If your position has closed unexpectedly, double-check to see if your stops or limits have been hit by looking at the buy (ask) or sell (bid) prices on an IG chart.
Keep in mind that with their standard settings our charts show the mid-price. This price is halfway between the buy and sell prices, which are separated by the spread.
To see the ask or bid prices, right click on the chart, select ‘Price’ in the menu and choose the type of price you want to display.
As a reminder, these are the prices you should refer to:
- Long positions: you open at the buy price (ask) and close at the sell price (bid)
- Short positions: you open at the sell price (bid) and close at the buy price (ask)
Note: On ProRealTime charts you’ll only be able to see the mid-price – so you’ll need to calculate the spread. For shares, the last traded price will be shown.