Do not invest more money than you can afford to lose.
Much like many major and smaller forex brokers, who took precautions against high market volatility around the first round of the presidential elections in France on April, days before the second round on May 7, a significant number of brokers are taking similar measures in anticipation of the momentous face-off between Emmanuel Macron and Marine le Pen.
Some brokers, like Trading 212 chose to simply increase the margin requirements on some European indices and forex pairs with the Euro before the first round and keep them that way until the elections are over. Others, like Admiral Markets announced the changes for the days around both election rounds.
Below you can find a table with information we found on new conditions implemented before the second round.
Broker | Instruments/Changes | Start | End |
Saxo Bank | For pairs with: EUR, JPY, CHF 3% for orders up to 1 mln, 6%, 4%, 3%, respectively for larger orders. XAU: 4% for up to 1 mln., 5% for larger orders; XAG: 6% and 8%, respectively. European Index CFDs: min 6%, SPAIN35, FRA40, BELG20, ITALY40 and UK250MID: 10%. Index CFDs in the rest of the world: min 4%. | May 5 2017 at 10:00 GMT | May 8 2017 at 08:00 GMT |
FxPro | Min margin required: 4% for all European Spot Indices and Futures Indices; 2% for all EUR currency pairs | May 5, 2017, at 10:00a.m. UK Time (GMT+1) for European indices, futures May 5, 2017, at 04:00p.m. UK time (GMT+1) for EUR forex pairs | May 8, 07:00a.m. UK Time (GMT+1) May 8, market open for EUR pairs |
XM | All positions: 2% on forex, gold and silver; 4% all CFDs on Equity Indices, Commodities. | May 5, 5 PM server time (GMT+3) | May 8, after the announcement of the results. |
ActivTrades | Eightfold increase of margin requirements for: EURUSD, EURJPY, EURGBP, EURAUD, EURCAD, EURNZD and indices GER30, FRA40, UK100. Fourfold: USDJPY, GBPJPY, NZDJPY, AUDJPY, CADJPY, EURHUF, EURPLN, EURTRY; indices: USA500, USAIND, USARUS, USATEC, USDIND, SWI20, ESP35, EURO50, ITA40, NETH25, JP225 Twofold: EURCHF, TRYJPY, indices: GERTEC, USAVIX | Friday, May 5 2017, 1 hour before market close | |
Dukascopy | Extends weekend margin policy by a few hours into the session starting Sunday 7 May 21GMT | No fixed schedule | |
Alpari | May decide to increase margin requirements, Limit & Stop levels and spreads. In addition, some instruments may only be available in “close-only” mode | May 2 | May 5 |
Darwinex | Hikes margin requirements to 2-5% depending on the forex pair; to up to 4% on some commodities; to 5% on major indices. The changes will affect open and new positions. More details – in the broker’s blog. | May 5 2017 at 06:00 UK time | Presumably until May 8. |
FXOpen | Will increase margin requirements up to five times on all financial instruments that include EURO | May 3 | Market open May 9 |
ForexClub | New and open positions: could lower leverage to 1:50 on forex, gold and silver; 1:10 on oil, gas, indices and metals; 1:4 on stocks. Limits on cumulative size of open and new positions. | During the elections | |
Alfa Forex | Reduces leverage up to two times on: GBP/USD, GBP/AUD, GBP/CAD; Reduces leverage up to four times on: EUR/USD, USD/JPY, NZD/JPY, AUD/JPY, EUR/AUD, EUR/GBP, EUR/JPY, EUR/NZD, EUR/CAD, EUR/NOK, GBP/JPY, EUR/SEK. | May 5, 15:00 GMT | |
GKFX | Lowers leverage to 1:50 for all EUR and GBP instruments, European indices, for all types of trading accounts | May 05, 11:00 PM MT | |
FXGlory | Lowers leverage to 1:100 | May 5, 4 PM (GMT+2) | May 8, 12 AM (GMT+2) |
Pepperstone | Lowers leverage to: 1:100 for EUR pairs; 1:50 for index CFDs; 1:200 for other instruments | May 4 00:00 server time (GMT 3) – new positions May 5 00:00 server time (GMT 3) – all positions | May 8 00:00 server time (GMT 3) |
IFCMarkets | May change trading conditions | ||
OctaFX | Lowers leverage to 1:200 on currency pairs, 1:50 on metals and crude oil and 1:10 on indices. | May 5, 00:00 EEST | May 9, 00:00 EEST |
Fort FS | Lowers leverage to 1:33 on new positions with EUR pairs. | May 5, 21:00 of terminal time (EET) | |
FreshForex | Could: – increase spread size; – increase Limit&Stop levels; decrease leverage size to the maximum of 1:100; – impose Close Only mode or suspend trading; – close trading orders two hours before session closing on Friday 05/05/2017 at current market prices |
