Question 1

What are indices?

Accepted Answer

An index is a measure of the performance of a group of stocks representing a particular market or segment of a market. The global indices market is a broad network of stock indices that typically include hundreds or thousands of stocks from large to small-cap companies. Examples include the S&P 500 (SP500), which tracks 500 of the largest US companies; the NASDAQ 100 (NAS100), which tracks the top 100 non-financial NASDAQ-listed companies; and Germany's DAX (DE30), which tracks the 40 largest Frankfurt-listed companies. Trading indices as CFDs with Opheleo allows traders to speculate on the price movements of these indices without having to buy the underlying stocks.

Question 2

When you trade indices on Opheleo, do you trade real indices?

Accepted Answer

No. When you trade indices on Opheleo, you are trading CFDs (Contracts for Difference) on index prices — not the actual underlying index or the individual stocks within it. Opheleo's trading platforms allow you to speculate on the price movements of various stock indices without having to buy the underlying asset. This means you do not own shares in any of the companies within the index, but you can profit (or incur losses) from movements in the index price. Both long (buy) and short (sell) positions are available.

Question 3

When is the best time to trade indices?

Accepted Answer

The best time to trade indices generally coincides with the official trading hours of the exchange the index is based on, when liquidity is highest and spreads are tightest. At Opheleo, index sessions in GMT+3 server time are: SP500 and NAS100 — 01:00 to 24:00; US30 — 01:05 to 24:00; US2000 — 03:05 to 24:00; DE30 and EU50 — 02:15 to 22:00; FRA40 — 08:00 to 23:00. US indices typically see their highest activity during the New York session overlap, while European indices (DE30, EU50, FRA40) are most active during the European trading session. Volatility — and therefore opportunity — also increases around major economic data releases, central bank announcements, and corporate earnings events.

Question 4

What global indices can I trade at Opheleo?

Accepted Answer

Opheleo offers a range of major global index CFDs including: SP500 (S&P 500 — USA), NAS100 (NASDAQ 100 — USA), US30 (Dow Jones Industrial Average — USA), US2000 (Russell 2000 — USA small-cap), DE30 (DAX 40 — Germany), EU50 (Euro Stoxx 50 — Eurozone), and FRA40 (CAC 40 — France). Additional indices are available — see the full list on the trading platform.

Question 5

What is the minimum spread on SP500 and NAS100 at Opheleo?

Accepted Answer

Both SP500 and NAS100 have a minimum spread of 0.1 and an average spread of 0.7 at Opheleo on the Pro Account, with no commission. Both have a contract size of 10 and a trading session from 01:00 to 24:00 GMT+3.

Question 6

What is the commission on index CFDs at Opheleo?

Accepted Answer

Opheleo charges no commission ($0.00 per lot per side) on all listed index CFD instruments, including SP500, NAS100, US30, US2000, DE30, EU50, and FRA40.

Question 7

What are the contract sizes for index instruments at Opheleo?

Accepted Answer

Contract sizes for index instruments at Opheleo on the Standard Account are: SP500 — 10; NAS100 — 10; US30 — 10; US2000 — 200; DE30 — 25; EU50 — 10; FRA40 — 10.

Question 8

What are the trading hours for each index at Opheleo?

Accepted Answer

Trading session hours for index CFDs at Opheleo in GMT+3 server time are: SP500 — 01:00–24:00; NAS100 — 01:00–24:00; US30 — 01:05–24:00; US2000 — 03:05–24:00; DE30 — 02:15–22:00; EU50 — 02:15–22:00; FRA40 — 08:00–23:00.

Question 9

What are the margin requirements for index CFDs at Opheleo?

Accepted Answer

The margin requirement for all listed index CFD instruments at Opheleo is 0.50% of the notional position value. This applies uniformly to SP500, NAS100, US30, US2000, DE30, EU50, and FRA40 on the Standard Account. Note that margin requirements may increase during periods of elevated market volatility or around major news events.

Question 10

What is the stop out level for index CFDs at Opheleo?

Accepted Answer

The stop out level for all index CFD instruments at Opheleo is 50%. This means that when account equity falls to 50% of the required margin level, the system automatically begins closing open positions to prevent the balance from going further negative. Negative balance protection ensures the account cannot go below zero.

Question 11

What are the swap rates for index CFDs at Opheleo?

Accepted Answer

Overnight swap rates for index CFDs at Opheleo are: US indices (SP500, NAS100, US30, US2000) — long swap -0.02034%, short swap 0.00000%. European indices (DE30, EU50, FRA40) — long swap -0.01641%, short swap 0.00000%. These rates are applied to positions held open beyond the daily rollover time.

Question 12

Are index spreads at Opheleo fixed or floating?

Accepted Answer

Index spreads at Opheleo are free-flowing and floating, sourced directly from the inter-bank system and Tier 1 liquidity providers. The spreads listed on the indices page are averages from the previous trading day. For real-time spreads, traders should consult the trading platform. Spreads may widen during periods of lower liquidity — this can persist until liquidity normalises. Opheleo's wide spread protection program safeguards traders from excessive spread widening regardless of market conditions.

Question 13

Does Opheleo offer negative balance protection on index trades?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Opheleo provides negative balance protection on all index CFD trades. Accounts are fully safeguarded from going below zero. If a customer's balance falls into negative territory due to excessive losses, price gaps, or high volatility, Opheleo covers the negative balance and restores it to zero. Your maximum loss is therefore limited to the funds deposited in your trading account.

Question 14

What is wide spread protection and does Opheleo offer it on indices?

Accepted Answer

Wide spread protection is a safeguard that limits the impact of abnormally wide spreads on a trader's costs during periods of low liquidity or high volatility. Opheleo offers a wide spread protection program for index CFD trading, which safeguards traders from wide spreads regardless of market conditions, helping to keep trading costs predictable and low.

Question 15

Do dividends affect my index CFD positions at Opheleo?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Dividend adjustments may apply to index CFD positions held open during ex-dividend events for the constituent stocks within the index. When a significant number of companies within an index pay dividends, the index price is typically adjusted downward by the weighted dividend amount. Opheleo applies corresponding dividend adjustments to CFD positions — long positions typically receive a dividend credit and short positions receive a dividend debit. For precise dividend adjustment details, consult the trading platform or contact Opheleo support.

Question 16

How do I start trading indices at Opheleo?

Accepted Answer

It takes minutes to register with Opheleo and start trading indices. Simply create your account at my.opheleo.com, complete the automated KYC verification, deposit funds using your preferred payment method (card, crypto, bank transfer, or local deposit), and open your first index CFD position via MetaTrader 5 (MT5). A free demo account is also available to practise trading before going live.

Question 17

What platform is used to trade indices at Opheleo?

Accepted Answer

Opheleo's index CFDs are traded on MetaTrader 5 (MT5), available across desktop, web browser, iOS, and Android. MT5 provides split-second millisecond execution, advanced charting, real-time pricing, and access to all available index instruments.

Question 18

Why trade indices instead of individual stocks?

Accepted Answer

Trading indices offers several advantages over trading individual stocks: diversification — a single index position gives exposure to hundreds or thousands of companies, reducing single-stock risk; lower volatility — index prices tend to be less volatile than individual stocks because gains in some components offset losses in others; macro perspective — indices reflect broader economic and market trends, making them useful for expressing macro views; cost efficiency — trading one index CFD at Opheleo requires only a 0.50% margin and no commission, compared to the complexity and cost of building a multi-stock portfolio.

Question 19

What is the difference between US and European index trading hours at Opheleo?

Accepted Answer

US indices (SP500, NAS100, US30) at Opheleo trade from 01:00–24:00 GMT+3, closely following US market hours. The US2000 opens slightly later at 03:05 GMT+3. European indices trade during European market hours: DE30 and EU50 from 02:15 to 22:00 GMT+3, and FRA40 from 08:00 to 23:00 GMT+3. The overlap between European and US sessions (roughly 15:30–22:00 GMT+3) tends to see the highest liquidity and the most active trading across all index markets.

Indices with
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Indices Trading Hours.

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Fixed margin requirements.

Spreads.

Margin requirements.

Stop level.

Instrument information.

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Indices withlow spreads.