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Maintenance Margin

Minimum account equity required to keep a leveraged position open before triggering a margin call from the broker.

Maintenance margin is the minimum equity level that must be maintained in a trading account to keep a leveraged position open. If account equity falls below this level, a margin call is triggered.

In oil trading, maintenance margins are set by exchanges and brokers based on volatility and risk. During turbulent markets, margin requirements may increase sharply.

Failure to meet a margin call can result in forced liquidation of positions, often at unfavorable prices. This can exacerbate losses during periods of stress.

Effective margin management involves monitoring price exposure, maintaining excess capital, and anticipating volatility-driven margin changes.