To open a position press the ‘Buy’ button next to the instrument in the main lobby screen.
A popup box will appear containing the following (fields will vary dependent on which instrument you have chosen to buy):
* Amount for Forex Purchase: Enter the number of basic units/lots that you wish to purchase.
* Number of Shares for Stocks: Enter the amount of shares that you wish to purchase. You need only to have a small percentage of the original value you are bidding for.
* Number of Contracts for Indices: Enter the amount of contracts that you wish to purchase. Each index point is worth a certain amount - usually 1USD or 1EUR depending which market the index is traded on.
* Close at Profit Rate (Stop Limit): Enter the 'Close at Profit' amount that you wish to sell the instrument. This is generally the maximum amount of profit you hope to make on a deal.
* Close at Loss Rate (Stop Loss): Enter the 'Close at Loss' amount that you wish to sell the instrument. This is generally the maximum amount of loss you could sustain on a deal.
Click on 'Advanced' and two further options will appear:
* Trailing Stop: Set the stop loss rate to the number of pips below the maximum price the instrument reaches. A trailing stop is a moving activation price which can help to maximize and protect profit as the price rises and limit losses when it falls.
* Only Buy When Rate Is (Limit Order): Set your price to only buy the instrument if it goes above or below your set price.
To ‘go short’ simply press the ‘Sell’ button next to an instrument in the main lobby screen and complete the fields in the popup box as before.
Example of Opening a Position:
You signed up and deposited $1000 via credit card
* Balance: $1000 (Deposits - Withdraws + P&L of closed positions)
* P&L = $0 (total profit and loss of all open positions including daily premiums)
* Available Balance: $1000 (Balance + P&L of open positions - Initial Margins)
* Equity: $1000 (Balance + P&L of open positions)
8:07pm - you press ‘Buy’ Oil which is trading at $60 a barrel:
Your criteria are:
* No of Barrels: 100
* Close at Profit Rate: $64
* Close at Loss Rate: $55
* The total amount you bought is: 100*$60.00 = $6000
* The Initial Margin that is needed for Oil is 10%: $600
* The Maintenance Margin that is needed to maintain the Oil position is 5%: $300
* Balance: $1000
* P&L = 0. (Usually the spread of oil is 5 cents so you would have a P&L of -$5)
* 'Available Balance' after you bought oil is: $400 ($1000 - 10%*$6000 = $400)
* 'Equity': $1000 ($1000 + $0)
9:05pm - Oil jumps to $64.
* Balance: $1000
* P&L: +$400 (100*$64-100*$60)
* Available Balance: $800 ($1000 - 10%*$6000 + $400 = $800)
* Equity: $1400 ($1000 + $400)
9:15pm - Oil jumps to $66 - before your take-profit executes.
* Balance: $1000
* P&L: +$600 (100*$66-100*$60)
* Available Balance: $1000 ($1000 - 10%*$6000 + $600 = $1000)
* Equity: $1600 ($1000 + $600)
9:15pm - your 'Take Profit' order executes and the position is closed. You made $600 on the deal.
* Balance: $1600
* P&L: 0 (no open positions)
* Available Balance: $1600
* Equity: $1600
Source : Plus500.com
