Financial Spread Betting

Financial Spread Bets have the advantage that profits are currently not subject to the Irish and UK Capital Gains Tax regime, although this means that losses cannot be offset.

As Financial Spread Bets do not confer ownership rights, bets on shares are currently not subject to Irish or UK stamp duty. Financial Spread Bets therefore save the current 1% (Ireland) and 0.5% (UK) charge levied on share purchases. Tax laws may change and are subject to individual circumstances.

Financial Spread Bets are a leveraged product, which means that the initial deposit to place a bet is a fraction of the value of the total position. This leverage gives investors the potential to make greater profits (or losses) from the same initial investment. The initial deposit or margin required to open a Financial Spread Bet is in effect a down-payment on any potential loss which the customer may incur. Of course, losses may exceed this amount and the customer would also be liable for any additional losses. On closure of a bet, the deposit is returned, leaving the crystalised profit or loss.

Access to a wide range of financial instruments from a single account. Instant execution in standard size or below as we make firm prices. (Larger orders may be delayed as we may hedge the position in the underlying instrument).

No ownership of the instrument, just access to the price performance and as a result there is currently no liability to Irish or UK stamp duty. Tax laws may change and are subject to individual circumstances.

All bets are in Euro which means you avoid any foreign exchange exposure. Online and telephone dealing so that you can deal how and when you want to.

You can use Financial Spread Betting to reduce the risk of unexpected market movements on the value of your equity portfolio. For example, you may have a long term share portfolio that you know you want to keep hold of, but you are worried that it may lose value in the short term because you think the markets are heading down. You can take out a Financial Spread Bet that will help mitigate any short term loss, but at the same time might assist you to make a long term gain.

Financial Spread Betting can be a cost effective way of increasing your profit potential. Please see the example below which compares the cost of an equity trade and a spread bet.