Earning The Points

A currency trading term that describes when the forward ask price is lower than the spot bid price, resulting in a gain for the trader. A trader is gaining the points when he or she sells at one price now then agrees to buy for less in the future. Gaining the point only refers to the difference between sell and buy prices and does not take the time value of money into account.

This is the opposite of "losing the points".

If the individual sells at the higher ask price in the spot market, then buys at a lower bid price in the futures market, he or she is gaining the points.

For example, suppose that Peter sells the British pound at 2.2055 dollars per British pound in the spot and enters into a forward contract to buy the pound back at 2.2000 dollars per pound in the future. Peter is gaining the points, in this case 0.0055 dollars per pound.