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Trading Glossary

Take a look at our list of the financial terms associated with trading and the markets. From beginners starting their trading journey to experts with decades of experience, all traders need to clearly understand a huge number of terms.

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Rights Issue

What is a Rights Issue?

A “Rights Issue” is when a company offers an issue of its shares at a special price by to its existing shareholders. This new and reduced price is in proportion to their existing holding of the company’s “old” shares. An after effect common to offering a Rights Issue is that the share price is further reduced due to additional dilution of the share value. A typical reason for any given company to offer a rights issue would be to raise capital. 

Is a rights issue a good thing?
It depends on the specific circumstances and the reasons for the rights issue. A rights issue can provide a company with additional funding to invest in growth or to address financial difficulties. However, if a company is issuing new shares at a lower price than the current market value, existing shareholders may feel diluted and the stock price may decrease. Additionally, if the company is issuing new shares to address financial difficulties, it may be a sign of financial distress.

Does share price fall after a rights issue?
A share price may fall after a rights issue due to dilution of existing shareholders' ownership in the company, as more shares are issued, thus reducing the value of each individual share. Additionally, if the new shares are issued at a lower price than the current market value, the stock price may decrease. However, this is not always the case as the company may have a good reason for the rights issue such as investing in growth opportunities or raising funds to pay off debt, that could also boost the stock price.

Can a rights issue be sold to anyone?
A rights issue is typically offered to existing shareholders of a company, allowing them to purchase additional shares in proportion to their current holdings. However, the company may choose to offer the rights issue to a broader group of investors, such as institutional investors or the general public. The terms of the rights issue will be outlined in the prospectus and the decision of who can participate will be made by the company.
 

Overnight Index Swap

What is an Overnight Index Swap?

An Overnight Index Swap (Swap Fee) is a process where the settlement of a deal is rolled forward to another value date, and a charge is levied based on the difference in the interest rates of the two currencies. Every day at 21:00 GMT, open positions are rolled over to the next day and the positions gain or lose interest based on the interest differential between the bought and sold currencies.

What is OIS compound?
The index rate is typically the rate for overnight lending between banks, either non-secured or secured. The fixed rate of OIS is typically an interest rate considered less risky than the corresponding interbank rate (LIBOR) because there is limited counterparty risk.

The LIBOR–OIS spread is the difference between IRS rates, based on the LIBOR, and OIS rates, based on overnight rates, for the same term.
 

Robotics ETF

Robotics ETF (ARKQ) constituents are focused on, and are expected to substantially benefit from, the development of new products or services, technological improvements, and scientific research advancements in areas like energy, automation and manufacturing, materials, and transportation.

Companies within the ETF either develop, produce, or enable autonomous transportation, robotics & automation, 3D printing, energy storage, and space exploration.

Risks associated with CFDs

What are the risks associated with CFD and Forex trading?

CFDs are a leveraged financial instrument that allow traders to gain exposure to an underlying asset, such as shares, commodities or indices. While this provides great potential for profits, it also carries significant risks. The main risk is the possibility of losses greater than your initial deposit if the market moves against you. CFDs also have costs associated with trading such as commissions and spreads. Make sure you understand the risks before trading with CFDs.

What are the disadvantages of CFDs?
CFDs are complex instruments and may not be suitable for everyone due to the risk of leverage. CFDs also come with costs, including spreads and commissions which can cut into potential profits. Furthermore, it's important to understand how margin calls work as well as potential losses from unanticipated price movements or illiquidity in the market.


How much can you lose in a CFD trade?
In a CFD trade, you can potentially lose more than your initial investment, as the loss is based on the difference between the entry and exit price of the trade. It is important to set stop loss orders to limit potential losses. Additionally, using proper risk management strategies can help to minimize losses.

 

High Frequency Trading

What is High frequency trading?

High frequency trading (HFT) is an automated form of algorithmic trading which uses computer programs to execute large numbers of orders at incredibly high speeds. This allows traders to capitalize on small price discrepancies in the market by exploiting arbitrage opportunities that exist due to different pricing among different exchanges. HFT is widely used today as a way for investors to make quick and efficient trades with a lower cost of entry.

How does high-frequency trading work?
High-frequency trading is an automated system of buying and selling stocks within fractions of a second. By using complex algorithms, traders can analyze and make decisions about the markets at a much faster rate than traditional methods. As a result, high-frequency trading enables firms to take advantage of short-term price fluctuations and generate significant profits.

Materials Select Sector Fund

Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLB) tracks US basic materials companies within the S&P 500. This asset uses the Materials Select Sector Index as its tracking benchmark. The limited spread and niche sector mean that it is heavily concentrated. Just a few holdings make up a big part of the portfolio, and there are only 24 holdings in total.

Top holdings for the benchmark index include DowDuPont Inc, Linde Plc, Ecolab Inc and The Sherwin-Williams Co.

Gilt 10Y Bond

Gilts are issues by the British Government and are generally considered to be low-risk investments. They traditionally have maturities of five, ten and 30 years. As with shares and funds, bond prices rise and fall as their attractiveness changes, based on changes in the market, economy and currency. The price is also affected by the attractiveness of other investments, particularly other ‘safe havens’ such as cash.

The UK Gilt 10 year bond reached a historic high of 16.09% in November 1981, and a record low of 0.52% in August 2016.

US TNote 10Y

US Treasury Bonds are securities issued by the US government with maturities that vary from ten to 30 years. After initial auction, the bonds can be sold on the secondary market. A number of things can affect the price of TBonds, as with other bonds, shares and funds. US Treasury Bonds are primarily affected by interest rates, inflation and economic growth, as well as their reputation as a safe haven.

Historically, the US Government Bond 10Y (ZN) reached an all-time high of 15.82% in September 1981 and a record low of 1.36% in July 2016.

A-D

E-H

High Frequency Trading

What is High frequency trading?

High frequency trading (HFT) is an automated form of algorithmic trading which uses computer programs to execute large numbers of orders at incredibly high speeds. This allows traders to capitalize on small price discrepancies in the market by exploiting arbitrage opportunities that exist due to different pricing among different exchanges. HFT is widely used today as a way for investors to make quick and efficient trades with a lower cost of entry.

How does high-frequency trading work?
High-frequency trading is an automated system of buying and selling stocks within fractions of a second. By using complex algorithms, traders can analyze and make decisions about the markets at a much faster rate than traditional methods. As a result, high-frequency trading enables firms to take advantage of short-term price fluctuations and generate significant profits.

Gilt 10Y Bond

Gilts are issues by the British Government and are generally considered to be low-risk investments. They traditionally have maturities of five, ten and 30 years. As with shares and funds, bond prices rise and fall as their attractiveness changes, based on changes in the market, economy and currency. The price is also affected by the attractiveness of other investments, particularly other ‘safe havens’ such as cash.

The UK Gilt 10 year bond reached a historic high of 16.09% in November 1981, and a record low of 0.52% in August 2016.

I-L

M-P

Overnight Index Swap

What is an Overnight Index Swap?

An Overnight Index Swap (Swap Fee) is a process where the settlement of a deal is rolled forward to another value date, and a charge is levied based on the difference in the interest rates of the two currencies. Every day at 21:00 GMT, open positions are rolled over to the next day and the positions gain or lose interest based on the interest differential between the bought and sold currencies.

What is OIS compound?
The index rate is typically the rate for overnight lending between banks, either non-secured or secured. The fixed rate of OIS is typically an interest rate considered less risky than the corresponding interbank rate (LIBOR) because there is limited counterparty risk.

The LIBOR–OIS spread is the difference between IRS rates, based on the LIBOR, and OIS rates, based on overnight rates, for the same term.
 

Materials Select Sector Fund

Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLB) tracks US basic materials companies within the S&P 500. This asset uses the Materials Select Sector Index as its tracking benchmark. The limited spread and niche sector mean that it is heavily concentrated. Just a few holdings make up a big part of the portfolio, and there are only 24 holdings in total.

Top holdings for the benchmark index include DowDuPont Inc, Linde Plc, Ecolab Inc and The Sherwin-Williams Co.

Q-T

Rights Issue

What is a Rights Issue?

A “Rights Issue” is when a company offers an issue of its shares at a special price by to its existing shareholders. This new and reduced price is in proportion to their existing holding of the company’s “old” shares. An after effect common to offering a Rights Issue is that the share price is further reduced due to additional dilution of the share value. A typical reason for any given company to offer a rights issue would be to raise capital. 

Is a rights issue a good thing?
It depends on the specific circumstances and the reasons for the rights issue. A rights issue can provide a company with additional funding to invest in growth or to address financial difficulties. However, if a company is issuing new shares at a lower price than the current market value, existing shareholders may feel diluted and the stock price may decrease. Additionally, if the company is issuing new shares to address financial difficulties, it may be a sign of financial distress.

Does share price fall after a rights issue?
A share price may fall after a rights issue due to dilution of existing shareholders' ownership in the company, as more shares are issued, thus reducing the value of each individual share. Additionally, if the new shares are issued at a lower price than the current market value, the stock price may decrease. However, this is not always the case as the company may have a good reason for the rights issue such as investing in growth opportunities or raising funds to pay off debt, that could also boost the stock price.

Can a rights issue be sold to anyone?
A rights issue is typically offered to existing shareholders of a company, allowing them to purchase additional shares in proportion to their current holdings. However, the company may choose to offer the rights issue to a broader group of investors, such as institutional investors or the general public. The terms of the rights issue will be outlined in the prospectus and the decision of who can participate will be made by the company.
 

Robotics ETF

Robotics ETF (ARKQ) constituents are focused on, and are expected to substantially benefit from, the development of new products or services, technological improvements, and scientific research advancements in areas like energy, automation and manufacturing, materials, and transportation.

Companies within the ETF either develop, produce, or enable autonomous transportation, robotics & automation, 3D printing, energy storage, and space exploration.

Risks associated with CFDs

What are the risks associated with CFD and Forex trading?

CFDs are a leveraged financial instrument that allow traders to gain exposure to an underlying asset, such as shares, commodities or indices. While this provides great potential for profits, it also carries significant risks. The main risk is the possibility of losses greater than your initial deposit if the market moves against you. CFDs also have costs associated with trading such as commissions and spreads. Make sure you understand the risks before trading with CFDs.

What are the disadvantages of CFDs?
CFDs are complex instruments and may not be suitable for everyone due to the risk of leverage. CFDs also come with costs, including spreads and commissions which can cut into potential profits. Furthermore, it's important to understand how margin calls work as well as potential losses from unanticipated price movements or illiquidity in the market.


How much can you lose in a CFD trade?
In a CFD trade, you can potentially lose more than your initial investment, as the loss is based on the difference between the entry and exit price of the trade. It is important to set stop loss orders to limit potential losses. Additionally, using proper risk management strategies can help to minimize losses.

 

U-Z

US TNote 10Y

US Treasury Bonds are securities issued by the US government with maturities that vary from ten to 30 years. After initial auction, the bonds can be sold on the secondary market. A number of things can affect the price of TBonds, as with other bonds, shares and funds. US Treasury Bonds are primarily affected by interest rates, inflation and economic growth, as well as their reputation as a safe haven.

Historically, the US Government Bond 10Y (ZN) reached an all-time high of 15.82% in September 1981 and a record low of 1.36% in July 2016.

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