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Contract For Difference
In finance, a contract for difference (CFD) is a financial agreement between two parties, commonly referred to as the "buyer" and the "seller." The contract stipulates that the buyer will pay the seller the difference between the current value of an asset and its value at the time the contract was initiated. If the asset's price increases from the opening to the closing of the contract, the seller compensates the buyer for the increase, which constitutes the buyer's profit. Conversely, if the asset's price decreases, the buyer compensates the seller, resulting in a profit for the seller. History Invention Developed in Britain in 1974 as a way to leverage gold, modern CFDs have been trading widely since the early 1990s. CFDs were originally developed as a type of equity swap that was traded on margin. The invention of the CFD is widely credited to Brian Keelan and Jon Wood, both of UBS Warburg, during their Trafalgar House deal in the early 1990s. Asset management and syntheti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Asset
In financial accounting, an asset is any resource owned or controlled by a business or an economic entity. It is anything (tangible or intangible) that can be used to produce positive economic value. Assets represent value of ownership that can be converted into cash (although cash itself is also considered an asset). The balance sheet of a firm records the monetaryThere are different methods of assessing the monetary value of the assets recorded on the Balance Sheet. In some cases, the ''Historical Cost'' is used; such that the value of the asset when it was bought in the past is used as the monetary value. In other instances, the present fair market value of the asset is used to determine the value shown on the balance sheet. value of the assets owned by that firm. It covers money and other valuables belonging to an individual or to a business. ''Total assets'' can also be called the ''balance sheet total''. Assets can be grouped into two major classes: Tangible property, tangib ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
S&P 500
The Standard and Poor's 500, or simply the S&P 500, is a stock market index tracking the stock performance of 500 leading companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States. It is one of the most commonly followed equity indices and includes approximately 80% of the total market capitalization of U.S. public companies, with an aggregate market cap of more than $49.8 trillion as of March 31, 2025. The S&P 500 index is a Free-float weighted/ capitalization-weighted index. As of April 2025, the ten largest companies on the list of S&P 500 companies accounted for approximately 35% of the market capitalization of the index and were, in order of highest to lowest weighting: Apple (6.4%), Microsoft (6.2%), Nvidia (6.0%), Amazon.com (3.8%), Alphabet (3.6%, including both class A & C shares), Meta Platforms (2.7%), Berkshire Hathaway (2.0%), Broadcom (1.8%), Tesla (1.6%), and JPMorgan Chase (1.4%). The components that have increased their dividends in 25 consecutive ye ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Financial Conduct Authority
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is a financial regulatory body in the United Kingdom. It operates independently of the UK Government and is financed by charging fees to members of the financial services industry. The FCA regulates financial firms providing services to consumers, and maintains the integrity of the financial markets in the United Kingdom. It focuses on the regulation of conduct by both retail and wholesale financial services firms. Like its predecessor the FSA, the FCA is structured as a company limited by guarantee.Goldsworth, J., ''Lexicon of Trust & Foundation Practice'' ( Wendens Ambo: Mulberry House Press, 2016)p. 140 The FCA works alongside the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Policy Committee to set regulatory requirements for the financial sector. The FCA is responsible for the conduct of around 58,000 businesses which employ 2.2 million people and contribute around £65.6 billion in annual tax revenue to the economy in the Unite ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Capital Gains Tax In The United Kingdom
Capital gains tax in the United Kingdom is a tax levied on capital gains, the profit realised on the sale of a non-inventory asset by an individual or trust in the United Kingdom. The most common capital gains are realised from the sale of shares, bonds, precious metals, real estate, and property, so the tax principally targets business owners, investors and employee share scheme participants. In the UK, gains made by companies fall under the scope of corporation tax rather than capital gains tax. In 2017–18, total capital gains tax receipts were £8.3 billion from 265,000 individuals and £0.6 billion from trusts, on total gains of £58.9 billion. The current operation of the capital gains tax system is a recognised issue. The Conservative government consulted on the issue in 2020. Beginnings The capital gains tax (CGT) system was introduced by Labour Chancellor James Callaghan in 1965. Prior to this, capital gains were not taxed. Channon observed that ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Financial Spread Betting
Spread betting is any of various types of wagering on the outcome of an event where the pay-off is based on the accuracy of the wager, rather than a simple "win or lose" outcome, such as fixed-odds (or money-line) betting or parimutuel betting. A point spread is a range of outcomes and the bet is whether the outcome will be above or below the spread. , spread betting was a major growth market in the UK, with the number of gamblers heading towards one million. Financial spread betting (see below) can carry a high level of risk if there is no "stop". In the UK, financial spread betting is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority rather than the Gambling Commission who regulate spread betting on sports. Purpose The general purpose of spread betting is to create an active market for both sides of a binary wager, even if the outcome of an event may appear ''prima facie'' to be biased towards one side or the other. In sports, almost every contest has a ''favorite'' and an ''und ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
First Prudential Markets
FP Markets (First Prudential Markets) is the trade name of FP Markets Group of Companies, a global online investment company. FP Markets offers financial services to retail investors through contracts for difference (CFD) trading. History First Prudential Markets was founded in 2005 in Australia by Matt Murphie, who is also on the Board of the Australian FX and CFD Association. The company’s CEO is Craig Allison. The company’s headquarters are in Sydney, Australia, with Group companies in Cyprus, South Africa, Kenya, Seychelles, Bahamas, Mauritius and St. Vincent & the Grenadines. FP Markets Group of Companies currently employs over 250 people globally. FP Markets provides CFD trading on forex, stocks, indices, commodities, digital currencies and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) via electronic trading platforms, such as MetaTrader, cTrader, TradingView and Iress. The company’s products vary depending on region and regulations. In 2016, following new client money laws prop ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Macquarie Group
Macquarie Group Limited (), more commonly known as Macquarie Bank, is an Australian multinational investment banking and financial services group headquartered in Sydney and listed on the ASX (). Macquarie's investment banking division is Australia's top-ranked mergers and acquisitions adviser with more than in assets under management and is one of the world's largest infrastructure asset manager. Macquarie Bank's customers have an overall net wealth per capita of (as of March 2024) making them amongst the wealthiest in Australia. The company employs more than 20,000 staff across four operating groups in 34 markets. History Hill Samuel Australia Macquarie was founded on 10 December 1969 as Hill Samuel Australia Limited (HSA), a subsidiary of the UK's Hill Samuel & Co. Limited. The group's logo is a stylised version of the holey dollar, Australia's first coinage which was designed by Governor Macquarie. Australian businessman Stan Owens compiled a proposal for Hill S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saxo Bank
Saxo Bank is a Danish investment bank specializing in online trading and investment. Established in 1992 as a brokerage firm under the name ''Midas Fondsmæglerselskab'' (English: ''Midas Stockbroker Company'') by Lars Seier Christensen and Kim Fournais, the company rebranded as Saxo Bank in 2001 upon obtaining its banking license. The bank provides access to a broad range of financial instruments, including Forex, stocks, Contract for difference, CFDs, Futures contract, futures, Collective investment scheme, funds, Bond (finance), bonds, and Seasonal spread trading, futures spreads, through its proprietary online trading platforms. Saxo Bank is headquartered in Copenhagen and operates through offices in financial centres such as London, Paris, Zürich, Dubai, Singapore, India, and Tokyo. Saxo Bank A/S is privately owned. As of December 2024, its majority shareholder is Geely Financials Denmark A/S, a subsidiary of the Chinese Geely Group, holding a 49.88% stake. In 2023, Sax ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
CMC Markets
CMC Markets is a UK-based financial services company that offers online trading in shares, spread betting, contracts for difference (CFDs) and foreign exchange across world markets. CMC is headquartered in London, with hubs in Sydney and Singapore. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. History 1989–2000: Early years CMC Markets was founded in 1989 by Peter Cruddas, then 35 years old, as a Foreign Exchange market maker under the name ''Currency Management Corporation''. The name was later abbreviated to ''CMC'' and officially rebranded as ''CMC Markets'' in 2005. According to The Financial Times, Cruddas started the company with just £10,000 in initial capital. In 1992, the company obtained regulatory authorization in the UK from the AFBD, which was later renamed the Financial Services Authority (FSA). In 1996, CMC Markets launched a real-time FX trading platform, claiming to have conducted the first-ever online FX trade. The c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
IG Group
IG Group Holdings plc, trading as IG Group, is a United Kingdom-based online trading provider, offering access to spread betting and CFD trading, which allows traders to bet on the direction of equities, bonds and currencies without owning the underlying assets. Established in 1974 by Stuart Wheeler, the company is headquartered in London and operates in Europe and the USA. , it had a market value of £3.4 billion and offered trading in 19,000 investment markets. IG is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. History Early years (1974–2000) IG Group, originally founded as IG Index (Investors Gold Index), was founded in 1974 by British financier Stuart Wheeler with an initial investment of £30,000 from six friends. It became the first company to offer spread betting, allowing investors to speculate on gold prices rather than buying physical gold, which was restricted by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
MF Global
MF Global Holdings Ltd., formerly known as Man Financial, was a major global financial derivatives broker, or commodities brokerage firm that went bankrupt in 2011. MF Global provided exchange-traded derivatives, such as futures and options as well as over-the-counter products such as contracts for difference (CFDs), foreign exchange and spread betting. MF Global Inc., its broker-dealer subsidiary, was a primary dealer in United States Treasury securities. A series of perceived liquidity problems and large fines and penalties dogged MF Global starting in 2008, and led to its bankruptcy in 2011. In 2011, MF Global faced major pressures to its liquidity over several months. Some analysts and financial commentators indicate that MF Global probably experienced a number of trading days in 2011 during which the firm's bets on sovereign debt would have required the use of customer funds to meet capital requirements, thereby maintaining operating funds and possibly overall ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Direct Market Access
Direct market access (DMA) in financial markets is the electronic trading infrastructure that gives investors wishing to trade in financial instruments a way to interact with the order book of an exchange. Normally, trading on the order book is restricted to broker-dealers and market making firms that are members of the exchange. Using DMA, investment companies (also known as buy side firms) and other private traders use the information technology infrastructure of sell side firms such as investment banks and the market access that those firms possess, but control the way a trading transaction is managed themselves rather than passing the order over to the broker's own in-house traders for execution. Today, DMA is often combined with algorithmic trading giving access to many different trading strategies. Certain forms of DMA, most notably "sponsored access", have raised substantial regulatory concerns because of the possibility of a malfunction by an investor to cause w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
