Forex Trading Guide |
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| A Look At Online Forex Brokers by Eddie Tobey An online forex broker is a firm that facilitates retail trading using Internet technologies. Global Forex Trading (GFT), one of the popular online forex brokers. It provides retail traders with a free demo trading account, allows users to open a live account, gives live help, provides software called DealBook FX 2, and allows viewing of account documents. (DealBook FX 2 can be downloaded for the demo trading account). Gain Capital Group’s Online Forex offers 200:1 leverage. In some cases, the total return on investment is higher due to leverage. For example, with $1000 cash in a margin account, the investor can control up to $200,000 in notional value. Of course, trading on leverage magnifies both the investor’s profits and losses. GCI Financial Ltd. offers commission-free online trading in forex. GCI offers Internet trading software, fast and efficient execution, and 0.5% margin requirements. This broker offers USD or Euro denominated trading accounts. The spreads are 3 pips in EUR/USD and USD/JPY, and are 4 to 5 pips for other major commissions. Clients can hedge by opening positions in the same currency in opposite directions. Risk to the investor is limited to the deposited funds. Market analysis and research, real-time charts, and forex trading signals are available at no charge. ACM, part of the REFCO group, offers 3 pip spreads on all major currencies, which works out to between 0.02% and 0.03% on the dollar value. They also offer commission-free trading, and forex trading with a 1% margin, which means that a trader can control $1,000,000 with $10,000 in his account. There are many online forex brokers that offer free demo accounts for potential forex traders to practice trading. It is only a matter of registering and starting demo trading to get a feel for forex trading. In addition, at most sites, traders can find free forex news to assist them with their trade strategies. About the Author: Forex Brokers provides detailed information on forex brokers, forex trading and market makers, and other forex-related topics. For more information go to http://www.e-forexbrokers.com and/or visit its sister site at http://www.e-incorporatinginflorida.com for related information. Source: www.isnare.com |
| Online Forex by Rafik Patel Online Forex Rafik Patel Q1: When you consider that the foreign exchange market has become the worlds largest financial market, with over $1.5 trillion USD traded daily, where does it go from here A1:The FX market is unique, in the UK there is no central exchange, we trade via the inter bank market. With more and more private individuals taking up margin trading and new forex brokers setting up, I can only see the market grow in the near future. Q2: Other than great liquidity, what are the principal benefits attached to the forex market A2: There is less to consider when trading the forex markets, there are only a number of variables that affect the pricing. Main advantages include Forex Market allows 24 hour trading Greater leverage - with most brokers offering 100 – 1, Less starting capital required, More Liquidity - day trading has to have enough volume to make it worth our while. The currency market is more liquid than all the world stock markets put together. Currencies are always in action, Free trading systems Better for shorting - There are artificial controls built into the market to prevent it from going down too fast. The reason is that we live in a biased world that likes to see things go up instead of down. One of these artificial contraptions is the "uptick rule," which comes into play when shorting stocks, making it more difficult to sell a stock short than to buy it. This is unheard of in the currency market. Selling currencies short while day trading is just as easy as buying them. Ideal for Short Term Traders - Q3: Limited market access, liquidity issues-after market hours, commission fees, capital requirements and short selling/stop restrictions are just some of the issues investors face when considering other markets. Given that the forex market removes many of these traditional barriers and therefore does not restrict the forex traders ability to make a trade at the right time, are we likely to see an increase in trading volumes this year A3: With all these advantages, traders are finding it hard not to trade currencies, online trading volumes across all products is increasing at a substantial rate, however FX trading, predominantly amongst retail investors is becoming very popular. Q4: There is stiff competition amongst online forex service providers for retail forex traders with some claiming to offer the same degree of technical analysis enjoyed by the worlds largest banks and institutional traders. Is this possible A4: Technical Analysis has come a long way, more and more forex provides now have partnerships with firms who provide analysis. However the banks still have an advantage, the markets are still not under perfectly competitive economic model. The banks will always have access to information that is not readily available, ISX FX currently sources its information from a number of banks to fill this gap. Q5: Do you subscribe to the theory that forex is less volatile than stocks because the market is much deeper A5: As a bet on the direction of a national economy, no currency has ever dropped 25 percent in a day, or imploded as rapidly and completely as an Enron or a Parmalat. In the wake of those scandals, many companies are meting out information more cautiously, making it harder to get the real "scoop" on stocks one problem of trading with too-high leverage is that one piece of surprise news can wipe out ones capital. If you treat forex trading like a business, including proper money management, you have a better chance of success." Q6: U.S. interest rates-decade lows; global trade wars and terrorism fears have dominated the headlines recently. What impact has this had on retail volumes A6: The above factors have all led to a decline in the dollar. This coupled with tighter regulation of brokers has given investors more confidence in brokers. Also the stock market crash has driven individuals to look at the profit opportunities offered by forex. Q7: Stateside the Commodity Futures Trading Commission CFTC has brought 58 actions against firms, since its new powers were awarded in 2000. Given that certain brokers continue to abuse the system, with investor money sometimes not being traded in the markets promised. What can investors do protect themselves A7: The retail forex market is in essence betting, as with any bookmaker there is always a risk that you will not get your winnings, or the odds will be highly stacked against you. With tighter regulation and increased competition, this risk of default has largely disappeared. The risk of price manipulation still exists and this will never really go away. Investors need to ensure that they have an independent price source and trade with a broker who offers true one click dealing. Most brokers work on the basis of the law of large numbers, acting like the bucket shops of 50 years ago, they do not hedge any positions and are directly competing against there clients. This will always lead to price manipulation and further actions by authorities will inevitably be taken. Q8: What is this best way for “currency rookies” to get involved in the market A8: Like with any new form of trading you need to know what you are doing, especially as there is margin involved. Take all the time you need to learn this new trading skill well -- practice everything you learn with a demo account before you consider going live with your own money. Investors should read books, attend seminars and paper trade until they are comfortable with there strategy.
About The Author Rafik Patel C.E.O. ISX FX LIMITED. www.isxfx.com rafik@isxfx.com |
| A Beginner’s Guide To Forex by Mary McDowski FOREX is the abbreviation for the Foreign Exchange market. FOREX is basically an international exchange market where currencies from all over the world are bought and sold for profit. The market today began in the 1970’s. FOREX is a very unique market because it is not based in any particular place, and it also has very few qualifications for investing. FOREX is also free of external controls, and the investors (participants in the market) largely determine how much a currency is worth based on demand. Almost anyone can invest in FOREX, and there are strategies for investors who want to have long-term gains, and strategies for investors who desire short-term gains. The vast array of investors makes FOREX quite unique in the financial community. The Workings of FOREX FOREX is not centered at one place like the NYSE. The specific hours for FOREX trade are 24 hours a day from Sunday afternoon to Friday afternoon. FOREX transactions can take place at almost any time, anywhere, all over the world. There are FOREX dealers in almost all of the time zones, and it is simple to find them. Many dealers can be found online. All an investor does is decide what currency he or she wants to purchase, contact the dealer, and then makes the purchase. Many investors purchase using a credit line (money they do not have). This is called marginal trading. What is Marginal Trading? Marginal trading is a term used for trading with borrowed capital. FOREX investments can be made without actually having the money. All an investor needs to do is borrow the money for a certain currency. The investor wants to choose a currency that will increase in value quite rapidly. Once the currency increases, the investor pays back the money he or she borrowed and makes sheer profit. This is a high-risk investment, but the rewards are great (as with most high risk investments). Two Types of FOREX Analytics FOREX traders often have to analyze the market. Like all investments, FOREX involves a certain amount of calculated risk. Two ways to calculate these risks are though Technical Analysis and Fundamental Analysis. Technical Analysis is based on the idea that trends through history will continue. A FOREX investor will notice that a certain currency is very strong and seems to be rising at a normal rate. The same investor will also suppose that the currency will not decline in value, and will continue to rise, as it has done in the past. The investor then purchases a large amount of that currency and expects to make a profit. This investment entails a large assumption but is relatively safe. Fundamental Analysis is an analysis of an entire countries situation. Investors utilizing this technique look at the situation of the country in which the currency finds its base. Factors such as the countries economic status, political status, and global status are taken into account. For example, a Fundamental Analysis investor would not invest in currency from a country that just overthrew its leader and is in political shambles. Although this investment seems logical, it does not take into account one of the fundamental elements of FOREX trading. FOREX currency values are largely determined by the investors. That being said, Fundamental Analysis assumes that other FOREX traders will view a countries situation in the same way and respond accordingly. Benefits of FOREX FOREX can be very beneficial to a variety of people. FOREX trading can gain investors a large amount of money either over a long period of time, or in a short period of time. Investors who choose to invest in FOREX are generally well informed about the market and understand the current situations in many countries of the world. Investing in FOREX is simple and highly recommended for anyone who wants to enjoy profits from top-notch investments. About the Author: Mary McDowski is very interested in investments and finances. Learn more about FOREX at ( http://www.forexreader.com ). Source: www.isnare.com |
