Advantages of Leverage Trading – Leverage Meaning in Stock Market Trading (2024)

Leverage is an important concept in the stock market, that every trader should be aware of. It is a powerful tool that can help multiply your investment potential and returns. But what is leverage and why do traders choose to use it? Here’s everything you need to know about the concept of leverage and its various advantages.

What is Leverage trading?

Leverage trading involves entering into large positions, long or short, by depositing only a small percentage of the total trade value as margin. To put it simply, leverage, coupled with zero brokerage, enables you to take up large trades even if you don’t possess the necessary capital required for the position. Traders who look to use small price movements on an asset to generate profits often use leverage trading since it allows them to take up large positions, potentially multiplying their returns.

How does Leverage trading work?

Leverage is often expressed as a multiple such as 5x or 10x. Some stockbrokers express it using ratios such as 5:1 or 10:1. The higher the ratio or multiple, the higher is the leverage. For instance, if your stockbroker offers you a 10x or a 10:1 leverage, what this essentially means is that for every 1 Rupee you deposit, your purchasing power increases by 10 times. So, if you wish to purchase a share of a company that’s trading at ₹100, all you need to do is deposit ₹10 instead of the entire trade value. This is how leverage in the stock market enables you to take up large positions by depositing only a fraction of the value as a margin.

The pros of Leverage trading

The advantages of leverage trading are plenty. Let’s take a quick look at a few of the most important ones.

  • Allows you to enter into large positions

    This is by far the most obvious advantage of leverage trading. By simply depositing a small percentage of the trade value of say 10% or 20%, you can enter into much larger positions. Using leverage, you can gain access to high-priced stocks which would otherwise be out of your purchasing power.
  • Enables you to get higher returns

    Since leverage trading allows you to purchase more shares, you get the chance to get higher returns on your investment. For instance, with a 5x leverage, you can purchase 5 times more shares. And if the market moves in your favour, you stand to gain 5 times more return on your investment.
  • Allows efficient use of capital

    Leverage allows you to use your capital in a more productive manner. For example, you can free up some funds by maintaining a small balance in your account without impacting your ability to trade. The freed-up funds can then be invested elsewhere in other low-risk investment options to diversify your portfolio. Alternatively, you can also take up multiple positions, long and short, in different stocks simultaneously to increase your profit potential and decrease risk.
  • Enables you to trade even during periods of low volatility

    With leverage, you don’t require high price fluctuations to generate profits. By entering into large positions, you can still generate meaningful returns even during bouts of low volatility.

Example of Leverage in stock trading

Here’s an example that can help you better understand the concept of leverage in the stock market.

Assume that you wish to enter into a long (buy) position in Reliance Industries Limited. You purchase 1,000 shares of the company at a current market price of ₹2,400. Now normally, to purchase 1,000 shares of Reliance Industries, you would have to pay ₹24,00,000 (₹2,400 x 1000 shares). However, since you’re planning to trade intraday, your stockbroker offers you the benefit of leverage trading.

Let’s assume that you get 75% funding in Reliance Industries Ltd. So, to take up an intraday position worth ₹24,00,000, you will have to deposit ₹6,00,000 as margin.

Assuming the market moves in your favour and the share price goes up to ₹2,500 in just 20 days, your total profit would be ₹100 per share (₹2,500 - ₹2,400), which translates to around ₹1,00,000 (₹100 x 1,000 shares). Even after accounting for 20-day interest of ₹9,360 (9.49% p.a. on funding of ₹ 18,00,000) you’d still generate a return on invested capital of 15% on a stock movement of 4.16%. All this is possible because of leverage.

So, if you’re planning to indulge in leverage trading, m.Stock is the right place. With our Margin Trading Facility (eMargin), you get up to 80% funding in 700+ stocks at one of the lowest interest rates, starting at 6.99%. This facility comes with zero subscription fees and zero brokerage charges when you open an m.Stock account. So, don’t let market opportunities pass you by, open demat account and invest big with MTF today!

Advantages of Leverage Trading – Leverage Meaning in Stock Market Trading (2024)

FAQs

Advantages of Leverage Trading – Leverage Meaning in Stock Market Trading? ›

Leverage trading involves entering into large positions, long or short, by depositing only a small percentage of the total trade value as margin. To put it simply, leverage, coupled with zero brokerage, enables you to take up large trades even if you don't possess the necessary capital required for the position.

What happens if you lose money with leverage? ›

In leverage trading, you're required to maintain a certain amount of equity (initial margin) in your account to cover potential losses. If the market moves against you and your account falls below the required margin, you will face what is referred to as margin call.

What are the advantages of leverage? ›

Advantages of leverage include access to additional funds. A corporate entity can purchase more assets with the help of leveraged funds. It will help the company to enhance the returns on its assets. The returns generated from the assets can be used to pay off the debt.

Is trading with leverage risk free? ›

The higher the leverage or lower the margin in online trading, the greater the maximum exposure you can get and the greater the reward and risk. Your trading margin is not your maximum loss. Instead, it's the minimum amount you need to open a position and keep it open.

Which of the following is an advantage of leveraged trading? ›

Leverage allows traders to obtain potential gains from the entire transaction, while holding merely a fraction of their own funds.

What is the best leverage for a $100 account? ›

The best leverage for $100 forex account is 1:100.

Many professional traders also recommend this leverage ratio. If your leverage is 1:100, it means for every $1, your broker gives you $100. So if your trading balance is $100, you can trade $10,000 ($100*100).

Is leverage trading a bad idea? ›

It gives you the flexibility to take significant positions on key markets without tying up excessive amounts of capital, and magnifies the size of any profits you might make. However, leverage can be dangerous. If you are wrong about a trade, it acts to magnify your losses.

Why do rich people use leverage? ›

Leverage Equals Wealth

Their level of affluence opens more doors for them because more money making opportunities come to them. They have a strong desire to generate more wealth, and they don't waste time looking for opportunities. If you want to increase your money or grow your business, learn to leverage.

What are the negatives of leverage? ›

Using leverage can result in much higher downside risk, sometimes resulting in losses greater than your initial capital investment. On top of that, brokers and contract traders often charge fees, premiums, and margin rates and require you to maintain a margin account with a specific balance.

Why you should avoid leverage? ›

However, leverage can also pose some risks and other financial disadvantages, including: Increased financial risk resulting from the cash flow that will be required to service the debt. This additional pressure on cash flow can lead to an increased risk of insolvency and bankruptcy during a downturn.

What is the safest leverage in trading? ›

If you are conservative and don't like taking many risks, or if you're still learning how to trade currencies, a lower level of leverage like 5:1 or 10:1 might be more appropriate. Trailing or limit stops provide investors with a reliable way to reduce their losses when a trade goes in the wrong direction.

What is a good leverage for a beginner? ›

Choosing the right leverage

It is important for beginners to start with low leverage as this will help to limit losses and manage risk more effectively. Starting with a low leverage of 1:10 is generally a good rule of thumb. This means that you can manage a position of $10,000 for every $1,000 in your trading account.

What is the best leverage for a $10 account? ›

A common rule among traders is to never risk more than 1-2% of your account on a single trade. For a $10 account, this means you should aim to risk only $0.10 to $0.20 per trade. Let's say you decide to risk 1% of your $10 account, which is $0.10 per trade.

Can you lose more than you invest with leverage? ›

Can I lose more than I invested in a leveraged ETP? No. The most an investor can lose in a Leverage Shares ETP is the entire value of their initial investment plus any reinvested dividends.

Do you pay back leverage? ›

Leverage is a part of everyday financial existence for consumers. Anyone who's taken out a mortgage to buy a house or paid for holiday gifts with a credit card has used leverage—borrowed money that enhances your immediate buying power but must be paid back.

Should I use leverage to buy stocks? ›

Should I use leverage in my trading? A trader should only utilize leverage when they have a clear advantage. It is possible to calculate the potential capital loss if the amount of risk in terms of pips is understood. This loss should never exceed 3% of your trading capital as a general rule.

What happens if you go negative with leverage? ›

Conversely, negative leverage occurs when the operating cap rate is lower than the interest rate of the debt. So, in this scenario, using debt can actually decrease the annualized yields on equity because the debt costs more to service than the cash flow received from the leveraged portion of the project.

How does leverage work with losses? ›

The greater the percentage change in the investment, the greater the potential gain or loss. So leverage magnifies market volatility. In a volatile market, this can lead to significant losses.

Do you owe money if you use leverage? ›

Trading on stocks with leverage, for example, would mean opening a position with a broker and loaning most of the position's value amount – depending on the leverage ratio – from that broker. There won't be a charge for how much leverage you use – whether 5x or 20x your deposit amount.

What happens if you get liquidated on leverage? ›

For example, if a trader using leverage has a significant loss, and their account balance can no longer cover the margin requirement, the broker may forcibly close (liquidate) their positions to prevent further losses and settle the account's debt.

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