Important Notice: Heightened Market Volatility – Middle East Conflict
What's happening?
Following the escalation of military conflict in the Middle East from 28 February 2026, financial markets are experiencing significantly heightened volatility across a wide range of asset classes. This is contributing to increased uncertainty across global markets, and periods of rapid price movement may continue.
Trading conditions have been impacted, including wider spreads, intermittent price feeds on certain instruments, and sharp intraday price movements. We expect these conditions to persist while the situation remains unresolved.
How might this affect your trading?
- Increased volatility – Prices across equities, commodities, FX, and indices may move sharply and rapidly, including outside normal market hours.
- Price gaps – Sudden gaps in pricing may occur, particularly at market open or following major news developments. Stop losses may be subject to slippage in these conditions.
- Intermittent pricing – Price feeds on some instruments may be temporarily suspended or delayed.
- Margin and trading conditions – We may need to adjust margin rates or other trading conditions at short notice in response to evolving market risk. We will communicate any changes as quickly as possible.
- Deposit processing – If you need to add funds to your account, please be aware that transfers from many financial institutions may be delayed outside of normal business hours, including weekends.
| Market conditions are currently more volatile than usual. Depending on how events unfold, further sudden changes in market conditions may occur at short notice. |
What should you do now?
We strongly encourage you to review their open positions and take the following steps:
- Check your account balance – Ensure you have sufficient funds to support your current positions and any potential margin changes. Do not wait until a margin call is issued.
- Review your stop losses – Make sure stops are set at appropriate levels given current volatility. Consider using Guaranteed Stops to protect against gapping — a small premium applies, but only if triggered.
- Consider your position sizes – Reducing exposure in highly affected markets may help limit risk during this uncertain period.
- Set price alerts – Use IG's price alert tools to stay informed of significant market moves without needing to monitor your screen continuously.
- Stay informed – Monitor our real-time news and analysis feed within the platform for the latest market developments.
Risk management tools available to you
Tool | What it does |
Guaranteed Stop | Closes your position at exactly your specified price, regardless of gapping or volatility. A small premium is charged only if triggered. |
Stop Loss | Automatically closes your position if the market moves against you. No trigger charge, but slippage may occur in fast-moving or gapping markets. |
Limit Order | Lets you open or close a position at a pre-set favourable price level. |
Price Alerts | Notifies you when a market moves by a specific amount — available exclusively through IG. |
Important note on orders during volatile market conditions
During periods of increased market volatility, prices may move rapidly or gap between levels. This means that some orders — such as stop losses or limit orders — may not always execute at the exact price specified.
In fast-moving markets, orders are filled at the next available market price once the trigger level is reached. This can result in execution at a better or worse price than expected, depending on market conditions.
Guaranteed stops are designed to close positions at the exact level set, regardless of volatility or market gaps, although a premium applies if triggered.
Using risk management tools can help manage exposure, but they do not eliminate market risk.
Need help?
We're here 24/7, except from 10pm Friday to 8am Saturday (UK time). Contact us via live chat or WhatsApp.
To improve your trading skills, visit IG Academy for free online courses and webinars from industry experts.
You can also find answers to common questions in Help & Support.
This notice is for informational purposes and does not constitute financial advice. Trading leveraged products carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors.
