Thursday, June 28, 2007

Forex Trading: Learn How To Read A Forex Quote

By: Gregory DeVictor

Forex is an abbreviated name for "foreign exchange." The Forex market is a non-stop cash market where the currencies of nations are bought and sold, typically via brokers. For example, you buy Euros, paying with U.S. Dollars, or you sell Euros for Japanese Yen.

The value of your Forex investment increases or decreases because of changes in the currency exchange rate or Forex rate. These changes often result from economic and political factors, such as the price of oil or political unrest. To better understand how the exchange rate can affect the value of your Forex investment, this article shows you how to read a Forex quote.

Forex quotes are always expressed in pairs. In the following example, your "pair" of currencies are the U.S. Dollar (USD) and the Euro (EUR). The Forex quote, USD/EUR = 265.50, means that one U.S. dollar is equal to 265.50 Euros. The currency to the left of the / (USD in this case) is referred to as base currency and its value is always 1. The currency to the right of the / (EUR in this case) is referred to as the counter currency. In this example, one USD can buy 265.50 EUR, since it is the stronger of the two currencies.

Because the U.S. dollar is regarded as the central currency of the Forex market, it is always treated as the base currency in any Forex quote where it is one of the pairs. Incidentally, the U.S. Dollar is involved in nearly 90% of all Forex transactions.

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Wednesday, June 27, 2007

A Forex Signal That Is Absolutely Critical For Success

By: Michael A. Jones

Support and resistance is such a powerful Forex signal that without understanding its impact on the market, a trader will probably never master the skills necessary to make profits on a consistent basis.

This Forex signal simply registers where price reached a peak or a low. On a higher time frame these price levels can have huge significance. Why?

Getting Behind The Scene

We need to understand what is going on behind candle patterns and price movements. Imagine thousands of traders coming to their desks each day all around the world and processing orders involving billions of dollars worth of currency.

The price at which they bought the currency now represents a key level for them. They do not want to see price go in the opposite direction or they will be at a loss. So what happens? They do everything possible to protect that price level.

The daily chart is of particular importance when considering support and resistance as a Forex signal. Traders associated with big institutions often refer to the daily chart rather than lower time frames. So price highs and lows on a daily chart can represent key, strategic price levels.

If price reached a high within the last few days, you can be sure a number of traders have millions or even billions of dollars worth of currency tied up at around that level or below it. For price to go above that high there is going to have to be considerable buying pressure from the bulls. Obviously the converse is true when price reaches a new low.

So look at the higher time frames like the daily, and 4 hour charts and identify these key levels of support and resistance. They form a major Forex signal.

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Tuesday, June 26, 2007

What is Forex Trading?

By: T. Houser

Trading has taken a lot of routes in the modern world as more and more avenues open up for earning money. However, there are always certain trading methods which remain a mystery to people. One such trading method is the Foreign exchange trading, where each transaction seems to be a new kind.

Even for a well versed stock market trader, forex market poses great challenges. Therefore extra care has to be taken in forex trading. For playing safe and making money or atleast to ensure that the loss is minimal, what is important is to have adequate forex trading information.

An international market called the forex market exists where people can trade i.e. buy or sell foreign currency at prices determined by demand and supply conditions. Speculations made in the forex market are a means to make maximum profits if one is equipped with proper Forex Trading Information.

The first thing to know about forex trading is the requisites for purchase or sales. In today's technically developed market scenario, one needs to have only a computer, a small initial investment and an analytical ability to watch and perceive movements in forex prices.

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Monday, June 25, 2007

Forex Low Cost Options Available

By: Elby Tineo

This interesting article addresses some of the key issues regarding forex. A careful reading of this material could make a big difference in how you think about the forex market.

There are discount commission brokerages, charting resources, free news, and free analysis packages concerning Forex. This has become a downright scary situation in which securities regulators are in over their head. Many brokers have different types of accounts to match the needs of individual investors. Ultimately a measure of market psychology is needed to achieve success.


By using several non-correlated systems. By using numerous automated strategies. You don't need a lot to get started with forex trading. Make sure that you get your financial goals.

This has become a "trader's market" but only for the adroit. There are dealers who will quote currencies. Many brokers have found that their customers can benefit from following live trading accounts. It is true that they will tell you that a one or 2 pip spread exists on a specific currency pair. However some traders do forex-trading strategies that trade short term on the reactions to different news releases.

Be sure you are in touch with reality as far as your expectations and goals and other practical considerations. This trading method is so effective that your broker will think you can see the future. The majority of traders lose because they cannot control their emotions. Even though this market trades twenty four hours there are better times to trade.

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Sunday, June 24, 2007

Keep Your Shirt On- Skirt Those Forex Scams

By: Joseph Plazo

Whenever there is an opportunity to make large amounts of money, there will be people who are eager to jump right in and start making money. And where there are people who are eager to get rich quick with a minimum of effort on their part, there are fraudsters waiting to take their money. Experienced traders are wise enough to avoid the frauds - it's the new traders who are most vulnerable to the forex scams that are slipping into the currency exchange market.

The U.S. CFTC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission), which regulates futures and commodities trading, warns new investors to be wary of frauds and scams that promise huge profits from your investments, in and out of the Forex market. The CFTC has issued several Consumer Fraud Alerts in connection with foreign currency trading. They offer the following tips to help you avoid being scammed.

Be skeptical of high-profit-low-risk come-ons.

"I made $1900 in one minute!" touts one sidebar ad for a Forex trading company. Ads that promise high returns on small investments with little or no risk to you are tempting bait. The fact is that while there are certainly big profits to be made in forex, there are correspondingly large losses. And most novice traders drop out of active trading by the end of their first year because they can't afford the risk.

Be suspicious. Period. Before you part with a penny, thoroughly check out the company or trader you're planning to do business with. Check the CFTC's consumer fraud alert page. Check to see if the company is registered with the CFTC, or is a member of the National Futures Association. Check to see if there's any disciplinary action against the firm or company. Get even more basic. Get a valid address and telephone number, and verify that it belongs to the company. Check to be sure the person you're dealing with actually works for the company. Especially if you're doing business on the Internet, it's very easy for a scammer to fake credentials.

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Friday, June 22, 2007

Forex Managed Accounts Explained

By: Dean Forster

Do you want to trade in the highly liquidated and extremely profitable foreign exchange market, but don't want to learn all those terms, charts, indicators, and technical details that you need to be successful on your own? Then maybe you're looking for forex managed accounts. Don't know what that is? Then keep reading; maybe you'll learn a thing or two after all.

Forex managed accounts are as simple as they sound: accounts in the foreign exchange market which are managed by a trader, paid for by an investor, and result in lots of good money. There are two kinds of forex managed accounts, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages when it comes to trading in the market. It's up to you which you pick.

The first type of forex managed accounts is the robot, or the automated account. This completely automatic program is designed by experienced traders in the forex market and supplied to the investor for simplicity. This is clearly the most efficiently managed account available to you, as it takes into consideration all indicators and statistics open to it. When the time comes, the robot receives a signal--and trades. It's that easy. However, robots do lack an instinct--which can be a good thing, if you're hoping to avoid emotional trades, or a bad thing, if you want someone who'll take advantage of a huge opportunity.

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Thursday, June 21, 2007

Choosing The Right Broker: The First Step To Forex Success

By: Hugh Gordon

As the online Forex trading market becomes increasingly saturated and the choice of brokers becomes wider, the decision of which broker to run with becomes increasingly important for the trader. Although the majority of brokers provide the same basic trading platform, there can be a vast difference in what they offer their clients, both in terms of trading conditions as well as customer support. By simply visiting a company's homepage it may be hard to separate the second-rate firms from the professionals, therefore this article will examine the main parameters that should be taken into consideration before creating an account and depositing.

Account type

The decision of which type of account to open will most likely depend on the amount of capital you have to invest. Most brokerages offer two main account types: a "Mini" ($100-$200 minimum deposit) and a "standard" account ($1,000-$2,000 minimum deposit). Mini accounts are best suited to new or amateur traders looking to gain market experience and confidence with a smaller investment, and offer higher leverage, which you'll need in order to make money with such a small amount of initial capital. "Standard" account holders can expect to enjoy a wider variety of leverage options, but will have to invest a greater sum of money for the privilege. Although not as commonly advertised, many brokers provide a premium service for large investors (perhaps $100,000 - $250,000+), including additional VIP services, such as a dedicated fund manager and tailor made conditions.

Common to nearly all online brokers is the offer of a demo account, which allows users to get a feel for the software and gain trading experience without the risk of market exposure. Such simulations are undoubtedly beneficial to potential clients wishing to test the waters, but caveat emptor: they are not always representative of real-market, real-platform conditions, despite claims of full functionality. Do not be afraid to question a brokerage on this matter - an honest, reliable broker will admit the downfalls of a demo account.

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