Forex Trading the Foreign Exchange FX Currency Markets

How to Get Started In FOREX Trading

You may have been hearing about the foreign exchange market (FOREX) and the investment advantages it offers. You would like to try it out, but don't know where to start. This short guide will give you the basics in FOREX and tell you what you need to participate in this fast growing field.

Foreign exchange used to be limited to large players such as national banks and multi-national corporations. In the 1980's the rules were revised to allow smaller investors to participate using margin accounts. Margin accounts are the reason why FOREX trading has become so popular. With a 100:1 margin account, you can control $100,000 with a $1,000 investment.

FOREX is not simple, however, and education is needed to make wise investment decisions. Although it is relatively easy to start trading on the FOREX, there are risks involved, so finding out as much as possible about the market is a good move for any beginner.

FOREX traders usually require a broker to handle transactions. Most brokers are reputable and are associated with large financial institutions such as banks. A reputable broker will be registered as a Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) as protection against fraud and abusive trade practices.

Opening a FOREX account is as simple as filling out a form and providing the necessary ID. The form will include a margin agreement that states that the broker can interfere with any trade it deems to be too risky. This is to protect the interests of the broker - most trades, after all, are done using the broker's money. Once your account has been established, you can fund it and begin trading.

Many brokers have different types of accounts to suit the needs of individual investors. Mini accounts allow you to get involved in FOREX trading for as little as $250, while standard accounts may have a minimum deposit of $1000 to $2500 depending on the broker. The amount of leverage - using borrowed money - varies with accounts. High leverage gives you more money to trade for a given investment.

HOWEVER - beginner traders are advised get accustomed to FOREX by doing paper trades for a period of time. Paper trades are practice transactions that don't involve real capital. They allow you to see how the system works while learning how to use the various software tools that are at provided by most FOREX brokers.

Most online brokers have demo accounts that allow you to make free paper trades for up to 30 days. Every new FOREX investor is strongly advised to use these demo accounts at least until they are showing consistently steady profits.

Each broker has their own set of software tools to aid in making transactions, but there are a few tools that are common to all FOREX brokers. Real time quotes, news feeds, technical analyses and charts, and profit and loss analyses are some of the features you should expect to see on most online brokers' web sites.

Almost every broker operates on the Internet. To access their online services you should have a reasonably modern computer, a fast Internet connection, and an up-to-date operating system such as Windows XP. Once your account is set up, you can access it from any computer - just enter your account name and password. If for some reason you are not able get access to a computer, most brokers will allow you to make trades over the phone.

Trades are commission free, meaning that you can make many trades in one day without worrying about incurring high brokerage fees. Brokers make their money on the 'spread' - the difference between bid and ask prices.

Forex Trading News

FOREX-Dollar on defensive after U.S. payrolls - Sun, 05 Sep 2010 18:20:38 -0700
FOREX-Dollar on defensive after U.S. payrolls

Forex Strategy Corner: Bollinger Bands Techniques for Trading - Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:11:48 -0700
Bollinger Bands have long been one of the most popular technical indicators across financial markets, and many forex traders use them regularly in their day-to-day trading. The key question to ask of any forex analysis technique is nonetheless clear: how effective is the Bollinger Bands indicator as a forex strategy?

FOREX: Ringgit Opens At 13-year High On Strong Demand For Local Currency - Sun, 05 Sep 2010 19:40:04 -0700
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 6 (Bernama) -- The ringgit opened 13-year fresh high against the US dollar in early trading on Monday on strong demand for the local currency, dealers said.

Forex: GBP/JPY pick up to 130.40 from 129.80 low - Sun, 05 Sep 2010 17:58:28 -0700
FXstreet.com (Barcelona) - The British Pound was able to recover the lost ground in pre-market trading, as investors snapped the price back up towards 130.50 again, matching its closing price from Friday, to even trek slightly higher, hitting an intra-day high at 130.58. Afterward, a weak hold led to a minor retreat at 130.35, current price.

Forex: GBP/USD without definable trend at 1.5460 - Sun, 05 Sep 2010 19:43:28 -0700
FXstreet.com (Barcelona) - Despite the British Pound has been developing lower lows in the daily chart ever since coming off from a 6-month high at 1.5990 on Aug 6, the pair remains in a choppy trading range since early last week.

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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