Like many people I am sure you are interested to know more about Forex trading. To put it bluntly Forex trading can be either one the best ways to make or lose LOTS of money. Only those who take the Forex market seriously will be able to make money with it in the long term.
The Forex trading market is beyond a doubt the world’s largest market where all exchanges happen instantaneously. Thus, trades are a key challenge for even the most knowledgeable Forex bankers and traders. They have to learn and consider many factors before performing even a single trade.
At first when currencies began to be traded openly, only large banks were allowed to perform trades. These days, due to the advent of internet trading and margin accounts almost anybody can begin Forex trading. This in turn, has added to the liquidity of the Forex market, and has resulted in a huge increase in the number of individuals who are now active in the market.
So, does this mean it is easy to earn money through Forex trading? To answer this we must consider a few things.
Some data by Forex brokers seems to suggest that 90 percent of traders end up of losing their capital, 5 percent of traders have been able to break even and only 5 percent of them attain steady beneficial results. Thus, it seems that trading successfully is no simple task.
However, if you can learn to be among the 5 percent who make consistent money you can do extremely well by using Forex trading. To help you in this end I have listed five key ways to improve your odds dramatically of making money in the Forex market.
1. Education
Successful traders are knowledgeable about the Forex market. They have chosen to educate themselves about every single vital detail of Forex trading. The best traders know that every trade that they perform is an opportunity to learn something new.
2. Forex Trading System
All of the profitable traders have a Forex trading system or strategy. Furthermore, they have the will power to stick strictly to that system, because the best traders know that by sticking with their system they stand a far greater chance of earning money.
3. Price Behavior
Knowledgeable and successful traders also include price behavior in their systems. They have learned that prices can change quickly and suddenly but are prepared to deal with those situations when they arrive.
4. Trading Psychology
First-rate traders are aware of psychological issues that affect the choices of other traders make when Forex trading. They know that people do not always act rationally, and as a result this can alter the expected outcome of a trade. This can help them both when deciding to enter into a trade or when to exit.
5. Money Management
This is far and away the most important factor that will determine whether or not you become a successful trader. Averting the hazard of financial ruin is the main concern of all top traders. This means both adequately funding your trading account (only with money you can afford to live without of course) and never entering into trades that can potentially wipe out all of your assets. Better to start trading small and always use stop-loss orders to guarantee that your first trades are not also your last.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of everything you need to know but it outlines some of the areas you need to consider before making even that first trade. Now you know that it is not easy to earn money in the Forex market, however it is achievable.
However, success does not happen overnight and anyone promising you that it can is trying to sell you snake oil. It is an ongoing processes not something you pick up in a weekend. Trading success depends on the trader, and how hard you are willing to work to achieve your Forex trading goals.
Also, remember to try to have some fun. The clearest sign that Forex trading is not for you is if you find the prospect of learning about how the Forex market works boring or dull. If this is the case you won’t stick with it long enough to make money and you will be among the 90 percent who fail. Just remember these three important things: be disciplined in your trading habits, manager your money wisely and enjoy the experience of Forex trading.
Forex Trading Course Primer
Forex trading refers to foreign exchange. Since the currencies of different countries themselves are the commodities involved, the market has a “pure” behavior that is driven by large economic forces. To master this art, one should do comprehensive study with the help of a Forex trading course.
Forex trading is a specialized form of trading with potential quick and hefty profit and higher leverage than other financial markets. But the leverages it offers can be a double edged sword due to the complex and unpredictable nature of the market. Taking advantage of the leverage at crucial times with responsible risk management is the secret of this trade. But this is easier said than done. A complete knowledge of the market is the essential requirement for success in this business.
The value of a currency in the Forex market very much depends upon the products and services the country offers for sale in the foreign market. So the study of the currency depends up on the study of the economy of that particular country. For example a tea-producing country suffers a great loss in the market if the production of the tea crop fails in that country because of a monsoon or other reasons. Similarly the same can be said of any type of commodity and for any reason that affects supply and demand. The political, natural and environmental changes influence the foreign exchange market significantly. So how can one understand the market in a way that will enable him to gain profit consistently?
Forex Trading Course
A Forex trading course offers comprehensive study of the economic markets all over the world. Many factors influence the economy of a country. The savvy trader will focus on the important factors that affect the economy and how they affect currency values. The training course should offer material that demonstrates the factors affecting the economic condition of a country.
A reputable course includes facts and figures explained in the form of charts and technical analysis. They explain the reasons for the sluggish or tremendous growth of an economy under given conditions and how long trends might be sustained. A big part of Forex training involves identifying entry and exit signals using technical indicators and patterns. Simulated trading on historical data as well as demo trading in real time is extremely helpful for enabling the Forex trading student to gain experience without risking real money.
What many people do not realize is that one of the largest forces that drives the foreign exchange market is large institutions that export products such as automobiles, electronics, and commodities. When these products are sold to another country it creates an immediate demand for the currency of the country which is exporting. This causes that currency to increase in value. Conversely when a country imports products from other countries it creates an outflow of currency that weakens the importing country’s currency. These large forces are constantly at play throughout the world creating an ebb and flow in the value of the major currencies throughout the world.
It is not necessary to fully understand and follow all the economic forces in the world in order to trade Forex successfully. Many traders rely solely on technical analysis to enter and exit trades. By observing the movements and patterns on charts profitable trades can be executed without having any idea what economic news is creating the movement. This is the subject of most Forex trading courses that are popular today and makes life much easier for those who want to easily profit from this vast and popular market.
Forex Basics
The first thing to notice about currency prices in the Forex market is that there are two of them, called the bid price and the ask price. The second thing to notice is that they don’t favor you, the trader; they favor the broker, because that’s how he makes his money.
The ask price is what you pay should you wish to purchase that currency pair. Using the GBP/USD as an example, let’s say you believe the pound is going to strengthen against the U.S. dollar, meaning that the chart of the two currencies is going to go up on the graph.
In such a trade you would be purchasing the pound now at a lower rate (and by definition, selling the dollar) so that you can sell it later at its (hopefully) higher rate. And, since the pound is the base currency and it controls the direction of the trade, to purchase the pound means to purchase the currency pair. Such a trade is called opening a long position.
The bid price is the exact opposite: it’s what you pay should you wish to sell, or short, that currency pair. To continue the example of the GBP/USD, let’s say you believe the U.S. dollar is going to strengthen against the pound, rather than the other way around. In this trade, you would be purchasing the dollar now (and selling the pound) in order to sell it later.
But remember, it’s the base currency that controls the direction of the trade. When you purchase the cross currency, by definition you’re selling the base; in other words, you’re selling the currency pair rather than buying it. So all the signals are reversed: the chart will go down on the graph and the price of the currency pair will decrease.
But because you sold or shorted the currency pair rather than purchased it, you want the price to decrease, because it’s the price of the base currency that’s going down while the price of the cross is going up. In our example, if you shorted the GBP/USD, you would earn a profit if the price of the pair went down.
Calculating the number of pips you earn in a short trade is the same as for a long trade. Just ignore which was the purchase or the sale price, and subtract the lower number from the higher one. The difference is the amount of your gain.
Note that the ask price is always higher than the bid. You have no choice but to buy high and sell low when trading on the Forex market.
The difference between the bid and the ask is called the spread, and that’s the amount of money the broker takes as his commission. (Yes, that’s all the broker takes; he makes his profit on a large volume of trades rather than large commissions.)
Obviously, the smaller the spread, the more money you get to keep out of what you make. Spreads are competitive among brokers; keeping their spreads small is one means of attracting customers. And spreads among the most popular currency pairs are generally smaller than those for pairs that aren’t as commonly traded, which is one of the best reasons for sticking with the “majors,” as they’re called.
