7 risk management strategies for CFD shares

Trading shares can be a lucrative endeavor, offering opportunities for potential financial growth and wealth accumulation.

However, trading is inherently volatile and unpredictable, which can expose you to significant risks. That’s why you need risk management strategies.

What are some good examples of risk management strategies?

To navigate this dynamic landscape and achieve long-term success, implementing effective risk management strategies is vital.

In this article, we'll explore key risk management techniques to use when trading CFDs on shares so you can protect your capital and make informed decisions.

1. Diversification: Pillar of risk mitigation

This is a risk management strategy that involves spreading your investments across a variety of assets, industries, and geographic regions.

A common cliché is that by not putting all your eggs in one basket, you reduce the impact of a single stock's poor performance on your overall portfolio.

Diversification allows you to balance risk and reward, ensuring that losses in one area can be offset by gains in another.

Consider diversifying your shares portfolio to include stocks from different sectors, countries, and market capitalizations.

In addition, you can explore other asset classes such as bonds, forex, commodities such as gold, silver, oil, gas, and even cocoa, indices, Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), crypto, and Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) to diversify your trading portfolio.

You can now access all assets quickly and simply on a single platform. Become a member of markets.com and enjoy the benefits of CFD trading.

2. Position sizing: Tailoring trade size to your risk tolerance

This risk management technique involves determining an appropriate amount for each trade based on your risk tolerance and the trade's potential reward.

Avoid risking a substantial portion of your capital on a single trade, as this could lead to significant losses if the trade goes against you.

As a rule of thumb, limit your exposure to a small percentage of your total trading capital per trade, typically between 1-3%.

This way, even if one trade results in a loss, it won't severely impact your overall portfolio. Position sizing helps maintain consistency in risk across your trades and ensures you have enough capital to participate in other opportunities.

3. Setting stop-loss orders: Protecting against adverse movements

An indispensable risk management tool for trading shares, a stop-loss order sets a specific price point at which a stock will be automatically sold to limit potential losses.

By placing a stop-loss order, you protect yourself from the emotional bias of holding onto a losing position in the hope that it will rebound.

When setting a stop-loss order, consider the stock's volatility, historical price movements, and your risk tolerance.

Using your stop-loss orders strategically can help protect your capital while giving your trades enough room to fluctuate within broader market trends.

4. Setting take-profit orders: Secure your earnings

While stop-loss orders protect against losses, take-profit orders secure your gains by automatically selling a stock when it reaches your desired profit target.

Setting a take-profit order ensures that you don't miss out on potential gains when a trade moves in your favor.

Take-profit orders are especially valuable for traders who may not be able to monitor their positions continuously.

By locking in profits, you can capitalize on successful trades and avoid the risk of the market reversing and eroding your earnings.

5. Risk-reward ratio assessment: Calculating potential returns

Assessing the risk-reward ratio is an essential part of risk management strategies. This ratio compares the potential reward of a trade to the risk undertaken.

Before entering a trade, calculate the risk-reward ratio to ensure that your potential return justifies the potential loss.

If you’re unsure where to begin, a favorable risk-reward ratio typically involves aiming for higher potential gains compared to potential losses.

For example, a risk-reward ratio of 1:3 means that for every dollar you risk, you expect a return of three dollars.

By adhering to positive risk-reward ratios, you increase the probability of long-term profitability, even if not all your trades result in gains.

6. Embrace hedging strategies: Reduce downside risk

Hedging is another risk management technique that you can use to safeguard your portfolio from adverse market movements.

Traders employ hedging strategies to offset potential losses in one asset with gains in another. Common hedging strategies include using options or futures contracts to protect against unfavorable price movements.

Hedging with ‘Put options’ provides a safety net against adverse price movements in your stock position.

A ‘Put’ or ‘Put option’ is a derivative that allows you to sell an instrument at a specified price by a specified date. Traders usually buy put options if they feel the value of an underlying stock may drop in the near future. 

Hence, purchasing put options ensures that you have some downside protection while still allowing you to participate in potential upside gains.

That said, hedging usually involves additional costs, so it's crucial to weigh the benefits and expenses before implementing a hedging strategy.

7. Avoid emotional trading: Staying disciplined

Emotional trading is a common pitfall that can lead to impulsive decisions and significant losses. Fear and greed are powerful emotions that may cloud your judgment and prompt you to deviate from your carefully devised strategies.

Maintaining emotional discipline requires a well-defined trading plan and the commitment to stick to it.

Avoid making trading decisions on impulse or reacting emotionally to short-term market movements.

If you can, keep a trading journal so you can reflect on your decisions, identify emotional patterns, and improve your trading skills.

Risk management strategies in a nutshell

In trading, managing risk is just as crucial as identifying opportunities for returns.

By implementing these risk management strategies, you can protect your capital, minimize potential losses, and enhance your chances of long-term success.

When you combine risk management techniques with a strong foundation of research and analysis, you’ll be able to navigate the ever-changing markets with confidence.

Keen to start trading CFDs on shares or other instruments? 

You can join markets.com today and enjoy the potential benefits. Creating an account is easy.

When considering "CFDs" for trading and price predictions, remember that trading CFDs involves a significant degree of risk and could result in capital loss. Past performance is not indicative of any future results. This information is provided for informative purposes only and should not be construed to be investment advice."