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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.

Hedge definition

A hedge is an investment or trade designed to reduce your existing exposure to risk. The process of reducing risk via investments is called 'hedging'.

Most hedges take the form of a position that offsets one or more positions you have open, like a futures contract offering to sell stock that you have bought. Hedging can come in many forms, however, like buying an asset that tends to move inversely with the asset you are holding.

A hedge that removes all risk from a position – except the cost of the hedge itself – is referred to as a perfect hedge, but most traders will only hedge against part of their position.

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