Monday, August 17, 2009

Forex trading tips


If you are one of those who generally thinks that fx trading has more to do with stocks or bonds, then its time to rethink and change your current perception. Forex trading is not just about stocks or bonds. It is a type of trading that generally engages the trading of currency pairs. The currencies are measured in relative terms and an individual can participate in the forex market through retail brokers. The volatility of currency exchange trading comes from the risk to buy a currency low and subsequently sell short ‘high currency’. Thus defining forex exchange trading in simple terms – It is a means of earning money by taking benefit of currency exchange rate movements.

Today with the introduction of online trading it is virtually continuing to move upward. In fact online fx trading has facilitated a new platform to conduct trading through dedicated internet links during forex market hours. However, to master in foreign exchange trade, you must make yourself well aware of best forex training program and master its fundamentals. When you focus on two currencies, you must watch the import-export trends very carefully among those two countries and the liquidity in both the markets. Similar to these, you must understand the primary essentials of fx trading or any other trading before setting a Forex trading system. So if you are one of those who want achieve success in forex market, here are few important tips that can help you enjoy paramount success:

Follow currency trading rules –Always try to study the examples of past trades. These past studies can help you in recognizing the direction, entries, and exits of forex market. Moreover, you must pay a very close attention and interest to complete price patterns or the chart positions of technical indicators. Thus following currency trading rules is no small matter. This step can help you get the clues about the market whether it is over extended, long or short.

Make most from proper resources- If you are mostly involved in fx market through online trading platform then it is always advisable to make the most of available resources. Your resources can be in the form of information websites, guiding manuals, technical and fundamental analysis of the market, and news-updates registered with the system. You can also access the forex reviews and market trends based on stock research. Ultimately at the end of the day, you can enjoy the success ride but you also need to analyze and make the best from available and reliable sources.

Trading the odds – This is the key important point that you must consider seriously to make money. You need to trade the odds and get them on your side. The simple and the best way of doing this is to keep a close look on set ups that give you a clear trading edge which is easy to see on any forex chart.

Don't trade for too short-term – It is important for you to understand that if you are aiming to make less than 20 points profit then its better not to undertake the trade. Trading for too short term may make the odds against you far too high. It's always the best strategy to believe in long term when you are trading and is considered as the mark of a good trader.

Cut back the amount of trading- Look out for valid breakouts of support and resistance and trade them. Just keep in mind, most big trends develop from new market highs not from market lows, so must focus on the breaks and go with them. Use a breakout methodology and trade these high odds trades. It’s very obvious that you won’t trade often but each trade you go into can have the potential for triple digit gains.

Stop emotional Trading – Forex trading is a rational endeavor and you cannot anticipate attaining success in very first or initial few trades. Ultimately you have to be patient and need to control your emotions. Do everything as per the rules of your trading system & strategy and you will gain success.

Like any other business, foreign exchange trading too has its own unique ups and downs. You need to make yourself acquainted with this currency exchange trading platform and then consider for larger trades. It is a business that definitely requires a learning curve.

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Top 5 Most Tradable Currencies


1. U.S. Dollar (USD)
Central Bank: Federal Reserve (Fed)

The Almighty Dollar
Created in 1913 by the Federal Reserve Act, the Federal Reserve System (also called the Fed) is the central banking body of the U.S. The system is itself headed by a chairman and board of governors, with most of the focus being placed on the branch known as the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). The FOMC supervises open market operations as well as monetary policy or interest rates.

The current committee is comprised of five of the 12 current Federal Reserve Bank presidents and seven members of the Federal Reserve Board, with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York always serving on the committee. Even though there are 12 voting members, non-members (including additional Fed Bank presidents) are invited to share their views on the current economic situation when the committee meets every six weeks. (For more information on the Federal Reserve, read our Federal Reserve tutorial.)

Sometimes referred to as the greenback, the U.S. dollar (USD) is the home denomination of the world's largest economy, the United States. As with any currency, the dollar is supported by economic fundamentals, including gross domestic product, and manufacturing and employment reports. However, the U.S. dollar is also widely influenced by the central bank and any announcements about interest rate policy. The U.S. dollar is a benchmark that trades against other major currencies, especially the euro, Japanese yen and British pound. (For further reading about trading this currency, see Taking Advantage Of A Weak U.S. Dollar.)

2. European Euro (EUR)
Central Bank: European Central Bank (ECB)

The Dollar's Nemesis
Headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, the European Central Bank is the central bank of the 15 member countries of the Eurozone. In similar fashion to the United States' FOMC, the ECB has a main body responsible for making monetary policy decisions, the Executive Council, which is composed of five members and headed by a president. The remaining policy heads are chosen with consideration that four of the remaining seats are reserved for the four largest economies in the system, which include Germany, France, Italy and Spain. This is to ensure that the largest economies are always represented in the case of a change in administration. The council meets approximately 10 times a year. (Read more about this and other central banks discussed here in Get To Know The Major Central Banks.)

In addition to having jurisdiction over monetary policy, the ECB also holds the right to issue banknotes as it sees fit. Similarly to the Federal Reserve, policy makers can interject at times of bank or system failures. The ECB differs from the Fed in an important area: instead of maximizing employment and maintaining stability of long-term interest rates, the ECB works towards a prime principle of price stability, with secondary commitments to general economic policies. As a result, policymakers will turn their focus to consumer inflation in making key interest rate decisions. (Read more about how central banks control inflation in What Are Central Banks?)

Although the monetary body is somewhat complex, the currency is not. Against the U.S. dollar, the euro (EUR) tends to be a slower currency compared to its colleagues (i.e., the British pound or Australian dollar). On an average day, the base currency can trade between 30-40 pips, with more volatile swings averaging slightly more, at 60 pips wide per day. Another trading consideration is time. Trading in the euro-based pairs can be seen during the London and U.S. sessions (which occur from 2am through 11am EST). (Read more about choosing the optimal time to trade in How To Set A Forex Trading Schedule.)

3. Japanese Yen (JPY)
Central Bank: Bank of Japan (BoJ)

Technically Complex, Fundamentally Simple
Established as far back as 1882, the Bank of Japan serves as the central bank to the world's second largest economy. It governs monetary policy as well as currency issuance, money market operations and data/economic analysis. The main Monetary Policy Board tends to work toward economic stability, constantly exchanging views with the reigning administration, while simultaneously working toward its own independence and transparency. Meeting 12-14 times a year, the governor leads a team of nine policy members, including two appointed deputy governors.

The Japanese yen (JPY) tends to trade under the identity of a carry trade component. Offering a low interest rate, the currency is pitted against higher-yielding currencies, especially the New Zealand and Australian dollars and the British pound. As a result, the underlying tends to be very erratic, pushing traders to take technical perspectives on a longer-term basis. Average daily ranges are in the region of 30-40 pips, with extremes as high as 150 pips. To trade this currency with a little bit of a bite, focus on the crossover of London and U.S. hours (6am - 11am EST). (Read more about forex carry trades in Currency Carry Trades Deliver.)

4. British Pound (GBP)
Central Bank: Bank of England (BoE)

The Queen's Currency
As the main governing body in the United Kingdom, the Bank of England serves as the monetary equivalent of the Federal Reserve System. In the same fashion, the governing body establishes a committee headed by the governor of the bank. Made up of nine members, the committee includes four external participants (appointed by the Chancellor of Exchequer), a chief economist, director of market operations, committee chief economist and two deputy governors.

Meeting every month of the year, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decides on interest rates and broader monetary policy, with primary considerations of total price stability in the economy. As such, the MPC also has a benchmark of consumer price inflation set at 2%. If this benchmark is compromised, the governor has the responsibility to notify the Chancellor of Exchequer through a letter, one of which came in 2007 as the U.K. CPI rose sharply to 3.1%. The release of this letter tends to be a harbinger to markets, as it increases the probability of contractionary monetary policy. (For more on the role of the CPI, read The Consumer Price Index: A Friend To Investors.)

A little bit more volatile than the euro, the British pound (GBP, also sometimes referred to as "pound sterling" or "cable") tends to trade a wider range through the day. With swings that can encompass 100-150 pips, it isn't unusual to see the pound trade as narrowly as 20 pips. Swings in notable cross currencies tend to give this major a volatile nature, with traders focusing on pairs like the British pound/Japanese yen and the British pound/Swiss franc. As a result, the currency can be seen as most volatile through both London and U.S. sessions, with minimal movements during Asian hours (5pm - 1am EST). (Read more about currency pairs in Using Currency Correlations To Your Advantage.)

5. Swiss Franc (CHF)
Central Bank: Swiss National Bank (SNB)

A Banker's Currency

Different from all other major central banks, the Swiss National Bank is viewed as a governing body with private and public ownership. This belief stems from the fact that the Swiss National Bank is technically a corporation under special regulation. As a result, a little over half of the governing body is owned by the sovereign states of Switzerland. It is this arrangement that emphasizes the economic and financial stability policies dictated by the governing board of the SNB. Smaller than most governing bodies, monetary policy decisions are created by three major bank heads who meet on a quarterly basis.

The governing board creates the band (plus or minus 25 basis points) of where the interest rate will reside.

Similar to the euro, the Swiss franc (CHF) hardly makes significant moves in the any of the individual sessions. As a result, look for this particular currency to trade in the average daily range of 35 pips per day. High-frequency volume for this currency is usually pitted for the London session (2am - 8am EST)

Friday, August 14, 2009

Forex and Currency Trading


The foreign exchange market (currency, forex, or FX) trades currencies. It lets banks and other institutions easily buy and sell currencies. 

The purpose of the foreign exchange market is to help international trade and investment. A foreign exchange market helps businesses convert one currency to another. For example, it permits a U.S. business to import European goods and pay Euros, even though the business's income is in U.S. dollars.

In a typical foreign exchange transaction a party purchases a quantity of one currency by paying a quantity of another currency. The modern foreign exchange market started forming during the 1970s when countries gradually switched to floating exchange rates from the previous exchange rate regime, which remained fixed as per the Bretton Woods system.

The foreign exchange market is unique because of
its trading volumes,
the extreme liquidity of the market,
its geographical dispersion,
its long trading hours: 24 hours a day except on weekends (from 22:00 UTC on Sunday until 22:00 UTC Friday),
the variety of factors that affect exchange rates.
the low margins of profit compared with other markets of fixed income (but profits can be high due to very large trading volumes)
the use of leverage

Main foreign exchange market turnover, 1988 - 2007, measured in billions of USD.

As such, it has been referred to as the market closest to the ideal perfect competition, notwithstanding market manipulation by central banks. According to the Bank for International Settlements, average daily turnover in global foreign exchange markets is estimated at $3.98 trillion. Trading in the world's main financial markets accounted for $3.21 trillion of this. This approximately $3.21 trillion in main foreign exchange market turnover was broken down as follows:
$1.005 trillion in spot transactions
$362 billion in outright forwards
$1.714 trillion in foreign exchange swaps

$129 billion estimated gaps in reporting


Market participants

Unlike a stock market, where all participants have access to the same prices, the foreign exchange market is divided into levels of access. At the top is the inter-bank market, which is made up of the largest investment banking firms. Within the inter-bank market, spreads, which are the difference between the bid and ask prices, are razor sharp and usually unavailable, and not known to players outside the inner circle. The difference between the bid and ask prices widens (from 0-1 pip to 1-2 pips for some currencies such as the EUR). This is due to volume. If a trader can guarantee large numbers of transactions for large amounts, they can demand a smaller difference between the bid and ask price, which is referred to as a better spread. The levels of access that make up the foreign exchange market are determined by the size of the "line" (the amount of money with which they are trading). The top-tier inter-bank market accounts for 53% of all transactions. After that there are usually smaller investment banks, followed by large multi-national corporations (which need to hedge risk and pay employees in different countries), large hedge funds, and even some of the retail FX-metal market makers. According to Galati and Melvin, “Pension funds, insurance companies, mutual funds, and other institutional investors have played an increasingly important role in financial markets in general, and in FX markets in particular, since the early 2000s.” (2004) In addition, he notes, “Hedge funds have grown markedly over the 2001–2004 period in terms of both number and overall size” Central banks also participate in the foreign exchange market to align currencies to their economic needs.

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Forex Platforms
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Forex marketting

Introduction

The following facts and figures relate to the foreign exchange market. Much of the information is drawn from the 2007 Triennial Central Bank Survey of Foreign Exchange and Derivatives Market Activity conducted by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) in April 2007. 54 central banks and monetary authorities participated in the survey, collecting information from approximately 1280 market participants.

"The 2007 survey shows an unprecedented rise in activity in traditional foreign exchange markets compared to 2004. Average daily turnover rose to $3.2 trillion in April 2007, an increase of 71% at current exchange rates and 65% at constant exchange rates...Against the background of low levels of financial market volatility and risk aversion, market participants point to a significant expansion in the activity of investor groups including hedge funds, which was partly facilitated by substantial growth in the use of prime brokerage, and retail investors...A marked increase in the levels of technical trading – most notably algorithmic trading – is also likely to have boosted turnover in the spot market...Transactions between reporting dealers and non-reporting financial institutions, such as hedge funds, mutual funds, pension funds and insurance companies, more than doubled between April 2004 and April 2007 and contributed more than half of the increase in aggregate turnover." - BIS

Major Markets
The US & UK markets account for just over 50% of turnover
Major markets: London, New York, Tokyo
Trading activity is heaviest when major markets overlap 
Nearly two-thirds of NY activity occurs in the morning hours while European markets are open

What is FOREX?

The Foreign Exchange market, also referred to as the Forex or FX market, is an international exchange market in the world, with a daily average turnover of approximately from 1.5 trillion to 2.5 trillion US dollar. Hundreds of thousands of individuals have already joined the Forex market.

In order to improve your Forex trading skills, you need to make the most of the information at your fingertips.

Here we collect the most popular and helpful Forex articles. All these Forex articles are written by the excellent Forex traders, strategists and analysts. You'll find the articles, trading courses and methods that are an indispensable inherent part of improving your Forex trading strategy.

Take a dinner with family or acquaintances, and mention your involvement in the Forex and you will get a few confused looks. Most people have no idea what it is Forex and how it works. The worst thing is that neither the majority of Forex traders, beginners, have any idea in what they are involved. Understanding what the market is makes a good first step toward successful trading.

Forex is the foreign exchange market where currencies are traded from various countries that have a value and constantly change. Most people know about the Forex as much as they need to make their own currency exchange when traveling outside the country for tourist reasons or shopping. When they did that, they were automatically part of the largest market in the world. Forex trading revolves over 3 trillion dollars a day, which exceeds the largest and best known stock exchanges / markets in the world.

How currencies have different values, logically is that there is a market that is setting this value. Where is a market, inevitably there is also speculation, but in this case market is extremely active. Bank deposits are sent around the world, corporations protect their own exposure to currency risk in different countries, central banks manage the national economic objectives through monetary policy, a huge investment funds make speculation. Not so long ago, it was the entire market, the domain of professional trader or a banker.

The word "market" usually gives the picture a shopping center, like New York or London, where he made the exchange of services and goods. This is not the case with Forex. Instead, the Forex works through what is known as the "interbank" market. Interbank is a nice way to say that banks trade among themselves, outside the central town market. This is one of the main reasons why the volume of data is not available for the Forex. This is also the reason why smaller investors and traders-individuals were set aside for so long.