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FOREX 101The Foreign Exchange Market, or FOREX market is a worldwide market where buying and selling of currencies takes place. These transactions take place 5 days a week, 24 hours a day and daily are worth approximately 1.5 trillion dollars (US). The FOREX market opened in 1971 when the fixed currency exchanges market was closed. Thanks to the technology now available this market has grown from trading 70 billion dollars (US) a day to the current level. There are approximately 5,000 institutions in FOREX. Some are banks, some commercial companies and some foreign currency brokers. The largest FOREX trading centers are located in New York, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris, Frankfurt, Singapore and Paris. As mentioned above, technology has produced a boom in the FOREX market. With the advent of online investing even small investors can take advantage of the FOREX market. Over the years many regulations have changed allowing smaller transactions to take place. There are no longer minimum transaction sizes. Some of the advantages to FOREX are: Brokers earn money by setting the spread, they do not work on a commission basis. The spread is known as the difference between what a currency can be bought for and sold at. The market is open, as mentioned above, 24 hours a day, 5 days a week and is available to you at the push of a button over the internet. The FOREX market is a huge one and with bids and ask offers and the high number of transactions taking place on a daily basis the market remains liquid. This means there is always a buyer and a seller for any currency type.
Because there are always movements between currencies even small changes can result in profits for investors. This is due to the fact that the market is broken down into what are called lots. Each lot is worth approximately 100 thousand dollars (US). Individuals can invest through what are called leverage loans. Generally a $1,000.00 investment can get you started. This article courtesy of http://www.direct-forex.net
FOREX-Dollar on defensive after U.S. payrolls - Sun, 05 Sep 2010 18:20:38 -0700 Forex Strategy Corner: Bollinger Bands Techniques for Trading - Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:11:48 -0700 FOREX: Ringgit Opens At 13-year High On Strong Demand For Local Currency - Sun, 05 Sep 2010 19:40:04 -0700 Forex: GBP/JPY pick up to 130.40 from 129.80 low - Sun, 05 Sep 2010 17:58:28 -0700 Forex: GBP/USD without definable trend at 1.5460 - Sun, 05 Sep 2010 19:43:28 -0700 |
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Calculating FOREX Profits and Losses FOREX currencies are traded in much smaller divisions than cash. Whereas the smallest division in US cash is the penny ($0.01), US currency can be traded on the FOREX in divisions of $0.0001. This smallest division is called the pip (short for Price Interest Point - sometimes just called 'points'). Since currencies are traded in large lots of (say) $100,000 - small movements in value can generate substantial profits and losses. In a lot of US$100,000 one pip is worth $10 so an increase in 40 pips (4/10 of one cent) can generate a profit or loss of $400. FOREX Brokers Most FOREX traders use a broker to handle their transactions. What exactly is a broker? Strictly speaking, a broker is an individual or a company that buys and sells orders according the investor's decisions. Brokers earn money by charging a commission or a fee for their services. FOREX Signals One of the disadvantages of FOREX trading is the time investment needed to monitor the markets for advantageous entry and exit points. It's possible to sit in front of a computer monitor for hours watching the markets. FOREX Trading Strategies To be a successful FOREX trader you need a trading strategy. There is no one set strategy that is good for all traders; rather, each trader needs to develop his or her individual approach to the FOREX. Some traders rely solely on technical analysis while others prefer fundamental analysis, but many successful FOREX traders use a combination of both to get a broad overview of the market and for plotting entry and exit points. FOREX Training Knowledge is the key to successful FOREX trading. The knowledgeable trader has greater awareness of how the market moves and more chances of making profitable transactions. Without knowledge you are shooting in the dark. You may succeed on a few deals but the odds are that you are going to lose in the long run. FOREX versus Stocks Stocks have been a popular investment for hundreds of years. Companies issue stocks to raise capital for expansion and new projects, and each share of the stock represents a partial ownership in the company. How to Read FOREX Quotes Currency prices are determined by a number of factors, the most important of which are economic and political conditions in the issuing country. Political stability, inflation, and interest rates are all factored into the price of any currency. In addition, governments can try to control the price of their currency by either flooding the market (to lower the price) or buying extensively (to raise the price). Introduction to Fundamental Analysis FOREX traders almost always rely on analysis to make plan their trading strategies. There are two basic types of FOREX analysis - technical and fundamental. This article will look at fundamental analysis and how it used in FOREX trading. Risks of FOREX Trading Despite the claims you may see on some FOREX web sites, FOREX is not risk-free. You are trading with substantial sums of money and there is always a possibility that trades will go against you. There are several trading tools, however, that can minimize your risk, and with caution, and above all education, the FOREX trader can learn how to trade profitably and while minimizing losses. Trading Currencies on Margin The key to FOREX popularity is margin. Without margin, the FOREX would be beyond the reach of the average investor. So, what exactly is margin and how does it work? |
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