Handle definition

A handle is the whole-number part of a price quote, with the smaller decimals stripped off. It lets you name a major price level without saying the full quote, and in forex it is also called the big figure.

A handle drops the cents or pips from the price. If a stock trades at USD 45.25, the handle is 45; if EUR/USD trades at 1.0850, the handle is the 1.08 big figure.

A handle is not the same as a cup and handle, which is a multi-part chart pattern named for its shape. A handle is one number, and round handles often act as psychological levels where traders cluster support, resistance, and stop orders.

Handle Example

A stock CFD is trading at USD 45.25.

The handle is 45, the whole-number part of the price.

If the stock rises to USD 46.10, it has moved into the 46 handle.