Introduction to Financial Spread BettingPosed On September 16th, 2009

Sergey Trishchev asked:




Financial Spread betting is a kind of financial speculation that enables global market traders to make profits regardless of whether the market prices move up or down. Those who trade in individual shares, bonds, stocks, crude oil, currencies as well as precious commodities like gold can use spread betting to increase their chances of getting profits.

There are many benefits associated with financial spread betting. One, the profits you get through this type of trading is completely tax free. Secondly, you do not have to pay any unnecessary commissions. However, you will be required to pay some money to the betting company based on the spread, that is, the difference between buying and selling price.

Another benefit is having access to most of the global markets 24 hours, 7 days a week. You can do your stock trading in multiple markets through only one account. You also get to choose the currency you think is most appropriate for you, thus you will be saved the trouble of having to pay for currency exchange. Financial betting allows you to bet on movement of the market prices. You can go long or short, but either way, you can make a lot of profit if the market prices move on the direction of your bet.

All investments that deal with shares, currency or stock trading have to have an element of risk, and financial betting is of course no exception. Loses in this type of investment occur when the market shifts in the direction opposite what you placed you placed your bet on. You can monitor your funds, and maybe control your loses through some of the stop loss mechanisms available to you.

One of the forms of betting that is similar to spread betting and equally popular among many people involved in stock trading is contacts for difference, or CFDs trading. However there are a number of differences between the two. There are no commissions, but in CFD trading you have to pay some commission. CFD trading is subjected to Capital Gains Tax while financial betting is not. There are no dividends in spread betting, but CFD traders do get dividends when possible.

Binary bet is yet another betting option that has more or less the same properties as financial betting. However, unlike spread betting where prices are based on the underlying instrument price, the price of a binary bet is based on the odds of the occurrence of an event. Binary betting is popular among stock traders since it offers a lot of flexibility.

Opening a spread betting account does not involve much. You can open one online or through the telephone. Spread betting offers a very simple way to gain when the stock trading market seems to be falling. Financial spread betting is not the best option for making a long term investment plan. However, this type of trading is appropriate for those who would like to make short term profits from stock trading.

Gerald

Trade Commodities With Financial Spread Betting BrokerPosed On July 1st, 2009

Sergey Trishchev asked:




If you are a small or private investor, one of the easiest ways for you to be a part of the Forex is through financial spread betting. This is because unlike other brokers, a spread betting broker will not require big deposits.

This is a form of margined trading that an investor can use to speculate and invest on the markets. It is possible to open several accounts that will provide you with a chance to take part in commodity trading. This is possible because of the existing tax polices and leverage you get from financial spread betting.

This service is growing rapidly and there are various companies to offer better services to investors and provide spreads that are tighter. Apart from providing a cheaper investment option, as a private investor, you will have a variety of markets to choose from. The range of markets that are available will vary depending on the broker you choose but all of them give individual shares, forex, market indices, commodities and interest rates.

By trading commodities with a financial spread betting broker you will get to enjoy the various benefits that include:

Stamp duty is not charged
Derived products such as spread betting are not charged any stamp duty when shares are bought or sold.

Capital requirements are low
This is a margined product that allows you to buy shares on a margin.

It can be a short or long term investments
It is possible to make some profits in the falling markets when it comes to financial betting because it is a derived product therefore you can either buy or sell shares.

Vast range of markets
By getting involved in financial spread betting, you will have the opportunity to trade in various markets around the world including UK, Continental Europe, America and Asia. Apart from the range of markets available, you can speculate on forex markets and commodities like bonds, interest rates, gas, oil and wheat.

Capital Gains Tax is not paid
This is the most essential benefit that you get from financial spread betting compared to any other investment that you may be involved in. This means that any amount of money that you make will not be taxed. It is important to note that any losses that you get will not be offset on the tax bill.

Trade is open at any time
Unlike normal market trading that only opens from 8 am to 4.30 pm, spread betting offers trading all day and night from Sunday to Friday. This means even after the markets have closed, you will still be able to make money.

Risks are controlled
Financial spreads have controlled risk bets that allow you to have a stop level when you are dealing in the spread. Once the stop level reaches, the bet will close automatically.

Availability of credit facilities
A majority of companies that offer spread betting give credit accounts that ensure that capital is not tied up. This is given according to financial status and experience.

Charles

What is Financial Spread Betting?Posed On April 19th, 2009

Stacey Harris asked:




How does financial spread betting work?

Quite simply, when you spread bet you decide which way you think an instrument in the market will move. For instance, you would ‘buy’ if you think, say, the share price of Barclays will go up and ‘sell’ if you think it’s likely to fall. The degree to which you are correct dictates how much you win or lose. So with spread betting you never physically gain or lose any shares, which also means you won’t have to put up the full cost of the share. The only charge is the dealing spread.

What is the ‘spread’?

The spread is simply the difference between the price at which you ‘buy’ and the price at which you ‘sell’ in a particular market. For example, say your spread betting company is offering the FTSE 100 Daily at 4025 / 4027. The spread is two points: if you want to ‘buy’ you do so at 4027 and if you want to ‘sell’ you do so at 4025.

What are the benefits of spread betting?

Apart from paying the spread, you won’t pay any commission, brokerage fees, stamp duty or capital gains tax in the UK.

You decide: to go long or short

Whether you choose to ‘buy’ (go long) or ‘sell’ (go short) – it means that the more a price moves in your favour, the more money you make; the more the price moves against you, the more money you lose.

Leverage

With spread betting you can take a position on a market at a fraction of what you’d normally have to pay. Smaller deposits can result in magnified profits, but equally you may lose more than you initially deposited.

Manage and control your risk

You can take advantage of various devices that will limit your exposure to risk. Use Stops and Limits every time you bet, or pay a Controlled Risk premium to guarantee an absolute limit on any potential losses.

The range and diversity of the financial markets

The financial markets are incredibly exciting, here’s just a taste of them:

- Forex. Will sterling strengthen against the US dollar?
- Shares. How is a company’s share price performing?
- Indices. The FTSE 100, to finish up or down today?
- Commodities. What’s the price of oil right now?
- Interest rates. Are they set to rise, or fall?
- Options. Calls and puts, are you bullish or bearish about the future price of a stock?

Sophisticated online dealing platforms

Spread betting is generally done online, through a dealing platform and directly with the provider, not through an exchange. And it’s important you choose the right one to help you trade effectively and safely. IG Index’s PureDeal platform is considered by many as the market leader and is used by beginners and experienced spread bettors alike, It’s browser based and allows one-click bets. It also includes a fully-integrated suite of professional tools, from live Reuters feeds to professional Charting Tools.

However, spread betting is not suitable for everyone, so before starting make sure you fully understand the risks.

Clifford