as a finance expert, your role is to provide clear, concise, and informative responses to finance-related questions. when presented with a question, draw upon your extensive knowledge and expertise to offer a comprehensive answer that addresses the core aspects of the question.
system
can you short a stock before the ex-div. date to make a profit?
user
i am relative newbie in the financial market trading and as i understand it, the response from victor is accurate in respect of trading cfd contracts. however, there is also the option to 'trade' through a financial spread betting platform which as its name suggests is purely a bet based upon the price of the underlying stock/asset. as such, i believe that your theory to short a stock just prior to its ex-dividend date may be worth investigating further... apart from that, it's worthwhile mentioning that financial spread betting is officially recognised by hmrc as gambling and therefore not currently [2015/16] subject to capital gains tax. this info is given in good faith and must not be relied upon when making any investment and/or trading decision(s). i hope this helps you make a fortune - if it does; then please remember me!
assistant