Has anyone here tried IG Index? I have a few mates using it for both long and short term bets?

It's basically spread betting, betting in real time against increases and decreases in share prices and you can also cap your losses. Looks quite a good alternative for those who are looking for the shorter term gambles on the stock market, although one of my mates is using it long term and has quite a few thousand invested. Maybe it deserves it's own thread, I don't want to hijack this one.

hmmm I really wouldn't bother.... similar operations used to exist in the USA over a century ago, they were called 'bucket shops' as the trades were essentially lobbed in a bucket and never actually made it to the exchange. Punters traded in small amounts on margin and typically lots money/blew up their accounts.

Spread betting isn't too different - the average trade made by the average punter is too small to be hedged directly on the underlying futures rather the SB firm will take trades in either direction and just hedge the combined net position resulting from this. They will also shift their quote around the underlying and widen their spread/delay quotes during economic announcements, central banker speeches etc...

Putting aside the reality that you're unlikely to be able to consistently predict short term market movements, SB firms certainly wouldn't be the ideal venue to use even if we were to imagine that you could - their interests are generally not in line with the clients despite what their marketing material might say.

Quote from: matt5cott on June 25, 2012, 17:48:17 PM
I'm waiting on a USOP announcement

http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:PLU:USOP&display=discussion&it=plus On USOP, worth a read, do your own research, it could be astronomical*

http://usoil.us

*Personal opinion, I'm not a financial adviser.

up & up we go

Quote from: Eggtastico on July 03, 2012, 16:05:22 PM
up & up we go

Round 2.

Wish I'd been able to put more in now!

Monster, 21% rise today.

They're now just a little bit more than when I bought them heh. Need them to hit bout .70 to be worth my initial investment after buying Expansys, selling, and buying these etc.

Quote from: zpyder on July 04, 2012, 20:30:09 PM
They're now just a little bit more than when I bought them heh. Need them to hit bout .70 to be worth my initial investment after buying Expansys, selling, and buying these etc.

count yourself lucky.... i first bought in when they was 12p!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I need a 12p rise just to break even

but they was always was long term rather than short term. I know people who bought in at 50p

its not as bad as it sounds, potentially they could become the market leader - the way soundblaster made sound card chips.

Right, I think I've read enough, who are you all using to trade and what are the trade (entry/exit) costs?

I'm using http://svssecurities.com/ although I have no idea how good they are or what you would grade them on, I picked them because they are offering £1 trades (+ 0.5% commision) in the first 30 days of opening your account. Most other places charge around £10 a trade. No exit costs as far as I'm aware.

I use Halifax for AIM listings (Cyan / VAL) & Jarvis for GXG (USOP)

Both charge £10 odd per trade.

Halifax here too. Think it's £12.50 or something a trade (buy or sell) so factor in a £25 loss in any stock

Quote from: matt5cott on July 05, 2012, 14:07:58 PM
(USOP)

up & atom
huge spike this morning. Things are going up