Clamp Down on CFDs – ShareSoc’s Comments

This blog gives you the latest topical news plus some informal comments on them from ShareSoc’s directors and other contributors. These are the personal comments of the authors and not necessarily the considered views of ShareSoc. The writers may hold shares in the companies mentioned. You can add your own comments on the blog posts, but note that ShareSoc reserves the right to remove or edit comments where they are inappropriate or defamatory.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is proposing to clamp down on CFDs (contracts for difference) and similar financial products such as binary bets. CFDs are complex financial products that have historically been used by sophisticated traders. But they have been growing rapidly in usage by small retail “investors” and the FCA reports that 82% of them lose money based on a review of such accounts.

ShareSoc has now published it’s formal response to the FCA’s consultation on their proposals to tackle this problem. You can read it here: https://www.sharesoc.org/CFDs-Conduct-of-Business-Rules-Response-2017-03-03.pdf

In summary we support the FCA’s proposals with only minor reservations.

Roger Lawson

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