Forexunderstanding

FOREX! Find Out If Its the Right Market For You!

Being successful! Does that have anything to do with choosing a market to trade? I would maintain that it does. One of the Secrets To Success is to choose something that fitsYou. After all, if one of your goals is to achieve a certain income level or net worth figure there are a multitude of ways that someone has been successful with, but probably only a few, that might be right for you. This applies just as much to the financial markets as it does elsewhere.

If youre reading this article, probably one of your endeavors is or will be some type of activity in the financial markets. Now which of the markets are right for you, meaning the best fit for your circumstances and your goals? Addressing this question will be far more profitable then trading the first market you happen to come into contact with. Ill help in this process by discussing some of the relevant features of the Forex or cash Foreign Exchange market.

One of the first Forex concepts to note is that the currency you are trading is a representation of a nations economy. Why is this important? Because its notable that national economies dont perceptibly change in a day or even a month. Contrast this with individual stocks, commodities or futures that are easily affected by daily news or even weather events. Thus the price moves of the major currencies take place against a broader backdrop than the before mentioned markets. This is expressed in the tendency of currencies to show strongly trending behavior in contrast to staying in tight trading ranges. Many will realize that tight trading ranges are some of the most difficult trading conditions while the trend is your friend because it is easier to profitably trade by hitching a ride. Trending markets also lend themselves to rules based technical trading systems. Do you prefer to have your trading choices laid out in advance, or do you shoot from the hip?

Are you planning to trade as a business or significant avocation? Do you plan to be active on a full or part time basis? If part time, are you otherwise occupied during regular business or market hours? Did you know that Forex trades 24 hours a day, six days a week? This makes sense if you realize that the Forex markets are serving the needs of nations and traders in every time zone. To facilitate this, most trading is done with online trading platforms that are considered to make an Over The Counter (OTC) market. Do your plans call for flexible or outside of regular hours scheduling?
How much capital would you like to allocate to your chosen trading activity? Someone whose trading is part time and viewed as a hobby may have a different amount of trading capital available than someone whose plan is to structure their trading as a business activity. Regarding capital requirements, the Forex market can accommodate almost any trading plan. This is possible because there are two trading unit sizes available. The full size lot is 100,000 currency units and may be controlled by a 1% or 1,000 unit margin. There is also a mini size lot of 10,000 currency units that may be controlled by a .5% or 50 unit margin. pound based traders can put the pound sign ahead of the above figures for illustration. To translate this to trading account requirements; a mini account can be started for as little as 300.00 US.

The above discussion of just a few facets of the Forex market is hoped to stimulate thoughtful consideration of the best trading situation forYou, and will continue as a series of articles to consider relevant features of the Forex markets.

To Be Continued

Forex A Snappy Way To Make Serious Bucks

1.3 Trillion; Safe estimates peg it as the amount of currency thats traded on the Forex every single day.

Trading on the Forex is one of the fastest growing income generating opportunities in the world. All it takes to start is a small investment (many dealers will start you off with as little as 250), and some knowledge of the world markets and of trading. Oh. And, according to those that do it every day and live off changing pounds to pounds to francs and back, some common sense, some practicality and a lot of faith are a big help.

Some background:

1. The market began in the 1970s with the introduction of free exchange rates and floating currencies. Its the open market where the worlds currencies are exchanged and traded with few regulations. Because of the open nature of the market nearly anyone can trade and make money. The volume of trading and the enormous number of players make it almost impossible for any one trader to manipulate the market.

2. The market is open 24 hours a day, from Sunday evening to Friday evening, and there are always trades to be had. This makes it one of the most liquid and constantly moving markets in the world

3. While most transactions are made in lots of 100,000, marginal trading allows traders to start trading with an investment of as little as 250-500.

Marginal Trading- The Blockbuster Earner

Marginal trading simultaneously makes trading on the foreign exchange market so possibly profitable a great risk. Trading on the margin is simply trading with borrowed capital. Depending on your dealer, you can purchase 100,000 worth of currency for as little as 500. If your trades are on target, you make a profit on the entire 100,000 lot minus dealer commission, of course. If, on the other hand, your trade ends up losing you money, you could end up being liable for far more than the 500 you originally invested.

So thats why one of the strongest bits of advice youll hear from most experienced forex traders is Keep your eye on the margin or even more strongly, Dont ever trade on the margin.

Observe a few important tips to make quick money on the forex.

* Buy low, sell high. Yes, its a roadkill cliche, but there are many people who forget that the market runs in patterns of dips and rises. Keep your eye on the pattern and buy when the exchange rate dips, then sell when it peaks.

* Remember to cut your losses. No one, no matter what they tell you, runs a 100% profitable system. What they do have is the knowledge to get out of a trade before it goes further south. If you make a trade that decreases in value, decide ahead of time how much you can afford to lose. When you reach that low, sell. Dont hang on in case it turns around.

*Understand the situation in the country whose currency youre trading. The economy and politics of a country have a profound effect on the exchange rate of its currency. Keep your ear to the ground and be prepared to move based on what you hear because everyone else will.

* Select a system that fits your lifestyle. System is what its all about, according to traders who make money in the market. A system helps you decide in advance exactly how much you can afford to lose, and set stopsell or buy orders based on those figures. Pick a system, live your system, and dont second-guess your system.

* Focus on the bottom line. Especially if youre day trading, youll find that you lose at least as often as you win but you can still come out ahead if you plan your strategy and system out in advance. By deciding in advance how much you can afford to lose in a trade, and when you should take your profits and cut them loose, youll make a profit even when most of your trades are losers.

* And remember remember remember to upgrade your knowledge before taking the forex leap.

Treat forex trading like a regular business. You cant make money without knowledge, skills and a good attitude. Study, take notes and practice then go out there and make some serious money.

Foreign exchange (forex) currency trading, the largest financial market in the world, requires a minimum of capital to invest and the profits can be substantial. Once you have learned the basics of forex, youre on the way to making money through the simultaneous buying or selling of currencies. Forex trading is instantaneous; as soon as you click the mouse, its done. The most commonly traded currencies, easiest to liquidate, are the U.S. pound, Japanese yen, British pound, Swiss Franc, the Canadian pound, Australian pound, and the Europound.

Unlike the stock market, forex trading has no central exchange. With forex, you can make a profit whether the market is up or down vs. only making money when the stock market is on the rise. By taking the long position with a pair of currencies, the forex trader buys at one price and sells when it reaches a higher price. The other option for the forex trader is to go short by selling currencies, anticipating depreciation, and then buying back when the value falls. The forex trader can pick either direction, long or short, and if correct, he will generate a profit. You can also set up a certain point (limit order) based on the amount of profit you want to earn to automatically limit the order. In the same way, you can stop or close an order to automatically liquidate if the currency trade is going against you.

In general, the strength of a countrys economy determines the value of its currency. Other factors to take into consideration in forex trading are the political and social status of the country, interest and employment rates, and the overall stability of its government. You will learn to see patterns or trends as you become more familiar with the ins and outs of forex trading.

The Forex market is a 24-hour trading place, Sunday through Friday, giving you the option of trading at any time of the day or night. Unlike the stock market, it doesnt close with the ringing of the bell. Forex online firms provide demos, guidance, and market news for the beginning investor. You can practice your skills in forex trading before actually investing real capital. Once youve learned the basics, a minimum investment is made, sometimes as low as 200.00. These mini-trading accounts are a good way to begin forex trading and often there is no commission attached to your trading. You dont have to be a seasoned market analyst or economist to learn, enjoy, and make money with forex currency trading.

How To Start Trading The Forex Market? (Part 5)

What are *PIPS* ?

Currencies are traded on a price point (pip) system. Each currency pair has its own pip value.

When you see a FOREX price quote, you’ll see something listed like this:

EURUSD 1.221013

Explanation:

a) If you want to BUY the EURUSD ( meaning you BUY EUROS and SELL US ) you buy 100,000 EUROS and you SELL 122,130 US, or in other words you receive
122,130 US for 100,000 EUROS.

B) If you want to SELL the EURUSD ( meaning you SELL EUROS and BUY US ) you buy 122,100 US and sell 100,000 EUROS, or in other words you receive 100,000 EUROS for 122,100 US.

The difference between the bid and the ask price is referred to as the spread. In the example above, the spread is 3 or 3 pips.

Since the US pound is the centerpiece of the FOREX market, it is normally considered the ‘base’ currency for quotes. In the “Majors”, this includes USDJPY, USDCHF and USDCAD. For these currencies and many others, quotes are expressed as a unit of 1 USD per the second currency quoted in the pair.

For example a quote of USDCHF 1.3000 means that fore one U.S. pound you receive 1.30 Swiss Francs. or in other words, you receive 1.30 Swiss Franc for each 1 US.

When the U.S. pound is the base unit and a currency quote goes up, it means the pound has appreciated in value and the other currency has weakened. If the USDCHF quote above increases to 1.3050 the pound is stronger because it will now buy more Swiss Franc than before.

The three exceptions to this rule are the British pound (GBP), the Australian pound (AUD) and the Euro (EUR). In these cases, you might see a quote such as EURUSD 1.2080, meaning that for EURO you receive 1.2080 U.S. pounds.

In these three currency pairs, where the U.S. pound is not the base rate, a rising quote means a weakening pound, as it now takes more U.S. pounds to equal one Euro, British pound or an Australian pound.

In other words, if a currency quote goes higher, that increases the value of the base currency. A lower quote means the base currency is weakening.

Currency pairs that do not involve the U.S. pound are called cross currencies, but the calculation is the same. For example, a quote of EURJPY 134.50 signifies that one Euro is equal to 134.50 Japanese yen.

HOW TO BUY ( going LONG )and SELL ( going SHORT ) in the FOREX Market?

Keep in mind 2 very important rules:

RULE # 1) Cut your LOOSING trades and let your WINNING trades RUN

YOU WILL HAVE LOSING TRADES. Every FOREX trader has. The secret is, that a consistent, disciplined trader, at the end of the day, adds up more winning trades than losing trades.

When you and see on your charts, without any doubt, that you are in a losing trade, don’t keep losing money. Most of the novice traders are lowering their stop loss just to prove they are right or hoping that the market will reverse. 99% of these trades, are ending up with more losses. Most of the profitable trades are usually “right” immediately.

Remember, smart traders know there are many other opportunities. CUT your losses short and compound those winning positions.

RULE 2) NEVER EVER trade FOREX without placing a Stop Loss Order.

PLACE a STOP order, right along with your ENTRY order, via your online trading station, to prevent potential losses.

Before initiating any trade, you have to calculate at what point ( price) you would be wrong, because the market changed direction, and would want to cut your losses.

To make profits, in the FOREX, a trader can enter the market with a *buy position* (known as going “long”) or a *sell position* (known as going “short”).

As an example let’s assume you’ve been studying the EURO. The EURO is paired first with the U.S. pound or USD.

Your trading methods, rules, strategies, etc., tell you that the EURO will rice in the next 2 weeks, So you buy the EURUSD pair meaning you will simultaneously buy EUROS, and SELL pounds).

You open up your excellent trading station software (provided to you for free by Fenix Capital Management, LLC www.fenixcapitalmanagement.com ) and you see that the EURUSD pair is trading at:

EURUSD: 1.20101.2013

As you you believe that the market price for the EURUSD pair will go higher, you will enter a *buy position* in the market.

As an example, lets say you bought one lot EURUSD at 1.2013. As long as you sell back the pair at a higher price, then you make money.

To illustrate a typical FX SELL trade, consider this scenario involving the USDJPY currency pair:

REMEMBER Selling (“going short”) the currency pair implies selling the first, base currency, and buying the second, quote currency. You sell the currency pair if you believe the base currency (USD) will go down relative to the quote currency (JPY), or equivalently, that the quote currency (JPY) will go up relative to the base currency (USD).

HOW TO CALCULATE PROFIT OR LOSS?

The Profit Calculations, on the Short-sell trade scenario below, may seem somewhat complicated if you’ve never been in the FOREX market before, but this process is continually calculated through your broker trade station (software). I show you this process below so you can SEE how a PROFIT might occur.

The current bidask price for USDJPY is 107.50107.54, meaning you can buy 1 US for 107.54 YEN, or sell 1 US for 107.50 YEN.

Suppose you think that the US pound (USD) is overvalued against the YEN (JPY). To execute this strategy, you would sell pounds (simultaneously buying YEN), and then wait for the exchange rate to rise.

Your trade would be the following: you sell 1 lot USD (US 100,000) and you buy 1 lot JPY (10,754.000 YEN). (Remember, at 0.25 % margin, your initial margin deposit for this trade would be 250.)

As you expected, USDJPY falls to 106.50106.54, meaning you can now buy 1 US for 106.54 Japanese YEN or sell 1 US for 106.50.

Since you’re short pounds (and are long YEN), you must now buy pounds and sell back the YEN to realize any profit.

You buy US 100,000 at the current USDJPY rate of 106.54, and receive 10,654,000 YEN. Since you originally bought (paid for) 10,754,000 YEN, your profit is 100,000 YEN.

To calculate your P&L in terms of US pounds, divide 100,000 by the current USDJPY rate of 106.54

Total profit = US 938.61