Margin

What does it Mean? 1. Borrowed money that is used to purchase securities. This practice is referred to as "buying on margin".

2. The amount of equity contributed by a customer as a percentage of the current market value of the securities held in a margin account.

3. In a general business context, the difference between a product's (or service's) selling price and the cost of production.

4. The portion of the interest rate on an adjustable-rate mortgage that is over and above the adjustment-index rate. This portion is retained as profit by the lender.
 
Investopedia Says... 1. Buying with borrowed money can be extremely risky because both gains and losses are amplified. That is, while the potential for greater profit exists, this comes at a hefty price - the potential for greater losses. Margin also subjects the investor to a number of unique risks such as interest payments for use of the borrowed money.

2. For example, if you hold futures contracts in a margin account, you have to maintain a certain amount of margin depending on how the market value of the contracts change.

3. Gross profit margin (which is the difference between revenue and expenses) is one measure of a company's performance.

4. The formula for calculating the interest rate on an adjustable-rate mortgage is the adjustment-index rate (e.g. Treasury Index) plus the percentage of the margin. For example, if the Treasury Index is 6% and the interest rate on the mortgage is 8%, the margin is 2%.

Terms Related Links

Adjustable-Rate Mortgage - ARM
Broker's Call
Buying Power
Call Loan
Initial Margin
Maintenance Margin
Margin Account
Margin Call
Minimum Margin
Non-Marginable Securities
SPAN Margin
Treasury Index

Terms Related Links
Margin Trading - Find out what margin is, how margin calls work, the advantages of leverage and why using margin can be risky.

What is a margin account?

The Bottom Line On Margins - Take a deeper look at a company's profitability with the help of profit-margin ratios.

Benefit From Borrowed Securities - Find out what your broker is doing with your securities when you invest on margin.

Mortgages: Fixed-Rate Versus Adjustable-Rate - Both of these have advantages and disadvantages depending on your financial needs and prospects.

How Does Your Margin Grow? - Risk-management tool SPAN margin boosts profitability prospects by helping to determine when to exit a trade.

What is the difference between leverage and margin?

How are the interest charges calculated on my margin account?

Why do you need a margin account to short sell stocks?

How do investors lose money when the stock market crashes?

Analyzing Operating Margins - Find out how to put this important component of equity analysis to work for you.

My broker just sold securities out of my account without my permission. Is this legal?




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