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JamesIG

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Blog Entries posted by JamesIG

  1. JamesIG
    Hey all.
    On the back of client feedback our charting team have just delivered a new feature on mobile and desktop. You can now quickly and easily see the percentage movement on any given period for any market. This is accessible from the 'Other Options' drop down, or by right clicking on the chart, and selecting 'Percentage' from the 'Scale' option. The percentage scale will then be reflected on the Y axis for the 1st candle (close) visible on any chart to the last. In other words, the percentage change for the visible candles on the chart.  
    As you zoom in or out the scale will adjust automatically. You can see an example of this below.
    Any questions, please add them to the comments section below.
     
     Right click > Scale > Percentage


      Percentages applied down the right hand Y axis

  2. JamesIG
    If you like to change between different intervals on the IG desktop charts (from 1 minute candlesticks to 5 or 10 minute candles, or to hours, days or months) then we've just made it easier with keyboard shortcuts. Whilst on a chart you can type any number from 1 to 5 on your keyboard to bring up a small 'interval' dialogue box, confirm your choice, and hit enter. For example:
    1 minute intervals: type 1 then enter
    5 minute intervals: type 5 then enter
    1 hour intervals: type 1 h then enter
    2 hour intervals: type 2 h then enter
    1 week intervals: type 1 w then enter

    See crosshair data on future dates
    You can now place your cursor/crosshair on a future date and see the level and time/date where you are positioned. Whilst this is a very minor update which could be seen as a trivial feature, it can  become quite handy if you're looking at a trend and want to know exact levels and the time they will be reached. Simply position your cursor in the future and you’ll see the corresponding information straight away.
    If you have any questions or feedback on this, please feel free to share in the Comment section below. 
  3. JamesIG
    On the back of recent client feedback you can now customise the Stochastic and KDJ indicator levels on IG charts. Once you have added either of these indicators (which you can do by right clicking > indicator > stochastic) simply click the label in the bottom left of the chart and the option window will appear. You should be able to amend the Overbought and Oversold levels here along with some other variable to customise further. 

  4. JamesIG
    I'm happy to announce that you can now add drawings to the indicator study area both on desktop and mobile of the IG charts. This new functionality has been developed on the back of client feedback submitted to Community, from within the dealing platform, and directly with our Trading Services and client facing teams. If you have any other requests, please add them in the comment section below and we'll make sure the charting dev team and product owners see them.
    You can now draw on indicators
    For instance, get more insight from your RSI indicator by drawing a trendline directly on the study area. The ability to draw on these indicators, such as MACD and volume, opens up a number of new options for technical analysis. Trends, for example, can add granular insight into market dynamics and can help improve the accuracy of your TA and strategy. 

    But that's not all...
    We also;
    added the measure tool to the mobile charts and made it persistent on your screen so that it does not disappear when you tap or click away. improved the usability of the charts so that you cannot move your drawings by mistake when moving your charts sideways. To move a drawing, you would need to explicitly select it first. improved the general rendering performance of these drawings. Coming very soon!
    we've added the option to activate or deactivate the snapping on the candles. This should be rolled out around mid October.  All the best and happy trading
    IG Community Moderator Team
  5. JamesIG
    The IG web trading platform has several alert functions which can be used to notify you of potential trading opportunities and market volatility.
    We have different alerts for all types of traders, from the technical analyst to the long-term investor. Before we get into the different alert types it’s worth making sure your Notification Preferences on MyIG are set up correctly and notifications are turned on within your mobile settings area. The blog article on the right may be of help if you would like a walk through of turning on notifications.
     
    Setting up Price Change alerts
    A Price Change alert will notify you of either a percentage move or a points-based movement over a set time frame. These alerts are great for applying to assets in your open positions window, as well as markets you are looking to trade on.
    Percentage or points-based movement Variable time frame of 5 minutes, 1 hour or 1 day Add a message if you wish These will continually trigger until you remove them from the ‘Alerts’ fly out on the left-hand side. Therefore, if you set up an alert to be notified if Spot Gold moves by 1% in a day, and there are three days’ worth of 1% movements back to back, you’ll be alerted for each of these moves. Price Change alert ideas
    Set up a Price Change alert for a 2% move in a day for a major index such as the S&P or Wall Street. This sort of move in a single day would probably suggest a key market event has happened. Set up a Price Change alert for an x% move in a stock you have on your watch list. Maybe a significant move would present a swing trade opportunity.  
     
    Setting up Price Level alerts
    A Price Level alert will notify you when a specific price point has been breached by the market. You can be notified if either the buy or sell price passes your desired threshold.
    Be alerted to a specific price movement, e.g. If the buy price of gold reaches 1290 Add a short message if you wish These are only triggered once Price Level alert ideas
    Set a Price Level alert on the VIX Volatility Index if the price reaches 17, 20, and 25. A VIX movement above 20 generally suggests market volatility and potentially opportunity to trade. Historically the median of the VIX is around 17, and anything below this suggests markets are likely to be a little flat. Setting up support and resistance levels but want to re-evaluate the markets when those price points are reached? Use a Price Level alert.  
    Setting up Indicator alerts
    You can set up indicator alerts from the dealing platform under the alerts tab. You need to pick a resolution and price for the alert to look at, and then you can start adding indicators.
    Use indicator alerts to be notified of your criteria being hit from your technical analysis Choose to be alerted once, or multiple times Add up to 4 indicators from a choice of 11 to the same alert Add indicators on the charts by right clicking to get a rough idea of when/if your alert will trigger. Indicator alert ideas
    These alerts can be as simple or as complicated as you like. You can find a lot of information on technical analysis on IG.com, YouTube, or by searching for strategies related to ‘x’ indicator. For example;
    A crossover strategy: when two moving averages cross, for example the short term 50 MA moving above the 200 MA, it may indicate an upward price trend.  

     
    Setting up macroeconomic alerts from the Economic Calendar
    You can access IGs Economic Calendar from within the dealing platform down the left hand fly out. Once the calendar has opened in a new tab select the date and use the ‘check’ tick column if you want to be notified about an event. Clicking the cog at the top of the column allows you to set the specific notification preferences for these alerts (for example, notify before or after the event, and how you want to be notified).
    Try it out by searching for the next Non-Farm Payroll (NFP) figure and set the alert to be notified 15 minutes before the event, as well as on the event. You should receive a notification with expectations, along with the actual results afterwards.

     
  6. JamesIG
    Hi all
    Over the last 24 hours or so you may have seen some official communication similar to the below. To run parallel to that we thought we would run a Q&A today to answer a few of your questions. Whilst you can of course ask anything you like below, the standard community guidelines apply; for example I can't discuss personal trade information or account details on a public forum. 
    [UPDATE: whilst the live Q&A is over, we will periodically review any new questions and reply accordingly. You can ask any other questions you want as normal on the regular forum here]
    Last week shortly after the US open some clients may have experienced issues accessing the IG trading platform. These incidents were brought about by a sudden and significant increase in activity, largely from new clients.
    For those who were impacted I’d like to apologise that you haven't received the seamless digital trading experience you have come to expect from us. This, along with a professional, consistent, and market leading level of client service will always be our top priority.
    Whilst we reacted quickly to address this spike of interest by increasing trading services staff, limiting and ultimately stopping new applications, increasing technical capacity, and prioritising efforts to manage and support our existing client base, we understand that more needs to be done.
    Over the weekend we have worked especially hard to further increase capacity to better address the spike in trade volumes and frequency. We will be closely monitoring the impact of the changes we have made over the last few days and making any additional changes where necessary.
    As part of our goal to increase the stability of the trading platform and improve our service levels we have set a couple of equities, GME and AMC, to ‘closing only’. This means that clients with existing positions can buy or sell to close, however new positions cannot be opened. This decision addresses the significant interest these equities have received which have resulted in lower service levels for all other clients on our platform.
    As a trading services provider our priority is to offer an efficient, stable, and seamless digital trading experience on over 17,000 markets to our established client base. Whilst the recent events in the underlying market may have added new challenges and considerations, we shall continue to prioritise these things above all else.
    Thanks very much.
    James
     
  7. JamesIG
    Alerts are great for keeping you up to date with broad market movements and macroeconomic news events. To make sure you receive the alert on mobile or via email requires an opt-in setting within MyIG, along with settings on your mobile (Push only). 
     
    Turning on notifications in MyIG
    When you’re logged in to your IG account go to your Communication Preferences in MyIG. On the 'Prices & Dealings' tab make sure you have turned on your Email and Push notification options. You can also look through other areas of the Communication Preferences section to make sure you're signed up to Newsletters and other notification areas.

     
    Turning on notifications on iOS (Apple iPhone / iPad etc)
    In your iOS settings, navigate to the Notifications section and make sure you have ‘allowed’ notifications. If you don’t turn on notifications, then you won’t be able to receive push Alerts.

     
    Turning on notifications on Android
    In the Android settings section of your mobile device click on ‘Notifications’ and scroll to the ‘IG Trading’ application. You can turn notifications on here along with other more granular notification options.

     
    ...and that's it!
    You should now be ready to receive Price, Indicator and Economic alerts which you have signed up for. 
  8. JamesIG
    If you have any questions regarding the information below please add a comment. To get the best experience on Community please make sure you LOGIN. Notifications, private messages (if required), and tagging are only possible if you are logged in.
     
    In January, ESMA proposed a number of changes for leveraged retail traders within the EU region and kicked off a consultation period to open up the discussion. Over 14,600 people had their say via the #ReplyToESMA website, with an overwhelming majority opposing the regulatory changes.
    On the back of the proposal and trader feedback, ESMA drew up new regulations which are set to go live on August 1. To comply with these new regulations you may notice some changes on your IG account from the week commencing Monday July 23, 2018. Although not all the regulatory changes will affect all clients (for example some regulatory changes only affect specific instruments or account types), you can find a roadmap for these changes below.

    Wednesday, July 25
    Collateral - Linked collateral accounts were available for clients who had both a leveraged trading account (CFD or spread bet) and a stockbroking account. As of Wednesday, July 25 linked collateral accounts will no longer be an option. If you have insufficient funds at this time your leveraged trading account will be at risk of position closures.
     
    Thursday, July 26
    Credit limits for retail clients (formerly known as ‘Select Accounts’) - Some clients used to have ‘Select Accounts’, which allowed for certain types of credit limits or margin rates. On Thursday these account types will be switched to ‘closing only’ (i.e. the account type and agreed terms will remain, but you can only close your positions at your convenience and no new positions can be opened under this account type). Any new position would need to be opened under a newly set up, regular IG retail account. 
     
    Friday, July 27
    CFD options - At 15:00 (3pm) UK time all UK and European retail CFD clients will have any open options position closed basis the IG mid-price and all option marks will be set for ‘professional only’.
    IG has recently taken a business decision to no longer be supporting options trading for CFD accounts contracted through our European offices. While we appreciate that this decision will cause frustration to those who enjoy the product, regrettably, options have become a market that no longer fits with IG’s European offering. We are currently looking into alternative products to offer to meet a similar requirement and further information will be published when available.
    Closing at the mid-price means that IG will also not be charging any dealing costs to close your positions which remain open at 3pm UK time on 27th June. If you have access to a Spread Betting account (UK clients only), we will also be happy to “bed and breakfast” your trade across at the relevant, current prices, so please let us know if that is something you wish for us to do. This will need to be done over the phone as it would constitute a deal, so please give one of our trading services members a call at a time convenient, but before the above cut off date and time.
    If you have a Spread Betting account, only available to UK residents, then you can continue to speculate with options. If you are a UK resident but don’t have a spread betting account you can add one in My IG by clicking on My IG > Dashboard > Add an account.
     
    Saturday, July 28
    A number of changes will be applied over the weekend
    Margin Changes - Margin requirements to open and maintain leveraged positions was one of the more prominent aspects of the ESMA regulations. On the Saturday, July 28 new margin floors will be implemented across all ESMA retail accounts for all new positions. Existing positions will keep current margin rates. You can find more information regarding retail margin requirements here.

    Negative balance protection - All retail clients contracting to ESMA regulated entities will have negative balance protection applied to their account.

    Offsetting long and short positions - If a client is currently long and short a particular market then they will currently pay 10% of either leg. From July 28, clients will have to pay 100% of the ESMA margin on each position. This change will only apply on new positions, therefore if you are currently long and short the same market then you will continue to receive the concession.

    Rollovers - When Retail clients futures contracts rollover and a position is opened after the July 28, then the new position will be margined basis the ESMA minimums.

    Concessions - Some retail clients may receive concessions based on trade activity. ESMA regulations mean that retail clients will no longer receive any form or rebate or concession (funding concession/currency conversion concession).
     
    Monday, July 30
    Automatic COM (close out monitor if you have insufficient funds to cover the open trades in your account) - Retail clients will be subject to different COM ratio/available to deal calculations that will vary depending on what region you are in. You can read an overview of the ESMA margin rules from July 30th here.
     
    If you have any queries or questions regarding the new ESMA regulations please add a comment below. You may also find the following links useful.
    Compare our leverage offering
    Professional trading
    Once again, please remember that these changes only affect retail clients of EU firms (that are subject to ESMA regulation), and do not apply to professional clients. Please add any query, question, or request for clarification below.
    Best
    James 
     
  9. JamesIG
    A trading forum and help and support network for IG clients
    The new IG Community has been live for a few weeks now and I just wanted to update all Community members on a couple of things, including a showcase of a brand new promotional video. This should be useful for those who haven't used Community before but what to know more - it's well worth a watch.
    If you have any comments or questions regarding the new forum please let us know in the Comments section below. We're always looking to improve our offering based on what traders want - so give us a shout!
     

    New features this month
    Guests can now post without necessarily needing to be logged into Community. We want to make sure that all content is still relevant and interesting, so all guest posts will have to be approved by a moderator before being publicly visible. We want to make sure that quality over quantity remains, however the recent trial seems to have gone well and the Community is getting more relevant posts to add to discussion. If anyone has any opinion on this we'd love to hear from you so please feel free to add a comment below.  We recently had a trial of the new 'poll' feature on a post relating to new cryptocurrencies. You can read that article on which crypto your most interested in here. Currently only moderators can post polls, however if you as a client would like to have this function, let us know! We're interested in who would use it.   We're now in the top navigation bar on IG.com - it may not sound like a big change, but it allows you to get to the forum very quickly from anywhere on the IG.com environment (look for the global black navigation bar at the top). We're also looking at inclusion in MyIG - that should be live shortly.  Finally, we have some stats for you which you may find interesting.   

     
    What is IG Community?
    This purpose of this forum is for like-minded clients to share trade ideas and discuss market opportunities, ask questions, and provide help and support to others.
    Learn strategies and trade ideas from experienced traders Give tips to the Community and share your market knowledge Perfect your trading by discussing ideas with others Get the most out of IG and ask the Community anything regarding trading or IG Anyone can browse the trading forum, but you will need to have an IG account to post or interact on Community and have your content published immediately. If you're new to the forumand looking for a first step maybe check out the forum, or have a once over of our Community tutorials. 
     
    We migrated the old forum (and added some new features)
    We have migrated over all the posts, likes, 'kudos' and private messages from the previous version of the forum, as well as integrated the Community login with the wider IG eco system so you can enjoy a seamless digital experience between the trading platform and forum. You should be able to see all your previously posted content under the same Community username as you originally had on the previous iteration. 
    New content areas...
    Blogs: We have three blogs which we will be updated periodically.  Market News - Daily morning briefings, index dividend adjustments, and one off articles IG Product Updates - A place to let you know about all the things we roll out IG Community Blog - Competitions, 'Ask the Expert' series, and Community updates ...and a few new features.
    Activity streams: If you're logged in you'll notice you can easily browse things such as 'unread' or 'followed' content. You can save individual search streams so they're available for the next time you log in  Advanced search: An updated and intuitive search functionality Leaderboard: The Leaderboard keeps track of the hottest content and best users each day based on reputation received. You'll increase your chances of getting on here if you post more, receive more likes, and help others Community Profile: Your space in Community. Check yours out by clicking on your username in the top right hand corner (logged in users only).  
    Access IG Community - anytime, anywhere
    IG Community will be up 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The easiest way to access IG Community is using the top right hand 'Help' drop down in the dealing platform, but you can also access via our mobile apps (look under the help and support section - try it now), or by simply going to community.ig.com. What do you like? What would you change if you had the chance? What new areas would you like to see? Let us know using the comments section below. 
     
    Happy chatting
    IG Community Moderator Team
  10. JamesIG
    Expected index adjustments 
    Please see the expected dividend adjustment figures for a number of our major indices for the week commencing 21 Oct 2019. If you have any queries or questions on this please let us know in the comments section below. For further information regarding dividend adjustments, and how they affect  your positions, please take a look at the video. 

     
    How do dividend adjustments work? 
    As you know, constituent stocks of an index will periodically pay dividends to shareholders. When they do, the overall value of the index is affected, causing it to drop by a certain amount. Each week, we receive the forecast for the number of points any index is due to drop by, and we publish this for you. As dividends are scheduled, public events, it is important to remember that leveraged index traders can neither profit nor lose from such price movements.
     
    This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.
  11. JamesIG
    I just wanted to update all Community members to let them know that we have recently reduced the minimum bet sizes on some key indices, commodities, and FX markets. This has been done for both UK spread betting accounts and European CFD accounts. 
    What are the minimum bet sizes for indices, commodities and FX on IG?
    Correct as of 6th September 2018 but subject to change

     
    Continued feedback
    A key aim of Community is to keep a two way dialogue open between our client base and those on our trading services support team, core dealing and developer teams. The decision to reduce minimum bet sizes across these markets has in part been due to feedback received from a number of our clients and those on Community. A big thank you to those who have shared their thoughts on this over the last few weeks. 
    Please feel free to continue to add feedback and suggestions on Community at any point. If you have any feedback on this specific change please feel free to add it below. 
    All the best
    IG Community moderator team
  12. JamesIG
    Heikin-Ashi candles are now available on the IG trading platform for both desktop and mobile. This feature has been one of the more highly requested additions to charts as these types of candles are commonly used by traders looking at identifying trends visually without the need of complex analysis.
     
    How can I see  Heikin-Ashi candles on the IG dealing platform?
    Turning on Heikin-Ashi candles is simple. If you want to see these candles;
    Simply open the main menu by right clicking on the charts Navigate to “Types” and bring up the second menu list Select “Heikin-Ashi” - the candles will appear straight away
       
    How are Heikin-Ashi candles different from regular HLOC candles?
    You can read more about what Heikin-Ashi candlestick are on IG.com, but to see a simple visual on the difference and how these could be used for identifying possible trends, just check out the charts below. Both charts are the same time fame on the same asset, one with regular candles and the other with Heikin-Ashi candles. 
     
    Pic 1: regular candles (and the visual of how to turn H-A candles on)

     
    Pic 2: Heikin-Ashi candles

  13. JamesIG
    We have a great new feature which is available on desktop charts: you can now trade faster by choosing to place a working order directly from the charts, rather than needing to fill out the deal ticket, and take full advantage of our drag and drop stop/limit functions. This new feature should reduce the effort and number of steps required to place an order, remove the need to type, and also offer a clear visual preview of your order before placing. 
    To place your working order straight from the charts...
    Hover your cursor on your desired level (taking advantage of the cross hair to find support and resistance). Right-click on the chart at the desired level. Select “Dealing” and confirm a Buy or Sell order (NB: to speed up the process the order size would auto fill with the last used size by default. In the video below, because no previous trades have been made on this account, a size is entered manually). You can drag up and down your Stop and limit levels (defined as absolute levels) and see your risk reward ratio. Click on the “Place Order” button to confirm. working orders click and drag.webm
  14. JamesIG
    Expected index adjustments
    Please see the expected dividend adjustment figures for a number of our major indices for the week commencing 5th Aug 2019. If you have any queries or questions on this please let us know in the comments section below. For further information regarding dividend adjustments, and how they affect  your positions, please take a look at the video.  
     

    NB: All dividend adjustments are forecasts and therefore speculative.
    A dividend adjustment is a cash neutral adjustment on your account. 
    Figures  and adjustment dates can be affected by public holidays. Special Divs are highlighted in red.
     
    Special Dividends
            Index
    Bloomberg Code
    Effective Date
    Summary
    Dividend Amount
    UKX
    BT/A LN
    08/08/2019
    Special Div
    49.82
    AS51
    RIO AU
    08/08/2019
    Special Div
    126.4286
    RTY
    JBSS US
    05/08/2019
    Special Div
    240
    How do dividend adjustments work?
    As you know, constituent stocks of an index will periodically pay dividends to shareholders. When they do, the overall value of the index is affected, causing it to drop by a certain amount. Each week, we receive the forecast for the number of points any index is due to drop by, and we publish this for you. As dividends are scheduled, public events, it is important to remember that leveraged index traders can neither profit nor lose from such price movements.
    This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary. 
  15. JamesIG
    The US stock market opens from 2:30pm to 9pm London time, which means many UK-based trading companies only allow you to trade these individual stocks up until 9pm (with other regions having restrictions based on their local time zones). We know that many IG clients want to trade outside of these hours, especially over earning season, so we sought to offer you 'extended hours' on many of these major companies. 
     
    Trade the US FANG index 24 hours a day at IG
    This same concept applies for a bespoke IG index, available on the platform under "US FANG", which we now also offer 24/5 trading on. This means that you can take advantage of market movements after the main session closes, and better manage your risk with deal execution all the way up until 1am midweek, and up to 10pm on Friday (UK times - local times will vary). Check your local Help and Support pages for more information.
     
    Where next for the FANG?
     
    US earnings season schedule 2019
    Several major companies release their quarterly figures across similar months every year:
    January and February April and May July and August October and November See below for a list of major companies and the dates of their latest/upcoming earnings announcements.

    * Dates in square brackets [DD/MM/YY] are expected reporting dates; to be confirmed.
  16. JamesIG
    Expected index adjustments
    Please see the expected dividend adjustment figures for a number of our major indices for the week commencing 22nd July 2019. If you have any queries or questions on this please let us know in the comments section below. For further information regarding dividend adjustments, and how they affect  your positions, please take a look at the video.  

    NB: All dividend adjustments are forecasts and therefore speculative.
    A dividend adjustment is a cash neutral adjustment on your account.
    Figures  and adjustment dates can be affected by public holidays. Special Divs are highlighted in red.

    How do dividend adjustments work?
    As you know, constituent stocks of an index will periodically pay dividends to shareholders. When they do, the overall value of the index is affected, causing it to drop by a certain amount. Each week, we receive the forecast for the number of points any index is due to drop by, and we publish this for you. As dividends are scheduled, public events, it is important to remember that leveraged index traders can neither profit nor lose from such price movements.
    This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.
  17. JamesIG
    In a similar manner to our position preview feature you can now see your working order shaping up on the charts as you start creating orders from the ticket.
    Simply input your order direction, size and level and you will be able to see a preview on the chart. You can then decide to drag you Stop and/or Limit from the chart to define their absolute level and see the related Risk/Reward Ratio. Once you are happy with this just place your order from the ticket et voila!
    If you have any comments, feedback, or questions on this please add your thoughts to the comment section below. Client feedback is a driving force behind platform improvements and all suggestions are forwarded to the appropriate project management and product ownership teams.
    NB: You will need to make sure 'position preview' is on - you can toggle this by right clicking on the charts and navigating to 'show'.

  18. JamesIG
    We are now live with our 'Crypto 10 Index' for all clients*. You can find this asset via the dealing platform 'Search' function on mobile or the desktop trading platform, or via the left hand 'Cryptocurrency' fly-out on the desktop platform. 
     
    What is the 'Crypto 10 Index'?
    The Crypto 10 Index represents the performance of the largest 10 tokens (constituents at the bottom), selected and weighted by market capitalization. At current crypto currency prices the index captures close to $320Bn of market cap, representing over 85% of the total capitalization of all traded digital assets. 
    Trade 24 hours a day (excluding Friday 10pm to Saturday 4am London time). Take advantage of the recent crypto markets volatility - go long or short the index. The index is priced in USD, and is calculated and managed by BITA GmbH. Please find product data information on your local Help and Support page. You can see the UK page here.  
     
    What are the constituents of the Index?
    The constituents of the index, which are subject to change, are as follows:

    *excluding the US, Japan, and Singapore
  19. JamesIG
    Expected index adjustments
    Please see the expected dividend adjustment figures for a number of our major indices for the week commencing 24th June 2019. If you have any queries or questions on this please let us know in the comments section below. For further information regarding dividend adjustments, and how they affect  your positions, please take a look at the video.  

    NB: All dividend adjustments are forecasts and therefore speculative. A dividend adjustment is a 
    cash neutral adjustment on your account. Special Divs are highlighted in orange.
     
    Special Dividends         Index Bloomberg Code Effective Date Summary Dividend Amount AS51 BWP AU 27/06/2019 Special Div 1.56 ESTIMATE TOP40 TBS SJ 26/06/2019 Special Div 30600 How do dividend adjustments work?
    As you know, constituent stocks of an index will periodically pay dividends to shareholders. When they do, the overall value of the index is affected, causing it to drop by a certain amount. Each week, we receive the forecast for the number of points any index is due to drop by, and we publish this for you. As dividends are scheduled, public events, it is important to remember that leveraged index traders can neither profit nor lose from such price movements.
    This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.  
  20. JamesIG
    We have recently released a charting update which gives you a brief overview of the indicators on the IG platform and how you can use them to get the most out of your technical analysis. We plan to roll this out imminently for the various drawing tools we have on the platform as well. 
    You can see how this looks in the image above. 
    How to access IG indicator descriptions on our charts
    Either right click on the chart and select 'Indicator' or use the 'Indicator' button at the top of each chart. Bring up the indicator you want more information on by hovering over it. A little 'i' symbol will appear when you hover over each one. Hovering over this information button will bring up the relevant info. You can scroll on these boxes. How IG acts on client feedback
    You can submit feedback in a number of ways, the most convenient of which is via the IG Community Feedback and Suggests board. Other methods include email, via live chat, and within the dealing platform itself in the top right hand corner drop down.  
    We host weekly and monthly meetings specifically designed to focus on getting individual client feedback to our developers, stakeholders, and senior management teams. All feedback channels are discussed, so every comment you leave with us is passed on to the appropriate team. 
    You can read more information on how this works using the link to the right. 
  21. JamesIG
    Set stops and limits on charts: click, drag and drop
    You can now use a 'drag and drop' functionality to set the stops and limits on your chart before you have placed a trade. This is available for anyone who has 'Position Preview' enabled. If you don't have this turned on, simply right click on your charts and make sure 'Position Preview' is ticked.
    When you are setting you trade and you have selected 'Buy' or 'Sell' you will see the 'Stop/Limit' option appear. Hover over the horizontal line and left click, hold down, and drag to create an absolute stop or limit level.

    To set the stop or limit simply release the left mouse button. The platform will know if this is a stop or a limit automatically depending on which way you drag your cursor. You should notice that the stop and/or limit will be an absolute figure, and whilst the 'points away' in the deal ticket will change and react accordingly, the stop/limit level on that chart will remain absolute. 
    As with other stops and limits, you can move this at a later date if you wish. 
     
    HLOC % Change 
    We have also added a further row to HLOC data to share % Change. To bring up HLOC data requires a right click, followed by Show > HLOC Data. Once selected hovering over the chart candlesticks should bring up the required information. 
     
    Video example 
    You can see both of these features in the video below. Notice how when the stop and limit has been dragged to the appropriate level, the level itself remains absolute whilst the stop and limit 'Points Away' in the deal ticket moves with the market. 
    stopslimitscharts.webm
  22. JamesIG
    New ESMA regulations coming into force for the EU region are set to standardise the way margin close out rules work for retail traders. On the IG trading platform the new margin close-out rules will come into effect from 1pm on Monday 30 July. Please find an overview of the new regulation and how this may effect your account. We've included a useful video and a worked example which may also help. 
    Please remember that these changes only affect retail clients of EU firms (that are subject to ESMA regulation), and do not apply to professional clients. Please add any query, question, or request for clarification in the comments box.
     
    What is the new ESMA margin close out rule?
    Put simply, for all ESMA regions we will need to include running losses for limited risk positions when looking at the equity calculation. Let's look at a worked example. 
    Say you have £1200 cash on your IG account.  You place a FTSE trade with a guaranteed stop and it requires a margin of £1000.  If the market moves against you £200's worth you would then start to eat into your margin. If the market continues to move against you by a further £500 (i.e. 50% of the margin required to open your trade) your position would be closed. This is because 50% of your margin was used up, and your equity value was therefore £500 (half of the margin).  The new ESMA rules require us to close the position.  You would be left with £500 in your account.  Please remember if the market gaps over this level then there is no guarantee to close your trade at this exact 50% level. There is a 'negative balance protection' rule which will be in place from July 28th, however this applies to the account as a whole. There are a couple of other important things to note
    We will not be implementing 24 hour or weekend close out rules for ESMA retail clients.  This change will be made on  July 30 from 1pm and will be apply on an account level (both existing and new positions). You can still use running profits to cover margin on new positions. Positions which have guaranteed stops will be margined at the higher value; max risk on the trade or the underlying market margin rate.   
    What does this mean for me?
    "I currently have a limited risk account" - If you currently have a limited risk account (i.e. every time you open a new trade you have to have a guaranteed stop attached to your trade) then you may be at risk of having your positions closed out automatically. This will be the first time that previously 'limited risk' accounts could get closed out automatically. 
    "I currently have a regular account" - If you currently have a regular account (i.e. you don't need to apply a guaranteed stop to every position, however it is an option if you wish) then you may be at risk of having your positions closed due to the above change in close out rules. When we calculate account equity today, we do not currently include running losses on positions with guaranteed stops. Under the new ESMA requirements, such positions will need to include running losses as part of the deposit ratio calculation. This means that your positions will be closed out when your cash, including all profit and loss, reaches 50% of your margin requirement.
     
    What is 'margin'? 
    In trading, margin is the funds required to open and maintain a leveraged position. You can read more about margin via our glossary definition of what margin means on the IG platform. You can also have a once over of the below video. 
     
    If you have any queries or questions regarding the new ESMA regulations please add a comment below.
    Once again, please remember that these changes only affect retail clients of EU firms (that are subject to ESMA regulation), and do not apply to professional clients. Please add any query, question, or request for clarification below.
    You may also find the following links useful.
    Compare our leverage offering Professional trading Best
    James
  23. JamesIG
    As per the Bloomberg article, the market for Turkish Lira is in dislocation. Volatility in the Lira has posted the biggest four-day surge since 2004 as officials adopt measures to create a scarcity of the currency to prevent a slump in its value days before local elections this weekend.
    The cost of borrowing Lira overnight on the swap market exceeded 1000% because local banks are under pressure to not provide liquidity to foreign investors who want to bet against the currency.
    Consequently, spreads across all TRY crosses have blown out with some banks refusing to make a swap price. We have therefore gone to 'closings only' across all TRY crosses for the time being until we consider the market to have stabilized and will not be accepting new trades for the time being. Minimum Controlled Risk (i.e. guaranteed stop distances) for all pairs has been set to 20%, with non CR (normal stops) set at 1%. You can still trade to close.
    Given volatility it’s impossible to give an accurate indication of the cost of holding TRY positions overnight.
    To all clients holding TRY positions
    Please ensure that you are happy with your positions in TRY going into 10pm GMT, and please remember that swap points are unstable. If you have any questions regarding this please review the "Where to find overnight funding charges on FX pairs" article along with the worked examples on that page. Any additional questions, please add them as a comment below. 
    Where can I keep an eye on swap rates? 
    You can see an indicative overnight swap rate within the IG dealing platform. 'Swap Bid' / 'Swap Offer' rates as shown below can be toggled on/off and show the expected rate for that day. I.e, to view what the expected rates you'll pay or receive on a currency pair at 10pm (GMT) would require you to check the specific currency row at any point on that same day (prior to 10pm). You can read more about that here.

    Further reading
     USD/TRY volatility returns ahead of Sunday's elections
  24. JamesIG
    Who has an interest in Emerging Markets? How would you like the opportunity to have direct access to a panel who will be able to answer your questions directly? You can be part of the latest IG chat by leaving your EM question on social media using the #IGEMchat hashtag, or by simply leaving a comment on this blog post. Even if you don't have an account with IG you can leave your comments below! The live broadcast will be available within the dealing platform, or on this page, on Wednesday the 6th of February at 1pm GMT. We would also look to post the video after the event, as well as here. 
     
    What will we talk about?
    The discussion will cover a wide range of topics that relate to emerging market economies, including:
    The emerging markets to watch in 2019 The relationship between EMs and the US dollar The impact of the US-China trade war How to trade EM assets  
     
    Who's on the panel?
    Paul McNamara, Investment Director, GAM Investments: Paul McNamara is an Investment Director, and is the lead manager on emerging market bond and currency long only and hedge fund strategies. He joined GAM Investments following its acquisition of the fixed income and foreign exchange specialist, Augustus, in May 2009, where he started managing most of the funds he runs to date. He joined Augustus (then Julius Baer Investments Limited) in 1997 from the Export Credits Guarantee department of the UK Government Economic Service, where he was an economist. He began his career as a lecturer. Paul holds an MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics and is a CFA charterholder. He is based in London and you can get an insight into his journalistic style via Twitter or on the Financial Times.
    Gavin Serkin, Managing Editor, Frontier Funds Media & Intelligence: Gavin Serkin has been a prominent writer, broadcaster and commentator on emerging markets for over two decades. His book, Frontier: Exploring the Top Ten Emerging Markets of Tomorrow (Bloomberg/Wiley) – an investment travelogue across 10 countries – was acclaimed as a “must read” by the Financial Times. Serkin’s leadership of Bloomberg’s credit markets coverage and his focus on the derivatives that triggered the global financial crisis won him the Society of American Business Editors & Writers’ Best in Business Award and the Society of Professional Journalists’ Deadline Club Award. Subsequently creating and leading Bloomberg’s emerging markets team, Serkin founded Frontier Funds Media & Intelligence in 2015 to help deepen understanding of the opportunities and challenges in developing countries through his own writing, and through constant and proactive dialogue with journalists, investors and leaders.
  25. JamesIG
    Tuesday the 15th will see a UK Parliamentary vote in the Commons regarding Brexit. There is considerable uncertainty surrounding the vote, however one thing is known: this could make or break Theresa May's Brexit deal. The political uncertainty has flowed over into the financial markets with a number of assets seeing significant volatility. A ratified deal is likely to display stability and confidence resulting in a strengthening GBP, and possibly a short term boost to British stock prices and indices such as the mid-cap FTSE 250. On the other hand, a rejected deal and an increase in uncertainty could signpost a bearish movement. 
     
    We have a live #IGBrexitChat on Wednesday 16th at 13:00 GMT
    IG’s Jeremy Naylor will be live in the studio with Alexandra Kellert from Control Risks and Peter Dixon from Commerzbank AG to analyse the possible effects on the markets. Ahead of the chat, he’ll also be speaking with Ben Habib from First Property Group, and the highlights from that interview will be played during the show.
     
    Submit your questions now
    A key talking point throughout the #IGBrexitChat will be the effect on the markets and how to uncover any trade ideas. We want your questions! Simply submit your questions using the comments section below, either before the chat or over the live show (we'll monitor IG Community and make sure we put your questions to the panel). Add your questions to some of the key areas we'll be covering such as...
    Which markets should you be watching? What direction is EUR/GBP likely to move in? What are the possible effects on the FTSE 100? How can you capitalise on market volatility following the vote? How will the EU react? (The video player below will auto configure 5 minutes before the live show at 13:00 on the 16th Jan)
     
     
    How do I view IGTV live in the platform?
    You can watch the broadcast above, however if you would like to watch in your dealing platform so you can watch the markets throughout the show...
    Click on the top right hand 'notifications' tab Click the IGTV prompt which will go live 5 minutes before the show Move the IGTV player anywhere in your workspace. If you already have the player open the show will start automatically. 
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