Hedging (การป้องกันความเสี่ยง)
Hedging means opening a position that moves opposite to one you already hold, so that a loss on one is partly or fully offset by a gain on the other.
Hedging is a way to reduce risk, not a way to make extra profit. You open a second position that tends to move in the opposite direction of your first one. If the market goes against your original trade, the hedge gains and cancels out some or all of the loss.
A simple example
You buy 0.1 lot of EURUSD at 1.1000. The price falls to 1.0950, so you are down 50 pips. At 0.1 lot, one pip is worth about 1 USD, so the loss is about 50 USD.
You are unsure what the price will do next, so you open a sell of 0.1 lot at 1.0950. This is a hedge. Now:
- If the price falls to 1.0900, the buy loses 50 more pips, but the sell gains 50 pips.
- If the price rises to 1.1000, the buy recovers 50 pips, but the sell loses 50 pips.
Either way, your total stays at about -50 pips. The hedge has frozen your result, apart from costs.
Why it matters
Hedging can protect you during uncertain times, such as before big news. Beginners often make these mistakes:
- Thinking a hedge is free. You still pay spread, and possibly swap, and the hedge uses margin.
- Believing a hedge removes risk completely. It also removes the chance of gain on the hedged amount.
- Leaving both positions open with no plan. Eventually you must decide how to close them.
Use hedging only when you understand its costs and have a clear reason.