Forex Trading|How to trade foreign currencies
Jun
23
Filed Under (Currency Trading) by admin
What is FOREX?
The Foreign Exchange Market (Forex) is the arena in which a nation’s currency is exchanged for that of another at a mutually agreed rate. It was created in the 1970’s when international trade transitioned from fixed to floating exchange rates, and is now considered to be the largest financial market in the world because of its huge turnover.
Introduction to Forex
All currencies are traded in pairs and each is assigned with an abbreviation. Here are some of them (Table 1):
EUR Euro
USD US Dollar
GBP British Pound
JPY Japanese Yen
CHF Swiss Franc
AUD Australian Dollar
CAD Canadian Dollar
NZD New Zealand Dollar
SGD Singapore Dollar
‘Base’ currency is the first currency in the pair. ‘Quote’ currency, or ‘term’ currency is the second currency in the pair.
USD / JPY = 120.25
Base currency Quote currency Rate
This abbreviation specifies how much you have to pay in the quote currency to obtain one unit of the base currency (in this example, 120.25 Japanese Yen for one US Dollar). The minimum rate fluctuation is called a point or a pip.
Most currencies, except USD/JPY, EUR/JPY, CHF/JPY and GBP/JPY where a pip is 0.01, have 4 digits after the period (a pip is 0.0001), and sometimes they are abbreviated to the last two digits. For example, if EURUSD is traded at 1.2389/1.2391 the quote may be abbreviated to 89/91.
The currency pairs on Forex are quoted as the Bid and Ask (or Offer) prices:
Bid Ask
USD / JPY = 120.25 / 120.28
Bid is the rate at which you can sell the base currency, in our case it’s the US dollar, and buy the quote currency, i.e the Japanese Yen.
Ask ( or Offer) is the rate at which you can buy the base currency, in our case the US dollar, and sell the quote currency, i.e. the Japanese Yen.
Spread is the difference between the Bid price and the Ask price.
Pip is the smallest price increment a currency can make. Also known as a point. e.g. 1 pip = 0.0001 for EUR/USD, and 0.01 for USD/JPY.
Currency Rate is the value of one currency expressed in terms of another. The rate fluctuation depends on numerous factors including the supply and demand on the market and/or open market operations by a government or by a central bank.
1.0 lot size for different currency pairs (Table 2)
Currency 1.0 lot size 1 pip
EURUSD EUR 100,000 0.0001
USDCHF USD 100,000 0.0001
EURUSD EUR 100,000 0.0001
GBPUSD GBP 100,000 0.0001
USDJPY USD 100,000 0.01
AUDUSD AUD 100,000 0.0001
USDCAD USD 100,000 0.0001
EURCHF EUR 100,000 0.0001
EURJPY EUR 100,000 0.01
EURGBP EUR 100,000 0.0001
GBPJPY GBP 100,000 0.01
GBPCHF GBP 100,000 0.0001
EURCAD EUR 100,000 0.0001
NZDUSD NZD 100,000 0.0001
USDSEK USD 100,000 0.0001
USDDKK USD 100,000 0.0001
USDNOK USD 100,000 0.0001
USDSGD USD 100,000 0.0001
USDZAR USD 100,000 0.0001
CHFJPY CHF 100,000 0.01
Spreads & Margins
Alpari (UK)’s mission is to provide innovative currency trading technology combined with quality execution, tight spreads and competitive margins.
Margin is the collateral required by Alpari (UK) to open and maintain a position:
*
o
+ An open position of less than 3,000,000 USD (3M) nominal value carries a maximum leverage of 1:500.
+ An open position of 3M – 5M USD carries a leverage of 1:500 for the first 3M and a leverage of 1:200 for the remaining 2M.
+ An open position of 5M – 10M USD carries a leverage of 1:500 for the first 3M, a leverage of 1:200 for the next 2M and a leverage of 1:100 for the remaining 5M.
+ For open positions higher than 10M USD, the first 3M carries a leverage of 1:500, the next 2M carries a leverage of 1:200, the next 5M carries a leverage of 1:100. Everything above carries a leverage of 1:33.
For example, a client opens a position of 12 million USD (for example, 120 lots in USDCHF). His margin requirements will be the following:
Nominal value of open position Funds required to open position Maximum leverage offered
First 3 million = 3,000,000 / 500 = 6,000 USD 1:500
Next 2 million = 2,000,000 / 200 = 10,000 USD 1:200
Next 5 million = 5,000,000 / 100 = 50,000 USD 1:100
Remaining 2 million = 2,000,000 / 33 = 60,606 USD 1:33
TOTAL: 12 million = 126,606 USD
Balance is the total financial result of all completed transactions and deposits/withdrawals on the trading account.
Floating Profit/Loss is current profit/loss on open positions calculated at the current prices.
Equity is calculated as balance + floating profit – floating loss.
Free margin means funds on the trading account, which may be used to open a position. It is calculated as equity less necessary margin.
Calculating profit/loss
For example, EUR/USD exchange rate is 1.2505/1.2507 and your leverage is 1:100. You believe that EUR/USD will go up and buy 0.1 lot of EUR/USD at 1.2507 (Ask price) – for the contract size refer to Table 2. As we can see from Table 2, 1.0 lot of EUR/USD is 100,000 EUR, which means that 0.1 lot (our example deal size) is 10,000 EUR.
So, you buy 10,000 EUR and sell 10,000*1.2507=12,507 USD. In fact to fund this position you do not have to have 12,507 USD but only 125.07 USD. The rest of the money (in our example 12,381.93 USD) is leveraged to you by Alpari (UK).
The leverage (or gearing) mechanism allows you to open and hold a position much larger than your trading account value. 1:100 leverage means that when you wish to open a new position, you need to support a deposit 100 times less than the value of the contract you are interested in.
For example, you believe that EUR/USD is moving higher and buy 10,000 EUR and sell 12,507 USD. Assuming you are right and EUR/USD goes up to 1.2599/1.2601 and you decide to close the position: when you close a long position you sell the base currency (10,000 EUR in our example) and buy the quote currency (10,000*1.2599 = 12,599 USD):
Transaction EUR USD
Open a position: buy EUR and sell USD + 10,000 – 12,507
Close a position: sell EUR and buy USD – 10,000 + 12,599
Total: 0 + 92
NB: When you close a short position you buy the base currency and sell the quote currency.
To fund this position you only need 100 EUR (approximately 125 USD) not 10,000 EUR. The profit on this position is 92 pips (1.2599-1.2507=0.0092). A pip or point is a minimal rate fluctuation. For EUR/USD 1 pip is 0.0001 of the price (see Table 2).
This example shows a favourable outcome. If EUR/USD had fallen you would realise a loss and not a profit. This loss will be magnified as a result of leveraging. For example, if you close the position at 1.2419, your loss would be $88. Should you have doubts about your understanding of risks, please consult a qualified financial adviser.
Lot Size is the number of base currency, underlying asset or shares in one lot defined in the contract specifications. For details refer to the Table 2.
Lot is an abstract notion of the amount of base currency, shares or other underlying asset on the trading platform.
Transaction (or deal) size is lot size multiplied by the number of lots.
Long Position is a buy position whereby you profit from an increase in price. In respect of currency pairs: buying the base currency against the quote currency.
Short Position is a sell position whereby you profit from a decrease in price. For currency pairs: selling the base currency against the quote currency.
Completed Transaction consists of two counter deals of the same size (open and close a position): buy then sell or vice versa.
Leverage is the term used to describe margin requirements: the ratio between the collateral and the value of the contract. 1:100 leverage means that you can control $100,000 with only $1,000 (1%).
Rollover / Interest Policy
Foreign exchange trading at Alpari (UK) is dealt on a "Spot" basis only. This means that all trades settle two business days from inception, as per market convention. The settlement date is referred to as the value date. Alpari (UK) does not arrange physical delivery of currencies hence, all positions left open from 10:59:45 p.m. to 10:59:59 p.m. (London time) will be rolled over to a new Value Date.
As a result, positions are subject to a swap charge or credit based on the "Rollover/Interest Policy" webpage.
Please note that since 03 June 2007 Alpari (UK) Limited no longer closes and reopens the positions which are open at 11:00 pm London time. Instead we have introduced a more convenient method of rollover which involves debiting or crediting a customer’s trading account when he/she holds open positions overnight.
The cost of rollover is based on the interest rate differential of the two currencies. Let’s assume that the interest rates in the EU and USA are 4.25% p.a and 3.5% p.a respectively. Every currency trade involves borrowing one currency to buy another. If you have a buy position of 1.0 lot in EUR/USD, then you earn 4.25% on your Euros and borrow USD at 3.5% per year.
In other words:
* If you have a long position (i.e. bought) and the first currency in the currency pair has a higher overnight interest rate than the second currency, then you receive a gain.
* If you have a short position (i.e. sold) and the first currency in the currency pair has a higher overnight interest rate than the second currency, then you lose the difference.
* If you have a long position (i.e. bought) and the first currency in the currency pair has a lower overnight interest rate than the second currency, then you lose the difference.
* If you have a short position (i.e. sold) and the first currency in the currency pair has a lower overnight interest rate than the second currency, then you receive a gain.
Please note that if you open and close a position before 10:59:45 p.m. (London time) you will not be subject to a rollover.
The act of rolling the currency pair over is known as tom.next, which stands for tomorrow and the next day.
NB: When you roll an open position from Wednesday to Thursday, then Monday next week becomes the value date, not Saturday; therefore the rollover charge on a Wednesday evening will be three times the value indicated on the "Rollover/Interest Policy" webpage.
Why trade Forex?
Unlike other financial markets Forex has no physical location, like stock exchanges, for example. It operates through the electronic network of banks, computer terminals or via telephone. The lack of a physical exchange enables Forex to operate on a 24-hour basis, spanning from one time zone to another across the major financial centres (Sydney, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Frankfurt, London, New York etc). In every financial centre there are many dealers, who buy and sell currencies 24 hours a day during the whole business week. Trading begins in the Far East, New Zealand (Wellington), then Sydney, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Moscow, Frankfurt-on-Maine, London and ends in New York and Los Angeles. Below there are approximate trading hours for regional markets (London time):
Japan 00:00-06:30
Continental Europe 06:30-13:00
Great Britain 8:30-15:30
USA 14:30-21:30
Forex has some advantages which make it very popular among investors:
* Liquidity. Forex is the largest financial market in the world, with the equivalent of over $3-4 trillion changing hands daily whereas traded volume on the stock markets equates to only 500 billion US dollars.
* Flexibility. Forex is a 24-hour market, which offers a major advantage over other markets, for example, stock exchanges which are only open during regional business hours. You can respond to breaking news immediately if the situation requires it and customise your trading schedule.
* Lower transaction costs. Traditionally there are no commissions or charges on Forex, except for the spread.
* Margin. Our 1:100 leverage (only for deposits below $ 100,000) is a powerful tool. You need to support a deposit of 1,000 US dollars to make a deal with $100,000. Such high leverage combined with rapid rate fluctuations can make this market profitable but at the same time risky: please see Risk Warning below.
Risk Warning
Under margin trading conditions even small market movements may have a great impact on the customer’s trading account. You must consider that if the market moves against you, you may sustain a total loss greater than the funds deposited. You are responsible for all the risks, financial resources you use and for the chosen trading strategy.
By: richard
Jun
22
Filed Under (Currency Trading) by admin
Forex market is open 24 hours a day. It provides a great opportunity for traders to trade any time of the day or at night. However, although it seems to be not very important at the beginning, the right time to trade is one of the most crucial points to be successful in trading at the forex market. So, when should one consider trading and why?
The best time to trade is when the market is the most active and therefore has the biggest volume of trades. More active currency moves will create a good chance to catch the trade and make some profit. A calm, slow market is literally wasting of time — turn off your computer and don’t even bother!
What to trade, when to trade
During the 24 hours period currency pairs in Forex market experience several hours, when the volume of trades is the highest and so is the pip movement.
Below are Forex market sessions and examples of the most active currency pairs:
London/ New York sessions:
EUR/USD USD/CHF GBP/USD
Tokyo/Sydney sessions:
EUR/JPY AUD/USD USD/JPY AUD/JPY
Sydney session:
AUD/USD EUR/USD
During the week the most active Forex trading days are: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Sundays (opening) and Mondays are days when traders are mostly watching and analyzing the market and predict further price moves. Fridays are traded approximately till noon, after that all actions slow down and almost freeze before the actual market closing at 5 pm EST.
Some currencies tend to move in the same direction, some — in opposite. This is a powerful knowledge for those who trade more than one currency pair. It helps to hedge, diversify or double profitable positions.
Statistically measured by performance, currency pairs are given so called “correlation coefficients” from +1 to -1. A correlation of +1 means two currency pairs will move in the same direction 100% of the time. A correlation of -1 means they will move in the opposite direction 100% of the time. A correlation of zero means no relation between currency pairs exists
Examples of same direction moving currency pairs are:
•
EUR/USD and GBP/USD EUR/USD and NZD/USD USD/CHF and USD/JPY AUD/USD and GBP/USD AUD/USD and EUR/USD
•
Inversely moving pairs are:
•
EUR/USD and USD/CHF GBP/USD and USD/JPY GBP/USD and USD/CHF AUD/USD and USD/CAD AUD/USD and USD/JPY
By: ariesto
The best time to trade is when the market is the most active and therefore has the biggest volume of trades. More active currency moves will create a good chance to catch the trade and make some profit. A calm, slow market is literally wasting of time — turn off your computer and don’t even bother!
What to trade, when to trade
During the 24 hours period currency pairs in Forex market experience several hours, when the volume of trades is the highest and so is the pip movement.
Below are Forex market sessions and examples of the most active currency pairs:
London/ New York sessions:
EUR/USD USD/CHF GBP/USD
Tokyo/Sydney sessions:
EUR/JPY AUD/USD USD/JPY AUD/JPY
Sydney session:
AUD/USD EUR/USD
During the week the most active Forex trading days are: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Sundays (opening) and Mondays are days when traders are mostly watching and analyzing the market and predict further price moves. Fridays are traded approximately till noon, after that all actions slow down and almost freeze before the actual market closing at 5 pm EST.
Some currencies tend to move in the same direction, some — in opposite. This is a powerful knowledge for those who trade more than one currency pair. It helps to hedge, diversify or double profitable positions.
Statistically measured by performance, currency pairs are given so called “correlation coefficients” from +1 to -1. A correlation of +1 means two currency pairs will move in the same direction 100% of the time. A correlation of -1 means they will move in the opposite direction 100% of the time. A correlation of zero means no relation between currency pairs exists
Examples of same direction moving currency pairs are:
•
EUR/USD and GBP/USD EUR/USD and NZD/USD USD/CHF and USD/JPY AUD/USD and GBP/USD AUD/USD and EUR/USD
•
Inversely moving pairs are:
•
EUR/USD and USD/CHF GBP/USD and USD/JPY GBP/USD and USD/CHF AUD/USD and USD/CAD AUD/USD and USD/JPY
By: ariesto
Jun
17
Filed Under (Currency Trading) by admin
Forex Day Trading can be very lucrative. No matter what type of market you chose to day trade you must know the “personality” of the market you are trading. Every market has its own characteristics and it is important to know what they are before attempting to profit from it. The forex market is no different. In this article we will go over very important general day trading principles/rules and then we will see what a day trader has to recognize when specifically day trading the forex market.
As the term implies, day traders are concerned with what happens in the market today. Not tomorrow, not next week and not next month, but today. Forex day trader’s job is to capture intraday price swings. Depending on the system or trading method employed, this can mean capturing one intraday swing or various intraday swings.
The general job of a Forex day trader is: To be disciplined.
This principle is key for any type of trading but particularly for forex day trading. If I had to name one single aspect of a day trader that can make him or her a winner or a loser it is discipline. You can have a so-so system but still make money if you are disciplined. However, you can have the best trading system in the world but if you are not disciplined I guarantee you will not be a successful trader. So, what is all this discipline everyone talks about when discussing trading? Very simple, it’s respecting and strictly following your forex trading plan, your forex trading system, your money management rules, and your commitment to the business. Being disciplined with regard to each and every one of these components is essential for your success.
It is so easy to deviate from your trading plan, the rules of your forex trading system or any of the above mentioned components, especially when day trading. Why? Two reasons. First, because the trader is trading very frequent and does not have time to cool down, think, and evaluate. Second, because reality is replaced by hope. Your trading system rules (reality) say: “get out of the trade” hope says “hang in there, maybe it will still be profitable”. Your money management rules (reality) say “risk only 2% of your account on this trade” hope says “since I lost on the last trade I will risk 4% on this next one so I can make up for the loser and also be profitable”. Your trading plan (reality) says “trade each day 4 hours, give yourself Wednesday or Thursday a vacation to rest” hope says “Since I am not doing very well now I don”t need this rest day, and I will also trade 7 hours per day to make up”. I know (not hope!) you now understand the point!
To control risk:
One of the most important jobs as a day trader is to control your risk exposure. Sure, controlling risk is a concept you must use in any type of trading; however in day trading you must look at this issue from a different angle. Since your job is to capture various price swings during the day naturally your profit objectives will be much smaller then of a swing trader (who places a single trade aiming for a much larger profit objective). So, when placing several trades during the day it can be easy to “drift” away from your pre-determined stop loses. A common (very common actually!) day traders thought is “if I extend my stop loss just a bit I hope the market will turn around”! Hope is one of the trader’s biggest enemies. These little extensions of stop losses add up and suddenly without noticing you are losing more dollars per trade than planed making your risk/reward ratio turn against you.
To focus on the appropriate time frame:
As a day trader your primary concern is to catch intraday swings. Your trades start and finish the same day. Your world is the day you are trading in. You don’t care what will happen in the market tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Your objective when trading is focusing on the appropriate time frame chart. My opinion is that day trading should be done on a 1, 5 or 10 minute bar chart. Remember, you are looking to capture several fast and short moves during the day and hence you must focus on the charts that best illustrate events as they happen in a short period of time.
However, the fact that you are day trading on a 1,5 or 10 minute bar chart does not mean you cant use a larger time frame chart for the purpose of analysis. This however, is very subjective and depends very much on the traders’ strategies and methods of trading. As an example, many day traders would look at one hour bar charts in order to have a view of how the market has been behaving in the last week. Is it moving sideways (and so maybe I should only place trades between support and resistance areas)? Is it trending (and so maybe I should only be looking at placing trades in the direction of the higher time frame trend)? Are there any major support and/or resistance levels I should be aware of (areas where I should refrain from placing trades since it is uncertain how the market will react when reaching them)? Did the market brake out of a congestion area?
Again, it is very subjective. Some day traders believe that with proper larger time frame analysis they can select better their day trades. My personal opinion is that the more you analyze the more conflicts you will have and the more uncertainties will appear (especially if you are new to trading). I like making things simple and I found it very useful when trading (proof of this is that all of the trading systems I use are 100% mechanical). Don’t get me wrong, this is not to say that larger time frames should not be used at all for analysis purposes. But, try to keep it simple and if you see that looking at larger time frame charts interferes with your correct decision process when placing day trades then simply stop.
To trade volatile and liquid markets:
Since your job as a forex day trader is to capture intraday swings it is crucial that the market you are trading has enough movement to allow you to do this. It is also important that the market you are trading has enough liquidity so that order fills do not suffer from excessive slippage. You have to select a market that it’s volatility is permanent and not a temporary occurrence. Since you are basing your trading method on catching intraday price swings you have to know that you are trading in the right place. As a day trader volatility is your allay and you have to know that you can count on it every single day (or at least 90% of the days). Liquid markets will provide you with good order fills. As a day trader this is very important since you are aiming at smaller profit objectives and hence larger slippage will eat away more of your profits. When trading several times a day this adds up and can be the difference between success and failure.
As a forex day trader you have to apply all the above rules and principles plus other criteria that are unique to the forex market.
Time of day trading:
The forex market is a 24 hour market. Never stops except on weekends. Within this 24 hour period different currencies behave in different manners. As a forex day trader it is very important to know the “personality” of the currency pair you are trading. For example, the GBP/USD is more volatile in early to mid European session then any other liquid pair. For a day trader trading in these hours it would be wise to take advantage of the price swings the GBP/USD pair offers instead of trading some other currency pair that constantly shows no movement. The USD/CAD pair is “silent” in the early to mid European session but starts to have more price movement toward the start of the US session. Every time Non Farm Payroll is released most if not all currency pairs have a very small price range up to release time. As a day trader it wouldn’t be wise to trade during these pre-announcement hours with strategies that are based on breakouts. It would probably be smarter to use strategies that are based on range support and resistance.
Spread and liquidity:
Forex brokers don’t charge you a commission for every trade you make (at least most forex brokers). Instead, they make their profit on the bid/ask spread which is measured in pips. As a forex day trader you are aiming at capturing small price swings sometimes several time per day. Also, your profit objectives are obviously much smaller than the swing trader’s profit objectives. All this means one thing: every pip counts. You cannot afford to trade currency pairs with large spreads; if you do your profit will get eaten up to a point where you will not be trading with an adequate risk/reward ratio. Forex day trading must be done with liquid pairs. Most forex brokers will provide you with a very narrow spread for the most liquid currency pairs. As an example, many brokers are now offering a 2 pip spread for EUR/USD and USD/JPY and a 3 pip spread for USD/CHF and GBP/USD. These are the most liquid pairs and the ones a day trader should focus on.
Specific news announcements:
Currency rates are affected by rumors, news, economic indicators and government reports. As a forex day trader you must always be aware of what economic reports are scheduled on the day you are trading and at what time. Why? Simply because many of these reports can have a strong momentary impact on the market once they hit the news wires. This impact can be of 10 pips or 100 pips depending on the report and it’s difference from the market consensus. The most important and impacting economic indicators and government reports are issued by the US government. They affect every USD/X or X/USD currency pair. Again, always know what are the release times and the importance of the economic report. For example, suppose you are in a EUR/USD trade at 8:25 a.m. You know that an economic report is scheduled for release at 8:30 a.m. You might consider either exiting the trade before the release (in order to avoid unnecessary speculation as to what impact the report will have on the market) or entering your profit objective and stop loss into your deal station (for risk exposure reasons).
Volatility of currency pairs:
As a forex day trader volatility is you friend, a friend you cannot afford to trade without. In it’s basic definition, volatility is simply the amount of price change with relation to time. Volatile currency pairs have various price swings (price changes) during a small period of time (one day). These price swings are what a day trader lives on. In the forex market volatility many times comes hand in hand with liquidity. The most liquid currency pairs are the ones that are the most volatile. The big 4: EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY and USD/CHF are the most liquid pairs that provide the best volatility and hence opportunity for the forex day trader. Within these four pairs, the GBP/USD is the most volatile. Although it’s not the most liquid (the EUR/USD is), but it’s the most volatility. This pair, traded with the right forex broker (one that provides a 3 pip spread) can present many profitable opportunities for the astute day trader.
In conclusion, the forex day trader has to be prepared not only with the basic day trading rules, skills and principles. His job is to incorporate into his trading the characteristics and uniqueness of the forex market. Remember, every currency pair might present different opportunities and it is your job to always focus on the ones that best fit the purpose and objectives of forex day trading.
I hope to have contributed to your forex trading education and I thank you for taking the time to read this article.
By: Justin Owen
As the term implies, day traders are concerned with what happens in the market today. Not tomorrow, not next week and not next month, but today. Forex day trader’s job is to capture intraday price swings. Depending on the system or trading method employed, this can mean capturing one intraday swing or various intraday swings.
The general job of a Forex day trader is: To be disciplined.
This principle is key for any type of trading but particularly for forex day trading. If I had to name one single aspect of a day trader that can make him or her a winner or a loser it is discipline. You can have a so-so system but still make money if you are disciplined. However, you can have the best trading system in the world but if you are not disciplined I guarantee you will not be a successful trader. So, what is all this discipline everyone talks about when discussing trading? Very simple, it’s respecting and strictly following your forex trading plan, your forex trading system, your money management rules, and your commitment to the business. Being disciplined with regard to each and every one of these components is essential for your success.
It is so easy to deviate from your trading plan, the rules of your forex trading system or any of the above mentioned components, especially when day trading. Why? Two reasons. First, because the trader is trading very frequent and does not have time to cool down, think, and evaluate. Second, because reality is replaced by hope. Your trading system rules (reality) say: “get out of the trade” hope says “hang in there, maybe it will still be profitable”. Your money management rules (reality) say “risk only 2% of your account on this trade” hope says “since I lost on the last trade I will risk 4% on this next one so I can make up for the loser and also be profitable”. Your trading plan (reality) says “trade each day 4 hours, give yourself Wednesday or Thursday a vacation to rest” hope says “Since I am not doing very well now I don”t need this rest day, and I will also trade 7 hours per day to make up”. I know (not hope!) you now understand the point!
To control risk:
One of the most important jobs as a day trader is to control your risk exposure. Sure, controlling risk is a concept you must use in any type of trading; however in day trading you must look at this issue from a different angle. Since your job is to capture various price swings during the day naturally your profit objectives will be much smaller then of a swing trader (who places a single trade aiming for a much larger profit objective). So, when placing several trades during the day it can be easy to “drift” away from your pre-determined stop loses. A common (very common actually!) day traders thought is “if I extend my stop loss just a bit I hope the market will turn around”! Hope is one of the trader’s biggest enemies. These little extensions of stop losses add up and suddenly without noticing you are losing more dollars per trade than planed making your risk/reward ratio turn against you.
To focus on the appropriate time frame:
As a day trader your primary concern is to catch intraday swings. Your trades start and finish the same day. Your world is the day you are trading in. You don’t care what will happen in the market tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Your objective when trading is focusing on the appropriate time frame chart. My opinion is that day trading should be done on a 1, 5 or 10 minute bar chart. Remember, you are looking to capture several fast and short moves during the day and hence you must focus on the charts that best illustrate events as they happen in a short period of time.
However, the fact that you are day trading on a 1,5 or 10 minute bar chart does not mean you cant use a larger time frame chart for the purpose of analysis. This however, is very subjective and depends very much on the traders’ strategies and methods of trading. As an example, many day traders would look at one hour bar charts in order to have a view of how the market has been behaving in the last week. Is it moving sideways (and so maybe I should only place trades between support and resistance areas)? Is it trending (and so maybe I should only be looking at placing trades in the direction of the higher time frame trend)? Are there any major support and/or resistance levels I should be aware of (areas where I should refrain from placing trades since it is uncertain how the market will react when reaching them)? Did the market brake out of a congestion area?
Again, it is very subjective. Some day traders believe that with proper larger time frame analysis they can select better their day trades. My personal opinion is that the more you analyze the more conflicts you will have and the more uncertainties will appear (especially if you are new to trading). I like making things simple and I found it very useful when trading (proof of this is that all of the trading systems I use are 100% mechanical). Don’t get me wrong, this is not to say that larger time frames should not be used at all for analysis purposes. But, try to keep it simple and if you see that looking at larger time frame charts interferes with your correct decision process when placing day trades then simply stop.
To trade volatile and liquid markets:
Since your job as a forex day trader is to capture intraday swings it is crucial that the market you are trading has enough movement to allow you to do this. It is also important that the market you are trading has enough liquidity so that order fills do not suffer from excessive slippage. You have to select a market that it’s volatility is permanent and not a temporary occurrence. Since you are basing your trading method on catching intraday price swings you have to know that you are trading in the right place. As a day trader volatility is your allay and you have to know that you can count on it every single day (or at least 90% of the days). Liquid markets will provide you with good order fills. As a day trader this is very important since you are aiming at smaller profit objectives and hence larger slippage will eat away more of your profits. When trading several times a day this adds up and can be the difference between success and failure.
As a forex day trader you have to apply all the above rules and principles plus other criteria that are unique to the forex market.
Time of day trading:
The forex market is a 24 hour market. Never stops except on weekends. Within this 24 hour period different currencies behave in different manners. As a forex day trader it is very important to know the “personality” of the currency pair you are trading. For example, the GBP/USD is more volatile in early to mid European session then any other liquid pair. For a day trader trading in these hours it would be wise to take advantage of the price swings the GBP/USD pair offers instead of trading some other currency pair that constantly shows no movement. The USD/CAD pair is “silent” in the early to mid European session but starts to have more price movement toward the start of the US session. Every time Non Farm Payroll is released most if not all currency pairs have a very small price range up to release time. As a day trader it wouldn’t be wise to trade during these pre-announcement hours with strategies that are based on breakouts. It would probably be smarter to use strategies that are based on range support and resistance.
Spread and liquidity:
Forex brokers don’t charge you a commission for every trade you make (at least most forex brokers). Instead, they make their profit on the bid/ask spread which is measured in pips. As a forex day trader you are aiming at capturing small price swings sometimes several time per day. Also, your profit objectives are obviously much smaller than the swing trader’s profit objectives. All this means one thing: every pip counts. You cannot afford to trade currency pairs with large spreads; if you do your profit will get eaten up to a point where you will not be trading with an adequate risk/reward ratio. Forex day trading must be done with liquid pairs. Most forex brokers will provide you with a very narrow spread for the most liquid currency pairs. As an example, many brokers are now offering a 2 pip spread for EUR/USD and USD/JPY and a 3 pip spread for USD/CHF and GBP/USD. These are the most liquid pairs and the ones a day trader should focus on.
Specific news announcements:
Currency rates are affected by rumors, news, economic indicators and government reports. As a forex day trader you must always be aware of what economic reports are scheduled on the day you are trading and at what time. Why? Simply because many of these reports can have a strong momentary impact on the market once they hit the news wires. This impact can be of 10 pips or 100 pips depending on the report and it’s difference from the market consensus. The most important and impacting economic indicators and government reports are issued by the US government. They affect every USD/X or X/USD currency pair. Again, always know what are the release times and the importance of the economic report. For example, suppose you are in a EUR/USD trade at 8:25 a.m. You know that an economic report is scheduled for release at 8:30 a.m. You might consider either exiting the trade before the release (in order to avoid unnecessary speculation as to what impact the report will have on the market) or entering your profit objective and stop loss into your deal station (for risk exposure reasons).
Volatility of currency pairs:
As a forex day trader volatility is you friend, a friend you cannot afford to trade without. In it’s basic definition, volatility is simply the amount of price change with relation to time. Volatile currency pairs have various price swings (price changes) during a small period of time (one day). These price swings are what a day trader lives on. In the forex market volatility many times comes hand in hand with liquidity. The most liquid currency pairs are the ones that are the most volatile. The big 4: EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY and USD/CHF are the most liquid pairs that provide the best volatility and hence opportunity for the forex day trader. Within these four pairs, the GBP/USD is the most volatile. Although it’s not the most liquid (the EUR/USD is), but it’s the most volatility. This pair, traded with the right forex broker (one that provides a 3 pip spread) can present many profitable opportunities for the astute day trader.
In conclusion, the forex day trader has to be prepared not only with the basic day trading rules, skills and principles. His job is to incorporate into his trading the characteristics and uniqueness of the forex market. Remember, every currency pair might present different opportunities and it is your job to always focus on the ones that best fit the purpose and objectives of forex day trading.
I hope to have contributed to your forex trading education and I thank you for taking the time to read this article.
By: Justin Owen
May
19
Filed Under (Currency Trading) by admin
The foreign exchange market, or Forex market, is an around-the-clock cash market where the currencies of nations are bought and sold, typically via brokers. Forex trading is always done in currency pairs. For example, you buy Euros, paying with U.S. Dollars, or you sell Canadian Dollars for Japanese Yen. The value of your Forex investment increases or decreases because of changes in the currency exchange rate or Forex rate. These changes can occur at any time, and often result from economic and political events. Using two hypothetical Forex investments, this article shows you how to calculate profit and loss in Forex trading.
To understand how the exchange rate can affect the value of your Forex investment, you need to learn how to read a Forex quote. Forex quotes are always expressed in pairs. In the following example, your pair of currencies are the U.S. Dollar (USD) and the Euro (EUR). The Forex quote, USD/EUR = 265.50, means that one U.S. dollar is equal to 265.50 Euros. The currency to the left of the / (USD in this case) is referred to as base currency and its value is always 1. The currency to the right of the / (EUR in this case) is referred to as the counter currency. In this example, one U.S. Dollar can buy 265.50 Euros, since it is the stronger of the two currencies.
Because the U.S. dollar is regarded as the central currency of the Forex market, it is always treated as the base currency in any Forex quote where it is one of the pairs. Incidentally, the U.S. Dollar is involved in nearly 90% of all Forex transactions.
In this second example, your pair of currencies are the Japanese Yen (JPY) and the Euro (EUR). The Forex quote, JPY/EUR = 175.10, means that one Japanese Yen is equal to 175.10 Euros. The currency to the left of the / (JPY in this case) is referred to as base currency and its value is 1. The currency to the right of the / (EUR in this case) is referred to as the counter currency. In this example, one JPY can buy 175.10 Euros, since it is the stronger of the two currencies.
Let’s go now to our hypothetical Forex investment to show how you can profit or come up short in Forex trading. In this example, your pair of currencies are the U.S. Dollar and the Euro. The Forex rate of EUR/USD on August 26, 2003 was 1.0857, which means that one U.S. Dollar was equal to 1.0857 Euros, and was the weaker of the two currencies. If you had bought 1,000 Euros on that date, you would have paid $1,085.70.
One year later, the Forex rate of EUR/USD was 1.2083, which means that the value of the Euro increased in relation to the USD. If you had sold the 1,000 Euros one year later, you would have received $1,208.30, which is $122.60 more than what you had started with one year earlier.
Conversely, if the Forex rate one year later had been EUR/USD = 1.0576, the value of the Euro would have weakened in relation to the U.S. Dollar. If you had sold the 1,000 Euros at this Forex rate, you would have received $1,057.60, which is $28.10 less than what you had started out with one year earlier.
As with stocks and mutual funds, there is risk in Forex trading. The risk results from fluctuations in the currency exchange market. Investments with a low level of risk (for example, long-term government bonds) often have a low return. Investments with a higher level of risk (for example, Forex trading) can have a higher return. To achieve your short-term and long-term financial goals, you need to balance security and risk to the comfort level that works best for you.
By: Gregory DeVictor
To understand how the exchange rate can affect the value of your Forex investment, you need to learn how to read a Forex quote. Forex quotes are always expressed in pairs. In the following example, your pair of currencies are the U.S. Dollar (USD) and the Euro (EUR). The Forex quote, USD/EUR = 265.50, means that one U.S. dollar is equal to 265.50 Euros. The currency to the left of the / (USD in this case) is referred to as base currency and its value is always 1. The currency to the right of the / (EUR in this case) is referred to as the counter currency. In this example, one U.S. Dollar can buy 265.50 Euros, since it is the stronger of the two currencies.
Because the U.S. dollar is regarded as the central currency of the Forex market, it is always treated as the base currency in any Forex quote where it is one of the pairs. Incidentally, the U.S. Dollar is involved in nearly 90% of all Forex transactions.
In this second example, your pair of currencies are the Japanese Yen (JPY) and the Euro (EUR). The Forex quote, JPY/EUR = 175.10, means that one Japanese Yen is equal to 175.10 Euros. The currency to the left of the / (JPY in this case) is referred to as base currency and its value is 1. The currency to the right of the / (EUR in this case) is referred to as the counter currency. In this example, one JPY can buy 175.10 Euros, since it is the stronger of the two currencies.
Let’s go now to our hypothetical Forex investment to show how you can profit or come up short in Forex trading. In this example, your pair of currencies are the U.S. Dollar and the Euro. The Forex rate of EUR/USD on August 26, 2003 was 1.0857, which means that one U.S. Dollar was equal to 1.0857 Euros, and was the weaker of the two currencies. If you had bought 1,000 Euros on that date, you would have paid $1,085.70.
One year later, the Forex rate of EUR/USD was 1.2083, which means that the value of the Euro increased in relation to the USD. If you had sold the 1,000 Euros one year later, you would have received $1,208.30, which is $122.60 more than what you had started with one year earlier.
Conversely, if the Forex rate one year later had been EUR/USD = 1.0576, the value of the Euro would have weakened in relation to the U.S. Dollar. If you had sold the 1,000 Euros at this Forex rate, you would have received $1,057.60, which is $28.10 less than what you had started out with one year earlier.
As with stocks and mutual funds, there is risk in Forex trading. The risk results from fluctuations in the currency exchange market. Investments with a low level of risk (for example, long-term government bonds) often have a low return. Investments with a higher level of risk (for example, Forex trading) can have a higher return. To achieve your short-term and long-term financial goals, you need to balance security and risk to the comfort level that works best for you.
By: Gregory DeVictor
May
14
Filed Under (Currency Trading) by admin
Forex
From the contraction of the words Foreign Exchange, Forex is the nickname given to the universal exchange market, where currencies are traded against each other, exchange rates that vary continuously.
Economic Importance
This global market, which is essentially interchange is the second market of the world in terms of overall volume, behind the interest rates. It is nevertheless the most concentrated and the first for the liquidity of the most treaties, such as the euro / dollar.
To give an idea of liquidity in circulation, the daily volume of trade in 2004, 1 900 billion U.S. dollar, namely:
600 billion in spot transactions and 1 300 billion in futures almost solely in transactions over the counter, according to the three-year study of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS).
Transaction volume, were 53% between banks;
33% between a bank and a fund manager or a non-bank financial institutions;
and finally to 14% between a bank and a non-financial.
In every major bank, the operators (the traders) are the 3 × 8, though generally in different locations. A team based in Asia or Australia succeeds another located in Europe and a third located in North America, and so on.
However, despite the global nature and the release schedule between continents, a large (31% of total volume, according to the BIS) of market activity is still physically located in London.
In its latest triennial review, the BIS (Bank of International Settlements) has shown that an increasing number of individuals choose to invest in the Forex. Although they still represent a very small minority of transactions and volumes, a dedicated private investors has grown in parallel. Simply record the number of trading platform available to them on the internet as well as tools for real-time information once reserved for professional traders in the rooms. Now, the active trader of foreign exchange market can invest minimum amounts and due to the existence of leverage-trader in almost (!) Similar to those of the professional trader. Information tools in real-time broadcast news and information forex fundamental (economic indicators) and offer individuals the possibility of trading conditions in real time.
The foreign exchange market has existed in its present form, called floating exchange rate regime since March 1973 and the abandonment of fixed exchange rates of various currencies against the dollar standard Bretton Woods in 1944.
Treated products
Spot
Cash (called spot), the main parities were processed in 2004, according to BIS:
the euro / dollar – 28%
the dollar / yen – 17%
the sterling / dollar (cable said in English) – 14%
Despite the strong development of the euro, the dollar remains the dominant center, present in 89% of transactions (37% against the euro, 20% for the yen and 17% for the pound sterling, all on a total of 200% since each transaction involves two currencies). For a non-European currency XXX, a transaction between the euro and the currency is usually split into a EUR / USD and USD / XXX.
Change Term
The exchange term is divided into two products, both interbank term dry (it is said outright in English), rather little treaty, and foreign exchange swaps. Unlike other financial markets, futures held were never imposed on the foreign exchange market and remain marginal.
Options Exchange
Finally, the options market exchange is the most diverse and most inventive of the options markets. He is responsible for virtually all forms of so-called exotic options or second generation (barrier options, Asian options, options on options, etc..).
Trading and Foreign Exchange
Coverage (hedging)
The principle is to take opposite positions in order to cancel the risks.
Forecasting
This is to anticipate the movements of the market through a more or less advanced financial environment, economic and political. The advantage of anticipating the movements of foreign exchange speculation. For this, many information sources available to the forex trader (Reuters, Telerate, Bloomberg LP) to access to all quotes and financial information for trading. It also has access to economic indicators of major countries and global financial information. It is capable of forming an opinion on prices or rates and to anticipate future movements.
Arbitration
It is to try to take advantage of price discrepancies or occasional courses on the same medium, the same currency on 2 different markets. The diverter can perform these operations on a single market such as spot-on or several markets such as foreign exchange swaps. Powerful tools (called pricers) allowing it to calculate different prices or interest in a transaction arbitration. This strategy requires a response and stress management in real time from the trader.
Exchange Rates
Electronic exchange rate between monnaies.Le exchange rate of a currency (a currency) is the price (ie price) of that currency relative to another. Also referred to as the “parity of a currency.”
Exchange rates, listed on the exchange markets, vary continuously, they also vary depending on the place of listing.
Examples
For example, the exchange rate of the euro dollar will be noted: EUR / USD = 1.3120 and the dollar rate will be noted in yen USD / JPY = 89.4454.
(EUR = Euro, USD = U.S. dollar, yen JPY =, GBP = pound sterling by International Monetary coding, ISO 4217 distinguishing each currency by a three-letter abbreviation, cf. Complete list)
Exchange rate fixed or floating
This exchange rate of a currency is:
Either fixed, ie constant relative to a reference currency (usually the U.S. dollar or the euro), by decision of the State that issues that currency. The rate can not be amended by a decision of devaluation (or revaluation) of that State. A State may decide not to adopt any exchange rate of its currency. If the fixed exchange rate at a level too high or too low, the exchange rate could be “attacked” on the foreign exchange market. If monetary authorities are unable to cope (through their foreign exchange reserves), they should change their parity.
Is floating and determined for each transaction by the balance between supply and demand in the foreign exchange market. This is a global interbank currency, less centralized places specific quotation and trade, as based on links between banks.
The exchange rate:
is an “spot”, ie “spot” for immediate purchases and sales of currencies. Generally the deadline for delivery of foreign currency is less than 2 days.
is a course forward, “ie” forward “for foreign exchange transactions due to future, more than 2 days. The mission is to manage the risk. It is an agreement today to set the price at which we buy / sell the currency.
Factors affecting the exchange rate:
The exchange rate is determined by supply and demand of both currencies: if demand exceeds supply, the price increases.
Since the currency of a country is essentially a claim held on the central bank of this country, detention of a foreign currency can be seen as holding a claim to “view” on the country that has issued.
In the short term
The exchange rates vary widely during a single day, these variations can not be explained by the theory of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) previously described. Within this framework of short-term analysis, it is necessary to refer to other explanations.
These daily changes based on the concept of early return of deposits in foreign currencies. Economic agents will determine their demand for different currencies depending on the return they expect deposits in these currencies.
In the long term
Recovery rate of euro-dollar exchange rate from January 1972 to January 1999 from the exchange rate of the franc french or Deutschemark. In the long term, currencies should theoretically be closer to equilibrium parities obtained from structural parameters. Imbalances and, more rarely, the balances in the valuation of currencies, are measured on the basis of purchasing power parities (PPP). It is a complex statistical exercise, which is to compare over time the purchasing power of a consumer model in a country and a range of consumer products up with another consumer-type in a different country and for a range of consumer goods desired close, but correspond to other local practices in terms of lifestyle and cost structure. In practice, generally the U.S. dollar as currency of the joint index and true each time compare the purchasing power of a consumer-type of country X and that of a typical American consumer.
The purchasing power parity, if it is useful for international comparisons of living standards, where margins of error of a few percent are not significant, its use in analysis of the foreign exchange market should be done with the utmost caution.
Currency crisis
A country will suffer a currency crisis when the capacity to repay external debt (public and private) denominated in foreign currency of the country is highly in doubt (crisis of confidence). The outflow of capital in the short term then drop the exchange rate of the currency, making repayment even more difficult.
Economic role of exchange rates
Exchange rates (and interest rates, which are closely related) are of course on import prices and export. They have an influence on the direction of capital flows between economic areas.
As a result, countries and economic areas may be tempted to influence exchange rates, often under the pretext of preventing speculation (in fact these manipulations tend to encourage), and in order to improve (lower rate).
Operation of foreign exchange markets
Case of the euro / dollar
The exchange rate says euro / dollar is the euro figures in U.S. dollars, hence the slash (not to be confused with Eurodollars).
Financial instrument is the most active and most addressed the world: 27% of total spot transactions. Its value is an indicator monitored not only by economic and financial circles, but also by the media, both specialized and general, throughout the world.
This definition is in fact, the external value of the euro against the U.S. dollar.
Profession (FX)
Those who conduct foreign exchange transactions are called professional traders.
Banks in particular have teams of traders, both to do the clean of these institutions on the market to meet the changing needs of their clients, for example on business, for their international trade. They act as market makers, ie that they “are prices” for a quantity is specified as standard, and provide both when they buy (bid, in English) and to whom they sell (ask in English), for example: 1 EUR = 1.2343 / 1.2346 USD.
Round lots
The traders expressed the unity of listing an exchange rate on a currency pair in dots called pips. Pip stands for “price interest point” or a “swap” in french. At the outset, as its name suggests, it meant the unit “off” or “report” of the exchange term, but eventually be applied to the unity of the market. It refers to the last decimal used: in the case of the euro, the fourth decimal place. A listing on three “pips,” which is standard on the interbank market of the euro / dollar, will in the first example (EUR / USD = 1.3120) of paragraph 1 above: EUR / USD = 1.3120 (bid ) / 1.3123 (ask). Is a spread of 3 pips in the case of the yen, it will be the second decimal, and a listing four “pips” will be, again to the above example, USD / JPY = 89.4454 (bid) / 89.4654 (ask ).
The pip represents a different percentage and not fixed for each parity. This difference depends on the currency in which we choose by convention to express the exchange rate (the “uncertain” of the comparison), the other being taken for unit of goods (the “certain”), the number of decimal listing.
These differences between the current “buyer” and “seller” of a currency against another are much less of an individual can see when they wish to conduct a foreign exchange transaction in a pharmacy exchange (or his bank) for a modest amount.
In the first instance, the percentage (minimum) to a foreign exchange on Forex of 100 000 euros (the standard transaction is not in the tens of millions), it should be noted that for such a pip amount exchanged is 10 dollars. In the second example, the percentage of a foreign exchange of 100 000 dollars a pip for that quantity is 1 000 yen (about $ 9).
Exchange rate mechanism European
The exchange rate mechanism in Europe, or ERM, is an exchange rate mechanism introduced by the European Community in 1979 to statibiliser prices of European currencies, to prevent risks and increase confidence in the currency in the medium and long term inflation and promote trade and activity in the intra-EU trade.
Originally named “European Monetary System,” it was considerably revised in its operation by the Maastricht Treaty was ratified in 1992 establishing the European Union, in preparation for its economic and monetary union and single currency.
Since the introduction of the euro on 1 January 1999, was revised and replaced by the ERM II and is an agreement between the ECOFIN Council, bringing together all member countries of the European Union, the European Central Bank and banks central banks of the Member States of the European Union outside the euro area.
ERM II
For Member States not participating in the European single currency, a second exchange rate mechanism in Europe, said ERM II, was put in place. During the negotiation of the Maastricht Treaty by the 12 EU members, and 3 new buyers (Finland, Sweden and Austria), it was expected that all members of the previous ERM and all new members join the Union must be in EMU (if eligible) or in ERM II. ERM has ended, but Sweden (despite his signing of the Treaty) and the United Kingdom (which has chosen to retire but was not allowed to do so) have not joined the ERM II. Such exemptions are no longer permitted for new candidate countries, who must first accept the convergence of their economies and participation in ERM II (and the EMU as soon as conditions are met) with a timetable set out in the Accession Treaty.
ERM II is based on the euro only, ie on the common unit of the only countries which joined the euro (and not on the ECU which was calculated on all currencies the European Union) and tolerates a difference of 15% around an initial exchange rate between the currency and the euro. This reduction of basis for determining rates of exchange from outside also should help stabilize and distribute the budget on a more equitable. However, this reduction of the base included a risk to the fixing of this budget, if insufficiently European countries joining the euro. This was not the case, and almost all countries of the European Union have all joined since the launch of the euro, which helped to end at the same time to the ECU and therefore also in ERM (at least formally, some financial institutions have continued to calculate until approximately 2001, as a index, but considering the weight of the euro in the old basket of currencies, although the composition of the euro has changed since then, and the methods of calculating contributions to the EU budget).
Since the introduction of the euro on 1 January 1999, the parity between the euro and the former national currencies of member countries joining the euro became fixed and irrevocable. Other countries have ratified the Treaty of Maastricht (or its successor) are committed to converge their economies in order to avoid economic distortions related to their exchange rate, not to resort to devaluation, let the market set the price of their currency in terms of their economic performance. To achieve to keep exchange rates stable around a pivot defined by membership in ERM II, the maximum fluctuation of ± 15%, they pursue a common policy of economic convergence criteria, and a healthy managing their public finances in the short and long term.
These criteria are assessed by the Council of Finance Ministers of the Union, ECOFIN, in collaboration with the European Central Bank and national central banks of EMU members. If the economic convergence criteria are met for a minimum period of 2 years, the participants receive the approval of the ECOFIN Council to enter the euro, and their national central banks (NCBs) can adhere to the ECB, and finally, when this integration is achieved (by the filing of the signatures of instruments of ratification and financial conditions, the approval of representatives of the NCBs and the money to convert, and the revenue guarantee funds deposited at the ECB), ECB fixed in accordance with the ECOFIN Council, the irrevocable conversion rate between their currency and the euro, taking into account the recent fixations official foreign exchange markets and adjustments based on the assets and international financial commitments of the NCB adhering to the day of closing.
All the countries aspiring to join the euro must first subscribe to the ERM II. This was the case for Greece in 2000 and 2001 before joining the euro. This is already the case of Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta and Cyprus, as well as in Slovakia since November 2005. By integrating the euro zone, Slovenia left the ERM II on 1 January 2007.
For More Details about Forex Robot…Click Here
By: Anil Kumar Raju Addipalli
From the contraction of the words Foreign Exchange, Forex is the nickname given to the universal exchange market, where currencies are traded against each other, exchange rates that vary continuously.
Economic Importance
This global market, which is essentially interchange is the second market of the world in terms of overall volume, behind the interest rates. It is nevertheless the most concentrated and the first for the liquidity of the most treaties, such as the euro / dollar.
To give an idea of liquidity in circulation, the daily volume of trade in 2004, 1 900 billion U.S. dollar, namely:
600 billion in spot transactions and 1 300 billion in futures almost solely in transactions over the counter, according to the three-year study of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS).
Transaction volume, were 53% between banks;
33% between a bank and a fund manager or a non-bank financial institutions;
and finally to 14% between a bank and a non-financial.
In every major bank, the operators (the traders) are the 3 × 8, though generally in different locations. A team based in Asia or Australia succeeds another located in Europe and a third located in North America, and so on.
However, despite the global nature and the release schedule between continents, a large (31% of total volume, according to the BIS) of market activity is still physically located in London.
In its latest triennial review, the BIS (Bank of International Settlements) has shown that an increasing number of individuals choose to invest in the Forex. Although they still represent a very small minority of transactions and volumes, a dedicated private investors has grown in parallel. Simply record the number of trading platform available to them on the internet as well as tools for real-time information once reserved for professional traders in the rooms. Now, the active trader of foreign exchange market can invest minimum amounts and due to the existence of leverage-trader in almost (!) Similar to those of the professional trader. Information tools in real-time broadcast news and information forex fundamental (economic indicators) and offer individuals the possibility of trading conditions in real time.
The foreign exchange market has existed in its present form, called floating exchange rate regime since March 1973 and the abandonment of fixed exchange rates of various currencies against the dollar standard Bretton Woods in 1944.
Treated products
Spot
Cash (called spot), the main parities were processed in 2004, according to BIS:
the euro / dollar – 28%
the dollar / yen – 17%
the sterling / dollar (cable said in English) – 14%
Despite the strong development of the euro, the dollar remains the dominant center, present in 89% of transactions (37% against the euro, 20% for the yen and 17% for the pound sterling, all on a total of 200% since each transaction involves two currencies). For a non-European currency XXX, a transaction between the euro and the currency is usually split into a EUR / USD and USD / XXX.
Change Term
The exchange term is divided into two products, both interbank term dry (it is said outright in English), rather little treaty, and foreign exchange swaps. Unlike other financial markets, futures held were never imposed on the foreign exchange market and remain marginal.
Options Exchange
Finally, the options market exchange is the most diverse and most inventive of the options markets. He is responsible for virtually all forms of so-called exotic options or second generation (barrier options, Asian options, options on options, etc..).
Trading and Foreign Exchange
Coverage (hedging)
The principle is to take opposite positions in order to cancel the risks.
Forecasting
This is to anticipate the movements of the market through a more or less advanced financial environment, economic and political. The advantage of anticipating the movements of foreign exchange speculation. For this, many information sources available to the forex trader (Reuters, Telerate, Bloomberg LP) to access to all quotes and financial information for trading. It also has access to economic indicators of major countries and global financial information. It is capable of forming an opinion on prices or rates and to anticipate future movements.
Arbitration
It is to try to take advantage of price discrepancies or occasional courses on the same medium, the same currency on 2 different markets. The diverter can perform these operations on a single market such as spot-on or several markets such as foreign exchange swaps. Powerful tools (called pricers) allowing it to calculate different prices or interest in a transaction arbitration. This strategy requires a response and stress management in real time from the trader.
Exchange Rates
Electronic exchange rate between monnaies.Le exchange rate of a currency (a currency) is the price (ie price) of that currency relative to another. Also referred to as the “parity of a currency.”
Exchange rates, listed on the exchange markets, vary continuously, they also vary depending on the place of listing.
Examples
For example, the exchange rate of the euro dollar will be noted: EUR / USD = 1.3120 and the dollar rate will be noted in yen USD / JPY = 89.4454.
(EUR = Euro, USD = U.S. dollar, yen JPY =, GBP = pound sterling by International Monetary coding, ISO 4217 distinguishing each currency by a three-letter abbreviation, cf. Complete list)
Exchange rate fixed or floating
This exchange rate of a currency is:
Either fixed, ie constant relative to a reference currency (usually the U.S. dollar or the euro), by decision of the State that issues that currency. The rate can not be amended by a decision of devaluation (or revaluation) of that State. A State may decide not to adopt any exchange rate of its currency. If the fixed exchange rate at a level too high or too low, the exchange rate could be “attacked” on the foreign exchange market. If monetary authorities are unable to cope (through their foreign exchange reserves), they should change their parity.
Is floating and determined for each transaction by the balance between supply and demand in the foreign exchange market. This is a global interbank currency, less centralized places specific quotation and trade, as based on links between banks.
The exchange rate:
is an “spot”, ie “spot” for immediate purchases and sales of currencies. Generally the deadline for delivery of foreign currency is less than 2 days.
is a course forward, “ie” forward “for foreign exchange transactions due to future, more than 2 days. The mission is to manage the risk. It is an agreement today to set the price at which we buy / sell the currency.
Factors affecting the exchange rate:
The exchange rate is determined by supply and demand of both currencies: if demand exceeds supply, the price increases.
Since the currency of a country is essentially a claim held on the central bank of this country, detention of a foreign currency can be seen as holding a claim to “view” on the country that has issued.
In the short term
The exchange rates vary widely during a single day, these variations can not be explained by the theory of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) previously described. Within this framework of short-term analysis, it is necessary to refer to other explanations.
These daily changes based on the concept of early return of deposits in foreign currencies. Economic agents will determine their demand for different currencies depending on the return they expect deposits in these currencies.
In the long term
Recovery rate of euro-dollar exchange rate from January 1972 to January 1999 from the exchange rate of the franc french or Deutschemark. In the long term, currencies should theoretically be closer to equilibrium parities obtained from structural parameters. Imbalances and, more rarely, the balances in the valuation of currencies, are measured on the basis of purchasing power parities (PPP). It is a complex statistical exercise, which is to compare over time the purchasing power of a consumer model in a country and a range of consumer products up with another consumer-type in a different country and for a range of consumer goods desired close, but correspond to other local practices in terms of lifestyle and cost structure. In practice, generally the U.S. dollar as currency of the joint index and true each time compare the purchasing power of a consumer-type of country X and that of a typical American consumer.
The purchasing power parity, if it is useful for international comparisons of living standards, where margins of error of a few percent are not significant, its use in analysis of the foreign exchange market should be done with the utmost caution.
Currency crisis
A country will suffer a currency crisis when the capacity to repay external debt (public and private) denominated in foreign currency of the country is highly in doubt (crisis of confidence). The outflow of capital in the short term then drop the exchange rate of the currency, making repayment even more difficult.
Economic role of exchange rates
Exchange rates (and interest rates, which are closely related) are of course on import prices and export. They have an influence on the direction of capital flows between economic areas.
As a result, countries and economic areas may be tempted to influence exchange rates, often under the pretext of preventing speculation (in fact these manipulations tend to encourage), and in order to improve (lower rate).
Operation of foreign exchange markets
Case of the euro / dollar
The exchange rate says euro / dollar is the euro figures in U.S. dollars, hence the slash (not to be confused with Eurodollars).
Financial instrument is the most active and most addressed the world: 27% of total spot transactions. Its value is an indicator monitored not only by economic and financial circles, but also by the media, both specialized and general, throughout the world.
This definition is in fact, the external value of the euro against the U.S. dollar.
Profession (FX)
Those who conduct foreign exchange transactions are called professional traders.
Banks in particular have teams of traders, both to do the clean of these institutions on the market to meet the changing needs of their clients, for example on business, for their international trade. They act as market makers, ie that they “are prices” for a quantity is specified as standard, and provide both when they buy (bid, in English) and to whom they sell (ask in English), for example: 1 EUR = 1.2343 / 1.2346 USD.
Round lots
The traders expressed the unity of listing an exchange rate on a currency pair in dots called pips. Pip stands for “price interest point” or a “swap” in french. At the outset, as its name suggests, it meant the unit “off” or “report” of the exchange term, but eventually be applied to the unity of the market. It refers to the last decimal used: in the case of the euro, the fourth decimal place. A listing on three “pips,” which is standard on the interbank market of the euro / dollar, will in the first example (EUR / USD = 1.3120) of paragraph 1 above: EUR / USD = 1.3120 (bid ) / 1.3123 (ask). Is a spread of 3 pips in the case of the yen, it will be the second decimal, and a listing four “pips” will be, again to the above example, USD / JPY = 89.4454 (bid) / 89.4654 (ask ).
The pip represents a different percentage and not fixed for each parity. This difference depends on the currency in which we choose by convention to express the exchange rate (the “uncertain” of the comparison), the other being taken for unit of goods (the “certain”), the number of decimal listing.
These differences between the current “buyer” and “seller” of a currency against another are much less of an individual can see when they wish to conduct a foreign exchange transaction in a pharmacy exchange (or his bank) for a modest amount.
In the first instance, the percentage (minimum) to a foreign exchange on Forex of 100 000 euros (the standard transaction is not in the tens of millions), it should be noted that for such a pip amount exchanged is 10 dollars. In the second example, the percentage of a foreign exchange of 100 000 dollars a pip for that quantity is 1 000 yen (about $ 9).
Exchange rate mechanism European
The exchange rate mechanism in Europe, or ERM, is an exchange rate mechanism introduced by the European Community in 1979 to statibiliser prices of European currencies, to prevent risks and increase confidence in the currency in the medium and long term inflation and promote trade and activity in the intra-EU trade.
Originally named “European Monetary System,” it was considerably revised in its operation by the Maastricht Treaty was ratified in 1992 establishing the European Union, in preparation for its economic and monetary union and single currency.
Since the introduction of the euro on 1 January 1999, was revised and replaced by the ERM II and is an agreement between the ECOFIN Council, bringing together all member countries of the European Union, the European Central Bank and banks central banks of the Member States of the European Union outside the euro area.
ERM II
For Member States not participating in the European single currency, a second exchange rate mechanism in Europe, said ERM II, was put in place. During the negotiation of the Maastricht Treaty by the 12 EU members, and 3 new buyers (Finland, Sweden and Austria), it was expected that all members of the previous ERM and all new members join the Union must be in EMU (if eligible) or in ERM II. ERM has ended, but Sweden (despite his signing of the Treaty) and the United Kingdom (which has chosen to retire but was not allowed to do so) have not joined the ERM II. Such exemptions are no longer permitted for new candidate countries, who must first accept the convergence of their economies and participation in ERM II (and the EMU as soon as conditions are met) with a timetable set out in the Accession Treaty.
ERM II is based on the euro only, ie on the common unit of the only countries which joined the euro (and not on the ECU which was calculated on all currencies the European Union) and tolerates a difference of 15% around an initial exchange rate between the currency and the euro. This reduction of basis for determining rates of exchange from outside also should help stabilize and distribute the budget on a more equitable. However, this reduction of the base included a risk to the fixing of this budget, if insufficiently European countries joining the euro. This was not the case, and almost all countries of the European Union have all joined since the launch of the euro, which helped to end at the same time to the ECU and therefore also in ERM (at least formally, some financial institutions have continued to calculate until approximately 2001, as a index, but considering the weight of the euro in the old basket of currencies, although the composition of the euro has changed since then, and the methods of calculating contributions to the EU budget).
Since the introduction of the euro on 1 January 1999, the parity between the euro and the former national currencies of member countries joining the euro became fixed and irrevocable. Other countries have ratified the Treaty of Maastricht (or its successor) are committed to converge their economies in order to avoid economic distortions related to their exchange rate, not to resort to devaluation, let the market set the price of their currency in terms of their economic performance. To achieve to keep exchange rates stable around a pivot defined by membership in ERM II, the maximum fluctuation of ± 15%, they pursue a common policy of economic convergence criteria, and a healthy managing their public finances in the short and long term.
These criteria are assessed by the Council of Finance Ministers of the Union, ECOFIN, in collaboration with the European Central Bank and national central banks of EMU members. If the economic convergence criteria are met for a minimum period of 2 years, the participants receive the approval of the ECOFIN Council to enter the euro, and their national central banks (NCBs) can adhere to the ECB, and finally, when this integration is achieved (by the filing of the signatures of instruments of ratification and financial conditions, the approval of representatives of the NCBs and the money to convert, and the revenue guarantee funds deposited at the ECB), ECB fixed in accordance with the ECOFIN Council, the irrevocable conversion rate between their currency and the euro, taking into account the recent fixations official foreign exchange markets and adjustments based on the assets and international financial commitments of the NCB adhering to the day of closing.
All the countries aspiring to join the euro must first subscribe to the ERM II. This was the case for Greece in 2000 and 2001 before joining the euro. This is already the case of Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta and Cyprus, as well as in Slovakia since November 2005. By integrating the euro zone, Slovenia left the ERM II on 1 January 2007.
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By: Anil Kumar Raju Addipalli
May
13
Filed Under (Currency Trading) by admin
If you want to see recent volatility in action, then you need to look no further than the euro (EUR/USD spot FX currency pair). This thing has been all over the map lately.
Just since December, this pair has gone from 1.25 all the way up to 1.47 and back down into the 1.25ish realm once again. Wow!
I mean, you almost snap your neck just following the chart!
Trichet has to hate Moody’s right now!
Why all the euro volatility? Moody’s said today that it may cut the ratings of several banks in eastern Europe, especially the Austrian banks. This is only adding the concerns about the financial turmoil deepening.
On top of this, Moody’s has already downgraded the debt of Ireland as of January30th.
So the Moody’s report today has caused the euro to plummet and its driven more money into the “safe haven play” of the U.S. dollar at the same time. This acts as a “double whammy” for the EUR/USD currency pair as it causes a fresh bout of “risk aversion” to come back in vogue.
Yet another negative for the euro is the huge possibility now for even more rate cuts that could come out of the Euro Zone. The lower interest rates could cause even more money to pour out of the Euro Zone and head into other regions of the world.
If the euro breaks the 1.2350ish level, I think we could easily see this unraveling of the euro take the pair down to the 1.16 – 1.18 area. That would be lows not seen since 2006.
This huge fall out from major currencies around the world has pushed money into the U.S. dollar and Japanese yen. However, it appears that the yen trade is weakening while at the same time gold is breaking out to the upside.
I think many savvy traders who have been “long” the yen now fear that the yen could fall and they would lose the ground that they’ve gained by being yen buyers. Therefore I think they are repositioning in the near term into the dollar and even more so into gold.
If so, this could mean that in the near term that the dollar and gold continue in the same direction. That can’t last forever because historically they trade opposite of one another over long periods of time. Therefore, I think that gold has the new edge since it recently broke to the upside.
Once the rise in gold finally does “catch up to the dollar”, then currency pairs like EUR/USD and AUD/USD will rise again. This will probably coincide with better sentiment hitting the market as the U.S. government gets its head out of its butt and does something finally with the banks and stimulus package.
However, in the mean time, it looks like the order of the day goes to the short sellers of these pairs as “dollar strength” still reigns in the near term.
While this is the case today, be on alert for the shift in the “balance of power” against the dollar once the huge increases in the money supply and zero interest rates really take hold in the “real” economy.
Sean Hyman
Head Course Instructor
http://www.mywealth.com
By: My Wealth.com
Just since December, this pair has gone from 1.25 all the way up to 1.47 and back down into the 1.25ish realm once again. Wow!
I mean, you almost snap your neck just following the chart!
Trichet has to hate Moody’s right now!
Why all the euro volatility? Moody’s said today that it may cut the ratings of several banks in eastern Europe, especially the Austrian banks. This is only adding the concerns about the financial turmoil deepening.
On top of this, Moody’s has already downgraded the debt of Ireland as of January30th.
So the Moody’s report today has caused the euro to plummet and its driven more money into the “safe haven play” of the U.S. dollar at the same time. This acts as a “double whammy” for the EUR/USD currency pair as it causes a fresh bout of “risk aversion” to come back in vogue.
Yet another negative for the euro is the huge possibility now for even more rate cuts that could come out of the Euro Zone. The lower interest rates could cause even more money to pour out of the Euro Zone and head into other regions of the world.
If the euro breaks the 1.2350ish level, I think we could easily see this unraveling of the euro take the pair down to the 1.16 – 1.18 area. That would be lows not seen since 2006.
This huge fall out from major currencies around the world has pushed money into the U.S. dollar and Japanese yen. However, it appears that the yen trade is weakening while at the same time gold is breaking out to the upside.
I think many savvy traders who have been “long” the yen now fear that the yen could fall and they would lose the ground that they’ve gained by being yen buyers. Therefore I think they are repositioning in the near term into the dollar and even more so into gold.
If so, this could mean that in the near term that the dollar and gold continue in the same direction. That can’t last forever because historically they trade opposite of one another over long periods of time. Therefore, I think that gold has the new edge since it recently broke to the upside.
Once the rise in gold finally does “catch up to the dollar”, then currency pairs like EUR/USD and AUD/USD will rise again. This will probably coincide with better sentiment hitting the market as the U.S. government gets its head out of its butt and does something finally with the banks and stimulus package.
However, in the mean time, it looks like the order of the day goes to the short sellers of these pairs as “dollar strength” still reigns in the near term.
While this is the case today, be on alert for the shift in the “balance of power” against the dollar once the huge increases in the money supply and zero interest rates really take hold in the “real” economy.
Sean Hyman
Head Course Instructor
http://www.mywealth.com
By: My Wealth.com
Apr
04
Filed Under (Currency Trading) by admin
Because you have to change your money into the currency of the country you wish to make a purchase of the house or whatever, it is prudent to know something about foreign currency exchange.
It is also important to make sure when you are ready to exchange your currency that you chose the best quote regarding the rates of exchange, as this can make a big difference.
There are a number of foreign currency exchange companies that will quote you much better prices than the high street banks, so look around.
We often hear about a currency pair. This describes two different currencies. The first mentioned, is the base currency. The second of the two currencies is the counter or quote currency.
Thus, in an example quote of EUR / USD 1.59 it means that for 1 EUR you have to give 1.59 USD
Since currencies move up or down all the time, the position can change and a EUR / USD quote may alter to EUR / USD 1.5910 meaning that the Euro went up in value. But, if for instance EUR / USD went to 1.5890 it would mean, that the dollar went up in value.
There are many currencies being traded, but the most traded ones are called Majors.
These are EUR / USD, GBP / USD, USD / JPY, USD / CAD, USD / CHF, AUD / USD
Pairs, where the euro is involved, are known as Euro Crosses. A currency pair where the USD is not included is called Cross Rates.
The bid price is the one at which the broker is prepared to buy, and the offer or asking price, is the one the broker is prepared to sell at.
Currency deposits are usually moved from one bank to the other by the use of the electronic transfer system (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial
Telecommunication) SWIFT for short. This is a very fast and simple way to make the transfer.
Foreign Exchange is often known as Forex or FX.
Bull Market is a period of time when prices are seen to be rising.
Bear Market is a period of time when prices are seen to be falling.
Market Rate is an up to date quote for a currency pair.
Cable is a slang expression for Sterling / US dollar exchange rate.
It is as well to remember that the foreign exchange market is basically slotted in two levels. One is the retail level and the other is the wholesale level.
On the retail side, the smaller agents buy and sell foreign exchange taking the reading from the reference rates. These are adjusted constantly as events unfold in the market.
The wholesale level is an informal network of hundreds of brokerage companies and banks, who deal between themselves as well as very large corporations. It is this trade which is the one, when the newspapers make a reference to the foreign exchange.
These days, people are faced with several permutations. On one hand, they are watching the position of Sterling which has been under pressure lately for many reasons. They are also watching the prices of houses in the UK, and getting nervous
noting they depreciate more and more. This of course, makes them think it may be worth to buy abroad and sell in the UK before the prices do start to fall further.
On the other hand, prices of property abroad in some cases are also falling, but selling now would mean that with the Sterling depreciation, they could get a good exchange rate and eventually buy a house in the UK, especially if the prices get lower and lower.
But then of course, there is the other way of looking at it. For instance, the Euro might depreciate in due course versus the USD, and might push Sterling higher in relation to the Euro. It needs thinking about. One way or the other, it opens up possibilities of making money especially if catching things right.
By: Paul Dubsky
It is also important to make sure when you are ready to exchange your currency that you chose the best quote regarding the rates of exchange, as this can make a big difference.
There are a number of foreign currency exchange companies that will quote you much better prices than the high street banks, so look around.
We often hear about a currency pair. This describes two different currencies. The first mentioned, is the base currency. The second of the two currencies is the counter or quote currency.
Thus, in an example quote of EUR / USD 1.59 it means that for 1 EUR you have to give 1.59 USD
Since currencies move up or down all the time, the position can change and a EUR / USD quote may alter to EUR / USD 1.5910 meaning that the Euro went up in value. But, if for instance EUR / USD went to 1.5890 it would mean, that the dollar went up in value.
There are many currencies being traded, but the most traded ones are called Majors.
These are EUR / USD, GBP / USD, USD / JPY, USD / CAD, USD / CHF, AUD / USD
Pairs, where the euro is involved, are known as Euro Crosses. A currency pair where the USD is not included is called Cross Rates.
The bid price is the one at which the broker is prepared to buy, and the offer or asking price, is the one the broker is prepared to sell at.
Currency deposits are usually moved from one bank to the other by the use of the electronic transfer system (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial
Telecommunication) SWIFT for short. This is a very fast and simple way to make the transfer.
Foreign Exchange is often known as Forex or FX.
Bull Market is a period of time when prices are seen to be rising.
Bear Market is a period of time when prices are seen to be falling.
Market Rate is an up to date quote for a currency pair.
Cable is a slang expression for Sterling / US dollar exchange rate.
It is as well to remember that the foreign exchange market is basically slotted in two levels. One is the retail level and the other is the wholesale level.
On the retail side, the smaller agents buy and sell foreign exchange taking the reading from the reference rates. These are adjusted constantly as events unfold in the market.
The wholesale level is an informal network of hundreds of brokerage companies and banks, who deal between themselves as well as very large corporations. It is this trade which is the one, when the newspapers make a reference to the foreign exchange.
These days, people are faced with several permutations. On one hand, they are watching the position of Sterling which has been under pressure lately for many reasons. They are also watching the prices of houses in the UK, and getting nervous
noting they depreciate more and more. This of course, makes them think it may be worth to buy abroad and sell in the UK before the prices do start to fall further.
On the other hand, prices of property abroad in some cases are also falling, but selling now would mean that with the Sterling depreciation, they could get a good exchange rate and eventually buy a house in the UK, especially if the prices get lower and lower.
But then of course, there is the other way of looking at it. For instance, the Euro might depreciate in due course versus the USD, and might push Sterling higher in relation to the Euro. It needs thinking about. One way or the other, it opens up possibilities of making money especially if catching things right.
By: Paul Dubsky
