Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when spread betting and/or trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

ShareBaskets

EXCLUSIVE TO CMC

Ride the next big trend with share baskets, our exclusive CFD portfolios built to track a theme. Trade the growth potential from emerging industries, such as autonomous driving and cyber security.

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FCA regulated
FSCS logo
Segregated funds
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LSE listed
Pick your share basket:
1Y

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.

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Introducing share baskets

EXCLUSIVE TO CMC

Our exclusive share baskets are mini CFD portfolios of stocks built around a specific theme. Our traders and market analysts sift through data on popular themes and growing trends in the markets, and handpick stocks to give you maximum exposure to those themes with a single position.

We've found the trends

Our analysts have already done the hard work to discover current and emerging trends driving the economy, and the companies best placed to reap the potential rewards.

Lower risk

Through diversification, share baskets give you broad exposure to a theme, avoiding the risk of putting all of your eggs in one basket when trading on a single company.

One position

Share baskets allow you to gain exposure to a theme without opening and maintaining multiple positions, saving you time and money.

Leveraged trading

We offer up to 5:1 leverage on our share baskets. This means for every £1 you'll have £5 of exposure.

Low costs

Trade commission-free with exposure to some of the highest-performance companies in the world, and benefit from reduced holding costs.

Holding costs (Yearly)
Share baskets (Buy) = 1.9%
UK100 (Buy) = 3.23%

Performance

Our share baskets are optimised for their growth potential - our in-house trading team have selected shares based on their level of exposure to a particular theme, and their ability to best capitalise on the growth projections of that trend.

Share baskets: at a glance

The mega tech companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Google continue to drive innovation and adoption worldwide. Global demand has driven huge growth in their bottom line and share prices. As the world becomes more interconnected, there seems to be no stopping the expansion prospects of these companies.

1 year performance:

4

The number of companies in Big Tech which hit trillion dollar market caps

$3bn

Microsoft revenue in Q3 FY20, an increase of 15% from Q2

$69.7bn

Revenue from advertising for Facebook in 2019

It's almost 12 years since some of the most established - and trusted - banks helped send the global economy into a financial crisis. Now, technical innovators such as Monzo and Revolut are helping disrupt a sector overdue change. The incumbents are adapting quickly and after a turbulent start to 2020, it's all to play for.

1 year performance:

75

Out of 100 of the world's largest banks had share price rises last year

30m

The number of Lloyds Banking Group customers

£6.2bn

Barclays' pre-tax profit in 2019, a 9% increase on 2018

Up until recently, Netflix had the ruled streaming media. However, at the end of 2019 things started to heat up as both Apple and Disney launched their own streaming service. Early signs show that rather than being winner takes all, there appears to be room for multiple providers in this growing market where content is king.

1 year performance:

112m

Amazon prime subscribers, up from 95m in June 2018

$20.2bn

Netflix revenue in 2019, up 26% year-on-year

50m

Disney+ subscribers, after launching in November 2019

Software as a service is being touted as the new FAANG, the new growth engine underpinning the markets. These technology companies, such as Adobe and Docusign, offer services to customers over the cloud, enabling them to scale their services quickly with demand.

1 year performance:

$4.85bn

Salesforce revenue Q4 FY20, up 35% year-on-year

$16bn

Value of Zoom video conferencing software on its IPO

84.9%

Docusign share price growth in 2019

Environmental awareness has gone mainstream, which is helping to transform the way the world stores, distributes and generates power. Major energy and utility companies are now increasingly going green, driving up the demand for wind farms, solar parks, hydropower plants and renewable tech.

1 year performance:

50%

Projected share of global energy production to come from wind and solar by 2050

$2bn

Amount Shell has spent on renewable energy investment per year since 2016

$11.5tn

The projected investment in renewable energy by 2050

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.

How we build our share baskets

Trend identification

Firstly, our analysts use their expertise and hours of market research to spot existing and emerging trends that are driving the economy, such as AI or driverless cars.

Impact analysis

Then, they examine the data to determine the companies they believe are best positioned to benefit from these trends, varying their weighting in the index based on their exposure.

Basket formation

Finally, we group the top companies into baskets, which operate in a similar way to an index such as the UK 100, giving you a broad exposure to a theme.

Explore our share baskets themes

Type1 Day1 Week1 Month1 Year 
UK 100---- 
Automation & Robotics----
The big tech companies are currently battling it out to incorporate the latest advances in AI into their businesses - especially considering that inserting the buzzword into corporate messaging is a sure-fire way to demonstrate a firm's future-proofing efforts. Take the various voice-powered digital assistants, such as Google's Assistant, Amazon's Alexa, Apple's Siri and Microsoft's Cortana. There's even 'Jibo', the home robot that's received $72m in funding.
China Tech----
While US firms dominate the tech market, China is catching up quickly. In 2019, despite the mounting cloud of trade conflict and economic downturn, Chinese technology stocks still finished the year with astonishing gains. Among them, JD.com (+ 71.7%), Alibaba (+51.9) and NetEase (+ 31.5%), were among the top performers, far outperforming the global index. Tencent (+ 18.2%) also recorded double-digit gains.
Driverless Cars----
It may still be a while before we see autonomous vehicles in series production. But if, when fully developed, the driverless car industry can help save the 1.25million lives lost each year in road accidents it would then be in line with cancer drugs, space travel or other innovations that have the potential to transform our society and the way we live together.
Social Media---- 
Streaming----
Up until recently, Netflix had the ruled streaming media. However, at the end of 2019 things started to heat up as both Apple and Disney launched their own streaming service. Early signs show that rather than a winner takes all, there appears to be room for multiple providers in this growing market where content is king.
Big Tech----
The mega tech companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Google continue to drive innovation and adoption worldwide. Global demand has driven huge growth in their bottom line and share prices. As the world becomes more interconnected, there seems to be no stopping the expansion prospects of these companies.
Cannabis---- 
UK Banks----
It's almost 12 years since some of the most established - and trusted - banks helped send the global economy into a financial crisis. Now, technical innovators such as Monzo and Revolut are helping disrupt a sector overdue change. The incumbants are adapting quickly and after a turbulent start to 2020, it's all to play for.
5G---- 
Gaming---- 
Mobile Payments---- 
Renewable Energy----
Environmental awareness has gone mainstream, which is helping to transform the way the world stores, distributes and generates power. Major energy and utility companies are now increasingly going green, driving up the demand for wind farms, solar parks, hydropower plants and renewable tech.
European Banks---- 
US Banks----
In 2019, shares in the five biggest US banks (JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs and Bank of America) increased by an average of around 40%, while the S&P 500 was up by nearly 30%. US banks' return on capital stood at 18% in 2019, supported by a strong return on assets of 1.5%, according to Deloitte's 2020 banking outlook.
Cyber Security---- 
Software as a Service----
Software as a service is being touted as the new FAANG, the new growth engine underpinning the markets. These technology companies, such as Adobe and Docusign, offer services to customers over the cloud, enabling them to scale their services quickly with demand.
EU Automobiles---- 
Luxury Lifestyle---- 
Oil & Gas---- 
US Gold---- 
Collaborative Technology---- 
Remote Lifestyle---- 

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.

See our competitive costs

We've worked with our pricing team to develop highly competitive pricing that is more favourable for longer holding periods.

InstrumentSpread
Annual

Overnight

Annual

Overnight
Margin rateCommission
Big Tech-----20%£0
Streaming-----20%£0
Gaming-----20%£0
UK Banks-----20%£0
Automation & Robotics-----20%£0
InstrumentSpread
Annual

Overnight

Annual

Overnight
Margin rateCommission
Streaming-----20%£0
Remote Lifestyle-----20%£0
Driverless Cars-----20%£0
Social Media-----20%£0
Cannabis-----20%£0
InstrumentSpread
Annual

Overnight

Annual

Overnight
Margin rateCommission
Big Tech-----20%£0
China Tech-----20%£0
Collaborative Technology-----20%£0
5G-----20%£0
Renewable Energy-----20%£0

News

Jack Schwager podcast

Opto Sessions: Jack Schwager’s market misconceptions

PODCAST

Jack Schwager, renowned author of the Market Wizards book series, reveals a major misconception in investing.

More than just a platform

Award-winning platform

Best Platform Features 2013-2019 and Best Mobile/Tablet App 2019.

Minimal slippage

With fully automated, lightning-fast execution in 0.0075 seconds*.

UK-based client services

Award-winning service**, online 24/5, whenever you're trading.

No partial fills

Get the full trade you want at the price you see. We don't partially fill trade.

99.8% fill rate^

With no dealer intervention, regardless of your trading size.

Professional research

Free access to quantitative equity analysis from Morningstar.

FAQs

New to trading?

Is it free to open an account?

There's no cost when opening a live spread betting or CFD trading account. You can also view prices and use tools such as charts, Reuters news or Morningstar quantitative equity reports, free of charge. However, you will need to deposit funds in your account to place a trade.

What are the costs of spread betting and CFD trading?

There are a number of costs to consider when spread betting and CFD trading, including spread costs, holding costs (for trades held overnight, which is essentially a fee for the funds you borrow to cover the leveraged portion of the trade), rollover costs for expired forward trades, and guaranteed stop-loss order charges (if you use this risk-management tool).
Find out more about our costs

Is CMC Markets regulated by the FCA?

Yes, CMC Markets UK plc (registration number 173730) and CMC Spreadbet plc (registration number 170627) are fully authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK. Retail client money is held in segregated client bank accounts and money held on behalf of clients is distributed across a range of major banks, which are regularly assessed against our risk criteria.

Is CMC Markets covered by the FSCS?

Yes, your eligible deposits with CMC Markets are protected up to a total of £85,000 by the Financial Services Compensations Scheme (FSCS), the UK's deposit guarantee scheme. If CMC Markets ever went into liquidation, retail clients would have their share of segregated money returned, minus the administrator's costs in handling and distributing these funds. Any shortfall of funds up to £85,000 may be compensated under the FSCS.

How does CMC Markets protect my money?

As a CMC client, your money is held separately from CMC Markets' own funds, so that under property, trust and insolvency law, your money is protected. Therefore your money is unavailable to general creditors of the firm, if the firm fails.

How does CMC Markets make money?

Our income primarily comes from our spreads, while other fees, such as overnight holding costs, make a minor contribution to our overall revenue.

We never aim to profit from our clients' losses. Our aim is to build long-term relationships by providing the best possible trading experience through our technology and customer service.

New to share basket trading?

What are the costs involved in share basket trading?

There are a number of costs to consider when trading on share baskets, including spread costs, holding costs (for trades held overnight) and guaranteed stop-loss order charges (if you use this risk-management tool).
Find out more about our costs

How does spread betting/trading CFDs on share baskets work?

When you spread bet or trade CFDs on share baskets through our platform, you don't buy or sell the underlying shares. Instead, you're taking a position on whether you think the instrument's price will go up or down.

With spread betting, you buy or sell an amount per point movement for the instrument you're trading, such as £5 per point. This is known as your stake. With CFD trading, you buy or sell a number of units for a particular instrument. For every point or unit that the price moves in your favour, you gain multiples of your stake, and vice versa.

What is the tiered weight methodology for share baskets?

You can find all the information about how our share baskets are created in our share baskets methodology.
View our share baskets methodology

Do share baskets attract dividends?

Dividends are cash payments made to shareholders out of a corporation's profits. Typically, corporations will make regular periodic dividend payments throughout the financial year (quarterly, semi-annually or annually) and will therefore be classed as ordinary cash dividends.

When a stock goes ex-dividend, the value of that stock effectively falls by the dividend amount. This means if you hold a spread bet or CFD position on a company which announces a dividend, your account will be credited or debited on the day the stock goes ex-dividend.

If you were long (holding a buy position), you would have been disadvantaged by the drop in the market caused by the pay out of the dividend, so we would credit your account with the dividend amount, less any applicable dividend withholding taxes. If you were short, you would benefit from the drop in the price, so the equivalent amount would be deducted. So, overall, you don't lose or gain anything from the adjustment. There are no withholding taxes on short positions. The dividend will appear as a 'price adjustment' in your account history within the platform.

For share baskets, any ordinary cash dividend events will be treated as a price adjustment within the share basket. On ex-date the share price of the share basket component will decrease by the approximate value of the gross ordinary cash dividend. This will in turn result in an equivalent adjustment to the overall share basket price based on the weighted average of the share basket component. A cash adjustment will then be made to the holder of the share basket for the net ordinary cash dividend value.

Special cash dividends are dividends that are paid outside of the regular periodic dividend payments of a corporation. These are typically one-off payments that are derived from excess funds within a corporation, such as profit or the sale of assets. Any special cash dividend events will be treated as a price adjustment within the share basket. On ex-date, the share price of the share basket component will decrease by the approximate value of the gross special cash dividend value. This will in turn result in an equivalent adjustment to the share basket price based on the weighted average of the share basket component. A cash adjustment will then be made to the holder of the share basket for the net special cash dividend value.

Dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs) and SCRIP dividend schemes (SCRIPs) are optional dividend events that allow shareholders to choose between receiving their ordinary cash dividends in the form of a cash dividend payment or alternatively re-investing the cash dividend back into shares in the corporation from which the dividend originated, with the shareholders then receiving new shares in place of the cash dividend payment. Any optional dividend event will be treated as an ordinary cash dividend event and will therefore result in a price adjustment within the share basket. On ex-date the share price of the share basket component will decrease by the approximate value of the gross dividend value. This will in turn result in an equivalent adjustment to the share basket price based on the weighted average of the share basket component. A cash adjustment will then be made to the holder of the share basket for the net dividend value.
View our share baskets methodology

What are the risks of share basket trading?

You can lose all of your capital - leveraged trading means that both profits and losses are based on the full value of the position

Risk of account close out - market volatility and rapid changes in price can cause the balance of your account to change quickly, and if you do not have sufficient funds in your account to cover these situations, there is a risk that your positions will be automatically closed by the platform

Market volatility and gapping - financial markets may fluctuate rapidly, which can result in market gapping. This may mean that stop-loss orders are executed at unfavourable prices.

Sector Risk - It is possible that the shares of many companies in one sector will fall in price at the same time because of an event that impacts the entire industry.