Articles of Interest

Australia has the highest per capita share ownership in the world so it’s not surprising that there are so many online traders. The recent explosion of the speculative resource sector has turned everyday people into professional investors, simply through trading shares online. Recently we have seen some phenomenal price moves never before seen in the micro cap resource sector of which many online CFD and share traders have taken advantage of.

Of course before you can get started online trading you must have the right tools for the job. Most online traders can get by with a one PC and monitor and an ADSL internet connection however the more serious online traders tend to use two monitors and have two internet connections to ensure that if one connection goes down they can still trade. Of Course having the right hardware does not mean much if you don’t have a broker account and a trading plan.

Most people new to online trading will choose a broker that they can do both the share and cfd trading thorough, there are relatively few of these so make sure that you do your homework and choose the one that can offer you a platform that suits your trading strategy.

Online trading is a lifestyle change and choosing a strategy that suits is important, generally there are three types of strategies short, medium and long term which each requiring a very different level of attention. Of course there is no point quitting you day job to start online trading CFDs and shares if it results in more work not less. Most people give online trading a go for a few months, starting with a relatively small capital outlay before they commit to trading full time.

To learn more about CFD trading you can download and read this free CFD Guide.

Nearly all of the CFD brokers in Australia offer CFDs over the shares making up the ASX top 300, the rationale behind this is straightforward, shares with a larger market capitalization are often far more liquid, however, many CFD brokers forget that we live in Australia, a country full of resources and of course also rich in resource stocks and simply don’t offer CFDs over the small and more speculative mining stocks.

Trading CFDs over speculative mining shares can be very rewarding if you select your stocks carefully. Before trading CFDs over speculative stocks you should perform some research on the company. Before selecting your stocks you should ensure that the company has great management and an excellent project. Needless to say if the copper price has gone up and you happen to be looking for exposure to stocks in this sector logically you wouldn’t select a CFD over a stock with gold assets, this is the reason selecting stocks within the relevant sector is also important. It is always imperative that you remember that trading CFDs over speculative stocks has its risks as these kinds of stocks can go up in price just as fast as they can come down.

So why a trade the CFD instead of buying the Shares outright?

The answer to this question is simple and can be summed up in a few words, unrealized profits and losses. Unlike stocks CFDs are marked to market every day meaning that the profits or losses are credited or deducted to and from your account every single trading day. The profits and losses from buying and selling stocks are dealt with very differently in that they're only realized once the stock is sold. Realizing profits and losses each day means that you are able to use your unrealized to profits to buy new positions without having to deposit further money into your trading account, needless to say the same goes for losses in that you'll have to deposit additional funds into your account if the trade moves against you.

It’s imperative that you note the majority of speculative stocks will have a higher margin prerequisite than shares in the ASX top 300, their margin requirement can easily be as high as 100% however the bulk are offered on a margin of 75%. One critical factor to think about here is whether or not your CFD provider will charge you financing on the full notional worth of the position, this could of course be a fairly large amount if the position was on a 100% margin, there are however some CFD providers that will only charge financing on the borrowed amount. It would be far more cost effective to pick a CFD company which will only charge you on the borrowed amount, if the CFD is on 100% margin this will likely deliver a large cost saving.

You can read more about trading CFDs on small cap mining stocks in this free CFD Guide.

Settling (Paying for) your trades?
Prior to placing an order through your online trading account you must ensure that you have enough money in your account to cover the total cost of the transaction as soon as your buy order is placed. On the settlement day (T+3) your broker will debit the cost of the trade from your trading account. Over the settlement period funds are locked and cannot be withdrawn from your trading account for any purpose.

When do you receive the proceeds from selling your shares?
Your trading account will be credited with the proceeds from the sale on the 3rd business day after the trade.

Are there any software or data fee charges?
Some online brokers will charge a platform fee, generally platform fees are payable monthly in arrears, with the charge being deducted from your online trading account at the same time.

What Identification do you need in order to open an account?
Generally online brokers require that each person named on the account opening forms are required to provide two forms of identification when opening an account, this is usually a copy of your drivers licence and passport.

Do you need to maintain a minimum balance?
You do not have to maintain a minimum account balance, nor make an initial deposit into your trading account.

How do you transfer money into your account?
Once your account has been opened, you will receive details of your account number and also instructions as to how you are able to deposit funds. The most common methods of depositing funds are Bpay, Online bank transfer or Cheque.

How do you withdraw money from your account?
You can withdraw money from your online trading account by directly faxing a withdrawal request to your online broker.

Will you receive account statements?
As the holder of an online trading account you will receive daily, monthly and quarterly statements showing movements into and out of your account. Your statements will also show any interest earned and credited to your trading account. You can view the balance of your account along with your open positions at any time online.

Will my account balance earn interest?
Most brokers will pay you interest on the balance in your trading account at the market rate. Interest is calculated daily and generally credited to your account monthly or quarterly.
 
How long will it take for my trading account to be opened?
Once your broker receives your account application and identification generally your account will be opened within 24 hours.
 
Will you be told when your account has been opened?
Yes, your broker will send you a welcome email outlining your online trading platform log in details.
 
What is CHESS?
CHESS (Clearing House Electronic Subregister System) is the computerised share registry and settlement system owned and operated by the ASX. CHESS manages all of the share ownership records of ASX listed companies.

What is a HIN?
A HIN (Holder Identification Number) is the number used by CHESS to identify individual clients when they become sponsored by a particular broker. Each person is issued with a HIN when their account is opened. All of the shares you purchase will be attached to your HIN, this makes it easier to manage your share holdings and transfer them to another broker if required.
 
Can you have multiple HINs with a number of different brokers?
Yes, although you would not be able to sell holdings through the broker where you have an account if they are held under a HIN with a different broker.
 
What correspondence will you receive?
Every time you trade, you will receive a trade confirmation on the platform and from us. Each month you will also receive holding statements from CHESS, detailing any change to your holding of an individual stock during the previous month.

How do you sell your shares?
Before you can sell your share portfolio, you will need to transfer or convert your stocks to CHESS. To transfer shares from another sponsoring broker, you will need to complete a form to change your sponsoring broker. Once the transfer is complete, you will be able to view your holdings through your trading platform. You will then be able to sell your shares through your broker online. Any additional share purchases will automatically be registered with CHESS and will be available for immediate sale though your broker.

How do you transfer your holdings from another broker?
When you open an online trading account, it is possible to transfer your HIN from your new broker. This means that all holdings under your existing HIN will be transferred to your new broker (this process usually takes up to 48 hours). If there are any outstanding orders or unsettled trades with your existing broker, your HIN cannot be transferred until all outstanding orders have been settled. You will need to complete the Sponsoring Broker transfer form to transfer your HIN. 

Can you transfer part of your holdings?
It is possible to transfer only some of your holdings by using the Sponsoring Broker transfer form and and listing the stocks and quantities you want transferred.

Can you sell Issuer Sponsored stock?
No, all stock must be converted to your chess holdings before you are able to sell it.

You can read more about share trading and how you can build a trading plan in our free Shares Guide.