Another scheme is the use of contracts for difference, in essence bets on the bank's performance, which reward employees according to the level of profit made by their business unit.

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One, labouring under the term of "contracts for difference", is a mechanism under which the government will guarantee a price that energy firms can obtain for producing and selling electricity generated either by wind farms or new nuclear power stations.

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That level of risk suggests a fundamental misunderstanding of the intangible Contracts for Difference that comprised the bet.

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But the rest of the alleged debt, which relates derivative products called Contracts for Difference (CFDs) used to bet on the price of bank shares, is disputed.

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Net-long positioning in the CFTC data reflects the difference between the total number of bullish and bearish contracts.

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Net long or short positioning in the CFTC data reflect the difference between the total number of bullish and bearish contracts.

FORBES: FOCUS: Large Specs Up Net-Long Positions In Precious Metals; Palladium's Most Since 3Q 2011

For the athletes, one-hundredth of a second can mean the difference between silver and gold, between obscurity and million-dollar contracts.

FORBES: Magazine Article