I use CMC Markets CFD because it gives me huge margin and cheap brokerage on international markets. The story on why I use them for oil is more complicated:
Before the crash I had been making ~40% per month on my medium risk strategy (CFDs on equities & funds) and was ecstatic, planning my early retirement. When the crash hit my risk control plan (automated) worked perfectly and even though I dropped 30% in unrealised terms I still made 20% for the month. My trading plan doesn't work in this environment, so I decided to try go long oil and make a 4 bagger as I am very bullish on it long term.
CMC has a "cash" product that follows the closest expiry futures of most commodities and index's, there is no roll over and it would actually pay me, (yes, you read that right) 7% interest to hold these oil contracts so I figure it can't possibly go tit's up. I was way out of my depth. The holding costs on my longs went from paying me 7%PA every morning to me paying 220% every morning. At one point yesterday I was down 90% within 2 days and missed a margin call by 30 minutes using pure luck. Luck hit me again today as my short hedge in Brent (still pays me 175%PA every morning) drilled and now I am back to where I was at the start of the crash. I am almost out of oil entirely with the exception of the short Brent which I expect to drop much further as the contract is about to expire.
I still crave that oil exposure so tonight I am going to research $FUEL, but I don't intend to buy until it's near ATL again as I believe the equity markets are very close to crashing again.
OOO Price at posting:
$19.36 Sentiment: None Disclosure: Not Held