Rollover hour on MT5: why spreads explode around 23:00 server time

[FXS London Scalper]

Around the daily rollover, usually midnight server time (22:00 or 23:00 London), spreads widen sharply on most brokers. Understanding why helps avoid problems.

What happens:

• Liquidity providers close their trading day, settle positions and update prices.
• Many pull quotes or widen them for a few minutes.
• Swaps are applied to open positions.

Effects for traders:

• stops may be hit by the stretched ask or bid.
• Pending orders can fill at bad prices.
• Spreads of several pips on majors are common for a few minutes.

Simple rules:

• No open scalps across rollover.
• Pending orders cancelled before it, or placed far enough away.
• EA trading paused for 15 minutes either side.

How to check: log spreads around rollover on your account for a week.

Swap rates are also shown in the symbol specification, so it's worth checking them once even if trades rarely stay open past rollover.

Have you been caught by rollover?