Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Growing Popularity of Forex Trading now days

Today it is very hard to ignore the fact that forex market is the world's biggest financial market. Over the past few years, it has become the most popular market with trades amounting to more than USD 3 trillion every day. Generally referred as currency trading market, it always involves the combination of two currencies. For example- either you can buy Euro or sell US dollars, or you can buy and sale any other combination of globally accepted currencies.

In recent times, fx trading has gained huge popularity and turned out to be a very profitable money making option. If we look at the present scenario, it can be recognized as one of the most potentially rewarding types of investments available in the global market. Though this form of trading involves great risks but the potential to earn profits are enormous relative to initial capital investments. The major reason of growing recognition is its very low dealing costs, high leverage margin, 24 hours trading a day and high liquidity market. For example, with a $5000 account, you can make about $5000 per month.
Obviously it decidedly depends on the manner that you trade and the strategy you follow but good and experienced traders can double their money every month.

The key positive sign of fx currency trading that can help you consider it as a money-making affair can be its size. Its wide yet easily accessible size prevents almost all attempts by others to influence the market for their own gain. Consequently, when you invest in foreign currency market, you can be certain that the deal you are making has the same opportunity for profit as other investors do throughout the world.

So, if you are looking to get involve in this type of currency trading, it is always better to enjoy trading with the help of a forex broker. A forex broker can be the key person who can guide you to earn more profits from market, as a result it is always better to carefully select a right forex broker for right deal. Apart from all this, the next major fact about this form of currency trading is- in this form of trading there is no centralized location of foreign currency trading. With the help of various online platforms you can trade currency from any parts of the world. With the help of internet connection and active forex trading account you can easily trade in foreign currencies.

Today it can be considered as one of the few trading markets in the world that always provides you with opportunities to trade because of currencies strengthening or weakening. The supply and demand are the factors that determine the price in any market. Now when there are too many buyers and sellers, similar to the current situation in forex market, the price volatility can be much higher, market may be more dynamic and chances to make money can be even more. The price may go up and down more frequently and this dynamic nature helps in making decent money. Consequently, if you are looking to choose Forex as your business, its better you do not get worried about competition but must make sure you develop a proper strategy to earn money and enjoy good success in fx trading.

About Forex "Naked Trading"

If you hadn’t stayed in Forex trading platform for long and come across a Forex term of "naked trading" it’s for sure that it will be a big astonishment for you and your usual response will be "What"?

Is it possible to earn more by putting off the clothes? No, it’s not so it’s just a Forex term you don’t need to put off your clothes.

This means to the Forex indicators that is you should be well aware about the indicators status. By the term we mean that its always good to take full information about the trade market and analyze the influential factors of the Forex trading.

You must eradicate all the well-painted images of the market as portrayed by the indicators and put before you to attract your attraction and go through the true image of the trading position in the market.

This can be done by examining the price actions of various currencies of the world at the trading platform.

This also indicate that you remove the broker from the trading process and thereby see the crystal image of the trading buying and selling positions of the Forex market not just whatever they intended to show you.

The term "naked trading" means revealing the truth of the indicators that they really want to convey about the Forex trends and market situations.

The brokers and other traders say whatever they find it correct to spread among those who are unaware about the facts of the Forex trading.

This is good to examine and understand the Forex trading indicators by yourself and fetch the conclusions rationally without being influenced by any other opinions.

From the next time whenever you start to trade, take time to consider that whatever Forex examining indicators you are using are revealing the dependable information that will help you out to trade in the market.

It’s just a simple rule to overcome the trading hurdles lying before you while making trading decisions.

The article explains the meaning of the Forex term "naked trading". This means revealing the concealed buying and selling options of the market by examining the trading indicators.

An Insight on the Growing Trend of CFD forex Trading

Contract for Difference (CFD) are traded on margin and there is always a better scope to get decent profit in the market. It can be defined as an agreement between two parties to exchange the difference between opening and closing value of a particular trade. The CFD trading allows profit form changes in prices of stock and shares and provides all the benefits of cash equity. It is a good tool of trading and provides an ample of opportunities to speculate on movements in the markets. As a trader you can trade any U.K and US share with market capitalization above £50M and $500M respectively from any part of the globe.

However, over the last few years the concept of contract for differences has gained enough popularity. In fact, many traders these days are practicing CFD trading. There are many reasons for gaining this wide recognition, however some of them are:

•It require low capital requirements- CFD trading is a type of margined trading, which means a trader only requires depositing a small percentage of the value, instead of having deposited the entire value of position. For example: with 10 % of leverage, an investor is required to deposit $1,000 to buy a CFD of $10,000 of shares.

•It offer good profit form UP & Down of the market:- If you are CFD trader then you can easily make a profit from both the up and down of market and buy a position on lower price and sell at higher price and vice versa.

•It doesn’t require any stamp duty- No stump duty is required to pay in CFD trading because no physical transaction exists and trader never actually owns the shares.

•It provides Stop-Loss Management- CFD traders can set up the automatic stop loss and limit order mechanisms. When stop loss and limit order figures are achieved, position will be closed and in this way trader can avoid losses.

Apart from all this, the concept has also gained more popularity among the investors, due to its flexibility. It is one of the most exciting financial products to trade. Adding to this, as a CFD trader you may even access the multiple range of financial product from a single account and place multiple types of trade order. In other words, we can easily say that wide flexibility of trading and huge range of markets is other fundamental reasons of being CFD a popular financial instrument among investors.

Investment in Gold, Investment in your Future Part 2 of 2

The Gold Fixing, or the London Gold Fixing or Gold Fix, is the procedure by which the price of gold price of gold is set on the London market by the five members of the London Gold Pool. It is designed to fix a price for settling contracts among members of the London bullion market, but, informally, the Gold Fixing provides a familiar rate that is used as a benchmark for pricing the majority of gold products all over the world's markets.

The gold price fix takes place twice daily at 10.30am and 3pm, London time.

The original fixing took place on September 12, 1919 amongst the five principal gold bullion traders and refiners of the day. The price of gold at that time was four pounds 18 shillings and ninepence per troy ounce.

Due to government controls and war emergencies, the London Gold Fixing was poised between 1939 and 1954.
price of gold are fixed in United States dollars (USD), Pound sterling (GBP) and European Euros (EUR).

Historically, the Fixing took place twice daily at the City offices of N M Rothschild & Sons in St Swithin's Lane, but since May 5 2004 it takes place by telephone. In April 2004, N M Rothschild & Sons announced so as to it intended to withdraw from gold trading and from the London Gold Fixing. Barclays Bank took its place from 7 June 2004, and the chairmanship of the encounter, formerly held permanently by Rothschilds, currently rotates annually.

On January 21 1980 the Gold Fixing reached the price of $850, a figure which was not overtaken until January 3 2008. This is when a new record of $865.35 per troy ounce was set in the morning Fixing. However, with inflation, the 1980 high would be equal to a price of $2398.21 in 2007 dollars. So, the 1980 record still holds in real conditions.

While gold is traded in markets all over the world, the market is essentially homogeneous since the gold price is always in dollars and the gold traded is "loco London" (gold deliverable in London and meeting London trading standards). The London PM fix is normally considered the main reference price for the day and is the price most often used in contracts. The price of gold is quoted in USD per troy ounce.
Since May 2004 it has been conducted by telephone. The chairman begins with a 'trying' price. The five fixing members' representatives relay the price to their dealing quarters. And these are in contact with other dealers. The market members then announce how much gold they are prepared to buy or sell at that price. The dealers, who are in contact with their clients, could change their order or add to it or cancel it at any time; the view declared by the dealers is the net position outstanding among all their clients. (If one is buying two tonnes and another is selling one tonne, then he declares himself a buyer of one tonne.) If more gold is required than is offered, then the price will be adjusted upwards (and vice versa) until equilibrium is reached. At this point the gold price is fixed. On very rare occasions the price will be fixed when there is disequilibrium, at the discretion of the chairman of the fix.
A tradition of the London Gold Fixing was that participants might raise a small Union Flag on their desk to pause proceedings. Under the telephone fixing system, participants can register a pause by saying the word "flag", and the chair ends the meeting with the phrase "There are no flags, and we're fixed".

Investment in Gold, investment in you Future Part 1 of 2

Gold is the most admired precious metal in which people invest. It is a safe-haven against any financial, political, social or currency-based crises, such as: investment market declines, currency failure, inflation, war and social disorder.

Influence on gold price:
The day price of gold is driven by supply and demand. Since most of the gold ever mined still exists and is potentially able to come on to the marketplace for the right price, unlike most other commodities, the signpost and disposal plays a much bigger role in upsetting the price. At the end of 2006, it was estimated that all the gold ever mined totaled 158,000 tons.

Known the gigantic quantity of stored gold, compared to the annual production, the price of gold is primarily affected by changes in sentiment, rather than changes in annual production.

In times of public crisis, people fear that their assets may be seized and that the currency could become worthless. They see gold as a solid asset which will always buy food or transportation. Hence in times of great uncertainty, particularly when war is feared, the demand pro gold rises.

As dollars were fully convertible into gold, both were regarded as money. However, generally people preferred to carry around paper banknotes rather than the somewhat heavier and less dividable gold coins. If people feared their bank would fail, a bank run might have been the answer. This is what happened in the USA during the Great Depression of the 1930s, leading President Roosevelt to impose a national emergency and to proscribe the ownership of gold by US citizens.

If the return on bonds, equities and real estate is not adequately compensating for venture and inflation then the demand for gold and other alternative savings such as commodities increases. An example of this is the period of Stagflation that occurred during the 1970s and which led to an economic bubble forming in precious metals.

The system held up until 1971 Nixon Shock, As the US stopped the complete convertibility of the United States dollar to gold. Since 1968 the usual benchmark for the price of gold is known as the London Gold Fixing, a twice-daily (telephone) engagement of representatives from five bullion-trading firms. Furthermore, there is keen gold trading based on the intra-day spot price derived from gold-trading markets around the world as they open and close during the day.

All through history gold has often been used as money and, instead of quoting the gold price , all other commodities were measured in gold. After World War II a gold standard was established following the 1946 Bretton Woods talks, fixing the gold price at $35 per troy ounce.

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Monday, May 11, 2009

Forex Broker- Selecting the Correct Forex Broker-00-402

Today we are seeing many people starting to trade the Forex Market, as it is recession proof. It is also the most liquid market in the world, turning over in excess of $3 trillion every day.

So if you are looking to get into Forex trading then the most important step you can take is to find a great Forex Broker.

FOREX trading can be risky, but it does have huge potential for you to either make a lot of money or lose a lot of money. If you have been around the market awhile you will realize that not all FOREX Brokers are equal, and in fact some border being just plain rip off merchants. This can be a major turn off for many new investors, the fear of being rip off by a FOREX Broker. So how can you find a Great FOREX Broker?

So how can you find a Great Forex Broker?


The great news is that there are some awesome FOREX brokers in the market. A good place to start is finding FOREX Brokers as a referral or through a company that knows a lot about FOREX brokers.

Now if you don't feel comfortable with that and you want to do all the hard work of researching brokers yourself, then here is a list of things to look about when looking for a great FOREX Broker.

1. Forex Broker Tip 1: Make sure the FOREX Broker is validated the companies reputation- See what license they hold

2. Forex Broker Tip 2 See who the FOREX Broker is regulated with and make sure you do a search within the regulators to ensure everything is okay.

3. Forex Broker Tip 3 Check how long the FOREX Broker has been operating for, if it is a short time it maybe better to use someone that is more established.

4. Forex Broker Tip 4 See what the spread and or commissions that the FOREX Broker charge

5. Forex Broker Tip 5 Does the FOREX Broker offer stop losses, do they have guaranteed stop losses what are the charges and fees?

6. Forex Broker Tip 6 Does the FOREX Provider requite your orders? If the do stay away

7. Forex Broker Tip 7 What about slippage, if there is slippage find a better FOREX Broker?

8. Forex Broker Tip 8 Where is your money held? If it is not through a reputable bank stay away

Most importantly whatever broker you start with, start off small, test the waters these are just some of the research that CFD FX REPORT use when looking for a Great FOREX Broker.

Remember the real key to success a forex trader is education. The more knowledge that you have the more chance you have of becoming a successful trader. To continue learning a great place to visit is the CFD FX REPORT they offer a range of Free education lesson, free forums and they help you find the best Forex Broker .

Happy Trading!

Global Forex Trading

Forex is one of the greatest hommy work opportunity to make money. It gives an opportunity to make money from the comfort of your home and spending the time with family at the same time. 

It is also an opportunity which you can do along with your existing day job. Forex means foreign exchange and Forex trading means is the trading between foreign exchanges. 

Forex trading requires some knowledge about the way the Forex market runs. You have to learn about he factors both local and the global which affects the market. 

If you want to succeed in this particular trading you must have the knowledge about the basics and facts. 

Global Forex Trading offers the chance to deal in real time online currency trading that makes millions of forex brokers become more rich every day.

Global Forex Trading has less publicity that stock and commodities market and even the futures, even more than $2 trillion of currencies are transacted every day on the global forex market.

Compared to stocks and shares or commodity markets that have specific opening and ending trading times. At the same tim, Forex markets are available for trading anytime with price of currencies changes and fluctuates everytime.

Forex trading has become an extremely popular way to trade the global market, the largest and most liquid market in the world.

The Forex Trading market is open 24 hours a day. Forex trading also gives free commission and available on more than 60 currencies worldwide. 

Global forex trading boasts that they provide the only forex trading platform that is suitable for both beginners and professionals.

Forex Trading has no restrictions of getting profits no matter what the market condition. 

Nowday, the Global Forex Trading is available not only for the large investors but the smaller one can take a part too.

Leverage is the main key and powerful tool to Forex Trading wealth. You should have a good education in Forex trading to reach gain and profits consistently.

In Forex trading, you can get a leverage of 20 to 50 times commonly up to 100% margin in some special cases. In stocks or shares, you may be able to get it of 50 - 70% of your stocks or shares.

Leverage is the main key and powerful tool to Forex Trading wealth. You should have a good education in Forex trading to reach gain and profits consistently. 

With that leverage comparison, you may be able become a millionaire fastest in Forex trading.

All things you need to know and learn it up in Forex trading ; knowing risk level - how much you are willing to lose, understanding the different forex trading systems as technical and fundamental and research the trading systems which you can be familiar with how they work. 

Also learning the trading trends, price history, support and resistance lines, familiar with the fundamental economic factors and its issues that effect to the Forex market.

Global forex trading is something not many people consider for investment - because of less information - but worldwide forex trading continues and become more and more popular recently. 

Individuals all over the world are investing in the Forex market and gaining thousands of dollars every day.

The Best Forex Strategy for Consistent Profits

Some traders prefer the monthly, weekly or daily trade forex strategy. Others consider that the best forex strategy is the intraday trading, and probably none of them is the absolute best.

In reality, there can be profits in any forex strategy as long as you are well aware of the market movers and signals at any given time, and you have a clear understanding of all the elements that support your forex strategy.

Some traders base their forex strategy in long term investments (monthly or weekly positions), while others will build their forex strategy around daily or intradaily positions that might be open no longer than a few hours or even minutes (this traders are known as scalpers).

A long term forex strategy will probably earn you 100 or 200 pips in one trade, but that is probably all you will gain within a month or a week if your forex strategy gravitates around monthly or weekly positions, But on the other hand, a well carried scalping forex strategy can deliver many little 10 or 20 pip trades during a day, meaning that maybe you can total anything between 80 to 160 pips in one day using this forex strategy.

The intraday forex strategy benefits from the fact that the forex market, whether moving up or down within any particular currency pair, will always make small fluctuations that you can profit from using an intraday forex strategy.

Which forex strategy is best for you will depend greatly on your personal investment and risk management style, and also on how much time you can dedicate during the day in order to follow the market trends and spot the right entry points for a profitable trade.

I prefer the intraday forex strategy because of its profitability and because frankly I have some time to spare, but mostly because I have the assistance of a software I discovered a while ago, which places trades by itself based on the market trends occurring both during the day an during the night.

So even when if am not in front of my pc, I can go on trading all day and all night, profiting from of every little window of opportunity to scalp a few pips out of the market. With this approach, my intraday forex strategy delivers about 120 pips daily, which in my particular case means I earn about $3,000 per month with a 5,000 investment.

So the intraday forex strategy can indeed be the most profitable one, but it will demand that you stay very attentive at what is going on within the market on a minute by minute basis, unless of course you have a software that stays on guard while you are busy with your job or anything else that might keep you from continuously analyzing the market trends.

If you are wondering about the software I use to help me with my intraday forex strategy, I will only tell you that it does work and that its called the FAPS.

What's the Best Forex Strategy?

Many forex traders find themselves asking the age old question what's the best forex strategy? To know the answer to that question, one must look at the history of trading. Not just forex trading, but trading, in general.

The moment that the first bell rang on the stock market floor, traders were coming up with strategies to beat the market. Obviously they didn't have the technology that most of us have at our disposal. They didn't have the thousand dollar charting platforms that so many traders are overpaying for, just for the privilege of using them, nowadays. So how do you think the successful traders of the past made their money?

Well, one way was through fundamental analysis. They were able to comprehend a company's financial statements such as balance sheets, income statements, statement of cash flows, etc. to know a bargain when they saw one. But these kind of people would be categorized as investors, not traders. Traders generally believed in technical analysis over fundamental analysis.

So how did traders of that generation made their money? Simple. They understood the concept of price action. Plenty of floor traders became rich just by paying attention to how the other floor traders were trading the respective stock.

How come a concept as simple as price action has been pushed back in favor of all the technological bells and whistles that most people use in their day to day trading?

People, today somehow feel that the best forex strategy has to be in these maze of indicators,colors, noises,and whatever else is en vogue nowadays. Its really quite sad that it has gotten to this point.

Traders used to pride themselves on how they were able to truly understand the market, but in the present time we live in, they are more worried about understanding what their indicators are telling them.

If you want to learn forex, then its a good idea to learn from our ancestors. The less is more approach has and will always result in more success. To find out more about price action and to get a forex trading education, make sure to visit Trading In The Buff.

Forex Tools: The Trendy and Judicious way of Forex Trading

Forex trading system of the world performs trade of about $2 trillion each day. The enormity of the gigantic financial capacity of the forex trade can be truly grasped if you compare this mammoth amount to the $25 billion that New York Stock Exchange trader's trade per day. 

The quintessential qualities of a forex trader are discipline and endeavor. If you are diligent and logical in studying the forex market trends then it wouldn't take you much time to hit the jackpot in Forex trade. However, if you cannot manually manage to analyze all the currency trends yourself then you might take the help of a automatic signal service or a forex trading software which would send you alerts and signals about buying and selling currency after elaborate research and analysis. 

If you use one of the automated Forex tools available in the market then you would be able to evaluate the trends of exchange rates and forex market conditions within a few minutes with the help of the data provided by your FX software. As a result you will be able to close your forex deal in less than an hour. Thus an automated forex tool would ensure that you are making optimum use of your trading time. 


The global forex trading market is only merely remarkable because of the huge volume of monetary transactions that happens through it but it is also a commendable phenomenon due to its geographical dispersion. With the help of automated FX software you can trade in various local as well as international forex markets within different time zones without personally monitoring those various markets day in and day out.

However, before you decide to buy particular FX software, you need to put in a little effort to search for a forex tool which is easy to use and is ideal for beginners. Glean information about that particular forex tool which you plan to buy and thoroughly read the testimonials for that particular forex trading software before you purchase it. If you really want to test the accuracy of your Forex trading robot then you must try to find forex trading software which has the ability to paper trade too.

Knowing the Foreign Exchange Trading Basics

Learning the foreign exchange basics is one of the most important things you need to consider if you wanted to delve into the world of currency trading. At its most general sense, it is important to get into forex with the right mindset and skills in place. Having a natural affinity for conducting business is important because once you have this it will be a lot easier for you to figure out how you will play the field.


To help you decide about the ins and outs of forex currency trading, here are some of the most important tips you need to know:


1. Learn to maximize your profits - Do not be too complacent with just one trading method. It would be best to try your hand at the various forex trading methods so you will also become more familiar with how others in the business probably conduct their business. Know how to boost your profits by being more in the know. Scan the market for possible trades. Focus not just on individuals but try to get the market share of big businesses as well because these financial institutions are the ones which mostly need a continuous flow of currencies.


2. Become a smart trader - It's safe to say that this tip is the most important when it comes to learning the foreign exchange trading basics. No matter how much you know the technicalities that come with trading currencies, it will never be enough once you get to stay in the industry for a longer period of time and start to deal with different personalities. You should also be able to understand when it is okay to take a risk and when would it be best to just let it pass you by. Values and rates in the foreign exchange trade are always changing and in a matter of minutes prices may fluctuate so you need to keep your business instincts on alert.


3. Instill discipline in trading - You must have a system which you follow throughout the duration of your trading. You need a system so that you can figure out your weaknesses and strengths so you will be able to change them accordingly. You should also allot a specific time for trading. Make sure that when you are trading, you are not doing anything that is unrelated to that because you will need to be focused on the market. You should also trade according to the set rules and regulations. Keep your word should you opt to do business with fellow traders on a set date or on pre-agreed rates.


4. Keep learning - The foreign exchange trading basics still develops and gets harnessed through time. So have an open mind and consider the fact that you will need to constantly educate yourself regarding the trade. Keep yourself abreast of the latest technologies and methods being used. Make time to research about foreign currency trading and read up related news on this industry. There are lots of free learning materials that you can conveniently obtain online.

How to Trade Foreign Currencies With Market Participants

In the financial sector, the business of how to trade foreign currency has become one of the most promising and much sought after money-making endeavor. This is mostly because the business can give you immediate results depending on how much time you devote on it and what types of networks you have.


But getting into the foreign currency trading business requires you some thorough knowledge first before you get right down to it. You should first understand what it is and why there is a need to conduct such business. Foreign currency trading happens primarily because countries around the world have differing monetary values. If you look at it closely, you will realize that currency trading is really just as the name suggests-you swap your currency with that of another.


The world of foreign currency trading is very dynamic and involves different market participants. These participants are the people who are vital to making the entire business of foreign currency trading work. They involve all crucial aspects from both the private and public side. Each of these entities has a say in how currencies are exchanged and priced based from current market values:


1. Centralized Banks - These institutions are often tied up with the government. Some are even the main financial institutions in a particular country. Although they do not often directly buy or sell the currencies, they are still known to actively participate in the market. The main purpose of central banks is to provide a practical influence over the course of the trade. You can use these institutions to refer your current values and take advantage of low-priced currency trades as soon as they hit their values.


2. Actual Customers - These are directly the people who would most likely need the aid of new currencies. Aside from considering individuals who might need immediate currencies in exchange for what they have, you should also direct your attention to big businesses involved in the financial services industry. You can also try targeting those who are publicly listed companies which are known to be heavily involved in making stock investments.


3. Foreign Currency Trading Brokers - These are people who live and breathe the market. They are key persons because they are the go-to professionals when you want all the help you need to make fast and big currency transactions. They are more than just your average currency trader. They also make use of a combination of many other foreign currency trading methods such as scalping the market, day trading, to name a few. However, if you choose to work with them you must be prepared to let them in on the profits you make as they mostly require a certain amount of commission in every sell.


Getting along with these market participants is pretty easy to do. You just need to learn about their ways and read about them as much as you can. These market participants can also have a big impact on how your currency trading business will profit.

Important Points in Understanding Foreign Exchange Trading

Understanding foreign exchange trading is key to becoming successful in this particular business. There are many different entities and key notes that are corollary to trading foreign currencies. While the business may be promising, success only happens when you allot some time to get to know it much better. Before you delve deeper into what forex can actually do for you, it is important that you learn first about these important points:


Trading Methods


Foreign currency trading utilizes different types of trading methods which has their own disadvantages and advantages. Perhaps the most popular is the spot currency trading method. This type of trading happens between the buyer and the seller at varied periods of time. There really is no way to figure out when a spot currency trading will occur. But one notable characteristic of this type of trading method is that it requires immediate action with the prices coming up at a later time. Meaning, it is advised that buyers keep their preferred rates until the sellers present theirs first.


Another type of trading method being used and more popular among big businesses is the option trading method. This makes use of a future trading mechanism wherein both parties agree to trade at a specific date or for a specified period of time. However, the option trading strategy only gives the buyers and sellers the right to make the purchase but it does not require them to trade. At any time, they may also choose to drop off from the agreement.


Buying and Selling


Aside from trading methods, understanding foreign exchange trading is also important in terms of its buying and selling practices. You should note when specific types of target market buy and when do traders opt to sell their currencies on hand. Identifying niche markets is important so that you can plot your business plans accordingly. Also, there are a lot of factors which can potentially affect the buying and selling behavior of foreign exchange customers.


To help identify buying and selling patterns, you should also keep yourself abreast of the current economic situation. The forex market is often closely tied with anything related to finance since it is the key tool that operates this particular industry niche. Along with this, you should also consider observing trade speculators. These people are known for spotting the most convenient times to trade and as such, they end up profiting from low value bought but high-selling currencies.


Operating Round the Clock


Understanding foreign exchange trading also means you have to be prepared to work around the clock. This is also the reason why getting a forex software is often strongly advised so you can automate your business. Of course as a person you also have other things to attend to, and having a forex trading software allows you that freedom. You can also choose to work with a forex broker to help you scan and scout the market for possible trade opportunities. Working with another professional is always a great way to expand your horizons.

Types of Foreign Exchange Trading Education

Getting a foreign exchange trading education is very important. You need to understand that the foreign currency trading game changes every time. It is very dynamic and things can change faster than you think they will. The best you can do is to keep yourself abreast of the latest in the trading field. Learning about the ins and outs of forex is also one efficient way of gaining experience in it. It's not enough that you trade and face so many other business professionals. It's also great to get a third party perspective on how things work.


Knowing more about the currency trading game is easier when you know the theories and the technicalities that surround it. You can choose to enroll into a specific course or you can also do some self-studying through the internet as well. Either way, choose the learning method which you think will suit you best.


Foreign Exchange Trading Education for Free


So you want to know how to learn about forex the free way? All you need is lots of time and patience to scan the internet. You can take advantage of article directories and search for relevant articles talking about forex. However, do not expect that you will get plenty of information from these articles. Most of those published in article directories are practical reads. If you want a quick fix of forex then that's the best place to be. But if you want to learn about everything technical and in-depth, you can try visiting forex sites set up by organizations in the trade. You can also check out websites of financial institutions.


Being a member of forum sites is also a great way to learn about forex. Most of the entrepreneurs who dabble in foreign currency trading are more than happy to inform people about their experiences and give insights on growing market trends. Forums are also a great venue for meeting like-minded people in terms of business. You can also start threads in such forums about the different things you would like to learn about forex that you are yet to fully understand.


Considering a Formal Forex Course


If you find that you want a more cohesive approach to learning about forex, then you can also opt to enroll in some short courses. There are lots of distance learning modules being offered online so you can conveniently learn about forex depending when you can sit down and focus on it. Some experts also hold workshops for forex trading. These last for a few days and may give out certificates upon accomplishing the said workshop.


Just make sure that you have the budget and the time for this type of foreign exchange trading education. Consider this method as a surefire investment in the game. Learning about forex through a systematized course allows you to start from the most basic up to the complex parts of forex trading. This method also helps you focus more since there is a point person who tracks your progress.

Methods of Foreign Exchange Trading For Starters

If you want to get around some real foreign exchange trading for starters, knowing the trade methods themselves is your best bet. Foreign currency trading is not just a mere gesture of giving out currencies as the other party needs it. Methods are necessary to control the success of the business flow. There are different types of transaction processes which you can use according to your level of comfort.


1. Spot Currency Trading - This accounts for most of the exchanges happening in the foreign currency trading business. Spot currency trading usually involves two currency traders. What happens here is that the buyer ends up calling the seller. But at the beginning of the transaction, the buyer will not yet reveal his intention to purchase any currencies offered by the seller. The seller will proceed to entertain the inquiries of the buyer and in the process informs the currency rates. Should the buyer feel comfortable with the said rates, both parties may reach a decision to transact business with each other.


2. Forward Trading - This method involves a more long term investment. The essence of forward trading is that the agreement to make the trade is finalized days or even years before the actual day of exchange. So in here, both parties (the buyer and the seller) would agree to exchange their currencies for a specified date in the future regardless of the rates that their currencies may have by then. This type of trading is often done between big companies. It also has two different types:

* Swap - This is the most common type of forward trading. In here, both the buyer and the seller agree to make currency exchanges for a specified period of time. Then their roles will eventually swap after the said period of initial exchange.
* Future - This is the forward trading used by most big companies. In future trading, a contract is drafted for the exchange with emphasis on the maturity rates.


3. Option Trading - This type of method is perhaps a flexible tool considered in our foreign exchange trading for starters. This is because option trading is the extended version of forward trading. Forward trading sort of binds involved parties to make the specified transaction. But with option trading, the involved parties only obtain the rights to buy the currency at the agreed upon date or during the duration that lapses. In here, the strike price is what's crucial as this is the rate agreed upon in terms of buying and selling.


Although these methods of foreign exchange trading for starters may be promising, it is still important to note that all of them come with their own particular risks. After all, foreign currency trading is a volatile and dynamic type of business. These methods come with their own brand of advantages and disadvantages so it is imperative that when you use them, you fully understand their capacity first. Currency trading is a very fluid business and these methods may also provide different risks for different transactions.

Friday, April 3, 2009

How do I start trading spreads?

We can barely scratch the surface of what is available in the almost lost art of spread trading. There are times when seasonal spreads, coupled with chart formations, make a lot of sense. Backwardation in any market often provides an excellent signal for entry into a spread.
All the best in your trading,

What Can You Expect?

Here is an example of what you can expect from Intramarket spread trading. We think you may be pleasantly surprised!!

This spread was entered not only on the basis of seasonality, but also by virtue of the formation known as a Ross hook (Rh). The spread moved from -69.0 to -7.5 = $3,075 per contract. The margin required to put on this spread was only $608, thus the return on margin is more than 500%.
Here is an example of an Intermarket spread. Look at the the following chart: Would you want to have been long live cattle from December until February?

Why Spreads?

The rationale behind spread trading is one of the best-kept secrets of the insiders of the futures markets. While spreading is commonly done by the market "insiders," much effort is made to conceal this technique and all of its benefits from "outsiders," you and me. After all, why would the insiders want to give away their edge? By keeping us from knowing about spreading, they retain a distinct advantage.Spreading is one of the most conservative forms of trading. It is much safer than the trading of outright (naked) futures contracts. Let’s take a quick look at some of the benefits of using spreads:
Intramarket, and some Intermarket, spreads require considerably less margin, typically around 25% - 75% of the margin needed for outright futures positions.
Intramarket, and some Intermarket, spreads offer a far greater return on investment than is possible with outright futures positions. Why? Because you are posting less margin for the same amount of possible return.
Spreads, in general, trend more often than do outright futures.
Spreads often trend when outright futures are flat.
Spreads can be filtered by virtue of seasonality, backwardation, and carrying charge differentials, in addition to any other filters you might be using in your trading.
Spreads can be used to create partial futures positions. In fact, virtually anything that can be done with options on futures can be accomplished via spread trading.
Spreads allow you to take less risk than is available with outright futures positions. The amount of risk between two Intramarket futures positions is usually less than the risk in an outright futures position. The risk between owning the underlying and holding a futures contract involves the least risk of all. Spreads make it possible to hedge any position you might have in the market. Whether you are hedging between physical ownership and futures, or between two futures positions, the risk is lower than that of outright futures. In that sense, every spread is a hedge.
Spread order entry enables you to enter or exit a trade using an actual spread order, or by independently entering each side of the spread (legging in/out).
Spreads are one of the few ways to obtain decent fills by legging in/out during the market Closing.
Live data is not needed for spread trading, saving you $$ in exchange fees.
You will not be the victim of stop running when using Intramarket spreads.

Intramarket Spreads

Officially, Intramarket spreads are created only as calendar spreads. You are long and short futures in the same market, but in different months. An example of an Intramarket spread is that you are Long July Corn and simultaneously Short December Corn.
Intermarket Spreads
An Intermarket spread can be accomplished by going long futures in one market, and short futures of the same month in another market. For example: Short May Wheat and Long May Soybeans.Intermarket spreads can become calendar spreads by using long and short futures in different markets and in different months.
Inter-Exchange Spreads
A less commonly known method of creating spreads is via the use of contracts in similar markets, but on different exchanges. These spreads can be calendar spreads using different months, or they can be spreads in which the same month is used. Although the markets are similar, because the contracts occur on different exchanges they are able to be spread. An example of an Inter-exchange calendar spread would be simultaneously Long July Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) Wheat, and Short an equal amount of May Kansas City Board of Trade (KCBOT) Wheat. An example of using the same month might be Long December CBOT Wheat and Short December KCBOT Wheat.

What Is a Spread?

A spread is defined as the sale of one or more futures contracts and the purchase of one or more offsetting futures contracts. You can turn that around to state that a spread is the purchase of one or more futures contracts and the sale of one or more offsetting futures contracts. A spread is also created when a trader owns (is long) the physical vehicle and offsets by selling (going short) futures. Furthermore, a spread is defined as the purchase and sale of one or more offsetting futures contracts normally recognized as a spread by the fact that the two sides of the spread are actually related in some way. This explicitly excludes those exotic spreads put forth by some vendors, which are nothing more than computer generated coincidences which are not in any way related. Such exotic spreads as Long Bond futures and Short Bean Oil futures may show up as reliable computer generated spreads, but bean oil and bonds are not really related. Such spreads fall into the same category as believing the annual performance of the U.S. stock market is somehow related to the outcome of the Super Bowl sporting event. In any case, for tactical reasons in carrying out a particular strategy, you want to end up with:
simultaneously long futures of one kind in one month, and short futures of the same kind in another month. (Intramarket Calendar Spread)
simultaneously long futures of one kind, and short futures of another kind. (Intermarket Spread)
long futures at one exchange, and short a related futures at another exchange. (Inter-exchange Spread)
long an underlying physical commodity, and short a futures contract. (Hedge)
long an underlying equity position, and short a futures contract. (Hedge)
long financial instruments, and short financial futures. (Hedge)
long a single stock futures and short a sector index.
The primary ways in which this can be accomplished are:
Via an Intramarket spread.
Via an Intermarket spread.
Via an Inter-exchange spread.
By ownership of the underlying and offsetting with a futures contract.

What Is a Spread?

A spread is defined as the sale of one or more futures contracts and the purchase of one or more offsetting futures contracts. You can turn that around to state that a spread is the purchase of one or more futures contracts and the sale of one or more offsetting futures contracts. A spread is also created when a trader owns (is long) the physical vehicle and offsets by selling (going short) futures. Furthermore, a spread is defined as the purchase and sale of one or more offsetting futures contracts normally recognized as a spread by the fact that the two sides of the spread are actually related in some way. This explicitly excludes those exotic spreads put forth by some vendors, which are nothing more than computer generated coincidences which are not in any way related. Such exotic spreads as Long Bond futures and Short Bean Oil futures may show up as reliable computer generated spreads, but bean oil and bonds are not really related. Such spreads fall into the same category as believing the annual performance of the U.S. stock market is somehow related to the outcome of the Super Bowl sporting event. In any case, for tactical reasons in carrying out a particular strategy, you want to end up with:
simultaneously long futures of one kind in one month, and short futures of the same kind in another month. (Intramarket Calendar Spread)
simultaneously long futures of one kind, and short futures of another kind. (Intermarket Spread)
long futures at one exchange, and short a related futures at another exchange. (Inter-exchange Spread)
long an underlying physical commodity, and short a futures contract. (Hedge)
long an underlying equity position, and short a futures contract. (Hedge)
long financial instruments, and short financial futures. (Hedge)
long a single stock futures and short a sector index.
The primary ways in which this can be accomplished are:
Via an Intramarket spread.
Via an Intermarket spread.
Via an Inter-exchange spread.
By ownership of the underlying and offsetting with a futures contract.

Four Advantages of Futures Spread Trading

Advantage 1: Easy to trade
Do you see how nicely this spread starts trending in mid February? Whether you are a beginner or an experienced trader, whether you use chart formations or indicators, the existence of a trend is obvious. (If you are looking for a concept of how to identify a trend, we strongly recommend visiting http://www.tradingeducators.com/?source=Tradejuicetrading_philosophy.htm). Spreads tend to trend much more dramatically than outright futures contracts. They trend without the interference and noise caused by computerized trading, scalpers, and market movers.
Advantage 2: Low Margin requirements
Many spreads have reduced margin requirements, which means that you can afford to put on more positions. While the margin on an outright futures position in corn is $540, a spread trade in corn requires only $135 — 25% as much. That’s a great advantage for traders with a small account. With a $10,000 trading account risking 8% of your account, you can enter 6 corn spreads, instead of only 1-2 outright corn futures trade. How’s that for leverage?
Advantage 3: Higher return on margin
Each point in the spread carries the same value ($50) as each point in the outright futures ($50). That means that on a 3 point favorable move in corn futures or a 3 point favorable move in the spread, you would earn $150. However, the difference in return on margin is extraordinary:Corn futures - $150/$540 = 27.8% returnCorn spread - $150/$135 = 111% returnAnd keep in mind that you can trade 6 times as many spread contracts as you can outright futures contracts. In our example you would achieve a 24 times higher return on you margin.
Advantage 4: Low time requirements
You don’t have to watch a spread all day long. You do not need real-time data. The most effective way to trade spreads is using end-of-day data. Therefore, spread trading is the best way to trade if you do not want to watch or cannot watch your computer all day long (i.e. because you have a daytime job). And you can save all the money you would have had to spend for real-time data systems (up to $600 per month).So where is the catch?If futures spread trading is so fantastic, why does it seems that hardly anybody trades spreads? Well, it is not true that hardly anybody trades spreads: the professional traders do, every day. But either by accident or design, the whole truth of spread trading has been hidden from the public over the years.The purpose of this website is to inform you about futures spread trading.

Futures Spread Trading

How professional traders optimize profits
Futures spread trading is probably the most profitable, yet safest way to trade futures. Almost every professional trader uses spreads to optimize his profits. Trading spreads offers many advantages which make it the perfect trading instrument, especially for beginners and traders with small accounts (less than $10,000).
The following example of a Soybean-Spread shows the advantages of futures spread trading:

Forex Fundamental Analysis

The two primary approaches of analyzing Forex markets are technical analysis and fundamental analysis. Fundamental analysis comprises the examination of economic indicators, asset markets and political considerations when evaluating a nation’s currency in terms of another. The focus of fundamental analysis lies on the economic, social and political forces that drive supply and demand. There is no single set of beliefs that guide forex fundamental analysis, yet most fundamental analysts look at various macroeconomic indicators such as economic growth rates, interest rates, inflation, and unemployment.
Here we look at some of the major Forex fundamental factors that play a role in the movement of a currency:
Economic Indicators
Economic indicators are reports released by the government or a private organization that detail a country’s economic performance. These economic indicators can be released on a weekly basis, but the more common report is monthly. Indicators are based around a number of economical situations, of which the two primary factors are that of International trade and Interest. Subsidiary factors also include Consumer Price Index (CPI), Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), Durable goods orders, retail sales and Producer Price Index (PPI).
Currency’s Interest Rates
One of the major indicator factors, Interest rates, are a key economic function of any nation. Generally, when a country raises its interest rates, the country’s currency will strengthen in relation to other currencies as assets are shifted to gain a higher return. Interest rates hikes, however, are usually not good news for stock markets. This is due to the fact that many investors will withdraw money from a country’s stock market when there is a hike of interest rates.
International Trade
The trade balance portrays the net difference (over a period of time) between the imports and exports of a nation. A trade deficit can be an economic disaster for a government and a currency. A deficit may appear when a country is importing more than it is exporting, meaning that more money is leaving and less is coming in. In some ways, however, a trade deficit in and of itself is not necessarily a bad thing. A deficit is only negative if the deficit is greater than market expectations and therefore will trigger a negative price movement.

The Importance of Identifying Favorable Stock Chart Patterns

The Importance of Identifying Favorable Stock Chart Patterns
To be a successful investor it’s important to look for those stocks which are forming a favorable chart pattern such as a "Cup and Handle", "Double Bottom" or "Flat Base". In 2002 some of the best performing stocks exhibited the above mentioned chart patterns before breaking out and undergoing significant price appreciation.
Here are a few stocks that exhibited a "Cup and Handle" pattern before breaking above their Pivot Points on strong volume. CBZ formed a 7 month Cup from July of 2001 until February of 2002 and then developed 3 week Handle (H) before breaking above its Pivot Point in early April on strong volume. After breaking out of its Handle CBZ appreciated nearly 155%.
FSTW formed a 1 year Cup from January of 2001 until January of 2002 and then developed a 9 week Handle. FSTW then broke out of its Handle and above its Pivot Point in April accompanied by strong volume. After breaking out of its Handle FSTW appreciated nearly 225% over the next few months.

The Importance of Identifying Favorable Stock Chart Patterns

The Importance of Identifying Favorable Stock Chart Patterns
To be a successful investor it’s important to look for those stocks which are forming a favorable chart pattern such as a "Cup and Handle", "Double Bottom" or "Flat Base". In 2002 some of the best performing stocks exhibited the above mentioned chart patterns before breaking out and undergoing significant price appreciation.
Here are a few stocks that exhibited a "Cup and Handle" pattern before breaking above their Pivot Points on strong volume. CBZ formed a 7 month Cup from July of 2001 until February of 2002 and then developed 3 week Handle (H) before breaking above its Pivot Point in early April on strong volume. After breaking out of its Handle CBZ appreciated nearly 155%.
FSTW formed a 1 year Cup from January of 2001 until January of 2002 and then developed a 9 week Handle. FSTW then broke out of its Handle and above its Pivot Point in April accompanied by strong volume. After breaking out of its Handle FSTW appreciated nearly 225% over the next few months.

Safety of Client Funds

Assuring client fund safety is one of the single most important factors in the financial industry. GCI Financial Ltd is regulated by the International Financial Services Commission (IFSC) for trading in financial and commodity-based derivatives and other securities, including foreign exchange. The IFSC's strict requirements include capital adequacy, reporting and record keeping, and proper disclosure and conduct with clients. Furthermore, GCI has years of experience managing risk, a strong balance sheet, and offers additional legal and structural guarantees:

Monday, March 30, 2009

Forex Trading Tips

Mizuho’s technical analysis: Market is sideways. Suggested strategy is to attempt long (buy) at 1.5700; stop below 1.5400. First target 1.6000. Points to watch: 3rd support (1.5535) and 3rd resistance (1.6200) Danske’s technical analys

Forex Trading Basics

The global foreign exchange market is the biggest market in the world. The 3.2 trillion USD daily turnover dwarfs the combined turnover of all the world's stock and bond markets.There are many reasons for the popularity of foreign exchange trading, but among the most important are the leverage available, the high liquidity 24 hours a day and the very low dealing costs associated with trading.Of course many commercial organisations participate purely due to the currency exposures created by their import and export activities, but the main part of the turnover is accounted for by financial institutions. Investing in foreign exchange remains predominantly the domain of the big professional players in the market - funds, banks and brokers. Nevertheless, any investor with the necessary knowledge of the market's functions can benefit from the advantages stated above.

How to Trade Forex

Trading foreign exchange is exciting and potentially very profitable, but there are also significant risk factors. It is crucially important that you fully understand the implications of margin trading and the particular pitfalls and opportunities that foreign exchange trading offers. On these pages, we offer you a brief introduction to the Forex markets as well as their participants and some strategies that you can apply. However, if you are ever in doubt about any aspect of a trade, you can always discuss the matter in-depth with one of our dealers. They are available 24 hours a day on the Saxo Bank online trading system, SaxoTrader.The benchmark of its service is efficient execution, concise analysis and expertise – all achieved whilst maintaining an attractive and competitive cost structure. Today, Saxo Bank offers one of Europe's premier all-round services for trading in derivative products and foreign exchange. We count amongst our employees numerous dealers and analysts, each of whom has many years experience and a wide and varied knowledge of the markets – gained both in our home countries and in international financial centres. When trading foreign exchange, futures and other derivative products, we offer 24-hour service, extensive daily analysis, individual access to our Research & Analysis department for specific queries, and immediate execution of trades through our international network of banks and brokers. All at a price considerably lower than that which most companies and private investors normally have access to.

Trading Platforms

Our FOREXTrader platforms combine ease of use, unprecedented flexibility and a full suite of professional charting and order management tools, all on a single screen. Best of all, you can use the same User ID and Password to switch between platforms at will, putting you in total control of your trading experience.
View real-time prices in 37 currency pairs and spot gold
Execute market orders with just one mouse click
Track P&L and open positions in real time
Perform technical analysis with our advanced charting tool
Choose from 8 available order types
Access a full suite of proprietary daily and weekly research reports
View up to the minute news headlines and market commentary

GTL ONLINE MOBILE TRADING

GTL ONLINE MOBILE TRADER program is comparable with full-function trading terminal. You have full access to financial markets and trading from anywhere in the world. Moreover, technical analysis and graphical visualization of financial instruments are available (including off-line mode - without connecting to server). Trading is done with adherence to confidentiality and is absolutely safe. If required, you can always refer to the trade history.

Forex Glossary

Ask Price ¨C Sometimes called the Offer Price, this is the market price for traders to buy currencies. Ask Prices are shown on the right side of a quote ¨C e.g. EUR/USD 1.1965 / 68 ¨C means that one euro can be bought for 1.1968 UD dollars.Bar Chart ¨C A type of chart used in Technical Analysis. Each time division on the chart is displayed as a vertical bar which show the following information ¨C the top of the bar is the high price, the bottom of the bar is the low price, the horizontal line on the left of the bar shows the opening price and the horizontal line on the right of bar shows the closing price.Base Currency ¨C is the first currency in a currency pair. A quote shows how much the base currency is worth in the quote (second) currency. For example, in the quote - USD/JPY 112.13 ¨C US dollars are the base currency, with 1 US dollar being worth 112.13 Japanese yen.Bid Price ¨C is the price a trader can sell currencies. The Bid Price is shown on the left side of a quote - e.g. EUR/USD 1.1965 / 68 ¨C means that one euro can be sold for 1.1965 UD dollars.Bid/Ask Spread ¨C is the difference between the bid price and the ask price in any currency quotation. The spread represents the broker's fee, and varies from broker to broker.

Introduction of Trading Forex

Foreign ExchangeThis short introduction explains the basics of trading Forex online, a brief explanation of the markets and the major benefits of trading Forex online. There are also two scenarios describing the implications of trading in a bear as well as a bull market to better acquaint you with some of the risks and opportunities of the largest and most liquid market in the world.As an additional aid for those who are new to Forex, there is also a glossary at the bottom of this text which explains some of the terms used in connection with currency trading.OverviewForeign exchange, Forex or just FX are all terms used to describe the trading of the world's many currencies. The Forex market is the largest market in the world, with trades amounting to more than USD 3 trillion every day. Most Forex trading is speculative, with only a low percentage of market activity representing governments' and companies' fundamental currency conversion needs.Unlike trading on the stock market, the Forex market is not conducted by a central exchange, but on the “interbank” market, which is thought of as an OTC (over the counter) market. Trading takes place directly between the two counterparts necessary to make a trade, whether over the telephone or on electronic networks all over the world. The main centres for trading are Sydney, Tokyo, London, Frankfurt and New York. This worldwide distribution of trading centres means that the Forex market is a 24-hour market.

CFD/Share Trading

The "CFD", or "Contract for Difference", was developed to allow clients to receive all the benefits of owning a stock without having to physically own the stock itself. For example, instead of purchasing 1,000 shares of Microsoft from a stock broker, a client could instead buy a 10 lots of Microsoft on the GCI CFD trading platform. A $5 per share rise in the price of Microsoft would confer to the client a $5,000 profit, just as if he had purchased the actual shares that are traded on the exchange. A major difference is that there are no exchange fees and many of the inefficiencies of trading the underlying shares on the exchange are eliminated. GCI can therefore offer CFDs with zero commissions and very attractive margin requirements. CFDs have grown in popularity dramatically over the past few years, and we believe that this will increasingly be the preferred way to trade the financial markets.

Important Forex Trading Terms

* SpreadThe spread is the difference between the price that you can sell currency at (Bid) and the price you can buy currency at (Ask). The spread on majors is usually 3 pips under normal market conditions. For more information on the trading conditions at Saxo Bank, go to the Account Summary on your Client Station and open the section entitled “Trading Conditions” found in the top right-hand corner of the Account Summary.* PipsA pip is the smallest unit by which a cross price quote changes. When trading Forex you will often hear that there is a 3-pip spread when you trade the majors. This spread is revealed when you compare the bid and the ask price, for example EURUSD is quoted at a bid price of 0.9875 and an ask price of 0.9878. The difference is USD 0.0003, which is equal to 3 “pips”.On a contract or position, the value of a pip can easily be calculated. You know that the EURUSD is quoted with four decimals, so all you have to do is cancel out the four zeros on the amount you trade and you will have the value of one pip. Thus, on a EURUSD 100,000 contract, one pip is USD 10. On a USDJPY 100,000 contract, one pip is equal to 1000 yen, because USDJPY is quoted with only two decimals.Trading Scenario – Trading Rising PricesIf you believe that the euro will strengthen against the dollar you'll want to buy euro now and sell it back later at a higher price.

What is Forex

FOREX is the largest inter bank financial institution in the world that opens its doors to retail investors. FOREX was established in 1971 following the end of the Bretton Wood system of foreign exchange control and soon thereafter, the materialization of floating exchange rates. FOREX is the only financial market that operates on a 24-hour basis on Asian, European and American markets by virtue of their association in one global communication network. 24-hour access to the foreign exchange market allows investors to open and close positions at the most whenever they choose for the best possible advantage, and for the best deal. Increasingly, individuals are affording themselves every opportunity to achieve financial gains. Currency, because of its minute by minute fluctuations in value is traded on the foreign exchange market. Banks and brokers grant investors an opportunity to participate in currency exchange operations, the returns of which regularly exceed the amounts invested. Investors may partake of this market with as little as $1000. FOREX trades over one trillion dollars daily and makes currency purchase-sale contracts on terms from 1 day to one year in this round-the-clock, very liquid market. The largest foreign exchange activity occurs on the spot exchange between the US dollar and four other major currencies: the British Pound, the Japanese Yen, the Eurodollar and the Swiss Franc. These four currencies are bought and sold against the US dollar. The participants of the market are banks, brokers’ offices, corporations, export-import companies, various Fund providers, and individual investors. Trading on the foreign exchange market is the single most effective source of income for banks worldwide. For instance, 80% of the revenues of the largest Swiss bank, “Union Bank of Switzerland” (UBS), were derived from convertible operations with currency, wherein only 20% of revenue profited from credits, securities selling, etc. (see financial report in “UBS Annual Report of 1994). Profit from foreign exchange operations are in much favor at banks such as Citibank, Chase Manhattan Bank, Barclays Bank, Sosiete Generale Bank & Trust, ABN-AMRO Bank. A well known example of such transactions involves George Soros, who in 1992 realized a net profit of one million dollars within 2 weeks selling the British Pound (GBP) against the German Mark (DM) and the American Dollar (USD). In order for banks to survive in highly competitive circumstances among bank operations, currency trading will be forcibly included into essential basis of bank operations by laws of market economy development. Margin Trading In order to attract investors to the FOREX market who wish to risk less than one million dollars at any given time (a standard lot for trading on the exchange market), it employs what is referred to as a margin trade.

European Forex Trading Preview

Traders continued to punish the greenback following yesterday¡¯s unprecedented rate cut by the FOMC to lower its key interest rate to a target range of 0 to 0.25%. The dollar plunged to a fresh 13-year low against the yen at 87.16 and a new two-month low versus the euro, losing nearly 5-big figures for its largest one-day decline to 1.4437.With the Japanese currency trading at its highest level in over a decade, markets will remain vigilant against possibly BoJ intervention. Government officials have offered conflicting sentiments with Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura expressing his desire for the Bank to Japan to take appropriate action to stem the currency¡¯s sharp gains. However, Japan¡¯s Finance Minister Nakagawa said intervening in the currency market was not a consideration at this point, suggesting the movements had not been too sharp. With trading volume likely to wind down over the coming holidays, we would not rule out the possibility for the Bank of Japan to step in during thinly traded markets to quickly move the dollar/yen pair back toward the 100-level.The dollar breached through several key support levels against the majors, suggesting the sell-off may pick up steam over the coming sessions. With thin markets expected over the coming weeks, we anticipate heightened volatility that could possibly send the euro toward 1.4865.