Swap: did you realise holding a position overnight costs money?

Many first statements show small nightly charges and traders don't recognise them. Swap (or rollover) is the interest adjustment for keeping a position open past the daily rollover, and it can be a credit or a charge depending on the pair and direction.

Swap: did you realise holding a position overnight costs money? — bid-ask spread diagram
The bid-ask spread on a currency pair

Share:

  • when you first noticed swap on your statement
  • whether you now check the swap before opening a position
  • any pair where swap surprised you in either direction
Swap: did you realise holding a position overnight costs money? — moving average crossover diagram
A fast moving average crossing a slower one

The mechanics are in spread, commission and swap.

Background: The real cost of a forex trade: spread, commission and swap

Every trade has costs, and they are easy to underestimate. Here is how to add up the spread, commission and overnight swap on a position.

What is a spread in forex?

The difference between the bid (sell) and ask (buy) price. You pay it every time you open a trade, and it widens when the market is less liquid.

Is a raw spread account cheaper?

Not automatically. Add the spread and the round-trip commission together and compare the total with a spread-only account's typical spread on the pairs you trade.

Read the full guide

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