PLN, HUF and CZK: liquidity that disappears after lunch
Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2026 6:48 pm
Central European currencies such as the Polish zloty, the Hungarian forint, and the Czech koruna trade mostly against the euro. Liquidity is concentrated in European business hours and fades quickly afterward.
Spreads can be wide even in the best hours, and they widen further when European markets close. Quotes may freeze, and prices can gap when trading resumes.
These pairs react to regional data, central bank decisions, and political developments, with moves that can be large relative to the typical range.
Retail brokers often offer them with spreads that look attractive in marketing but are variable. The cost relative to the movement can be unfavorable for short-term scalping.
If considering them, check the distribution of spreads by hour. Look at slippage in the trade log, and note the behavior at rollover.
For most scalping approaches, the combination of low liquidity and wide, unstable spreads makes these pairs a poor fit. They suit slower strategies, where costs are a smaller share of the expected profit.
How does the spread distribution for these pairs compare with the strategy's average target?
Spreads can be wide even in the best hours, and they widen further when European markets close. Quotes may freeze, and prices can gap when trading resumes.
These pairs react to regional data, central bank decisions, and political developments, with moves that can be large relative to the typical range.
Retail brokers often offer them with spreads that look attractive in marketing but are variable. The cost relative to the movement can be unfavorable for short-term scalping.
If considering them, check the distribution of spreads by hour. Look at slippage in the trade log, and note the behavior at rollover.
For most scalping approaches, the combination of low liquidity and wide, unstable spreads makes these pairs a poor fit. They suit slower strategies, where costs are a smaller share of the expected profit.
How does the spread distribution for these pairs compare with the strategy's average target?