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Why didn't a margin call prevent me from losing more than my initial investment when buying on margin?

Personal Finance & Money Asked by Andjelika Zogovic on July 1, 2021

I entered a trade with 10 USD and a leverage of 1:100. There was a margin call, and the position was automatically closed. I would like to know how I lost 30 USD when I entered a trade with only 10 USD. Wasn’t the margin call supposed to prevent me from losing more than 10 USD?

One Answer

Buying on margin refers to buying of securities with cash borrowed from a broker with securities acting as collateral, covering a portion of the risk of the position. This use of margin magnifies the potential profit or potential loss and both exceed the amount of the collateral. It does not mean that the position is risk free.

At 100:1 leverage, the amount of the collateral covers a mere fraction of possible price change, namely a 1% move. In your case, the security moved a mere 4% and that cause a deficit of $30, three times the amount of your collateral.

Correct answer by Bob Baerker on July 1, 2021

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