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JamesIG

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  1. JamesIG
    Expected index adjustments 
    Please see the expected dividend adjustment figures for a number of our major indices for the week commencing 6 Aug 2018. 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: Special Divs are highlighted in orange 
    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 effected, 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.
  2. 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.
  3. JamesIG
    Despite Tuesday being referred to as the worst day in the Presidency of Donald Trump, the S&P touched an intraday record high and equaled its longest bull run of 3452 days, with the record expected to tumble today, baring a disaster. Dollar steady overnight following yesterday’s dip, with forex markets pretty calm across the board, although we did see a weakening in AUD, which was down 0.2%. Brent rose 0.3%, whilst US crude was up 0.5% following industry group data that signaled a larger than expected decline in US stockpiles. Gold flat 1195.56 an ounce, whilst nickel and aluminum pushed base metals up. The UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS) recorded its largest July surplus for 18 years pointing to a robust deficit reduction on the back of low unemployment and good economic growth. Morgan Stanley have removed their ratings and equity coverage of Tesla yesterday hinting that they’ve possibly joined Goldman Sachs as an advisor on the deal to take the company private. The UK’s HMRC have released figures showing the YoY change for July's residential property transactions are down 3.2% adding fuel to fear of a stagnant UK property market. Asian overnight: Japanese markets were the big outperformer overnight, as a bearish session across Chinese and Australian markets pointed towards growing fears over the outcome of today’s trade talks between the US and Chinese. The dollar remains under pressure following comments from Donald Trump who was highly critical of Jerome Powell’s handling of monetary policy. Yesterday’s record highs for the S&P 500 didn’t do enough to boost sentiment in Asia, and this apprehensive theme looks likely to continue in Europe ahead of a bearish open. 
    UK, US and Europe: We finally see a ramp up in economic releases, if only from the US session given the absence of any European figures. Keep an eye out for the Canadian retail sales and US existing home sales coming into play in the afternoon. Also look out for the latest crude inventories figure, with energy prices in focus amid the recent Iran and Venezuela focused volatility. Finally, the latest FOMC minutes are released at the end of the day, bringing dollar volatility back into play. The Federal Reserve meeting minutes from the last policy meeting will see investors looking for further clues relating to the pace of monetary tightening in the US.
    South Africa: This morning will see local inflation data released at 10am to help guide the South African Reserve Banks monetary policy program. This afternoon will see US crude inventory data out which could be  a possible catalyst for oil prices. Tencent Holdings is up 2% in Asia, suggestive of a positive start for major holding company Naspers. BHP Billiton is down another 1.2% in Australia suggestive of a negative start for the local listing this morning. 
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    3pm – US existing home sales (July): forecast to rise 0.4% MoM from a 0.6% drop a month earlier. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
    3.30pm – US EIA crude inventories (w/e 17 August): expected to see stockpiles fall by 520,000 barrels. Markets to watch: Brent, WTI
    7pm – FOMC minutes: no change at the latest meeting means these minutes may not provide too much in the way of new information, but given the rally in the dollar over the past month the minutes will need to strike a hawkish tone to avoid provoking a possible selloff in the greenback. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Grafton Group said that pre-tax profit was 18% higher for the first half, to £57.6 million, while revenue was 9% higher at £1.45 billion.  Diploma said that it acquired FS Cables for £18 million.  Blue Label Telecoms Ltd FY18 results showed core headline earnings per share to have increased by 4% from the previous year. Bid Corporation FY18 results  showed headline earnings from continuing operations to have increased by 9.1% from the previous year. Danske Bank raised to overweight at Morgan Stanley
    Lancashire upgraded to hold at Berenberg
    Provident upgraded to hold at Berenberg
    Rio Tinto upgraded to hold at Liberum
    DNB downgraded to equal-weight at Morgan Stanley
    Implenia downgraded to neutral at MainFirst
    MorphoSys downgraded to hold at Commerzbank
    IGTV featured video
    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. 
  4. 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. 
  5. JamesIG
    Expected index adjustments 
    Please see the expected dividend adjustment figures for a number of our major indices for the week commencing 03 Sep 2018. 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 Dividend Amount UKX ADM LN 06/09/2018 19.2 AS51 WHC AU 04/09/2018 13.0 AS51 TME AU 06/09/2018 22.0 AS51 ABC AU 07/09/2018 4.0 RTY PBIP US 06/09/2018 35.0  
    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 effected, 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.
  6. 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
  7. JamesIG
    A trading forum and help and support network for IG clients
    Over the last few months we have been working on a new layout for your Community, as well as adding greater functionality and new content areas. Today is the 'go live' date and we hope you like what you see. Have a browse, and if you have any feedback or suggestions please add a comment below. Maybe take this opportunity to make your first Community post if you haven't already?
    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 a live IG account to post or interact on Community. If you're new to Community and looking for a first step maybe check out the forum, or have a once over of our Community tutorials. We're also curious for any feedback you may have, so add a comment below to have your voice heard. We're always looking to improve our offering based on what traders want - so let us know!

    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 platform and forum. You should be able to see all your previously posted content under the same Community username as you currently use. 
    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 Calendar: A way for discussion to be relevant and anchored to a specific date / time / macro event Our Picks: A hand picked showcase of the best IG Community has to offer. If individual client forum posts or comments get a significant number of upvotes then they may also be featured More to be rolled out shortly! ...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
    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

    This initial rollout is only phase one of 'the big Community plan', and we'd love to hear your feedback. 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
     
  8. 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. 

  9. 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
  10. JamesIG
    Expected index adjustments 
    Please see the expected dividend adjustment figures for a number of our major indices for the week commencing 17 Sep 2018. 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 
    You can see the special dividends listed below. Unfortunately we do not have granular insight on the effect on the index for the index in question, however the below maybe helpful for some. Please note the dates below are the stock adjustments in the underlying individual instrument, whilst the index div adjustments are taken out the day before on the IG platform at the cash close.
    Index   Bloomberg Code Effective Date Dividend Amount AS51   QUB AU 18/09/2018 28.571 TOP40   OMU SJ 19/09/2018 100 AS51     SPK AU 20/09/2018 19.375 XIN9I   601857 CH 21/09/2018 2.22 HIS   27 HK 21/09/2018 50 AEX   RAND NA 24/09/2018 69 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
    Why your feedback matters
    Here at IG we want to make sure your suggestions help shape our direction and future. We appreciate that the best businesses are built around two-way communication with clients. That's why we provide a number of different ways for clients to quickly and easily talk to us. There is nothing worse than submitting feedback and feeling like your comments and suggestions have been jettisoned into the void of some unread inbox.
    We want to take this opportunity to lay out how you can easily submit feedback, a few things we do on a daily basis with those communications, and finally a few recent instances of how we're reacted to things our clients have told us. 
     
    How to submit feedback to IG
    Dealing Platform: If you're logged into the platform you'll notice a 'quick feedback' option in the top right hand corner under 'Help'. When you submit your comments our systems will automatically book that against your account and file it in a report which we periodically collate and send to the relevant parties. 
    Community: One of the easiest ways to submit feedback is via the IG Community. If you head over to the forums page you'll notice a 'Suggestions' section where you can have a search to see if your idea has been submitted before. If it hasn't you can simply start a new topic, pop in your request, and post it publically on Community.
    The best thing about this being public is that if other clients are also looking for the same thing, they can up vote your suggestion or add a comment. The more clients that want something, the higher the likelihood of it happening. Reports will be collated and passed to the relevant teams. 
    Direct Message: While the methods described above are generally easier, you may sometimes want to send us a direct message. You can check out our Contact Us page to send a message via a browser contact form.
     
    A few things we do with your feedback
    Daily feedback reports: When a feedback item comes into our client facing trading services team we first see if any immediate action is required (e.g. if there is an easy resolution or different way to get the same desired result). We then tag the contact with a 'feedback' tag. All items tagged in this way are collated daily and sent to the appropriate business owners. Staff with various specialisms, from those who deal with user experience to our charting developers and data scientists, receive these reports. 
    Steering committees: Client feedback is also fed directly back to the appropriate areas within the business via meetings set up to decide the rollout roadmap for specific products. We also regularly meet with third party vendors such as Pro Real Time or Signal providers to discuss feedback points and figure out how to resolve any client pain points. 
    Client communication meetings: Every couple of weeks our communication teams meet with client-facing managers. Both trading services and our dealing desk give an update regarding inbound contacts and the wider market movements, and any client feedback (direct or implied) is discussed. 
     
    Examples of recent changes due to client feedback
    All-sessions chart data: A pain point for clients was the bad spikes on all session pre-market data for big stocks like Apple, Amazon etc. A working group including representatives from the shares desk, our trading services technical support team, and pricing, implemented some solutions to filter the bad data, and correct historical data.
    Almost all chart updates on the new platform: The charts roadmap is strongly influenced by client feedback. Things like customisable colours, new drawings, extra Fibonacci levels, and features like the dark theme, have all been implemented thanks to feedback from our clients.
    PRT Wizards: We get a lot of clients telling us that using Pro Real Time for the first time can be quite difficult because of the flexibility, complexity, and customisation options of the charts. Pro Real Time has now implemented walkthrough wizards to guide clients through using PRT for the first time (and for specific features like customising deal templates). 
     
    Keep an eye out for product updates
    Not every suggestion we receive can be implemented as we need to balance the business roadmap with client feedback and requests, but every feedback item will be documented and reviewed by the appropriate team.
    We also have a brand new 'Products Update' blog on Community where we will be updating all clients on recent rollouts and additions to the IG platform. Some of these changes will be implemented as a direct result of your feedback, so please make sure you keep your comments coming using the above methods. 
     
    All the best
    IG Community Moderator Team
     
  12. 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. 
  13. 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
  14. JamesIG
    GBP rallies on Brexit talks and a hope for a deal before the year is out. Whilst there seems to be a break in tariff hostilities, it seen by most as only temporary. A softer yen helped support Japan's Nikkei. Asian overnight: Chinese and Hong Kong stocks were the two weak spots in a mixed overnight session, with strong gains for Japanese and Australian markets. The expected imposition of a whole raft of new US tariffs on Chinese goods has brought about further pressure on businesses within the region, with Trump seeking to target the vast majority of Chinese imports into the US. Much of the sentiment has been bearish of late, as the gains in Japan and Australia are largely a break from the norm, as talk of fresh US tax reforms help improve the short-term outlook.
    UK, US and Europe: Looking ahead, the UK remains in focus following a day of data yesterday. This morning sees the UK jobs report released, with markets keeping a particularly close eye on the average earnings figure given the impact on inflation expectations. While we see precious few notable releases from the US today, the eurozone also comes into focus alongside the UK, with German ZEW economic sentiment, and eurozone employment change worth watching out for.
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    9.30am – UK employment data: claimant count to fall by 6200 in August, from a rise of 6200 a month earlier. Unemployment rate to rise to 4.2% for July from 4%, while July average earnings to rise 2.5%, from a June rise of 2.4%. Markets to watch: GBP crosses
    10am – German ZEW index (September): index to rise to -10.4 from -13.7. Market to watch: EUR crosses
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Ashtead said that it expected full-year results to be ahead of forecasts, as underlying earnings for the quarter to 31 July rose 20% to £503.7 million. A weaker pound has driven this improved performance.  Anglo American reported a fall in De Beers diamond sales, which fell to $505 million in the seventh cycle of 2018 compared to $533 million for the sixth cycle of 2017.  Koenig & Bauer Upgraded to Buy at HSBC
    Kion Upgraded to Buy at HSBC
    Ubisoft Upgraded to Overweight at JPMorgan
    J D Wetherspoon Upgraded to Buy at Berenberg
    Galp Downgraded to Neutral at JPMorgan
    Heineken Downgraded to Sell at Berenberg
    IGTV featured video
    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
    Exploring base metal markets
    Join us on Thursday 6th December at 1pm for the final #IGCommodityChat, when we will be talking to economist Daniel Lacalle and mining analyst John Meyer about base metal markets. Put your questions to the experts as part of the live Q&A by using #IGCommodityChat using the comments section below. 
     
    Submit your questions now
    There will be a live Q&A during the session, so you can put forward any topics you want answered. Post your questions to the #IGCommodityChat using the comments section below, and check out one of the latest #IGChats we recently posted on oil and gold to get a flavour of what to expect. The show will be broadcast live from within the dealing platform as well as via a special YouTube link and on various social channels. 
    How political unrest impacts base metal supply What the effect of the US-China trade war has been on base metal prices How global growth (or a lack thereof) is impacting global demand The base metal mining stocks to watch
  16. JamesIG
    Expected index adjustments 
    Please see the expected dividend adjustment figures for a number of our major indices for the week commencing 23rd July 2018. 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: Special Divs are highlighted in orange 
    Special Dividends
    Index
    Bloomberg Code
    Effective Date
    Summary
    Dividend Amount
    HSI
    151 HK
    27/07/2018
    Special Div
    1.25
    STI
    KEP SP
    25/07/2018
    Special Div
    5
    SIMSCI
    KEP SP
    25/07/2018
    Special Div
    5
    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 effected, 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 continued effort to increase the amount of trade ideas and strategy pieces in the web trading platform, I'm happy to announce both Live and Demo clients can now access Community threads from within the platform. This will specifically surface the very latest threads from the 'Strategy and Market Discussion' board based on the 'most recent new thread post' hierarchy. 
    This follows further efforts such as including Reuters news and video, IGTV live video, and analyst articles into the platform. This means we're at a stage where we can produce a single news page which will collate all these channels in single view (with granular insight available on the click through). I can update when this is live.
     
    To access Community from within the web trading platform
    News - from the left hand menu Community - from the top level navigation 'Add to workspace' - if you're looking to add the news section as a permanent feature
     
    Video on Community location in the left hand fly out
    news flyout.webm
  18. JamesIG
    We are hosting our third live IG Forex Chat on Thursday 1 November at 6.30pm (UK time), where we will be exploring what the year ahead could hold for emerging market (EM) currencies. You can watch the discussion live in the IGTV player within the web trading platform, or using the YouTube link below. The whole purpose of these talks is to give you direct access to our panel and provide a platform for you to ask any question you wish about the subject in hand. Submit your questions below now!
    With emerging market currencies having been exceptionally volatile in 2018, we take a look at what the next 12 months could hold for related forex markets. Our discussion will cover a broad range of topics, including:
    The emerging market currencies to watch over the next 12 months How the dollar’s valuation will affect EM currencies The effects of changing commodity prices How the value of the US dollar, Chinese renminbi and Russian ruble will change
      Who are the experts?
    Paul Bratby is a self-employed trader who specialises in Elliott wave analysis. As well as trading via his personal account, he runs My Trading Buddy (MTB) and Wave5trade (W5T), which provide a wealth of trading tools and information about the forex markets.
    Raj Dhall is a market analyst, whose content has appeared on TradingView, FX Daily, the Society of Technical Analysts, London South East, Interactive Investor and Zero Hedge. His writing focuses on the influence of macroeconomic and political events on the markets.
  19. JamesIG
    Global equity markets falter on trade war talk. Turkish lira gains on a presidential win for Recap Tayyip Erdogan. Oil sheds it's gains as OPEC agree on output hike. Saudi Arabia lifts the ban on female drivers which could generate up to $90bn for their economy according to Bloomberg Finance Britain sees its two year anniversary from the Brexit referendum vote. GBP down 11% in that time helping buoy the FTSE and companies who generate the majority of their revenue from overseas. Asian Overnight: Asian markets traded in the red once again overnight, as trade wars fears continue to take their toll on global risk sentiment. With the US said to be preparing to restrict Chinese investment into US business, while warning they could place 20% tariffs on EU cars, there are no signs to say that the trade war is letting up any time soon. China has also announced plans to free up another $100bn in the banking system, perhaps another admission of a slowing economy. The weekend election in Turkey has seen the incumbent president win as expected, with sweeping changes being implemented that will now ensure he holds substantially more powers, and for an unlimited term. Nevertheless, the stability that this promises to bring over the near-term has helped boost the lira, which rose 2% overnight.
    UK, US and Europe: Looking ahead, the German Ifo business climate figure represents the biggest data point on a day that is light of any particularly significant releases. As such, there is likely to be a continue focus on trade considerations with the US.
    South Africa: Commodity prices are under pressure, including oil which has offset Fridays gains which followed the OPEC announcement to increase production by 1m barrels per day (Saudi Arabia and Russia had previously suggested raising output by 1.5m barrels per day). The rand has managed to claw back some strength after trading around oversold territory for the last few weeks. Tencent Holdings is trading 1.5% lower on the Hang Seng suggestive of a similar start today for major holding company Naspers. BHP Billiton is trading 1.4% higher in Australia, suggestive of a firmer start for local diversified resource counters.  
    Shares look ahead this week: Carnival in America will release second quarter earnings today, whilst Tuesday will see the UK listed Northgate release full year results and IHS Markit and the US Lennar will publish quarterlies. Costa Coffee owned Whitebread have a trading update on Wednesday which is worth looking out for, whilst America will yield General Mills and Bed, Bath and Beyond. Hunting and Tullow Oil have Thursday trading statements, whilst Walgreens Boots Alliance will report on Thursday. 
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    9am – German IFO index (June): business climate index expected to fall to 101.7 from 102.2. Market to watch: EUR crosses
    1.30pm – US Chicago Fed index (May): forecast to fall to 0.1 from 0.3. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
    3pm – US new home sales (May): expected to rise 0.5% MoM from -1.5%. Market to watch: USD crosses
    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Stobart Group has said that it has issued a note convening an EGM next month relating to its boardroom dispute. It has recommended that investors vote against the resolution to change the chairman.  IWG has confirmed that it has received an approach from Terra Ferma.  Petards Group has won a contract renewal for provision of software licences and support services for Network Rail.  Accor upgraded to hold at Berenberg
    BinckBank upgraded to hold at Kepler Cheuvreux
    Rexel upgraded to buy at HSBC
    Rolls-Royce upgraded to hold at Kepler Cheuvreux
    Heidelberger Druck downgraded to reduce at AlphaValue
    Suedzucker downgraded to sell at Goldman
    Please note: This information has been prpared 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
    Expected index adjustments 
    Please see the expected dividend adjustment figures for a number of our major indices for the week commencing 20 Aug 2018. 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 
    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 effected, 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.
  21. JamesIG
    Asian equity markets mixed overnight on better than expected Trump trade talks, but poor US futures - notably Facebook results. Saudi Arabia is suspending the shipment of oil via the Red Sea following an attack from Yemeni Houthi. Gold steady as dollar eases after US and EU trade talks. Big results day for the European market with Shell, Diageo, Nestle, Daimler, and AB InBev set to give trading updates. The corporate focus remains crucial for US markets of late, with Amazon, Intel, McDonald’s, and Starbucks all reporting their latest figures today. Asian overnight: Overnight markets traded in somewhat indecisive fashion, with weakness in Chinese and Hong Kong indices coming amid strength in the Japanese Topix index. The Nikkei traded marginally lower, while the ASX 200 was flat on the session. This comes amid a session of mixed messages over in the US, with disappointing Facebook earnings driving a sharp decline in tech stocks. However, with the US and EU striking a truce and promise to bring down tariffs across the board, there is also a bullish theme to be seen.
    UK, US and Europe:  The move in the US is led by the Nasdaq following a poor reception to Facebook results. The ongoing trade war narrative remains in the market place as Donald Trump meets with EU leaders.
    European data has kicked off with the release of the German Gfk consumer climate number, which ticked moderately lower from 10.7 to 10.6. The eurozone focus will be maintained through the day, with today’s monetary policy decision from the ECB bringing heightened volatility and focus on the euro. We are unlikely to see any move from Draghi & co, yet this may not necessarily mean that we see the meeting pass without any fireworks. The US focus will be upon the impact of the EU-US trade deal, with many hoping this would become a blueprint for future dealings with China. On the calendar front, look out for core durable goods unemployment claims, and crucially the US trade balance data. 
    South Africa: Markets are expected to trade cautiously ahead of this afternoons ECB meeting and tomorrows Advance GDP data out of the US. Metal prices are trading flat to lower this morning. The rand is slightly weaker this morning although, trades near its best levels of the last few weeks. BHP Billiton is 0.3% lower in Australia, suggestive of a softer start for local diversified resource counters. Tencent Holdings is 2% lower in Asia, suggestive of a similar start for local holding company Naspers which has a 20% weighting in the Top40 Index.
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Tullow Oil reported a pre-tax profit of $55 million for the first half of the year, from a $348 million loss a year earlier. Revenue was up 15% to $905 million and net debt fell to $3.08 billion. The firm said that it did not yet believe a dividend was appropriate.  Vodafone reported a 4.9% fall in revenue for the first quarter, but annual organic adjusted earnings guidance was left unchanged at 1-5%. ITV said that first-half adjusted pre-tax profit fell 7% to £354 million, but revenue was 8% higher at £1.85 billion. Royal Bafokeng Platinum (SA) anticipates a loss per share ("LPS") for the six months ended 30 June 2018, of between 13.5 cents and 10.5 cents (representing an improvement of between 10% and 30%), compared to a LPS of 15 cents for the previous corresponding period (the six months ended 30 June 2017). A headline loss per share (“HLPS”) of between 7.5 cents and 4.5 cents (representing an improvement of between 51% and 70.6%) is anticipated, compared to a HLPS of 15.3 cents for the previous corresponding period.  Anglo American Plc (SA) a half year financial update showed earnings per share to have decreased by 6%. Please note: 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.
  22. JamesIG
    Poor EoY results helped  pushed the FTSE lower yesterday as miners sold off, whilst the White House threat for further Chinese tariffs had a negative impact on the S&P energy and industrial sector which also suffered. In the US the Fed decided to hold rates ahead of a likely September hike. Range remains in the 1.75 to 2 per cent channel. According to a US trade representative, the refusal of China to meet US demands, along with implementation of retaliatory tariffs on US goods, spurred the decision to increase the 10% tariff to 25% on $200bn worth of Chinese imports. After consecutive losses for the previous couple of days, oil prices rose over the last session as speculators look for a bounce.  BoE widely expected to raise interest rates today. If a hike is confirmed from Threadneedle Street later today, this would only be the second this decade. Video from IGTV talking about the banks interest rate rises is below. Asian overnight: Trade war concerns have come back into focus to see Asian markets on the decline once again. Losses in Asian equity markets are substantial with China's Shanghai Composite down over 2% on the day. Chinese and Hong Kong stocks were the big losers amid a sea of red overnight, as markets reacted to the potential of the US to raise a 25% tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports. Recent tones of dissatisfaction from the Chinese over US blackmail seem to have a basis in this threat, and with the Chinese importing nowhere near $200 billion worth of US goods, this raises questions over what their response will be. The main data point overnight came from Australia, where a sharp rise in the trade balance surplus highlighted the sharp deterioration in imports (-1% from 3%) rather than anything major on the exports side (3% from 4%).
    UK, US and Europe: Looking ahead, the UK PMI focus continues, with the construction sector under the microscope in the morning. That UK theme continues at midday, with the Bank of England widely expected to raise rates for the first time this year. A relatively quiet US session means that there will be a greater focus on wider economic issues and corporate earnings reports. With Caterpillar, Apple, and Tesla all out of the way, today sees reports from the likes of GoPro, Kellogg, and AIG.
    South Africa: US Index futures are also lower but to a lesser extent, and in turn we are expecting a soft start on the Jse Top40 Index today. The dollar has firmed and precious metals remain at depressed prices. Base metals trade mixed this morning. BHP Billiton is down 3.3% in Australia suggestive of a weak start for local diversified resources. Tencent Holdings is down 3% in Asia suggestive of a soft start for major holding company Naspers. 
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    9.30am – UK construction PMI (July): expected to fall to 52.5 from 53.1. Market to watch: GBP crosses

    12pm – BoE rate decision: an increase in interest rates to 0.75% is possible, and would be expected, but given recent weakness in UK data the bank may yet demur once again. Markets to watch: FTSE 100/250, GBP crosses

    1.30pm – US initial jobless claims: expected to rise to 220k from 217k. Market to watch: USD crosses
    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Barclays saw their H1 profits whittled away amid huge litigation costs and settlements eroded what would have been a 20% rise in pre-tax profits for the firm. Instead, pre-tax profits fell to £1.6 billion, from £2.3 billion after a circa £2 billion pay-out, which includes a £1.4 billion settlement with the US DoJ. Looking behind those charges, the company saw a strong performance, with the UK arm raising pre-tax profits by 30%. Aviva reported a 2% fall in operating profits compared with last year, with the firm citing the impact of disposals, tough market conditions in Canada and higher weather related claims for the fall. Despite this, they expect to see these trends to reverse in H2, with the firm remaining on track to hit their 5% growth target for the year. Their EPS number came in above market estimates, with an operating EPS of 26.8p (vs 25.1p expected). The dividend was increased by 10% to 9.25p per share. Rolls-Royce expects their 2018 earnings results to come in towards the upper end of its guidance range, following a stronger than expected showing from their civil aerospace and power systems businesses. This comes despite a £554 million charge for issues relating to their Trent 1000 engine, which has been shrouded by issues over their durability. That figure will cover the Trent 1000 issues up until 2022. On the earnings side, the firm saw underlying revenues jump 14%, with underlying profits rising by £205 million, to £141 million. Liberty Holdings (SA) Interim results showed normalised headline earnings per share to have increased by 6%  Elementis upgraded to overweight at JPMorgan
    Asos rated new outperform at Wells Fargo
    Gamma Communications rated new buy at Citi
    Norma upgraded to buy at HSBC
    Macquarie upgrades AECI to outperform with a target price of 12800c
    Renaissance Capital upgrade  African Rainbow Mineralsto buy with a target price of 15000c
    Shell cut to equal-weight at Morgan Stanley
    Sodexo downgraded to market perform at Bernstein
    Subsea 7 downgraded to underperform at Macquarie
    WDP downgraded to neutral at Kempen & Co
     
    Featured Video
    Please note: 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.
  23. JamesIG
    A look at our in-person seminars
    Earlier this summer we arranged our largest ever event in Scandinavia, with John Bollinger the creator of the technical Bollinger Bands indicator as a keynote speaker. Other speakers included Lee Sandford, an IG client and the founder of Trading College, and our local market analyst, Erik Hansén.
    The events, attended by about 450 prospective and live IG clients, were held in Oslo and Stockholm and followed a very similar ‘roadshow’ pattern which some of our other offices in Europe have put on for our client base. It’s always great to meet clients face to face and discuss trade ideas and market opportunity, as well as receive feedback and suggestions about our products.
    Have a look at a couple of the links posted at the end of this article to see if there are any live events, seminars, or webinars you can sign up to. Also make sure you’ve opted in to our emails so you can stay up to date and informed on any one off events we want to let you know about! You can find this in My IG Dashboard > Settings > Communication Preferences.
    When preparing for this event we listened to feedback from our client base who were keen on us bringing in successful traders and prominent people within the industry to talk about their experiences and share their trading insights.
     
    Trading strategies
    The evening started with IG’s own Erik Hansen welcoming everyone and introducing the presenters, as well as giving a quick overview of IG and our trading platform for those who hadn’t used it before. Erik also spoke about a few trading strategies and tools that help clients find interesting buy/sell opportunities, such as our market insights news and analysis, trading signals, and IG’s charting packages. We have a few strategy articles on IG.com which may be worth checking out to get a feel of the things discussed.
    Charting the value of technical analysis 16 candlestick patterns every trader should know How to trade a head and shoulders pattern Pivot point trading strategies Ichimoku Cloud trading strategies explained Next up was Lee Sandford who told us how he uses Fibonacci in his trading and how he combines it with MACD and stochastics. Lee also showed how he finds business opportunities with good risk reward by identifying interesting turning points in the market. There are a couple of videos posted below which may be interesting for some when we had Lee in the London office with IGTV, and an article on using the Fibonacci tool to trade.
    Last up was John Bollinger himself, who gave us a practical view on Bollinger Bands and trading techniques like "Pattern recognition", as well as setups like "W bottoms" and "squeeze". Bollinger Bands can be a great trading tool for the technical analysts amongst you and there are countless strategies and videos online which are worth having a look over. We have a special Bolling Bands article written by IG's own Joshua Mahony on the IG.com website to get you started. 

     
    Something of interest
    Each speaker was strong in their own right, but what really made the event a success was the breadth of the spectrum we were able to cover – ensuring there was something of interest to both beginners and advanced traders.
    We saw a good amount of 'chatter' across social media, both beforehand and during the event itself, and we received some great feedback from those who came and chatted afterwards.
    We really want to hear from people if they would like a similar event in their city. We are constantly working with our clients and listening to feedback to improve our offering, and seminars and events like this are no different.
    Drop us a message below if this is something you’d be interested in, and let us know the sort of event, or guest speakers, you would be keen on hearing from.

    Live events, seminars and online webinars near you
    Online webinars and courses can be found on IG Academy with live trading sessions available too. Make sure your email notifications are on if you want to keep up to date with one off events. Our South African offices have weekly in-person seminars in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Singaporean clients can check out in-person trading seminars (scroll down the page).
      Lee Sandford IGTV videos
     
    Hope you enjoyed this insight
    Happy trading
    James
  24. JamesIG
    Trade war worries offset the gains seen in Wall Street with the Asian equity market struggling overnight. The trillion dollar valuation race between Apple and Amazon continues with Amazon tipping the $900bn valuation yesterday. GBP continues to take a beating against major world currencies as CPI data yesterday remained unchanged, reducing the likelihood of a rate hike in August. US banking shares continue to do good in earning season as Morgan Stanley profit jump. Oil prices remain volatile but fall amid record U.S. output and stockpiling continues to build. Have your say on which new cryptocurrency IG offer in our community poll. Asian overnight: Asian markets traded largely lower, as a breakdown in talks between the US and China highlighted the potential longevity of this recent trade war. However, despite the lack of any developments in trade negotiations, markets have largely taken the news in their stride, with losses proving relatively minimal. The Australian ASX 200 index was the one gainer overnight, despite a simultaneous rise in the AUD thanks to a batch of jobs data. A sharp rise in the employment change figure saw it rise to the highest level of 2018 thus far.
    UK, US and Europe: Global equity markets are trading mostly lower this morning although losses are marginal. While there appears to be no immediate and new economic catalysts to drive market movements this morning, US earnings remain a primary driver of equity markets right now. The dollar is slightly firmer and commodity prices modestly weaker this morning.
    Looking ahead, yet another important UK economic reading comes out in the form of the retail sales figure. With underwhelming jobs and inflation data, the expectations of an August rate rise are gradually easing, driving the pound lower. With the retail sales number expected to tumble from 1.3% to 0.1%, we could see yet another warning sign for the BoE today. In the US session, keep an eye out for the Philly Fed manufacturing survey, alongside the latest unemployment claims figure.
    South Africa: BHP Billiton is trading flat in Australia suggestive of a similar start for the South African listing of the company. Tencent Holdings is trading 0.6% lower in Asia, suggestive of a soft start for major holding company Naspers. A weak trading statement is expectant of a soft open for Woolworths, following on from a negative reaction yesterday to Shoprites trading update. 
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    9.30am – UK retail sales (June): forecast to rise 2.4% YoY from 3.9% and 0.4% from 1.3% MoM. Markets to watch: GBP crosses
    1.30pm – US initial jobless claims (w/e 14 July), Philadelphia Fed mfg index (July): claims to rise to 217K from 214K, while the Philadelphia Fed index rises to 21.5 from 19.9. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    AO World said that Q1 revenue rose 8%, reflecting a strong start to the year in April and May, although demand was weaker in June. It remains on track to hit full-year expectations.   Unilever sales rose 1.9% in Q2, below the forecast 2.2%. A Brazilian transport strike and weak performance hit pricing.  Babcock expects low single digit underlying growth for the full year, versus a previous forecast of low mid-single digit growth. This was due to a slowdown in defence and marine work.  Sports Direct said that full-year core earnings rose 12.2% to £306.1 million, ahead of forecasts of £296 million. Core earnings are expected to rise 5-15% in the next financial year.   Buffet has won more power for share buy backs for Berkshire Hathaway if he feels the stock is undervalued. BRK gains 5.27% on the news. Lloyd’s loses market share in the uk mortgage space last year to RBS and HSBC. Although companies usually want to remain dominant in all forms of market share, reducing exposure, and therefore risk, to this particular market going into rising interest rates and Brexit may not be the worst thing. Adler Modemaerkte Upgraded to Buy at Oddo
    Salzgitter Upgraded to Buy at Goldman
    Ericsson Upgraded to Reduce at AlphaValue
    HelloFresh Upgraded to Buy at Bankhaus Lampe
    Alstria Office Cut to Underweight at JPMorgan
    BioMerieux Downgraded to Hold at HSBC
    Hypoport Downgraded to Hold at Berenberg
    Continental Downgraded to Hold at Bankhaus Lampe
    Featured Video from IGTV
      Please note: This information has been prpared 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.
  25. 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

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