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Forex SlangPopular

Left-Hand Side (LHS)

The bid side of a two-way price quote. Selling "on the left" means selling at the bid price.

Quick answer

The left-hand side (LHS) of a two-way forex quote is the bid price. Selling at the bid is called 'hitting the left'.

Definition

Left-hand side (LHS) refers to the bid price in a two-way forex quote. In the standard quote format "bid/ask" or "bid/offer," the bid is on the left. When you sell at the bid, you're "hitting the left" or "dealing on the left-hand side."

How It Works

  • Quote: 1.1000/1.1005
  • 1.1000 = left-hand side (bid) = price to sell
  • 1.1005 = right-hand side (ask) = price to buy
  • "Mine!" in dealing = selling at bid

Trading Tips

1

Market makers buy on the left (bid) and sell on the right (ask)

2

The difference between sides is the spread

3

Understanding this helps with order execution

Left-Hand Side (LHS) Example

Say EUR/USD quotes 1.0850 / 1.0852 and you want to sell one lot. You deal on the left-hand side at 1.0850, the bid, and the 2-pip gap to the ask leaves your fill before anything moves.

How Traders Use Left-Hand Side (LHS)

Think in sides, not prices. Sellers live on the left, buyers on the right, and every market order pays the trip across. When a scalper says the edge is thin, they mean the left-to-right round trip eats most of it.

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