A Contract for differences otherwise known as CFDs is a financial derivative. In other words, it is a contract that specifies what the buyer must pay the seller after a period of time. The value is based on an agreed financial asset.
The CFD does not take account of the underlying value of the asset. It considers only the difference in price. Traders can use these financial instruments to benefit from price movements without ever owning the asset. Here, underlying assets can include anything from currencies to treasuries, commodities, shares, and indices.
CFDs allow traders to speculate in financial markets using less capital than they would otherwise need.
Buying and Selling CFDs
Like forex, CFDs trade over the counter. Transactions are decentralized and take place through various financial institutions.
When you enter a CFD agreement, you agree to pay the broker a specified amount at the close of the trade. A CFD contract is unlimited in length but they are generally of short duration, often less than a day. You close the contract by trading in the opposite direction from the direction in which you started. When the trade closes you will profit or lose money depending on how well you forecast the change in price.
Every CFD has a buy (ask or offer) price and a sell or bid price. If you expect the price of the asset to rise, you’ll buy the asset. This is called going long, also known as a long trade or long position.
If you expect the price of an asset to drop, you might sell your CFD, intending to buy it back later when it costs less. This is called selling short, also known as short trade or a short position.
What is the Spread?
All CFDs have two prices, the sell or bid price, and the buy or offer price. The selling price will be higher than the market value and the buy price lower. The difference between the two is the CFD spread, which serves as the broker’s commission.
Leveraged Trading
CFDs are leveraged. This means that you can open positions for amounts that exceed your capital. You only need a portion of the value to trade. The amount that you have in your account before you start to trade is called margin.
Leveraged trading, also known as trading on margin, can boost your profits but it can also increase your losses. You should have enough money in your account to cover any losses you may incur. This is known as maintenance margin.
Your profit or loss is the difference between the buy and sell price less the commission or spread.
Risk Management
Like any trade, CFD trading can be risky. There is always the possibility of incorrect price forecasts which could lead to losses. It is, therefore, important that you consider your risk management strategies before you start to trade. Decide how much you’re prepared to lose. Then set up stop loss and limit orders.
A stop-loss will close the order when the price of the underlying asset reaches a predetermined level. If you are long the limit will be below the current market level and if you are short, you will set a limit above the current market price.
Traders use limit orders to ensure that target profits are met. They will close the trade when prices are higher than the initial price. Using this method, you can lock in profit without the need to constantly watch the markets.
CFDs Are Here to Stay
The CFD is a reasonably new investment option. They have been around since the late 1990s. The CFD market is expected to continue growing over the foreseeable future as traders realize the benefits of investing in CFDs.
CFD’s traded on margin. This means that investors need less investment capital because they don’t buy the underlying asset. They can also leverage their investment. It also doesn’t matter whether prices are rising or falling because traders can benefit in either direction.