News trading and overnight holds are two of the most searched questions in the prop firm space because getting them wrong ends evaluations. This page gives you the complete picture of how Alpha Capital handles both, which account types are affected, and what you need to know before placing a trade around a major macro event
The Short Answer
News trading: Alpha Capital allows news trading on all programmes. The restriction is a window of a few minutes before and after high-impact releases, not a blanket ban. The exact window length varies by programme.
Overnight holds: Allowed on Alpha Swing across all stages. Allowed on Alpha Pro and Alpha One during Phase 1. Not allowed in all stages on standard programmes.
Weekend holds: Allowed on Alpha Swing across all stages. Allowed on Alpha Pro and Alpha One during Phase 1.
For the exact wording tied to your specific account, always verify on help.alphacapitalgroup.uk before trading.
Why News Rules Exist on Prop Firm Evaluations
Prop firms apply news restrictions for one reason: price behaviour around high-impact macro releases is unpredictable. Spreads widen dramatically. Slippage increases. Positions that look properly sized can breach drawdown limits in seconds if a central bank statement comes in hotter or cooler than expected.
Most firms are not trying to prevent traders from participating in news events entirely. They are trying to prevent evaluation accounts from getting wiped by a single irrational 30-second candle. The restriction is a risk management measure, not an attempt to reduce earnings.
Understanding that logic makes it easier to work within the rules rather than against them.
Alpha Capital News Trading Rules by Account Type
Check help.alphacapitalgroup.uk for the current version of your programme's news rule before trading through any high-impact release.
Alpha Swing
News trading is allowed on the Alpha Swing programme. The rule is not a ban on trading during news. Any trade opened within 2 minutes before or up to 2 minutes after a high-impact release must remain open for more than 2 minutes to be valid. The window is 4 minutes total, and the requirement is trade duration, not a prohibition on entering.
For most swing traders this is irrelevant. Swing entries are placed at levels identified in advance, not reactively at the moment of a CPI release. If a limit order fills near a news event, the trade just needs to stay open for 2 minutes.
Alpha One
News trading is allowed on Alpha One. The restriction is a 5-minute window on both sides of a high-impact release: you cannot execute any new trade or close an existing trade on the affected pair from 5 minutes before until 5 minutes after the release. Weekend holds are allowed during Phase 1 and on the Qualified Account stage.
Alpha Pro
News trading is allowed on Alpha Pro. The window differs by variant:
- Alpha Pro 6%: 5-minute window on both sides. You cannot execute any new trade or close an existing trade on the affected pair in the 5 minutes before and after the release.
- Alpha Pro 8% and Pro 10%: 2-minute window on both sides. Same restriction applies within the 2-minute pre and post window.
Weekend holds are allowed during the evaluation phases (Phase 1 and Phase 2) but are not permitted on the Qualified Account stage for Alpha Pro.
Alpha Three (3-Step)
Rules for Alpha Three follow the standard news framework. Verify the current wording on the help centre for your phase.
What Counts as a High-Impact News Event?
The events typically covered by news window rules at any prop firm include:
- Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP)
- Federal Reserve (FOMC) interest rate decisions and press conferences
- Consumer Price Index (CPI) releases
- European Central Bank (ECB) rate decisions
- Bank of England (BoE) rate decisions
- GDP releases for the US, UK, and EU
- Unemployment data for the US and UK
- ISM Manufacturing and Services data
Economic calendars that flag news as "high impact" are the standard reference. Forexfactory.com is the most widely used. Filter by red (high-impact) events. Those are the releases where the window rule applies.
Low and medium impact events are generally not subject to the window restriction. If in doubt, do not place a new entry in the 5 minutes before a release and check the rules page for your specific programme.
Overnight Holds on Alpha Capital
Alpha Swing
Overnight holds are allowed throughout the Alpha Swing programme. This applies to Phase 1, Phase 2, and the Qualified Account stage. Positions do not need to be closed at the end of the trading day, end of the week, or ahead of major events.
This makes Alpha Swing the correct programme for traders who:
- Use daily or weekly chart setups that naturally hold for multiple days
- Set limit orders in advance and allow the market to fill them without monitoring intraday
- Run a set-and-forget approach where positions are entered at a level and left to reach the target or stop
Standard Programmes (Alpha Pro, Alpha One, Alpha Three)
Overnight holds for Alpha Pro are permitted during Phase 1 and Phase 2. They are not permitted on the Alpha Pro Qualified Account stage.
For Alpha One, overnight holds are permitted during Phase 1 and also on the Qualified Account stage.
If overnight holds are a core ongoing feature of your strategy, Alpha Swing is still the correct programme, as it is the only one that explicitly supports overnight holds across all stages including the Qualified Account without restriction.
Weekend Holds on Alpha Capital
Alpha Swing
Weekend holds are allowed on Alpha Swing throughout Phase 1, Phase 2, and the Qualified Account stage. This includes holding open positions over the Friday close into the Monday open, and holding limit orders that have not yet been triggered.
Standard Programmes
For Alpha Pro, weekend holds are permitted during Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the evaluation. They are not permitted on the Alpha Pro Qualified Account stage.
For Alpha One, weekend holds are permitted during Phase 1 and also continue to be allowed on the Qualified Account stage.
A swing trader who needs to hold positions through weekends consistently, including on the funded stage, should be on Alpha Swing rather than Alpha Pro.
Practical Advice for Trading News on a Prop Firm Evaluation
Mark your calendar. Pull up forexfactory.com every Sunday. Note every red-impact event on the pairs you trade that week. Write down the exact time of each release in your timezone.
Set your window alert. Know whether your programme uses a 4-minute or 5-minute window. Set an alert 10 minutes before each event so you have time to decide whether to close, reduce, or leave a position.
Know the difference between having an existing position and opening a new one. Most news rules restrict opening new positions during the window. An existing position that you entered well before the release and are holding through is a different situation. Read your specific programme rules to understand how this distinction applies.
Use pending orders. If your analysis suggests a post-news level, set a limit order at that level and let it fill after the window has passed. You do not need to be watching the release or clicking in real time.
Do not test the edge cases. If the rule says 4 minutes, do not try to enter 4 minutes and 30 seconds before a release. Margin on compliance rules is not a trading edge.
FAQs
Can you trade news on Alpha Capital?
Yes. Alpha Capital allows news trading on all programmes. The restriction is a window of 4 to 5 minutes before and after high-impact releases on the traded pair, depending on your programme. It is not a blanket ban on news trading.
Can you hold trades overnight on a prop firm evaluation?
It depends on the firm and the programme. Alpha Capital allows overnight holds on Alpha Swing across all stages (evaluation and Qualified Account). Standard Alpha Capital programmes allow overnight holds in Phase 1. Always check the rules for your specific programme.
What is the news window rule on Alpha Capital Swing?
Any trade opened within 2 minutes before or up to 2 minutes after a high-impact release must remain open for more than 2 minutes to be valid. It is not a ban on entering during the window. It is a minimum trade duration requirement for trades that are entered inside it.
Can you hold positions over the weekend on a prop firm evaluation?
On Alpha Swing: yes, throughout Phase 1, Phase 2, and the Qualified Account stage. On Alpha One: yes during Phase 1 and on the Qualified Account stage. On Alpha Pro: yes during Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the evaluation, but not on the Qualified Account stage.
What is the difference between Alpha Swing and a standard Alpha Capital evaluation for news trading?
Alpha Swing has a 4-minute news window (vs 5 minutes on Alpha One), allows overnight holds in all phases, allows weekend holds in all phases, and has a 10% static drawdown limit that is larger than the standard programme options. It is designed end-to-end for traders who cannot work within intraday-style restrictions.
Which prop firm is best for news trading?
Both Alpha Capital and FTMO allow news trading with window restrictions. Alpha Swing has a 4-minute window and full overnight and weekend flexibility. FTMO Swing removes news restrictions on the funded account stage. If news trading is a core part of your strategy, the right firm is one with a dedicated swing-style programme and a narrow news window. Always read the current rules before committing to any evaluation.
Ready to trade your strategy without overnight restrictions?
Alpha Swing is built for the way swing traders actually operate. No forced closes at end of day. No weekend bans. A 4-minute news window and a 10% static drawdown that gives your positions room to move.
Start your Alpha Swing evaluation
Alpha Capital Group is a proprietary trading firm based in the United Kingdom. All accounts operate in a simulated trading environment with simulated funds unless a specific product states otherwise. Performance fees are based on eligible simulated trading results and outcomes are not guaranteed. Always confirm live rules, pricing, eligibility, and evaluation requirements on alphacapitalgroup.uk and help.alphacapitalgroup.uk before purchasing an evaluation.
