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.

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What are hard to borrow (HTB) fees and share availability?

A lot happens in a split second when you line up a short stock order. Our clearing firm has to locate the stock position before you're able to short it. When there is a lot of demand to short a stock, then locating shares can be challenging. As a result, our clearing firm may assess a hard-to-borrow (HTB) fee. Hard-to-Borrow Fees also apply to assigned short calls, resulting in short stock. That said, it is not uncommon for short calls to be assigned early due to high short interest.

How do I know if a stock is hard-to-borrow?

If an underlying is hard-to-borrow and potentially subject to an HTB fee, this will be indicated as a preflight message on the order confirmation ticket as illustrated below.


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