Contract for Difference (CFD)

A CFD is an agreement between two parties to settle, at a predetermined date/time, the difference between the opening and closing prices of the contract, multiplied by the number of underlying units (e.g futures contracts) specified in the contract.

Each CFD is a negotiated contract and because there is no standardization for CFD's they trade on the OTC (aka off-exchange) market.

CFD's are derivatives and as such are attractive to investors who trade leveraged instruments.

CFD's have some key advantages:

• They are traded on margin.
• You can trade them short or long.
• There is not stamp duty.
• You may be entitled to dividends.

And there are obviously also some disadvantages:

• Gearing will magnify losses.
• No investor rights (voting etc.)
• Not suitable for long term investments because of the erosion of the time element.