Trading

To create a new alert, click on the Alert icon (  ) on the main screen or in the instrument “Details” screen.

To open a position, go to the “Trade” screen on the Plus500 platform, choose the instrument you wish to trade on, click Buy/Sell

To set a Trailing Stop Order, click on “Advanced” in the position screen on the Plus500 platform, tick the Trailing Stop box and set the required amount of pips to activate this stop.

One of the major benefits of trading CFDs is that customers can trade on margin using leverage. CFD trading means customers can trade a portfolio of shares, indices or commodities without having to tie up large amounts of capital. In order to open and maintain a position, initial and maintenance margin levels must be met. Both the initial and maintenance margin level requirements are specific to each financial instrument.

Market hours are the time frame in which a trading instrument is available for trading, i.e. it is possible to open or close a trade. You can view this information for each instrument individually by clicking on the “Details” link in the main screen of the trading platform. Market Hours are displayed in your local time.

CFDs have grown in popularity over the past few years and it is arguably becoming the preferred way to trade the financial markets. Some of the trading benefits of CFDs include no exchange charges and no stamp duty. Many of the inefficiencies of trading the underlying shares on an exchange are eliminated. The costs and delays of physical delivery of the shares, their registration and any holding or safe custody charges made by a broker are all avoided. The other major benefit of trading CFDs is that customers can trade using leverage on margin. CFDs trading means customers can trade a portfolio of shares, indices or commodities without having to tie up large amounts of capital. Moreover, any financial entitlements, such as dividends, are adjusted for in cash, directly to your account. However, any voting rights available to the holder of an equity share are not available to the holder of an equivalent CFD.

Positions can be closed by any of the following: margin call, execution of a predefined Stop Order, expiry* or manual closure. You can find the specific reason in the “Closed Positions” tab, under “Close Reason”.

Leverage is a concept that enables you to multiply your exposure to a financial instrument, without committing the whole amount of capital necessary to own the physical instrument. When trading using Leverage you only need to put down a fraction of the total value of your position. Profits and losses are based on the total size of the position, so the end result of a trade can be much larger than the initial outlay, in terms of profits or losses. CFDs are a form of leverage trading. The amount needed to open and maintain a leveraged trade is called “the margin”. Trading using leverage is sometimes called “margin trading”. In general, when using leverage a small change in the price of the CFD is amplified into a bigger change, resulting in increased returns/losses.

An Order is a request to open a position at a specific rate (price). New positions cannot be opened outside the instrument's trading hours, however, you can open future Orders. To open an Order, click on “Advanced” in the position screen (when using the Windows and Web Trader) → check “Buy (or Sell) when rate is” → set the required rate (price) → Click Buy/Sell. The Order will automatically open a position once the requested rate is reached or surpassed - the Order is not guaranteed as the rate (price) can change by more than 1 pip at a time. Real orders will expire in 90 days if a position has not been opened (30 days for demo orders).

A Plus500 Professional Account is available to traders who meet the regulatory threshold to opt up from Retail Client to Elective Professional Client. Professional accounts are not subject to ESMA’s new leverage restrictions. Learn More.