Complex financial instruments for experienced investors (2024)

Further investment options for experienced investors

  • Traditional and covered warrants

  • Structured product investments

  • ETFs, ETCs and leverage

Access specialised products and opportunities

Complex financial instruments are available to DIY investors but it is important to understand the features of each specialised product and their risk profile.

These products can have unusual features, for example, they can be subject to a different tax status, which means your dividends could incur additional tax. Or they may have an element of leverage, which means that potential profits or losses can be magnified. It is why all investors are now asked to complete an appropriateness assessment before investing in a complex instrument.

The appropriateness assessment is for your protection, as it is essential that the special risks and volatility that apply to these types of investments is understood. You only need complete it once, and will be directed to the form once you select the complex instrument you’d like to invest in.

Alternatively, you can complete a printed copy of the form using the link below, and then return it to us.

Appropriateness test

Investment Risk Warnings

The value of investments can fall as well as rise and any income from them is not guaranteed and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is not a guide to future performance.

EQi does not provide investment advice. If you are in any doubt as to the risk or suitability of an investment or product you should seek advice from an independent financial adviser.

The extent and value of any ISA tax advantages or benefits will vary according to the individual's circumstances. The levels and bases of taxation may also change.

What complex instruments can I invest in with EQi?

  • Traditional Warrants

    Warrants give you the option (though not an obligation) to purchase shares at a fixed price for a specified period. The price of the warrant will vary depending on the price of the underlying investment, the exercise price and the time left to maturity. It is important to remember if warrants are not exercised at the expiry date, they may be worthless.

  • Structured Products

    Issued by a range of investment companies such as RBS, Barclays Capital and Société Générale, Listed Structured products use different financial instruments such as futures, options and swaps to create investments that provide you with a level of exposure to stock market gains coupled with guarantees to limit losses or to lock in gains as the market rises.

  • Covered Warrants

    Covered Warrants are issued by large financial institutions, such as Société Générale and Royal Bank of Scotland, and, like Traditional Warrants, give you the right to buy or sell existing shares at a fixed price by a certain date. 'Covered' relates to the requirement of the issuer to hold (or hedge) a sufficient amount of the underlying asset to cover the issue.

    Covered Warrants will automatically exercise at the expiry date, are traded on the stock exchange, and are settled through your account in the normal way.

  • ETFs and ETCs

    Exchange traded funds (ETFs) and exchange traded commodities (ETCs) combine the benefit of a fund and a stock in one investment.

    ETFs can track hundreds of stocks across various industries and asset types including banking, equities or property while ETCs offer a convenient way to invest in single markets like livestock, precious metals or natural gas. Find out more about ETFs.

    While a traditional ETF typically tracks the securities in its underlying index, a leveraged ETF uses financial derivatives and debt to amplify the returns of an underlying index. This can lead to significant gains, but it can also lead to significant losses. Investors should be aware of the risks to leveraged ETFs since the risk of losses is far higher than those from traditional investments.

Which account is right for you?

  • Dealing Account

    For individuals or a group of up to four people, access global investments with this flexible, unrestricted account

    • FIND OUT MORE
  • Flexible ISA

    Invest up to £20,000 per year, take advantage of tax-free investing, and access your money at any time

    • FIND OUT MORE
  • SIPP

    Enjoy more control and access to a wider range of investment options and benefit from attractive tax advantages

    • FIND OUT MORE
  • Lifetime ISA

    Available for those aged 18-39, you can invest up to £4,000 per year andthe government will add a 25% bonus up to a maximum of £1,000

    • FIND OUT MORE
Complex financial instruments for experienced investors (2024)

FAQs

Complex financial instruments for experienced investors? ›

Examples of complex financial instruments include warrants and derivatives. In order to understand the risks of these financial instruments, you must have both knowledge and experience of the characteristics of the instrument, such as its complexity, technical structure and financial risks.

What are the most complex financial instruments? ›

Complex financial instruments include derivatives (such as options and warrants, forwards, and futures) and hybrid/compound instruments (such as convertible debt, debt with detachable warrants, and perpetual debt).

What is a complex financial instrument? ›

Complex financial instruments possess more than one financial component, such as a combination of debt or equity attributes as explained in the introduction. Examples of complex financial instruments are: convertible bonds payable, convertible preferred shares, and options/warrants that attach to shares or bonds.

What is a complex instrument? ›

What are complex instruments? Support. What are complex instruments? What are complex instruments? A complex instrument is a financial product that may be difficult to understand and evaluate due to its complexity, for example because it embeds options, futures, swaps, and certain types of bonds.

What are the 3 main categories of financial instruments? ›

Basic examples of financial instruments are cheques, bonds, securities. There are typically three types of financial instruments: cash instruments, derivative instruments, and foreign exchange instruments.

What are the riskiest financial instruments? ›

The 10 Riskiest Investments
  1. Options. An option allows a trader to hold a leveraged position in an asset at a lower cost than buying shares of the asset. ...
  2. Futures. ...
  3. Oil and Gas Exploratory Drilling. ...
  4. Limited Partnerships. ...
  5. Penny Stocks. ...
  6. Alternative Investments. ...
  7. High-Yield Bonds. ...
  8. Leveraged ETFs.

What are the most complicated financial models? ›

Leveraged Buyout (LBO) Model

An LBO is often one of the most detailed and challenging of all types of financial models, as the many layers of financing create circular references and require cash flow waterfalls.

What is an example of a complex instrument? ›

Examples of complex financial instruments include warrants and derivatives. In order to understand the risks of these financial instruments, you must have both knowledge and experience of the characteristics of the instrument, such as its complexity, technical structure and financial risks.

What are the emerging financial instruments? ›

The most important new financial instruments at present are note issuance facilities, swaps, options and futures, forward rate agreements, Eurobonds of various types, and other bonds. This section provides an overview of the main characteristics of these instruments.

What are the long term financial instruments? ›

Definition. Long-term finance can be defined as any financial instrument with maturity exceeding one year (such as bank loans, bonds, leasing and other forms of debt finance), and public and private equity instruments.

What are the four types of instruments? ›

Each instrument has unique characteristics, such as the different ways they produce a sound, the materials used to create them, and their overall appearance. These characteristics ultimately divide instruments into four families: woodwinds, brass, percussion, and strings.

What is a complex stock? ›

Complex capital structure uses different forms of securities rather than just one class of common stock. Companies with a complex capital structure could use a combination of several different varieties of common stock classes.

What is a Level 3 financial instrument? ›

While level 1 and level 2 inputs include mainly observable market information, level 3 includes unobservable inputs that are significant to the fair value outcome, essentially management's estimates, assumptions and inputs that cannot be corroborated with observable market data.

What is the most common financial instrument? ›

Common examples of financial instruments include stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, real estate investment trusts (REITs), bonds, derivatives contracts (such as options, futures, and swaps), checks, certificates of deposit (CDs), bank deposits, and loans.

What is the difference between a financial asset and a financial instrument? ›

Financial instruments are classified as financial assets or as other financial instruments. Financial assets are financial claims (e.g., currency, deposits, and securities) that have demonstrable value.

What are complex financial products? ›

Complex products are a type of investment whose value can fluctuate in a manner that is difficult to understand relative to traditional investments. Complex investments typically invest in nontraditional assets or engage in one or more complex strategies.

What type of financial instruments are you most familiar with? ›

Common examples of financial instruments include stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, real estate investment trusts (REITs), bonds, derivatives contracts (such as options, futures, and swaps), checks, certificates of deposit (CDs), bank deposits, and loans.

Which financial instrument has the longest maturity? ›

Treasury notes have maturities of up to 10 years, while Treasury bonds have maturities of up to 30 years. Both notes and bonds pay interest every six months and the face value is at maturity.

What is the safest financial instrument to invest in? ›

10 Safest Investment Options in India
  • Public Provident Fund (PPF) ...
  • National Pension Scheme (NPS) ...
  • Gold. ...
  • Savings Bonds. ...
  • Recurring Deposits. ...
  • National Savings Certificate. ...
  • Post Office Monthly Income Schemes (POMIS) ...
  • Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS)
Feb 19, 2024

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