i What this calculator does
Sizes a trade on the instruments South African retail traders actually trade most: the US indices (NAS100, US30, SPX500), the German and UK indices, the JSE Top 40 CFD, and gold and silver. Forex position size calculators work in pips and pip values; these instruments move in points and dollars, with contract sizes that differ by instrument and by broker. The calculator converts your rand or dollar risk budget into a lot size from the stop distance in the instrument's own unit, rounds down to the 0.01 lot minimum, and shows the exposure and margin that size implies.
The defaults follow the common CFD conventions: one index contract per lot at $1 per point, 100 ounces of gold per lot, 5,000 ounces of silver. Some brokers quote NAS100 at $10 or $20 per point, or gold at $10 per $0.10; check the contract specification and use the override field, because a wrong point value puts ten times the intended money at risk.
Contract sizes and point values differ between brokers and account types; the defaults are the common CFD conventions. Check your broker's contract specification before trading, and note that index and gold CFDs can gap through a stop. Not financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is one lot of NAS100?
On most CFD brokers one lot is one contract, which moves $1 for every one-point move in the index. Some brokers use larger contracts of $10 or $20 per point; the override field handles that.
How do I size a gold trade?
One lot of XAUUSD is 100 ounces, so a $1 move in the gold price is worth $100 per lot. A stop 8 dollars away on 0.05 lots risks 0.05 × 8 × 100 = $40. Enter the stop distance in dollars, not pips.
Why does the calculator round down?
Brokers accept lot sizes in steps of 0.01. Rounding down keeps the actual risk at or below your budget; rounding up would exceed it.
Does it work for a rand account?
Yes. The risk budget is converted to dollars at the USD/ZAR rate you enter, because index and gold CFDs are priced in dollars, and the results are shown back in rand.
What stop distance should I use on NAS100?
That depends on your strategy and the index's volatility; the Nasdaq 100 often moves 100 to 300 points in a session. The ATR Position Size Calculator on this site sizes stops from measured volatility.
Is SA40 the same as the JSE Top 40?
SA40 is the CFD on the FTSE/JSE Top 40 index offered by several brokers, usually priced in rand per point. If your broker prices it in rand, set the account currency to USD and the rate to 1 so the calculator treats the point value as given.
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