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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.
When the company does well and makes a profit, the value of the stocks rise. Stock owners can sell their shares for a profit or hold on to the stock for even more gain in the future. Sometimes companies will issue dividends - part of the profits that are distributed to share holders.
Stocks are traded on stock exchanges. Most stocks are bought and sold through brokers who charge a commission or fee for this service. American stock exchanges include the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System (NASDAQ). Most stocks are only listed on one exchange, although large companies may have listings on several exchanges.
Stocks were traditionally seen as long term investments. So called 'blue chip' stocks - those having proven value over many years - may form the backbone of an investment portfolio. Short term trading is a relatively new phenomenon made possible with the advent of Internet trading. Day traders attempt to take advantage of large daily fluctuations in the market by buying and selling many times in one trading period. It is relatively risky and any profits realized are reduced by broker commissions charged on each transaction.
Stocks may sometimes be bought on margin, meaning that the investor borrows money to buy the stocks. Margin rates are usually around 50% - the investor can borrow as much as half the value of the stock.
FOREX
The Foreign Exchange Market (FOREX) is quite different from the stock exchange. In contrast to the stock exchange, the FOREX is primarily a short term market. Most traders enter and exit deals within a 24 hour period - sometimes within a few minutes. Many FOREX trades can be made in one day without building up a large brokerage fee because FOREX trades are commission free. Brokers earn money by setting a spread - the difference between asking and selling prices.
The FOREX is the largest financial market in the world. It is handles transactions worth $1.5 trillion every day. By comparison, all the American stock exchanges combined handle daily transactions worth about $100 billion. The huge volume of FOREX means that it is one of the most liquid markets in the world. There is always a buyer and seller for any type of currency because the world economy relies on the movement of goods from country to country. The stock market is less liquid because participants may choose to hold their investments or move on to other markets.
The FOREX is not located in any one location. Trading markets are located world-wide and because of difference in time-zones trades can be made 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. Trading begins in Sydney, Australia on Monday morning (Sunday afternoon New York time) and continues non-stop until Friday afternoon New York time.
Stock exchanges have more limited trading hours. While it is possible to trade on exchanges world-wide, each exchange is independent and operates for just 7 hours a day. There is no way to buy or sell a certain stock that is only traded on one stock exchange when that exchange is closed.
Other advantages of FOREX? It is more predictable than stocks. It follows well established trends; it allows high leverage - typically 100:1 instead of 2:1 on the stock market; and it doesn't require a large investment - mini accounts as small as $250 can get you started in FOREX.
 Amazingly Simple Forex Trading System, Forex Strategies and Techniques Which Will Show You How To Make Up To US$2000 In A Single Trade
Guide To Profitable Forex Day Trading
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Forex Trading News
Euro/US Dollar Forecast to Decline According to Forex Trading Signals (Daily FX via Yahoo! Finance) - Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:46:19 GMT
Our proprietary forex trading signals have aggressively sold the Euro against the US Dollar, forecasting that we may see continued EURUSD declines through upcoming trading. Indeed, increasingly bullish crowd sentiment on the Euro/US Dollar pair has led our Speculative Sentiment Index-based "Momentum2" trading strategy to sell into crowd buying?taking a contrarian position to increasingly ... Euro/US Dollar Forecast to Decline According to Forex Trading Signals (Daily FX) - Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:00:53 GMT
Our proprietary forex trading signals have aggressively sold the Euro against the US Dollar, forecasting that we may see continued EURUSD declines through upcoming trading. Forex Trading Signals Outperform on Explosive Market Volatility - Free for Limited Time (Daily FX via Yahoo! Finance) - Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:16:47 GMT
Forex markets continue to see tremendous volatility on persistent turmoil in broader financial markets, and our "Breakout" currency trading signals have outperformed through record price movements. EURUSD-Forex Trading Indicator Forecasts Euro May Gain Before Further Declines (Daily FX) - Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:59:09 GMT
EURUSD – Our Forex positioning indicator accurately forecasted Euro/US dollar declines through recent trade, and contrarian analysis of current “crowd” trading likewise signals that the EURUSD may continue its decline. Euro/US Dollar Forecast to Decline According to Forex Trading Signals (Daily FX) - Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:46:00 GMT
Indeed, increasingly bullish crowd sentiment on the Euro/US Dollar pair has led our Speculative Sentiment Index-based “Momentum2” trading strategy to sell into crowd buying—taking a contrarian position to increasingly bullish traders.
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RELATED ARTICLES
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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