CFD rules tightened to boost trading transparency

The government has overhauled regulations on trading of contracts of differences (CFDs), a highly leveraged derivative product tied to the purchase and sale price differences of equities. The move is aimed at strengthening requirements for trading to increase transparency and protect investors in order to prevent major stock price manipulation scams based on derivative trading, as seen in a recent high-profile stock manipulation case involving eight local stocks, which wreaked havoc on hundreds of retail investors.