Australia’s top online resources for CFD trading

CFD trading, which stands for the trading of Contracts for Difference, is a popular way to invest in the financial markets. In short, it is a way for traders to speculate on price movements in the markets without having to purchase the underlying asset directly. CFDs are leveraged products, so that traders can make the most out of their capital with each trade, and they can trade both bullish and bearish markets.

You can find more of an explanation here on how CFDs work and the kind of CFDs that are available for purchase in Australia.

If you are looking to learn more about CFD trading, there are many online resources can help you learn about it. You can also rely on some of these resources tofind the best brokers for your needsand that can provide the assets you want to trade.

Investopedia

Investopedia is a great general resource for learning about financial markets and investment strategies. They have a comprehensive CFD trading section, including articles, tutorials, videos, and more. It is a very trustworthy educational website that is utilised by many traders, and it also offers comprehensive information on broker reviews and comparisons, making it especially helpful for newcomers of CFD trading.

ASIC Investor Alerts

ASIC stands for Australian Securities & Investments Commission, and it is Australia’s financial regulator, offering investor alerts on its website. The ASIC website can help you stay informed about potential risks in the CFD market and avoid scams, and it can also keep you up to date with any developments in the laws and regulations of CFDs in Australia.

The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)

The ASX is the primary stock exchange in Australia, offering a range of resources for investors. It includes educational materials on CFD trading, data, and tools to help you make informed investment decisions. It also offers real time price charts for certain instruments, which you can check when you want to open a new trade or try out trading a new asset.

CMC Markets

CMC Markets is a leading CFD broker in Australia. They offer a comprehensive trading platform with sophisticated tools and resources and reliable support from their team of experts.

IG Markets

IG Markets is another popular CFD broker in Australia. They offer a user-friendly platform with many features and helpful customer support, and they operate internationally.

Plus500

Plus500 is a global CFD broker that offers a user-friendly platform and competitive spreads. They have a support team to help you with any questions.

BDSwiss

BDSwiss is a CFD broker that offers trading on a wide range of asset classes, including stocks, forex, indices, and commodities. They also provide dedicated customer support and a range of educational resources.

eToro

eToro is a social trading platform that allows you to copy the trades of other successful investors. They offer a variety of features to help you make informed investment decisions, as well as dedicated customer support.

AvaTrade

AvaTrade is a global CFD broker that offers to trade on a wide range of asset classes. They provide dedicated customer support and various educational resources to help you learn about CFD trading.

Pepperstone

Pepperstone is an Australian CFD broker that offers competitive spreads and a user-friendly platform. They also have a customer support team to help you with any questions.

Why should you trade with CFDs?

There are many reasons CFD trading has gotten as popular as it is these days. Below, we outline some common benefits that can be enjoyed by traders when they participate in buying CFDs.

You can trade a broad range of markets

When you trade with CFDs, you can choose from a wide range of markets in which to invest. It includes popular markets such as forex, shares, indices, and commodities.

You can trade with leverage

CFD trading allows you to trade with leverage, which means you can control a more significant position than you would if you were trading with your capital. It can help you magnify your profit potential, but it also comes with increased risk.

You can short sell

CFDs allow you to short sell, which means you can profit from falling and rising prices. This flexibility can help you take advantage of market conditions and make more informed investment decisions.

CFD trading is convenient and accessible

CFD trading is convenient and accessible, as you can trade online from anywhere in the world. All you’ll need is the internet and a computer or mobile device, and a funded trading account.

You can get started with a small investment

When you trade with CFDs, you only need to put down a small deposit, known as a margin, to open a position. This means you can start trading with a smaller investment than if you bought the underlying asset outright, and it can be very appealing for traders who have limited capital.

Risks of trading CFDs

However, despite the many benefits of CFD trading, the product also comes with a considerable amount of risk. Traders should be advised to understand these risks before they attempt to trade with real money.

You can lose more than you invested at first

One of the biggest risks of trading CFDs is that you can lose more than your initial investment because of the leverage available in CFD trading.

Leverage can help you magnify your profits when prices move in your favour, but it can also amplify your losses when prices move against you.

CFDs are highly leveraged products, and they can be detrimental to new traders who bite off more than they can chew when they utilise this high leverage to place trades.

Prices may gap

When you trade CFDs, in some cases, prices may ‘gap’ when the market you trade reopens after the weekend or holiday. This is when market prices continue to fluctuate even when the market is closed, which means that the price on your platform may not be the same as the price at which your trade is executed.

Prices normally gapif a sudden news event causes them to move quickly. If this happens, you may lose more money than you anticipated.

The last word

Understanding the mechanics, benefits, and risks involved in CFD trading is vital before you start trading. Traders can use demo accounts to test different strategies and get a feel for how CFD trading works before putting any real money at risk, and they can also use demo accounts to test