How Many Pips a Day Does Each Pair Move?
https://fxabsolute.com/stats/GBPUSD.json.
Nine pairs, median first
| Pair | Median | Average | Middle half of days | 1 day in 20 exceeds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/JPY | 119.8 | 139.3 | 81.4–172.9 | 306 |
| EUR/JPY | 94.4 | 109.2 | 61.2–138.4 | 241.3 |
| USD/JPY | 89.1 | 105.9 | 52.9–136 | 240.6 |
| GBP/USD | 79.5 | 85.7 | 53.8–108.1 | 177.9 |
| USD/CAD | 64.4 | 70.2 | 42.9–90.7 | 144.2 |
| EUR/USD | 61.6 | 66.9 | 39.9–87.2 | 141.6 |
| AUD/USD | 54.4 | 58.5 | 35.9–74.4 | 117.2 |
| AUD/CAD | 52.5 | 57.4 | 37.8–71 | 109.4 |
| EUR/GBP | 35.1 | 40 | 24.1–49.6 | 82.4 |
On every pair the average sits above the median, which is what a right-skewed distribution looks like. Quoting the average as "how much it moves" overstates the typical day on all nine.
What to do with the interquartile column
It is the honest answer to "how much does it move". GBP/USD does not move 85.7 pips a day; it moves between 53.8 and 108.1 on half of days, less on a quarter, and more on a quarter. A plan built on a single number has no answer for three quarters of days.
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Questions
How many pips does GBP/USD move per day?
A median of 79.5 pips, with half of all days between 53.8 and 108.1. The average of 85.7 is higher because a few extreme days pull it up.
How many pips does EUR/USD move per day?
A median of 61.6 pips; the middle half of days falls between 39.9 and 87.2.
Why quote the median instead of the average?
Because the distribution is right-skewed on every pair measured. The average sits above the median throughout, so it overstates what a typical day looks like.