FOREX Software: A Critical Element for Success

In most cases when you sign up with a FOREX broker they will provide you with software to execute transactions as well as get market information. Since online trading has been around for quite some time now, the brokers have a pretty solid understanding of what the traders need from trading software. There are two primary classifications of software provided by the brokers; web based and client based.

One of the mandatory services needed by all FOREX software is real time market updates. Since the FOREX market is so fast paced and volatile traders must have data that is accurate to a few seconds to make decisions on when to enter and exit their positions. All brokers make claims that their software will remain updated with a minimum of delay but the reality is that there are a variety of factors that can delay the software displaying updated information.

The users internet connection speed as well as their geographical distance from the broker are probably the two primary issues that can affect the update time. If you wish to be successful trading FOREX it is highly recommended that you have a high speed internet connection and a fairly up to date computer. You might also consider selecting a broker relatively close to you; if you are trading from the US you might want to avoid a broker based out of Australia. During times of extreme market volatility this distance could cause a delay significant enough to cause issues with your trades.

Online Forex Trading

Do you know what Forex trading is? Some people have heard of this type of trading, others have not. If you haven’t, it might be something you are interested in trying. Forex trading stands for foreign exchange trading. What it consists of is the buying and selling of different currencies. This is done simultaneously, and there are people who make a lot of money with this kind of trading. This is apparent by the 1.9 million dollar turnover in this market that happens every day. Also a lot of it is done online. Online Forex trading is very popular.

Do you know what Forex trading is? Some people have heard of this type of trading, others have not. If you haven’t, it might be something you are interested in trying. Forex trading stands for foreign exchange trading. What it consists of is the buying and selling of different currencies. This is done simultaneously, and there are people who make a lot of money with this kind of trading. This is apparent by the 1.9 million dollar turnover in this market that happens every day. Also a lot of it is done online. Online Forex trading is very popular.

The most common currencies to trade are the Euro and the U.S. dollar, and the U.S. dollar and the Japanese Yen. However, nearly all of the Forex trading done involves the major currencies of the world. These include the Euro, Japanese Yen, U.S. dollar, Canadian dollar, British Pound, Australian dollar, and the Swiss franc. The Forex exchange is different from other exchanges, such as the New York Stock Exchange, in that it does not have a physical location or central exchange. The exchange day begins in Sydney, then moves to Tokyo, on to London, and finally ends in New York. Each country takes the responsibility of regulating the Forex exchange activities in their own country. So there is no overall regulatory agency. However, this does not seem to be a problem and most countries do very well at overseeing Forex exchange activities.

Forex rate. For instance, economic things, like interest rates and inflation, and also political things, such as political unrest in other countries and major changes in government cause up and down changes in the Forex rate. However, these things tend to be short-term, and don’t affect it for long.

Online Forex trading sites are easy to find by surfing the Internet. Most of them provide a wealth of information for the first time trader. You can find out about the history of Forex trading, how to co it, tips on being successful, etc. You can also start trading with as little as $250 in your account on some sites. For anyone who is interested in currency or trading, it is something you should check out.

As with any type of trading, there are no guarantees that you will make money or that you won’t make money. It is a smart choice to learn as much as you can about online Forex trading before investing any money and doing any trading. It is a fact that informed investors do better than those who don’t know much about what they are trading. So get the fact before you dive in. You might just make a little money in a very interesting currency exchange.

Getting Started Trading Forex

Terminology and Market Conventions

If you are going to trade forex you need to understand the terms and quoting conventions used, especially in regards to the spot market.

Notational Conventions
The forex market uses 3-letter codes for all currencies. These are commonly known as SWIFT or ISO codes. For example, USD is the code for the US Dollar. Here are the codes for the other primary currencies:

AUD: Australian Dollar
CAD: Canadian Dollar
CHF: Swiss Franc
EUR: European Euro
GBP: British Pound
JPY: Japanese Yen
( For a complete listing of all currency SWIFT codes, click here. )

Expressing a relational value between two currencies is done by combining two currency abbreviations in the fashion of XXX/YYY. This indicates the amount of YYY currency (the “quote” currency) equivalent to one unit of XXX (”base” currency). For example if the exchange rate for USD/JPY - the US Dollar to Japanese Yen rate - was 100 it would mean that each USD is worth 100 JPY.

Using this convention, changes up or down in the quoted exchange rate indicate changes up or down in the value of the base currency. Using the USD/JPY example again, if the rate went from 100 to 101 it would mean a 1% increase in the value of the USD against the JPY. Similarly, a decline from 100 to 99 would represent a 1% fall in the USD value vs. the JPY.

In theory, one could quote the exchange rates either way around - meaning if USD/JPY is 100 it is the same as saying JPY/USD is 0.01 (one JPY is worth $0.01). In practice, however, the forex market has specific conventions for the traded pairs. In most cases, USD is the base currency, with the other currency in question being the quote currency. USD/JPY is an example.

There are a few exceptions, though. When it was introduced in 1999, the market authorities decided the Euro would always be the base currency in all traded pairs. Before that, the Pound (GBP) held that distinction. Thus, when traded against either of those, the USD is the quote currency (EUR/USD, GBP/USD). The same also holds for former British Commonwealth currencies the Australian Dollar (AUD/USD) and the New Zealand Dollar (NZD/USD).

It is worth noting that forex futures contracts involving currencies as quoted against the US Dollar do not hold to the spot market convention. Instead they all use the USD as the quote currency.

Majors and Crosses
In the forex you will here the terms “majors” and “crosses” when traders refer to different categories of currency pairs. In general terms, the “majors” are the pairs which include the USD quoted against the other primary industrialized currencies. Those include the ones listed above. So the majors are as follows:

AUD/USD
EUR/USD
GBP/USD
USD/CAD
USD/CHF
USD/JPY

While technically every currency pairing is a cross-rate, the term “cross” is most commonly used to refer to currency pairings which do not include the USD. For example, EUR/JPY is the Euro-Yen exchange rate. That would be considered a cross.

Forex Price Quotes
With an understanding of what we are looking at, now we can turn out focus to the actual price quotes. The graphic shows a sample table of quotes for an array of currency pairs - majors and crosses.

One thing you will notice in the table is that some pairs are quoted to four decimal places, while others only go out two places. In general terms, those pairs with values of about 10 or less will go out to four places, while those with higher values will be quoted only at two places.

Regardless of how many decimal places a currency pair is quote to, though, the term “pip” is used to define a single price movement value. So, for a two decimal place pair, a pip would be .01, while for a four decimal place pair a pip would be .0001.

We can see this in the quotes on the chart, especially when looking at the bid/offer spreads. AUD/JPY is quoted at 79.60-79.64, which is a 4 pip spread, while AUD/USD is quoted 0.7648-0.7650 for a 2 pip spread.

In recent times there has been introduced the “pipette”, which is a fraction of a pip. In essence, some of the more popular pairs like EUR/USD are trading at five decimal places now, which is why you can see a spread of 1.5 listed on the chart (column to the right of the price quote itself). That means the bid-offer spread is 1 and 5/10 pips.

One will sometimes here the term “figure” in spot forex trading. That is used to refer to a price level which is a round 100 pip figure. In USD/JPY that would be a multiple of 1 full JPY (such as 104), while in GBP/USD the figure would be a $0.01 multiple (like 1.8800).

The term “yard” sometimes comes up as well. That is used to refer to a one billion base currency transaction. So a yard of USD/JPY would be $1 billion.

Getting in to the Trading

Opening an Account
It is quite easy to start trading forex. There are a great many forex brokers available and opening an account is pretty straightforward. Some things you should consider as you look to identify the one best suited to you are:

• Account minimum deposit (if any)
• Transaction size flexibility
• Spreads
• Execution
• Commissions (if any)
• Security of deposited funds
• Allowable leverage
• Currency pairs available for trading
• Usability of the trading platform

The great thing is that nowadays the vast majority of brokers have available demo trading platforms you can use to evaluate their system. Be sure, though, to make note of any differences there are between the real platform and the demo one. Some brokers’ platforms are both the same across the board, but some have noticeable differences in things like execution speeds. It wouldn’t hurt to check around the discussion boards to see what others are saying.

Actually, if you are new to forex trading it is well worth it to spend a while trading via a demo platform first. It will help you develop and understanding of how it all works. That way, when you do go live, you will be more confident and ready for action.

Making Trades
Forex market trading is really little different from an execution perspective than most other markets. You can buy or sell. In most cases, the same types of orders (stops, limits, etc.) are available. The trading platforms are very modern and trades can be done very quickly. Anyone who has ever used an online trading platform for any other market will have no trouble making the move to forex and executing trades with ease. For that matter, even those new to trading will find entering and exiting forex positions a breeze.

What is the Forex Market and How is it Different?

What is Forex?

The foreign exchange market, often referred to as forex, is the market for the various currencies of the world. It is a market which, at its core, is rooted in global trade. Goods and services are exchanged 24 hours a day all over the world. Those transactions done across national borders require payments in non-domestic currencies.

For example, a US company purchases widgets from a Mexican company. To do the transaction, one of two things is going to happen. The US firm may, depending on the contract terms, make payment in Mexican Pesos. That would require a conversion of Dollars in to Pesos to make payment. Alternately, the payment could be made in Dollars, in which case the Mexican company would then exchange the Dollars for Pesos on their end. Either way, there is going to be some transaction which takes Dollars and swaps them for Pesos.

That is where the forex market comes in. Transactions like that take place all the time. The market maintains a rate of exchange between the US Dollar and the Mexican Peso (and between and amongst all other world currencies) to facilitate that activity. Consider the amount of global trade which takes place and you can see why the forex market is the biggest in the world, dwarfing all others. Literally trillions of dollars worth of forex transactions take place each and every day.

How is the Forex Market Different?

There are some significant differences between the forex market and others like the stock market. While it may be the feeling that a good trader should be able to handle any market, the fact of the matter is that some structural differences in forex can require a different trading approach.

Time
For most stock traders, the first difference they will notice between the forex market and equities is timeframe. Although the hours of stock trading have been expanding in recent years, the forex market is still the only one which can truly be viewed as 24-hour. There is ready forex trading activity in all time zones during the week, and sometimes even on the weekends as well. Other markets may in fact transact 24-hours, but the volume outside their primary trading day is thin and inconsistent.

No Exchanges
The lack of an exchange is probably the next big thing that sticks out as being different in forex. While it is true that there is exchange-based forex trading in the form of futures, the primary trading takes place over-the-counter via the spot market. There is no NYSE of forex.

On the largest scale, forex transactions are done in what is referred to as the inter-bank market. That literally means banks trading with each other on behalf of their customers. Larger speculators also operate in the inter-bank market where they can execute multi-million dollar trades with ease. Individual traders, who generally trade in much smaller sizes, primarily do so through brokers and dealers.

This is something which can trouble stock traders. There is no central location for price data, and no real volume information is attainable. Since volume is an often reported figure in the stock market, the lack of it in spot forex trading is something which takes a bit of getting used to for those making the switch.

Transaction Processing
Also, the lack of an exchange means a difference in how trading is actually done. In the stock market an order is submitted to a broker who facilitates the trade with another broker/dealer (over-the-counter) or through an exchange. In spot forex much of the trading done by individuals is actually executed directly with their broker/dealer. That means the broker takes the other side of the trade. This is not always the case, but is the most common approach.

Transaction Costs
The lack of an exchange and the direct trade with the broker creates another difference between stock and forex trading. In the stock market brokers will generally charge a commission for each buy and sell transaction you do. In forex, though, most brokers do not charge any commissions. Since they are taking the other side of all the customer trades, they profit by making the spread between the bid and offer prices.

Some traders do not like the structure of the spot forex market. They are not comfortable with their broker being on the other side of their trades as they feel it presents a type of conflict of interest. They also question the safety of their funds and the lack of overall regulation. There are some worthwhile concerns, certainly, but the fact of the matter is that the majority of forex brokers are very reliable and ethical. Those that are not don't stay in business very long.

Margin Trading
The forex market is a 100% margin-based market. This is a familiar thing for those used to trading futures.

In fact, spot forex trading is essentially trading a 2-day forward (futures) contract. You do not take actual possession of any currency, but rather have a theoretical agreement to do so in the future. That puts you in a position of benefiting from prices changes. For that your broker requires a deposit on your trades to provide surety against any losses you may incur. How much of a deposit can vary. Some brokers will asked for as little as 1/2%. That is fairly aggressive, though. Expect 1%-2% on the value of the position in most cases.

Now, unlike the stock market, margin trading does not mean margin loans. Your broker will not be lending you money to buy securities (at least not the way a stock broker does). As such, there is no margin interest charged. In fact, since you are the one putting money on deposit with your broker, you may earn interest in your margin funds.

Interest Rate Carry (Rollover)
When trading forex, one is essentially borrowing one currency, converting it in to another, and depositing it. This is all done on an overnight basis, so the trader is paying the overnight interest rate on the borrowed currency and at the same time earning the overnight rate on the currency being held. This means the trader is either paying out or receiving interest on their position, depending on whether the interest rate differential is for or against them.

This is commonly handled is what is referred to as a rollover. Spot forex trades are done on a trading day basis, and as such are technically closed out at the end of each day. If you are holding your position longer than that, your broker rolls you forward in to a new position for the next trading day. This is generally done transparently, but it does mean that at the end of each day you will either pay or receive the interest differential on your position.

The type of trader you are and the way your broker handles rollover will be the deciding factors in determining whether the interest rate differentials are an important concern for you. Some brokers will not apply the day's interest differential value on positions closed out during the trading day. By that I mean if you were to enter a position at 10am and exit at 2pm, no interest would come in to play. If you were to open a position on Monday and close it on Tuesday, though, you would have the interest for Monday applied (the full day regardless of when you entered the position), but nothing for Tuesday. (Note: There is at least one broker who calculates interest on a continuous basis, so you will always make or pay the interest differential on all positions, no matter when you put them on or took them off).

It should also be noted that although some folks will claim there is no rollover in forex futures, the interest rate spread is definitely factored in. You can see this when comparing the futures prices with the spot market rates. As the futures contracts approach their delivery date their prices will converge with the spot rate so that the holders will pay or receive the differential just as if they had been in a spot position.

Intervention
Fixed income traders know that central bankers, like the Federal Reserve, are active in the markets, buying and selling securities to influence prices, and thereby interest rates. This is not something which happens in stocks, but it does in the forex markets. This is known as intervention. It happens when a central bank or other national monetary authority buys or sells currency in the market with the objective of influencing exchange rates.

Intervention is most often seen at times when exchange rates get a bit out of hand, either falling or rising too rapidly. At those times, central banks may step in to try to nullify the trend. Sometimes it works. Sometimes not.

The US has traditionally taken a hands-off approach when it comes to the value of the Dollar, preferring to allow the markets to do their thing. Others are not quite so willing to let speculators determine their currency's value. The Bank of Japan has the most active track record in that regard.

Online Trading - Golden Rules for the New Trader

Any successful trader knows how fun and profitable stock trading can be. The experience of taking a profit from something as celebrated as the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ is as exciting as it gets. These trading arenas are the most celebrated in the World and to actually profit from these markets is a feat in itself. I don't have to tell most successful traders that they are competing with some of the most successful floor traders the market has to offer when the invest their money in the markets.

What about the new trader just starting out with a newly funded trading account? I'm sure any seasoned trader can look back and remember how that felt...exciting to say the least. If we are honest with ourselves we would also remember how many mistakes we made along the way to becoming successful. It's a fact that most new traders will lose all of their money before they finally figure out how to trade successfully. They come to the realization too late that the golden rule of successful trading is gaining enough knowledge to think for themselves.

The web is littered with obstacles that are designed for nothing more than to part unwitting investors and traders from their money. Couple that with the fact most traders soon find out trading is isn't as easy as following an analyst rating and become frustrated. This isn't the 1990's anymore and the stock market has reverted back to a more traditional growth rate and the likelihood that a new trader will soon find themselves over their head is very high.

So what can the new trader do to prepare for trading successfully? There are a few golden rules that I recommend any new trader follow before and during their initial stages of growth as a trader:

Learn to think for yourself - Take the time to learn your method of trading whether you decide to trade as a technical or fundamental trader. Read all you can and study often. Take a trading course, read books, get the proper charting software and look at charts nightly.

Stay away from stock message boards - When starting out it's hard to decipher honest observations from hype. "Pump and dump" schemes flourish on internet message boards and the new trader can become easy prey.

Don't over trade - It's easy for the new trader to actually trade too much. Stay in your investments until they run their course. Don't jump from one stock to another trying to achieve quicker profits.

Use a stop loss - Many new traders stay in a losing trade way too long. Stick with a hard and fast stop loss rule, I recommend eight percent.

Try paper trading first - Paper trading is a great way to test your trading strategies and build confidence. Wait until you're profitable on paper before committing money to the market.

Keep your emotions in check - The reason many traders lose money is because they are afraid of losing money. You should have a strategy and a stop loss rule that you can rely on. Cut your losses at your stop loss and let your profits run.

Trade with the market - Watch the S&P 500 or the NAZDAQ and trade with the trend of the markets. If the markets are in a decline, don't place long trades or go short. If the market is in an uptrend don't trade short and stay with your long positions.

While the above list is by no means an exhaustive list of the rules you will need to follow, it does cover the most common mistakes made by new investors. Take your time; learn all you can and you might just find yourself becoming a very profitable trader.