A CFD - or Contract for Difference - is an agreement between two parties to exchange the difference between the purchase and sale price of a financial instrument or security. The product allows you to take a view on the future increases or decreases in the value of a specific asset, for instance a share. If your view proves to be correct, you will make a profit from the difference in value (less costs). If the view you took turns out to be wrong, you will have to pay the difference in value (plus costs). Being tied to an underlying asset, the value of a CFD depends on that asset. CFDs are always margin traded (see the above paragraph on foreign exchange transactions). CFDs are normally traded with Saxo Capital Markets as the counterparty, but some CFDs may be traded on a regulated market. However, the price always moves with the price of the underlying product, which is in most cases traded on a regulated market. The price and liquidity of CFDs on individual shares mirror the price and liquidity of the share on the market in which the share is admitted for trading, whereas, for instance, index CFDs are over-the counter (OTC) products with a price fixed by Saxo Capital Markets on the basis of the price and liquidity of the underlying shares, the futures market, estimated future dividends, the effects of interest rates, etc.
Please note that as CFDs are margin traded, it allows you to take a larger position than you would otherwise be able to based on your funds with Saxo Capital Markets. As such, a relatively small negative or positive movement in the underlying instrument can have a significant effect on your investment. CFD trading therefore involves a relatively high level of risk. This makes the potential gain quite high, even if the deposit is relatively small. If your total exposure on margin trades exceeds your deposit, you risk losing more than your deposit. Please also note that for margin trades, Saxo Capital Markets has the right to amend the margin requirements at any time and you will be required to either top up funds or reduce positions (which may be at a loss) in such an instance, to avoid being forced closed out automatically by the trading platform.