If I buy then sell shares or sell then buy shares, will the trades offset?
In certain circumstances CommSec will offset your trades so only the difference between the executed trades will be direct debited or credited to you. This is referred to as ‘Contra’. CommSec will transfer the net amount to or from your nominated bank account when you either buy and then sell shares, or sell then buy shares on the same day or the next trading day.
Where an offset applies:
| Day | Buy first | Sell first |
|---|---|---|
|
Monday |
Anna buys $10,000 worth of shares (T) |
Brad sells $8,000 worth of shares (T) |
|
Tuesday |
Anna sells $7,000 worth of shares (T+1) |
Brad buys $5,000 worth of shares (T+1) |
|
Wednesday |
Anna pays $3,000 (T+2)* |
Brad receives $3,000 (T+2)# |
Where no offset applies:
| Day | Buy first | Sell first |
|---|---|---|
|
Monday |
Anna buys $10,000 worth of shares (T) |
Brad sells $8,000 worth of shares (T) |
|
Tuesday |
||
|
Wednesday |
Anna pays $10,000 (T+2)* Anna sells $7,000 worth of shares (T) |
Brad buys $5,000 worth of shares (T) Brad receives $8,000 (T+2)# |
|
Thursday |
||
|
Friday |
Anna receives $7,000 for sale of shares (T+2 from sell date)# |
Brad pays $5,000 (T+2 from purchase date)* |
* You need to ensure cleared funds are available in your nominated bank account by 8am on this day.
# Credited to your nominated bank account overnight.
For more information on how trade offsets work, please refer to the CommSec Client Guide available on our website at Support > Forms & Brochures > "CommSec Client Guide"
