Contracts for Difference (CFDs) are cash contracts with no expiry date. As derivatives, traders don’t own the asset, but can speculate on its price movements. This cuts out the need for physical ownership and the associated costs and logistics. Here some key benefits of trading index CFDs:
Leverage
With CFDs, you can trade on margin and therefore control a larger position with a smaller amount of capital. This amplifies both potential profits and losses, so it’s important to understand all the risks involved.
Flexible trade sizes
You can choose your own trade size, making it a suitable option for small and large investors. For example, if you trade 0.01 of a unit and Nasdaq is trading at US$10,000, then you can take a minimum position of only US$100.
Liquidity
You can trade CFDs on various liquid markets, making it easier to enter or exit positions. This is especially useful for assets with lower liquidity in traditional markets.
Take a look at the spreads and margins of our most popular indices.
Tiered margin rates may apply*
Indices (also known as stock indexes) represent the value of a group of assets or stocks listed on a particular exchange. Major financial indices include the Dow Jones Industrial Average, ASX 200, Hang Seng, CN50 and Straits Times Index. Different indices (or indexes) have their own criteria for determining constituent stocks.
Dow Jones
The Dow Jones Index represents 30 large public-listed companies traded on the New York Stock Exchange weighted by price.
FTSE 100
The FTSE 100 represents 100 of the largest blue-chip companies in the UK weighted by market capitalisation.
CFD trading at OANDA
At OANDA, we offer CFDs on most major global indices, including the AU200, HK50, HN50 and SG30.
Rising and falling prices
When the price of stocks listed on an index rise, the price of the index goes up. When the prices of stocks listed on an index go down, the value of the index falls along with it.
It’s not possible to directly buy or sell an index. At OANDA, you can trade indices as a CFD. Our indices are derived from the price of the underlying instrument. Take a position on the UK100 and DE40 with competitive spreads.
Pricing and liquidity providers
Our pricing engine aggregates live prices, in real time, from our liquidity providers and calculates a mid-point. A custom-built pricing algorithm automatically calculates the spread symmetrically around the mid-point for each tradable instrument. This mid-point fluctuates throughout the day as market prices change.
Fast execution
The MetaTrader 5 platform is engineered for reliability and speed. This is especially important during periods of high volatility, when prices can move rapidly. Download it onto your desktop, log in straight from your browser or access the app from your mobile or tablet device.
Transparent charges and fees
We are upfront about our charges and fees, so you always know exactly how much you are paying when you trade with us. See our charges and fees page to learn about our costs for depositing and withdrawing funds, bank wire transfer, spreads, inactivity fees and more.
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With over 25 years of experience, the OANDA Group offers leading tools, powerful platforms and transparent pricing.
Access a wide range of CFD instruments
We offer CFD prices on shares, indices, forex pairs, commodities, cryptos and metals. Our spreads start from just 0.6 pips on EUR/USD, with margins from 5% on major shares.
Three ways to trade
Choose from a range of leading platforms, including TradingView, MetaTrader and our mobile app for iOS and Android.
Share CFDs trading
Take a position on the big names in the US including Amazon, Nike, Netflix and Coca-Cola, as well as UK and EU listed shares.