Monday, October 29, 2007

Forex Trading News


Forex News Trading ( Fundamental Forex Trading)

If you’ve read through our site and others, you know there are two sides to forex trading; Fundamentals and Technicals. Technical trading is all about reading charts, using moving averages, tools and indicators to find high probability trades. There are some very good ways to make money in forex technical trading. This section describes the other side of forex trading called fundamental trading. This is where your odds of making good, profitable trades increase enormously.

Fundamental trading, also known as trading the news, is one of the best ways I know of making larges sums of money in very little time with very little risk. Financial news announcements get released every week. Some of these news announcement can and do move the market if there is a surprise in the announcement. For example, if a country is expected to raise it’s interest rate by a quarter of a point (0.25), the market prices this “expectation” into the price of it’s currency. When the announcement comes and the country decides to hold rates steady or raise them even more, e.g by half of a percent (0.50), this will absolutely move the currency. These are the kind of opportunities forex news traders look for and profit from.

News trading can also be challenging. In our previous example we said if a country raises it’s rates more than expected, we would expect it’s currency rate to increase. That could be so, but timing is also very important. If the interest rate announcement is accompanied by a statement from that countries Fed of Board that indicates something like this could be the last interest rate hike for a while, this could have a negative effect on the currency. So instead of skyrocketing up, price stalls, flounders a bit and start crashing in the opposite direction. You would initially be on the right side of the trade, with a very nice profit and before you know it, price goes the other direction, stops you out and you lose money of the trade. This can and does happen.

To trade the news professionally, you need to get access to tools and information the professional traders have. You need an edge. I have that edge and it’s called the Secret Forex Society. We are a group of traders who meet online in our trading room who trade specific news events. Felix Homogratus runs the room and he is not only one of the best forex news traders in the business, but he has access to live news feeds and tools that allow us to get into most news trades right before or at the initial spike. This is where we make some serious money. I’ve been with Felix for a year and as long as this service is offered, I’ll be with it. Many of us have easily doubled our trading accounts and look forward to more years of continued success. We also have access to Rob Grespi’s live trading room (He is a Pip making guru!), a Secret News Weapon to get us into trades faster than anything I’ve ever seen and so much more! These slots fill up very quickly, so if you can't get in now, click HERE to get on the waiting list and you will be notified when there are openings.

If forex news trading looks like something you’d be interested in, get into Felix’s free Secret Forex Society service. Then about once every month, he opens up a limited registration to join our trading room. If you get the chance, GRAB IT!!! You will be on your way to an exciting and very profitable business. Felix will send out email notification when registration opens. Since this has been a hugely popular program and most traders never leave, you may need to wait a while before new registrations are accepted. So when it does happen, act fast and get in.

The last thing you should know is to make money in forex trading, you need to have money to start with. If you can’t start a forex trading account with at least $2500, my recommendation is to stay out of news trading with us. Needless to say, the more money you start with, the more money you can use to trade and the higher profits you will make.

This is a great business and I’m so glad I decided to do this when I did. I’ve been at this for years and expect to do it for many more years. I also expect to have enough money to have a nice, early retirement for myself and my family. Thanks to Felix’s Secret Forex Society and the tools we use, I am so much closer to my financial goals than every before.

If you have any questions at all about this forex news trading service, forex trading in general or anything on this forex site, just click the Contact Us link and ask away. I’ll do my best to answer your questions.

Introduction To Trade Forex

Foreign Exchange

This 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 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.
Overview
Foreign 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 1.5 trillion every day. This is more than one hundred times the daily trading on the NYSE (
New York Stock Exchange). Most forex trading is speculative, with only a few percent 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.

Forex Psycology

Forex (or trading) psychology is very difficult but at the same time very important and interesting for study.

As every successful Forex trader knows, it is not enough just to have the technical knowhow of the actual mechanics of trading the Forex (foreign currency exchange) market, but to recognise that to be a winner relies also on the psychology of trading – Forex requires mental discipline.

While the aim is to capture as many Pips (Price Interest Points) as possible, in order to make your profit, your head needs to rule your heart in Forex trading. Don’t get carried away by the thrill and excitement of the moment! Have a plan or strategy in place before you start trading, and predetermine your exit point.

Within the Forex trading experience, you will have losing trades (every Forex trader does). But the art is in knowing when to let go of these, and not hang on in the hope that they will turn around and start making money. Don’t keep lowering your stop-loss order in anticipation of an upturn in the market that may not come for some while, and don’t persist just to try and prove yourself right! Smart traders know there will always be another trade along soon. Equally, know also when to exit from profitable trades.

A golden rule is always to place a stop-loss order, along with every entry order, to prevent any loss from sinking too far. Anyone who doesn’t place a stop-loss order is going to lose probably a lot of money. An acknowledged maxim is to cut your losers, but let your winners ride.

Apply discipline and emotional control when trading, and follow the rules. Try not to be too greedy. While it is great to be passionate about what you do, patience can be a virtue when Forex is concerned. Don’t let your emotions hold sway, and resist the urge to gamble! Have the courage to stick with your plan and stay with the rules. Believe in yourself for that winning system.

Most of all, gain an understanding of the charts, for they represent so much and are relatively easy to interpret and use. Forex trading develops strong trends, and although a more volatile market, predictability is one of the advantages of this market over others such as futures and stocks. Technical analysis is the most precise way of trading Forex, with charts showing the historical data, which over time has patterns repeating themselves, and can be used reliably for predicting future trends.

The key, of course, is recognising these price patterns to know when to place orders in present-day trading. Research has shown that those who trade ‘with the trend’ improve their chances of success. Don’t cloud your mind with non-essentials such as wondering about the reasons for price movements. In other words, if the market trends show your judgement to be correct, stay with the market for the maximum gain, according to your own risk-to-profit boundaries. If the market starts to go against you, take your profits and get out.

It is wise to open a demo account and to practise trading ‘on paper’ first before risking your money. If you’re unsuccessful in this, it is unlikely that you will suddenly become an expert trader in a ‘live’ account, when using your own finances adds to the pressure to succeed. Never risk more money than you can afford to lose.


Forex Education

A Beginner's Guide To Forex

FOREX is the abbreviation for the Foreign Exchange market. FOREX is basically an international exchange market where currencies from all over the world are bought and sold for profit. The market today began in the 1970s. FOREX is a very unique market because it is not based in any particular place, and it also has very few qualifications for investing. FOREX is also free of external controls, and the investors (participants in the market) largely determine how much a currency is worth based on demand. Almost anyone can invest in FOREX, and there are strategies for investors who want to have long-term gains, and strategies for investors who desire short-term gains. The vast array of investors makes FOREX quite unique in the financial community.

The Workings of FOREX

FOREX is not centered at one place like the NYSE. The specific hours for FOREX trade are 24 hours a day from Sunday afternoon to Friday afternoon. FOREX transactions can take place at almost any time, anywhere, all over the world. There are FOREX dealers in almost all of the time zones, and it is simple to find them. Many dealers can be found online. All an investor does is decide what currency he or she wants to purchase, contact the dealer, and then makes the purchase. Many investors purchase using a credit line (money they do not have). This is called marginal trading.

What is Marginal Trading?

Marginal trading is a term used for trading with borrowed capital. FOREX investments can be made without actually having the money. All an investor needs to do is borrow the money for a certain currency. The investor wants to choose a currency that will increase in value quite rapidly. Once the currency increases, the investor pays back the money he or she borrowed and makes sheer profit. This is a high-risk investment, but the rewards are great (as with most high risk investments).

Two Types of FOREX Analytics

FOREX traders often have to analyze the market. Like all investments, FOREX involves a certain amount of calculated risk. Two ways to calculate these risks are though Technical Analysis and Fundamental Analysis.

Technical Analysis is based on the idea that trends through history will continue. A FOREX investor will notice that a certain currency is very strong and seems to be rising at a normal rate. The same investor will also suppose that the currency will not decline in value, and will continue to rise, as it has done in the past. The investor then purchases a large amount of that currency and expects to make a profit. This investment entails a large assumption but is relatively safe.

Fundamental Analysis is an analysis of an entire countries situation. Investors utilizing this technique look at the situation of the country in which the currency finds its base. Factors such as the countries economic status, political status, and global status are taken into account. For example, a Fundamental Analysis investor would not invest in currency from a country that just overthrew its leader and is in political shambles. Although this investment seems logical, it does not take into account one of the fundamental elements of FOREX trading. FOREX currency values are largely determined by the investors. That being said, Fundamental Analysis assumes that other FOREX traders will view a countries situation in the same way and respond accordingly.

Benefits of FOREX

FOREX can be very beneficial to a variety of people. FOREX trading can gain investors a large amount of money either over a long period of time, or in a short period of time. Investors who choose to invest in FOREX are generally well informed about the market and understand the current situations in many countries of the world. Investing in FOREX is simple and highly recommended for anyone who wants to enjoy profits from top-notch investments.

Which is the right Forex trading strategy?

Learning Forex trading is not a simple task, but in no way it is difficult either. Forex trading is all about regulation, willpower and determination. Leveraging your strength could be extravagant by organizing the apt Forex trading strategy. You may find hundreds and thousands of Forex trading strategies out there. Logic would tell us that there is a foreign currency strategy out there which leverages our strengths. All forex trading strategies use a variety of indicators and combinations. These indicators and studies are just calculating support and resistance and trend in the Forex trading market.

Which forex trading strategy actually works?

First, we should know who we are as forex traders. Does our character fit the pip sniper mode or does our nature draw us more towards swing forex trading. Finding your trading character would simply mean studying and practicing the different time frames and related with Forex trading strategies. Over time you might also notice a higher level of achievement and/or ease trading one style over others. You need to pay attention! The forex market is uttering you where your cleverness is more competent of extract reliable profits for the market. This is why journaling is so imperative to your every day forex trading.

Secondly, if in case you are using some body else’s forex strategy, a most of us are, organize this strategy with no change until you fully and totally recognize all aspect of the strategy through back-testing and as well with some real life experience. Don’t fall into entrap of jumping from one strategy to strategy or mixing different strategies when the one you are using does not lead to instant success. This is only a guideline for disaster.

Take the time to actually understand the forex trading strategy. Study the components independently so a deeper understanding of the strategic mechanisms would be mastered. If you recognize the components, internalize its use, and make consistent profits into your forex trading account, then you have your own Forex trading strategy. It does not really matter what the professionals say, your account balance is the final judge and judges for your Forex trading strategy.

Forex Education – 6 Essential books All Traders Should Read

If you want good forex education forget buying an e-book from a vendor for $100 or so, who has never made money in his life and get down to your bookstore and get some forex education from traders who have walked the walk - rather than simply talk the talk!

Of over 600 books I read, I have picked six that are essential reading for any trader and you can get them for $100 bucks or so, which could be the best money you ever invested.

So check out the books below and make them part of your forex education.

1. Market Wizards - by Jack Schwager

Interviews with the top traders in the world. A look at everyday life of people who make a living trading – this is simply a classic and I still find myself visiting it after 20 years and re reading it.

If you can’t learn from such trading legends as Richard Dennis, Paul Tudor Jones, William O'Neil, and Marty Schwartz – then you can’t learn from anyone!

2. The New Market Wizards - by Jack Schwager

More interviews with top traders from around the world. This book is the same format as Market Wizards and brings together some top traders and again benefits from Schwager’s great interview technique.

3. Trader Vic--Methods of a Wall Street Master Victor Sperandeo

This is perhaps one of my favorite books and you will see why after reading it, he has been such a consistent trader and his focus on long term results, money management and long term trend following are essential reading - his "2B" test technique, it is worth the price of the book alone.

4. The Zurich Axioms: Investment Secrets of the Swiss Bankers – Max Günter

I picked this book up and read it in one sitting - an absolutely fantastic, if un-conventional book!

If you have accepted investment wisdoms such as diversify to make gains be prepared to re consider your view.

It’s the type of book that is so easy to read, yet gets your adrenalin pumping with every page, until you’re buzzing at the end and want to turn on your computer and trade!

5. What I Learned Losing a Million Dollars (Hardcover) Jim Paul and Brendan Moynihan

An inspiring story of a real person who lost a million and a half bucks and tells his tale, with great insight including, even contemplating suicide at one point. If you don’t think emotions get the better of you in trading this book will show you how they can.

There are too few books that tell us how to avoid losing money they all ocncentrate on how easy it is to make money and thats what makes this book so unique.

All the mistakes that forex and other traders make are outlined, explained, and amusingly told in this boo.

The book gives you an affinity with the author which brings makes his message even more powerful.

This book is not an outline of how to trade, but how to get the right mindset.

These are lessons about how we accept a trading loss, how to learn from losing trades, and finally how each of us can be tempted to rationalize losses.

6. Technical Analysis - by Jack Schwager

There are loads of books on technical analysis and this is simply to most complete guide you can get.

It’s more of a reference book than an entertaining read, but as with all Schwagers books there is a wealth of knowledge you can tap into – Everything you need to know about technical analysis is here and the fact that I picked over John Murphy's work shows how highly I rate it.

So there you have it six different but essential reading for all traders novice or pro.

These six books together, present a great mix of forex education and I personally feel all traders should read these books.

I hope you enjoy the above books as much as I did and that they give you some great forex education and a head start in your quest for currency trading success.

Saturday, October 20, 2007

FOREX EXCHANGE MARKET

The foreign exchange (currency or forex or FX) market exists wherever one currency is traded for another. It is by far the largest financial market in the world, and includes trading between large banks, central banks, currency speculators, multinational corporations, governments, and other financial markets and institutions. The average daily trade in the global forex and related markets currently is over US$ 3 trillion. Retail traders (individuals) are a small fraction of this market and may only participate indirectly through brokers or banks, and are subject to forex scams.
Economic factors affecting forex market

These include economic policy, disseminated by government agencies and central banks, economic conditions, generally revealed through economic reports, and other economic indicators.

Economic policy comprises government fiscal policy (budget/spending practices) and monetary policy (the means by which a government's central bank influences the supply and "cost" of money, which is reflected by the level of interest rates).

Economic conditions include:

Government budget deficits or surpluses: The market usually reacts negatively to widening government budget deficits, and positively to narrowing budget deficits. The impact is reflected in the value of a country's currency.

Balance of trade levels and trends: The trade flow between countries illustrates the demand for goods and services, which in turn indicates demand for a country's currency to conduct trade. Surpluses and deficits in trade of goods and services reflect the competitiveness of a nation's economy. For example, trade deficits may have a negative impact on a nation's currency.

Inflation levels and trends: Typically, a currency will lose value if there is a high level of inflation in the country or if inflation levels are perceived to be rising. This is because inflation erodes purchasing power, thus demand, for that particular currency.

Economic growth and health: Reports such as gross domestic product (GDP), employment levels, retail sales, capacity utilization and others, detail the levels of a country's economic growth and health. Generally, the more healthy and robust a country's economy, the better its currency will perform, and the more demand for it there will be.

How To Choose The Right Forex Trading System For You

When it comes to trading systems that you can use to trade on the Forex market you have plenty of options but it’s very important to choose the right Forex trading system for you.

Some may find fundamental factors easier to take while others will do better with technical indicators. Everyone is different and which system isn’t important – what is important is matching individual to system. So how do you find the right system?

Well it starts with you understanding the methods of analysis that are used when you are trading on the Forex currency market. When you know what the tools are and how to use them you can analyze what is best for you.

Some of the most popular technical analysis tools include pivot points, Fibonacci retraces, chart patterns, candlestick patterns, trade balances, interest rates, and GDP which stands for gross domestic product.

You will need to determine the profitability of the Forex trading system you are considering choosing. Use a real time demo to determine how profitable a trading system is. This lets you begin to understand what the system’s capabilities are and it also let’s you become familiar with the trading platform.

Next you need to have a look at the expectancy which tells you what type of profits you expect to make over a period of time. You calculate expectancy using this simple formula:
(Probability of winning × average win) – (Probability of losing × average loss) = the average profit per trade. If this number is a negative number you need to look at a different Forex trading system. Of course the higher the number the better the profits you can expect.

You should also examine the opportunity factor which is just how often you can expect to trade using the trading system. You multiply your expectancy figure with the opportunity factor and it tells you how much you can expect to profit during a specific time period. The more opportunity the more profit you can expect to put in your pocket.

Now that you know how to choose the right Forex trading system for you to reap the most profitability.

Understanding The Forex Trading Market

If you’ve invested in the stock market you know what a rush it can be when you come out with profits. The currency markets are much different than the stock market but the rush is even bigger. You’ll want to understand the Forex trading market to help you ensure success.

Forex is short for the Foreign Currency Exchange Market which is also referred to as FX. It is by far the largest market on the planet turning over more than a trillion US dollars a day. That’s thirty times more than the entire volume of all the equity markets in the United States.

What makes the Forex trading market so unique is that it does not have an actual physical location, nor does it have a central exchange. An over the counter market services banks, investors, corporations, and individuals whether they are buying or selling. This is a great example of a true 24 hour market.

Each morning in Sydney the Forex trading market begins, moving around the planet as the business day opens in each of the financial centers – First it goes to Tokyo, then on to London, and then New York.

When dealing on the Forex trading market you can analyze the currency market using either the technical analysis approach or the fundamental analysis.

The technical analysis is used when one wishes to attempt to predict what the future movement is going to be on a specific currency based on past performance. It entails studying specific factors that can influence a currency. These factors cold be changes in a Government, a war, a crisis, or several specifics that influence supply and demand which is reflected in the market price.

Fundamental analysis is also referred to as current accounts. They measure the net of imports and exports in any one country and the records the subsequent impact on the currency flows.

When it comes to currency trading there is no doubt that Forex or FX is the largest market in the world. Just about every industry is somehow involved in currency trading – banks, multinational corporations, central banks, governments, financial institutes, retail traders, and a variety of institutions all in one way or another directly or indirectly play in the currency market.

Thanks to technology an individual can now set up a Forex trading account and begin to trade without any involvement with a bank or trading institute. There are several excellent online forex trading sites where you can get involved with the Forex trading market and begin trading on your own. The big question is are you ready for the rush when you sell high?

Choosing Forex Trading Software

If you plan to start trading with Forex online you will need the right software system to give you the ability to collect information on market prices and make Forex trades quickly and easily. There are two types of Forex software available. One is web based while the other is client based.

The Forex market is a high paced fast moving market and to make good trades you need good information and with the right software and a high speed internet connection everything you need is only mouse click away. You just need to decide on which software is best for you.

Client based Forex trading software is downloaded and then installed on your computer. The biggest draw back to a client based system is that you can only access it from the computer on which it is installed. You also need to be concerned with the security on your system.

Web based software lets you login in with an internet connection and you can use any computer anywhere. Web based software tends to less vulnerable to viruses and hackers because of the high security implemented.

Whether you use web based or client based it needs to provide you with real time quotes and the means to quickly buy and sell on the market. If you choose client based software it pays to pay the fee that ensures you software updates because there are regular changes.

Brokers house your client information on two servers in two different locations for security and safety of your data. So for example if a server has a power failure the data is automatically transferred to the other server and you won’t even realize there was an interruption. Brokers also back up their server using an ongoing system so nothing is ever lost.

You may have found your calling with Forex. There is plenty of money to be made on the currency market. The first step is taking a little risk, the next step is choosing the right Forex trading software, and finally you’ll reap the rewards in profits.

Tips For Global Forex Trading

You’ve decided to become a trader on the Forex market but since you’ve never played on the currency market you aren’t sure where to start. Not to worry – we’ve got some great tips for global Forex trading,

Forex is the foreign exchange market where currencies are bought and sold. It began back in the 1970’s with the introduction of free exchange rates and floating currencies. Thanks to the internet more and more people are able to reap the profits of the currency market with global Forex trading.

This is a market that trades as over US$1 trillion a day. It trades more than any other market. There are some distinct differences in the currency market compared to the stock market. Money moves much faster so no single investor has the ability to actually affect market price and trades are able to open and close within seconds which is not possible on the stock market.

To start your global Forex trading you need to open a Forex account. Just fill in the application and the sign the margin agreement which let’s the broker intervene at any time. That makes sense since it’s the broker’s money that just makes sense.

You need to choose a trading strategy that works for you. Different strategies work for different traders to don’t try to makes something work, instead find the right trading strategy for you.

It’s important to understand that trends move prices so a smart investor will make trends their friend and even go so far as to examine historical trends.

The top five currency pairs are USD/Yen, Euro/Yen, Swiss franc/USD, Pound USD/ and the Euro/USD. Make sure you know and understand them.

Examine the charts at 1 hour, 4 hour, and daily. This will give you the daily trends and plenty of opportunity to trade. Sure you can trade every 15 minutes if you like but that’s not really practical.

Now that you’ve got all your global Forex trading tips you’re ready to see some profits.