Yesterday I’ve bought one share on FB as a test. According to Freetrade, I’ve bought it for £152.17. £1.00 = $1.24The latest price reported was $187.99. I do know that Freetrade has a 0.45% FX exchange rate however when I run the numbers £152.17 equals $189.47 using this rate? Can someone help me understand the FX rate as of what I calculated ends up 0.80% Fx rate? I presume my math is wrong and I’ve tried to reach Freetrade but haven’t got an answer. I did this as I’m planning to invest another 5k in the next week or so and I already invested more than 3K and I’m concerned with those charges
Apologies ‘I do know that Freetrade has a 0.45% FX exchange rate however when I run the numbers £152.17 equals $189.47 using this rate?’ $189.21 not 0.47
Where are you getting the fx rate from? If I go to place an order for a US stock I get an estimated fx rate but the buy note doesn’t have the actual rate on (though I can work it out).
But that isn’t necessarily the rate that you’re getting on your purchase - that is a rate shown on a different website! As I said the FT purchase page gives you an estimated exchange rate not a final exchange rate.
I think the discrepancy you are seeing is the difference between the estimated rate and the actual rate.
Your starting point is an incorrect assumption on two areas ie:
that you have been charged $1.24:£1 + 0.45%.
the price that you paid in USD for the share (latest price is a delayed price and is not the actual price that you paid)
As you acknowledge in your original post the actual FX transaction looks more like 0.8% ie 0.35% more than the 0.45% FX charge, however my point is that the 0.35% could easily be the difference between a dollar rate of 1.24 and what you were actually charged. Without knowing the actual dollar rate you were charged you don’t know (or the USD amount) - it may have been that rate was 1.22 or even lower.
Similarly on the share price you don’t know the actual USD amount you paid - it could have been $188/189 - the closing price yesterday was $190 so you have done better than that.
Unfortunately the FT contract note doesn’t give you enough information as it only has the GBP amount and not the USD amount. That looks like one of the areas that is being improved with fractional shares as the contract note contains a lot more information.
What you saying it does make sense. Wish was more clear to be honest. This was a simple test however if I decide to drop 5k there is absolutely no forecasting how much I would be charged.