Trade size for open trade changed on MetaTrader 4 - How to investigate?
- Best EA trading strategy for the beginners or classic Forex mistakes.
- Questions: to start with MetaTrader and forex
- Copied signal but don't same lot size
Hi, the trade size has changed from 0.3 to 0.5 on 1 of my open and running trades. My broker reluctantly explained this with a glitch on the MQL4 Platform. I have evidence it was at 0.3 for a month before got changed to 0.5 on 14th/15th April 2021 and request investigation. Thank you.
As this is a user forum, and we are unable to launch investigations into possible "glitches" on the behalf of the development team.
If you provide further details, as users we may be able to offer our perspectives or some insight based on our own experiences to help you figure out what might have happen.
If however, that is not your intention, and only want the dev team or admin to look into it, then you will have to provide plenty of extra information in order for it to be investigated.
The details you provided are simply just not enough, not even for us users to be able to give you an opinion on the fact.
As this is a user forum, and we are unable to launch investigations into possible "glitches" on the behalf of the development team.
If you provide further details, as users we may be able to offer our perspectives or some insight based on our own experiences to help you figure out what might have happen.
If however, that is not your intention, and only want the dev team or admin to look into it, then you will have to provide plenty of extra information in order for it to be investigated.
The details you provided are simply just not enough, not even for us users to be able to give you an opinion on the fact.
Fernando, thanks for your reply. I'm new to trading, however it's a known fact that you cannot change the trade volume once the trade is open. I have screenshots showing my USOil trade open on 15th March for 0.3 contract and it changed somehow to 0.5 contract on 14-15th April at the point when USOil price was up to 63. The trade is still open. I'm unable to find any info on how you can ask the platform admin to investigate. Did anyone have any similar experience please?
First a word of warning, during discussions here, do not mention your broker, because it is against the rules.
Second, here are some initial questions to establish a frame of reference:
- MetaTrader 4 or 5?
- Desktop or Mobile app?
In case of Desktop, was the order placed:
- Manually
- via Signal copying
- via Expert Advisor
- What type of order was it?
- Market Order
- Pending Order that is still pending
- Pending Order that has been triggered and is now a Market Order
- What type of symbol is "USOil" - an Index, Spot, CFD, Future, etc.?
EDIT: If possible, show a screenshot of the "USOil" contract specifications, like the following example:
So, it's Meta Trader 4, desktop version, order placed manually via Advisor.
I believe it's a Pending order that's still pending. It's CFD.
I'm afraid, I cannot find any more info on the order other than what I can see when I press Modify the order.
No description. It shows Volume 0.5 but it was 0.3 for a month. So my TP is set at 68.97 when the current price is 62.
I'm running in a big minus in Profit and Swap, and change in contract volume only added to it. I don't know how to get it changed back or how to modify the order in favourable way.
Thank you.
So, it's Meta Trader 4, desktop version, order placed manually via Advisor.
I believe it's a Pending order that's still pending. It's CFD.
I'm afraid, I cannot find any more info on the order other than what I can see when I press Modify the order.
No description. It shows Volume 0.5 but it was 0.3 for a month. So my TP is set at 68.97 when the current price is 62.
I'm running in a big minus in Profit and Swap, and change in contract volume only added to it. I don't know how to get it changed back or how to modify the order in favourable way.
Thank you.
If you are running a loss, then it is not a Pending Order, but a Market Order. It may have been a Pending Order originally, but it is definitely no longer one.
First off, lets find out about the Symbol's Contract Specification (also see image below):
- In the "Market Watch" window, find the symbol "USOil" and right-click it.
- A context menu should appear, and choose "Specification".
- A pop-up window will appear with the symbols contract specification
- Expand that window until all the details are visible without and scroll bars.
- Save a screenshot of that window with Alt-PrtSc key sequence
- Add that screenshot in your reply post (simply hit CTRL-V while writing your post)
The reason I'm asking for this, is that I suspect that there is a minimum volume size for which orders are allowed. We will know this once I see the contract specification.
Once we have that information, we can then go onto the next step of investigating the reason for your problem.
Also, on a side note, may I ask why you started trading with real money instead of using a demo account to first learn how to trade?
I will add two more questions:
- When did you place the order (date and time if possible)?
- Go to the "Trade" tab and see what the Open Date/Time is for the order and give us that info too.
Fernando, thank you for trying to help, really appreciate it.
I was told I will learn on the go but I am not, so now I only want to save my account.
USOil was opened before for 0.3 and was ok, so it's over a minimum volume size.
Sorry, it didn't expand.
(I have pasted the images here but cannot see them).
It was open as 0.3 and changed to 0.5 between 14/04 6pm and 15/04 2pm UK time.
Fernando, thank you for trying to help, really appreciate it.
I was told I will learn on the go but I am not, so now I only want to save my account.
USOil was opened before for 0.3 and was ok, so it's over a minimum volume size.
Sorry, it didn't expand.
(I have pasted the images here but cannot see them).
It was open as 0.3 and changed to 0.5 between 14/04 6pm and 15/04 2pm UK time.
The specs show that the minimum and step volume sizes are 0.01 which means that the volume you used is well above those limitations. The Trade also shows that it was opened on the 15th of March, well before the 14 April.
So, it all points to being a failing on the Broker's side and not to do with any "glitch". Even if it was a "glitch", the broker can not just dismiss its own responsibility, given that they are the ones providing the service, irrespective of the software being used.
If this is a UK Broker, than you can take it up with the UK Regulators that I have heard are quite strict about such things.
Can you perhaps also show us the proof of the order being at a 0.3 volume please? I assume you either have a copy of the log or screenshot, or something like that. Please note, that this is just my own curiosity to see that and not an obligation.
With regards to trading, you should definitely start with a demo account first. I learned this from experience myself. I blew up several accounts in the beginning, a total of aprox. €5000, because I too committed the same mistake.
When placing an order, always set a Stop-Loss to no more than 5% Risk of your total capital or deposit. I personally never let an order's risk go beyond 1% now, sometimes less than that when I have multiple orders placed.
As for saving your account, I really don't know what to say, because it is your money on the line. From the Weekly and Daily chart, it seems price has ended a bull rally and is now consolidating. It may rise again, but it seems more likely to fall. This is only me speculating, as there are no guarantees in trading, only probabilities.
I hope I have helped in some small way, but I suspect that in essence nothing was resolved and you are still sitting with a hot potato in your hands!
EDIT: Also, once an order is taken by the broker, especially a Market order, it is under their jurisdiction and on their servers. They are responsible for it remaining intact. They can play with the spread but never the volume. You should definitely take it up with the regulator.
Just something else that is bothering me, is the fact that your order opened at 68.39 on the 15th. The High on that day on my charts was 66.42 and the peak was on the 8th of March with a High of 67.83. So if you bought on the 15th at 68.39, then that was a massive spread by your broker of almost 200 points. That is huge!
Currently the price on your screenshot matches my chart price, so my chart and yours cannot be that different. Your specs also show the current spread of 5 points (presumably fixed) which is comparable to mine as well although mine is floating.
I just cannot fathom that you bought with 200 points of spread. You really should discuss this with the regulator.
I see what you mean.
This trade was set up to lose money.
They' re not UK registered unfortunately.
That's a very blurry crop where you can see minute open and 0.3, I have better screens.
Is there an option that the MQL4 developers can check what it was at the opening point?
Thank you,
- Free trading apps
- Over 8,000 signals for copying
- Economic news for exploring financial markets
You agree to website policy and terms of use