OpenMarkets is an online magazine and blog focused on global markets and economic trends. Combining feature articles, breaking news, and video with contributions from leaders in business, finance, and economics, our interactive forums are designed to spark conversation on the issues and ideas shaping our industry.
All examples are hypothetical interpretations of situations and are used for illustrative purposes only. Views expressed in OpenMarkets articles reflect solely the views of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of CME Group or its affiliated institutions. OpenMarkets and the information contained herein should not be considered investment advice or the result of actual market experience. Neither futures nor swaps trading is suitable for all investors and each involves the risk of loss. Swap trading should only be undertaken by investors who are Eligible Contract Participants (ECPs) within the meaning of Article 1a(18) of the Commodity Exchange Act. Since both futures and swaps are leveraged investments and only a percentage of the contract value is required for trading, it is possible to incur losses in excess of the amount deposited in a futures or swap position. Therefore, traders should only use funds that they can afford to lose without affecting their lifestyle and should only spend a portion of their funds on one transaction since traders cannot expect to make a profit on every transaction. BrokerTec Americas LLC (“BAL”) is a broker-dealer registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (www.FINRA.org) and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (www.SIPC.org). BAL does not provide services to private or retail clients. In the UK, BrokerTec Europe Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. In the Netherlands, CME Amsterdam BV is regulated by the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) (www.AFM.nl). CME Investment Firm BV is also incorporated in the Netherlands and regulated by the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) and the Dutch Central Bank (DNB).