As a trader, you will be on a constant look out for ways to improve the leverage that your trades have. You will want more than just options and warrants. In such cases, “contracts for difference” or CFDs could be what you are looking for. Trading in CFDs is a lucrative prospect for experienced traders who want to make the most of their long as well as short term positions. CFDs offer you a range of gearing, short selling as well as direct trading based on the prices of products. You do not have to wait for execution. And the best part of it all is that there are several international markets for you to explore.

A CFD can be understood as a derivative. This means that it derives its value based on some other security. A CFD is a contract that exists between the trader that is you and a broker. When dealing with CFDs, you are not expected to reveal the full capital amount you have ready for investment against a stock price. All your dealings are based on the margin and you end up paying anywhere between three to 20 per cent of the stock price that has come up. This can also be on the index of the product or any other security.

To make things clear. For a $1000 worth of shares, with a margin of 10 per cent, your investment is expected to be $100. If the market moves up to $1200, your share is $200 profit. Your next move would be to invest $220 that is 10 per cent of $1200 and so on. This kind of dealing is called “marked to market”. An evaluation of this is done at the end of the day or at the close of business. Because you invest only around $100 of your capital, you can own several places like this. It often works out to a much better position than if you actually owned the stock.

Its simple to understand that the CFD contract is meant to be on the difference only – this means the profit or the loss involved. Should you terminate the contract, you will get a profit from the dealer for exiting your place. If you are in the losing position, you end up paying the dealer to opt out. This profit and loss is calculated based on the differences between the opening and the closing prices on a business day. In some cases, one share refers to a single contract and in this way you can be over a 100 contracts going at once. If you want to assess the total value of all your contracts, then you will have to multiply that number with the corresponding underlying share value.