Baskets of stocks that measure the aggregate performance of a market segment, traded as CFDs or futures through forex and multi-asset brokers.
A stock index aggregates the prices of a defined group of shares to represent a segment of the market. Major global indices include the S&P 500 (500 large US companies), Dow Jones Industrial Average (30 blue-chip US stocks), FTSE 100 (100 largest London-listed companies), DAX 40 (40 major German companies), and Nikkei 225 (225 Japanese blue-chips). They serve as benchmarks for fund managers and as trading instruments in their own right.
Retail traders access indices through Contracts for Difference (CFDs) or spread bets, which allow trading on price movement without owning the underlying shares. A long CFD on the DAX profits if the DAX rises; a short profits if it falls. CFD margins on major indices are typically 5–10% (10:1 to 20:1 leverage), lower than the leverage available on forex pairs. Positions held overnight incur a daily financing charge based on the notional value of the position.
Indices are correlated with - but distinct from - their component stocks, currencies, and bond markets. USD-denominated indices such as the S&P 500 often move inversely to the US dollar; European indices tend to weaken when the euro strengthens (reducing the competitiveness of exporters). Traders who also run forex positions should account for these correlations to avoid unintended directional concentration in their overall portfolio.
Find a Broker