Understanding Adhoc Margins in Trading: Key Insights for Traders

Post Date : June 4, 2025

Adhoc margins are additional margin requirements imposed by exchanges beyond the standard Value at Risk (VaR) and Extreme Loss Margin (ELM) to manage heightened risks. These margins are applied in response to factors such as increased volatility, sudden price movements, or exceptional market conditions.

Why Are Adhoc Margins Imposed?
1. Market Volatility: During periods of high price fluctuations, exchanges may
impose additional margins to protect against unpredictable losses.

2. Stock-Specific Risks: If a stock is facing corporate actions, news-based
movements, or sudden liquidity issues, an adhoc margin may be levied.

3. Regulatory Measures: Exchanges may impose adhoc margins to maintain market
stability and prevent excessive speculation.

4. Risk Management by Brokers: Apart from the exchange-imposed margins,
brokers may also levy adhoc margins to manage risk exposure.

How Adhoc Margins Affect Traders

• Higher Capital Requirement: Traders must maintain additional funds in their
  accounts to cover these margins.
• Reduced Leverage: Increased margins reduce the effective leverage available for
  trading.
• Margin Penalty Risk: If the total required margin (VaR + ELM + Adhoc) is not
  maintained, it can lead to margin shortfalls and penalties.

Example of Adhoc Margin Calculation
Suppose you take a position in a stock that typically requires:

• VaR Margin: 10%
• ELM: 5%
• Adhoc Margin (Imposed due to volatility): 3%
  Total margin required = 10% (VaR) + 5% (ELM) + 3% (Adhoc) = 18% of the trade
  value.

If the stock price increases and the exchange raises the adhoc margin to 5%, the new
requirement becomes 20%, meaning you must allocate additional funds to maintain your
position.

Adhoc Margins in RMoney

At RMoney, all equity delivery trades require the full margin upfront. For intraday trades,
margin requirements are detailed in the RMoney Margin Calculator. Adhoc margins may
also be displayed as “Delivery Margin” in the funds section.
Avoiding Margin Penalties

• Always check the latest margin requirements before placing trades.
• Maintain surplus funds to accommodate margin fluctuations.
• Regularly review your positions to avoid auto square-off due to shortfalls.

Need Help?
Contact RMoney at 0562-4266600 / 0562-7188900 or email askus@rmoneyindia.com