XTB Reports Significant Drop in CFD Currency Trading in Q1 2019

XTB, a retail brokerage in Poland, continues to feel the pinch of the recently-implemented regulations from the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA ESMA European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) is an independent Authority of the European Union that is responsible for the safety, security, and stability of the European Unions’ financial system and is charged with protecting the public. The European supervisory authority for the securities sector, ESMA was established on 1 January 2011. The European Securities and Markets Authority is an independent EU authority based in Paris. It aims to contribute to the effectiveness and stability of the EU financial system by ensuring the integrity, transparency, efficiency, and orderly functioning of securities markets, as well as enhancing investor protection. ESMA fosters supervisory convergence among securities regulators and financial sectors through its work with other EU supervisory authorities. ESMA is independent; there is full accountability towards the European Parliament, where it appears before the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, at their request for formal hearings. What Functions Does ESMA Perform?The purpose of assessing risks to investors, markets, and financial stability is to spot emerging trends, threats, and vulnerabilities, and where possible opportunities in a timely fashion so that they can be responded to. ESMA uses its unique position to identify market developments that threaten financial stability, investor protection, or the orderly functioning of financial markets. ESMA’s risk assessments build on and complement risk assessments made by others. The purpose of compiling a single rulebook for European financial markets is to enhance the EU Single Market by creating a level playing field for investors and issuers across the EU. ESMA’s four activities are linked. Insights gained from risk assessment feed into the work on the single rulebook, supervisory convergence, and direct supervision, and vice versa. European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) is an independent Authority of the European Union that is responsible for the safety, security, and stability of the European Unions’ financial system and is charged with protecting the public. The European supervisory authority for the securities sector, ESMA was established on 1 January 2011. The European Securities and Markets Authority is an independent EU authority based in Paris. It aims to contribute to the effectiveness and stability of the EU financial system by ensuring the integrity, transparency, efficiency, and orderly functioning of securities markets, as well as enhancing investor protection. ESMA fosters supervisory convergence among securities regulators and financial sectors through its work with other EU supervisory authorities. ESMA is independent; there is full accountability towards the European Parliament, where it appears before the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, at their request for formal hearings. What Functions Does ESMA Perform?The purpose of assessing risks to investors, markets, and financial stability is to spot emerging trends, threats, and vulnerabilities, and where possible opportunities in a timely fashion so that they can be responded to. ESMA uses its unique position to identify market developments that threaten financial stability, investor protection, or the orderly functioning of financial markets. ESMA’s risk assessments build on and complement risk assessments made by others. The purpose of compiling a single rulebook for European financial markets is to enhance the EU Single Market by creating a level playing field for investors and issuers across the EU. ESMA’s four activities are linked. Insights gained from risk assessment feed into the work on the single rulebook, supervisory convergence, and direct supervision, and vice versa. Read this Term), as the firm has reported a drop in revenues in the first quarter of 2019.

This Thursday, the Polish broker published its preliminary financial results for the first quarter of 2019. In the report, the company revealed a 4.4 percent or PLN 1.9 million ($492,851) decline in revenues quarter-on-quarter, as it fell from PLN 42.8 million in the final quarter of 2018 to PLN 40.9 million.

As highlighted by the Polish firm, the product intervention measures from ESMA weighed heavily on the results for the first quarter, which contributed to lower Volatility Volatility In finance, volatility refers to the amount of change in the rate of a financial instrument, such as commodities, currencies, stocks, over a given time period. Essentially, volatility describes the nature of an instrument’s fluctuation; a highly volatile security equates to large fluctuations in price, and a low volatile security equates to timid fluctuations in price. Volatility is an important statistical indicator used by financial traders to assist them in developing trading systems. Traders can be successful in both low and high volatile environments, but the strategies employed are often different depending upon volatility. Why Too Much Volatility is a ProblemIn the FX space, lower volatile currency pairs offer less surprises, and are suited to position traders.High volatile pairs are attractive for many day traders, due to quick and strong movements, offering the potential for higher profits, although the risk associated with such volatile pairs are many. Overall, a look at previous volatility tells us how likely price will fluctuate in the future, although it has nothing to do with direction.All a trader can gather from this is the understanding that the probability of a volatile pair to increase or decrease an X amount in a Y period of time, is more than the probability of a non-volatile pair. Another important factor is, volatility can and does change over time, and there can be periods when even highly volatile instruments show signs of flatness, with price not really making headway in either direction. Too little volatility is just as problematic for markets as too much, we uncertainty in excess can create panic and problems of liquidity. This was evident during Black Swan events or other crisis that have historically roiled currency and equity markets. In finance, volatility refers to the amount of change in the rate of a financial instrument, such as commodities, currencies, stocks, over a given time period. Essentially, volatility describes the nature of an instrument’s fluctuation; a highly volatile security equates to large fluctuations in price, and a low volatile security equates to timid fluctuations in price. Volatility is an important statistical indicator used by financial traders to assist them in developing trading systems. Traders can be successful in both low and high volatile environments, but the strategies employed are often different depending upon volatility. Why Too Much Volatility is a ProblemIn the FX space, lower volatile currency pairs offer less surprises, and are suited to position traders.High volatile pairs are attractive for many day traders, due to quick and strong movements, offering the potential for higher profits, although the risk associated with such volatile pairs are many. Overall, a look at previous volatility tells us how likely price will fluctuate in the future, although it has nothing to do with direction.All a trader can gather from this is the understanding that the probability of a volatile pair to increase or decrease an X amount in a Y period of time, is more than the probability of a non-volatile pair. Another important factor is, volatility can and does change over time, and there can be periods when even highly volatile instruments show signs of flatness, with price not really making headway in either direction. Too little volatility is just as problematic for markets as too much, we uncertainty in excess can create panic and problems of liquidity. This was evident during Black Swan events or other crisis that have historically roiled currency and equity markets. Read this Term and customer engagement.

Currency Trading Falls in Q1 for XTB

Breaking down revenues in terms of instrument classes, revenues on contracts-for-difference (CFD) instruments based on currency pairs amounted to 1.1 percent of total revenues in the first quarter of this year. This is a significant drop from the same time period last year, as revenues for currency pairs contributed 29.2 percent to revenues.

Out of all the currency pairs, unsurprisingly, the EUR/USD currency pair was the most popular for XTB clients. According to the broker, this is because the pair had more predictable trends and the market moved within a limited price range. During the quarter, revenues generated from currency CFDs was PLN 433,000.

The biggest CFD class of instrument to contribute to revenues was CFDs based on stock indices. Overall, the instruments contributed a significant 89.3 percent to revenues, up from 57.5 percent a year earlier.

Revenues were particularly driven by demand for CFD instruments based on the German DAX stock index (DE30) and the US indices US500, US100 and US300, the statement said.

Looking at the full year, the report said: “The Management Board expects in 2019 operating expenses to be at a level comparable to that observed in 2018. The final level will depend on the variable remuneration elements paid to employees, the level of marketing expenditures and the impact of ESMA's product intervention on the level of revenues generated by the Group.”