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 CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. 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 CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Shares trading definition

Shares trading is the buying and selling of company stock – or derivative products based on company stock – in the hope of making a profit.

Shares represent a portion of the ownership of a public company, and make up its worth or market cap. The trading of shares is one of the most popular and best-known markets in investing, alongside forex and commodities.

There are two main ways of making money from shares trading:

Price movement. When demand outstrips supply for a company’s shares, their price will increase. Shares traders try to take advantage of these price movements.
Dividends. As they in effect part own the company they have shares in, shareholders are entitled to a part of any profits the company decides to release back to investors in the form of a dividend.

Most shares trading takes place on stock exchanges, where public companies are listed. Only registered participants are allowed to trade directly with stock exchanges, so the majority of traders will do so via a stockbroker. IG’s execution-only share dealing service enables you to buy and sell shares using our platform.

As well as trading on exchanges, it is possible to use derivative products like CFDs to participate in the shares market. These allow for more flexibility than traditional trades, with the opportunity to take long or short positions to trade in both bull and bear markets.

These products operate on leverage, to increase exposure on a position without the use of more capital. However, this means CFDs also carry greater risks: including the risk that your losses could exceed your deposits.

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IG is a trading name of IG Markets Ltd and IG Markets South Africa Limited. International accounts are offered by IG Markets Limited in the UK (FCA Number 195355), a juristic representative of IG Markets South Africa Limited (FSP No 41393). South African residents are required to obtain the necessary tax clearance certificates in order to utilise their foreign investment allowance should the South African resident wish to open an offshore account with IG Markets Limited.

IG provides execution only services and enters into principal to principal transactions with its clients on IG’s prices. Such trades are not on exchange. IG Markets South Africa Limited is an authorised financial services provider (FSP No 41393). Whilst IG Markets South Africa Limited is a regulated FSP, CFDs issued by IG are not regulated by the FAIS Act as they are undertaken on a principal-to-principal basis.

IG Markets South Africa Limited is an authorised over-the-counter derivative provider and is regulated by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority.

The information on this site is not directed at residents of the United States or Belgium or any particular country outside South Africa and is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person in any country or jurisdiction where such distribution or use would be contrary to local law or regulation.

Voted SA’s top CFD provider in Business Day Investors Monthly Annual Stockbroker Awards in 2012, best platform for Active Day Traders in 2013 and 2014, SA's best Online Broker in 2015 and 2017 and SA's best CFD provider in 2020 as well as SA's Top CFD Broker in 2021.

Shares trading definition

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