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What The Terms T+1, T+2, T+3 Mean & Difference Between Trade and Settlement Date
In the financial world, time is money, so when a trade is executed, a day or two is needed to clear the transaction and pass the funds (ownership) from the buyer to the seller. This is where the disparity between the trade and settlement date occurs.
The transaction date is the date on which the transaction occurs, so for example if you buy the shares of a company, or purchase treasury bills or bonds on the 23rd of June 2016, this date will be your transaction date. The transaction date will not change, as it will always be the date on which you made your transaction.
The Settlement date is however different, because it refers to the date on which ownership is transferred and money is exchanged between buyer and seller.
Settlement dates are usually denoted by T+1, T+2, or T+3 days.
What Do T+1, T+2, or T+3 mean?
If you buy (or sell) a security with a T+3 settlement on Monday, and we assume there are no holidays during the week, the settlement date will be Thursday, not Wednesday. The T or transaction date is counted as a separate day. In Nigeria, bonds can also be traded on a T+2 basis.
The post above and its ensuing comments, if any, is purely the opinion of the writer(s). It therefore should never be considered as an investment advise of any sort. If required, readers should please consult a competent professional financial adviser for any investment decision.