Whether are learning to drive a car or trade in the Forex market you benefit from the experience and knowledge of others. None of us ever really believe that we are an expert at something as soon as we try it for the first time. For this reason, unless you are already maintaining a healthy bank balance trading Forex then you can benefit from a tutorial in Forex trading.
A tutorial in currency trading will help to teach you the basics, and even if you have been trading currencies for a while then you may still learn something new. You see, the Forex market is pretty complex and therefore it can take years to master it. For this reason taking the time to learn as much as possible will save you money in the long run.
Not too long ago it was almost impossible to find anyone offering any kind of training or tutoring in Forex. This was mainly because trading was only open to large corporations and businesses. The situation is completely different nowadays as the Internet boom has opened the doors to individual traders and that has led to a massive increase in the number of courses and tutorials available.
Training can be done online or in a classroom depending on your location and preference. There are so many ¡®learn at home¡¯ courses available now that if you think that is the way to go then all you have to do is pick one. Classroom learning is a little different since you may find yourself having to travel fair distances to get to your nearest course.
Another advantage of an online tutorial is that not only do you get to learn from the comfort of your own home or office but you can also take things at your own pace. The downside however is that there is no teacher for the one to one discussions and explanation (the DVDs or online videos are your teacher) that you may sometime need.
Some online currency trading tutorials come with a money-back guarantee, that is if you do not like their course you can return it for a refund. However, you should look out for those courses which claim to be able to guarantee you a profit. These kind of claims are hard to achieve and should be treated with sketiscm as some courses are no more than scams.
Forex trading requires very quick thinking and decision making. Tutorials cannot teach you that. They can tell you the principles of trading and make you a much better trader for it. However, what it takes is for you to use the knowledge they give you and incorporate it in to your daily trading habits.
Through the help of a course you decision making and speed can definitely be improved but they cannot tell you exactly when to enter or exit a trade. That said, if you take the time to learn everything you can then it will be much easier to call the next market move correctly. You can also look to the help of Forex signal service providers for further security.
Currency trading tutorials can never teach you everything you will ever need to know. No-one can. However, they can help you to make decisions more quickly and with more success, it¡¯s all about how you take the knowledge they give you and what you do with it.
Streaming Forex Price Ticker
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Jumat, 28 September 2007
Online Forex Trading Strategies
Forex trading strategies are the key to successful forex trading or online currency trading. A knowledge of these forex trading strategies can mean the difference between a profit and a loss and it is therefore imperative that you fully understand the strategies used in forex trading.
Forex trading is very different from trading in stocks and using forex trading strategies will give you more advantages and help you realize even greater profits in the short term. There are a wide range of forex trading strategies available to investors and one of the most useful of these forex trading strategies is a strategy known as leverage.
This forex trading strategy is designed to allow online currency traders to avail of more funds than are deposited and by using this forex trading strategy you can maximize the forex trading benefits. Using this strategy you can actually utilize as much as 100 times the amount in your deposit account against any forex trade which will make backing higher yielding transactions even easier and therefore allowing better results in your forex trading
The leverage forex trading strategy is used on a regular basis and allows investors to take advantage of short term fluctuations in the forex market.
Another commonly used forex trading strategy is known as the stop loss order. This forex trading strategy is used to protect investors and it creates a predetermined point at which the investor will not trade. Using this forex trading strategy allows investors to minimize losses. This strategy can however, backfire and the investor can run the risk of stopping their forex trading which could actually go higher and it really is up to the individual trader to choose whether or not to use this forex trading strategy.
An automatic entry order is another of the forex trading strategies that is commonly used and this strategy is used to allow investors to enter into forex trading when the price is right for them. The price is predetermined and once reached the investor will automatically enter into the trading.
All these forex trading strategies are designed to help investors get the most from their forex trading and help to minimize their losses. As mentioned earlier knowledge of these forex trading strategies is vital if you wish to be successful in forex trading.
Forex trading is very different from trading in stocks and using forex trading strategies will give you more advantages and help you realize even greater profits in the short term. There are a wide range of forex trading strategies available to investors and one of the most useful of these forex trading strategies is a strategy known as leverage.
This forex trading strategy is designed to allow online currency traders to avail of more funds than are deposited and by using this forex trading strategy you can maximize the forex trading benefits. Using this strategy you can actually utilize as much as 100 times the amount in your deposit account against any forex trade which will make backing higher yielding transactions even easier and therefore allowing better results in your forex trading
The leverage forex trading strategy is used on a regular basis and allows investors to take advantage of short term fluctuations in the forex market.
Another commonly used forex trading strategy is known as the stop loss order. This forex trading strategy is used to protect investors and it creates a predetermined point at which the investor will not trade. Using this forex trading strategy allows investors to minimize losses. This strategy can however, backfire and the investor can run the risk of stopping their forex trading which could actually go higher and it really is up to the individual trader to choose whether or not to use this forex trading strategy.
An automatic entry order is another of the forex trading strategies that is commonly used and this strategy is used to allow investors to enter into forex trading when the price is right for them. The price is predetermined and once reached the investor will automatically enter into the trading.
All these forex trading strategies are designed to help investors get the most from their forex trading and help to minimize their losses. As mentioned earlier knowledge of these forex trading strategies is vital if you wish to be successful in forex trading.
Swing Trading Strategy
Swing trading is a popular method of capitalizing on the short-term price variations of the stock market. It has earned a reputation of being a powerful method of maximizing profits at lower risks. The best swing trading strategy involves choosing the right stock and the right market. Swing traders usually choose the stocks that fluctuate at extreme ends. Swing trading strategy is employed in a stable market, because here the prices tend to have minor variations on which the swing trader can capitalize. In a rapidly rising or crashing market, swing trading strategy cannot be employed.
Newcomers to the stock market often choose swing trading owing to the low risk and shorter period involved. To achieve higher profits in this short period, the right swing trading strategy is to trade in stocks of big companies. These stocks, usually called large cap stocks, are widely traded on most stock exchanges. Their prices show higher variations compared to other stocks. This translates into more profits for the swing traders. A swing trader may follow a stock during its upward journey for a few days. In case the stock reverses its trend, the trader simply switches over to another rising stock. The choice of the right stock thus forms an inseparable part of a successful swing trading strategy.
Apart from the choice of stock, the choice of market plays a key role while deciding on a proper swing trading strategy. In a market that is on a rising or falling trend, the stock prices generally move in a single direction. There is not much of a variation by which the swing trader can profit. The best strategy here is to trade on the long term basis. A swing trader best operates on a stable market, where the index rises for some days and falls over the next few days. Although the value of major stocks remains roughly the same, the short-term variations provide the much required opportunity for the swing trader. The best swing trading strategy is thus the proper choice of the right stock and right market.
Newcomers to the stock market often choose swing trading owing to the low risk and shorter period involved. To achieve higher profits in this short period, the right swing trading strategy is to trade in stocks of big companies. These stocks, usually called large cap stocks, are widely traded on most stock exchanges. Their prices show higher variations compared to other stocks. This translates into more profits for the swing traders. A swing trader may follow a stock during its upward journey for a few days. In case the stock reverses its trend, the trader simply switches over to another rising stock. The choice of the right stock thus forms an inseparable part of a successful swing trading strategy.
Apart from the choice of stock, the choice of market plays a key role while deciding on a proper swing trading strategy. In a market that is on a rising or falling trend, the stock prices generally move in a single direction. There is not much of a variation by which the swing trader can profit. The best strategy here is to trade on the long term basis. A swing trader best operates on a stable market, where the index rises for some days and falls over the next few days. Although the value of major stocks remains roughly the same, the short-term variations provide the much required opportunity for the swing trader. The best swing trading strategy is thus the proper choice of the right stock and right market.
Sabtu, 22 September 2007
Forex Trading Strategy - The Secret of Timing
Once you've identified a trading opportunity, the next step is to decide EXACTLY when to buy - and this is where many traders go wrong.
Here we explain how to incorporate better market timing into your FOREX strategy - so that you can make bigger profits.
Most traders time their entry levels incorrectly, so here¡¯s the right way to do it:
Using Support and Resistance Correctly
A basic wisdom of market timing is buy low, sell high - well, the reality is, if you try this in FOREX trading, you'll end up losing money. First, let's define what support and resistance means
A support level is a historical price that traders come in, and buy to support the market and the more times it's tested, the more valid the support will be.
Conversely, a resistance level is a level on the charts that resisted prices from moving higher¡±- again the more times it's tested, the more significant it becomes.
Why Buy Low and Sell High doesn't Work
"Buy low, sell high" is accepted wisdom by the majority of traders - but this logic is fundamentally flawed - use it in FOREX trading, and you¡¯re asking for trouble. Why? - If you wait for a pullback, you're going to miss some of the biggest moves.
Think about it - what if a currency starts to trend and doesn't pullback? (How often have you seen this?) If you¡¯re waiting for a pullback that never comes, you¡¯ll never get in on the trade ¨C and you¡¯ll miss a major opportunity.
You Need to Feel Uncomfortable
When Trading in the FOREX market, you should usually feel uncomfortable (and that's why most traders don't make these trades) - as no one likes to buy or sell after the market has started trending - but doing this will make you money.
The fact is, the more comfortable you feel when entering a trade at support, the less likely the trade will be a big winner.
During any given year, most of the big moves in currencies, take place from new MARKET HIGHS with NO pullback.
If you base your FOREX Trading strategy around waiting for a warm comfy entry, at key support, you're going to miss the biggest and most profitable trades¨ so step away from the losing majority of traders.
Your FOREX trading strategy should give you a different mindset - most traders "buy low and sell high" - so you should "buy high and sell higher" i.e. you should be doing the opposite of what the crowd are doing.
Don't worry - most traders lose money, and their FOREX Trading strategy is based on the flawed logic we have just discussed - so not doing what they do makes total sense. Therefore, look for breakouts through support and resistance - and sell and buy respectively.
Its Tough Mentally - But it Makes Money!
Sure, it's hard to do - the majority don't agree with you - and no one likes to go against the majority. However, it's the right thing to do, to make your FOREX trading successful. Think about what we've just said, and you'll see it makes logical sense.
Has this Happened to You?
How many times do traders buy into support, and the market breaks support, stops them out and continues to decline. On the other hand, another common scenario is, price never get to support - it simply goes higher - and the trader misses the chance to get in on the trend.
This type of trading is tough mentally - that's why 90% of traders don't do it - they want to be comfortable - well being comfortable is great, but you'll lose money.
Breakouts work, and if you use them in your FOREX Trading strategy, you won't be comfortable on entry - but you'll make money - and that will more than compensate.
The way to succeed in FOREX trading is to do what the losing majority don't do - then you can join the elite 10% of traders who make the big profits - try it and see!
Here we explain how to incorporate better market timing into your FOREX strategy - so that you can make bigger profits.
Most traders time their entry levels incorrectly, so here¡¯s the right way to do it:
Using Support and Resistance Correctly
A basic wisdom of market timing is buy low, sell high - well, the reality is, if you try this in FOREX trading, you'll end up losing money. First, let's define what support and resistance means
A support level is a historical price that traders come in, and buy to support the market and the more times it's tested, the more valid the support will be.
Conversely, a resistance level is a level on the charts that resisted prices from moving higher¡±- again the more times it's tested, the more significant it becomes.
Why Buy Low and Sell High doesn't Work
"Buy low, sell high" is accepted wisdom by the majority of traders - but this logic is fundamentally flawed - use it in FOREX trading, and you¡¯re asking for trouble. Why? - If you wait for a pullback, you're going to miss some of the biggest moves.
Think about it - what if a currency starts to trend and doesn't pullback? (How often have you seen this?) If you¡¯re waiting for a pullback that never comes, you¡¯ll never get in on the trade ¨C and you¡¯ll miss a major opportunity.
You Need to Feel Uncomfortable
When Trading in the FOREX market, you should usually feel uncomfortable (and that's why most traders don't make these trades) - as no one likes to buy or sell after the market has started trending - but doing this will make you money.
The fact is, the more comfortable you feel when entering a trade at support, the less likely the trade will be a big winner.
During any given year, most of the big moves in currencies, take place from new MARKET HIGHS with NO pullback.
If you base your FOREX Trading strategy around waiting for a warm comfy entry, at key support, you're going to miss the biggest and most profitable trades¨ so step away from the losing majority of traders.
Your FOREX trading strategy should give you a different mindset - most traders "buy low and sell high" - so you should "buy high and sell higher" i.e. you should be doing the opposite of what the crowd are doing.
Don't worry - most traders lose money, and their FOREX Trading strategy is based on the flawed logic we have just discussed - so not doing what they do makes total sense. Therefore, look for breakouts through support and resistance - and sell and buy respectively.
Its Tough Mentally - But it Makes Money!
Sure, it's hard to do - the majority don't agree with you - and no one likes to go against the majority. However, it's the right thing to do, to make your FOREX trading successful. Think about what we've just said, and you'll see it makes logical sense.
Has this Happened to You?
How many times do traders buy into support, and the market breaks support, stops them out and continues to decline. On the other hand, another common scenario is, price never get to support - it simply goes higher - and the trader misses the chance to get in on the trend.
This type of trading is tough mentally - that's why 90% of traders don't do it - they want to be comfortable - well being comfortable is great, but you'll lose money.
Breakouts work, and if you use them in your FOREX Trading strategy, you won't be comfortable on entry - but you'll make money - and that will more than compensate.
The way to succeed in FOREX trading is to do what the losing majority don't do - then you can join the elite 10% of traders who make the big profits - try it and see!
Jumat, 21 September 2007
Money Management Principles
Trade With Sufficient Captial
One of the worst blunders that forex traders can make is attempting to trade without sufficient capital.
The trader with limited capital not only will be a worried trader, always looking to minimize losses beyond the point of realistic trading, but he will also frequently be taken out of the trading game before he can realize any sense of success trading the method(s) or patterns.
Exercise Discipline
Discipline is probably one of the most overused words in forex trading education. However, despite the clich¨¦, discipline continues to be the most important behaviour one can master to become a profitable trader. Discipline is the ability to plan your work and work your plan.
It is the ability to give your trade the time to develop without hastily taking yourself out of the market simply because you are uncomfortable with risk. Discipline is also the ability to continue to trade the methods and patterns even after you¡¯ve suffered losses. Do your best to cultivate the degree of discipline required to be a world-class trader.
Employ Risk-to-Reward RatiosThe following shows you possible risk-to reward ratios, and the win ratios required to break even in a trading system.
Risk-to-Reward Ratio (in pips)and Win Ratio Required to Break Even(%)
40/20 (2 to 1) = 67%, 40/40 (1 to1) = 50%, 40/60 (1 to 1.5) = 40%,
40/80 (1 to 2) = 33.5%,
60/20 (3 to 1) = 75%,
60/60 (1 to 1) = 50%,
60 /90 (1 to 1.5) = 40%,
60/120 (1 to 2) = 33.5%
Important NoteNever risk more pips on a trade then you plan to make. It doesn¡¯t make sense to risk 100 pips in order to make only 10. Why? See below example.
Profit taking level (pips): 10
Stop used or pips at risk: 100
You win 10 times which makes 100 winning pips. You ONLY lose once and have to give back all profits!!!
This type of trading makes no sense and you will lose on the long term guaranteed!
by Toby Smitz
One of the worst blunders that forex traders can make is attempting to trade without sufficient capital.
The trader with limited capital not only will be a worried trader, always looking to minimize losses beyond the point of realistic trading, but he will also frequently be taken out of the trading game before he can realize any sense of success trading the method(s) or patterns.
Exercise Discipline
Discipline is probably one of the most overused words in forex trading education. However, despite the clich¨¦, discipline continues to be the most important behaviour one can master to become a profitable trader. Discipline is the ability to plan your work and work your plan.
It is the ability to give your trade the time to develop without hastily taking yourself out of the market simply because you are uncomfortable with risk. Discipline is also the ability to continue to trade the methods and patterns even after you¡¯ve suffered losses. Do your best to cultivate the degree of discipline required to be a world-class trader.
Employ Risk-to-Reward RatiosThe following shows you possible risk-to reward ratios, and the win ratios required to break even in a trading system.
Risk-to-Reward Ratio (in pips)and Win Ratio Required to Break Even(%)
40/20 (2 to 1) = 67%, 40/40 (1 to1) = 50%, 40/60 (1 to 1.5) = 40%,
40/80 (1 to 2) = 33.5%,
60/20 (3 to 1) = 75%,
60/60 (1 to 1) = 50%,
60 /90 (1 to 1.5) = 40%,
60/120 (1 to 2) = 33.5%
Important NoteNever risk more pips on a trade then you plan to make. It doesn¡¯t make sense to risk 100 pips in order to make only 10. Why? See below example.
Profit taking level (pips): 10
Stop used or pips at risk: 100
You win 10 times which makes 100 winning pips. You ONLY lose once and have to give back all profits!!!
This type of trading makes no sense and you will lose on the long term guaranteed!
by Toby Smitz
Forex Money Management
Forex money management is one of the most important things you can learn before you actually begin making live trades.
The money management principles discussed here will teach you how to avoid the costly mistakes many new traders make, often to the degree that they lose their entire investment on the first handful of trades.
Psychology is really the most important factor to money management in forex. You have to be able to separate yourself from any emotional attachment you may have to your money. This is not very easy to do, but it works and it can be done.
If you allow yourself to become emotional on a trade, you will not exit the trade properly, and this could mean holding on to a trade when you should have let it go, or letting go before the trade had a chance to turn profitable.
First and foremost, you should consider leverage and risk. It is advisable that you never risk more than two percent of your account balance on any trade. However, some go further and allow for as much as ten percent, but never more than that. This gives you the ability to withstand market fluctuations, and if the trade goes bad, you still have money to try again. You should never operate under the assumption that you will profit from every trade. You should also plan for losses. Therefore, most traders will tell you that the best thing to do is to keep your gains large and your losses small. Develop your trading strategy around this idea.
Keep track of your gains and losses. Keeping accurate and detailed records of your account activity will allow you to see whether or not the strategy is working, or if it needs to be re-built.
Never go blindly into trading without a way to keep track of results. You will lose all of your funds and never understand why it happened.
Finally, it is highly advisable that you first practice a strategy on a demo account. Nearly all brokers offer a virtual account whereupon you make trades in real-time, but with imaginary money, so nothing is risked. This is the best way to test a strategy before you put your real money on the line.
However, be careful, once again, of the psychology of trading. When you play with fake money, nothing is risked. When real money is on the line, you must not get emotional. If you do, you will find yourself with very different results, most likely losses, than you had with the demo account.
by Milos Pesic
The money management principles discussed here will teach you how to avoid the costly mistakes many new traders make, often to the degree that they lose their entire investment on the first handful of trades.
Psychology is really the most important factor to money management in forex. You have to be able to separate yourself from any emotional attachment you may have to your money. This is not very easy to do, but it works and it can be done.
If you allow yourself to become emotional on a trade, you will not exit the trade properly, and this could mean holding on to a trade when you should have let it go, or letting go before the trade had a chance to turn profitable.
First and foremost, you should consider leverage and risk. It is advisable that you never risk more than two percent of your account balance on any trade. However, some go further and allow for as much as ten percent, but never more than that. This gives you the ability to withstand market fluctuations, and if the trade goes bad, you still have money to try again. You should never operate under the assumption that you will profit from every trade. You should also plan for losses. Therefore, most traders will tell you that the best thing to do is to keep your gains large and your losses small. Develop your trading strategy around this idea.
Keep track of your gains and losses. Keeping accurate and detailed records of your account activity will allow you to see whether or not the strategy is working, or if it needs to be re-built.
Never go blindly into trading without a way to keep track of results. You will lose all of your funds and never understand why it happened.
Finally, it is highly advisable that you first practice a strategy on a demo account. Nearly all brokers offer a virtual account whereupon you make trades in real-time, but with imaginary money, so nothing is risked. This is the best way to test a strategy before you put your real money on the line.
However, be careful, once again, of the psychology of trading. When you play with fake money, nothing is risked. When real money is on the line, you must not get emotional. If you do, you will find yourself with very different results, most likely losses, than you had with the demo account.
by Milos Pesic
Selasa, 18 September 2007
Cut Your Losses and Let Your Profits
Did you know that many successful traders win less than 50% of their trades? Yes, top traders know that they can be VERY successful winning only 40% of the time.
¡°How can that be?¡± you ask. Simple, really. They are truly following the old adage of ¡°Cut Your Losses and Let Your Profits Run.¡± Let¡¯s see how this might actually work.
Suppose you had a stock pick, and it hit your stop loss at 98% of your entry price, which gives you a loss. You pick another stock, and again, it hits your stop loss, for another 2% ding to your account. Third time¡¯s the charm, and your stock pick gains 15% before falling back and triggering your trailing stop at 10% above your entry price. In other words, you made 10%.
In this example, you had two losers and one winner for a win/loss percentage of 33%, yet you are ahead by about 6%. You let your profits run and cut your losses short.
It is not easy having more losers than winners, because you can easily find yourself with 5, 10 or even a string of 20 losses in a row. But those numbers are deceptive, because each loss will be fairly small.
Think of it in terms of baseball. A player can have only a fair lifetime batting average and still be a great player if he hits a home run when he finally does connect with the ball.
It takes confidence in yourself as a trader to work a stock trading system that only wins less than half the time. It¡¯s not easy to be wrong most of the time. But that is why the market rewards such a strategy so highly, if it is done right.
In other words, don¡¯t dismiss a system out of hand because it has more losers than winners. As long as the average win is significantly larger than the average loss, you can be very successful with such a system in the long run.
So keep this in mind as you are searching around for the right strategy for you. Many small losses and a few big winners can be much more profitable then a lot of little winners and a few large losses that take it all back and then some.
¡°How can that be?¡± you ask. Simple, really. They are truly following the old adage of ¡°Cut Your Losses and Let Your Profits Run.¡± Let¡¯s see how this might actually work.
Suppose you had a stock pick, and it hit your stop loss at 98% of your entry price, which gives you a loss. You pick another stock, and again, it hits your stop loss, for another 2% ding to your account. Third time¡¯s the charm, and your stock pick gains 15% before falling back and triggering your trailing stop at 10% above your entry price. In other words, you made 10%.
In this example, you had two losers and one winner for a win/loss percentage of 33%, yet you are ahead by about 6%. You let your profits run and cut your losses short.
It is not easy having more losers than winners, because you can easily find yourself with 5, 10 or even a string of 20 losses in a row. But those numbers are deceptive, because each loss will be fairly small.
Think of it in terms of baseball. A player can have only a fair lifetime batting average and still be a great player if he hits a home run when he finally does connect with the ball.
It takes confidence in yourself as a trader to work a stock trading system that only wins less than half the time. It¡¯s not easy to be wrong most of the time. But that is why the market rewards such a strategy so highly, if it is done right.
In other words, don¡¯t dismiss a system out of hand because it has more losers than winners. As long as the average win is significantly larger than the average loss, you can be very successful with such a system in the long run.
So keep this in mind as you are searching around for the right strategy for you. Many small losses and a few big winners can be much more profitable then a lot of little winners and a few large losses that take it all back and then some.
Forex Trading System - A Key To Successful Forex Trading And Trading For A Living
Losing money in forex?
Every one has his days when no matter how well he has planned out his trades, he may find some of his trades not performing to what is planned. It is only natural for one to feel upset, but for the follower of a forex trading system, making money or losing money from that trade is not the paramount objective.
Why is this so?
For the trader who employs a forex trading system, he can still face the losing trade with a smile, because he has had followed through the trading signals in a disciplined way, and it is only when a trader follows a system, he can be sure of keeping his losses small and to live to trade again another day.
By using a forex trading system, the trader can have a cool head, and can face his trades rather unemotionally. He can execute his trades following pre-determined price levels of initial stop loss, trailing loss and computed and projected price profit.
He knows his tolerable level of loss, his threshold of pain - and of course, his risk to reward ratio even before he trades.
Now when a trader has a trading system and follows through the trading plan, making profits is a natural result when he makes a correct trade. But when his trade is wrong, his forex trading system will very quickly show him that the direction of his trade is wrong, so that he is out of the game fairly quickly.
I am often flabbergasted at some very broad claims of some traders who condemn day trading systems and relegate them to the garbage bin. When you look at forex trading systems, review them quickly by peer recommendation whenever possible. By peer recommendation, I mean you can ask existing traders their experience on the trading system, and how they are doing with it. Posting to the numerous reliable trading forums will allow you to receive some independent reviews fairly quickly. At the same time, my personal experience, and that of many other professional traders is that day trading can be profitable, though it is never easy to day trade. Otherwise, how is it that so many day traders are able to earn their income day trading the short swings of the market daily for a living? So it is important for you to have a broad view of forex trading systems if you are contemplating of learning or purchasing any trading system that relates to day trading.
If you ever wish to trade successfully, whether you day trade or swing trade, it is important that you have a trading system that will allow you to approach trading in a disciplined manner. It is only when you are a disciplined trader that you can see consistent large gains and small losses
Every one has his days when no matter how well he has planned out his trades, he may find some of his trades not performing to what is planned. It is only natural for one to feel upset, but for the follower of a forex trading system, making money or losing money from that trade is not the paramount objective.
Why is this so?
For the trader who employs a forex trading system, he can still face the losing trade with a smile, because he has had followed through the trading signals in a disciplined way, and it is only when a trader follows a system, he can be sure of keeping his losses small and to live to trade again another day.
By using a forex trading system, the trader can have a cool head, and can face his trades rather unemotionally. He can execute his trades following pre-determined price levels of initial stop loss, trailing loss and computed and projected price profit.
He knows his tolerable level of loss, his threshold of pain - and of course, his risk to reward ratio even before he trades.
Now when a trader has a trading system and follows through the trading plan, making profits is a natural result when he makes a correct trade. But when his trade is wrong, his forex trading system will very quickly show him that the direction of his trade is wrong, so that he is out of the game fairly quickly.
I am often flabbergasted at some very broad claims of some traders who condemn day trading systems and relegate them to the garbage bin. When you look at forex trading systems, review them quickly by peer recommendation whenever possible. By peer recommendation, I mean you can ask existing traders their experience on the trading system, and how they are doing with it. Posting to the numerous reliable trading forums will allow you to receive some independent reviews fairly quickly. At the same time, my personal experience, and that of many other professional traders is that day trading can be profitable, though it is never easy to day trade. Otherwise, how is it that so many day traders are able to earn their income day trading the short swings of the market daily for a living? So it is important for you to have a broad view of forex trading systems if you are contemplating of learning or purchasing any trading system that relates to day trading.
If you ever wish to trade successfully, whether you day trade or swing trade, it is important that you have a trading system that will allow you to approach trading in a disciplined manner. It is only when you are a disciplined trader that you can see consistent large gains and small losses
Technical Indicators In Forex Trading - Understanding Their Limitations
Forex traders often look at indicators such as Bollinger Bands, Pivot Points, MACD, Moving Averages and the such to help them determine where to enter or exit trades. Using technical indicators is fine, however many traders overemphasize their importance or just plain misunderstand them.
Many forex traders think that they can simply download an indicator and then mechanically apply it into their trading and do so profitably. This is just a plain illusion. Successful traders realize that there is a lot more to using indicators than just asking them to generate buy/sell signals or pin-point exact entry points. Technical indicators for them represent just one part of their trading strategy.
Let¡¯s take a look at some of the reasons why you should not put all your faith into those sometimes confusing little indicators.
Take Moving Averages (MA¡¯s) for example. They are "supposed" to show the direction of the trend. The most common and often used are the simple 200day MA, 100day MA, 50day MA, 35day MA and the 21day MA but they are only valid on daily graphs. Some forex day traders say that a good signal is when the 50day MA is crossed by the 13day MA and that when this occurs you should trade in the direction of the cross.
The problem with this (apart from the fact that it only works on daily graphs) is that these types of ¡°crosses¡± do not occur often enough for traders to exploit them. This can often lead to a situation where traders are seeing what they thought was a cross now reverse and uncross. Even worse, it can lead to a situation where day traders are "chasing" and trying to anticipate a cross. If you are doing this, you are distancing yourself from the market which you are trying to trade. Not only are you trying to guess what the price is going to do next but you are guessing what the indicator, based on the prices, is going to do next.
Other problems with technical indicators involve issues with the quotes and prices given to you by your broker. Forex brokers are market makers and as such different brokers will give you different quotes and prices at a specific point in time. Naturally, a different price could lead to a situation where different traders, trading the same market have the same indicators giving them different responses. That¡¯s how arbitrary technical indicators can be.
Finally, a lot of these technical indicators were developed by people trading the stock market. With the growth of computers and software packages that incorporate these indicators, technical analysis has become very popular and spread to other markets such as the forex market. What currency traders should be aware of however, is that as these indicators were developed in a time where real time information did not exist. As such, the limitations of technical analysis becomes even more exaggerated in forex trading ¨C not only is technical analysis an interpretation of historical events but it becomes even more so in the forex market, a market moved by real time events.
Conclusion:
Successful forex traders understand the limitations of technical indicators and realize that technical analysis should incorporate just one part of their trading strategy. In a recent international Forex market event visited by the major banks and institutions - the main players that influence the foreign currency market ¨C a survey was done to better understand what analysis they use. The results might be surprising to some tarders. The survey showed that a mere 26% use technical analysis and indicators compared to 41% who said they use fundamental analysis.
Many forex traders think that they can simply download an indicator and then mechanically apply it into their trading and do so profitably. This is just a plain illusion. Successful traders realize that there is a lot more to using indicators than just asking them to generate buy/sell signals or pin-point exact entry points. Technical indicators for them represent just one part of their trading strategy.
Let¡¯s take a look at some of the reasons why you should not put all your faith into those sometimes confusing little indicators.
Take Moving Averages (MA¡¯s) for example. They are "supposed" to show the direction of the trend. The most common and often used are the simple 200day MA, 100day MA, 50day MA, 35day MA and the 21day MA but they are only valid on daily graphs. Some forex day traders say that a good signal is when the 50day MA is crossed by the 13day MA and that when this occurs you should trade in the direction of the cross.
The problem with this (apart from the fact that it only works on daily graphs) is that these types of ¡°crosses¡± do not occur often enough for traders to exploit them. This can often lead to a situation where traders are seeing what they thought was a cross now reverse and uncross. Even worse, it can lead to a situation where day traders are "chasing" and trying to anticipate a cross. If you are doing this, you are distancing yourself from the market which you are trying to trade. Not only are you trying to guess what the price is going to do next but you are guessing what the indicator, based on the prices, is going to do next.
Other problems with technical indicators involve issues with the quotes and prices given to you by your broker. Forex brokers are market makers and as such different brokers will give you different quotes and prices at a specific point in time. Naturally, a different price could lead to a situation where different traders, trading the same market have the same indicators giving them different responses. That¡¯s how arbitrary technical indicators can be.
Finally, a lot of these technical indicators were developed by people trading the stock market. With the growth of computers and software packages that incorporate these indicators, technical analysis has become very popular and spread to other markets such as the forex market. What currency traders should be aware of however, is that as these indicators were developed in a time where real time information did not exist. As such, the limitations of technical analysis becomes even more exaggerated in forex trading ¨C not only is technical analysis an interpretation of historical events but it becomes even more so in the forex market, a market moved by real time events.
Conclusion:
Successful forex traders understand the limitations of technical indicators and realize that technical analysis should incorporate just one part of their trading strategy. In a recent international Forex market event visited by the major banks and institutions - the main players that influence the foreign currency market ¨C a survey was done to better understand what analysis they use. The results might be surprising to some tarders. The survey showed that a mere 26% use technical analysis and indicators compared to 41% who said they use fundamental analysis.
Fundamental Analysis On Forex Trading
It has become imperative for every forex trader to learn how to predict the price trend and which method or software is the best.
When you do forex trading, it is very important to understand the difference between fundamental analysis and technical analysis. A quick explanation of the difference among the two types of analysis is: fundamental analysis focuses on money policy, government policy and economic indicators such as GDP, exports, imports etc within a business cycle framework while technical analysis focuses on price action and market behavior, especially on chart and technical indicators.
Needless to say both schools are equally disparaging about the other, and both believe their techniques are infinitely superior. But the reality is that it has become increasingly difficult to be a purist of either persuasion. Fundamentalists need to keep an eye on the various signals derived from the price action on charts, while few technicians can afford to completely ignore impending economic data, critical political decisions or the myriad of societal issues that influence prices.
Generally speaking, fundamental analysis can only judge which direction the market will move, and technical analysis can supply both direction and rough currency rate.
Keeping in mind that the financial underpinnings of any country, trading bloc or multinational industry takes into account many factors, including social, political and economic influences, staying on top of an extremely fluid fundamental picture can be challenging. Meanwhile, forecasting models are as numerous and varied as the traders and market buffs that create them. Different people can look at the exact same data and come up with two completely different conclusions about how the market will be influenced by it. At the end, some may make huge profit and some lose their money. You can not say fundamental analysis is easy.
Remember, fundamental analysis is a very effective way to forecast economic conditions, but not necessarily exact market prices. For example, when analyzing an economist's forecast of the upcoming GDP or employment report, you begin to get a fairly clear picture of the general health of the economy and the forces at work behind it. However, you'll need to come up with a precise method as to how best to translate this information into entry and exit points for a particular trading strategy.
Tip: If you are new to do forex trading and do not trade frequently, you can mainly use fundamental analysis for your trading.
Don't disturb yourself by information overload. Sometimes traders fall into this trap and are unable to pull the trigger on a trade. Normally, your first feel is the answer for you to do forex trading. At that time, you are sure which currency is strong and which country's economy is good. The more simple, the more useful.
However, trading a particular market without knowing a great deal about the exact nature of its underlying elements is unbelievable. You might get lucky and snare a few on occasion but it's not the best approach over the long haul.
For forex traders, the fundamentals are everything that makes a country tick. From interest rates and central bank policy to natural disasters, the fundamentals are a dynamic mix of distinct plans, erratic behaviors and unforeseen events. Therefore, it is very important to understand fundamental analysis and use them on forex trading.
When you do forex trading, it is very important to understand the difference between fundamental analysis and technical analysis. A quick explanation of the difference among the two types of analysis is: fundamental analysis focuses on money policy, government policy and economic indicators such as GDP, exports, imports etc within a business cycle framework while technical analysis focuses on price action and market behavior, especially on chart and technical indicators.
Needless to say both schools are equally disparaging about the other, and both believe their techniques are infinitely superior. But the reality is that it has become increasingly difficult to be a purist of either persuasion. Fundamentalists need to keep an eye on the various signals derived from the price action on charts, while few technicians can afford to completely ignore impending economic data, critical political decisions or the myriad of societal issues that influence prices.
Generally speaking, fundamental analysis can only judge which direction the market will move, and technical analysis can supply both direction and rough currency rate.
Keeping in mind that the financial underpinnings of any country, trading bloc or multinational industry takes into account many factors, including social, political and economic influences, staying on top of an extremely fluid fundamental picture can be challenging. Meanwhile, forecasting models are as numerous and varied as the traders and market buffs that create them. Different people can look at the exact same data and come up with two completely different conclusions about how the market will be influenced by it. At the end, some may make huge profit and some lose their money. You can not say fundamental analysis is easy.
Remember, fundamental analysis is a very effective way to forecast economic conditions, but not necessarily exact market prices. For example, when analyzing an economist's forecast of the upcoming GDP or employment report, you begin to get a fairly clear picture of the general health of the economy and the forces at work behind it. However, you'll need to come up with a precise method as to how best to translate this information into entry and exit points for a particular trading strategy.
Tip: If you are new to do forex trading and do not trade frequently, you can mainly use fundamental analysis for your trading.
Don't disturb yourself by information overload. Sometimes traders fall into this trap and are unable to pull the trigger on a trade. Normally, your first feel is the answer for you to do forex trading. At that time, you are sure which currency is strong and which country's economy is good. The more simple, the more useful.
However, trading a particular market without knowing a great deal about the exact nature of its underlying elements is unbelievable. You might get lucky and snare a few on occasion but it's not the best approach over the long haul.
For forex traders, the fundamentals are everything that makes a country tick. From interest rates and central bank policy to natural disasters, the fundamentals are a dynamic mix of distinct plans, erratic behaviors and unforeseen events. Therefore, it is very important to understand fundamental analysis and use them on forex trading.
What is Fundamental Analysis
Fundamentals are associated with the economic health of a company, measured in terms of revenues, earnings, assets, liabilities, Return on Equity (ROE), Return on Assets (ROA), Return on Investments (ROI), growth prospects and cash flows, etc. The fundamentals tell you about a company. You can say a company is having robust fundamentals if it is growing at a nice pace, generating a profit, has limited debts and abundant cash.
The analysis of a company¡¯s fundamentals involves getting deep into its financials, rather than day-to-day movement in its share price. Equity researchers normally do fundamental analysis in order to calculate the intrinsic value of a company¡¯s stock. If a company¡¯s stock is trading above the intrinsic value or fair value, then the stock is overvalued. If a company¡¯s stock is trading below the intrinsic value, then the stock is undervalued. However, if you watch the stock markets very closely, the share price of most companies never matches the fair value. Often, day traders and investors who would prefer short term investment options invest in those stocks, regardless of the companies¡¯ long term growth prospects. However, long term investors generally prefer to invest in companies with robust fundamentals and ignore near-term share price movements.
The following are various components that constitute a company¡¯s fundamentals:
Revenues: Revenues (sales) are the total amount of money received by a company through the sales of its goods and services during a specific period of time. Revenues are one of the most important barometers of the growth of a company as it indicates whether there is demand for their products and services.
Cash flows: Cash flows are calculated by deducting a company¡¯s cash payments from cash receipts over a particular period of time. Cash flows indicate the liquidity position of a company. However, one must pay particular attention to the operating cash flows, since the health of the business can be most clearly seen there.
Net income: Net income, which is also called the ¡®bottom line¡¯, is calculated by subtracting from revenue, all of the company¡¯s costs, such as operating costs, interest expenses, depreciation, taxes and other expenses associated with running the business.
Balance Sheet: Balance sheet is the company¡¯s financial statement, which reflects its assets and liabilities. A company¡¯s fundamentals are said to be robust if its assets are significantly higher than the liabilities. However, one must carefully analyze companies who are reporting large intangible assets as they may have questionable liquidation value to offset any real liabilities.
Return on Assets (ROA): ROA is an Indicator of a company¡¯s profitability, which is calculated by dividing the net income for the past 12 months by total average assets of the company. This is one of the important indicators, which long-term investors consider before investing into a particular stock.
Although long-term investors and institutional investors consider a company¡¯s fundamentals before investing, the share price of a company often does not correspond to the fundamentals ¨C which can present enormous investment opportunities. A company¡¯s long-term growth is driven primarily by fundamentals, while a company¡¯s share price can be driven by short-term news and investor sentiment, which can be extremely volatile. Every investor must consider a company¡¯s fundamentals before investing into its stock if you want to gain stable returns over the long term.
The analysis of a company¡¯s fundamentals involves getting deep into its financials, rather than day-to-day movement in its share price. Equity researchers normally do fundamental analysis in order to calculate the intrinsic value of a company¡¯s stock. If a company¡¯s stock is trading above the intrinsic value or fair value, then the stock is overvalued. If a company¡¯s stock is trading below the intrinsic value, then the stock is undervalued. However, if you watch the stock markets very closely, the share price of most companies never matches the fair value. Often, day traders and investors who would prefer short term investment options invest in those stocks, regardless of the companies¡¯ long term growth prospects. However, long term investors generally prefer to invest in companies with robust fundamentals and ignore near-term share price movements.
The following are various components that constitute a company¡¯s fundamentals:
Revenues: Revenues (sales) are the total amount of money received by a company through the sales of its goods and services during a specific period of time. Revenues are one of the most important barometers of the growth of a company as it indicates whether there is demand for their products and services.
Cash flows: Cash flows are calculated by deducting a company¡¯s cash payments from cash receipts over a particular period of time. Cash flows indicate the liquidity position of a company. However, one must pay particular attention to the operating cash flows, since the health of the business can be most clearly seen there.
Net income: Net income, which is also called the ¡®bottom line¡¯, is calculated by subtracting from revenue, all of the company¡¯s costs, such as operating costs, interest expenses, depreciation, taxes and other expenses associated with running the business.
Balance Sheet: Balance sheet is the company¡¯s financial statement, which reflects its assets and liabilities. A company¡¯s fundamentals are said to be robust if its assets are significantly higher than the liabilities. However, one must carefully analyze companies who are reporting large intangible assets as they may have questionable liquidation value to offset any real liabilities.
Return on Assets (ROA): ROA is an Indicator of a company¡¯s profitability, which is calculated by dividing the net income for the past 12 months by total average assets of the company. This is one of the important indicators, which long-term investors consider before investing into a particular stock.
Although long-term investors and institutional investors consider a company¡¯s fundamentals before investing, the share price of a company often does not correspond to the fundamentals ¨C which can present enormous investment opportunities. A company¡¯s long-term growth is driven primarily by fundamentals, while a company¡¯s share price can be driven by short-term news and investor sentiment, which can be extremely volatile. Every investor must consider a company¡¯s fundamentals before investing into its stock if you want to gain stable returns over the long term.
Sabtu, 15 September 2007
Currency Trading: Understanding the Basics of Currency Trading
Investors and traders around the world are looking to the Forex market as a new speculation opportunity. But, how are transactions conducted in the Forex market? Or, what are the basics of Forex Trading? Before adventuring in the Forex market we need to make sure we understand the basics, otherwise we will find ourselves lost where we less expected. This is what this article is aimed to, to understand the basics of currency trading.
What is traded in the Forex market?
The instrument traded by Forex traders and investors are currency pairs. A currency pair is the exchange rate of one currency over another. The most traded currency pairs are:
EUR/USD: Euro
GBP/USD: Pound
USD/CAD: Canadian dollar
USD/JPY: Yen
USD/CHF: Swiss franc
AUD/USD: Aussie
These currency pairs generate up to 85% of the overall volume generated in the Forex market.
So, for instance, if a trader goes long or buys the Euro, she or he is simultaneously buying the EUR and selling the USD. If the same trader goes short or sells the Aussie, she or he is simultaneously selling the AUD and buying the USD.
The first currency of each currency pair is referred as the base currency, while second currency is referred as the counter or quote currency.
Each currency pair is expressed in units of the counter currency needed to get one unit of the base currency.
If the price or quote of the EUR/USD is 1.2545, it means that 1.2545 US dollars are needed to get one EUR.
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Bid/Ask Spread
All currency pairs are commonly quoted with a bid and ask price. The bid (always lower than the ask) is the price your broker is willing to buy at, thus the trader should sell at this price. The ask is the price your broker is willing to sell at, thus the trader should buy at this price.
EUR/USD 1.2545/48 or 1.2545/8
The bid price is 1.2545
The ask price is 1.2548
A Pip
A pip is the minimum incremental move a currency pair can make. Pip stands for price interest point. A move in the EUR/USD from 1.2545 to 1.2560 equals 15 pips. And a move in the USD/JPY from 112.05 to 113.10 equals 105 pips.
Margin Trading (leverage)
In contrast with other financial markets where you require the full deposit of the amount traded, in the Forex market you require only a margin deposit. The rest will be granted by your broker.
The leverage provided by some brokers goes up to 400:1. This means that you require only 1/400 or .25% in balance to open a position (plus the floating gains/losses.) Most brokers offer 100:1, where every trader requires 1% in balance to open a position.
The standard lot size in the Forex market is $100,000 USD.
For instance, a trader wants to get long one lot in EUR/USD and he or she is using 100:1 leverage.
To open such position, he or she requires 1% in balance or $1,000 USD.
Of course it is not advisable to open a position with such limited funds in our trading balance. If the trade goes against our trader, the position is to be closed by the broker. This takes us to our next important term.
Margin Call
A margin call occurs when the balance of the trading account falls below the maintenance margin (capital required to open one position, 1% when the leverage used is 100:1, 2% when leverage used is 50:1, and so on.) At this moment, the broker sells off (or buys back in the case of short positions) all your trades, leaving the trader “theoretically” with the maintenance margin.
Most of the time margin calls occur when money management is not properly applied.
How are the mechanics of a Forex trade?
The trader, after an extensive analysis, decides there is a higher probability of the British pound to go up. He or she decides to go long risking 30 pips and having a target (reward) of 60 pips. If the market goes against our trader he/she will lose 30 pips, on the other hand, if the market goes in the intended way, he or she will gain 60 pips. The actual quote for the pound is 1.8524/27, 4 pips spread. Our trader gets long at 1.8530 (ask). By the time the market gets to either our target (called take profit order) or our risk point (called stop loss level) we will have to sell it at the bid price (the price our broker is willing to buy our position back.) In order to make 60 pips, our take profit level should be placed at 1.8590 (bid price.) If our target gets hit, the market ran 64 pips (60 pips plus the 4 pip spread.) If our stop loss level is hit, the market ran 26 (26 pips plus the 4 pip spread equals 30 pips) pips against us.
It's very important to understand every aspect of trading. Start first from the very basic concepts, then move on to more complex issues such as Forex trading systems, trading psychology, trade and risk management, and so on. And make sure you master every single aspect before adventuring in a live trading account.
What is traded in the Forex market?
The instrument traded by Forex traders and investors are currency pairs. A currency pair is the exchange rate of one currency over another. The most traded currency pairs are:
EUR/USD: Euro
GBP/USD: Pound
USD/CAD: Canadian dollar
USD/JPY: Yen
USD/CHF: Swiss franc
AUD/USD: Aussie
These currency pairs generate up to 85% of the overall volume generated in the Forex market.
So, for instance, if a trader goes long or buys the Euro, she or he is simultaneously buying the EUR and selling the USD. If the same trader goes short or sells the Aussie, she or he is simultaneously selling the AUD and buying the USD.
The first currency of each currency pair is referred as the base currency, while second currency is referred as the counter or quote currency.
Each currency pair is expressed in units of the counter currency needed to get one unit of the base currency.
If the price or quote of the EUR/USD is 1.2545, it means that 1.2545 US dollars are needed to get one EUR.
- Forex Blog
- Forex Resources
- Course Demo
- Compare Courses
- Free Course
- New to Forex?
- Affiliates
Bid/Ask Spread
All currency pairs are commonly quoted with a bid and ask price. The bid (always lower than the ask) is the price your broker is willing to buy at, thus the trader should sell at this price. The ask is the price your broker is willing to sell at, thus the trader should buy at this price.
EUR/USD 1.2545/48 or 1.2545/8
The bid price is 1.2545
The ask price is 1.2548
A Pip
A pip is the minimum incremental move a currency pair can make. Pip stands for price interest point. A move in the EUR/USD from 1.2545 to 1.2560 equals 15 pips. And a move in the USD/JPY from 112.05 to 113.10 equals 105 pips.
Margin Trading (leverage)
In contrast with other financial markets where you require the full deposit of the amount traded, in the Forex market you require only a margin deposit. The rest will be granted by your broker.
The leverage provided by some brokers goes up to 400:1. This means that you require only 1/400 or .25% in balance to open a position (plus the floating gains/losses.) Most brokers offer 100:1, where every trader requires 1% in balance to open a position.
The standard lot size in the Forex market is $100,000 USD.
For instance, a trader wants to get long one lot in EUR/USD and he or she is using 100:1 leverage.
To open such position, he or she requires 1% in balance or $1,000 USD.
Of course it is not advisable to open a position with such limited funds in our trading balance. If the trade goes against our trader, the position is to be closed by the broker. This takes us to our next important term.
Margin Call
A margin call occurs when the balance of the trading account falls below the maintenance margin (capital required to open one position, 1% when the leverage used is 100:1, 2% when leverage used is 50:1, and so on.) At this moment, the broker sells off (or buys back in the case of short positions) all your trades, leaving the trader “theoretically” with the maintenance margin.
Most of the time margin calls occur when money management is not properly applied.
How are the mechanics of a Forex trade?
The trader, after an extensive analysis, decides there is a higher probability of the British pound to go up. He or she decides to go long risking 30 pips and having a target (reward) of 60 pips. If the market goes against our trader he/she will lose 30 pips, on the other hand, if the market goes in the intended way, he or she will gain 60 pips. The actual quote for the pound is 1.8524/27, 4 pips spread. Our trader gets long at 1.8530 (ask). By the time the market gets to either our target (called take profit order) or our risk point (called stop loss level) we will have to sell it at the bid price (the price our broker is willing to buy our position back.) In order to make 60 pips, our take profit level should be placed at 1.8590 (bid price.) If our target gets hit, the market ran 64 pips (60 pips plus the 4 pip spread.) If our stop loss level is hit, the market ran 26 (26 pips plus the 4 pip spread equals 30 pips) pips against us.
It's very important to understand every aspect of trading. Start first from the very basic concepts, then move on to more complex issues such as Forex trading systems, trading psychology, trade and risk management, and so on. And make sure you master every single aspect before adventuring in a live trading account.
Jumat, 14 September 2007
How Currencies are Traded in the FOREX Market
How Currencies are Traded in the FOREX Market
By Chuck Cox
Currencies are traded in dollar amounts called “lots”. At 100:1 leverage, one lot is equal to $1000 which controls $100,000 of a given currency. This leverage is known as “margin” and some brokers will allow traders even higher leverage than 100:1. This superhigh leverage is one of the reasons that Forex trading has become so popular.
Currencies are always traded in pairs. Each pair has unique notation that expresses which currencies are being traded.
The symbol for a currency pair will always be in the form ABC/XYZ. ABC/XYZ is not a real currency pair, just an example of how currency pairs are stated in the market. In this particular example, ABC is the symbol for one country’s currency and XYZ is the symbol for another country’s currency.
Listed below are some common symbols used. There are symbols for other currencies as well, but these are the most commonly traded ones.
USD - The US Dollar
EUR - The currency of the European Union "EURO"
GBP - The British Pound
JPN - The Japanese Yen
CHF - The Swiss Franc
AUD - The Australian Dollar
CAD - The Canadian Dollar
As mentioned earlier, currencies are traded in pairs in Forex trading. Thus, a trade always compares one currency to another in terms of how the two currency prices will move relative to each other.
Some of the common pairs traded are:
EUR/USD Euro / US Dollar
USD/JPY US Dollar / Japanese Yen
GBP/USD British Pound / US Dollar
USD/CAD US Dollar / Canadian Dollar
AUD/USD Australian Dollar/US Dollar
USD/CHF US Dollar / Swiss Franc
EUR/JPY Euro / Japanese Yen
When you place an order to buy the EUR/USD, you are actually buying the EUR and selling the USD. If you were to sell the pair, you would be selling the EUR and buying the USD. So if you buy or sell a currency pair, you are buying/selling the base currency. You are always doing the opposite of what you did with to base currency with the counter currency.
In Forex trading, currencies are traded on a price interest point (know as a “pip”)system. Each currency pair has its own pip value. Since we have a listed currency pair (i.e., EUR/USD, EUR/AUD), we need a way to talk about its associated number or price. When you see a price quote, you'll see something listed like this:
USD/JPY: 118:51/55
The first component (before the slash) refers to the bid price (what you obtain in JPY when you sell USD). In this example, the bid price is 118.51.
The second component (after the slash) is used to obtain the ask price (what you have to pay in JPY if you buy USD). In this example, the ask price is 118.55.
The difference between the bid and the ask price is referred to as the spread. In the example above, the spread is .04 or 4 pips.
By Chuck Cox
Currencies are traded in dollar amounts called “lots”. At 100:1 leverage, one lot is equal to $1000 which controls $100,000 of a given currency. This leverage is known as “margin” and some brokers will allow traders even higher leverage than 100:1. This superhigh leverage is one of the reasons that Forex trading has become so popular.
Currencies are always traded in pairs. Each pair has unique notation that expresses which currencies are being traded.
The symbol for a currency pair will always be in the form ABC/XYZ. ABC/XYZ is not a real currency pair, just an example of how currency pairs are stated in the market. In this particular example, ABC is the symbol for one country’s currency and XYZ is the symbol for another country’s currency.
Listed below are some common symbols used. There are symbols for other currencies as well, but these are the most commonly traded ones.
USD - The US Dollar
EUR - The currency of the European Union "EURO"
GBP - The British Pound
JPN - The Japanese Yen
CHF - The Swiss Franc
AUD - The Australian Dollar
CAD - The Canadian Dollar
As mentioned earlier, currencies are traded in pairs in Forex trading. Thus, a trade always compares one currency to another in terms of how the two currency prices will move relative to each other.
Some of the common pairs traded are:
EUR/USD Euro / US Dollar
USD/JPY US Dollar / Japanese Yen
GBP/USD British Pound / US Dollar
USD/CAD US Dollar / Canadian Dollar
AUD/USD Australian Dollar/US Dollar
USD/CHF US Dollar / Swiss Franc
EUR/JPY Euro / Japanese Yen
When you place an order to buy the EUR/USD, you are actually buying the EUR and selling the USD. If you were to sell the pair, you would be selling the EUR and buying the USD. So if you buy or sell a currency pair, you are buying/selling the base currency. You are always doing the opposite of what you did with to base currency with the counter currency.
In Forex trading, currencies are traded on a price interest point (know as a “pip”)system. Each currency pair has its own pip value. Since we have a listed currency pair (i.e., EUR/USD, EUR/AUD), we need a way to talk about its associated number or price. When you see a price quote, you'll see something listed like this:
USD/JPY: 118:51/55
The first component (before the slash) refers to the bid price (what you obtain in JPY when you sell USD). In this example, the bid price is 118.51.
The second component (after the slash) is used to obtain the ask price (what you have to pay in JPY if you buy USD). In this example, the ask price is 118.55.
The difference between the bid and the ask price is referred to as the spread. In the example above, the spread is .04 or 4 pips.
Rabu, 12 September 2007
Five Reasons You Have to Start Forex Trading
Five Reasons You Have to Start Forex Trading
By Mike Singh
Why should you consider foreign exchange, or forex trading?
One compelling reason is that it is a huge business, trading nearly two trillion U.S. dollars on a daily basis. The potential to make money is out there for the well-informed trader.
The forex market is the largest in the world. It is larger than the U.S. stock market, and has a daily trading volume larger than all the world's stock markets combined.
The following list provides a few reasons why forex trading is a smart move.
1. It's Easy
If you feel the idea of trading on the stock market is intimidating, you're not alone. There is no way that anyone, including professional brokers, can know enough about all the stock options. Therefore, many traders specialize or focus on particular areas of the stock market, and many individuals are left to rely on the opinions of the professionals, who may or may not be good at their craft.
Trading on the forex market, in contrast, is much simpler. The primary currencies traded are the U.S. dollar, the Japanese yen, and the British pound. There is less to keep track of, so conducting research and analysis can be much easier.
2. You Can Do it from Home
If you're interested in getting involved in forex trading, all you need is a computer and a bit of time.
Granted, conducting some research is wise if you want to make the best choices. But once you have an idea of your strategy, you can conduct transactions online for minimal fees and without having to pay a professional to do it for you (although this is an option).
There are a number of online options for trading foreign exchange, so you'll need to conduct some research to determine the best choice for you. If you know others who trade this way, ask for their preferences.
Conducting a simple Google search on forex trading will yield many results, so review and choose carefully.
3. The Investment is Minimal
To get involved in currency trading, you do not need to invest a lot of cash upfront. Many trading options are available for a small investment, some as low as a few hundred dollars. This allows new traders in particular to get involved, learn the process, and risk very little.
To trade in the forex market, you need to determine your risk limit, and not invest above that amount. Because the initial investment can be low, many people can get involved that may not be able to invest in other options, such as traditional stocks.
Forex trading is a good way to enter the trading market.
4. You Can Make Money
While trading on the forex market takes some research, skill, and a bit of luck, it is possible to make money. The potential for huge payoffs is at times exaggerated, but there are traders making large amounts of money in this market.
The key is to learn what you are doing and make smart choices. This can include determining how much you are able and willing to risk, taking risks when necessary, and learning as much as you can about the market.
Trading on the forex market also offers you more leverage than in other markets. You can use smaller amounts of money to your advantage, and the trading process is simpler than in other markets.
5. It's Flexible
Trading on the Foreign Exchange market is a 24-hour process, which means that you don't need to wait for the opening and closing of the exchange to know where you stand. You can make trades at any time of the day, which gives you much more control than if you are operating in the traditional stock market. This also allows traders to respond to breaking news immediately.
The advantages of real-time trading are advantageous in that traders have a much better understanding of their investments. Conversely, in the traditional stock market, after-hours activities, for example, can affect stock values, but the affects are not immediately available.
If you're interested in trading on the forex market, do your research. Many trading companies provide free information online. The more you know, the better you decisions you'll be able to make. Many of these same companies offer free trial periods as well, which you can use to get your feet wet and determine if currency trading is for you.
By Mike Singh
Why should you consider foreign exchange, or forex trading?
One compelling reason is that it is a huge business, trading nearly two trillion U.S. dollars on a daily basis. The potential to make money is out there for the well-informed trader.
The forex market is the largest in the world. It is larger than the U.S. stock market, and has a daily trading volume larger than all the world's stock markets combined.
The following list provides a few reasons why forex trading is a smart move.
1. It's Easy
If you feel the idea of trading on the stock market is intimidating, you're not alone. There is no way that anyone, including professional brokers, can know enough about all the stock options. Therefore, many traders specialize or focus on particular areas of the stock market, and many individuals are left to rely on the opinions of the professionals, who may or may not be good at their craft.
Trading on the forex market, in contrast, is much simpler. The primary currencies traded are the U.S. dollar, the Japanese yen, and the British pound. There is less to keep track of, so conducting research and analysis can be much easier.
2. You Can Do it from Home
If you're interested in getting involved in forex trading, all you need is a computer and a bit of time.
Granted, conducting some research is wise if you want to make the best choices. But once you have an idea of your strategy, you can conduct transactions online for minimal fees and without having to pay a professional to do it for you (although this is an option).
There are a number of online options for trading foreign exchange, so you'll need to conduct some research to determine the best choice for you. If you know others who trade this way, ask for their preferences.
Conducting a simple Google search on forex trading will yield many results, so review and choose carefully.
3. The Investment is Minimal
To get involved in currency trading, you do not need to invest a lot of cash upfront. Many trading options are available for a small investment, some as low as a few hundred dollars. This allows new traders in particular to get involved, learn the process, and risk very little.
To trade in the forex market, you need to determine your risk limit, and not invest above that amount. Because the initial investment can be low, many people can get involved that may not be able to invest in other options, such as traditional stocks.
Forex trading is a good way to enter the trading market.
4. You Can Make Money
While trading on the forex market takes some research, skill, and a bit of luck, it is possible to make money. The potential for huge payoffs is at times exaggerated, but there are traders making large amounts of money in this market.
The key is to learn what you are doing and make smart choices. This can include determining how much you are able and willing to risk, taking risks when necessary, and learning as much as you can about the market.
Trading on the forex market also offers you more leverage than in other markets. You can use smaller amounts of money to your advantage, and the trading process is simpler than in other markets.
5. It's Flexible
Trading on the Foreign Exchange market is a 24-hour process, which means that you don't need to wait for the opening and closing of the exchange to know where you stand. You can make trades at any time of the day, which gives you much more control than if you are operating in the traditional stock market. This also allows traders to respond to breaking news immediately.
The advantages of real-time trading are advantageous in that traders have a much better understanding of their investments. Conversely, in the traditional stock market, after-hours activities, for example, can affect stock values, but the affects are not immediately available.
If you're interested in trading on the forex market, do your research. Many trading companies provide free information online. The more you know, the better you decisions you'll be able to make. Many of these same companies offer free trial periods as well, which you can use to get your feet wet and determine if currency trading is for you.
Forex Trading - Advantages and Disadvantages
Forex Trading - Advantages and Disadvantages
By Tim Wreford
What is Forex Trading?
Forex, or Foreign Exchange, is the simultaneous exchange of one country’s currency for that of another. This market of exchange has more daily volume, both buyers and sellers, than any other in the world. Taking place in the major financial institutions across the globe, the forex market is open 24-hours a day.
Currencies are quoted in pairs. The first listed currency is known as the base currency, while the second is called the counter or quote currency. In the wholesale market, currencies are quoted using five significant numbers, with the last placeholder called a point or a pip.
The forex market is one of the most popular markets for speculation due to its enormous size, liquidity, and tendency for currencies to move in strong trends. An enticing aspect of trading currencies is the high degree of leverage available.
Advantages of Forex trading
Leverage. Huge leverage is available in Forex trading, often up to 100:1 meaning that large profits can be generated from small margin deposits.
Liquidity. The enormous size and global trading of the forex markets means that the markets in the major currency pairs are very liquid making trade executions almost instant with little slippage.
Ability to go short. Since currency trading always involves buying one currency and selling another, there is no structural bias to the market. This means a trader has equal potential to profit in a rising or falling market.
Trends. Fundamentally, the value of a country's currency is determined by interest rates and the strength of the economy in relation to other countries. Currencies, therefore, have a greater tendency to trend until the fundamentals change.
Disadvantages of Forex trading
Leverage. With huge leverage available to forex traders the danger is that positions which carry too much risk for the account size can be taken on, leading to margin calls. Effective money management rules must be adhered to.
Brokers. Retail traders must use a broker rather than dealing directly in the interbank market. The broker will be the counterparty in all transactions and is, effectively, making the market. They can, therefore, widen spreads or even refuse to trade during volatile trading conditions. To avoid dealing with brokers an alternative to forex is to use futures. See online futures trading for more details.
Spreads. As the retail trader must use a broker to trade, they cannot deal at the interbank rates. A broker will generally quote a fixed spread of 3-20 pips depending on the currency pair. The underlying interbank rate might be as little as 1 pip.
Forex is a very large market but for most retail traders dealing with brokers the odds are shifted against them.
Online futures trading provides a much more level playing field for most traders who want to take part in forex trading.
By Tim Wreford
What is Forex Trading?
Forex, or Foreign Exchange, is the simultaneous exchange of one country’s currency for that of another. This market of exchange has more daily volume, both buyers and sellers, than any other in the world. Taking place in the major financial institutions across the globe, the forex market is open 24-hours a day.
Currencies are quoted in pairs. The first listed currency is known as the base currency, while the second is called the counter or quote currency. In the wholesale market, currencies are quoted using five significant numbers, with the last placeholder called a point or a pip.
The forex market is one of the most popular markets for speculation due to its enormous size, liquidity, and tendency for currencies to move in strong trends. An enticing aspect of trading currencies is the high degree of leverage available.
Advantages of Forex trading
Leverage. Huge leverage is available in Forex trading, often up to 100:1 meaning that large profits can be generated from small margin deposits.
Liquidity. The enormous size and global trading of the forex markets means that the markets in the major currency pairs are very liquid making trade executions almost instant with little slippage.
Ability to go short. Since currency trading always involves buying one currency and selling another, there is no structural bias to the market. This means a trader has equal potential to profit in a rising or falling market.
Trends. Fundamentally, the value of a country's currency is determined by interest rates and the strength of the economy in relation to other countries. Currencies, therefore, have a greater tendency to trend until the fundamentals change.
Disadvantages of Forex trading
Leverage. With huge leverage available to forex traders the danger is that positions which carry too much risk for the account size can be taken on, leading to margin calls. Effective money management rules must be adhered to.
Brokers. Retail traders must use a broker rather than dealing directly in the interbank market. The broker will be the counterparty in all transactions and is, effectively, making the market. They can, therefore, widen spreads or even refuse to trade during volatile trading conditions. To avoid dealing with brokers an alternative to forex is to use futures. See online futures trading for more details.
Spreads. As the retail trader must use a broker to trade, they cannot deal at the interbank rates. A broker will generally quote a fixed spread of 3-20 pips depending on the currency pair. The underlying interbank rate might be as little as 1 pip.
Forex is a very large market but for most retail traders dealing with brokers the odds are shifted against them.
Online futures trading provides a much more level playing field for most traders who want to take part in forex trading.
Minggu, 09 September 2007
Forex Trading: Making Money With Money
Forex Trading: Making Money With Money
By Leon Chaddock
Forex trading is one of the fastest-growing markets for making money in today’s world economy.
If you are part of the forex trading game, you need well-thought-out and planned strategies. You also need up-to-the minute information and reliable data to help you along the way.
With this said, in order to be successful with forex, you'll want to invest in high-quality products to help you analyze, watch and track the forex market. No little project at all. The good news to you is that there are options out there to help you do just that.
First of all, realize that forex trading is an excellent market to trade in. It has the ability to make you money without a whole lot of investing. And, you can trade with whatever you have, not necessarily millions of dollars.
To get into the forex market, it makes sense to pay attention to the numbers for some time. Then, you’ll have a good feel for it long before your dollars are involved.
But, once you do get in, you’ll need up-to-the minute information.
Consider the purchase of and use of valuable forex trading software programs.
These programs can help you to track what is happening and in some, it will help you to better analyze the information as well. Of course, this in turn will help you to make the right decisions about your investments.
While market trading is always risky, many find that forex trading, when done right, is one of the most profitable without much start up investment opportunities out there.
With the ability that you have to monitor and respond virtually instantly to the world’s market in forex, you are better able to make the right decisions which will then lead to those gains you are seeking.
By Leon Chaddock
Forex trading is one of the fastest-growing markets for making money in today’s world economy.
If you are part of the forex trading game, you need well-thought-out and planned strategies. You also need up-to-the minute information and reliable data to help you along the way.
With this said, in order to be successful with forex, you'll want to invest in high-quality products to help you analyze, watch and track the forex market. No little project at all. The good news to you is that there are options out there to help you do just that.
First of all, realize that forex trading is an excellent market to trade in. It has the ability to make you money without a whole lot of investing. And, you can trade with whatever you have, not necessarily millions of dollars.
To get into the forex market, it makes sense to pay attention to the numbers for some time. Then, you’ll have a good feel for it long before your dollars are involved.
But, once you do get in, you’ll need up-to-the minute information.
Consider the purchase of and use of valuable forex trading software programs.
These programs can help you to track what is happening and in some, it will help you to better analyze the information as well. Of course, this in turn will help you to make the right decisions about your investments.
While market trading is always risky, many find that forex trading, when done right, is one of the most profitable without much start up investment opportunities out there.
With the ability that you have to monitor and respond virtually instantly to the world’s market in forex, you are better able to make the right decisions which will then lead to those gains you are seeking.
Forex Online Trading – An Introduction
Forex Online Trading – An Introduction
By David Shephard
The Foreign Exchange Market (better known as the FOREX or FX market) as we know it today was established in 1971, following the abolishment of fixed currency exchanges. Operating 24 hours a day, 5 days a week, the daily currency trades on the FOREX market are worth in the region of $1.9 trillion US dollars making it the world's largest market and putting the major stock markets firmly into second place.
So just what is FOREX trading and who are the players in this market?
Put simply, the FOREX market is a world-wide market for buying and selling currency and involves both major organizations, such as central government and international commercial banks and commercial companies, as well as smaller players in the form of brokerage houses and individual brokers.
Unlike the better-known world stock markets, however, the FOREX market does not have a 'home' as such, although there are major trading centers around the world in cities such as New York, London, Tokyo, Frankfurt and others.
The FOREX market is in effect a 'digital' market, with trades being carried out by telephone and increasingly over the internet.
The buying and selling of currencies is necessary to support trade between countries in today's global marketplace and, as the major world currencies fluctuate against one another there is, and will continue to be, money to be made from currency transactions.
The major players in the market are of course buying and selling in single deals often running into many millions of dollars. The smaller players however, the brokerage houses and individual brokers, are often trading in individual deals of as little as one hundred thousand dollars.
So what exactly does this mean to you sitting at home and surfing the internet?
It means quite simply that you too can join this market and, providing you take the time to learn the ins and outs of the currency markets and have a little bit of capital to invest, you can enjoy a very reasonable income from your online trading efforts.
You will not of course be able to trade on your own and will need to use a broker, but many brokers will allow you to open an account online and start trading with anywhere between $250 and $1,000.
FOREX trading is not everybody's cup of tea of course but its major advantage lies in the fact that it is a highly liquid market that does not involve the commission payments and paperwork which many people find a problem when it come to many other forms of trading.
It is, however, a 'technical' market and you should not venture into it unless you are prepared to take the time to learn the basic principles underlying this currency market and to become competent in the use of some of the 'tools of the trade', such as technical and fundamental analysis.
But don't be put off by this. It is not necessary to become an expert in these markets to profit from them. With a little time and effort you can quite easily gain enough of an understanding of the currency markets to start making money through online trading and, in time, you will be surprised at just how quickly you can become quite an expert.
By David Shephard
The Foreign Exchange Market (better known as the FOREX or FX market) as we know it today was established in 1971, following the abolishment of fixed currency exchanges. Operating 24 hours a day, 5 days a week, the daily currency trades on the FOREX market are worth in the region of $1.9 trillion US dollars making it the world's largest market and putting the major stock markets firmly into second place.
So just what is FOREX trading and who are the players in this market?
Put simply, the FOREX market is a world-wide market for buying and selling currency and involves both major organizations, such as central government and international commercial banks and commercial companies, as well as smaller players in the form of brokerage houses and individual brokers.
Unlike the better-known world stock markets, however, the FOREX market does not have a 'home' as such, although there are major trading centers around the world in cities such as New York, London, Tokyo, Frankfurt and others.
The FOREX market is in effect a 'digital' market, with trades being carried out by telephone and increasingly over the internet.
The buying and selling of currencies is necessary to support trade between countries in today's global marketplace and, as the major world currencies fluctuate against one another there is, and will continue to be, money to be made from currency transactions.
The major players in the market are of course buying and selling in single deals often running into many millions of dollars. The smaller players however, the brokerage houses and individual brokers, are often trading in individual deals of as little as one hundred thousand dollars.
So what exactly does this mean to you sitting at home and surfing the internet?
It means quite simply that you too can join this market and, providing you take the time to learn the ins and outs of the currency markets and have a little bit of capital to invest, you can enjoy a very reasonable income from your online trading efforts.
You will not of course be able to trade on your own and will need to use a broker, but many brokers will allow you to open an account online and start trading with anywhere between $250 and $1,000.
FOREX trading is not everybody's cup of tea of course but its major advantage lies in the fact that it is a highly liquid market that does not involve the commission payments and paperwork which many people find a problem when it come to many other forms of trading.
It is, however, a 'technical' market and you should not venture into it unless you are prepared to take the time to learn the basic principles underlying this currency market and to become competent in the use of some of the 'tools of the trade', such as technical and fundamental analysis.
But don't be put off by this. It is not necessary to become an expert in these markets to profit from them. With a little time and effort you can quite easily gain enough of an understanding of the currency markets to start making money through online trading and, in time, you will be surprised at just how quickly you can become quite an expert.
Stocks Or Foreign Exchange - Which One?
Stocks Or Foreign Exchange - Which One?
By Mike Singh
Many people would like to invest in stocks or Forex but are not really sure of the difference between the two and don’t know which is the right choice for them.
There is little doubt that there are many options out there for you. But, it is hard to say which the right choice is until you gather some information about them and then make the right choice.
Stocks? Forex?
Stock trading is similar to owning part of a company or organization. You purchase the stocks so that the company can then use this money to reinvest to increase their profits. Most people know about the stock trading market and have a basic understanding of how it works.
On the other hand, though, not many realize what Forex trading actually is. Forex trading is a type of investing that deals with currency trading.
In its basic form, you cash in US dollars for the currency of another country. You cash out when you make a profit or to cut your losses short.
The Forex market is a truly global marketplace where billions of dollars are traded everyday. Here, you can make a lot of money and lose a lot of money fairly quickly.
Making The Choice
Forex trading is a relatively new method of investing. It is a good choice for someone who is willing to take greater risk for a greater reward.
In stock trading, you can make smaller profits in the short-term and only in the long-term can you make a significant profit.
It is often wise for the beginner to dabble in stocks trading before looking at Forex trading. It is an excellent way to get your feet wet without a whole lot of risk.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that anyone who is a beginner in the field of investments should pay close attention to details here. It is important for both types of investments that due diligence is paid in order to make any money.
Study both forms of investments and do some paper trading. This simply means you make decisions to buy or sell but don't put any real money down.
The key here is to track results like you would do for a real trade. Initially, you will make mistakes, so go easy on yourself.
With experience you will start to make profits on a consistent basis. When this happens, start putting some money on your trades.
Good luck with your investment efforts.
By Mike Singh
Many people would like to invest in stocks or Forex but are not really sure of the difference between the two and don’t know which is the right choice for them.
There is little doubt that there are many options out there for you. But, it is hard to say which the right choice is until you gather some information about them and then make the right choice.
Stocks? Forex?
Stock trading is similar to owning part of a company or organization. You purchase the stocks so that the company can then use this money to reinvest to increase their profits. Most people know about the stock trading market and have a basic understanding of how it works.
On the other hand, though, not many realize what Forex trading actually is. Forex trading is a type of investing that deals with currency trading.
In its basic form, you cash in US dollars for the currency of another country. You cash out when you make a profit or to cut your losses short.
The Forex market is a truly global marketplace where billions of dollars are traded everyday. Here, you can make a lot of money and lose a lot of money fairly quickly.
Making The Choice
Forex trading is a relatively new method of investing. It is a good choice for someone who is willing to take greater risk for a greater reward.
In stock trading, you can make smaller profits in the short-term and only in the long-term can you make a significant profit.
It is often wise for the beginner to dabble in stocks trading before looking at Forex trading. It is an excellent way to get your feet wet without a whole lot of risk.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that anyone who is a beginner in the field of investments should pay close attention to details here. It is important for both types of investments that due diligence is paid in order to make any money.
Study both forms of investments and do some paper trading. This simply means you make decisions to buy or sell but don't put any real money down.
The key here is to track results like you would do for a real trade. Initially, you will make mistakes, so go easy on yourself.
With experience you will start to make profits on a consistent basis. When this happens, start putting some money on your trades.
Good luck with your investment efforts.
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