A Stop Loss or Take Profit is triggered when the applicable market price reaches the level you set.
The price shown on the chart may not be the price used to trigger your order, as the chart shows the Bid price by default, while your order may trigger using the other side of the quote.
Which Price Triggers Your Order?
The price depends on whether you are buying or selling:
Position Opened at Closed at
Buy Ask Bid
Sell Bid Ask
Position | Opened at | Closed at |
|---|---|---|
Buy | Ask | Bid |
Sell | Bid | Ask |
For example, a Sell position is closed using the Ask price. If your chart displays the Bid price, the Ask price may not have reached your Stop Loss or Take Profit even though the chart appears to have reached the level.
To view the Ask price on MT4/MT5:
- Right-click the chart.
- Select Properties.
- Enable Show Ask line.
Other Reasons Your Order May Not Have Triggered
The spread widened
Spreads fluctuate based on market conditions. When spreads expand, the gap between Bid and Ask prices grows. During high volatility, low liquidity, market opens, or other turbulent periods, wider spreads increase the likelihood of triggering your Stop Loss or Take Profit orders.
The market gapped over your level
When the market reopens, if it moves through your Stop Loss or Take Profit level without the applicable price being available at that level, the order may be executed at the next available price rather than exactly at the level you set.
The level is not stored on the position
If you attempted to add or modify a level but the request was rejected, the new level may not have been applied.
The market is closed
Stop loss and take profit levels only trigger during the product's trading hours.
If the applicable price passes your Stop Loss or Take Profit while the product is outside trading hours, the order can only be processed when trading resumes, subject to the available market price at that time.
You can check the product's trading hours and trading conditions in MT4/MT5 → Market Watch → Specification.
How to check if the order reaches Stop loss or Take profit
If you believe your Stop Loss or Take Profit should have triggered, but it didn't:
- Enable Show Ask line if you are checking a Sell order.
- Check the Journal tab if there is any rejected modification.
- Check the product's trading hours.
