I’m relatively new to scalping and I keep reading that performance during news events is a big deal, especially if you’re considering Tickmill. The concern I have is that spreads can blow out and slippage happens, which sounds like it could wipe out any gains from rebates pretty quickly.
I want to understand what actually matters when evaluating a broker’s reliability during volatility. Is it just spread data, or should I be looking at other things like execution speed, requotes, or something else? I’ve seen some frameworks for broker reliability, but I’m not sure which metrics actually predict real trading outcomes during news.
How do you or others actually assess whether a broker like Tickmill can handle your scalping during high volatility? What proof do you actually look for before deciding to risk money there?
Test it with small positions. See if slippage eats profits.
Spreads widen on news. That’s normal. Execution matters more.
For news trading, measure three things: average spread during the news window (not normal times), percentage of trades that execute without requotes, and the distance between quote and actual fill. Tickmill’s spreads during normal hours look good, but news slippage is what matters. Run a test account and trade the same strategy you’d use live. Track actual results for at least two weeks of high volatility news events. That tells you more than any marketing material.
Broker reliability during news isn’t just about spreads. It’s execution consistency. Some brokers widen spreads fairly but execute fast. Others hold tight spreads but fill you at terrible prices with slippage. Track the difference between your entry price and the price at which you actually got filled. That’s your real cost during volatile events.
The best way to evaluate is to actually trade it during volatile times with real money, but start small. You’ll learn way more from a few small loss trades than from reading reviews.
That said, check the forums and communities for what people experienced during major news events. Real trader feedback usually catches problems that don’t show up on a broker’s marketing site.
Spreads widen on news. Test it yourself with a demo. That shows the real picture.
Check their actual performance during NFP or major economic announcements. That’s when you see if they’re reliable.
I’ve scalped through enough news events to know what matters. Tickmill holds spreads relatively steady, but execution quality drops. I’ve seen requotes and slippage eat into my scalping profits faster than you’d think.
What I actually measure now is the ratio of intended edge versus actual profit after slippage. If I expect to make 2 pips per trade on a scalp, but slippage during news costs me 0.5 pips on entry and maybe another 0.5 on exit, I’m down to 1 pip. That changes everything.
Do a trial run on live trading with minimal position sizes during news events. That’s the only real test.
Here’s what I look for: does the broker restrict trading during news, or do they let you in at wider spreads? Tickmill lets you trade, which is good for scalpers, but the spreads blow out enough that your edge gets squeezed. I’ve learned to just avoid scalping during the first 30 seconds of major news releases on Tickmill. After that, it usually stabilizes.
Trust the community feedback here and test it yourself. That’s the honest answer.