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In the forex (FX) market, rollover is the process of extending the settlement date of an open position. In most currency trades, a trader is required to take delivery of the currency two days after the transaction date. However, by rolling over the position – simultaneously closing the existing position at the daily close rate and re-entering at the new opening rate the next trading day – the trader artificially extends the settlement period by one day.

Rollover is the interest paid or earned for holding a currency spot position overnight. Each currency has an overnight interbank interest rate associated with it, and because forex is traded in pairs, every trade involves not only 2 different currencies but also two different interest rates. However, unlike what many traders think, foreign exchange rolls are not based on central bank rates. Instead, forex rolls are constructed using forward points which are mostly based on overnight interest rates at which banks borrow unsecured funds from other banks.

Often referred to as tomorrow next, rollover is useful in FX because many traders have no intention of taking delivery of the currency they buy – rather, they want to profit from changes in the exchange rates. At the close of every trading day, a trader who took a long position in a high yielding currency relative to the currency that he or she borrowed will receive an amount of interest in his or her account. Conversely, a trader will need to pay interest if the currency he or she borrowed has a higher interest rate relative to the currency that he or she purchased.

Where should one invest?

Even though, making carry trades has been less appealing over the last few months, the currency market is still one of the best places to invest. After all, the forex market is still the most liquid financial market in the world with an average daily volume of US$ 4 trillion, according by the Bank for International Settlement. This is more than three times the total amount of the stocks and futures markets combined. Moreover, with a no-dealing-desk forex broker, every trade is executed with one the world’s premier banks which compete to provide you with the best bid and ask prices. This competition between banks reduces the potential for market manipulation by price providers.