VIKTOR EPERJESY
PROFILE:
• Current Job: Head of Business Development at Trade Proofer
• Career: Passionate about forex trading since college. Co-founder of Trade Proofer community. 
View profile at FXStreet
The chart shows how several brokers' EURUSD spreads looked at-around the NFP announcement, time is in GMT. The red line represents the most scrambled situation at 12:32, when aggregated spreads got the widest. The brokers are ordered by their 12:32 spreads, thus tightest brokers are on the left, least competitive brokers are on the right. Apparently, some brokers decided to sit on the bench until situation calmed down.
Limitations apply, however. Commissions are not taken into account so the chart does not reflect overall competitiveness of brokers, but rather an impression on how spread volatility unfolded and how particular brokers handle economic events. Also, a competitive quote doesn’t mean competitive fill price. Slippage due to low liquidity and/or latency is frequent especially around such events.
The next chart shows how EURSD spreads got somewhat wider right before the economic event, how they sky-rocketed right after the announcement and how they consolidated after a couple of minutes at a slightly higher level. The y axis shows the actual aggregated spread of 90+ brokers expressed in percentage of its 12:25 value. In plain English, the peak around 500% means that the monitored 90+ brokers’ spreads got 5x wider at the busiest time.
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD holds firm above 1.1900 as US NFP looms
EUR/USD holds its upbeat momentum above 1.1900 in the European trading hours on Wednesday, helped by a broadly weaker US Dollar. Markets could turn cautious later in the day as the delayed US employment report for January will takes center stage.
GBP/USD remains above nine-day EMA near 1.3650
GBP/USD recovers its recent losses from the previous session, trading around 1.3680 during the European hours on Wednesday. The technical analysis of the daily chart indicates a sustained bullish bias, as the pair trades within an ascending channel pattern.
USD/JPY remains heavy around 153.00 on firmer Japanese Yen
USD/JPY is sustaining its three-day rout at around 153.00 in the European session on Wednesday, awaiting the closely-watched US NFP report. Rising bets on Fed rate cuts keep the US Dollar depressed. In contrast, expectations that PM Takaichi's policies will boost the economy and allow the BoJ to stick to its hawkish stance bolster the Japanese Yen, weighing on the pair amid intervention fears.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD holds firm above 1.1900 as US NFP looms
EUR/USD holds its upbeat momentum above 1.1900 in the European trading hours on Wednesday, helped by a broadly weaker US Dollar. Markets could turn cautious later in the day as the delayed US employment report for January will takes center stage.
USD/JPY remains heavy around 153.00 on firmer Japanese Yen
USD/JPY is sustaining its three-day rout at around 153.00 in the European session on Wednesday, awaiting the closely-watched US NFP report. Rising bets on Fed rate cuts keep the US Dollar depressed. In contrast, expectations that PM Takaichi's policies will boost the economy and allow the BoJ to stick to its hawkish stance bolster the Japanese Yen, weighing on the pair amid intervention fears.
Gold sticks to gains near $5,050 as focus shifts to US NFP
Gold holds moderate gains near the $5,050 level in the European session on Wednesday, reversing a part of the previous day's modest losses amid dovish US Federal Reserve-inspired US Dollar weakness. This, in turn, is seen as a key factor acting as a tailwind for the non-yielding yellow metal ahead of the critical US NFP release.
US Nonfarm Payrolls expected to show modest job gains in January
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the delayed Nonfarm Payrolls data for January on Wednesday at 13:30 GMT. Investors expect NFP to rise by 70K following the 50K increase recorded in December.
S&P 500 at 7,000 is a valuation test, not a liquidity problem
The rebound from last week’s drawdown never quite shook the sense that it was being supported by borrowed conviction. The S&P 500 once again tested near the 7,000 level (6,986 as the high watermark) and failed, despite a macro backdrop that would normally be interpreted as supportive of risk.
RECOMMENDED LESSONS
Making money in forex is easy if you know how the bankers trade!
I’m often mystified in my educational forex articles why so many traders struggle to make consistent money out of forex trading. The answer has more to do with what they don’t know than what they do know. After working in investment banks for 20 years many of which were as a Chief trader its second knowledge how to extract cash out of the market.
5 Forex News Events You Need To Know
In the fast moving world of currency markets where huge moves can seemingly come from nowhere, it is extremely important for new traders to learn about the various economic indicators and forex news events and releases that shape the markets. Indeed, quickly getting a handle on which data to look out for, what it means, and how to trade it can see new traders quickly become far more profitable and sets up the road to long term success.
Top 10 Chart Patterns Every Trader Should Know
Chart patterns are one of the most effective trading tools for a trader. They are pure price-action, and form on the basis of underlying buying and selling pressure. Chart patterns have a proven track-record, and traders use them to identify continuation or reversal signals, to open positions and identify price targets.
7 Ways to Avoid Forex Scams
The forex industry is recently seeing more and more scams. Here are 7 ways to avoid losing your money in such scams: Forex scams are becoming frequent. Michael Greenberg reports on luxurious expenses, including a submarine bought from the money taken from forex traders. Here’s another report of a forex fraud. So, how can we avoid falling in such forex scams?
What Are the 10 Fatal Mistakes Traders Make
Trading is exciting. Trading is hard. Trading is extremely hard. Some say that it takes more than 10,000 hours to master. Others believe that trading is the way to quick riches. They might be both wrong. What is important to know that no matter how experienced you are, mistakes will be part of the trading process.
The challenge: Timing the market and trader psychology
Successful trading often comes down to timing – entering and exiting trades at the right moments. Yet timing the market is notoriously difficult, largely because human psychology can derail even the best plans. Two powerful emotions in particular – fear and greed – tend to drive trading decisions off course.