IC's swap-free holding fee per lot per night on popular index CFDs.

IC's swap-free holding fee per lot per night on popular index CFDs.

Index CFDs are among the most popular products at IC Markets. IC offers 25 of them on every platform, from the S&P 500 and Dow Jones to the FTSE 100, Germany's DAX and Australia's S&P/ASX 200. There is no commission on indices, even on Raw Spread accounts; IC quotes spreads from 0.4 points on the E-mini S&P 500 and from 1 point on the FTSE 100, DAX and ASX 200, with leverage up to 1:200 at its global company.

An index CFD lets you take a view on a whole stock market in one trade. That spreads the risk across dozens or hundreds of companies, but it doesn't make indices calm: they move fast on central bank decisions, inflation data and earnings seasons.

Number of index CFDs25
CommissionNone
Spreads from0.4 points (E-mini S&P 500); 1 point FTSE 100, DAX, ASX 200
Max leverage1:200 (global company)
PlatformsMT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView
Also offeredFutures indices: ICE Dollar Index and VIX

Which indices can you trade at IC?

IC's range covers the main US, European and Asia-Pacific markets as cash (spot) index CFDs, plus futures-based index CFDs. The symbols below come from IC's own swap-free schedule, which lists the indices it offers.

RegionIC symbols
United StatesUS30 (Dow Jones), US500 (S&P 500), USTEC (Nasdaq 100), US2000 (Russell 2000)
EuropeUK100 (FTSE 100), DE40 (DAX), F40 (CAC 40), STOXX50, ES35, IT40, NETH25, SWI20, MidDE50, TecDE30
Nordics and South AfricaSE30, NOR25, SA40
Asia-PacificAUS200 (ASX 200), JP225 (Nikkei 225), HK50, CHINA50, CHINAH
CanadaCA60
Futures indicesICE Dollar Index, VIX

What index CFDs cost at IC

Indices are one of the few places where the Raw Spread and Standard accounts cost the same kind of money: IC charges no commission on index CFDs on any account, so your cost is the spread plus any overnight financing. IC's Help Centre confirms there are "no additional fees or commission" for index trading.

Spreads are quoted in index points and move with liquidity. They are tightest when the underlying exchange is open and widest around its open, its close and big data releases. Positions held overnight pay or receive a financing charge, shown in the platform's Specification window. Our IC Markets spreads guide covers the forex side of IC's pricing.

Leverage and margin on indices

IC's global company offers up to 1:200 on index CFDs. At that rate, a position worth $40,000 needs about $200 of margin. The real exposure is still $40,000, so a 1% move in the index is a $400 gain or loss.

Like the rest of IC's range, index leverage is reduced for new positions during Higher Margin Requirement periods: around central bank decisions, US jobs and inflation data, market closes and weekends. Australian and EU retail clients face much lower caps under local rules. Our IC Markets leverage guide explains both.

Dividend adjustments on index CFDs

When shares inside an index go ex-dividend, the index price drops by roughly the value of those dividends. To keep things fair, IC adjusts open index CFD positions: long positions receive a credit and short positions pay a debit. IC's own example uses the AUS200: with an adjustment of 2.44 per lot, a 1-lot buy is credited AUD 2.44 and a 1-lot sell is debited the same, converted into the account's base currency.

IC publishes the expected adjustments for each week on its blog. If you short indices over periods when many companies pay dividends, those debits add to your cost.

Swap-free index trading

Swap-free accounts trade indices too, but pay a flat holding fee after the grace period. IC's schedule lists, per lot per night: US30 $26, USTEC $14, DE40 $15, IT40 $10, UK100 $7, US500 $4, AUS200 $3 and JP225 $2. For energies and indices the triple night is Friday rather than Wednesday. Our Islamic account guide explains the grace days.

Tips for trading indices at IC

  • Trade each index when its home market is open: the Dow and Nasdaq in US hours, the DAX and FTSE in European hours.
  • Check the economic calendar for rate decisions and inflation data before opening a position.
  • Watch position size in points: a 100-point move on US30 is routine on a busy day.
  • Close or reduce positions before weekends if a gap would hurt; index CFDs don't trade when their markets are closed.
  • Mind earnings season: one large company's results can move a whole technology index.

Futures index CFDs and expiry

Besides cash indices, IC offers futures-based CFDs such as the ICE Dollar Index and the VIX volatility index. These work differently in one important way: they expire. IC's Help Centre says its futures CFDs expire on the same day as the underlying contract, and open positions are closed at the futures settlement price, usually the day after expiry.

Positions aren't rolled over to the next month automatically. To keep a view for longer, you close before expiry and open the next available contract yourself, paying the spread again. Cash index CFDs don't expire, which makes them simpler for most traders; futures CFDs suit those who want the futures price itself.

How much is a point worth?

Profit and loss on an index CFD is the number of points the index moves, times the value of a point per lot, times your position size. The point value depends on the contract size for each index, which MetaTrader shows in the Specification window. Check it before your first trade on any index: a 50-point move on US30 can mean very different amounts of money depending on the contract.

Indices look diversified, but they move together on the same headlines. Treat US30 and USTEC as one bet on US risk appetite, not two separate trades, and size them that way.
Jowel RanaFact-Checker & QC, FX Recap
Illustrative case: Florencia, 30, Mendoza

Florencia traded USTEC on IC's MT5 account during US hours with 0.5-lot positions and tight stops. Her results improved when she stopped holding trades through US inflation releases, after two positions were stopped out at prices well beyond her stops in the first seconds after the data. She now closes index trades five minutes before high-impact US releases and re-enters afterwards.

Frequently asked

How many indices does IC Markets offer?

25 index CFDs across the US, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Canada and South Africa, available on MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView. IC also offers futures-based index CFDs on the ICE Dollar Index and the VIX.

Does IC Markets charge commission on indices?

No. IC charges no commission on index CFDs on any account type. You pay the spread and, if you hold overnight, a financing charge.

What is the US30 and NAS100 symbol at IC Markets?

The Dow Jones is US30 and the Nasdaq 100 is USTEC. Look for US500 for the S&P 500 and US2000 for the Russell 2000.

What leverage does IC Markets offer on indices?

Up to 1:200 at IC's global company, reduced for new positions during high-risk periods such as major data releases and weekends. Australian and EU retail clients have lower limits.

What is the spread on the S&P 500 at IC Markets?

IC quotes spreads from 0.4 points on the E-mini S&P 500, and from 1 point on the FTSE 100, DAX and ASX 200. Spreads widen outside the underlying market's hours and around news.

Do dividends affect index CFDs at IC?

Yes. When shares in an index go ex-dividend, IC credits long positions and debits short positions by the adjustment amount, converted to your account currency.