Skip to content

Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Bond trading definition

Bond trading is one way of making profit from fluctuations in the value of corporate or government bonds. Many view it as an essential part of a diversified trading portfolio, alongside stocks and cash.

A bond is a financial instrument that works by allowing individuals to loan cash to institutions such as governments or companies. The institution will pay a defined interest rate on the investment for the duration of the bond, and then give the original sum back at the end of the loan’s term.

How does bond trading work?

While a bond’s end return is fixed, the market conditions surrounding its sale can cause fluctuations in its price to buy. High interest rates, for example, tend to make bonds less attractive to investors by providing other means of attaining high returns with low risk. For this reason, interest rates and bond prices tend to have an inverse relationship.

As well as buying bonds during favourable periods, traders can use financial derivatives to speculate on a bond’s market price. Spread betting is a popular form of bond trading for people that only wish to trade the volatility in a bond’s price, without purchasing the underlying asset: but it also comes with significant risks and losses can exceed deposits.

Visit our bonds trading section

Find out more about spread betting bonds here.

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - Y

See all glossary trading terms

Help and support

Get answers about your account or our services.

Get answers

Interested in opening an account with us? Call 0800 195 3100 or send an email to newaccountenquiries.uk@ig.com.

We’re available from 8am to 6pm (UK time), Monday to Friday

Want to check on your application’s progress? Email us at newaccounts.uk@ig.com.