A set minimum margin (per outstanding futures contract) that a customer must maintain his margin account to retain the futures position. See Also Margin

Minimum margin that a customer must keep on deposit with a member at all times. Also minimum equity that a futures exchange requires in a customer's account for each futures contract subsequent to the deposit of the initial margin. If equity (funds or securities) drops below the maintenance level, then funds in the form of cash or other securities must be added to the account to bring the equity up to the initial level.

The lowest balance of funds which a clearing house of the futures exchange or brokerage firm will allow a counterparty when trading on margin. Should an unrealised loss be reported, the counterparty is required to bring the account back to the maintenance margin level or the initial margin level. This demand is known as a maintenance or margin call.

The amount of money required to maintain positions in an account.

The dollar amount required to be kept at the OCC throughout the life of an option contract; percentage of the dollar amount of securities that must always be kept as margin.

Spread bets are margined products and therefore all trades are credited/debited in real time as the trade moves in either direction. Maintenance margin can therefore be positive or negative. Contrast this to the cash stockmarket where profits/losses are only realised when the stock is physically sold. Click here for more information on Margin

The minimum margin which must be available in an account to support all open trades.

The amount to which the initial margin for a futures position may be depleted by adverse price changes before additional margin is required to restore the initial margin amount.

An amount of cash posted by futures client to their futures account to offset any unsettled losses on the account as required by the rules of the exchange. Usually as a result of a Margin Call and in addition to any Initial Margin already posted.

This is the minimum ratio of investor owned assets to total margin account value. The SEC requires a minimum of 25% but individual brokers can be more restrictive and require a higher margin. Failure to keep your account at the maintenance margin or above can cause the broker to issue you a margin call.

A sum, usually smaller than--but part of--the initial performance bond, which must be maintained on deposit in the customer's account at all times. If a customer's equity in any futures position drops to, or under, the maintenance performance bond level, a "performance bond call" is issued for the amount of money required to restore the customer's equity in the account to the initial margin level.

is a sum which must be maintained on deposit at all times. If a customer's equity in any futures position drops under the maintenance level because of adverse price action, the broker must issue a margin call to restore the customer's equity.

The amount of money you must have in your account after the first day. The amount is always slightly less than the Initial Margin . In other words, after the first day in the club, you no longer have to have the full $700 in reserve. You can spend a little of it, as long as you keep, say, $500 (the theoretical maintenance margin) in your pocket at all times.

The minimum margin which an investor must keep on deposit in a margin account at all times in respect of each open contract.

The minimum level at which the equity in a futures account must be maintained. If the equity in an account falls below this level, a margin call will be issued, and funds must be added to bring the account back to the initial margin level. The maintenance margin level generally is 75% of the initial margin requirement.

A set minimum margin (per outstanding futures contract) that a customer must maintain in a margin account.

The minimum amount that an investor must keep on deposit in their margin account at all times in respect of each open contract.

The minimum margin, which an investor must keep at FXDirectDealer to maintain an open position.

An alternative method of margining often used in the United States. When a position is opened, initial margin is called in the usual way and is credited to a maintenance margin account. However, variation margin debits and credits are not payable/paid daily but are debited and credited directly against the maintenance margin account. When the balance in the account falls below a predetermined level (normally around two thirds of the initial margin payment), the customer must fund the account back up to the initial margin level. Such a system is also sometimes operated by brokers in the UK for their customers.

The minimum value that you must keep in your account in order to continue to hold a position. The Maintenance Margin is typically less than the Initial Margin, and also differs by contract. If your account falls below the Maintenance Margin requirement, you will receive a margin call. If you wish to continue to hold the position, you will be required to restore your account to the full Initial Margin level (not to the Maintenance Margin level). Also known as the Maintenance Performance Bond.

The minimum amount of money required in the brokerage account. For the FTG, maintenance margins for both speculation and hedging are $300 per contract for corn, $800 per contract for soybeans, and $1000 per contract for lean hogs.

means the amount of funds required to maintain an open position.

A margin which generally relates to futures or CFD contracts where a level of cash must be maintained in order to trade and hold open positions.

The amount of equity that must be maintained in a margin account.

A sum usually smaller than, but part of, the original margin (security deposit) that must be maintained on deposit at all times. If customer equity in any futures position drops to or under maintenance margin level, the broker must issue a call for the amount of money required to restore the customer's equity in the account back to the original margin level.

CFDs are margined products and therefore all trades are credited/debited a profit or loss at the close of business that day. Maintenance margin can therefore be positive or negative. Contrast this to the cash stockmarket where profits/losses are only realised when the stock is physically sold. Maintenance margin is discussed in more detail here.

Maintenance margin requirement Majority voting

A sum, usually smaller than the initial performance bond, which must remain on deposit in the customer's account for any position. A drop in funds below this level requires a deposit back to initial margin levels. See "performance bond call."