Rollover Rate (Forex)

The net interest return on a currency position held by a trader. The rollover rate converts net currency interest rates, which are given as a percentage, into a cash return for the position. Since a trader is long one currency and short another, the net effect of both interest rates has to be calculated.

In forex, a rollover means that a position is extended at the end of the trading day without settling.

For example, an investor has a long 100,000 EUR/USD at a rate of 1.3000. The EUR interest rate is 2%, or a daily rate of 0.0054%, and the USD is 3% or a daily rate of 0.0081%.

The interest on the EUR is (100,000 * 0.0054%) 5.40 EUR; the USD costs (130,000 * 0.0081%) 10.53 USD. Converting the EUR to USD, 5.40 * 1.3000 = USD 7.02. The net USD amount is 7.02 - 10.53 = - 3.51, which is divided by the 100,000 position. On a long EUR/USD position, the rollover costs 0.00003562, or 0.3562 pips.