FOREX trading has some shortcomings; one is the fact that you have to spend a great deal of time scrutinizing the market. Indeed, you may have to spend many hours at your PC, keeping your eyes peeled for entrance and exit situations that will be helpful in your overall investment strategy.
It is possible to utilize automated orders. Limits and stops prevent eye strain by letting you have some time away from your monitor, secure that any potential for loss is minimal. However, you can also lose out on prospective gains, if such orders, in your absence, take effect sooner than you’d like.
To minimize the risk of automated orders, and yet still get away from your desk, a FOREX signal service may be helpful. Someone else does the market watching and analyzing for you, and the results are sent to you directly, by email, cell phone, pager, etc. Such services aren’t free; usually a monthly or annual subscription is required. However, some brokerages have integrated such services into Forex trading software which sends signals to you by screen “pop-up” messages, or by the other direct methods already mentioned.
FOREX signals are usually only to be had in a restricted quantity of currency pairings. Most frequently, one of the following will be offered: EUR/USD, USD/JPY, GBP/USD, or USD/CHF. However, other such duos may be offered by certain specialty services.
A high level of technical market analysis is generally required for FOREX signal creation. Most services utilize a mix of indicators to recognize primary trends and entrance/exit signifiers. Subscribers are then given the option of exercising or foregoing a trade based on the results; some companies may even give you the ability to place trade orders that can be exercised by an analyst without consultation with you, to give you even more freedom from having to monitor the markets – or even the signals – yourself.
A variety of signals are possible as the results of the analysis of currency charts. A Simple Moving Average (SMA) signals to buy if the price for the specified currency moves higher than the line indicating the average price, or to sell if the price goes below the line.
A Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) study also has a signal line where “buy” is indicated if the price goes above, or “sell” if the price goes below, the line.
Market interest may be found using indicators of volume. Especially near the market low, high volume tends to signal that a new trend is beginning. Conversely, low volume may signal that investors are unsure of the wisdom of purchase at this time. The possibility of market change may be signaled by a variety of different indicators.
The utility of such signals can be reinforced with a mixture of additional indicators from a variety of sources. Such a combination provides insight into market behavior that can be fairly dependable. Of course, nothing is 100% certain – if such signals were absolutely reliable, we’d all be rich. No respectable service will ever guarantee absolute success. However, a particular service’s result history can be a good indicator of whether or not you can rely on their currency trading advice being useful to you in the future.
Subscription services that provide such data typically cost between $50 and $200 per month. You may find that the cost outweighs the benefits, or you might find that your profits make the information worth the price. Such data can never take the place of true knowledge, however; signals are simply a form of guidance. If you lack the basic tools to use the information provided, such a service will probably be useless to you until you can obtain some additional training.
By: Ron Henson
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The Forex Mini Account - The Best Way To Start Off Trading Forex On Low Capital
A lot of people assume that forex trading will require a huge capital base. As a result, they would instantly decline to entertain any proposal to start trading in forex, preferring to remain with trading stocks and shares which is more affordable. This is simply not true, because in forex trading, you can start off with minimal capital when you utilise a forex mini account.
There are four main advantages of a Forex Mini Account.
1. Low Minimum account size
$300 will allow you to start a forex mini account. This is affordable for most people to start off with in forex trading. When you consider forex trading as a business, there are very few businesses costing only $300 as a startup capital offering lucrative prospects of earnings within a very short time.
2. High leverage
You can get leverage of 200:1 In the mini forex account, there is a small margin deposit required fixed at $50 for per lot traded. This amounts to a stunning leverage of 200 to 1. One of the key factors to accelerate profits is to use trading vehicles of high leverage, and a forex mini account certainly meets or fulfils the definition of high leverage.
3. One pip is equivalent to $1
Trading in pips allows the new forex trader to scale down his risk. With such a low denomination, the trader is able to deal with forex trading with less pressure and more discipline. For example, a 20-pip floating loss is approximately $20, so that if you have a 20-pip sudden move against the direction of your trade on a 100K account, that is translated into a $200 floating loss. In every transaction, by using a Mini account, the trader does not end up with a total loss as he loses only a small amount on every losing transaction. This allows him to follow his trading strategy in a disciplined manner.
4. A smaller trade size
The mini forex account trades in smaller contract sizes of 10,000 units which is 1/10 th the size of the standard account. This smaller trade size allows traders an opportunity to trade live with less overall risk. As a result, a beginner can transit or move into forex mini trading quickly from paper trading. While the standard lot is 10,000 units, the beginner trader can increase trading to more lots or units as he gains experience and confidence, and as his profits increase as a result of disciplined trading.
One hidden benefit of trading the mini forex account is that traders can become familiar with the quality and also the reliability of the forex trading platform or trading station of his broker. This is because the forex mini account utilises the same state-of-the art trading software as that for normal sized forex trading.
Mini accounts are recommended for traders with account balances of less than $10,000, allowing them more trading opportunities without over leveraging their account and hence get more staying power in the market.
We will discuss how you can exploit these features of a forex mini account to your advantage in Part #2 of this article so that it is easier to earn a consistent income trading on low capital and lower risk.
By: Peter Lim ,CFP
There are four main advantages of a Forex Mini Account.
1. Low Minimum account size
$300 will allow you to start a forex mini account. This is affordable for most people to start off with in forex trading. When you consider forex trading as a business, there are very few businesses costing only $300 as a startup capital offering lucrative prospects of earnings within a very short time.
2. High leverage
You can get leverage of 200:1 In the mini forex account, there is a small margin deposit required fixed at $50 for per lot traded. This amounts to a stunning leverage of 200 to 1. One of the key factors to accelerate profits is to use trading vehicles of high leverage, and a forex mini account certainly meets or fulfils the definition of high leverage.
3. One pip is equivalent to $1
Trading in pips allows the new forex trader to scale down his risk. With such a low denomination, the trader is able to deal with forex trading with less pressure and more discipline. For example, a 20-pip floating loss is approximately $20, so that if you have a 20-pip sudden move against the direction of your trade on a 100K account, that is translated into a $200 floating loss. In every transaction, by using a Mini account, the trader does not end up with a total loss as he loses only a small amount on every losing transaction. This allows him to follow his trading strategy in a disciplined manner.
4. A smaller trade size
The mini forex account trades in smaller contract sizes of 10,000 units which is 1/10 th the size of the standard account. This smaller trade size allows traders an opportunity to trade live with less overall risk. As a result, a beginner can transit or move into forex mini trading quickly from paper trading. While the standard lot is 10,000 units, the beginner trader can increase trading to more lots or units as he gains experience and confidence, and as his profits increase as a result of disciplined trading.
One hidden benefit of trading the mini forex account is that traders can become familiar with the quality and also the reliability of the forex trading platform or trading station of his broker. This is because the forex mini account utilises the same state-of-the art trading software as that for normal sized forex trading.
Mini accounts are recommended for traders with account balances of less than $10,000, allowing them more trading opportunities without over leveraging their account and hence get more staying power in the market.
We will discuss how you can exploit these features of a forex mini account to your advantage in Part #2 of this article so that it is easier to earn a consistent income trading on low capital and lower risk.
By: Peter Lim ,CFP
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Five Types of Forex Brokers
Five Types of Forex Brokers
By John Russell, About.com
There are several types of Forex dealers with online access. They range from the perfectly legitimate brokerage firms to illegal betting houses. Each trader will have to choose their type of dealer carefully to select the right type of dealer – many share similar qualities and access to the Forex market, but their policies and procedures differ quite dramatically.
Beginning traders need to be especially vigilant about the type of dealer they select. Remember, the Forex market remains loosely regulated and this allows for a wide range of trading services that may not be suitable for many traders, particularly beginning traders.
Each type of broker represents a different level in the Forex market. Some levels are very high and have direct access to the Forex market while others are very distant and have very little connection to the Forex market. Yet most of these types of broker are legal in most countries and are used by different types of traders.
* Bucket Shops
This type of broker has virtually no connection to the real-world Forex market. Bucket shops depend largely on using currency futures and options. These types of brokers will essentially “book” or take the opposite position of a trade made by a retail trader. However, they will not actually execute them on any exchange. Basically, the bucket shop is betting against the trader. Since the legality of bucket shops is questionable, this type of broker should be avoided by beginning traders.
* Book makers
A book maker is very similar to a bucket shop. However, the book maker does not earn profits by winning the “bet”, but rather makes profits based on the spread (difference between the buy and sell price) of the trade. Like the bucket shop, this type of broker has little or no connection to the Forex market. Book makers are illegal in the United States and many other countries. Book makers are also called spread betters or spread betting companies.
One example of a book maker (or spread better) is Delta Index .
* Retail Market Maker
These types of brokers represent the vast majority of online Forex dealers. They differ in many respects and offer a wide range of services. Most traders will use a retail market maker. They take different approaches in their connection to the Forex market. Some are directly connected while others deal with an intermediary for access to the Forex market.
Retail market makers are suitable for beginning Forex traders, but they should consider the services offered before making a selection. They are legal in the United States and most other countries.
Examples of Retail Market Makers are FXCM , Ifx and Gain Capital.
* Institutional Market Maker
These types of broker are very closely aligned with the Forex market. They have a more direct connection than most Retail Market Makers. They are very suitable for beginning traders, but usually require large amounts of money for direct access to the interbank market.
An example of an institutional market maker is FXALL.
* Institutional Forex
Institutional brokers are directly connected to the Forex market. This consists of a consortium of approximately 200 banks. It also represents nearly half of all Forex trading. This is not suitable for beginning traders since only banks are allowed to participate. If any broker claims to have direct access to the Interbank market, they are committing a fraud since only banks have this type of access.
An example of an Institutional Forex dealer is ICAP.
So, these are the five different types of brokers. Actually, only four types are available individual traders. The most appropriate type of broker is the Retail Market Maker. There are many different types of Retail Market Makers and they are easy to find. However, traders must closely investigate this type of broker to make sure that it offers the necessary services and that it does not engage in fraudulent activity.
Book makers and bucket shops should be avoided because they are not regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
By John Russell, About.com
There are several types of Forex dealers with online access. They range from the perfectly legitimate brokerage firms to illegal betting houses. Each trader will have to choose their type of dealer carefully to select the right type of dealer – many share similar qualities and access to the Forex market, but their policies and procedures differ quite dramatically.
Beginning traders need to be especially vigilant about the type of dealer they select. Remember, the Forex market remains loosely regulated and this allows for a wide range of trading services that may not be suitable for many traders, particularly beginning traders.
Each type of broker represents a different level in the Forex market. Some levels are very high and have direct access to the Forex market while others are very distant and have very little connection to the Forex market. Yet most of these types of broker are legal in most countries and are used by different types of traders.
* Bucket Shops
This type of broker has virtually no connection to the real-world Forex market. Bucket shops depend largely on using currency futures and options. These types of brokers will essentially “book” or take the opposite position of a trade made by a retail trader. However, they will not actually execute them on any exchange. Basically, the bucket shop is betting against the trader. Since the legality of bucket shops is questionable, this type of broker should be avoided by beginning traders.
* Book makers
A book maker is very similar to a bucket shop. However, the book maker does not earn profits by winning the “bet”, but rather makes profits based on the spread (difference between the buy and sell price) of the trade. Like the bucket shop, this type of broker has little or no connection to the Forex market. Book makers are illegal in the United States and many other countries. Book makers are also called spread betters or spread betting companies.
One example of a book maker (or spread better) is Delta Index .
* Retail Market Maker
These types of brokers represent the vast majority of online Forex dealers. They differ in many respects and offer a wide range of services. Most traders will use a retail market maker. They take different approaches in their connection to the Forex market. Some are directly connected while others deal with an intermediary for access to the Forex market.
Retail market makers are suitable for beginning Forex traders, but they should consider the services offered before making a selection. They are legal in the United States and most other countries.
Examples of Retail Market Makers are FXCM , Ifx and Gain Capital.
* Institutional Market Maker
These types of broker are very closely aligned with the Forex market. They have a more direct connection than most Retail Market Makers. They are very suitable for beginning traders, but usually require large amounts of money for direct access to the interbank market.
An example of an institutional market maker is FXALL.
* Institutional Forex
Institutional brokers are directly connected to the Forex market. This consists of a consortium of approximately 200 banks. It also represents nearly half of all Forex trading. This is not suitable for beginning traders since only banks are allowed to participate. If any broker claims to have direct access to the Interbank market, they are committing a fraud since only banks have this type of access.
An example of an Institutional Forex dealer is ICAP.
So, these are the five different types of brokers. Actually, only four types are available individual traders. The most appropriate type of broker is the Retail Market Maker. There are many different types of Retail Market Makers and they are easy to find. However, traders must closely investigate this type of broker to make sure that it offers the necessary services and that it does not engage in fraudulent activity.
Book makers and bucket shops should be avoided because they are not regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Best Times to Trade
The Best Times to Trade the Forex Market
By John Russell, About.com
The forex markets are great because they are open almost all of the time and there are a wide range of currencies to choose from. This brings up an important question.
What are the most active hours for forex trading?
Generally speaking, the most active hours all around are between the London markets opening around 8:00 GMT and end with the markets in the US closing around 22:00 GMT. The absolute busiest time in the forex markets are during the London to US overlap between 13:00 GMT to 16:00 GMT. These are the hours that are the most liquid or when the most traders are in the markets making trades. If your intention is to do daytrading, these are key hours!
What are the major sessions for forex trading?
There are 3 major sessions each day in the forex markets. They are the London session, the US session, and the Asian Session.
The London Session
The London session starts around 8:00 GMT and winds down around 1600 GMT. The currencies that are the most active during these hours are EUR, GBP, and USD.
The US Session
The US session starts around 1300 GMT and winds down around 22:00 GMT. The currencies that are the most active during these hours are AUD, EUR, GBP, JPY, and USD.
The Asian Session
The Asian session is a reasonable quiet session on most days. All pairs are pretty slow moving and it is not a good time to day trade. The only real currency that has noteworthy activity is the JPY and the activity is slow unless a major financial event happens.
Summary
The best hours for trading the forex markets, no matter your method, are during the London and US session overlap. The markets are full of active participants during these hours and the currencies really move. For the most part, even the larger fundamental news comes out during these times. Trading during these hours is your best chance to get in while the market is making decisive moves and it will be your best chance to score quick profits.
By John Russell, About.com
The forex markets are great because they are open almost all of the time and there are a wide range of currencies to choose from. This brings up an important question.
What are the most active hours for forex trading?
Generally speaking, the most active hours all around are between the London markets opening around 8:00 GMT and end with the markets in the US closing around 22:00 GMT. The absolute busiest time in the forex markets are during the London to US overlap between 13:00 GMT to 16:00 GMT. These are the hours that are the most liquid or when the most traders are in the markets making trades. If your intention is to do daytrading, these are key hours!
What are the major sessions for forex trading?
There are 3 major sessions each day in the forex markets. They are the London session, the US session, and the Asian Session.
The London Session
The London session starts around 8:00 GMT and winds down around 1600 GMT. The currencies that are the most active during these hours are EUR, GBP, and USD.
The US Session
The US session starts around 1300 GMT and winds down around 22:00 GMT. The currencies that are the most active during these hours are AUD, EUR, GBP, JPY, and USD.
The Asian Session
The Asian session is a reasonable quiet session on most days. All pairs are pretty slow moving and it is not a good time to day trade. The only real currency that has noteworthy activity is the JPY and the activity is slow unless a major financial event happens.
Summary
The best hours for trading the forex markets, no matter your method, are during the London and US session overlap. The markets are full of active participants during these hours and the currencies really move. For the most part, even the larger fundamental news comes out during these times. Trading during these hours is your best chance to get in while the market is making decisive moves and it will be your best chance to score quick profits.
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