Trading vulnerability can arise where your personal circumstances or trading behaviour make it harder to understand, manage or control your trading, or place your financial, physical or mental wellbeing at risk. It may be temporary or ongoing and can affect anyone.
Signs that you may need support
You may benefit from additional support if you are:
Having difficulty understanding information about leverage, margin, costs or potential losses
Experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide in connection with trading-related distress or losses
Losing more than you can afford to lose
Relying on borrowed money to fund trades, particularly when this affects your ability to meet essential or everyday living expenses
Trying to recover losses by increasing trade sizes, using more leverage or taking on additional risk
Misusing medication or alcohol to cope with trading-related stress
Going through a serious illness, bereavement, relationship breakdown, family violence or job loss
Allowing trading to interfere with sleep, work, family responsibilities or relationships
Finding it difficult to reduce or stop trading or compulsively monitoring you positions
Needing additional support to access or manage your account because of a disability, language barrier, limited digital skills or financial literacy
If you or someone else is in need of immediate help, call 000. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. You can also contact your GP, who can provide professional guidance and help connect you with appropriate support services.
How CMC may identify potential vulnerability
We cannot identify every change in your circumstances or every instances of potential vulnerability. However, we use certain information and monitoring indicators to identify patterns that may warrant further review. Some examples include:
Significant or repeated trading losses
Sudden or significant changes in trading behaviour
Difficulty meeting margin requirements
Trading activity inconsistent with the information you have provided to us
Communications indicating financial distress, compulsive trading or other vulnerability
How CMC can support you
If any of these signs feel familiar, or you are concerned about how your circumstances are affecting your trading, please contact our Trade Service Team on 1300 303 888.
Depending on your circumstances, we may be able to:
Explain leverage, margin, costs and potential losses more clearly
Discussing options to pause, restrict or suspend your live trading, either temporarily or permanently
Sharing educational resources to help you understand trading and the risks involved
Providing access to a demo account, where appropriate, so you can practise without placing live trades
Provide details of independent support services
Arranging for you to speak with an agent who speaks your preferred language, where available
Independent support
If you need support outside CMC, free and confidential services are available in Australia:
Mental health and crisis support - Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636; Lifeline 13 11 14
Family and domestic violence - 1800 RESPECT 1800 737 732
Financial difficulty and debt - National Debt Helpline 1800 007 007
Compulsive gambling-related behaviours - Gambling Help Online 1800 858 858
General health advice - Healthdirect 1800 022 222