Are You Trading Forex Online For Income Or Wealth?

Many people see trading forex online as a way to make money without having much idea of what they want to do that for. Of course money is useful, but with other types of investment people are usually clear in their minds about what they are looking for in terms of a return: income or wealth building. But forex traders do not always think about this.

It is important. Even though you can make money with currency trading without having a clear aim in view, the ideal strategies and trading plan will be different depending on your aims for your investment. Something that a wealth builder considers to be a successful strategy could cause an income seeker to consider that he is failing at times. So let’s look at the differences and how to handle them in your online trading strategies.

If you are seeking profits for income, then your aim will be to live on the profits of your currency trading account. You may only have a small fund now but you will probably be hoping that in a few years you can give up your day job and pay all of the bills from your forex profits.

On the other hand, somebody who is building for wealth will not plan to take an income out of his profits. He will leave them in the account to grow. He may have the aim of building a retirement fund or some other plan where he will eventually use the money, but this is a long term goal and anything taken from the account in the meantime will be lump sums for a particular purchase rather than money to live on.

So someone who is trading for income has to make a certain amount of profit per month, or at least a certain average over a few months. You’d need your income to be reasonably stable and above a certain level, otherwise you risk not being able to pay the bills.

You would need some backup in the form of savings to cover you in the case of drawdown. You would also need extremely good money management and discipline to stick to your system in difficult times. Somebody who depends on trading forex online for their living expenses is under a lot more pressure and mindset will be crucial.

Traders who are building for wealth tend to trade less often because they do not feel this same pressure. Ironically, this can mean that they wait for clearer signals and make more consistent profits than the income trader. They do not mind if their money is tied up in a trade for weeks or even months. They do not need the profits right now.

Wealth builders are also able to accept a bigger drawdown. They take a longer term view and know that they will regain the losses and then some before they ever need to cash in. This means that, other things being equal, they can afford to take a bigger position with the associated bigger risk.

The bottom line is that if you are trading for income you should be looking for a system with low drawdown and your trading plan should be set for low risk. A system that provides frequent signals for small trades will probably suit you better than a system that waits for major trends and swings. If you have clear aims for your trading and understand the implications as set out in this article, you will put yourself in a good position to make profits from trading forex online.

Should I be Forex Trading?

Never trade with money that if lost would adversely affect your life. One of the great dangers of this business is that over the years some rather unscrupulous people have portrayed foreign currency trading as a very lucrative way to turn a modest sum of money into a fortune with ease….If only you had their training or their system. “It’s like having your own personal ATM machine”, and other such outlandish claims of riches with ease. In fact I originally entered the Forex arena with just such beliefs. The reality is that trading foreign currencies is far from easy and is not best suited to everyone. Whilst it is possible to make a lot of money relatively quickly, it is also possible to lose part or all of your investment with the same speed.

Most people who are highly successful in any endeavour start off with a desire to do the work. As their knowledge of the subject grows, and their passion for the subject intensifies, they find that their level of success also increases.

It is rare indeed for anyone to achieve success in any field if all they entered that enterprise for was easy money. The only way to attempt to turn a modest sum of money into a large amount very quickly is to take some very big risks – not at all what Forex trading is really about. If you want to take some hefty risks, then it might be far better to go to the roulette wheel and place all of your money on Red or Black and then cross your fingers. I am not trying to persuade anyone to not trade the Forex market, but I do want you to be aware that there is considerable risk regardless of what trading system you may decide to use. On the upside, you can practice Forex trading with a demo account which is funded with “virtual money” and practice the craft in simulated real conditions. The charts will be live and real time and you can win or lose your “virtual money” in exactly the same way as if you were Forex trading for real, except that at the end of each Forex trading session you have actual not put any of your real money at risk. By practicing in this way, every “would be” Forex trader has the opportunity to see first-hand whether Forex trading would be suitable for them, and bear in mind that one’s own personality, emotional control and level of self discipline will have a major impact on the way that one trades. The secret to success in this business is to have a solid and reliable system that you have learned to trust. Then you must follow it to the letter through both wins and losses, using strict money management principles, knowing that the system, over time, generally produces more and bigger wins than losses.

Forget much of the nonsense that you may hear in the forums about setting goals of “just10 pips a day” etc. Trading does not necessarily work in that way. The market moves with no respect whatsoever for your goal.

You have to learn to take what is on the table, and at exactly what point in the move. Some days there will be lots of profit to be made. Some days there will not be much profit. Some days the market will take YOUR money. Some days will be NO TRADE days and you will need to have the discipline and emotional control to sit and wait and smile through them all. For all of these types of days are what go to make up a traders working life.

Forex trading can be one of the most rewarding business activities on the planet. It has all the elements of high success and high failure. It is demanding and has an above average level of risk which all adds to the appeal. But it is not a business to jump into with your life savings clutched in your hand and a burning desire to be rich.

If you have a couple of thousand dollars in cash and a family to feed and the car needs fixing and the rent or mortgage is due – Then it is highly likely that the Forex markets will just part you from your money. In fact one of the biggest reasons for failure in this business is an under-funded trading account coupled with an urgent need to make some fast cash If you have a few thousand dollars or more put aside that if lost would not adversely affect you or your family, and if you have the time and inclination to learn how to trade first, then you may be able to turn that money into a worthwhile sum……..OVER TIME. In that case, Forex trading might be the line of investment business for you. Remember though!!! There are no guarantees of success in this business.

Source: Martin Bottomley

10 Forex Trading Tips to Help You to Succeed in Currency Trading

So many people fail in trading Forex. But you don’t have too, some people ask me if there any rules to become a successful trader. When I think about my trading I clearly see 20 rules that if followed can make you consistently profitable trader. Some of them you probably know. The only thing is left is to implement them in your trading.

1. Plan your trades and trade your plan.

It is absolutely necessary to have a plan so you know what you will do in such and such market situation. In fact the lack of planning ahead probably the biggest reason of failure of most traders.

2. Fear and hope are the two worst enemies for trader.

You need learn to control your emotions. Not to get rid of them. They are actually engines that keep you going. However engines that go out of control are very dangerous.

3. Always keep the records of the results for your trading.

If you want to repeat your successful trades over and over, if you want to avoid failure you went through, then you need to keep track of your decisions and actions. That’s why you need to record all your trading results.

4. Keep the positive attitude regardless of the results of your trading.

Result of a single trade mean very little. The long term result is what you are looking at. Therefore keeping the positive attitude no matter what the result of a current single trade will help you to move over it to the next more profitable one.

5. Think about Forex only when you are trading.

In order to succeed in FX you need to learn to focus. Whatever you do focus on it. That means if you are not trading focus on whatever you do and forget about the market.

6. Stop-loss is the key to your success in trading. Always cut your losses.

The golden rule of traders states: never-ever trade without stop loss orders. If you do it’s a surest way to lose your trading account entirely.

7. Always devote your time to study the market.

Set up aside certain amount of time to go through the price charts and economic news to better understand the price movement.

8. Always set your profit limit in each trade.

The same as with stop loss orders you need to know your profit target for each trade. I had so many potentially winning trades that turned into a losers just because I didn’t have a clear plan for taking profit.

9. Trust your own opinion before entering the market.

Facts are priceless. Opinions are worthless. Those who follow so called “gurus” in trading will never be able to make a significant profit. Take the full responsibility for your actions don’t hunt for opinions just because you are afraid to act upon your own opinion.

10. Keep your stop losses untouched during the trade.

It comes back to the rule number one. Once you have planned your potential risk and placed the stop loss, don’t touch it until price reaches the profit target or stop loss. By moving the stop loss you are changing a significant parameter of your trading system. That is the way to turn a winning into a losing one.

Everyone knows that currency trading is a good opportunity to make significant amount of money. At the same time it is the best opportunity to lose even bigger amount of money. I hope the above tips will help you to preserve your trading capital and gradually to grow it.

Advantages of Forex Trading

Foreign exchange trading involves buying and selling different currencies. It works on the theory that is similar with share market. As we know that to make the profit, you have to buy at lower price and sell at higher price, or we can also sell at higher price first and buy at lower price. But its not as easy as it sounds. By studying certain market conditions, you can actually make profits in forex. All you have to do is to analyze the forex in a correct way and do the good trade.

Why to go for Foreign exchange trading? There is an option to invest in stock market also but here are a few important advantages of currency trading over stock market.

24-hour Trading

Forex trading is done on 24-hours basis. This market is open throughout day and night as somewhere in the world, there must be this buy and sell trading is going on. Traders involved in forex trading strategy can always get that first hand information and can act accordingly. The currency rate is actually run through telecommunication all over the network of banks 24 hours a day from 00:00 GMT on Monday to 10:00 pm GMT on Friday. There are ECNs (Electronic Communication Networks) which bring together buyers and sellers.

Greater Liquidity

There is a superior liquidity in the market as there are always buyers and sellers to purchase and sell foreign currencies. Forex trading market size is 50 times bigger than the New York Stock Exchange and liquidity of such large market ensures price stability. Forex trading stop orders could be carried out more simply. This makes Forex trading signal more liquid and permits Forex traders to take benefit of trading opportunities as they happen rather than waiting for the market to open the next day.

100:1 High Leverage in forex trading

100 to 1 leverage is commonly available from online forex dealers, which substantially exceeds the common 2:1 margin offered by equity brokers. This gives them a huge leverage in their trading and presents the potential for extraordinary profits with relative small investments. Leverage can also go the opposite way and may lead to huge losses if you are not careful.

Forex trading transactions have no commissions. Forex Brokers can earn money by fixing their own speculation between what a currency could be bought at and what it could be sold at. In difference, Forex traders have to pay a commission fee or brokerage fee for every futures transaction they come in to the view. The forex market is so large that no one individual, bank, fund or government body can influence it for a long period of time. In forex trading strategy, you can trade between seven currencies but not everyone trade in all.

There are certain trading signals that give indications to the trade. These forex signals are delivered by email, instant messenger or direct to your desktop.

How Does an Online Forex Broker Work?

Before you begin trading in the FOREX markets you will need to set up an account with what is called a Forex Broker. Once you start your search for the perfect broker, you could feel overwhelmed by the number of them who extend their services online. Deciding on a broker requires a little bit of research on your part, but the time spent will give you a much better idea of the services that are accessible and the fees charged by several of this brokers.

Properly speaking, a forex broker is an individual or a company that buys and sells the orders placed by the trader according to his decisions. This way brokers earn money by billing a commission or a fee for their services.

All serious brokers need to be connected with a large financial organization such as a bank in order to provide the amount of funds necessary for margin trading. These credentials will ensure you have peace of mind, knowing that you have security against any case of fraud and abusive trade exercises.

What you’ll always want will be to find a broker who carries out orders quickly and with minimum slippage. All reputable online brokers will extend automatic execution of orders and will let you know their policies regarding slippage. An effective broker should be able to tell you how much slippage can be expected in both normal and volatile markets.

Margin accounts are the foundation of Forex trading, so you better be sure you clearly understand the broker’s margin terms before setting up your trading account. You also need to acknowledge the margin requirements and how margin is calculated. It may be the case that margin change according to the currency traded; or maybe the margin is the same every day of the week or perhaps not; so you have to check and get all this information pretty clear.

Additionally some brokers could offer different margins depending on what kind of account you are trading, i.e. a mini or standard account.

One more thing that you should consider is that the trading station software available to you from your broker is really important for your success as an online forex trader. You should get a feel for the options that are available by examining a demo account at a few of the available online brokers. Always keep in mind that above all, you are looking for reliability and the ability to execute well in fast-moving markets.

How To Trade Forex?

How to trade Forex? Trading Forex is actually quite simple. Forex trading involves merely choosing a currency pair, the amount of the base currency and the buy or sell action. Next you place your order and wait for the favorable time to perform a counter transaction to derive profits. How to trade Forex and make profit? Learn to place your orders correctly by trading on a demo account for a period of time.

Each currency quote consists of two currencies. The first currency in the pair is called the base currency and the second one is called the counter currency. The value of the first currency always equals one, while the value of the second currency is calculated against the first currency. Forex prices are expressed in pips, being the fourth decimal of the price. Understanding quotes is vital in order to learn how to trade Forex.

Margins and Leverage in Forex trades

In order to safeguard your capital, learn how to trade Forex without taking leverage from a broker. If you can put down a small amount of your own money (called margin), the dealer will provide you with more money (called leverage). Leverage will allow you to trade with more lots. Is margin trading good or bad? Same as bank loans and mortgages, margin trading may be both good and bad. While providing you with more opportunities, it will also tremendously increase the possibility of losses.

Demo Account

Trading with a demo account is definitely one of the easiest ways to learn how to trade Forex. A Demo account will safeguard you from incurring any real losses while making mistakes at the time of your trading. At first, you will most likely often make mistakes when selecting the time of entering and exiting the trades, such as you may be too late or too early. Mistakes that you make while trading on a demo account will not cost you a dime. However, if you skip this essential step, you may join the 90% of failing Forex traders.

Understanding Currency Pairs

There are lots of different currency pairs, and you should choose the right one. It is a good idea to choose the most traded currency pair, when you are just starting to learn how to trade Forex. This currency pair is USD/EUR. No matter what currency pair you select, you should try to learn its distinctive features well, before proceeding to trading other currency pairs. This is very important because every currency pair will have its own distinctive features as well as the reasons behind the fluctuations of this currency pair, such as various fundamental factors.

Currency Quotes in Forex trades

Learn to understand the currency quotes, because Forex trades are done in terms of quotes. Quotes are two-sided, and involve two prices: Bid price (price at which base currency will be sold, simultaneously buying the counter currency) and Ask price (price at which base currency will be bought, simultaneously selling the counter currency). Understanding of Bid/Ask is one of the first steps in learning how to trade Forex.

Unfortunately brokers, just like banks do not really care whether you win or lose in your Forex trades. You will still have to pay them back. If you lose the money that they gave you. It is better not to trade on margin at all, and to only trade with your own money.

It’s very easy to learn how to trade Forex. However, how to trade Forex with a profit? Allow enough time to train on a demo account before proceeding to real-life trading.

Source: Steve Maenshel

Understanding How To Scalp The Forex Market

When it comes to trading the forex market, there is one thing that really stops a lot of traders, and it involves greed. Because there are millions of traders out there who think that making money in the forex market is easy. This has to do with the fact that a lot of traders buy courses that promise to make them millions, only for them to realize they have been scammed.

Most people end up losing money on a daily basis because even though the forex markets move everyday, the fluctuations are barely visible. Only a huge movement can be predicted, which is a rarity.

Only, and make money using my system of foreign exchange earnings are expected to be small in the day to day fluctuations in these very small. Your small, rather than the daily earnings, are trying to homer daily. The higher low, fluctuating from 50 Pip Forex market is 80 percent of the time. Not earn enough money in these market conditions following a system intrusion methods and trends.

Since it is easy to make 20-30 pips a day, my sincere advice to you would be to switch off the screen as soon as you are done for the day. You will be only paying your broker if you turn out to be over ambitious. So please protect your profits.

Don’t make the same mistakes that so many other people make. They think they will become a millionaire by the end of the first week. Your job should be to make money in a steady manner. Trading is a lot like a marathon, not a sprint.

Most of the break-out or trend following systems only gives you advice on huge movements in the forex markets. My scalping system is not like that. Using this system you can trade everyday for less than 3 hours. You are setting up a successful home based business, making a lucrative profit, having a great life style and it is good money too.

Unfortunately many of you have been cheated by Get rich quick schemes in the forex markets. On the net even I have seen may unbelievable schemes which claim to make $250 with only $100 software. If only that were true!

Source: Mike Hardaway

Top 8 Tips To Help You Start With Forex Trading

1. Educate yourself.

As mentioned, the money market can be a profitable venture but it can also be full of financial risks. Before getting too excited to trade, one of the very important currency trading tips that you must follow is to educate yourself about the forex industry. Of course, it is always a wise move in every venture you get into. Among the important things you have to learn is market analysis and analyzing the factors that affect the value of a country’s currency. It would help a lot to have a background in macroeconomics, international trade, in-depth understanding of the financial market as well as understanding on how a nation’s economic policies as well as political situations affect your main concern – the currency.

2. Plan and make a strategy.

In the money market, it is important to be a quick decision maker and be able to take action, but you also have to make a plan and strategy. It is also

3. Be aware of the high risks.

Currency trading indeed involves a high level of risk, so before you decide to participate in forex market, you have to determine if you can handle the big risk that comes along with it. Experts often say that forex trading is not for everyone. In currency trading, you must be able to determine how much money you are willing to lose, and if you are wiling to lose a part or all of your investment.

4. Choose the best currency trading software.

In deciding for your forex trading software, make sure that you are also making a wise choice. Make sure that your software provides security of your data as well as personal information. Also make sure that you choose a software that has round-the-clock support services especially when it comes to server support and backup. These currency trading tips are indeed important to help you have a secure transaction online.

5. Choose a reliable and trustworthy broker.

In forex trading, you can also get a broker to help you deal with sellers and buyers in the money market. In choosing one, make sure also that you getting a reliable and trusted one. They can also be a factor in your success in forex trading.

6. Practice.

Indeed, if is one of the most important currency trading tips to keep in mind. Do not to jump into forex without practice. This is essential to help you learn the tools o the trade. You can make use of demo accounts to practice your strategy in forex.

7. Beware of forex scams and frauds online.

In dealing online, make sure also that you are not dealing with fraudulent individuals and companies. Always check track records as well as company or individual backgrounds. If they are giving you too-good-to-be- true offers, you might want to think twice about it. If they are giving you a risk-free forex trading, that could be a warning that you are not dealing with some legitimate services.

8. Be extra careful in transferring funds.

Whether online or by mail, always make sure you are sending money or transferring funds securely. This of course is a must in anything you do online that involves money, especially if it involves a large amount.

Keep in mind these currency trading tips before you get yourself involved in forex trading. Keep in mind that forex is involves high risk and indeed, is not for everyone.

5 Ways to Improve your income from Forex Trading

Forex Trading or Currency Trading today is a $3 trillion industry, and I am not talking about the yearly investments or revenues of this trade, I am talking about the daily investment stats of this monstrous industry.

This means that trades of over $3 trillion occur each day across Forex exchanges throughout the world. If you have been trying to get a bigger slice of this magnanimous industry then these tips would surely help you to earn more with the same amount investments and time.

1. Be Flexible:

By flexibility I mean that you need to trade in a cross culture environment if you want to get the max out of Forex trading. This means that you cannot restrict yourself to a particular exchange centre such a London or New York. You need to diversify your investments and give ample time to investments in different exchange centres. This is because of the fact that a particular exchange may have its lull times when the trading is slow, so instead of investing in theses exchanges at this time try to invest in exchange that are livelier at the same time.

2. Be confident:

Confident is a very big factor when it comes to Forex trading. If you are not confident about your decisions, then you are not going to make profit. You should try to have faith in your abilities and should never get pressured into taking decisions that you would not like to take. Confidence can improve your ability to take risks and thus give you more profit.

3. Take good care of leverage:

One of the basic rules of Forex trading is manage your leverage amount very carefully. You may get tempted to leverage 10 to 20 times the amount of money you have in your account but this should be avoided at all costs. Everyone knows that larger the amount leveraged, larger is the risk of loss and the debt arising from it. Expert traders never leverage more than twice the amount they have in their account.

4. Avoid large trades:

Instead of focussing on a single large trade, one should try to play it safe by investing into many small trades. This will reduce the risk of you losing all your money in case a trade goes wrong. Also smaller trades can generate better profits than a single large trade, this is because of the fact that for a small trade you may not be afraid of losing money and can hence put it in the market for a longer time, whereas for a large trade you would try to get your money out of the market at the slightest change in currency value in order to avoid any major loss.

5. Get a good Forex Broker:

This is the aspect that is ignored by almost all traders, but an expert trader knows that this is one thing that matters a lot and can be controlled. The correct way to choose a Forex broker is by the task of research. Never choose a Forex broker because of the fact that he is providing you with some incentives. Always try to look into the working policies of a broker before choosing to invest with him or her. Try to go in for brokers who offer demo accounts, so that you can test a broker’s interface before opening a real money account with the broker. Always choose a broker who is compatible with your style of trading and allows you to implement your strategies.

These are some of things, which if followed religiously would enable a Forex Trader to earn more profit than he would earn without the use of these strategies.

Understand Forex Accounts

For trading success, good money management is the key. Many traders ignore this aspect of trading at their own peril and get their account blown in a few weeks of trading. Trading discipline means using a trading system based on money management rules that limit your risk and avoid making trading decisions based on emotions.

One of the worst blunders that trades can make is to try to trade without sufficient capital. This does not mean that you should have a lot of money before you start trading; it only means that you need to have enough capital in your account to take advantage of the movements in the markets. Low capital increases your chances of getting blown out.

Many forex brokers fix the minimum amount required to open a standard account as $2000. However, it is recommended by most of the professional traders that you should start with at least $5000-10,000 to get good results. A trader with limited capital is always a worried trader. He is always looking to minimize losses beyond the point of realistic trading. Never ever trade live without practicing on the demo account for a few months. First, try to double your account at least three times in a row on the demo account.

A regular account or a standard account often also called 100k account lets you trade a $100,000 standard lot with a $2000 deposit. This $2000 is kept as the margin by the broker. This is a 2% margin.

Dont use more than 4X leverage while trading in the start. Too much leverage is dangerous for you.

Its not that leverage is bad. It is a double edged sword that cuts both ways. It increases your profit but at the same time wipes you out in case of a slight miscalculation on your part. Its just that you need to understand and learn how to use it. You can only do so with practice. With practice and more experience, you can increase the level of leverage in your trading.

Mini accounts are great for beginners. You can open a mini account with most of the brokers with a deposit of only $1000. The mini account was developed to accommodate investors who were looking for bringing more diversification to their stocks portfolios. This small dollar requirement allows many small investors to participate in the forex markets. Many were previously unable to do so. Some brokers offer micro accounts as well.

One lot on a mini account means $10,000. On a mini account, you have a different lot size as compared to the standard account. Pip size on a mini account is also small as compared to the standard account. A pip size on the mini account is equal to $1 instead of $10 as on a standard lot.

A mini account is a great way for beginners to practice forex trading. If you lose 100 pips on a mini account, it means losing only $100 as compared to losing $1000 on a standard lot. You can say a mini account reduces your risk by 10%. But it also reduces the amount of profit that you can make. Start with at least $1000 on a mini account.

Source: Ahmad Hassam

Mini Forex Trading – For Small Scale Investors and Beginners

Any one planning to invest in the Forex market can start doing so by first opening a mini Forex account before actually getting a standard Forex account. Many people are under the impression that online Forex currency trading involves a large quantity of money. This isn’t correct. With a mini Forex account, first-time investors can begin with small amounts ranging from $ 1000 to $ 2000, where the value of a pip will be $ 1 thus reducing the risk of losing a large sum of money.

In the standard Forex account, a broker may allow a leverage of 100-1 with a deposit amount of $ 10,000 and can trade up to $ 1,000,000. In terms of losses, a 10 pip loss on a standard trade of $ 100,000 would mean a loss of $ 100, whereas in a mini Forex account would mean a $ 10,000 equals $ 10 only.

Free demo platforms are now being offered online by Forex brokers to let you practice and get familiar with an online Forex trading account for lesser manageable amounts. Beginners will then have the chance and confidence to practice efficiently their trading skills and strategies without having to worry about their losses or balances, and worry about a margin call.

Take note that almost 90% of people who trade in Forex end up losing their investments – and these are just the beginners. With too many people who are unfamiliar with what Forex currency really is all about quickly get disappointed, frustrated, and angry when rushing in blindly, hoping to gain a quick and easy profit.

A mini Forex trading account offers a alternative to small scale investors to get a chance to do actual trading without exposing a huge monetary amount.

Forex Trading Tips

Tip 1. Gamblers go to casino. All unproved, spontaneous actions in Forex trading — are a part of pure gambling. Any attempt to trade without analysis and studying the market is equal to a game. Game is fun except when you are losing real money

Tip 2. Never invest money into a real Forex account until you practice on a Forex Demo account!Allow at least 1 month for demo trading. Consider this: 90% of beginners fail to succeed in the real money market only because of lack of knowledge, practice and discipline. Those remaining 10% of successful traders had been sharpening and shaping their skills for years before entering the real market.

Tip 3. Go with the trend!Trend is your friend. Trade with the trend to maximize your chances to succeed. Trading against the trend won’t “kill” a trader, but will definitely require more attention, nerves and sharp skills to rich trading goals.

Tip 4. Always take a look at the time frame bigger than the one you’ve chosen to trade in. It gives the bigger picture of market price movements and so helps to clearly define the trend. For example, when trading in 15 minute time frame, take a look at 1 hour chart; trading hourly would require obtaining a picture of daily, weekly price movements. If a trend is hard to spot — choose a bigger time frame. Up and down market patterns are always present. Always make sure you know the dominant trend, unless you are a scalper. Scalpers have no need to spend their time studying big trends, what’s happening in the market here and now (during 5-10 minute time frame) should be of only importance to a Forex scalper.

Tip 5. Never risk more than 2-3% of the total trading account.

One important difference between a successful and an unsuccessful trader is that the first is able to survive under unfavourable conditions on the market, while an unsuccessful trader will blow up his account after 5-10 unprofitable trades in the row.Even with the same trading system 2 traders can get opposite results in the long run. The difference will be again in the money management approach. To introduce you to money management, let’s get one fact: losing 50% of total account requires making 100% return from the rest of money just to restore the original balance.

Tip 6. Put emotions down, trade calm. Don’t try to revenge after losing the trade. Don’t be greedy by adding lots of positions when winning.

Overreaction blocks clear thinking and as a result will cost you money. Overtrading can shake your money management and dramatically increase trading risks.

Tip 7. Choose the time frame that is right for you. Choosing wise means that you are comfortable and have time enough to analyse the market, place and close orders etc. Some people can’t wait for hours for the price to make a move; they like action and therefore prefer smaller time frames. On the contrary, for others 10-15 minutes is a hustle to be able to make the right decision.

Tip 8. Not trading or standing aside is a position. When in doubt — stay out. If it is not clear where the market will move — don’t trade. In this case saving present capital is and absolutely better choice than risking and losing money.

Tip 9. Learn to use protective stops. Respect them and don’t move.

Hoping that market will turn in your direction is a very delusive hope. By moving a stop loss further a trader increases his chances to end up with much bigger loss. When holding to a losing trade too long, and even if funds permit, traders as a rule are very reluctant to accept big losses, thus often continue “hoping for best”. In the mean time invested money is stuck in the open trade for unknown period of time (weeks and even months) and cannot be used for opening new positions. Not working money — dead money. Also this will result in constant interest payments for holding open positions.

Tip 10. “Keep it simple, stupid” — applies to indicators, signals and trading strategies. Too much information will create a controversial picture of when to trade and when not to. To avoid lots of confusion create a simple but working method of trading Forex.

Tip 11. Think about risk/reward ratio before entering each trade.

How much money can you lose in this trade? How much can you gain? Now, make a decision if the trade is worth entering. Example: if trader is looking for possible 35 pips gain and possible 25 pips of loss, such conditions are not worth trading. Compare it with the situation when a trader has 100-120 pips of potential gain and only 10-20 pips of possible loss. This is the trade to open!

Tip 12. Never add positions to a losing trade. Do add positions when the trade has proven to be profitable. Don’t allow a couple of losing trades in a row become a snowball of losing trades. When it is obviously not a good day, turn the monitor off. Often not trading for one day can help to break a chain of consecutive losses. Trying to get revenge can often make things worse.

Tip 13. Let your profits run. Let your position be open for as long as the market wishes to reward you. Of course, for this traders need a good exit strategy, otherwise they risk to give all profits back… Running two or more open trades gives an option to close some positions earlier and keep others running for higher profits.

Tip 14. Cut your losses short. It’s better to finish unprofitable trade quickly than wait for the situation to get worse. Don’t put a stop loss too far — it’s your money you risk. Better calculate the best spot to enter when a potential loss would be minimized. Again: respect your stop and don’t move it “cherishing hopes”.

Tip 15. Trade currency pairs in respect to their active market hours.

Learn about overlapping market hours: when two markets are open and highest volume of trades is conducted.For example, Australian and Japanese trading sessions are overlapped from 8pm to 1 am EST. At that time trader can successfully trade AUD/JPY currency pair.

Tip 16. Choose the right day to trade. This recomendation is often wrongly taken as an optional thing, because everyone knows that Forex market is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Yet, choosing the time to trade can make a difference between successful and hopeless trading. It’s proved and highly recommended not to trade on Mondays, when the market has recently awaken and is making first “probation steps” to form a new or confirm a current trend; and on Fridays afternoon, during the huge volume of closing trades. The best days to trade are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Tip 17. Learn about Fibonacci levels and how to use them for trading.

Fibonacci can be very helpful in trading, even partially using the study, for example, to determine the best exit, can bring traders to a new edge of trading.

Tip 18. Always ensure that a signalling bar/candle on the chart is fully formed and closed before you enter a trade.

A golden rule of trading: “Always trade what you see, not what you would like to see” is the best explanation here.

Tip 19. If you ask for someone else’s advice as about how and when to trade

in other words, choose to rely on live trading signals from other traders, make sure you do it for your benefit, not for disaster. If you use such signals to discover how other traders do analysis and study on the price — you are on the right track and soon you’ll be able to do analysis yourself.

But if you’re just blindly following recommendations and your only task is to push the correct button… think again.

Tip 20. Using a highly leveraged account comes at a cost. It will, of course, give a trader more financial gear to trade, but for inexperienced traders high leverage, and, in fact, any Forex leverage can be disastrous. When a trader signs up for a high leverage without knowing how to accurately use it to own advantage, he simply signs up for additional risks that multiply with higher leverage in a tight “friendly” proportion.

Tip 21. Learn to measure trading success by the end of the day, week and then month and year. Do not judge about your trading success on a single trade. To be successful traders don’t need to win every trade, they also don’t become rich in one trade — they need to be profitable in a long run.

Tip 22. There is no such thing as a secret approach to understanding the market. Take the time to develop a solid trading system and find out that the secret to trading success lies in hard work and constant learning.

The 8 Economic Factors That Affect The Forex Market

Where economic theory will affect the Forex market on a long-term basis, the affect of changes in economic data is much more immediate. Oftentimes, the biggest companies in the exchange market are the various countries that participate in market activities and there currency is likened to shares in that country. It follows then that the country’s economic data is analogous to the earnings data of a company or business entity.

News and information regarding a country’s economy can have a direct impact on the direction that the country’s currency is heading in much the same way that current events and financial news affect stock prices, hence the importance of economic factors. The following eight economic factors will directly affect a currency’s movements in the Forex market.

Factor 1 – Employment Data

Non-farm payrolls is the name given to the data that pertains to the number of people who are employed within the US economy, and it is released the first Friday of every month by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Strong decreases in employment indicate a contracting economy, while strong increases are perceived indicators of a prosperous economy.

Factor 2 – Interest Rates

This is always a major focus in the Forex market. Since the central banks mandate monetary policy and supply, they are the prime focus of investors and the various market participants.

Factor 3 – Inflation

This is the measure of increases or decreases in pricing levels over a period of time. Due to the immense number of goods and services available in a country, usually a grouping of these goods and services are used to measure changes in the pricing. Increases in pricing indicate an increase in the inflation rate which in turn can devalue that country’s currency.

Factor 4 – Gross Domestic Product

This is the measurement for goods and services that were finished over a period of time. The GDP is broken down into 4 categories:

1. business spending

2. government spending

3. private consumption

4. total net exports

Factor 5 – Retail Sales

The measurement of sales recorded by retailers over a period of time is a reflection of either increased or decreased consumer spending, depending on whether sales are up or down for the comparative period a year ago. This indicator gives market participants an idea as to how strong or weak the economy is.

Factor 6 – Durable Goods

Goods that have a lifespan of three or more years are considered durable goods and they are measured in quantities that are ordered, shipped, or unfilled over a period of time. These are also an indicator of economic spending or the lack of it.

Factor 7 – Trade and Capital Flows

Currency values can be significantly impacted by monetary flows that result from certain interactions between countries. When imports exceed exports, there is a tendency for the currency value to decline. Increased investments in a country can lead to the opposite result.

Factor 8 – Macroeconomic and Geopolitical Events

Elections, financial crises, monetary policy changes, and wars can influence the biggest changes in the Forex market. These events can either change and/or lead to reshaping of a country’s economy

Top 10 Currencies Traded On The Forex Market

The FX market, also known as the foreign exchange market, is a way for companies, banks, and individuals to trade currencies to try to gain on their initial investments. The Forex market is different and unique; the three markets (US, Europe, Asia) have at least one running at all times during the weekdays; this makes this a 24 hour a week-day market, working constantly on the week days to make sure currencies can be traded.

All currencies have the opportunity to be traded, but there are obviously major players that are traded the most on the FX market. There are 10 players on the market that find themselves a part of a majority of the trades that happen on the Forex market.

The Norwegian Krone, the Hong Kong Dollar, and the Swedish Krona

The Norwegian Krone is the number 10 most traded currency in the Forex market, as it is a part of nearly 1.5 percent of the daily transactions that happen. The Hong Kong dollar is the number 9 most traded currency as far as the forex market is concerned. Hong Kongs Dollar is a part of nearly 2 percent of the daily transactions. The Swedish Krona is a part of over 2 percent of the daily trades on the forex market.

The Canadian Dollar, the Australian Dollar, and the Swiss Franc

The Canadian Dollar finds itself at number 7 on the forex most traded list with over 4percent of the daily transaction on the forex market. The Australian Dollar finds itself with over 5 percent of the daily forex transactions and at number 6 on the list, and the Swiss Franc finds itself at number 5 with over 6 percent of the daily transactions.

The British Pound and the Japanese Yen

The British Pound, often compared to the US dollar, finds itself at number four on the forex most traded list by being apart of nearly 17 percent of the daily transactions. The Japanese Yen comes in at number 3. The Yen is featured in slightly over 20 percent of the daily transactions on the forex market.

The Euro and the United States Dollar

The Euro is an interesting currency, as it is the currency for multiple countries. This includes countries like Germany. Germany has the bank that does the most trading in the forex market. The Euro is the number two most traded currency on the forex market, as it is a part of nearly 37 percent of the daily transactions. The United States Dollar is easily the most powerful currency on the market, as it is a part of nearly 90 percent of the transactions that occur daily. As the number one most traded currency, it has 5 of the top 10 most active traders on the forex market.

The 8 Economic Factors That Affect The Forex Market

Where economic theory will affect the Forex market on a long-term basis, the affect of changes in economic data is much more immediate. Oftentimes, the biggest companies in the exchange market are the various countries that participate in market activities and there currency is likened to shares in that country. It follows then that the country’s economic data is analogous to the earnings data of a company or business entity.

News and information regarding a country’s economy can have a direct impact on the direction that the country’s currency is heading in much the same way that current events and financial news affect stock prices, hence the importance of economic factors. The following eight economic factors will directly affect a currency’s movements in the Forex market.

Factor 1 – Employment Data

Non-farm payrolls is the name given to the data that pertains to the number of people who are employed within the US economy, and it is released the first Friday of every month by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Strong decreases in employment indicate a contracting economy, while strong increases are perceived indicators of a prosperous economy.

Factor 2 – Interest Rates

This is always a major focus in the Forex market. Since the central banks mandate monetary policy and supply, they are the prime focus of investors and the various market participants.

Factor 3 – Inflation

This is the measure of increases or decreases in pricing levels over a period of time. Due to the immense number of goods and services available in a country, usually a grouping of these goods and services are used to measure changes in the pricing. Increases in pricing indicate an increase in the inflation rate which in turn can devalue that country’s currency.

Factor 4 – Gross Domestic Product

This is the measurement for goods and services that were finished over a period of time. The GDP is broken down into 4 categories:

1. business spending

2. government spending

3. private consumption

4. total net exports

Factor 5 – Retail Sales

The measurement of sales recorded by retailers over a period of time is a reflection of either increased or decreased consumer spending, depending on whether sales are up or down for the comparative period a year ago. This indicator gives market participants an idea as to how strong or weak the economy is.

Factor 6 – Durable Goods

Goods that have a lifespan of three or more years are considered durable goods and they are measured in quantities that are ordered, shipped, or unfilled over a period of time. These are also an indicator of economic spending or the lack of it.

Factor 7 – Trade and Capital Flows

Currency values can be significantly impacted by monetary flows that result from certain interactions between countries. When imports exceed exports, there is a tendency for the currency value to decline. Increased investments in a country can lead to the opposite result.

Factor 8 – Macroeconomic and Geopolitical Events

Elections, financial crises, monetary policy changes, and wars can influence the biggest changes in the Forex market. These events can either change and/or lead to reshaping of a country’s economy

Forex Trading Tips – Top 3 Money Management Rules to Succeed in Forex Trading

Most of the people whom I have met are only interested in searching for a great FX trading system but neglected on the money management part. You could find yourself in dead end if there is a lack of discipline in following the money management rules even if you know how to trade FX successfully.

Money management is what full time and professional Forex traders seen as one of the most important factor to succeed in Forex trading.

Below are the 3 proven techniques that FX trading experts ALWAYS practice:

1. Only Risk Maximum Of 5% of capital Per Trade

Capital Preservations are very important; it can determine whether you are able to survive in the long run in the Forex market. The reason for risking only maximum of 5% is that you still have ample capital to trade even if you loose a few trades. I risk only 1% of my capital per trade.

Never put all the eggs in one basket. Although you might have Forex trading signals which gives you good probability trades, but this #1 rule should form a general part of your trading system, so that you don’t risk too much on a trade.

2. Have a Healthy Risk to Reward Ratio

A lot of Forex traders only care about making profits in the market. Some don’t mind making small profits although their risk for that particular trade is higher. This is a huge mistake. Never risk more than what you can potentially make. For example, you should have a reward of at least 60 pips when you risk 30 pips, this is a healthy risk to reward ratio of 1:2.

This rule ensures you to be profitable, winning more than you loose. So let’s say out of 5 trades, if you loose 3, which is total of 90 pips (30 pips lost per trade), you win the other 2 trades (60 pips per trade), you will still make 30 pips net(120 pips – 90 pips).

3. Do Not Open Multiple Positions Until First Trade Is In Profits

You may be confident that the first Forex trade that you opened will be profitable, but do not open a second position until you see the profits from the first trade. This helps you to keep calm if the first position is in loss, and you don’t have another burden from the second trade.

Those above may seem simple but actually require much discipline in real fact. That is what makes the difference between professional traders and retail traders, you need the right Forex education.

10 Rules for Better Trading

Rule 1: Believe you can win. If other traders can do well in the market, so can you. However, if you don’t have enough courage and confidence in yourself, you will never achieve success. The events over the past year have tested many people in this regard and some now think the game is rigged against them. Nothing could be farther from the truth as opportunities remain. Those who will win in the markets first start by believing they can do it. Then they back up that strong belief with serious hard-work and determination to find their trading edge. However, it starts with you first having faith in yourself.

Rule 2: Don’t be seduced by results. You must stay in the present and focused on executing each trade to the best of your ability. Don’t let yourself think about how much you’re going to win (or lose) in the market or how great of a trader you are or not, but instead focus on what matters most – each and every trade you make. Do that and the results will take care of themselves.

Rule 3: Sulking won’t get you anything. The worst thing you can do for your prospects of winning is to get down when things don’t go well. If you start feeling sorry for yourself or thinking the trading gods are conspiring against you, you’re not focused on the next trade. Good traders readily accept their mistakes and move on to the next trade. They don’t let one bad trade carry onto the next one.

Rule 4: Beat them with patience. Every time you have the urge to make an aggressive trade, go with the more conservative one. You’ll always be OK. The moment you get impatient, bad things happen. In tough markets, stay patient and let others beat themselves.

Rule 5: Ignore unsolicited advice. You’ll have lots of well-meaning friends and experts who want to give you advice. Don’t accept it. In fact, stop them before they can say a word. Their comments will creep into your mind when you are trading and conflict with your own strategy. If you’ve worked on your game, commit to the plan and stay confident with it.

Rule 6: Embrace your personality. The key is to find what works best for you. There are many approaches out there, but there is only one trading approach that will utilize your best skills and talent to create and sustain an edge. The worst mistake you can make is to simply embrace a strategy of someone else that doesn’t match your own personality and strengths.

Rule 7: Have a routine to lean on. Every trader should follow a mental routine on every trade. It keeps you focused on what you have to do, and when the pressure is on, it helps you manage your nerves. You may not have control over the market, but you have control on how you trade the market. Having a routine will inject consistency that will keep you calm under pressure.

Rule 8: Find peace in the market. The market has to be your sanctuary, the thing you love, and you can’t be afraid of making mistakes. Yes, you’ll experience both good and bad times, but you must enjoy and revel in the challenge.

Rule 9: Test yourself. Don’t look for easy trades and setups at all times. Test yourself by working hard trades and difficult markets in order to test and improve your skills. For example, if you’re uncomfortable with trading options, spend a month just trading options. If you’re uncomfortable with shorting stocks, spend a month shorting stocks. We only get better if we constantly test what we think is most difficult.

Rule 10: Find someone who believes in you. Having confidence in yourself is important, but it helps to have someone who believes in you, too, whether it’s a spouse, a friend, a teacher, or a mentor. No man’s success can be entirely attributed to his own actions. You must surround yourself with people who believe in you at all times.

This is a powerful set of trading rules that will serve you well.

Source: Damien Hoffman

Quick Start Tips For Beginners in Forex Trading

Don’t let the size and complexity of the Forex market keep you from taking your piece of the pie. Trading FX can be done if you use the right tools and do the right research. Just like the stock market, you make money off of the ups and downs of the market. The Forex market is open 24/5 which means no matter where you are you can trade Forex.

Several years ago Forex trading was not available to individuals. If you were not a broker for a large financial institution, a bank, or a large corporation you were not allowed in this fast paced, liquid market. The financial requirements were large and very strict to be able to trade currency with the big traders. That has all changed over the last few years and now you can become part of the largest financial market in the world with very little start up capital.

The opportunity to earn large profits has made Forex trading hugely popular. But with large gains there also comes large risks. You must understand even seasoned traders lose money trading Forex.. There is a lot of information available online to help educate you on Forex trading. You can also open a demo account to practice on before you actually start trading real money, as well as mini accounts that start you out small and work your way up to full contracts.

Trading demo accounts will teach you many things about trading Forex but many experts say the best lessons come in actually trading on the market. Learning the language and studying the charts.

Here are three simple things you need to start trading the Forex market:

1. Home office set up with a computer that has high speed internet

2. A funded Forex account

3. A good Forex trading system

Along with these three basic things you need to trade, you should also remember to get a basic understanding of charts. Charts will help you understand what is going on with currencies around the world and will help you plan your trading strategy. Learning to trade Forex can lead to large profits but remember it does not come without risks. Prepare yourself with a good investment plan, a trading system, and begin with one of the free demo accounts offered by a Forex brokers. You can be, working from home, trading Forex and being part of the largest financial market in the world.

Source:Henri Ritand

7 Reasons Why Forex Is A Superior Trading Arena For Individuals

Over the last decade or so, the Foreign Currency Exchange markets and trading platforms have become a superior arena for active individual investors. Trading world currencies for the difference in exchange rates can be a lucrative hobby and a very satisfying lifestyle. Following are some points to ponder when comparing the Forex market with stocks, bonds, commodities and mutual funds.

1. Liquidity

An average day in the Forex market sees approximately 1.9 trillion US dollars worth of trade. Almost every country in the world has institutional and individual traders who are active and have a personal interest in this largest of commodities. Over 7000 international banks and small and large speculators make up the largest market in the world.

2. Leverage

Leverage is the use of a tool to influence the directional trend of a mass that would otherwise be much more difficult to control, if not impossible. Previously only master traders with a $100 million account had access to the inter-bank currency exchange.

With the recent enormous international growth this market is now open to the home computer. Individual traders now have the same leverage guarantees that international banks have had for years. A small amount of money can be used to control a very large contract of foreign currency. Up to 100:1 leverage is available, and higher in some cases. This means $1000 can be used to hold $100,000 worth of another currency, I never advise to ever use the total leverage available.

3. Brokers

As a trader gains experience, a full service paid broker is no longer necessary. All trades can be initiated and terminated from the trader’s choice of office. The home office needs high speed internet, a telephone line, and a computer. Location is only limited to these requirements. The Forex market is operated online by several hundred large banks processing trades of governments and large companies, and has no real central location.

4. Software

A number of free software applications are offered by brokerage houses specifically written for the average home computer. The greater power the computer has will naturally offer more local speed, but most current computers will work fine. These programs offer real-time charting, several dozen indicators, live price feed and the capability to sell and buy currency pairs immediately online.

Software programs costing $2000 and up are available with advanced features, but are not necessary for the beginning trader. More complicated software may only increase the education period, and hinder time better spent learning trading strategies.

5. Hours of Trading

The Forex market is truly global, trading 24 hours a day every day. Short periods during the weekend have slower activity, but with time differences around the world, these periods are minimal. Someone is actively trading somewhere virtually round the clock.

6. Live Practice

Most brokers offer a free demo version of their live software, easily downloaded and installed. No account deposit is needed. The programs work exactly like the real versions, with buy/sell capability, real-time data updates; a realistic $100,000 account with active profit and loss; open, pending and closed trades; and actual stop, limit and market trades.

The trader can practice trading tactics until confident and successful.

7. Initial Investment

Recent developments now allow a minimum account deposit of $1500. This mini-account offers lower leverage.

Brokers naturally offer conservative training courses, so the trader should look elsewhere for more advanced mentoring. A lot of training is available on the internet, and websites offers access to cutting-edge successful strategies developed by a mathematician. Not all successful strategies are made public. Do your due diligence to find the methods that work for you.

Source: Kelly Archibald.

The Forex Market and Its Success Potential

The Forex market (or Foreign Exchange market) has become one of the most lucrative forms of trading in history. Until recently, this market was limited to government banks and lending institutions. Today, any investor can take advantage of this profitable market easily.

In this unique market, currency is bought and sold based on the fluctuation of exchange rates. You’re actually buying one type of currency with another type of currency and profiting from the difference if you buy and sell at the right time.

For instance, someone who buys Euro dollars with U.S. dollars will profit if U.S. dollars are worth even more at the time of selling (exchanging Euros back into U.S. dollars). It works similar to other stock market ventures except the broker makes money from the difference in the buy/sell amounts for the two countries.

There are three factors that can affect the value of currency and the exchange rate between two countries. Interest rates can change on a daily basis depending on the country’s currency value. These interest rates affect the lending rates used to buy foreign currency when borrowing to do so.

The unemployment rate also affects a nation’s currency value. The economy is usually very weak at times of high unemployment, thus causing the value of the currency to decrease. A third factor is when major political events take place in a country such as elections, national disasters, wars, etc.

These three factors alone can cause the exchange rates among countries to fluctuate tremendously, and they are worth watching if you’re planning to invest in the Forex market.

The Forex market offers plenty of earning potential once you understand how it works. One reason this market is so lucrative is because you are able to trade any time of the day. It’s not limited by corporate schedules or anything else.

Another reason you can profit is because brokers will lend you the money to get started – up to 100 times of your cash on hand! So, you’ll have tremendous trading power right from the start, I do not advise to use anywhere near the full amount.