Sectors has a particular significance in relation to IG's platform. Here, we define sectors in general investing and explain what it means to you when trading with IG.
Sectors definition
Sectors are divisions within an economy or market, useful for analysing performance or comparing companies with similar outputs and characteristics.
Economies tend to be split into four sectors, consisting of:
- Agriculture and mining
- Manufacture
- Retail, entertainment and financial services
- Education
Sectors aren’t always country-wide; larger economic areas (like the European Union) or smaller ones (like a city) can also be split into sectors.
Many investors believe that it is risky to focus investment too heavily on a single sector. The strategy of investing in several different areas of an economy is called diversification.
Companies also get categorised by sectors, such as oil and gas, technology, utilities or healthcare. It is possible to invest in a sector with exchange traded funds (ETFs).
With IG
We offer sectors trading via CFD trading, offering you the opportunity to speculate on price movements in entire industries like banking, mining or technology. However, this comes with the risk that losses may exceed deposits.
You can also trade ETFs which offer exposure to different sectors using our share dealing service. We remind you that investing in ETFs involves risk to your capital and you may get back less than you originally invested.
Visit our ETF section
Find ETFs for a wide range of sectors using our ETF screener or learn more about the phrases associated with ETF trading by using our ETF glossary.
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