How do Bank Holidays Affect Trading Prices?

Bank holidays can have a significant impact on market liquidity, volatility, and trading conditions. Traders must adapt strategies to navigate these periods, ensuring effective risk management and informed decision-making to maintain gains in the market.

Let’s discuss how bank holidays can impact forex trading prices.

Impact of Bank Holidays on Trading Prices

Reduced liquidity

During bank holidays, financial institutions, including banks and hedge funds, often close or operate with reduced staffing. This reduction in market participants leads to lower liquidity in the forex market. With fewer traders actively trading, executing trades at desired prices becomes harder, and liquidity dries up. 

As a result, bid-ask spreads widen, and the market may become more prone to price manipulation by large players. For instance, during the Christmas and New Year holidays, trading volumes typically decline as traders take time off for vacations.

Increased volatility

Reduced liquidity during bank holidays can amplify price movements, leading to increased volatility. With fewer participants in the market, it takes less trading volume to move prices significantly. Traders who remain active during holidays may find themselves facing sharper and more unpredictable price swings. This heightened volatility can present both opportunities and risks for traders, as it may lead to larger gains or losses within a shorter time frame. 

Wider spreads

Spreads, the difference between the bid and ask prices of currency pairs, tend to widen during bank holidays due to decreased liquidity. With fewer market participants willing to trade currencies, liquidity providers widen their spreads to compensate for the increased risk of trading in illiquid conditions. 

As a result, traders may find it more costly to enter and exit positions, as they must pay a more extensive spread to execute their trades. For instance, during Easter holidays or Thanksgiving in the United States, traders may observe wider bid-ask spreads, due to decreased market participation.

Slower price movements

While volatility may increase during bank holidays, the overall pace of price movements often slows down. With fewer market participants actively trading, the frequency and speed of price changes can decrease. Traders may notice that currency pairs move more slowly and may take longer to reach key support or resistance levels.

This slower pace of price movements can make it challenging for traders to capitalize on short-term trading opportunities. For instance, during Labor Day in the United States or Bank Holiday in the United Kingdom, market activity tends to decelerate, leading to less pronounced price changes.

Greater risk of gaps

Bank holidays increase the risk of price gaps, where the market opens at a significantly different price than where it closed. Without continuous trading activity to absorb new information or events, unexpected news releases or geopolitical developments during holidays can lead to large price gaps when trading resumes.

Traders who hold positions over holidays should be especially cautious of the potential for significant losses if these gaps adversely affect their positions. For example, during long weekends such as Christmas or Easter, geopolitical developments or economic data releases can lead to significant price gaps when the market reopens.

Limited trading opportunities

With reduced liquidity and slower price movements, bank holidays often result in limited trading opportunities for forex traders. Many market participants stay on the sidelines during holidays to avoid the risks of trading in illiquid conditions. 

As a result, the number of available trading opportunities may decrease, and traders may need to exercise patience and discipline when searching for viable setups. For instance, during national holidays like Independence Day in the United States or Golden Week in Japan, trading opportunities may be scarce due to reduced liquidity.

Disrupted trading patterns

Bank holidays disrupt the usual trading patterns and rhythms observed in the forex market. Traders accustomed to specific times of heightened activity or volatility may find these patterns disrupted during holidays. For example, during Chinese New Year, trading volumes in the Asian session may decline significantly, affecting the usual flow of orders.

Potential for flash crashes

Flash crashes, sudden and severe price declines followed by rapid recoveries, are more likely to occur during bank holidays when liquidity is thin. With fewer market participants actively trading, the impact of a large sell-off or a sudden influx of orders can be magnified, leading to extreme price movements. Traders should be aware of the increased risk of flash crashes during holidays and take appropriate risk management measures to protect their positions.

Higher execution costs

Higher execution costs, including slippage and broader spreads, are common during bank holidays when liquidity is reduced. Traders may find that it becomes more expensive to execute trades due to the increased costs associated with entering and exiting positions. Additionally, brokerage firms may adjust their pricing to reflect the market conditions, contributing to higher execution costs for traders.

Reduced risk of unexpected events

While bank holidays can introduce volatility and gaps, they also reduce the risk of unexpected events impacting the market. With fewer market participants actively trading, the likelihood of significant market-moving news decreases. 

Traders may find that the market is more stable and predictable during holidays, as fewer external factors influence price movements. For example, market reactions to economic data or geopolitical events may be muted during religious holidays such as Eid al-Fitr or Yom Kippur.

Make forex trades ready for the next bank holiday

Traders should be aware of the trading effects caused by bank holidays and adjust their strategies accordingly to navigate the challenges posed in these periods. While bank holidays offer opportunities for rest and reassessment, they also bring risks, such as increased volatility and higher execution costs.