Position Sizing in
Milton Keynes.

1. The Position Sizing Formula

Your position size should never be determined by 'how confident' you feel about a trade. It is a strict mathematical calculation based on three variables: 1. Account Balance: Your total trading capital. 2. Risk Percentage: Usually 1% (your maximum loss on the trade). 3. Stop Loss Distance: The distance from your entry price to your stop loss price (measured in pips or points). The Formula: Position Size = (Account Balance × Risk Percentage) ÷ (Stop Loss Distance × Pip Value) If you have a £10,000 account, and you risk 1%, your maximum risk is £100. If your Stop Loss is 20 pips away, you must divide your £100 risk by 20 pips. £100 ÷ 20 = £5 per pip. Your exact position size is £5 per pip. If the stop loss is hit, you lose exactly £100 (1%).

2. Dynamic Sizing: The Stop Loss Dictates the Size

The most important concept to grasp is that your position size must be dynamic; it changes on every trade depending on the size of your stop loss. Imagine you have two different trades, but you want to risk the exact same £100 on both: Trade A: A scalping trade on EUR/USD with a tight 10-pip stop loss. Calculation: £100 ÷ 10 = £10 per pip. You can take a large position (£10/pip) because the stop is so tight. Trade B: A swing trade on GBP/JPY with a wide 100-pip stop loss. Calculation: £100 ÷ 100 = £1 per pip. You must take a much smaller position (£1/pip) because the stop is very wide. In both scenarios, if the trade completely fails and hits the stop loss, you lose exactly £100. Your risk remains perfectly static, while your position size adapts.

• /Tight Stop Loss = Larger Position Size (to reach your 1% risk).
• /Wide Stop Loss = Smaller Position Size (to stay within your 1% risk).
• /Never move a stop loss just to take a larger position size.

3. Spread Betting vs. CFD Sizing

How you input your position size depends entirely on the type of account you are using in the UK. Spread Betting Sizing: Spread betting is the easiest format to calculate. Your position size is literal pounds per point (£/pt). If the formula tells you to trade £5 per point, you literally enter '5' into the deal ticket. It is clean and transparent. CFD/Forex Lot Sizing: If you use a standard CFD or ECN broker (like Pepperstone or IC Markets), you trade in 'Lots'. 1 Standard Lot = 100,000 units (Roughly $10 a pip) 1 Mini Lot = 10,000 units (Roughly $1 a pip) 1 Micro Lot = 1,000 units (Roughly $0.10 a pip) If your calculation dictates a risk of $3 per pip, you would open a position size of 0.30 Lots.