tl;drThe difference between two related financial measures, such as buying and selling prices, or borrowing and lending rates.

Spreads represent profit margins in financial transactions or risk premiums in financial markets.

Consider a bank offering savings accounts at 2% interest while lending at 5%, creating a 3% spread that contributes to profitability. Similarly, bond traders analyze spreads between different securities to identify investment opportunities and assess risk premiums.

Managing spreads requires understanding market conditions and competitive factors. Organizations must balance profitability with market competitiveness.

Back to the glossary

Behind every term in this glossary sits real finance work.

Talk to our team about how Light handles it end to end.

Book a demo