dmedin

Me too ... proper options. They aren't just a SB/CFD provider. They do traditional share dealing too. Just not traditional options.

Thanks. I have been looking for something like this.

I would also like to hear more about options, it isn't very well explained (hence I am thinking it is aimed at professionals only) and I don't understand the approach IG takes of demanding that you spread bet on options since surely the only reason people go for options in the first place (vs SB or CFD) is to limit losses to the premium. The available options are woefully inadequate and there's no way to take out stock options except to phone the dealing desk apparently. It all seems like it's totally closed off from individual investors.

I don't see options in mine. :( All I see is the ability to SB on options in the new platform. (Why would anyone want to SB on options? I have no idea)

🤣 Probably true ... SB is definitely aimed at the retail punter though. Options have their place, but only big boys are allowed to play with that train set.

I'm no expert. 🤣 A call option gives you the ability to buy a stock at a certain price x months down the line. You pay an up front premium and that's it. You don't lose money for each point that goes against you. In some ways it's even better than buying stock. If I was looking at a company that I expected to do well (like JD Sports) I'd buy options if I could. With a put, you can sell a share you own at a guaranteed price x months down the line. Naked puts are puts where you commit to selling shares you don't own and aren't a good idea. Spread betting/CFD are favoured by all the financial companies because they can clean you out by hitting your stops. Your risk isn't limited to a premium. An option is closer to informed speculation than SB which is closer to gambling on a fruit machine or betting on a horse but worse, because your losses are magnified. CFDs are limited to 'professionals' and yet they are barely distinguishable from SB.

I'm confused that none of the big providers in the UK even mention options. It almost seems that they don't want retail investors to know about options. I find it strange. Have to laugh when there is the ability to spread bet/CFD on options which totally defeats the point of options in the first place!

Is it safe to assume that the price feed in live and demo accounts is identical?

You can download Chrome (Google's branded version of Chromium) directly on Linux via www.google.com/chrome and then enable Flash support as per https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/6258784 Support for Flash ends in 2020 so fingers crossed Flash will be eradicated soon and everything on HTML 5

Indeed. If the number of successful traders goes up I'm sure the govt will look at taxing it SB. 🤣 Here's a great example of where a trader would prefer an option vs. SB. It's clearly a company on the rise, rated a strong buy by almost everyone, but the 'flash crash' on 13 March would have triggered more than a few stop losses I'm sure.

In fairness I'd be happier being able to buy an option for a company I think is going to do well over a few months to a year, and pay that premium rather than risk getting stopped out by the intervening 'noise'. Conversely the ability to PUT shares that one already owns, for a guaranteed price plus a premium, is more attractive in many ways than shorting via SB. Once again I appeal to those who better than me, why SB is considered just fine for retail clients but options are only for the big guys. Surely it's got something to do with the fact that retail clients get cleaned out easily and since they are trading on 'derivatives of derivatives' they have almost no impact on the real markets.

Well another recent example ... there was a video suggesting to go short USD/YPY because of a possible emerging head and shoulders. Now I am not an expert, have only been looking at TA for 9 or 10 months now, and I'm definitely a B book client (loser - lol) but I thought from reading John J. Murphy's book that H&S takes time to emerge and you need to factor in volume as a confirming signal. So you imagine my surprise when I see people finding H&S forming in the space of a few days or hours and they don't even bother to analyse the volume ... USD/YPJ is up quite strongly today and seems to me to be in a kind of symmetrical triangle formation right now. With options you pay a premium and your losses are limited to the premium, but with spreadbetting you get cleaned out fast when the price goes against you. I'm really surprised that SB is considered fine for retail clients but we don't get to trade proper options. It's almost like nanny state thinks we're all stupid, it's okay for us to lose money on simple betting as long as we don't go near the big boys' playground.

I just wanted to point out something else for anyone who might be interested, with respect to technical analysis, the following is from Reuters one day after IG recommended going short on gold: Pessimism about global growth drove down world shares and commodity markets on Tuesday and left investors seeking refuge in the dollar, government bonds and gold. https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-global-markets/imf-pessimism-trade-tensions-sickly-stocks-idUKKCN1PG013

Thinking you have a 50% chance (since the price can go only up or down) is a big mistake. When you're a little fish in a tank with big sharks you don't stand a chance. BUT ... the sharks need something to feed on ... HENCE the encouragement to bring 'sheep to the slaughter' and the enchanting claims for the magical efficacy of 'technical analysis' (note: IF ONLY you will SPEND MONEY on MY BOOK / MY COURSE - say all the pros) ... and the 'idea' that you can become profitable after four years of losing your money ... LOL!

Thanks for that comrade. Sarcasm is the wit of champions! I take it it's working out for you then - you're one of the 19 percent. 😉 Comparing it to a four year university course is particularly amusing. I will treasure that one!