental Analysis?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Technical-analysis-vs-fundamentals.html) - The reality is that both technical analysis and fundamental analysis are important and can be used together when formulating a trading strategy. Technical analysis and charting is actually interesting as theoretically the graph - [What is Value Investing?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Value-investing.html) - But why do you believe value investing can work? Value - To my mind is a correct strategy - find companies that exhibit value in whatever characteristic(s) you like and buy them cheap. For some this is PER, some cash flow, others Tangible book value - [Using Index CFDs to Hedge Investment Portfolio](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Hedging-tool.html) - There are several reasons why you should trade CFDs instead of stocks - gearing, the ability to go short, avoidance of stamp duty in the uk and direct trading on live tradable prices being just a few.. - [Changing Margin Requirements](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Margin-calls.html) - There are several reasons why you should trade CFDs instead of stocks - gearing, the ability to go short, avoidance of stamp duty in the uk and direct trading on live tradable prices being just a few. - [Is a Trust Able to Invest in CFDs?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Trust-CFDs.html) - In reality, as far as the CFD broker is concerned, a trust just another trading account; the only difference being the tax treatment of gains when the trustee is about to distribute them to the beneficiaries of the trust. The benefits of utilising a trust to make investments in CFDs - [CFD Trading Tips](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Cfds-trading-tips.html) - What qualities do successful traders have? Why do traders lose? - [Successful Traders versus Losers](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Successful-trading.html) - What qualities do successful traders have? Why do traders lose? - [Perseverance and Trading Success](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Big-losses.html) - There are several reasons why you should trade CFDs instead of stocks - gearing, the ability to go short, avoidance of stamp duty in the uk and direct trading on live tradable prices being just a few.. - [Contracts for Difference: Become a Millionaire!](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Millionaire-CFDs.html) - I plan to save up to £10k by age 19 which I want to use to trade CFDs (contracts for differences). I'd like to know if it will be possible to become a millionaire by age 24 doing this - [Claiming Losses Against Capital Gains Tax](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Tax-claims.html) - Yes, if you suffer losses on your CFD trading activities, then these can be offset against any other capital gains on the same year and can then be carried forward to cancel out capital gains liability in future years. - [Avoiding Trading Blunders](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Stupid-mistakes.html) - It is no secret that CFD traders (like all derivatives) is a high risk activity and CFD traders lose. Our trading guide will uncover common mistakes made by experienced and beginner CFD traders alike. Even seasoned professionals can make mistakes which can generally be avoided. - [Are CFDs allowed in Sipps?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Sipps-pensions.html) - So far I have found it very easy to predict the direction of stocks. This may be because the market is very one directional of late. So the question I ask is what the catch is. I understand the potential risk is high for CFDs and this is why the potential for profit is so high but what I don't understand is where all the profits are coming from. - [Why are CFDs not permitted in the USA?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/USA-restrictions.html) - Why are CFDs not permitted in the USA? Will CFDs ever be allowed in the USA? It is interesting to point out that contracts for difference are not currently permitted to by USA residents (and citizens?), which is kind of odd given they rule trading - [Advisory Brokers and Investment Funds](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Investment-alpha-funds.html) - Today, quite a few aggressive investment funds looking to profit from the volatility or short-term trading opportunities use contracts for difference as a trading tool. Other funds, especially in the current market turmoil have lately been making use of short selling to eliminate as much market exposure - [Delivery of Stocks and Public Disclosure](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/CFDs-rns.html) - There are several reasons why you should trade CFDs instead of stocks - gearing, the ability to go short, avoidance of stamp duty in the uk and direct trading on live tradable prices being just a few.. - [Contracts for Differences - Expiry Dates](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Expiry-date.html) - There is no expiry date for CFDs - you can keep it running for as long as you choose but in practice CFDs are best used for the stock market if used under around 10 weeks, an estimated point where CFD financing charge exceeds financing charge for stocks. - [Direct Market Access and Market Maker Execution](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/DMA-market-maker.html) - Market Makers are CFD brokers that quote a bid-offer spread and receive orders from clients which they then confirm with the trader. Market Makers (unlike DMA Brokers) do not automatically hedge the positions in the open market but instead use other methods to cover their exposure like offsetting trades against other traders, buying options, warrants - [Contracts for Differences - What is the Catch?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/CFDs-catch.html) - So far I have found it very easy to predict the direction of stocks. This may be because the market is very one directional of late. So the question I ask is what the catch is. I understand the potential risk is high for CFDs and this is why the potential for profit is so high but what I don't understand is where all the profits are coming from. - [Advantages and Popularity of Contracts for Differences](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Margin-trading.html) - I think that trading shares on margin and trading them via CFDs go hand-in-hand. Only it is apparent that the majority (estimate 80%) of retail active traders are not comfortable being short. However, in our current environment of becalmed ranges in one day followed by sporadic volatility the next. - [CFDs: Disadvantages and Pitfalls](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Pitfalls-leverage.html) - CFD trading, especially during periods of market volatility, requires careful timing when opening and closing positions. For this reason alone, CFDs may be suitable for the active, experienced investor.. - [Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) and Contracts for Differences](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Mifid-cfds.html) - Lack of transparency with respect to substantial economic interests obtained through CFDs, allows the use of those interests as a means of exerting influence over, or to gain control of the voting rights attached to the underlying shares. Also, hedge funds may outflank traditional institutional investors by using economic interests obtained through CFDs to influence companies - [Who are the Short-Sellers? How Popular is it?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Lending-shares-shorting.html) - Short selling is not very popular among individual investors for two reasons 1.) it is risky 2.) it so so unnatural for a personal investor to go short. - [Restrictions and Borrowing Costs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Borrowing-costs-restrictions.html) - What are the limitations/restrictions on short selling? Are there any borrowing costs - [Borrowing and Lending Shares for Short Selling](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Lenders-borrowers.html) - Why on earth would someone lend me shares which he paid good money for when your intention is to profit from the shares falling!!? - [Shorting CFDs or Shorting Stocks? Is Shorting Legal?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Short-selling-legality.html) - Is there any advantage of shorting CFDs as opposed to shorting stocks? Is short selling legal? Yes. It's a standard and completely legitimate investment technique... - [Shorting Small Caps? Shorting Disabled?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Shorting-penny-stocks.html) - Why doesn't my broker let me short certain penny stocks and certain small cap shares? I have tried to open a short position on a share but received a prompt: Trading Short for selected instrument disabled. - [The Uptick Rule and the Shorting Ban](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Uptick-transparency.html) - In theory short selling cannot destroy a company on its own. However, in practic share prices do matter and as a blogger has rightly commented a loss of confidence when they fall can be extremely damaging - as we have seen in banking... - [CFD Pricing: Daily Cash and Daily Futures](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/FTSE-Dow-prices.html) - I have just started trading and unsure about the prices CFD providers offer for the FTSE 100 and Dow Jones index. Are these prices linked to the actual index or are they based on the futures market? - [Limited Liquidity and After-Hours Trading](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/After-hours-trading.html) - Are you able to trade CFDs even after-hours or when the underlying market is closed? Also, if there is limited liquidity in a market, can you still trade CFDs over that asset? - [What is a Share CFD?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Equity-cfds.html) - Share CFDs are contracts that mirror the performance of the underlying market security with the profit or loss calculated as the difference between the purchase price and the selling price - [Why trade CFDs instead of Stocks?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/CFDs-vs-stocks.html) - There are several reasons why you should trade CFDs instead of stocks - gearing, the ability to go short, avoidance of stamp duty in the uk and direct trading on live tradable prices being just a few.. - [Trading CFDs on Margin Versus Borrowing to Buy Shares](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Margin-trading-versus-CFDs.html) - What is the difference between trading CFDs on margin and traditional margin trading? What are the key differences between margin lending and CFDs? - [Why are CFDs free of UK stamp duty?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/UK-stamp-duty.html) - Will share CFDs in the UK and Ireland always be free of stamp duty? This is by no way guaranteed but... - [Index Trading and Commodity CFDs](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Index-commodities.html) - Yes, can actually trade the indices using index CFDs which allow you to track the futures prices of the market you are looking to trade. Amongst the most common Index CFDs there are the S&P 500, Dow Jones, NASDAQ in the USA, the DAX, CAC and MIB in Europe and FTSE 100 - [Index Spreads](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Index-spreads.html) - Spreads are regularly applied to Index CFDs. If you are trading index CFDs there is really no easy way to examine how large the spread should be to reflect the underlying market - [Forex CFD Trading: Fixed Spreads or Variable Spreads](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Fixed-vs-variable-spreads.html) - Some CFD brokers will advertise that their spreads are fixed, and they will always have the same difference between the buying and selling prices. Other providers offer variable spreads which may be tighter at some times of the day and wider at others. The larger spreads are usually quoted. - [Maintenance or Variable Margin](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Maintenance-margin.html) - Maintenance margin also sometimes referred to as variation margin is the amount of margin that is needed to maintain a position (remain invested in a trade). Initial margin is always higher than maintenance margin, so for as long as the initial margin - [Gearing and Leverage](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Leverage.html) - Hedge funds use leverage, so do a number of exchange-traded and investment funds. Day traders also use gearing. Leverage (or gearing as it is sometimes referred to) is much like borrowing: it allows you to increase your potential return on a trade - [Beware very low CFD Margins](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Low-margins.html) - Why should you not regard the low margin requirements being flaunted as a selling point by some CFD providers? - [Interest and Financing Charges](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Financing-charge.html) - An overnight fee is applicable when holding long CFD positions overnight as then the deal is considered an investment where the broker has lent you money to buy it and is one way a CFD provider makes money from deals. - [Starting to Trade Stocks](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Starting-trading.html) - As for contracts for difference (CFDs), if 200 pounds is all you can afford to lose then margin products don't have any place in your portfolio. - [Shorting and the Importance of Timing](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Short-selling.html) - Can you sell a contract for difference? So does the broker pay me money on my position if I go short of an asset instead of long? Yes. However, you don't get the same rate that you'd pay the broker if you were long. So, while a broker might charge you Libor (the London inter-bank offered rate) plus 2.5 per cent on the value of your long position - [What is a Contract for Difference?](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/What-is-a-contract-for-difference.html) - What is a Contract for Difference? In a nutshell, CFD trading permits you to trade individual shares, treasury bonds, stock indices, and commodities just like you normally would. - [Contracts for Difference (CFDs) Questions and Answers](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Advanced-questions.html) - [DMA or Market Makers Questions and Answers](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Advanced-traders.html) - So are there different types of CFD providers? Should I steer clear of Market Makers? - [Contracts for Difference Questions and Answers](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Expert-discuss.html) - Spread bets and cfds are very similar yet most real traders say spread betting isn't investing, it's just a form of gambling - why is that? What are the most common pitfalls? - [More Questions on Stop Loss Orders Answered here](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Stop-losses-questions.html) - Expert traders recommend a 1% or 2% stop loss rule of your total pot (per trade) - but how do you determine the stop loss level? - [Getting Started](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Getting-started.html) - Everything about contracts for difference, cfds, spread betting - the preferred vehicles for active traders. - [Differenzkontrakte: Heiße Spekulation für Privatanleger (CFDs)](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Differenzkontrakte.html) - Hohe Gewinne mit geringem Einsatz: Contracts for Differences (CFDs) ermöglichen dies. Die Differenzkontrakte bieten interessante Optionen, sind aber hoch spekulativ. Mit CFDs kann man auch auf Einzelwerte mit Hebel wetten. - [CFD: Contratti per Differenza](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/contratti-per-differenza.html) - Ma cosa sono i CFD? Letteralmente si tratta di contratti per differenza: strumenti derivati che rispecchiano esattamente l'andamento di un sottostante (futures, indici di Borsa, valute, commodity) - [Contrats Financiers pour Différences](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Contrats-financiers-pour-differences.html) - Les CFD, CFDs ou contrats financiers pour différences. Les CFDs sont des produits dérivés, ils permettent de trader à la hausse ou à la baisse, sur tous les marchés financiers à moindre coût, sur les actions, les indices - [Los Contratos por Diferencias (CFDs)](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Contratos-por-Diferencias.html) - Con los Contratos por Diferencias (CFDs) podemos hacer la misma inversión sobre acciones, pero con mucho menos capital del que necesitaríamos para hacer esa operación en acciones.... - [Copyright and Disclaimer](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Copyright.html) - Contracts for Difference - Copyright and Disclaimer - [CFD Trading is Risky](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/Risks.html) - Being a leveraged product, CFDs by nature involves risk. Trading carries a high risk and you should never trade with money you can't afford to lose. - [CFD Trading Manifesto](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/About-us.html) - It's been said that investors discover who they really are when they enter day trading. So this is my journey self discovery. And hopefully I make a lot of money doing it. - [ETX Capital](https://www.contracts-for-difference.com/etx-capital) - There are four platforms to choose from at ETX Capital; ETX Trader, ETX Trader Pro, MetaTrader 4 and the ETX Binary platform. 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