Click on the tabs for key stock market indices, forex and equities markets.
Above, indicative prices from Financial Spreads: 2,500+ live prices available to Spread Betting and CFD clients.
Stock Market Index Price Comparison
A price comparison table looking at the 'spread size' and minimum stakes for the most popular stock market indices.
FTSE 100 (UK 100) Daily - Spread Size
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
FTSE 100 (UK 100) Daily - Min Stake
£1
£0.50
£2
£1
£1
£1
£1
£1
FTSE 100 (UK 100) Future - Spread Size
4
4-8
6
4
3
4
4
4
FTSE 100 (UK 100) Future - Min Stake
£1
£0.50
£2
£1
£1
£1
£1
£1
Dow Jones (Wall St) Daily - Spread Size
1
1
2
1
2-4
1
1
2
Dow Jones (Wall St) - Min Stake
£1
£0.50
£1
£1
£1
£1
£1
£1
DAX 30 Daily - Spread Size
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
DAX 30 Daily - Min Stake
£1
£0.50
£2
£1
£1
£1
£1
£1
S&P 500 Daily - Spread Size
3
4
5
3
5
3
3
8
S&P 500 Daily - Min Stake
£1
£0.50
£1
£1
£1
£1
£1
£1^
NASDAQ 100 Future - Spread Size
3
4-10
4
3
4
3
3
4
NASDAQ 100 Future - Min Stake
£1
£0.50
£4
£1
£1
£1
£1
£1
Comparison Notes. - this table is not meant to be inclusive, index spread betting may be available through other brokers.
Stock Market Spread Betting Analysis & News
Date
Trading Update
17-May-13
[4:40pm] Financial spread betting video considering stock market indices hitting all-time highs despite mixed economic data, moves in the Australian dollar after the RBA rate cut and CMC Markets' client sentiment.
Update by Michael Hewson, Senior Market Analyst,
17-May-13
[4:14pm] As the week ends markets are once again in the green, with the FTSE 100 up 30 points thanks to some better US economic data.
The end of the week looms and the picture for markets looks very similar on Friday afternoon to how it did on Monday morning: a relatively benign economic environment, showing some signs of recovery, backed by accommodative central banks.
We seem to have entered a utopia for investors; just enough good economic data to encourage nervous investors, but also sufficient bad data to keep central banks actively engaged in providing fresh liquidity.
This isn't quite 'never had it so good', but it is certainly a pleasant atmosphere.
This afternoon, both the Michigan confidence index and US leading indicators were ahead of expectations, nicely counterbalancing yesterday's slew of weaker data.
The FTSE 100 and S&P 500 have both gained around 1.5% this week, and with valuations still not too frothy we could be in for more gains around the world.
Leaving aside the Ocado-Morrisons news, today's pleasant surprise for the Treasury will be Lloyd's share price pushing back to the notional 'break-even' point for the government's stake.
Hardly the time to push the 'sell' button I think, but you could forgive the Chancellor for daring to hope that yet higher prices could be on their way.
A pre-election feelgood sale is not entirely impossible, but investors should leave political considerations to Whitehall.
The theme this week has been one of US markets dragging their unwilling continental cousins into positive territory, today being no exception.
A 200-point gain for the S&P 500 since the beginning of the year is no mean feat, but we are nowhere near bubble territory yet.
'Taper talk' regarding QE might scare investors for a while, but actions speak louder than words, and on this basis QE is with us for a long time yet.
Update by Chris Beauchamp, Market Analyst,
17-May-13
[3:34pm] European Markets
After starting off the morning on the back foot, the FTSE has again found buyers around 6670 to drag the benchmark back above the key 6700 level.
US Michigan sentiment numbers have propelled the index to within striking distance of the 2007 highs at 6,751 as we approach the weekend.
We've seen a strong session from the banks following an upgrade to the sector from UBS.
A break above 4,000 in the French CAC for the first time since July 2011 provided some cheer for the mainland as well, while new record highs for the DAX completed a nice trifecta.
Notable gainers were Lloyds and RBS, with the former now sitting at the lower end of the 61-73p range representing a breakeven level for the government, fuelling recent speculation that we may see the privatisation of the pair by 2015.
Ocado Deal Riles Waitrose
Ocado sits atop the FTSE 250 today, after finally delivering on the rumours of a tie up with Morrisons, sending the stock soaring to all-time highs in a case of buy the rumour buy the fact.
The £216m deal sees Ocado supply the logistical infrastructure to the UKs fourth largest grocer in a move that is certain to rile its main client Waitrose.
In fact, Waitrose Managing Director, Mark Price, has already announced intentions to investigate the legality of the deal in light of its own supposed exclusivity agreement with the firm.
One of the big losers of the day is Intertek Group who sunk below the psychological 3,300p level, down almost 5%, on news that its operating profit has narrowed considerably compared to last year.
It's the biggest decline in the share price in 14 months as the consumer-goods testing company reported that profit will continue to drop in the second half of the year.
In light of a mixed Q1 trading report, John Menzies shares are also offered lower with the company citing reduced cargo volumes in its aviation business and a dip in its newspaper and magazine distribution company following an exceptional 2012 for the 180 year old firm.
US Markets
US futures advanced to likely round off a 4th straight week of gains as Michigan sentiment figures beat expectations to reaffirm the confidence underpinning a seemingly tireless advance for equity markets.
In the midst of a battle for control between founder Michael Dell and two of its largest shareholders, Dell missed forecasts by more than expected with EPS coming in $0.14 below estimates at $0.21 and a 9% fall in PC sales.
The share price rode the news surprisingly well, being offered only slightly lower, given that they also declined to offer forward profit guidance on account of the current uncertainty surrounding future ownership of the company.
JC Penney Slips After Earnings Miss
JC Penney also disappointed investors with a big miss on EPS estimates of -$1.31 versus -$0.89 expected, which is becoming a familiar story for shareholders of the beleaguered retailer.
Given the change in leadership at the company, any set backs are easily attributable to ex-CEO Ron Johnsons failed strategies giving the current CEO Mike Ullman plenty of wiggle room in the near-term.
Ullman's return to head the firm after retiring in 2011 also marked a return to the discount pricing model in a bid win back customers, the removal of which was blamed for the 25% drop in sales in 2012.
Yahoo is higher in early trade following yesterday's rejection of a $2.7 billion dollar damages award for a breach of contract in a Mexican appeals court. The lawsuit had alleged lost profits from contracts related to a yellow pages listing service.
Yesterday's Q1 earnings announcement from Nordstrom Inc saw selling in post market trade, after profits came in shy of expectations for the period.
Update by Toby Morris, Senior Sales Trader,
17-May-13
[10:52am] London's FTSE is trading flat on Friday morning at 6688.
The spread betting markets are faced with something of a dilemma presently.
Equities have been operating in a different realm to economic reality and the fact that sentiment sours on the basis of hawkish rhetoric from some US Fed members demonstrates just how dependent the current rally is on monetary easing.
European markets have taken cues from their US counterparts and investors have been greeted this morning with a lower opening across the board.
The FTSE is currently flat on the day at 6688, with the 6700 level acting as a buffer to additional upside.
Royal Bank of Scotland is leading the gainers based on reports that the bank will cut 1400 jobs over the next two years. The share price has added 2.7% to trade at 327p.
The mining sector is also catching some investor interest today, most likely on bargain-hunting owing to the fairly extreme sell-off we've seen over the past six weeks.
Monetary Policy Committee member Martin Weale is due to speak at a conference in Birmingham this morning.
The recent revisions to both UK inflation expectations and growth is likely to arise and we could well receive some clues to future monetary policy action.
Yesterday's price action on the FTSE 100 indicates that the 6700 level was a target.
As a result, the current bout of profit-taking and the emergence of the shooting-star candle on the daily chart may imply that a near-term correction is in the offing.
The pullbacks since mid-April have been exceptionally shallow so I think at best today, in the absence of fundamental drivers, we could expect some sideways trade.
The bout of poor US data yesterday has inspired some profit-taking. Yesterday's unemployment claims and manufacturing data seem to suggest that all is not cured in the US economy.
In light of this, and given that the US unemployment rate needs to fall further before we see a tapering of QE, one could expect that we have a while to go until this is a catalyst.
We are expecting the Dow Jones to start 35 points higher at 15,268.
Update by Brenda Kelly, Senior Market Strategist,
17-May-13
[10:45am] European stocks are under pressure early in the session, after comments from a couple of members of the Fed spooked investors yesterday evening.
The comments from Bank of San Francisco President John Williams and Dallas Federal Reserve President Richard Fisher have certainly spooked the markets.
However, given that neither of these are voting members, it will be interesting to see if investors just using this an another opportunity to profit from the sell-off and buy the dip. We're already seeing evidence of that in Europe this morning.
If we get a similar tone from Minneapolis Fed President Narayana Kocherlakota later on today, we could see further risk aversion in the final few hours of the week.
Everyone knows that the Fed's ultra-loose monetary policy won't last forever, but I think a large proportion factored in the Fed remaining extremely accommodative until at least the end of the year.
The economic calendar is looking pretty light on Friday, so there's going to be very little driving sentiment.
The only major economic release will be the UoM consumer sentiment survey, which is expected to increase to 78.0 in May.
Consumers have been helped by lower energy costs so far this year, but with the price of WTI crude on the rise, we could see consumers finally feel the pinch of the increase in the payroll tax at the beginning of the year.
We could see this impact the consumer sentiment figures as early as next month.
Ahead of the open we expect to see the S&P up 4 point, the NASDAQ up 6 points and the Dow up 41 points.
Update by Craig Erlam, Market Analyst,
17-May-13
[10:43am] A quick video market update:
Update by Chris Beauchamp, Market Analyst,
17-May-13
[9:57am] European markets have slipped back this morning following last night’s late US sell-off.
Investors are struggling to tear themselves away from Beckham eulogies, with little of substance on the macro radar other than Michigan sentiment this afternoon to indicate any particular directional bias.
Even allowing for this morning’s slight weakness, equities continue to be fairly resilient.
This is despite further disappointing US data yesterday and increasing uncertainty regarding the tapering of bond purchases following comments from San Francisco Fed President John Williams.
Shares Spread Betting Markets
Ocado has finally delivered on the rumours of a tie up with Morrisons, sending the stock soaring to all-time highs in a case of buy the rumour buy the fact.
The £216m deal sees Ocado supply the logistical infrastructure to the UK’s fourth largest grocer.
The move that is certain to rile its main client Waitrose, whose Managing Director, Mark Price, has already announced intentions to investigate the legality of the deal in light of its own supposed exclusivity agreement with the firm.
One of the big losers of the day so far is Intertek Group who sunk below the psychological 3300 level, down almost 5%, on news that its operating profit has narrowed considerably compared to last year.
It’s the biggest decline in the share price in 14 months as the consumer-goods testing company reported that profit will continue to drop in the second half of the year.
In light of a mixed Q1 trading report, John Menzies shares are also offered lower with the company citing reduced cargo volumes in its aviation business. The firm also noted a dip in its newspaper and magazine distribution company following an exceptional 2012 for the 180 year old firm.
Danish Stock Market
Another stock on the slide is FLSmidth in Denmark who are down 5.5% after announcing a net income of 37 million krone in the first quarter which falls well short of market expectations.
They blame market uncertainty, general customer hesitation and a lack of efficiency within the company.
Although present trading remains reasonably robust, the management outlook for the second half of the year is resoundingly bearish and shareholders will have to batten down the hatches in the short term.
Update by Alex Young, Senior Sales Trader,
17-May-13
[7:34am] US indices retreated on Thursday pressured by shares in the Media, Consumer Durables & Apparel and Food & Staples Retailing sectors.
Philly Fed Manufacturing Index decreased to -5.2 in May (2.0 expected) from 1.3 the previous month.
Housing starts dropped 16.5% MoM in March (-6.4% expected) while building permits jumped 14.3% MoM (+3.8% expected).
The S&P 500 (1650.47) holds above its 20 DMA (1607.9 - upward slope) and 50 DMA (1579.4 - upward slope).
The RSI14 (68.63) fell below its overbought threshold (70).
Update by
17-May-13
[7:23am] US Dollar Index Rises
The dollar index, which measures the dollar's value against a basket of currencies, rose 0.4% to 83.927, nearing a 10-month high of 84.094 set earlier this week.
This comes after US Federal Reserve officials said the central bank may begin to taper its asset buying this summer.
MPs Search for Answers
Google Inc faced angry questions on Thursday from MPs in the UK who were investigating its tax affairs and whether it had misled parliament in testimony last year.
This added fuel to a debate on taxation that has risen to the top of the UK political agenda.
Last year, Google claimed its British staff were not past of the sales process [and therefore not subject to sales taxes], a Reuters investigation showed UK staff were employed in a sales roll.
Update by Max Cohen, Trader,
17-May-13
[6:35am]
The FTSE 100 is expected to open 2 points lower at 6,686
The DAX 30 is expected to open 10 points lower at 8,360
The CAC 40 is expected to open 12 points lower at 3,967
Update by Michael Hewson, Senior Market Analyst,
17-May-13
[6:35am] Another day of disappointing US economic data, from jobless claims to housing, combined with comments from a couple of Fed officials appears to have taken the steam out of some of the recent rally in US markets last night.
While US markets once again made fresh all-time highs, markets slipped back in late trading.
This came amid comments from San Francisco Fed President, John Williams, that the Fed could well start easing up on bond buying later this year, if the labour market continues to improve.
Even though these comments came soon after another Fed President, Charles Plosser made similar comments; it does seem a rather strange reaction given that neither Williams, nor Plosser, are voting members this year.
As such, they are unlikely to have an influence on voting intentions of the other members, who are more dovish. Furthermore with inflation remaining benign, the odds of some form of tapering would appear to be some way off.
It would appear that, given the late sell-off, the constant talk of the possibility of tapering bond purchases is making investors somewhat jumpy given how markets have become so used to the comfort blanket of open ended stimulus.
UK Markets
As a result of this weak finish on Wall Street, we can expect to see European markets open lower this morning with the likelihood of some profit taking at the end of another record week.
What economic data there is out of Europe is unlikely to be positive. The latest EU wide new car registration data for April is not expected to improve much from March’s 10.2% decline, and reinforces the weak demand outlook in the euro area.
The European car market has been notable by its complete contrast to the fairly buoyant UK car market which continues to perform fairly well.
We may get some movement in the pound with Bank of England MPC member Martin Weale due to speak.
He may shed more light on some of his views with respect to forward guidance after this week’s inflation report suggested that inflation pressures could be on a downward track.
A number of MPC members have expressed doubts about affecting such a policy and Mr Weale is one along with Ben Broadbent and David Miles.
In the US the only data of note is the latest University of Michigan confidence data for May which is expected to improve slightly to 77.6, from 76.4.
Update by Michael Hewson, Senior Market Analyst,
17-May-13
[6:23am] European equities are set to open flat to marginally lower as a negative close in the US leaves traders eyeing up the exit door.
Another afternoon of awful US data yesterday looked set to be the basis for the now common place move higher on bad news across the Atlantic.
With expectations that the weak data would keep the end of the bond purchase program at bay for a little while longer, traders were able to shrug it off and close in on new all-time highs.
However, Fed members Richard Fisher and John Williams then joined the recent chorus of hawkish songs being sung and US markets didn't like it.
Hawkish Fed members repeating their previously aired hawkish comments shouldn't have such a surprising influence on the markets.
Nevertheless, just as we saw when markets sold off on the recent Plosser comments, perhaps their voices of reason are beginning to take hold amongst the stampeding bulls?
As a result, the Dow Jones removed 42 points from its books to close at 15,233.
Given the circumstances, the index seems to have held its ground fairly well.
In addition to Fisher and Williams' comments, WalMart, the world's largest retailer, posted Q2 profits below expectations and US unemployment benefits also rose.
Despite this, the underlying strength and support in the market is there to be seen.
Update by Jonathan Sudaria, Market Dealer,
17-May-13
[6:08am] Most European indices are expected to open lower on Friday, following in the footsteps of their US counterparts after the S&P ended the session in the red for the first time this week.
The economic data released in the US on Thursday was very disappointing, which under normal circumstances would have heavily weighed on the rally in the stock markets.
However, this is no normal rally. Once again, the economic data was almost completely ignored and the pull back following the data was seen as a buying opportunity.
We saw perfect examples of this twice following the release of the weekly jobless and the Philly Fed manufacturing index.
Both came in well short of market expectations sparking a sharp sell-off, but within an hour and a half on both occasions, the S&P was trading above the levels seen in the lead up to the releases.
US Fed Spooks Markets by Talking of Phasing out QE3 in the Summer
On this occasion though, the strategy didn’t work too well, as two Fed members spoiled the party by discussing the phasing out of QE, potentially as early as this summer.
Needless to say, the markets didn’t respond positively to this.
I think it’s worth noting here though that neither of the Fed members were voting members of the FOMC, so their opinion doesn’t carry as much weight as Ben Bernanke, or any of the other voting members.
Based on the reaction on Wall Street, that clearly doesn’t matter as both of these clearly have inside knowledge on the matter.
On this occasion, there was no opportunistic buying, and both the S&P and Dow ended the day down 0.5% and 0.28%, respectively.
Nikkei 225 Continues to Move Higher
That concern didn’t really filter through to Asia over night, where the Nikkei continued its ascent.
We did see some unusual movement in the Nikkei on Thursday, when it ended the session lower despite growth data for the first quarter coming in well above market expectations. This just highlights how bizarre the markets are at the moment.
European Indices Looking Slightly Weaker
Clearly the prospect of Fed phasing out its asset purchases is hitting index prices in the futures market at the moment, with the CAC 40, DAX 30, Spain 35 and Euro Stoxx 50 all expected to open lower.
There’s very little out on Friday with respect to economic data, which is likely to leave the markets without any real direction.
The construction output figure for March may attract some attention when released at 10:00, following two consecutive months on negative figures.
In the US later we have the preliminary UoM consumer sentiment survey, which will be watched very closely for signs that consumers are starting to feel the pinch as a result of the payroll tax, which rose at the start of the year.
Expectations are currently for a small improvement here to 77.9 from 76.4 in May.
Update by Craig Erlam, Market Analyst,
17-May-13
[5:00am] UK Market Update
FTSE 100 futures are trading 4.5 points higher.
3i Group pledged more asset disposals this year and revealed that it would aim for £60 million in operating cost reductions by March 2014, up from £45 million planned initially.
FT reported that Marks and Spencer Chief Executive Marc Bolland may not receive the full payout of his bonus following a poor performance of the company.
European Market Update
German DAX Xetra 30 futures are trading 6.0 points up, while French CAC-40 futures are trading 2.2 points higher.
Fitch Ratings has affirmed Deutsche Bank AG's Long-term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at “A+” with a Stable Outlook.
Air France-KLM CEO, Alexandre de Juniac announced that its regional subsidiary, CityJet, is in the process of being disposed.
US Market Update
DJIA futures are trading 21.0 points higher.
Yesterday, the DJIA fell 0.3%, to settle at 15,233.2. NASDAQ declined 0.2% to close at 3,465.2. S&P 500 ended 0.5% lower, at 1,650.5.
US markets ended lower yesterday, as investors exercised caution amid dismal economic reports in the US and after a Federal Reserve official hinted at slowing the pace of central bank stimulus as early as this summer.
PulteGroup and DR Horton declined 2.6% and 2.3%, respectively, after construction on new homes in the US dropped 16.5% in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 853,000 units.
Wal-Mart Stores slid 1.7%, after it reported quarterly earnings that failed to match market expectations and offered a subdued forecast for the second quarter.
Peer, JC Penney declined 1.0%, after it reported that its first quarter loss widened to $348 million, compared with a year-earlier loss of $163 million.
Goldman Sachs downgraded chip maker, Advanced Micro Devices, down 12.6%, to “Sell” from “Neutral”.
After the closing bell, Autodesk declined 6.2%, after it reported a 30% fall in its fiscal first quarter earnings and slashed its fiscal year revenue growth and second-quarter earnings guidance.
Brocade Communications Systems declined 2.4%, even as it reported a 19% increase in its second quarter earnings.
Asian Market Update
Asian markets are trading marginally lower this morning, after a Federal Reserve official called for trimming of stimulus measures this summer.
In Japan, Sony Corp and Nintendo traded lower, after a private report indicated that videogame console sales in the US declined 42% in April.
Shares of retailer, J Front Retailing traded lower, after its US peer, Wal-Mart, reported a disappointing first quarter profit and acknowledged a sales slump.
Nippon Sheet Glass traded lower, after forecasting a wider-than-expected loss, while Mizuno surged higher. However, Hitachi paced gains, after it estimated earnings for the 2015-16 fiscal year that surpassed analysts' expectations.
In Hong Kong and South Korea, markets are closed on account of the public holiday.
Nikkei 225 is trading 0.1% lower, at 15,019.55. Yesterday, Hang Seng closed 0.2% lower, at 23,082.7, while Kospi ended 0.8% higher at 1986.8.
Update by Ishaq Siddiqi, Market Analyst,
17-May-13
[4:30am] Stock Market Price Update:
The Nikkei 225 is trading down -0.1% at 15,019.60. The Shanghai Composite is trading up 0.1% at 2,253.70. The Sensex is trading up 0.3% at 20,308.60.
In the last session:
The FTSE 100 closed down -0.1% at 6,687.80. The DJSTOXX 50 closed down -0.2% at 2,814.80. The German DAX 30 closed up 0.1% at 8,369.90. The French CAC 40 closed down -0.1% at 3,979.10. The Spain 35 closed down -0.5% at 8,542.30. The Italy 40 closed up 0.3% at 17,544.00. The S&P 500 closed down -0.5% at 1,650.50. The Dow Jones Industrials closed down -0.3% at 15,233.20.
Update by
This content is for information purposes only and is not intended as a recommendation to trade. Nothing on this website should be construed as investment advice.
Unless stated otherwise, the above time is based on when we receive the data (London time). All reasonable efforts have been made to present accurate information. The above is not meant to form an exhaustive guide. Neither CleanFinancial.com nor any contributing company/author accept any responsibility for any use that may be made of the above or for the correctness or accuracy of the information provided.
Risk Warning: Spread betting and CFD trading carry a high level of risk to your capital and you may lose more than your initial investment. Spread betting and CFD trading may not be suitable for all investors. Only speculate with money that you can afford to lose. Please ensure you fully understand the risks involved and seek independent financial advice where necessary
Under no circumstances are the comments and the information provided herein to be considered an offer or solicitation to invest and nothing herein should be construed as investment advice. The information provided is believed to be accurate at the date the information is produced.
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Where Can I Spread Bet on Stock Market Indices?
At the moment, investors can speculate on stock market indices with:
Clean Financial readers should note that you may be able to spread bet on stock market indices with other brokers.
Live Stock Market Spread Betting Prices and Charts
We do give readers some fairly accurate spread betting prices for the daily index markets, please see index spread betting prices above.
The live CFD chart and prices below will offer readers a useful look at the FTSE 100 (UK 100) stock market index.
You can use the search option on the chart to select other indices like the Dow Jones (USA 30), S&P 500 (USA 500), DAX 30 (Germany 30), etc.
The above chart, provided by Plus 500, usually follows the FTSE 100 futures market (not the spot market).
If you want to study live spread betting prices and charts for the stock market, then naturally, one option is to use a spread betting account.
A spreads account would also give you access to daily markets. Users should note that accounts are subject to credit, suitability and status checks.
If you apply, and your application is approved, you can log on and use the live charts and prices. These are usually provided for free.
Of course, if you decide to trade then, before you start, you should be aware that spread trading and contracts for difference involve a significant level of risk to your capital and it is possible to incur losses that exceed your initial investment.
Advanced Stock Market Charts
Although charting software and packages can differ across the various firms, in order to assist you with your trading, the majority of charts usually have features such as:
A variety of time intervals - 1 minute, 2 minute, 10 minute, 1 hour, 2 hour, 1 day, etc
Indicators - Moving Average, MACD, Momentum, RSI, TSI etc
Various display styles - bar charts and candlestick charts
Tools for drawing features - Fibonacci retracements and trendlines
The charts provided by FinancialSpreads.com also come with other benefits such as:
Custom email alerts when a market reaches a certain level
Back Testing and Analysis tools
Typical index spread betting chart
The financial spread betting brokers in the following list offer users real-time trading prices and charts:
Investing in the stock market always has its risks, but if you want a free Practice Account, which lets you try spread betting, see below for more details.
Also, don't forget that in the UK, spread betting is exempt from capital gains tax, income tax and stamp duty*.
If you're trying to find a low cost stock market/spread betting platform, keep in mind that you can speculate on the indices without having to pay any commissions or brokers’ fees via companies like:
The above companies provide a Test Account that lets investors try out new trading ideas, review professional charts and practice with an array of trading orders.
How to Spread Bet on Indices?
As with many global markets, you can spread bet on stock market indices to rise or fall.
If we go onto Financial Spreads, we can see that they are pricing the FTSE 100 Rolling Daily market at 5819.7 - 5820.7. This means you can spread bet on the FTSE 100 index:
Moving higher than 5820.7, or Moving lower than 5819.7
Whilst placing a spread bet on the FTSE 100 index you trade in £x per point. Therefore, if you choose to have a stake of £3 per point and the FTSE 100 moves 32 points then that would be a difference to your P&L of £96. £3 per point x 32 points = £96.
Rolling Daily Indices Markets
You should note that this is a Rolling Daily Market which means that unlike a normal futures market, there is no closing date. If you decide to leave your trade open at the end of the day, it simply rolls over to the next trading day.
If a trade is rolled over and you are spread betting on the market to:
Go up - then you are charged a small overnight financing fee, or Go down - then you will usually receive a small credit to your account
So, let’s continue with the spread of 5819.7 - 5820.7 and make the assumptions:
You have done your analysis, and
Your analysis suggests the FTSE 100 index will move higher than 5820.7
If so, you might want to buy a spread bet at 5820.7 for a stake of, let’s say, £4 per point.
With this trade you make a profit of £4 for every point that the FTSE 100 index moves above 5820.7. Conversely, however, you will lose £4 for every point that the FTSE 100 market drop below the 5820.7 level.
Or, in other words, if you were to buy a spread bet then your profit/loss is worked out by taking the difference between the closing price of the market and the price you bought the market at. You then multiply that difference in price by your stake.
If, after a few hours, the UK stock market rose then you might consider closing your position in order to lock in your profit.
If the FTSE rose then the spread, set by the spread trading firm, might move up to 5849.3 - 5850.3. In order to close your spread bet you would sell at 5849.3. So if you sell with the same £4 stake your profit would be calculated as:
Profit / loss = (Closing Price - Opening Price) x stake
Profit / loss = (5849.3 - 5820.7) x £4 per point stake
Profit / loss = 28.6 x £4 per point stake
Profit / loss = £114.40 profit
Speculating on stock market indices won't always go to plan. In this case, you wanted the UK index to rise. Of course, stock markets can fall.
If the FTSE 100 market began to fall then you could close your trade in order to limit your losses.
If the UK stock market dropped to 5785.8 - 5786.8 you would close your trade by selling at 5785.8. So your loss would be calculated as:
Profit / loss = (Closing Price - Opening Price) x stake
Profit / loss = (5785.8 - 5820.7) x £4 per point stake
Profit / loss = -34.9 x £4 per point stake
Profit / loss = -£139.60 loss
Note: FTSE 100 Rolling Daily market quoted as of 12-Oct-12.
Only a handful of firms offer the following markets. Whilst all spread betting is a high risk form of trading, users may want to take extra care when trading the following, these index markets are:
Less popular and therefore the ‘spreads’ tend to be wider i.e. the underlying market has to move further before you can close your trade for a profit.
More volatile and more likely to ‘gap’ or ‘slip’ than a liquid index like the FTSE 100 or Dow.
Where Can I Find a Stock Market Index Trading Platform/Software?
Some of the spread betting firms offer software/trading platforms that you have to download and install onto your computer. Most firms however, offer web based platforms that allow easier access from home, the office and most other places with internet access.
The companies listed in our prices and charts section all have web-based platforms where you can spread bet on indices and individual shares.
Risk Warning: Spread betting and CFD trading carry a high level of risk to your capital and you may lose more than your initial investment. Spread betting and CFD trading may not be suitable for all investors. Only speculate with money that you can afford to lose. Please ensure you fully understand the risks involved and seek independent financial advice where necessary.
'Indices Spread Betting' by DB, updated 17-May-13
For related pages also see:
Indices Spread Betting, updated 17-May-13
Stock market index spread betting guide with live indices prices and charts. Plus a daily stock market review, indices spread betting comparison, where to trade indices commission-free and tax-free* as well as...read article: Indices Spread Betting.
Stock Market Trading, updated 16-May-13
Compare Indices spreads. Free indices trading information, where to find free Indices charts and prices, how to buy and sell Indices and...read article: Stock Market Trading.
Stock Market Index Spread Betting Guides, updated 26-Apr-13
Over 35 individual Stock Market Index spread betting guides for the FTSE 100, Dow Jones, DAX, NASDAQ, Nikkei etc. Each guide looks at live charts and prices, where you can trade the Index commission-free, a fully worked example and...read article: Stock Market Index Spread Betting Guides.
FTSE 100 Spread Betting, updated 17-May-13
FTSE 100 spread betting guide with live FTSE 100 index prices and charts. Plus a FTSE 100 spread betting price comparison, where to spread bet on the FTSE 100 commission-free and tax-free* as well as...read article: FTSE 100 Spread Betting.
Dow Jones Spread Betting, updated 17-May-13
Dow Jones spread betting guide with live Dow Jones index prices and charts. Plus a Dow Jones spread betting price comparison, where to spread bet on the Dow Jones commission-free and tax-free* as well as...read article: Dow Jones Spread Betting.
DAX 30 Spread Betting, updated 17-May-13
DAX 30 spread betting guide with live DAX 30 index prices and charts. Plus a DAX 30 spread betting price comparison, where to spread bet on the DAX 30 commission-free and tax-free* as well as...read article: DAX 30 Spread Betting.
S&P 500 Spread Betting, updated 17-May-13
S&P 500 spread betting guide with live S&P 500 index prices and charts. Plus a S&P 500 spread betting price comparison, where to spread bet on the S&P 500 commission-free and tax-free* as well as...read article: S&P 500 Spread Betting.
NASDAQ 100 Spread Betting, updated 17-May-13
NASDAQ 100 spread betting guide with live NASDAQ 100 index prices and charts. Plus a NASDAQ 100 spread betting price comparison, where to spread bet on the NASDAQ 100 commission-free and tax-free* as well as...read article: NASDAQ 100 Spread Betting.
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Risk Warning: Spread betting and CFD trading carry a high level of risk to your capital and you may lose more than your initial investment. Spread betting and CFD trading may not be suitable for all investors. Only speculate with money that you can afford to lose. Please ensure you fully understand the risks involved and seek independent financial advice where necessary.
The contents on CleanFinancial.com are for information purposes only and are not intended as a recommendation to trade. Nothing on this website should be construed as investment advice.
Neither CleanFinancial.com nor any contributing company/author accept any responsibility for any use that may be made of the above or for the correctness or accuracy of the information provided.
* Tax law is subject to change or may differ if you pay tax in a jurisdiction other than the UK.
The Nikkei 225 is trading down 
The Shanghai Composite is trading up 
Moving higher than 5820.7, or
Moving lower than 5819.7