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Forex eBook - Read and Learn

Forex eBook - Read and Learn

Speculation vs investment

It is very important that the individual wanting to trade foreign exchange be aware of the very marked difference between speculation and investment. Forex trading is by nature a speculative occupation. Foreign exchange markets are amongst the most volatile markets in the world. When traded on a margined basis they effectively become the most volatile in the world. Day trading in foreign exchange can be extremely profitable and high-risk profile traders can generate huge percentage returns even overnight. Day trading is however a mentally and psychologically challenging activity and is by no means meant for everyone. Day trading is essentially speculation and day traders essentially only do that: day trading. Most people who trade foreign exchange are not professional day traders however.Often the contractors of foreign exchange brokerage services are professionals in some capacity or other. These people do not day trade but take the occasional position from time to time. This is also speculation and should not be confused with making an investment.The conclusion here is that the nature of foreign exchange trading not lend itself as much to investment as it does to speculation and hedging (hedging may be performed in forward instruments). It is possible in a sense to make an investment in foreign exchange over a long-term period but this necessitates a

. large account value and low leveraging

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Market dynamics

The breadth, depth, and liquidity of the market are truly impressive. It has been estimated that the world's most active exchange rates like EURUSD and USDJPY can change up to 18,000 times during a single day.Somewhere on the planet, financial centers are open for business, and banks and other institutions are trading the dollar and other currencies, every hour of the day and night, aside from possible minor gaps on weekends. In financial centers around the world, business hours overlap; as some centers close, others open and begin to trade.The foreign exchange market follows the sun around the earth. Each business day arrives first in the Asia-Pacific financial centers; first Wellington, New Zealand, then Sydney, Australia, followed by Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Singapore. A few hours later, while markets remain active in those Asian centers, trading begins in Bahrain and elsewhere in the Middle East. Later still, when it is late in the business day in Tokyo, markets in Europe open for business. Subsequently, when it is early afternoon in Europe, trading in New York and other U.S. centers starts. Finally, completing the circle, when it is middle or late afternoon in the United States, the next day has arrived in the Asia-Pacific area, the first markets there have opened, and the process begins again.The graph underneath displays not only the currency trading time cycle but also the average 'depth' of trading at different times during the day in the various business hours.1. Spot rateA spot transaction is a straightforward (or outright) exchange of one currency for another. The spot rate is the current market price or 'cash' rate. Spot transactions do not require immediate settlement, or payment 'on the spot'. By convention, the settlement date, or value date, is the second business day after the deal date on which the transaction is made by the two parties.2. Bid & askIn the foreign exchange market (and essentially in all markets) there is a buying and selling price. It is important to perceive these prices as a reflection of market condition.A market maker is expected to quote simultaneously for his customers both a price at which he is willing to buy (the bid) and a price at which he is willing to sell (the ask) standard amounts of any currency for which he is making a market.ACM quotes very competitive spreads to customers, to site an example if a trader is interested in a transaction in EURUSD then he can trade on a bid/ask of say 0.9150 / 0.9153. This means that ACM is willing to buy from him a pre-determined amount at 0.9150 or inversely to sell to him at 0.9153.Generally speaking the difference between the bid and ask rates reflect the level of liquidity in a certain instrument. On a normal trading day, the major currency pairs EURUSD, USDJPY, USDCHF and GBPUSD are traded by a multitude of market participant every few seconds. High liquidity means that there is always a seller for your buy and a buyer for your sell at actual prices.3. Base currency and counter currencyEvery foreign exchange transaction involves two currencies. It is important to keep straight which is the base currency and which is the counter currency. The counter currency is the numerator and the base currency is the denominator. When the counter currency increases, the base currency strengthens and becomes more expensive. When the counter currency decreases, the base currency weakens and becomes cheaper. In telephone trading communications, the base currency is always stated first. For example, a quotation for USDJPY means the US dollar is the base and the yen is the counter currency. In the case of GBPUSD (usually called 'cable') the British pound is the base and the US dollar is the counter currency.4. Quotes in terms of base currencyTraders always think in terms of how much it costs to buy or sell the base currency. When a quote of 0.9150 / 53 is given that means that a trader can buy EUR against USD at 0.9153. If he is buying EURUSD for 1'000'000 at that rate he would have USD 915'300 in exchange for his million Euro. Of course traders are not actually interested in exchanging large amounts of different currency, their main focus is to buy at a low rate and sell at higher one.5. Basis points or 'pips'For most currencies, bid and offer quotes are carried down to the fourth decimal place. That represents one-hundredth of one percent, or 1/10,000th of the counter currency unit, usually called a 'pip'. However, for a few currency units that are relatively small in absolute value, such as the Japanese yen, quotes may be carried down to two decimal places and a 'pip' is 1/100th of the terms currency unit. In foreign exchange, a 'pip' is the smallest amount by which a price may fluctuate in that market.6. Euro cross & cross ratesEuro cross rates are currency pairs that involve the Euro currency versus another currency. Examples of Euro crosses are EURJPY, EURCHF and GBPEUR. Currency pairs that involve neither the Euro nor the US dollar are called cross rates. Examples of cross rates are GBPJPY and CHFJPY. Of course hundreds of cross rates exist involving exotic currency pairs but they are often plagued by low liquidity. Ever since the Euro the number of liquid cross rates have decreased and have been replaced

to a certain extent) by Euro crosses.

Main forex markets

Foreign exchange is traded essentially in two distinctive ways. Over an organized exchange and 'over the counter'. Exchange traded foreign exchange represents a very small portion of the total foreign exchange market the great majority of foreign exchange deals being traded between banks and other market participants 'over the counter'.1. Exchange traded currenciesIn the case of an organized exchange like the Chicago Mercantile exchange (CME) in the US, standardized currency contract sizes that represent a certain monetary value are traded in the International money market (IMM). A central clearing house organizes matching of transactions between counter-parties. There are various disadvantages to trading currency futures as outlined in the chapter Advantages of trading FX.2. Forex marketIn comparison the over the counter market is traded around the world by a multitude of participants and price quality, reputation and trading conditions determine who a participant wishes to trade with. It is probably the most competitive market in the world and brokers like ACM must insure they live up to the highest standards of service and be compliant with market standards and practices if they want to acquire new customers and retain their existing ones. In 1998 a survey under the auspices of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), global turnover of reporting dealers was estimated at about USD 1.49 trillion per day. In comparison, currency futures turnover was estimated at USD 12 billion.Among the various financial centers around the world, the largest amount of foreign exchange trading takes place in the United Kingdom, even though that nation's currency, the British pound is less widely traded in the market than several others. As shown in the graph underneath, the United Kingdom accounts for about 32 percent of the global total; the United States ranks a distant second with about 18 percent, and Japan is third with 8 percent.

Market participants

In the last years, the foreign exchange market has expanded from one where banks would execute transactions between themselves to one in which many other kinds of financial institutions like brokers and market-makers participate including non-financial corporations, investment firms, pension funds and hedge funds.Its' focus has broadened from servicing importers and exporters to handling the vast amounts of overseas investment and other capital flows that currently take place. Lately foreign exchange day trading has become increasingly popular and various firms offer trading facilities to the small investor.Foreign exchange is an 'over the counter' (OTC) market, that means that there is no central exchange and clearing house where orders are matched. Geographic trading 'centers' exist around the world however and are: (in order of importance) London, New York, Tokyo, Singapore, Frankfurt, Geneva & Zurich, Paris and Hong Kong. Essentially foreign exchange deals are made between participants on the basis of trust and reputation to deliver on an agreement. In the case of banks trading with one another, they do so solely on that basis. In the retail market, customers demand a written legally accepted contract between themselves and their broker in exchange of a deposit of funds on which basis the customer may trade.Some market participants may be involved in the 'goods' market, conducting international transactions for the purchase or sale of merchandise. Some may be engaged in 'direct investment' in plant and equipment, or may be in the 'money market,' trading short-term debt instruments internationally. The various investors, hedgers, and speculators may be focused on any time period, from a few minutes to several years. But, whether official or private, and whether their motive be investing, hedging, speculating, arbitraging, paying for imports, or seeking to influence the rate, they are all part of the aggregate demand for and supply of the currencies involved, and they all play a role in determining the exchange rate at that moment.

Origins of foreign exchange

In order to gain a complete understanding of what foreign exchange market is, it is useful to examine the reasons that lead to its existence in the first place. Exhaustively detailing the historical events that shaped the foreign exchange market into what it is today is of no great importance to the fx trader and therefore we happily will omit lengthy explanations of historical events such as the Bretton Woods accord in favor of a more specific insight into the reasoning behind foreign exchange as a medium of exchange of goods and services.Originally our ancestors conducted trading of goods against other goods this system of bartering was of course quite inefficient and required lengthy negotiation and searching to be able to strike a deal. Eventually forms of metal like bronze, silver and gold came to be used in standardized sizes and later grades (purity) to facilitate the exchange of merchandise. The basis for these mediums of exchange was acceptance by the general public and practical variables like durability and storage. Eventually during the late middle ages, a variety of paper IOU started gaining popularity as an exchange medium.The obvious advantage of carrying around 'precious' paper versus carrying around bags of precious metal was slowly recognized through the ages. Eventually stable governments adopted paper currency and backed the value of the paper with gold reserves. This came to be known as the gold standard. The Bretton Woods accord in July 1944 fixed the dollar to 35 USD per ounce and other currencies to the dollar. In 1971, president Nixon suspended the convertibility to gold and let the US dollar 'float' against other currencies.Since then the foreign exchange market has developed into the largest market in the world with a total daily turnover of about 1.5 trillion USD. Traditionally an institutional (inter-bank) market, the popularity of online currency trading offered to the private individual is democratising foreign exchange and widening the retail market.

Advantages of trading forex

Although the forex market is by far the largest and most liquid in the world, day traders have up to now focused on seeking profits in mainly stock and futures markets. This is mainly due to the restrictive nature of bank-offered forex trading services.Advanced Currency Markets (ACM) offers both online and traditional phone forex trading services to the small investor with minimum account opening values starting at 5000 USD.There are many advantages to trading spot foreign exchange as opposed to trading stocks and futures. Below are listed those main advantages.1. Bid/Ask Spread ratesSpread rates have tightened dramatically in the last years. Most online forex brokers offer a spread of 5 pips on EURUSD which is the most widely traded and liquid currency pair. ACM offers a 3 pip spread on EURUSD. In stock trading, only liquid stocks offer tight spreads. Those spreads often represent on average between 0.04% and 0.06% of the value of the stock. In comparison ACM offers a 3 pip spread on all major currencies, this equates to approximately between 0.02% and 0.03% on the underlying dollar value.Exact percentages at current rates (May 2002)EURUSD 3 pips 0.03%GBPUSD 3 pips 0.03%USDJPY 3 pips 0.023%USDCHF 3 pips 0.018%In the futures market spreads can vary anywhere between 5 and 9 pips and can become even larger under illiquid market conditions (which tends to happen substantially more often in futures currencies).2. CommissionsACM offers foreign exchange trading commission free. This is in sharp contrast to (once again) what stock and futures brokers offer. A stock trade can cost anywhere between USD 5 and 30 per trade with online brokers and typically up to USD 150 with full service brokers. Futures brokers can charge commissions anywhere between USD 10 and 30 on a round turn basis.3. Margins requirementsACM offers a foreign exchange trading with a 1% margin. In layman's terms that means a trader can control a position of a value of USD 1'000'000 with a mere USD 10'000 in his account. By comparison, futures margins are not only constantly changing but are also often quite sizeable. Stocks are generally traded on a non-margined basis and when they are, it can be as restrictive as 50% or so.4. 24 hour marketForeign exchange market trading occurs over a 24 hour period picking up in Asia around 24:00 CET Sunday evening and coming to an end in the United States on Friday around 23:00 CET. Although ECNs (electronic communications networks) exist for stock markets and futures markets (like Globex) that supply after hours trading, liquidity is often low and prices offered can often be uncompetitive.5. No Limit up / limit downFutures markets contain certain constraints that limit the number and type of transactions a trader can make under certain price conditions. When the price of a certain currency rises or falls beyond a certain pre-determined daily level traders are restricted from initiating new positions and are limited only to liquidating existing positions if they so desire. This mechanism is meant to control daily price volatility but in effect since the futures currency market follows the spot market anyway, the following day the futures market may undergo what is called a 'gap' or in other words the futures price will re-adjust to the spot price the next day. In the OTC market no such trading constraints exist permitting the trader to truly implement his trading strategy to the fullest extent. Since a trader can protect his position from large unexpected price movements with stop-loss orders the high volatility in the spot market can be fully controlled.6. Sell before you buyEquity brokers offer very restrictive short-selling margin requirements to customers. This means that a customer does not possess the liquidity to be able to sell stock before he buys it. Margin wise, a trader has exactly the same capacity when initiating a selling or buying position in the spot market. In spot trading when you're selling one currency, you're necessarily buying another.

Forex Glossary

Accrual The apportionment of premiums and discounts on forward exchange transactions that relate directly to deposit swap (Interest Arbitrage) deals, over the period of each deal.Actualize The underlying assets or instruments which are traded in the cash market.Adjustable Peg An exchange rate system where a country's exchange rate is "pegged" (i.e. fixed) in relation to another currency. The official rate may be changed from time to time.Adjustment Official action normally by either change in the internal economic policies to correct a payment imbalance or in the official currency rate or.Agent Bank A bank acting for a foreign bank. In the Euro market - the agent bank is the one appointed by the other banks in the syndicate to handle the administration of the loan.Aggregate Demand Total demand for goods and services in the economy. It includes private and public sector demand for goods and services within the country and the demand of consumers and and firms in other countries for good and services.Aggregate Risk Total amount of exposure a bank has with a customer for both spot and forward contracts.Aggregate Supply Total supply of goods and services in the economy from domestic sources (including imports) available to meet aggregate demand.Agio Difference in the value between currencies. Also used to describe percentage charges for conversion from paper money into cash, or from a weak into a strong currency.Aggressor A trader dealing on an existing price in the market.Appreciation A currency is said to 'appreciate' when it strengthens in price in response to market demand. Describes a currency strengthening in response to market demand rather than by official action.Arbitrage Profiting from differences in the price of a single currency pair that is traded on more than one market.Arbitrage Channel The range of prices within which there will be no possibility to arbitrage between the cash and futures market.Around Used in quoting forward "premium/discount". "Five-five around" would mean five points on either side of the present spot value.Ask Price Sometimes called the Offer Price, this is the market price for traders to buy currencies. Ask Prices are shown on the right side of a quote - e.g. EUR/USD 1.1965 / 68 - means that one euro can be bought for 1.1968 US dollars.Asset An item having commercial or exchange value.Asset Location Dividing instrument funds among markets to achieve diversification or maximum return.At Best An instruction given to a dealer to buy or sell at the best rate that is currently available in the market.At or Better An order to deal at a specific rate or better.Authorized Dealer A financial institution or bank authorized to deal in foreign exchange.Average Rate Option A contract where the exercise price is based on the difference between the strike price and the average spot rate over the contract period. Sometimes called an "Asian option".Back Office The office location, or department, where the processing of financial transactions takes place.Balance of Trade The value of a country's exports minus its imports.Bank Notes Paper issued by the central bank, redeemable as money and considered to be full legal tender.Bank Rate The rate at which a central bank is prepared to lend money to its domestic banking system.Bar Chart A type of chart used in Technical Analysis. Each time division on the chart is displayed as a vertical bar which show the following information - the top of the bar is the high price, the bottom of the bar is the low price, the horizontal line on the left of the bar shows the opening price and the horizontal line on the right of bar shows the closing price.Base Currency In terms of foreign exchange trading, currencies are quoted in terms of a currency pair. The first currency in the pair is the base currency. The base currency is the currency against which exchange rates are generally quoted in a given country. Examples: USD/JPY, the US Dollar is the base currency; EUR/USD, the EURO is the base currency. Bear Market An extended period of general price decline in an individual security, an asset, or a market.Bid Price is the price a trader can sell currencies. The Bid Price is shown on the left side of a quote - e.g. EUR/USD 1.1923 / 68 - means that one euro can be sold for 1.1923 US dollars.Bid/Ask Spread is the difference between the bid price and the ask price in any currency quotation. The spread represents the broker's fee, and varies from broker to broker.Big Figure The first two or three digits of a foreign exchange price or rate. Examples: USD/JPY rate of 108.05/10 the big figure is 108. EUR/USD price of .8325/28 the big figure is .83Bretton Woods The site of the conference which in 1944 led to the establishment of the post war foreign exchange system that remained intact until the early 1970s. The conference resulted in the formation of the IMF. The system fixed currencies in a fixed exchange rate system with 1% fluctuations of the currency to gold or the dollar.Broker An agent, who executes orders to buy and sell currencies and related instruments either for a commission or on a spread. Brokers are agents working on commission and not principals or agents acting on their own account. In the foreign exchange market brokers tend to act as intermediaries between banks bringing buyers and sellers together for a commission paid by the initiator or by both parties. There are four or five major global brokers operating through subsidiaries affiliates and partners in many countries.Bull Market A market which is on a consistent upward trend.Bundesbank Central Bank of Germany.Buy On Margin The process of buying a currency pair where a client pays cash for part of the overall value of the position. The word margin refers to the portion the investor puts up rather than the portion that is borrowed.Buy Limit Order An order to execute a transaction at a specified price (the limit) or lower.Candlestick Chart A chart that displays the daily trading price range (open, high, low and close). A form of Japanese charting that has become popular in the West. A narrow line (shadow) shows the day's price range. A wider body marks the area between the open and the close. If the close is above the open, the body is white (not filled); if the close is below the open, the body is black (filled).Central Bank A bank, administered by a national government, which regulates the behavior of financial institutions within its borders and carries out monetary policy.Chartist A person who attempts to predict prices by analyzing past price movements as recorded on a chart.Closing a Position The process of selling or buying a foreign exchange position resulting in the liquidation (squaring up) of the position.Commission The fee that a broker may charge clients for dealing on their behalf.Cross Currency A currency pair that does not include US dollars - e.g. EUR/GBP.Currency Money issued by a government. Coins and paper money. It is a form of money used as a unit of exchange within a country.Currency Pair Two currencies involved in a Forex transaction - e.g. EUR/USD.Currency Risk The risk that shifts in foreign exchange rates may undermine the dollar or any other foreign currency value of overseas investments.Day Trade A trade opened and closed on the same trading day.Day Trading Refers to a style or type of trading where trade positions are opened and closed during the same day.Day Trader A trader who buys and sells on the basis of small short-term price movements.Dealer An individual or firm that buys and sells assets from their portfolio, acting as a principal or counterpart to a transaction.Depreciation A fall in the value of a currency due to market forces.Desk Term referring to a group dealing with a specific currency or currencies.Devalution The act by a government to reduce the external value of its currency.Direct Quotation Quoting in fixed units of foreign currency against variable amounts of the domestic currency.Discretionary Account An account in which the customer permits a trading institution to act on the customer's behalf in buying and selling currency pairs. The institution has discretion as to the choice of currency pairs, prices, and timing-subject to any limitations specified in the agreement.Economic Indicator A statistical report issued by governments or academic institutions indicating economic conditions within a country.Euro (EUR) The single currency of the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) introduced in January 1999. This is the amalgamation of the following currencies, after Jan. 1, 2002 these currencies will be considered legacy currencies. Germany Deutsche Marks, Italy Lira, Austria Schillings, France Franc, Belgium Francs, Netherlands (Dutch) Guilders, Finland Markka, Portugal Escudo, Greece Drachmas, Ireland Punt, Luxembourg Francs, Spanish Pesetas.European Central Bank (ECU) The Central Bank for the new European Monetary Union.Execution The Process of completing an order or deal.First In First Out (FIFO) refers to the order open orders are liquidated. The first orders to be liquidated are the first that were opened.Foreign Exchange (Forex, FX) Simultaneously buying one currency and selling another.Fundamental Analysis Analysis of political and economic conditions that can affect currency prices.Leverage or Margin The ratio of the value of a transaction to the required deposit. A common margin for Forex trading is 100:1 - you can trade currency worth 100 times the amount of your deposit.Limit Order An order to buy or sell when the price reaches a specified level.Lot The size of a Forex transaction. Standard lots are worth about 100,000 US dollars.Major Currency The euro, German mark, Swiss franc, British pound, and the Japanese yen are the major currencies.Minor Currency The Canadian dollar, the Australian dollar, and the New Zealand dollar are the minor currencies.Offer (Ask) The rate at which a dealer is willing to sell a currency.Offsetting transaction A trade with which serves to cancel or offset some or all of the market risk of an open position.One Cancels the Other (OCO) Two orders placed simultaneously with instructions to cancel the second order on execution of the first. A designation for two orders whereby one part of the two orders is executed the other is automatically cancelled.Open Order An order that will be executed when a market moves to its designated price. Normally associated with Good 'til Cancelled Orders.Open Position An active trade that has not been closed. An active trade with corresponding unrealized Profit and Loss, which has not been offset by an equal and opposite deal.Order A customer's instructions to buy or sell currencies.Over the Counter (OTC) Used to describe any transaction that is not conducted over an exchange.Overnight Position Trader's long or short position in a currency at the end of a trading day.Pips or Points The smallest unit a currency can be traded in. The smallest unit of price for any foreign currency. Digits added to or subtracted from the fourth decimal place, i.e. 0.0001.Political Risk Exposure to changes in governmental policy which will have an adverse effect on an investor's position.Price The price at which the underlying currency can be bought or sold. Price Transparency The ability of all market participants to "see" or deal at the same price. Describes quotes to which every market participant has equal access.Principle Value The original amount invested by the client.Profit /Loss or "P/L" or Gain/Loss The actual "realized" gain or loss resulting fromtrading activities on Closed Positions, plus the theoretical "unrealized" gain or loss on Open Positions that have been Mark-to-Market.Quote Currency The second currency in a currency pair. In the currency pair USD/EUR the euro is the quote currency.Rally A recovery in price after a period of decline.Range The difference between the highest and lowest price of a future recorded during a given trading session.Rate Price at which a currency can be purchased or sold against another currency. The price of one currency in terms of another, typically used for dealing purposes.Resistance Price level at which technical analysts note persistent selling of a currency. A term used in technical analysis indicating a specific price level at which analysis concludes people will sell.Revaluation Daily calculation of potential profits or losses on open positions based on the difference between the settlement price of the previous trading day and the current trading day. An increase in the exchange rate for a currency as a result of central bank intervention. Opposite of "Devaluation".Risk (Forex Risk) The risk that the exchange rate on a foreign currency will move against the position held by an investor such that the value of the investment is reduced. Exposure to uncertain change, most often used with a negative connotation of adverse change.Risk Management The employment of financial analysis and use of trading techniques to reduce and/or control exposure to financial risk.Rollover (Roll-Over) The process of extending the settlement value date on an open position forward to the next valid value date.Settlement The process by which a trade is entered into the books and records of the counterparts to a transaction. The settlement of currency trades may or may not involve the actual physical exchange of one currency for another.Short Position An investment position that benefits from a decline in market price. When the base currency in the pair is sold, the position is said to be short.Spot Market Market where people buy and sell actual financial instruments (currencies) for two-day delivery.Spot Price The current market price of a currency that normally settles in 2 business days (1 day for Dollar/Canada). The current market price. Settlement of spot transactions usually occurs within two business days.Spread This point or pip difference between the bid and ask price of a currency pair.Square Purchase and sales are in balance and thus the dealer has no open position.Squawk Box A speaker connected to a phone often used in broker trading desks.Squeeze Action by a central bank to reduce supply in order to increase the price of money. The difference between the bid and offer prices.Stable Market An active market which can absorb large sale or purchases of currency without major moves.Standard A term referring to certain normal amounts and maturities for dealing.Sterilization Central Bank activity in the domestic money market to reduce the impact on money supply of its intervention activities in the FX market.Sterling (The Pound - GBP) Another term for the British currency, "The Pound".Stop An order to buy or to sell a currency when the currency's price reaches or passes a specified level.Stop Loss Order Order to buy or sell when a given price is reached or passed to liquidate part or all of an existing position. Order type whereby an open position is automatically liquidated at a specific price. Often used to minimize exposure to losses if the market moves against an investor's position. As an example, if an investor is long USD at 156.27, they might wish to put in a stop loss order for 155.49, which would limit losses should the dollar depreciate, possibly below 155.49.Support Levels A price at which a currency or the currency market will receive considerable buying pressure. A technique used in technical analysis that indicates a specific price ceiling and floor at which a given exchange rate will automatically correct itself. Opposite of "resistance".Swap A transaction which moves the maturity date of an open position to a future date. The simultaneous purchase and sale of the same amount of a given currency for two different dates, against the sale and purchase of another. A swap can be a swap against a forward. In essence, swapping is somewhat similar to borrowing one currency and lending another for the same period. However, any rate of return or cost of funds is expressed in the price differential between the two sides of the transaction.Swap Price A price as a differential between two dates of the swap.Swiss Market slang for Swiss Franc.Take Profit Order A customer's instructions to buy or sell a currency pair which, when executed, will result in the reduction in the size of the existing position and show a profit on said position.Technical Analysis Analysis of historical market data to predict future movements in the market.Technical Correction An adjustment to price not based on market sentiment but technical factors such as volume and charting.Thin Market A market in which trading volume is low and in which consequently bid and ask quotes are wide and the liquidity of the instrument traded is low.Thursday/Friday Dollars A US foreign exchange technicality. If a foreign bank buys dollars on Tuesday for Thursday delivery. If the bank leaves the funds overnight and transfers them on Friday by means of a clearing house cheque then clearance is not until Monday, the next working day. Higher interest rates for this period are thus available.Tick The smallest possible change in a price, either up or down.Today/Tomorrow Simultaneous buying of a currency for delivery the following day and selling for the spot day, or vice versa. Also referred to as overnight.Tomorrow Next (Tom Next) Simultaneous buying of a currency for delivery the following day and selling for the spot day or vice versa.Trade Date The date on which a trade occurs.Tradeable Amount Smallest transaction size acceptable.Transaction The buying or selling of currencies resulting from the execution of an order.Transaction Cost The cost of a Forex transaction - typically the spread between bid and ask prices.Transaction Date The date on which a trade occurs.Turnover The total volume of all executed transactions in a given time period.Two Tier Market A dual exchange rate system where normally only one rate is open to market pressure, e.g. South Africa.Two-Way Price A quote in the foreign exchange market that indicates a bid and an offer.Two-Way Quotation When a dealer quotes both buying and selling rates for foreign exchange transactions.Uncovered Open position.Under-Valuation An exchange rate is normally considered to be undervalued when it is below its purchasing power parity.Unrealized Gain/Loss The theoretical gain or loss on Open Positions valued at current market rates, as determined by the broker in its sole discretion. Unrealized Gains' Losses become Profits/Losses when position is closed.Uptick A new price quote at a price higher than the preceding quote. A transaction executed at a price greater than the previous transaction.Uptick Rule In the US, a regulation whereby a security may not be sold short unless the last trade prior to the short sale was at a price lower than the price at which the short sale is executed.US Prime Rate The interest rate at which US banks will lend to their prime corporate customers.US Treasury The United States Department of the Treasury is the government department responsible for issuing all Treasury bonds, notes, and bills.Value Data The maturity date of the currency for settlement, usually two business days (one day for Canada) after the trade has occurred.Value Date The date on which counterparts to a financial transaction agree to settle their respective obligations, i.e., exchanging payments. For spot currency transactions, the value date is normally two business days forward. Value Date is also known as "maturity" date. For a spot transaction it is two business banking days forward in the country of the bank providing quotations which determine the spot value date. The only exception to this general rule is the spot day in the quoting centre coinciding with a banking holiday in the country(ies) of the foreign currency(ies). The value date then moves forward a day.Value Spot Normally settlement for two working days from today. See value date.Variation Margin Funds, which are required to bring the equity in an account back up to the initial margin level, calculated on a day-to-day basis. Funds a broker must request from the client to have the required margin deposited. The term usually refers to additional funds that must be deposited as a result of unfavorable price movements.Volatility (VOL) Statistical measure of the change in price of a financial currency pair over a given time period. A statistical measure of a market's price movements over time. A measure of the amount by which an asset price is expected to fluctuate over a given period.Vostro Account A local currency account maintained with a bank by another bank. The term is normally applied to the counterparty's account from which funds may be paid into or withdrawn, as a result of a transaction.Wash Trade A matched deal which produces neither a gain nor a loss.Whipsaw Slang for a condition of a highly volatile market where a sharp price movement is quickly followed by a sharp reversal.Withholding Tax Income tax withheld from employees' wages and paid directly to the government by the employer.Working Day A day on which the banks in a currency's principal financial centre are open for business. For FX transactions, a working day only occurs if the bank in both financial centre's are open for business (all relevant currency centers in the case of a cross are open).Yard A slang word used in the currency industry meaning "billion".X A Nasdaq stock symbol specifying that it is a mutual fund.Z-Score A statistical measure that quantifies the distance (measured in standard deviations) a data point is from the mean of a data set. In a more financial sense, Z-score is the output from a credit-strength test that gauges the likelihood of bankruptcy.at 9:16 AM 1 comments FOREX Trading NewsForex Trading as commonly called stands for Foreign Exchange Trading. It is biggest financial trading market in the world having a daily turnover in excess of US$1 Trillion. The figure signifies a volume amounting to about 28 times the combined volume of all US equity trading markets.Forex Trading means buying of one foreign currency by paying in another. Each transaction involves a purchase and a sale of currency at the same time, since currency trading is always done in pairs for example USD/EUR or USD/GBP etc.Foreign Currency trading or Forex Trading is undertaken for two purposes. About 5-7% of the transactions are undertaken by institutions that do business in foreign lands or companies that have to convert their foreign currency earnings into domestic currency. The rest of the Forex Trading is done purely on speculative basis with profit objectives.For trading by speculation purposes, the best profit making opportunity lies in most traded currencies (obviously the currencies of most economically advanced countries) also called the "majors" in Forex Trading parlance. They consist of US Dollar, GB Pounds, Japanese Yen, European Unions EURO, Swiss Franc, Canadian Dollar, Australian Dollar etc

How To Choose a Forex Trading System That Works and Suits You

There are so many different trading systems you could use to trade the forex market, some better suited to certain people than others. For example some people may find it easier to comprehend and take into account fundamental factors as opposed to looking at a screen covered in technical indicators, and vice-versa.The first logical step in determining what type of trading system would best suit you is actually being aware and understand the widely known methods of analysis used in trading the currency market. Once you are aware of the tools that are available, you can generally tell what type of analysis suits you. For example some of the main technical analysis methods which are popular include:Pivot pointsChart patternsFibonacci retracementsCandlestick patternsAnd some fundamental factors which are widely used include analyzing:Interest ratesTrade balancesUnemployment ratesGross domestic product (GDP)You may now actually be able to develop your own system by combining certain methods of analysis together, giving you a method which you are comfortable with. On the other hand you may decide that you would like to trade someone else’s system, either way, that brings us to the next step which is determining the profitability of a trading system.Determining ProfitabilityMost people would think that back testing is the best way to determine a systems profitability. However back testing doesn’t always give you a true idea of how profitable a system is. The reason for this is because when you’re back testing your system on historical charts, you are only seeing the obvious setups which have occurred, and not always seeing the ones that are less obvious. These less obvious ones sometimes can produce losses, which is why back testing isn’t always the best method to implement.A better method of determining profitability is by trading your system in real-time with a demo account. This would give you a true understanding of what your system is capable of. This would also allow you to familiarize yourself with your trading platform at the same time. When determining profitability you must look at it in terms of expectancy and opportunity.Expectancy & OpportunityThese two factors together will be able to tell you what you could expect to make over a period of time. Expectancy is calculated with the following formula:(Probability of winning × average win) – (Probability of losing × average loss)This will give you a figure which is the average amount you can expect to make per trade. This shouldn’t be a negative amount, if it is you should look at some other method of trading since you cannot make money on a system that produces a negative expectancy. Obviously the higher this figure is the better. Now to the opportunity factor.The opportunity factor is how often you are able to trade using your system. By multiplying your expectancy figure with your opportunity factor it will tell you how much you could expect to make over a period of time. The more opportunity you have to trade, the more money you should expect to make. This now brings us to the last component of a trading system, money management.Money ManagementWithout proper money management you will end up as a statistic. In other words one of those 90%+ of traders who loose their money. Money management tells you how much of your account balance to risk per trade. The whole point of money management is to ensure your survival over the long term, and to preserve your capital.The most common form of money management is the percent risk model which tells you not to risk more than x percent of your account balance on any one trade. A range between 1-3% is generally an accepted amount which has been a reliable percentage to use in order to make money in the long term.ConclusionBy taking into consideration the above factors you will be able to determine if a trading system best suits you, and with some simple mathematical calculations you will be able to determine its profitability.

About Forex

To buy foreign goods or services, or to invest in other countries, companies and individuals may need to first buy the currency of the country with which they are doing business. Generally, exporters prefer to be paid in their country's currency or in U.S. dollars, which are accepted all over the world.The foreign exchange market, or the "FX" market, is where the buying and selling of different currencies takes place. The price of one currency in terms of another is called an exchange rate.The market itself is actually a worldwide network of traders, connected by telephone lines and computer screens there is no central headquarters. There are three main centers of trading, which handle the majority of all FX transactions United Kingdom, United States, and Japan .

Forex Resources

The live forex charts can be used to track ten currency pairs in real time and click on forex rates for a pop-up window of ten currency pairs with live rates for the EUR/USD, USD/JPY, GBP/USD, USD/CHF, USD/CAD, AUD/USD, NZD/USD, EUR/JPY, EUR/GBP and EUR/CHF, including the daily highs and lows from 17:00 EST. For a selection of free ebooks, trial offers, calculators and tutorials, visit free downloads. For a current snapshot of the foreign exchange market, use the market monitor to display time zones for several key markets, as well as live forex rates, a sentiment indicator and an economic calendar in a detachable window. Use the online money management calculator to calculate the correct position size for your trade based on your risk profile. Browse the selection of forex books on offer in forex books which includes special sections on technical analysis and general trading. There is a great number of forex related resources to be found in the categorised forex directory to help you find a particular niche or service.