At ShortsandLongs.com we offer a wide range of markets including indices, shares, commodities, currencies, bonds and interest rates. You can review the details of our markets and tight spreads here.
Back To TopNo. Prices for future maturity dates on shares incorporate the effects of dividends and interest rates, which means that they can lack transparency. Our prices are more directly comparable with underlying share prices.
Back To TopShortsandLongs.com is generally open for trading from 07:00am until 21:15pm, Monday to Friday. Although times may vary subject to Bank holidays and daylight saving arrangements in the UK, Europe and US.
Back To TopShortsandLongs.com operates as an online, web-based service and our preferred method of contact with our clients is by email, at info@shortsandlongs.com. In the unlikely event that you should need to contact us by telephone, please call our Customer Services Department on 01727 895 140. Calls will be charged at the standard rate from a BT landline. Calls from mobiles and other network providers may vary.
Back To TopThe arrows which appear to the right of the price on the trading ticket, indicate the direction of the price movement in that particular market from the time that the trade ticket was requested.
Back To TopThe blue (up) and red (down) arrows on a trading floor prices page represent the last move in the price of a market.
Back To TopThere is no initial margin to pay when you trade with ShortsandLongs.com. However, you will be required to fund the potential loss on your trade based upon the ‘risk’ level at which you place your free guaranteed stop.
Back To TopNothing at all, they are the same thing.
Back To TopThe ‘risk’ figure, as displayed on the ‘Account Summary’ and at the top of the ‘my positions’ page, is the maximum amount that you can lose on all of your open trades added together. As all open trades must have a ‘risk’ or ‘stop’ level attached to them, you cannot lose in excess of this total ‘risk’ figure. The ‘risk’ figure displayed against each trade (or position) on the ‘my positions’ page, is the maximum amount you can lose on that individual trade (or position).
Back To TopThe ‘minimum stop distance’ is the minimum price distance (from the current quote) at which you may enter a ‘risk’ or ‘stop’ level. The ‘minimum stop distance’ varies between markets and can vary at different times of the trading day. To view the minimum stop distance for a market, hover over the ‘i’ information icon against that market.
Back To TopThe minimum distance is subject to a multiplier shortly before markets are due to close. This increases the minimum distance, due to the implications of illiquidity and to reflect volatility while the market is closed. Times vary depending on the hours the market concerned trades/ is open.
Back To TopThe minimum and maximum stake size will differ depending on the market in which you are trading, and reflect the limits of the amount which you may stake at any one time. Full details are available on the market information sheets, or by hovering over the ‘i’ information icon against a market, and any restrictions will be indicated on the trading ticket.
Back To TopThis is the maximum total stake that we allow you to accumulate in a market at any one time. It will vary depending upon the market. Details are available by hovering over the ‘i’ information icon against a market.
Back To TopUntil the trading ticket is confirmed by clicking “buy now” or “sell now” the levels will change in accordance with price movements in the market.
Back To TopOnce you have logged in to your ShortsandLongs.com account you can view your current and historic trading and ledger activity, by selecting the relevant option from the drop-down menu in the ‘my account’ area.
Back To TopThe ‘unrealised profit and loss’ figure represents the total value of all of your open trades/ positions calculated on a bid/ offer basis, in other words, marked to the current sell price (if the trade is a buy trade) or buy price (if the trade is a sell trade). This may be viewed in detail on the ‘my positions’ page in the ‘trading floor’ area, or may be seen as a total figure on either the ‘account summary’ page in the ‘my account’ area or in the ‘trading toolbar’ at the top of your screen when logged in.
Back To TopWhen you first open a trade it is mandatory to place a ‘risk’ or ‘stop’ level at least a stated minimum distance away from the opening level, in order that you may control your potential loss should the market move in an adverse direction. In the event that the market moves in a favourable direction for your trade, you may opt to move your ‘risk’ or ‘stop’ to such a level that a profit is guaranteed. The ‘guaranteed profit’ figure represents the value of an open position calculated to the ‘risk’ or ‘stop’ level, where closing the trade at the stop level would result in a profit.
Back To TopA guaranteed profit may only be withdrawn once crystallised via the closure of the trade; the resultant cash balance plus total risk (which is always ≤ 0) is then available for withdrawal.
Back To TopThe ‘available to trade’ figure is the cash balance plus the risk (which is always ≤ 0) plus any guaranteed profit.
Back To TopIt is possible to move a ‘risk’ or ‘stop’ level, but if you find you are unable to do so on a particular trade, this will either be due to the market not being open or there being insufficient funds ‘available to trade’ on your account at the time.
Back To TopDaily share trades expire at the closing market price of the share plus or minus half the ShortandLongs.com spread.
Back To TopA daily roll fee will be applied to each position which is rolled overnight.
Back To TopAny trade on a daily market which is rolled-over to the following trading day is subject to a daily roll fee. This charge will vary depending on the market instrument of each trade and will be a fixed proportion of either your stake or the total value of your bet (stake multiplied by latest market price). This sum is debited from your account at the close of each trading day, and notified to you by way of an email. Full details of all roll charge calculations can be seen in the Market Information sheet on our website. There will also be an adjustment for any relevant dividend (see question 27 – ‘What happens when a share goes ex-dividend?’).
Back To TopNo. If you have a position in a futures trade which is nearing expiry and you wish for the position to continue after expiry, you will be required to close the trade and re-open in the next contract period.
Back To TopWe may accept instructions from you to automatically roll over daily bets to the close of the relevant market the following trading day, so that your bet does not automatically expire. These ‘rolling status’ instructions may be edited online up until 10 minutes prior to market expiry. Please remember, however, that a trade will only be rolled into the following day, should there be sufficient funds available on your account at the end of the trading day.
Back To TopIf you have a position in a share which is subject to a corporate action, we will amend the stake size, opening price, and any ‘risk’/ ‘stop’ or ‘profit’ level to reflect the impact of the corporate action. You will be informed by email of all/ any changes to the affected trade/ position.
Back To TopIf you have a position in a share and that share becomes ‘ex-dividend’; then if you are holding a ‘short’ (sell) position, your account will be debited with 90% of the gross dividend (or 100% of the net dividend) and if you are holding a ‘long’ (buy) position, your account will be credited with 90% of the gross dividend (or 100% of the net dividend). All ‘risk’/ ‘stop’ and ‘profit’ levels attached to the affected position will be amended to reflect the monetary value of the dividend credited or debited. This should not affect your ‘available to trade’ or your ‘available to withdraw’ figures. We will inform you of all/ any such changes related to dividend events by email.
Back To TopYes, you may partially close a position by placing the appropriate opposite trade directly from the ‘Trading Floor’, as you would do if you were opening a new position. It is possible to close out only the entire trade/ position from the ‘my positions’ screen, by selecting the close icon from adjacent to the trade/ position . The ‘risk’/ ‘stop’ and ‘profit’ level orders will always, when triggered (or activated), close the trade to which they are attached.
Back To TopNo. This is not currently possible at ShortsandLongs.com. Any sell trade will close an existing buy position, and vice versa.
Back To TopNo, not currently. We are actively considering offering this in the future, should we see demand for it.
Back To TopIn order for you to stipulate which position you would like to close, you must select ‘my positions’ from the trading floor menu then click the ‘c’ for close button to the right-hand side of the trade you want to close. This will close the trade at the price specified in the ‘price to close’ column resulting in a profit or loss as indicated in the ‘P&L’ column. However, please note that if you simply input/select the stock from the general Trading Floor menu, either by the search facility or via one of the links at the top left of the screen, and attempt to close out a position by buying or selling the appropriate stake, then your trades would automatically be closed in the order in which you opened them – ie the oldest trade would be closed out first. (‘First in, First out’ - F.I.F.O. ruling).
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