i keep running into spread spikes or platform hesitation around news. i want to get better at reading the data rather than guessing.
where on the forum do you all post live spread and slippage results for events like nfp or cpi? screenshots, fix logs, or simple spreadsheets are all useful. how do you interpret the numbers when comparing brokers: average vs median slippage, positive vs negative fills, and the time window you look at before and after the release?
if you have a standard way to test across brokers, please share it. which brokers stayed stable for you when volatility hit, and how did you measure that?
Check NFP threads with timestamped spreads and fills.
Median slippage beats average during outliers.
Look for threads where members post tick charts and execution notes. Define slippage as fill price minus expected price. Track it in pips. Collect at least thirty orders per event, both limit and market. Compare median and the ninety fifth percentile. Note the test window, for example sixty seconds around the print. Log rejections and freezes separately. A broker with a lower median and tighter tails, plus fewer rejects, is more stable. Screenshots with timestamps help confirm the claims.
For spreads, record per second values from five minutes before to five minutes after the event. Calculate the median spread, and the peak spread. Note server time, symbol, and account type. If one broker keeps median spread lower and the peak short in duration, that is a good sign. If you see long freezes or many off quotes, mark them. Combine that with slippage stats to build a fair view of execution during news.
I check the news lab threads here during NFP.
People post raw spreads per second. I compare the median for the first 30 seconds and note any freeze messages.
Track both sides. Spreads and slippage. One looks fine alone, together they show the truth.
I keep a simple sheet.
During CPI I run ten 0.01 lot orders with fixed stops and targets. I record requested price, fill, and time. Median slippage and the worst five percent tell the story.
One broker looked fine on spread but slipped me hard. Another kept fills close. I stopped trading the release minute with the first one.