Part of our prop firm guide series. Start with What is a Prop Firm? (2026 complete guide), then explore: are prop firms legit?, how prop firms work, trading evaluation, simulated funds, performance fee, qualified trader, drawdown types, and Alpha Capital rules explained.
Quick answer: During evaluation, you can trade freely through news on Alpha Capital plans. After you become a Qualified Analyst, news windows apply (2 or 5 minutes either side on Pro / One / Three; Swing uses a duration rule). Overnight holds are allowed on all plans (swap applies). Weekend holds are allowed on Swing, One, and Three at all stages. On Alpha Pro Qualified Accounts, weekend holds are not allowed (soft breach).
Published: May 20, 2026
Last updated: July 13, 2026
This page was updated on July 13, 2026 to match the live Alpha Capital help centre. Key corrections: evaluation-phase news trading is unrestricted; news windows apply on Qualified Analyst accounts; overnight holds are allowed on all plans; weekend holds (not overnight) are restricted on Alpha Pro Qualified Accounts; Alpha One and Alpha Three also allow weekend holds after qualification.
Always confirm live rules on help.alphacapitalgroup.uk before you trade.
The short answer
News trading
- Evaluation phases: unrestricted news trading on Pro, One, Three, and Swing (per the news help article).
- Qualified Analyst: windows apply. Pro 8%/10% = 2 minutes either side. Pro 6%, One, and Three = 5 minutes either side. Swing = if you open inside a 4-minute window, the trade must last more than 2 minutes.
Overnight holds
- Allowed on all plans. You pay or receive swap on positions held overnight.
Weekend holds
- Swing / One / Three: allowed at all stages.
- Pro: allowed in Phase 1 and Phase 2. Not allowed on the Qualified Analyst Account (soft breach).
For the exact wording on your account, verify on the help centre before trading.
Why news rules exist
High-impact releases can widen spreads and increase slippage. Firms use short windows on Qualified Accounts to reduce the chance of a single news spike wiping a simulated account. That is risk management, not a blanket ban on news trading.
Evaluation vs Qualified Analyst (read this first)
| Stage | News rule |
|---|---|
| Evaluation (all phases) | Trade freely during news releases |
| Qualified Analyst - Pro 8%/10% | No open or close 2 minutes before or after listed high-impact news |
| Qualified Analyst - Pro 6%, One, Three | No open or close 5 minutes before or after listed high-impact news |
| Qualified Analyst - Swing | News trading allowed. If a trade is opened within 2 minutes before or up to 2 minutes after a release (4-minute window), duration must exceed 2 minutes. Gambling rules also apply. |
Help centre source: Can I trade news?
News rules by plan (Qualified Analyst)
Alpha Swing
News trading is allowed. If a trade is initiated within 2 minutes before or up to 2 minutes after a news release (a 4-minute window), its duration must exceed 2 minutes for the trade to be valid. Swing accounts are also subject to gambling rules. Do not use short speculative news scalps.
Alpha One
On the Qualified Analyst account, you cannot open or close on the targeted instrument from 5 minutes before until 5 minutes after a listed high-impact release (10-minute total window). During evaluation, news trading is unrestricted.
Weekend holds are allowed in Phase 1 and on the Qualified Analyst Account.
Alpha Pro
On the Qualified Analyst account:
- Pro 6%: 5 minutes either side (open or close banned in that window).
- Pro 8% and Pro 10%: 2 minutes either side (open or close banned in that window).
During evaluation (Phase 1 and Phase 2), news trading is unrestricted.
Weekend holds are allowed in Phase 1 and Phase 2. Weekend holds are not allowed on the Pro Qualified Analyst Account. Breach is a soft breach: profits from those trades are removed; the account can stay active if the updated balance stays above max drawdown.
Alpha Three
On the Qualified Analyst account, the window is 5 minutes either side (open or close banned). During evaluation (Phases 1, 2, and 3), news trading is unrestricted. Weekend holds are allowed at all stages.
What counts as a high-impact event?
Use Alpha's published instrument and announcement table in the help centre. Calendars used for impact checks:
What matters: the release is listed in Alpha's table and is high-impact on at least one of those calendars. One calendar may mark an event orange while another marks it red.
Typical examples include NFP, FOMC rate decisions and press conferences, CPI, ECB / BoE decisions, GDP, unemployment, and PMI. The help centre table is wider than this list. Check it before you trade.
Speeches and conferences: treat the no-trade window as covering the entire duration. Example for Pro 8%/10%: do not trade from 2 minutes before the speech starts, during the speech, or until 2 minutes after it ends.
Opening, closing, and holding through news
On Qualified Analyst Pro / One / Three accounts:
- Executing a trade means opening or closing, including pending orders, stop-loss, and take-profit.
- You may hold a position opened before the window (more than 2 minutes before on Pro 8%/10%, or more than 5 minutes before on Pro 6% / One / Three).
- If stop-gain or take-profit fills inside the window, that is a violation. Soft breach: those profits are not eligible for a performance fee.
- Losses during news remain your responsibility.
Overnight holds
Yes. Overnight holding is allowed on all plans. You pay or receive swap (rollover / overnight interest) on positions held overnight.
There is no separate overnight ban on Alpha Pro Qualified Accounts. The restriction that trips traders is weekend holding, not weekday overnight.
Help centre source: Can I hold trades overnight?
Weekend holds
| Plan | Evaluation | Qualified Analyst |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha Swing | Allowed (Phase 1/2) | Allowed |
| Alpha One | Allowed (Phase 1) | Allowed |
| Alpha Three | Allowed (Phases 1/2/3) | Allowed |
| Alpha Pro | Allowed (Phase 1 and Phase 2) | Not allowed (soft breach) |
Weekend holds can incur swap fees.
Help centre source: Can I hold trades over the weekend?
If your strategy needs weekend holds on the Qualified Account stage, use Swing, One, or Three. Do not use Alpha Pro for that.
Practical advice
- Mark red / high-impact events on Myfxbook and Forex Factory every week. Cross-check Alpha's instrument table.
- Know your stage. Evaluation = free news. Qualified = window rules.
- Know your plan window (2 min vs 5 min vs Swing duration rule).
- On Qualified Pro / One / Three, manage SL/TP so they do not fill inside the window.
- Do not test the edge of the clock. If the rule says 5 minutes, give yourself more buffer.
- Overnight is fine on all plans. Close Pro Qualified positions before the weekend.
FAQs
Can you trade news on Alpha Capital?
Yes. During evaluation, news trading is unrestricted. On Qualified Analyst accounts, short windows apply by plan. It is not a blanket ban.
Do news windows apply during the evaluation?
No. Help centre: during evaluation phases you can trade freely during all news releases. Windows apply after you become a Qualified Analyst (with Swing's duration rule on that plan).
Can you hold trades overnight?
Yes. Overnight holding is allowed on all plans. Swap applies. See the weekend rule separately.
Can you hold positions over the weekend?
Swing, One, and Three: yes at all stages. Alpha Pro: yes in Phase 1 and Phase 2; no on the Qualified Analyst Account (soft breach).
What is the Alpha Swing news rule?
If a trade is opened within 2 minutes before or up to 2 minutes after a release (4-minute window), it must last more than 2 minutes to be valid. Gambling rules also apply.
Is Alpha Swing the only plan that allows weekend holds after qualification?
No. Alpha One and Alpha Three also allow weekend holds on the Qualified Analyst Account. Alpha Pro does not.
Which calendars does Alpha use?
Myfxbook and Forex Factory. An event must be in Alpha's published table and high-impact on at least one of those calendars.
Ready to pick a plan that matches how you hold?
- Need weekend holds after qualification: Alpha Swing, Alpha One, or Alpha Three
- Prefer Pro's structure: close before the weekend on the Qualified Account
Start your Alpha Capital 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.
