How The Stock, Futures and Forex Markets Really Work

Whether your interest is in trading Stocks, Commodities, Indices or Foreign Exchange there are literally hundreds of web sites that will offer you ways to do this, on the premise of making you money. Not one of them, to my knowledge, will actually sit down with you and explain just how the markets really work.

There are probably two reasons for this. Firstly, there might be a few who actually know, but in the interest of empowerment, will not readily divulge their knowledge but meter it out peace-meal in a very cloaked way for financial gain.

The second reason, and more probable, is that they don't actually know themselves how the markets work, but will have you believe they do, again for empowerment over you and financial gain. All of this gets you nowhere in your own quest to find out how the markets work, and until you do your level of success will be limited.

In fact some people who have years of experience trading the markets, have little knowledge of how the mechanics of the markets actually work. With this fundamental knowledge at their finger tips, future profits could be increased by a staggering proportion.

There is an old saying which you may have heard. 'Prices are spiraling upwards' or 'Prices are spiraling out of control' etc. The keyword here is 'spiraling'. This is precisely what occurs in every market year in, year out, prices spiral up and down.

The spiral is the basic mechanism by which all the markets actually work. To have a detailed understanding of how this mechanism works can literally transform your trading performance whatever your present level of skill or type of market in which you trade. Therefore, our quest to find understanding shall begin here.

Imagine each individual market is a giant cone which is inverted so it stands upright on its point.

Element One - Angles:

Look in from above the cone down into the large diameter. Divide this circle into 12 equal parts. This created 12 angles which start at the point of the cone and move outwards to the circumference.

Element Two - Spiral:

From the same point we start a spiral which moves up and around the cone (just like a spiral staircase).

Element Three - Price:

This spiral is the path the market price will follow, digit by digit, as it snakes its way up and down and around the cone.

Element Four - Time:

Go back to the 12 angles which divide the cone. We shall attach a specific date to each angle.

The Mechanism:

When the price starts its upward journey around the spiral it will make contact with certain angles on specific dates. This will halt the price advance and cause it to fall back down and around the spiral. The price will eventually strike an angle further down the spiral which will send it back on its upward journey.

This occurs in every market from one degree or another, every hour and every day that the particular market works. If the market price was falling from high levels, the mechanism would work inversely to the above.

If we knew the date which the price would strike a particular angle and change the market trend or direction we would have a great trading tool. In addition, if we also knew the price level at which this would occur we would have a formidable trading tool.

Don't worry I am not about to disappoint. This formidable trading tool is called a Master Spiral Chart, of which there are several types.

To master the use of these charts in your chosen market will explode your profit potential.

John Swift, a.k.a. Jack, is a successful stock & futures trader of some 12 years standing, web developer and author of Work-The-Markets The Natural Science of Market Analysis. Click Here

New Discovery Gives You A Mini Forex Trading Advantage

Why trade forex? Why spend the time and effort to understand a large and complex market like the Foreign Exchange? Well, mainly for the chance to make large profits, while incurring low costs. The mini forex trading market is a very lucrative market, for a variety of reasons. I`ll go over a few of them in this article.

First, think margin. In the mini forex trading market, a trader`s money can play with 5-times as much value of product as a futures trader`s, or 50 times more than a stock trader`s.

Just like futures and stock speculation, a mini forex trading market trader has the ability to control a large amount of currency by putting up a small amount of margin. However, the margin requirements that are needed for trading futures are usually around 5% of the full value of the holding, or 50% of the total value if you are trading stocks. The margin requirements for the mini forex trading market are about 1%. For example, the margin required to trade foreign exchange is $1000 for every $100,000.

This can be a very profitable way to trade, but it`s important that you fully understand the risks that are involved. Always make sure that you know how your margin account is going to work. Read the margin agreement between you and your clearing firm carefully. Talk to your account representative if you have any questions.

The positions that you have in your account could be partially or completely liquidated if the available margin in your account falls below a predetermined amount, and you may not get a margin call before your positions are liquidated. Because of this, you should monitor your margin balance on a regular basis and utilize stop-loss orders on every open position to limit risk.

That covers the profits end, but what about the costs? When you trade in futures, you have to pay exchange and brokerage fees. The mini forex trading market is commission free, a much better scenario. Currency trading occurs on a worldwide inter-bank market that lets buyers be matched with sellers in an instant. But even though you do not have to pay a commission charge to a broker to be matched up with a buyer or seller, the spread is usually larger than it is when you are trading futures. And the spread is where the brokerage makes their money.

For example, if you are trading a Japanese Yen/US Dollar pair, a mini forex trading market trade would have about a 3 point spread (worth $30). Trading a JY futures trade would likely have a spread of only 1 point (worth $10), but you would also be charged the broker`s commission on top of that. This price could be as low as $10 for self-directed online trading, or as high as $50 for full-service trading. However, this is generally all inclusive pricing. It`s a good idea to compare both online mini forex trading and your specific futures commission charges to see which commission is the greater one. Still not convinced? Consider the fact the mini forex trading market is highly liquid, ensuring that a trader will never be trapped in a position, as you can be in an equity or futures market. Or that it trades 24 hours a day, allowing a trader to act on major market events when they happen, rather than waiting for the opening bell. And last, but certainly not least, it is simply to largest market in the world. It is not regulated. No central bank can do more than influence the market. You will never need to worry about government interference.

mini forex trading trading is a great alternative to futures and commodities trading. Unless you are a broker, you will likely want to get some help in mini forex trading. As with any type of trading, there are always some risks involved, but if you take the time to understand the market, and design a trading system that is right for you, you will be successful.

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FOREX as a Home Business

Many people are looking for something legitimate to get into when it comes to starting a home based business. The FOREX market just may be the perfect opportunity when it comes to working at home. FOREX is the process of simutamously buying one currency and selling another.

I'll be the first to say that 99% of home based businesses are scams. After losing nearly $10,000 in work at home opportunities, I was looking for a way to make a decent amount of money though a legitment business. I've heard of FOREX trading before, but wasn't really quite sure just exactly what it was and how it worked.

In January of 2005, I decided to run a search on FOREX in Google and began reading articles and forums on the subject matter. It seemed that FOREX was the perfect home based business to start. I opened a demo account with $500 and started trading. Within my first 25 trades, I won 23 and lost only 2. I thought to myself I was ready to start trading on a real account.

Little did I know that there was a huge difference in trading on a demo account as opposed to trading real money. My entire psychology changed and I could not implement the same trading strategies that were previously winning on a consistent basis. Needless to say I blew out my first live FOREX account of $600. I decided to fund my account again with $400 this time trading under strict guidelines and much more discipline. Over the next month I managed to gain back my initial loss of $600 and gain a small amount of profit.

When starting out in FOREX, you will have the opportunity to choose between many different brokers. My suggestion is to choose a reputable broker that is well known. Most brokers offer a 3 pip spread on all the majors, some will offer a spread as little as 1 or 2 pips.

If you are not familiar with FOREX, another thing you might want to look into is a managed FOREX account. There are many FOREX signals providers that will send you entry and exit points, however only a selected few of them actually work.

It's now been a little more than a year since I started with FOREX as a home based business and I have compiled over $40,000 in profits. Attaining these results did take a lot of work and research on my part. The FOREX market can be extremely volatile. Do take caution and be sure to do your homework before trading with a live account.

Tim Rohrer is an established home business owner and FOREX trader. To learn more about FOREX trading, visit http://www.forex-investing.us

My FOREX Trading Strategy

I ventured into the FOREX market a little more than 1 year ago. I have tried and tested many different types of trading techniques and styles. Most were failures and some were successful. From my experience, traders making money in FOREX will not reveal their trading system, simply because somebody has to lose money in order for you to make money.

Currently I have two strategies working for me. I started with a demo account a little more than one year ago and used the obvious techniques such as technical analysis and fundamentals. Technical analysis seemed to be the easiest method for an inexperienced trader since it only required looking at charts as opposed to watching the news. I used indicators such as MACD, Fibonacci, and RSI to help assess the market and make a prediction on price movement. Needless to say I was successful in my demo account, however when I went live, fear set in and I could not trade using the same techniques I had developed over 4 months of trading with a demo account.

The stress was too much and like a lot of people, I started looking for a FOREX signals provider to minimize the time spent and stress. After some due diligence on quite a few FOREX signals providers, I did find a reliable FOREX charting software package that provided excellent signals. To my surprise, the signals worked. The only difficult part was to discipline myself to take each signal whether I agreed with it or not. After all, the company I chose had a winning track record for 3 consecutive years.

Now that I had a positive flow of income from a FOREX signals provider, I decided to open a second account using my own trading system. This is where I discovered what I feel is a full proof system when it comes to making a fast 30 to 50 pips in FOREX.

Trading now for a little more than 1 year, I noticed that the market moved on speculation. Speculation based on fear and news events, such as the CPI and retail sales. I noticed that between the times of 4:30 am eastern and 8:30 am there was a lot of critical news in majors such as the Euro and the British Pound. The market would move at the exact moment these major news events were released. If a news event was due out at 4:30 am on the British Pound, more than likely the market spiked at that exact moment 30 to sometimes 50 pips up or down. What I started to do was trade on these news events. I would wait until that exact moment the news was due out and execute a trade when the market moved more than 7 pips from its current price 15 seconds before the news is released. A stop-loss should be set at 10 pips above or below the current price.

The trick to this method is executing the trade at the right time and discipline yourself to keep your stop-loss very tight, setting it to no more than 10 pips after you got into the trade. The reason being, this works all of the time, but if you click too soon or too late you could fail to predict the direction of the market. However, when you are right, your winning trades will outweigh your losing traders significantly since you are looking to make a gain of 30-50 pips and if you a wrong a loss of only 10 pips. I have used this method for 5 months and it works.

Tim Rohrer is an established FOREX trader. To learn more about reliable FOREX trading techinques and systems, visit http://www.forex-investing.us

Unbreakable Forex Trading Rules Guaranteed To Increase Profits

There are a few important forex trading rules in trading that should never be broken. If you apply these rules consistently, and with discipline, you will become a profitable trader. Many traders have learned a diplomatic code of conduct that have been learned the hard way by many traders, through trial and error, and by making the inevitable mistakes that everyone makes when they start a trading business. I've gone over a couple of these codes of conduct in this article. Learn from them now, so you won't have to relearn them later.

As a trader one of the first forex trading rules is this, you need to know what you are trying to achieve. Without specific forex trading rules in place like goals and objectives, it's difficult to succeed at any enterprise. It amazes me how often we can hit our targets, meet our objectives, and reach our goals, when we've taken the time to write down what we want to achieve.

One of the second forex trading rules is that you need to have measurable, achievable goals. In trading, the primary objective is obviously to make money, but it is important to have other objectives that are not strictly cash related. Remember, reward and risk go hand in hand when you are trading. You can't achieve high returns without planning and bracing for high risks.

Your objectives and goals have to fit you if they are going to work, but they should also have the following characteristics to be useful. First, your forex trading rules need to be measurable. If you can't measure your results against your goals, how will you ever know if you've achieved them? Secondly your forex trading rules need to be realistic and achievable. Make sure they are worth the time and effort you are going to put into them. Lastly, these should be positive goals. It's easier to be successful when you are trying to do something, rather than to not do it.

If you know what you are trying to gain in your trading, and when you are trying to achieve it, the whole of your efforts will be focused on meeting your objectives. It focuses your attention on the things you really want to achieve with the time and resources that you have available. Having goals will also give you a way to effectively measure the success and progress of your trading strategy. It's pretty clear why traders who have well defined objectives are more successful than those that do not.

Once you have set measurable, achievable goals in your forex trading rules, you need a way to meet them. Successful traders that have good forex trading rules in place do this by being consistent and disciplined in their approach to trading. How do they make their approach consistent? By developing and following a carefully planned trading system. This is a system tailored to their trading style, as their goals are tailored to their preferences. Once you have your system in place, you need to follow it. The system will tell you when to enter a trade, where to set your stops, and when to exit. A good trader follows their system and does what it tells them to.

One of the third set of skills you need in your forex trading rules is that you need to be confident in your system, to have access to the right kind of technology and information, and to have the discipline to stick to your plan. Without a plan you will be trading on impulse, guided by emotions. There is no more reliable way to loose trades than by trading that way.

With a trading system you are prepared for every situation you may face in your trading. This ensures you'll be consistent in your trading no matter what happens. To make sure you cover everything, your system should have:

1. You guidelines for entering, adding to, and getting out of your positions.

2. You need guidelines that have an action plan in case your trading computer, internet connection, broker, power, telephone etc. break down, or fails to be of any real use.

3. You need a code of conduct that will tell you what you will do if you are unable to trade.

4. You need a standard procedure that will tell you what you will do if you lose a certain percentage of your account

5. You need formalities that will tell you what you will do if all the markets are closed and you can't get out of your current positions.

Unless you have answers for all these scenarios that you need in your forex trading rules, you stand a good chance of loosing money. With the answers, and discipline you'll be able to tell if you trading system needs to be tweaked, or if it's just the markets. You will be well on your way to becoming a successful trader.

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A Couple Points You Should Know About Forex Trading

Forex trading is hugely profitable, but it is not without its' pitfalls. If you're interested in a forex trading career, you will need to employ winning strategies that both ensure capital preservation as well as maximize returns. A Forex trader needs to be organized and needs the requisite tools in his toolset to be successful. Among these tools are:

1) A reliable internet connection - you do not want to be locked out during a crucial trade due to a faulty internet connection 2) A reliable computer - the machine needs to perform and not "freeze up". You need adequate hardware to run any Forex charting or signal software you may way to run. 3) A Dealing Station - this software serves as an interface between you and your broker and allows you to make trades with a few clicks of your mouse. 4) Real-Time Exchange Rates - rates update thousands of times daily, you must have up to the minute quotes 5) Executable Quotations - quotes you can click on and then instantly execute your trade

These basic tools are required, but are no guarantee of success. You will also need to develop a number of personal characteristics in order to succeed. Chief among these is the development of self-discipline. You will need to stick very carefully to a trading plan in order to forge a successful Forex trading strategy. You need to have the discipline to stick with your plan and execute it faithfully. You will need conviction in your beliefs, which will require you constantly seeking more information to augment your intuition. Forex markets move fast, and the best method for fast action on your part is having a plan of action planned, and then seeing it through to the end.

When you begin trading Foreign exchange currencies, you must always limit your downside. Get in the habit of trading only with money you can honestly afford to lose. This way, if you suffer losses, although they may be painful, they will not be completely devastating. Being able to handle your losses in way that doesn't destroy you mentally, emotionally, or financially, is a sure sign of long-term success. All traders experience losses, but great Forex traders keep their impact to a minimum because of careful tactics.

Forex is considered to be one of the most consistent trending markets in the world. Following trends closely can be your best ally in your quest for profits. To against the trend is to invite sudden and total disaster. There are a great number of indicators you will need to follow, although this treatise is too short to cover them. But once you know your indicators inside and out, once your intuition is aligned with the help of technical tools, and above all else, once you have defined and followed your perfect Forex trading strategy, you will know the joys of hugely profitable Forex trading. Good luck in your efforts.

For information about Trading Forex, please visit Superiorinvestor.net

The Forex Market

* This article is divided into three sections. The first section is for beginners. The second section is for advanced traders. The third section is for everyone.

Section #1. For beginners . . .

On this article I will briefly describe what the Forex Market is for those who don't know about this subject. Also I will describe other trading opportunities that exist today on the Internet. I think that trading is one of those dream businesses that many people rush into, but to start trading online without the required knowledge could be a big mistake.

What's appealing about this business opportunity is the financial freedom it can bring to your life. Successful traders make lots of money working from home with their computers. Keep in mind that on this business . . .

1) You don't have to create any product.

2) You don't have to advertise anything.

3) Basically you just invest some money and multiply it more and more.

There are different trading opportunities on the Internet nowadays. I think that the hottest of them right now is The Forex Market. I will explain you why.

Currencies from many different countries were backed up by gold about one hundred years ago. It was called The Gold Standard. This basically meant that to print certain amount of paper money a predetermined amount of gold was needed. Also you could walk into the bank and request that your currency bills would be converted to gold. Then you could leave the bank with the gold.

This was a treaty between many countries and it lasted a few decades. Suddenly something happened that changed everything. Due to economic circumstances The Gold Standard was changed into a more flexible economic system.

Now, most countries were not required to back up their currencies with gold anymore, as long as they backed up their currencies with US dollars, everything was OK. Eventually this didn't work well either. So, at the beginning of the 70's decade this rule was totally abandoned and currencies started to float freely on the market.

This means that since that era until present time world currencies are not backed up by gold anymore, nor are they backed by any other particular type of money either. There are exceptions though. For example, some currencies of European countries are pegged to the Euro. Their exchange rate is fixed.

The same happens with the US dollar in relationship with other no so popular currencies. That's another story that I won't explain right now. The point is that most currencies change in value freely on the Forex Market today. Forex is an acronym for Foreign Exchange Market.

For a long time this market was reserved only for 'BIG BROTHERS'. In order for you to access this market you needed astronomical amounts of investment capital.

Everything changed with the computer age. As I have always said, everything is easier on the Internet. So, new online brokers emerged that allowed 'the little guys' play this game. Now you can open an account with as little as $300 when you needed millions just to think about starting on this business a few years ago.

The good thing about this market is the huge leverage you get. The brokers usually lend you up to 100 times as much as you have for trading. What does this mean? For example, if you open an account with 1,000 US dollars, you can control, as much as 100,000 units of the foreign currency.

Let's say that the EUR/USD pair is trading at 1.2000. In that case with 1,000 US dollars you can purchase approximately 80,000 Euros. The broker lends you the money to do it!

Anyway this is a very interesting topic but it is also wide. I can't give you all the details in here. So, I will proceed to share some advanced ideas for advanced traders and then I will tell you about other trading opportunities on the Internet.

Section #2. For advance traders . . .

Many traders are looking for the perfect trading system. They want to find the Holy Grail of Trading, which is an entry strategy that allows them to win, win, win and never lose. Even advanced traders fail because of this. They can't realize where the money is made.

Online trading can be regarding and profitable but you have to take it seriously. One of the biggest trading secrets of all is that you should use proper money management techniques as well as trading sizing strategies. That's how the BIG DOGS make the money.

Small traders know that they can't be always right. There is not such a thing as the perfect win, win, win and never lose strategy. If something like that exists then very few people know about it. Still, how do you think that many traders can be profitable month after month, year after year? How can they be consistently profitable?

I already gave you the answer above. The secret is on your money management techniques and your trading sizing strategies. Also, it is important to find a good entry and exit trading system.

If you combine these three aspects of trading above, you are almost guaranteed to succeed at it. This is easy once someone teaches you how to do it. Moreover, if you like this business you will have plenty of time to practice your strategies before you start trading with real money. In my book Easy Web Riches you can find valuable information about this subject.

Section #3. For everyone . . .

What else can you do to make money on the Internet without creating anything and without selling other people's stuff? You will find many other trading opportunities out there. For example, there are advance techniques to trade on the Stock Market that most people don't know. These are strategies that allow you to trade like a real professional.

Also there are other markets where you can make a lot of money. Many people don't know about The Futures Market. They have never even heard about it. I find that some traders are also interested in the options markets. You see, it is a matter of choosing what is right for you.

The Futures Markets is a market where farmers, big corporations, financial institutions and small traders, trade contracts on commodities, which will be executed at some time in the future. This market has existed for hundreds of years but today people trade commodities on the Internet like stocks and currencies.

Options are derivative financial contracts. They derive their value from the underlying securities, commodities, Futures contracts, etc. Options can explosively multiply your buying power, but they are dangerous too. They are always recommended for advanced traders only, not for the novice.

As you can see, there are different trading opportunities for you on the Internet. In fact there are others that I have not mentioned here. There is money to be made on these markets.

Once you learn the details, profiting from this business becomes quick and easy. Remember that this is a business in which you don't have to create anything nor sell anything either. All you do is to invest your money and multiply it.

EasyWebRiches.com

Simply the most important information! Ignore this and all your efforts to make money on the Internet will be futile! Visit www.easywebriches.com for . .

Forex Trading: Margin Usage and Introduction to Hedging

A good rule of thumb for either a mini-account or standard forex account, is to limit your margin usage for each trade to 5% - 10% of your usable margin.

As an example, if your usable margin is $5000, to trade safely, limit your margin usage for each trade to a maximum of $250. This means trading only 1 full lot for each trade. This is assuming that you are trading in a CMS Universal account with 400:1 margin. Your use of margin is increased with a smaller ratio, as most other brokerages only offer a smaller ratio, normally 200:1 or even 100:1.

As your account grows and your usable margin grows, you can increase your margin usage and trade bigger mini or full lot sizes. If you lose money and your account shrinks, drop your margin usage back down to smaller sizes. You need to learn to keep your eye on your usable margin, especially if you've suffered some losses.

Protect your usable Margin by not having more than 2 open hedged or unhedged position at any one time. Your usable margin & equity will get eaten up by un-hedged open positions that go bad in the wrong direction...this is a really good reason why you want to use stops, and if you hedge, hedge tightly.

IMPORTANT: Don't just keep putting on positions because you think it's a good opportunity. First sell a position and book some usable margin before you put on another position.

NOTE: Hedging does not use up more margin! Use it to protect your equity & usable margin, esp. in an emergency situation!

If you break the hedging rules, and your positions go against you and you aren't properly hedged with stop losses, you'll quickly see your usable margin degrade. If it degrades enough so that your usable margin goes into the negative, you'll get a margin call. This means that the operators will automatically start selling some of your lots in your oldest losing positions in order to beef up your usable margin. This makes your unrealized loss become a realized loss...and the money is gone from your account.

If you lose too much useable margin, they won't even let you trade in your account, the message they'll give you when you try to put on a new trade is, 'Account in Untradeable Condition'.

If this happens, you might have an open position that needs to be hedged immediately or you might need to sell an old position. Or you might need to deposit more money into your account. Then you can start trading smaller lots to win back some usable margin.

You can lose your entire account balance if you're not careful. One other good thing about forex trading is that you will never lose more money than is in your account, you won't have to sell your house if you get a margin call! Stick to the rules above and this won't happen to you. You'll make more money than you thought possible and without the stress of loss.

Cynthia Macy is co-author of 'The Day Trade Forex System: The Ultimate Step-By-Step Guide To Online Currency Trading'. http://www.daytrade-forex.com http://www.successtrading2000.com http://www.professionalforextradingonline.info http://www.shorterminvestingsite.com

An Open Invitation To Frustrated Forex Traders That Desire Unlimited Success In The Market - Part 1

Why does one Forex traders succeed and another fail? What sets the winners apart from the losers? Well, you won`t be surprised to know that there are certain characteristics that all successful Forex traders share. While many investors take actions that aren`t in their best self interest, such as making trading based on emotions, rather than on logic, or holding on to a losing position so they won`t have to admit they made a bad trade, successful Forex traders don`t do these things. But there are some actions that they take regularly, so regularly that they become habits. Learning about these characteristics and habits will help make you into a successful trader as well.

To start, successful Forex traders are goal oriented. Most people perform at their best when they`re reaching for a clear goal. There are three basic qualities that make up a clear goal. First, the goal must be realistic. If your goal is to double your money every day, it sounds great, but it`s not realistic. Setting unrealistic goals can undermine your self confidence, you will be setting yourself up to fail. Secondly, the goal must be attainable. Just as with a realistic goal, an attainable goal must be within your current capabilities. The best goals are short term goals; make your first goal a small one, and then continue to increase your goals as you experience success.

The third trait is measurability. Goals that aren`t precise and can`t be quantified or measured, aren`t goals at all. If your goal is to be wealthy, you need to specify what wealthy means. My guess is that your definition of wealth will change as your net worth increases. If you can`t define your goal, and measure your progress towards it, then you have no way of assessing your progress. It becomes impossible to make any changes to your techniques and strategies that may help you reach your goal. Successful Forex traders set goals, and they also are confident they can reach their goals. Confidence is the key to staying rational, logical, and disciplined while you are trading. Starting with small, realistic goals will help build your confidence in yourself and your abilities.

Successful Forex traders also apply skill and logic to all their trading decisions. They learn every day, and they use what they know to make intelligent choices on every trade. Successful Forex traders don`t worry about missing out on the next big thing, they focus on making good trades. One of the most common mistakes inexperienced Forex traders make is to trade when they see an opportunity they think might be too good to miss. Jumping into a position based on a hunch, or on the belief that you may be missing an opportunity, is no different than gambling. Almost every investor at one time or another has felt a rush of enthusiasm for a trade, based solely on their desire not to miss out on a great opportunity that might be available. Successful Forex traders know their market, and are disciplined in their trades so that they aren`t swayed by these kinds of concerns.

While these Forex traders know their market, it`s simply not possible to understand and stay in touch with everything that occurs in all the types of investment vehicles and markets across the world. While some Forex traders have developed systems that allow them to trade in multiple venues, for instance, in different stock markets around the world, most Forex traders specialize in a particular type of investment, and in a particular market. If you enjoy trading in commodities futures, that enjoyment will help you to focus and stay in touch with events in the commodities futures market. If you aren`t interested in currency trading, don`t trade in it. Your lack of knowledge and motivation will cause you to lose focus and make mistakes. Successful Forex traders tend to specialize; they pick an area to study and they follow it closely, learning from past trends and patterns, and from their own trades. If you`re a beginning trader, I recommend focusing on one investment vehicle and it`s market. Learn all you can, about the market and about yourself, before you move into other investment types.

Whether you`re a beginning trader, a trader with some experience, or someone who makes his or her living strictly from trading, you can be successful. Many people think they have to have significant capital, or years of experience, to trade successfully. That`s not true. It`s also true that if you don`t stay disciplined, focused, and rational, you`ll end up as a losing trader, regardless of your level of expertise. All successful Forex traders started as small investors; they didn`t trade more than they could safely risk, they learned from their mistakes, and they developed systems that worked for them and that fit their personal styles. There aren`t different strategies for different levels of Forex traders because the principles are the same for everyone in the markets: logical, focused, disciplined trading creates success.

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Forex Trading Systems: Mechanical Vs. Discretionary Systems.

There are basically two types of Forex trading systems, mechanical and discretionary systems. The trading signals that come out of mechanical systems are mainly based off technical analysis applied in a systematic way. On the other hand, discretionary systems use experience, intuition or judgment on entries and exits. But which one produces better results? Or more importantly, which one fits better your trading style? These are the answers we will try to answer on this article.

We will first analyze the pros and cons about each system approach.

Mechanical systems

Advantages
This kind of system can be automated and backtested efficiently.
It has very rigid rules. Either, there is a trade or there isn?t.
Mechanical traders are less susceptible to emotions than discretionary traders.

Disadvantages
Most traders backtest Forex trading systems incorrectly. In order to produce accurate results you need tick data.
The Forex market is always changing. The Forex market (and all markets) has a random component. The market conditions may look similar, but they are never the same.
A system that worked successfully the past year doesn?t necessary mean it will work this year.

Discretionary systems

Advantages
Discretionary systems are easily adaptable to new market conditions.
Trading decisions are based on experience. Traders learn to see which trading signals have higher probability of success.

Disadvantages
They cannot be backtested or automated, since there is always a thought decision to be made.
It takes time to develop the experience required to trade successfully and track trades in a discretionary way. At early stages this can be dangerous.

Now, which approach is better for Forex traders? The one that fits better your personality. For instance, if you are a trader that finds it hard to follow your trading signals, then you are better off using a mechanical system, where your judgment won?t play an important role in your system. You only take the trades that your system signals.

If the psychological barriers that affect every trader (fear, greed, anger, etc.) puts you in unwanted scenarios, you are also better off trading mechanical systems, because you only need to follow what your system is telling you, go short, go long, close a trade. No other decision has to be made.

On the other hand, if you are a disciplined trader, then you are better off using a discretionary system, because discretionary systems adapt to the market conditions and you are able to change your trading conditions as the market changes. For instance, you have a target of 60 pips on a long trade. But the market suddenly starts trending up pretty strongly, then you could move your target to say 100 pips.

Does it mean that trading a discretionary system has no rules? This is absolutely incorrect. Trading discretionary systems means that once a trader finds his/her setup, the trader then decides what to do. But every trader still needs certain rules that need to be followed, such as the size of the position, conditions that have to be met before thinking to get in the market, and so on.

I am a discretionary trader. The main reason I chose a discretionary system is that my trades are based on price behavior, and as you already know, the price behaves similar to the past, but it is never identical, therefore the outcome of every trade is unknown. However, I do have rigid rules on my system, certain conditions have to be met before I even think in getting in a trade. This keeps me out of trouble, once my setup is present and in accordance with the rules I have set, then I closely watch the price behavior and finally decide whether it is a good opportunity or not.

Whether you choose to be a discretionary or a mechanical trader there are some important points you should take in consideration:

1. You need to make sure the Forex trading system you are using totally fits your personality. Otherwise you will find yourself outguessing your system.

2. You also need to have some rules and most importantly have the discipline to follow them.

3. Take your time to build the perfect system for you. It?s not easy and requires time and hard work, but at the end, if done correctly, it will give you consistent profitable results.

4. Before going live, try it on a demo account or even on a small account (I will go for the second option, since psychological barriers will be present.) Raul Lopez is a full time Forex trader, his trades are based on a price behavior approach. Raul is also founder of http://www.straightforex.com a high quality Forex training company.

Forex Pivot Points: Mapping Your Time Frame

It is useful to have a map and be able to see where the price is relative to previous market action. This way we can see how is the sentiment of traders and investors at any given moment, it also gives us a general idea of where the market is heading during the day. This information can help us decide which way to trade.

Pivot points, a technique developed by floor traders, help us see where the price is relative to previous market action.

As a definition, a pivot point is a turning point or condition. The same applies to the Forex market, the pivot point is a level in which the sentiment of the market changes from ?bull? to ?bear? or vice versa. If the market breaks this level up, then the sentiment is said to be a bull market and it is likely to continue its way up, on the other hand, if the market breaks this level down, then the sentiment is bear, and it is expected to continue its way down. Also at this level, the market is expected to have some kind of support/resistance, and if price can?t break the pivot point, a possible bounce from it is plausible.

Pivot points work best on highly liquid markets, like the spot currency market, but they can also be used in other markets as well.

Pivot Points

In a few words, pivot point is a level in which the sentiment of traders and investors changes from bull to bear or vice versa.

Why PP work?

They work simply because many individual traders and investors use and trust them, as well as bank and institutional traders. It is known to every trader that the pivot point is an important measure of strength and weakness of any market.

Calculating pivot points

There are several ways to arrive to the Pivot point. The method we found to have the most accurate results is calculated by taking the average of the high, low and close of a previous period (or session).

Pivot point (PP) = (High + Low + Close) / 3

Take for instance the following EUR/USD information from the previous session:

Open: 1.2386
High: 1.2474
Low: 1.2376
Close: 1.2458

The PP would be,
PP = (1.2474 + 1.2376 + 1.2458) / 3 = 1.2439

What does this number tell us?

It simply tells us that if the market is trading above 1.2439, Bulls are winning the battle pushing the prices higher. And if the market is trading below this 1.2439 the bears are winning the battle pulling prices lower. On both cases this condition is likely to sustain until the next session.

Since the Forex market is a 24hr market (no close or open from day to day) there is a eternal battle on deciding at white time we should take the open, close, high and low from each session. From our point of view, the times that produce more accurate predictions is taking the open at 00:00 GMT and the close at 23:59 GMT.

Besides the calculation of the PP, there are other support and resistance levels that are calculated taking the PP as a reference.

Support 1 (S1) = (PP * 2) ? H
Resistance 1 (R1) = (PP * 2) - L
Support 2 (S2) = PP ? (R1 ? S1)
Resistance 2 (R2) = PP + (R1 ? S1)

Where , H is the High of the previous period and L is the low of the previous period

Continuing with the example above, PP = 1.2439

S1 = (1.2439 * 2) - 1.2474 = 1.2404
R1 = (1.2439 * 2) ? 1.2376 = 1.2502
R2 = 1.2439 + (1.2636 ? 1.2537) = 1.2537
S2 = 1.2439 ? (1.2636 ? 1.2537) = 1.2537

These levels are supposed to mark support and resistance levels for the current session.

On the example above, the PP was calculated using information of the previous session (previous day.) This way we could see possible intraday resistance and support levels. But it can also be calculated using the previous weekly or monthly data to determine such levels. By doing so we are able to see the sentiment over longer periods of time. Also we can see possible levels that might offer support and resistance throughout the week or month. Calculating the Pivot point in a weekly or monthly basis is mostly used by long term traders, but it can also be used by short time traders, it gives us a good idea about the longer term trend.

S1, S2, R1 AND R2...? An Objective Alternative

As already stated, the pivot point zone is a well-known technique and it works simply because many traders and investors use and trust it. But what about the other support and resistance zones (S1, S2, R1 and R2,) to forecast a support or resistance level with some mathematical formula is somehow subjective. It is hard to rely on them blindly just because the formula popped out that level. For this reason, we have created an alternative way to map our time frame, simpler but more objective and effective.

We calculate the pivot point as showed before. But our support and resistance levels are drawn in a different way. We take the previous session high and low, and draw those levels on today?s chart. The same is done with the session before the previous session. So, we will have our PP and four more important levels drawn in our chart.

LOPS1, low of the previous session.
HOPS1, high of the previous session.
LOPS2, low of the session before the previous session.
HOPS2, high of the session before the previous session.
PP, pivot point.

These levels will tell us the strength of the market at any given moment. If the market is trading above the PP, then the market is considered in a possible uptrend. If the market is trading above HOPS1 or HOPS2, then the market is in an uptrend, and we only take long positions. If the market is trading below the PP then the market is considered in a possible downtrend. If the market is trading below LOPS1 or LOPS2, then the market is in a downtrend, and we should only consider short trades.

The psychology behind this approach is simple. We know that for some reason the market stopped there from going higher/lower the previous session, or the session before that. We don?t know the reason, and we don?t need to know it. We only know the fact: the market reversed at that level. We also know that traders and investors have memories, they do remember that the price stopped there before, and the odds are that the market reverses from there again (maybe because the same reason, and maybe not) or at least find some support or resistance at these levels.

What is important about his approach is that support and resistance levels are measured objectively; they aren?t just a level derived from a mathematical formula, the price reversed there before so these levels have a higher probability of being effective.

Our mapping method works on both market conditions, when trending and on sideways conditions. In a trending market, it helps us determine the strength of the trend and trade off important levels. On sideways markets it shows us possible reversal levels.

How we use our mapping method?

We use the mapping method in three different ways: as a trend identification (measure of the strength of the trend), a trading system using important levels with price behavior as a trading signal and to set the risk reward ratio of any given trade based on where the is the market relative to the previous session.Raul Lopez is a full time Forex trader, his trades are based on a price behavior approach. Raul is also founder of http://www.straightforex.com a high quality Forex training company.

Investing in FOREX or investing in Stocks? Understand the benefits and risks of each Market

So, you have the money to invest, but you dont know whether to buy Stocks or try something new, like FOREX for example.

Stocks

Before we describe what are the benefits of FOREX, lets remember what are 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. Basically speaking, when you buy stocks you invest in the company and in the market it is working in.

Hence, when the company does well and makes a profit, the value of the stocks rise and you can sell your 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, another way for you to make a profit.

Stocks are traded on Stock exchanges. Most stocks are bought and sold through brokers (agents) 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 traders (Day traders) exist, but it 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 broker commissions charged on each transaction reduce any profits realized.

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; hence, you keep all of your profit. Brokers earn money by setting a spread the difference between asking and selling prices.

FOREX is the largest financial market in the world. It is handles transactions worth $1.5 trillion every day ($1,500,000,000,000). By comparison, all the American stock exchanges combined handle daily transactions worth about $100 billion ($100,000,000,000), 15 times smaller than FOREX. It is not located in any one location, but in the virtual space of the Internet. 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.

The huge volume of FOREX and its around the clock availability, 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. Stock exchanges have more limited trading hours. While it is possible to trade on exchanges worldwide, 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.

FOREX has even more advantages compares to Stocks: 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.

The big question is what is Best for you? Are you looking for a Day-Trading constant activity, with its advantages, or a long-term investment. Know the answer and you know the nature of your next investment.

More FOREX articles can be found at http://forex.beyogi.com - The Foreign Exchange Market Explained.
Ofer Shoshani is the Editor of beyogi (http://forex.beyogi.com) - The Foreign Exchange Market Explained where many more articles like this one can be found.

 

Reality of Online Forex Trading

Foreign exchange trading is the trading of currencies. Most currencies can be traded. Huge amounts of currencies are traded 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. On average $1.9 trillion is traded a day. The most traded are United States Dollar, Japanese Yen, Euro, Canadian Dollar, British Pound Sterling, Australian Dollar and Swiss Franc.

Many brokers will let you open an account with a starting balance of just $250. Though that may seem small, remember you will be trading on margin. Your $250 investment may let you control $25,000. As with all investments there are risks so make sure you take the time to study the markets and your exposure before making your first trades. I highly recommend that you do some paper trades first to make sure you have understood how the markets work. No risk training, just write down the trades you would have done for real and chart the prices. Buy and sell and see if you have the right strategy before making real trades.

A fast internet connection will allow you to do forex trading online. Your broker will give you many online tools to allow you to study the markets: Real time quotes, news feeds

Visit different brokers websites and compare the services they offer. Some brokers give you the possibility to open demo accounts. Do so, to test their software and find the one you like best.

Before you start trading make sure that you have learnt the terminology: Market Order, Limit Order, Stop Order. You may find the definitions of these terms and more information at http://www.forex.value-guides.com/calc-forex.html Calculating Forex Profits And Losses.

All currencies have standard identifying code used worldwide, some examples are: EUR (European euros), GBP (United Kingdom pounds), AUD (Australian dollars). Of course you dont have to know them all but it may be good to be able to recognize all the major currencies codes so that you will be able to make quick decisions.

To make sound evaluations, you need information. Follow carefully the worlds current events, economic and political news. You will be surprised to see how, what may seem to you as insignificant will cause the currencies markets to fluctuate wildly.

David Jones writes for http://www.forex.value-guides.com Forex Value Guides a site set up to give users the most updated information, articles, and news related to the Forex Market