Volatile FX markets reveal pitfalls of RFQ

Clients urged to mask trading intent; critics warn of subtle sell-side advantages.

Dealers are urging clients not to give too much information away when requesting foreign exchange prices, after the tactic backfired in virus-hit markets.

When obtaining a two-way price for a particular currency pair, some clients have been choosing to indicate which currency they are buying. The aim is to secure better liquidity but the result in volatile trading has been to move the price, making it more expensive to execute follow-on trades.