Trading around rollover: how do you time the 5 p.m. New York window?

The daily rollover brings a spread-widening pause that catches unaware traders. For a strategy, it's a scheduled cost — or a scheduled avoidance — and the plan should say which.

Trading around rollover: how do you time the 5 p.m. New York window? — trading sessions clock diagram
The four forex trading sessions across a 24-hour day

What's your rollover rule?

  • whether you trade through the window
  • how spreads change your stops and targets there
  • the rollover surprise you once ate
Trading around rollover: how do you time the 5 p.m. New York window? — bid-ask spread diagram
The bid-ask spread on a currency pair

The sessions guide and trading costs guide explain the window.

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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