Before you understand what a spread is you should first of all understand that in the foreign exchange market prices are represented as currency pairs or exchange rate quotation where the relative value of one currency unit is denominated in the units of another currency. An exchange rate, applied to a customer willing to purchase a quote currency is called BID. It is the highest price that a currency pair will be bought. And a price of quote currency selling is called ASK. It’s the lowest price that a currency pair will be offered for sale. BID is always lower than ASK. The difference between ASK and BID is called spread. It represents brokerage service costs and replaces transactions fees. Spread is traditionally denoted in pips – a percentage in point, meaning fourth decimal place in currency quotation.
Following types of spreads are used in Forex Trading
Fixed spread – difference between ASK and BID is kept constant and do not depend on market conditions. Fixed spreads are set by dealing companies for automatically traded accounts.
Fixed spread with an extension – certain part of a spread is predetermined and another part may be adjusted by a dealer according to market.
Variable spread – fluctuates in correlation with market conditions. Generally variable spread is low during times of market inactivity (approximately 1-2 pips), but during volatile market can actually widen to as much as 40-50 pips. This type of spread is closer to real market but brings higher uncertainty to trade and makes creation of effective strategy more difficult.
Observing variable spread graph trader could define moments when value of the spread reaches its extremes – either maximum or minimum. On the moment of minimal spread (between 0 to 1 pips) he or she can open simultaneously buy and sell positions and later close both of them on the moment of maximal spread. As a result profit will equal to maximal spread value. This trading strategy under variable spread conditions has an advantages of low risks involved, because profit probability does not depends in this case on actual currency pair quotation but only on spread value. More over if the trading position is open during minimal spread it guarantees breakeven result and makes profit earning highly possible.
There are several factors that influence the size of the bid-offer spread. The most important is currency liquidity. Popular currency pairs are traded with lowest spreads while rare pairs raise dozen pips spread. Next factor is amount of a deal. Middle size spot deals are executed on quotations with standard tight spreads; extreme deals – both too small and too big – are quoted with broader spreads due to risks involved.
On volatile market bid-offer spreads are wider than during quiet market conditions. Status of a customer also impact spread as large scale traders or premium clients enjoy personal discounts. Nowadays Forex market characterizes high competition and as brokers are trying to stay closer to customers, spreads tends to be fixed on lowest possible level.
Each trader should pay sufficient attention to spread management. Maximum performance can only be achieved when maximum quantity of market conditions is taken into account. Successful trading strategy is based on effective evaluation of market indicators and specific financial conditions of a deal. The best tools here are complex analysis, forecasting, risk/return analysis, transaction cost evaluation. Because spreads are subject to change, spread management strategy should also be flexible enough to adjust to market movement.
As a newcomer to the Forex market, there are several terms used that you may require a definition for. ‘Pips’ and ‘spreads’ are two of the most commonly used terms in the Forex ‘dictionary’. Both these terms are also a very important attribute of the Forex market as both represent the value of a currency pair to the trader and the broker.
Pip Definition
In the Forex market, the value of a currency is presented in pips. A pip is a number value; the majority of currencies are priced to four numbers after the decimal point. Here is an example; a 5 pip spread for EUR/USD is 1.2345/1.3456.
By clicking “Continue”, you agree to the default cookie settings on our website.
Trading Point uses cookies to ensure that we provide you with the best experience while visiting our website. Some of the cookies are needed to provide essential features, such as login sessions, and cannot be disabled. Other cookies help us improve our website’s performance and your experience through personalising content, providing social media features and analysing our traffic. Such cookies may also include third-party cookies, which might track your use of our website. You may change your cookie settings at any time.
Read more, or change your cookie settings.
What are Cookies?
Cookies are small data files. When you visit a website, the website sends the cookie to your computer. Your computer stores it in a file located inside your web browser.
Cookies do not transfer viruses or malware to your computer. Because the data in a cookie does not change when it travels back and forth, it has no way to affect how your computer runs, but they act more like logs (i.e. they record user activity and remember stateful information) and they get updated every time you visit a website.
We may obtain information about you by accessing cookies, sent by our website. Different types of cookies keep track of different activities. For example, session cookies are used only when a person is actively navigating a website. Once you leave the website, the session cookie disappears.
Why are cookies useful?
We use functional cookies to analyse how visitors use our website, as well as track and improve our website’s performance and function. This allows us to provide a high-quality customer experience by quickly identifying and fixing any issues that may arise. For example, we might use cookies to keep track of which website pages are most popular and which method of linking between website pages is most effective. The latter also helps us to track if you were referred to us by another website and improve our future advertising campaigns.
Another use of cookies is to store your log in sessions, meaning that when you log in to the Members Area to deposit funds, a "session cookie" is set so that the website remembers that you have already logged in. If the website did not set this cookie, you will be asked for your login and password on each new page as you progress through the funding process.
In addition, functional cookies, for example, are used to allow us to remember your preferences and identify you as a user, ensure your information is secure and operate more reliably and efficiently. For example, cookies save you the trouble of typing in your username every time you access our trading platform, and recall your preferences, such as which language you wish to see when you log in.
Here is an overview of some of the functions our cookies provide us with:
This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. ("Google"). Google Analytics uses analytical cookies placed on your computer, to help the website analyze a user's use of the website. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) may be transmitted to and stored by Google on their servers. Google may use this information to evaluate your use of the website, to compile reports on website activity and to provide other services related to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties, where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on behalf of Google. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held. By using this website, you give your consent to Google to process data about you in the manner and for the purposes set out above.
Change Settings
Please select which types of cookies you want to be stored on your device.
We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.
Read more or change your cookie settings.