Forex Tips and Advice

The reason that you entered Forex currency trading is to make very good money, right? First thing you must do is to have a clear and written Forex currency trading system, preferably a proven one.

It is best if the decision points are defined in purely technical manner by your system, as any judgment calls (discretion) allow for errors that cost money through losses.

A Forex currency trading system is a fully developed process that is repeated over and over again.

In trading, your goal is make consistent profits, so the more consistent you do what you do, the more consistent your results. Consistency is on of the greatest benefits of having a Forex currency trading system, but you must take it one step further to really get the most out of it.

Many traders over the years that have developed and published very profitable Forex currency trading systems. Hundreds of traders have taken those same systems and not even come close to the creator’s success. There are specific reasons for this incongruence.

First of all, the creator back tested and refined the system during its development. That back testing built a level of confidence in the system so that when it came time to put money on the line, they could have the discipline to follow the Forex currency trading system, particularly during drawdown spells.

Secondly, the backtesting allowed the trader to practice with the Forex currency trading system that they had developed, thus improving their competence with it and the efficiency.

Thirdly, many “followers” only concentrate on making money, so they miss the critical metrics that make the bottom line what it is. Every Forex currency trading system has certain performance aspects to it. These aspects that have direct impact on its profitability, and most of all predictability.

The system creators kept their primary focus on the metrics, While the followers that don’t make money with the system may not even know that these metrics exist, let alone what to look for.

Fourthly the creators make money with their Forex currency trading system because they back test and analyze their system’s performance regularly, plus they track specific metrics over time. The goals of consistency and continuous improvement necessitate this practice.

While better than doing nothing at all, some traders will occasionally back test their Forex currency trading system. Most however only look at profit for the period back tested and miss out on the valuable information found in the proper metrics.

Recording and tracking the performance of your Forex currency trading system is absolutely essential to truly maximizing your profits.

For those wishing to truly make the most money possible with their system, tracking your equity balance is important, but regularly analyzing your system’s metrics is what will allow you to really get the most out of it.

Are you constantly surfing the internet looking for a forex trading strategy?  Are you confused as to what course to start with?  When you want to get involved with Forex trading, you have to figure out approximately how much money you would like to commit to trading, and then find a low cost course which will educate you to get started.

If you want to get started in trading really soon, one way is to buy a course online that teaches a specific method of trading, such as using Fibonacci ratios, Elliot waves, or other indicators that gives you a high probability of placing a successful trade.  Then, you need to study and test the method on a demo trading account until you are profitable.

Here are two rules to always follow:

Rule #1:  Paper trade, Paper trade, Paper trade.  Please don’t jump into the market with real money until you are confident and totally comfortable using the trading method.   One surefire way of losing all of your money is to jump into the market too soon, before really testing a trading method.

Rule #2:  Plan your trades, and trade your plans.  As traders, the only way to test a trading method is to stick to it religiously.  Therefore, it’s imperative to write down your plan or method for finding a trade, and stick to it.  Just like anything we do in life, proper practice through paper trading will make you able to enter the markets with confidence and will ensure you don’t lose your trading account.

Things to look for in a Forex Training Course:

When purchasing a course, check to make sure that it doesn’t cost more than you have to invest in the market.  If you have $1000.00 to invest, then spending $800.00 on a forex course isn’t such a good idea, because you need $300 to open an account.  Try to spend less than half of the money you want to start investing with on a Forex course.

Next, make sure that the course teaches you to trade independently without the need to subscribe to a service.  Some courses just teach you how to use their trading system, which requires a paid subscription.  Many times, the subscription trading systems don’t reveal the method that they use to determine when to enter and exit a trade.  So, if this subscription service goes out of business or their system stops working, then you are back to square one, without the knowledge of how to enter or exit a trade.  As a trader, it’s important to know the method you are trading with.  As my mentor told me, “It’s never a good idea to put your fate in someone else’s hands.”

If you find a course that meets the above criteria, then go for it, start your education today.  Lastly, take your time.  The market is always there.  The more you practice, and educate yourself, the more profitable you will become.

When you start to look around, for a viable Forex trading system, you quickly become aware, of so many options out there that you may not be sure where to begin.

In order to pick the right trading system, you will need to establish some basic criteria that you can use to evaluate any possible candidates. Here are some suggestions to help you make your choice.

One of the first things you need to check into is what type of commitment you have to make in order to use the system.

Will you need to commit a minimum amount of resources to the system in order to be able to participate? If so, what is that minimum amount?

Set aside any trading system, which insists that you have to set aside an amount of funds, that you are not comfortable with or are unable to reasonably commit and still maintain your current standard of living.

Next, look into support resources that are available to you as a user of the system.

You want to know that you have access to up to the minute information, as currency exchange rates can and often do change several times a day.

You may also want to look for a comprehensive tutorial that helps you understand the way the system works at each juncture. Another aspect in regard to resources has to do with the ability to communicate with another human being.

Can this be accomplished with emails, direct chats or even by placing a toll free phone call? Pass on any system that seems to leave you hanging out there on your own, even if you consider yourself too savvy to ask for help.

The fact is that you will need assistance at some point and it would be nice to know it is there when that day comes.

You may also want to look closely at what type of claims for success are made for the system in question.

While you do want to get involved with a system that has a proven track record, there is no need to waste your time with any trading system that promises overnight wealth.

While people can and do make impressive livings involved in currency trading, the fact is that they tend to make them over time, not overnight.

Avoid any system that makes what seem to be grandiose claims for success. Focus your attention more on trading systems that will be able to support you for the long term, as you incrementally grow your revenue stream.

Finding a Forex trading system that is reputable, reliable, and will provide you with the support you need can be done.

If you take a little time to evaluate each possibility and make sure the trading system provides everything you need to grow your own success.

It can be helpful to find out what others think of a system before you purchase one.

If you search for Forex forums in search engines, then join a few of these forums, you will soon get an idea of Forex trading systems that have a good reputation, this will help give you confidence before you purchase one.

It should be noted Forex trading involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors.

For those that are looking for an exciting way to invest – Forex definitely delivers.  Forex stands for foreign exchange and it is the world’s largest financial market.

Forex is quite different from investing in the NYSE or NASDAQ because Forex takes place at dozens of locations all over the world.  In fact, most traders are day traders that trade from home.  While this form of investing can be risky, it can be extremely profitable.  Forex trading occurs 24 hours per day (except on weekends).  One of the things that make Forex unique is that you aren’t buying a currency or selling a currency, you are actually trading one currency for another.

While Forex seems very easy at first, it can be extremely complicated and risky.  There are tons of tools online that can help you climb the steep learning curve and for those that do, it is possible to make a very, very good living.

Forex is an interesting investment for some because of the amount of leverage one can have.  Some Forex trading brokerages allow their member accounts to leverage the amount of currencies they purchase by 10, 25, 50 times or more.  This means with an initial investment of $1K, you can theoretically control over 50K of currencies in some situations.  While this can lead to large profits, it can also lead to financial ruin if you make the wrong decision on a trade.  One of the ways that many investors learn to trade Forex without risk is to use the systems simulation platform.  Many Forex brokerages have a simulation platform that is identical to the normal platform and uses current, real world data.  This way, if you are just starting out and make a mistake on the simulation, it won’t cost you a dime.

Forex can be extremely fast paced.  While many investors are those that are day traders looking to make a quick buck each day, others trade for the long term, looking for long term trends that are much less riskier and can return much more than a day trade.  Whatever your strategy, Forex can be an excellent way to invest.  It should be noted that almost anyone can trade from their computer and with a limited amount of investment, however before you trade, get to know the system you trade on and the dynamics of the foreign currency market.

Before venturing into your trading journey there are some things you need to be aware of, otherwise you could succeed on your trading adventure, and we don’t want that to happen, do we? This Forex training guide will help you track the most costly mistakes Forex traders do.

First of all, make sure you don’t have a trading system. Having a trading system might increase the odds of your success. If you have a system, you will have an objective way to get in and out the market. When traders create their trading systems they think objectively since there is no position to be taken at the moment. If there is no position to be taken, there is also no money at risk, if there is no money at risk, we do think objectively and are open to every possibility, thus we are able to find low risk trading opportunities. So make sure you don’t have a system and trade based on a randomly approach.

If you have already created your system, then don’t follow it, be undisciplined. If you follow your system, there is a possibility that you can profit from the Forex market based on the trading opportunities you have found. If you want to fail on your trading, be sure to be undisciplined.

Don’t get educated. Most successful traders are very well educated in the market they trade (stocks, Forex, futures, etc.) If you get educated, you might acquire the knowledge and experience you require to master the Forex market. Don’t read about the Forex market, don’t enroll into Forex training programs and don’t even look at historical charts.

Don’t use any money management technique. The purpose of money management is to avoid the risk of ruin, but at the same time it helps you boost your profits, allowing them to grow geometrically. For instance, by using no money management techniques, there is a possibility that in loosing 10 trades in a row you could empty your trading account. On the other hand, by applying simple money management techniques you can avoid it. So make sure, if you want to fail, don’t even consider money management.

Forget about psychological issues. You need to get every trade to win. Successful traders know that they don’t need to win every trade in order to profit from the market. This is one characteristic that is hard to understand and really apply. Why? Because we are taught, since kids, that any number below 70% is a bad number. In the Forex trading environment, this is not true.

Don’t even consider using a Risk-reward (RR) ratio greater than 1-1. If you use a RR ratio of 1-2 (willing to make twice the amount risked in one trade) then you only need a system that is right around 50% to make money. If you use a RR ratio of 1-3 (willing to make three times the amount risked in one trade) then you will need a system that is right around 40% of the time to make money. So make sure to use a RR ratio below 1-1.

By applying every point outlined in this Forex training guide, you will almost assure your failure in your Forex trading journey. Do the opposite, and you will have the possibility to achieve what every trader is looking for: consistent profitable results.

In the FOREX market, you can use two distinct types of trading systems. The first type is the mechanical trading system. The mechanical trading system is relatively easy to use because an automated process makes all trade decisions for you. This trading system is based on technical and systematic analysis. Traders call it mechanical trading because they use computers to get trading signals.

At the other side of the spectrum, the discretionary trading system uses gut instincts. It is based on an investor’s experience, knowledge, and intuition. Some investors choose to use mechanical systems to understand current market conditions, and then analyze the details on their own before trading.

Mechanical Trading System
Of course, most FOREX traders use the mechanical trading system, simply because it automates the process and you can set it up with little effort. It is the easiest way to become a FOREX trader because it requires less training and education than discretionary trading. Mechanical trading systems are widely available online and some software is available in stores.

Mechanical trading systems take the human element out of FOREX trading. Through such a system, you have no opportunity to make trading decisions based on greed, gut feel, or bad judgment. Because a wise investor always invests with his head and not with his heart, mechanical trading can help those investors who often base his or her decisions on emotions.

In recent years, the internet has made FOREX trading much easier by providing online trading platforms. The brokerage firm you use will provide one for you. Some brokers have also developed mechanical trading systems that their clients can use to trade. You can buy this separately, or have one provided for you. Your broker may also provide valuable tools like economic calendars, detailed analyses, and current currency charts. If your broker does not provide these to you, you can buy them on your own or find a different brokerage firm to work with.

Discretionary Trading Systems
Even when you opt to use the FOREX mechanical trading system, you should still understand the basics of the FOREX market to become an informed investor. There are various courses and books on becoming a FOREX trader and you should take full advantage of them.

Those with limited knowledge in this area can gain just from testing a broker’s trading software. The trading software can easily teach you terms, how to read charts, and some basic trading theories. Used with a book or online course, you can quickly grasp the principles behind FOREX. An informed trader can therefore use both discretionary and mechanical trading systems to achieve maximum profits.

If you’re interested in entering the FOREX market, carefully consider your choices. It may be best to start off by using mechanical trading systems before deciding of your own. In this way, you can minimize losses and lessen the risk of betting over your head. Once you are familiar and learned, you can start setting up the discretionary system of trading. Stay educated; it will pay off!

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

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

Mechanical systems

Advantages
This kind of system can be automated and backtested efficiently.
It has very rigid rules. Either, there is a trade or there isn’t.
Mechanical traders are less susceptible to emotions than discretionary traders.

Disadvantages
Most traders backtest Forex trading systems incorrectly. In order to produce accurate results you need tick data.
The Forex market is always changing. The Forex market (and all markets) has a random component. The market conditions may look similar, but they are never the same.
A system that worked successfully the past year doesn’t necessary mean it will work this year.

Discretionary systems

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

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

Now, which approach is better for Forex traders? The one that fits better your personality. For instance, if you are a trader that finds it hard to follow your trading signals, then you are better off using a mechanical system, where your judgment won’t play an important role in your system. You only take the trades that your system signals.

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

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

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

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

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

1.    You need to make sure the Forex trading system you are using totally fits your personality.  Otherwise you will find yourself outguessing your system.
2.    You also need to have some rules and most importantly have the discipline to follow them.
3.    Take your time to build the perfect system for you. It’s not easy and requires time and hard work, but at the end, if done correctly, it will give you consistent profitable results.
4.    Before going live, try it on a demo account or even on a small account (I will go for the second option, since psychological barriers will be present.)

Forex trading signals that most traders want are selected through shopping for a chart containing useful forex trading indicators. These indicators would work best if a wiser approach is used by the traders to create a trading system that is unique from others.

Forex trading signals provides clearly explained technical indicators to the traders. These signals pertains to price actions which set off either the market entry or market exit, or set off adjustments in any intra-trade types.

A precise mathematical formula being applied to the prices refers to technical indicators. It also displays the intervals of time within the selected periods of prices. So, the charts contain information about technical indicators as well as the prices in the different intervals of time. The data in these charts are always updated depending on its type. Take for instance, a one-minute chart is being updated every after one minute while a sixty-minute chart is updated every after one hour.

If you have understood these intervals and its effects on the technical indicators, then you can start finding the forex trading signals appropriate for you before entering the market.

Potential traders are always looking for easy and clear technical signals. It indicates the right time when a particular trader should enter the market. Remember that forex trading signals are based on a specified chart interval. It is helpful for traders to always observe the chart before entering the market. They can also have an option to use these signals basing from one or more intervals of time to build any entry signal.

If ever you have identified the trade through entry signals, then concentrate next on your exit plans. As a trader, you always have the options of limit exits, exit signals, trailing stops, or fixed stops on the trade.

The trader can also use the forex trading signals when entering a trade to attempt in capturing a reversal. Take for example, if a short swing of a currency pair occurs, you will then capture it earlier as possible because you can accumulate better profit when the swing turns long. This is called the turning points which are excellent signals for market entry and market exits of shorter trades.

Normally, limit exits are preferred by most traders. They are frequently trading using higher percentage, however for only lower pips. Another alternative view that is possible is to use the signals for managing market exits. The signals should be conservative but the exit signals should capture real moves rather than exit limits.

It will be the trader’s personal decision on what type of signals he is going to use. The trader should be committed on whatever decision he has made. The technical indicators should be studied well to learn everything about it. It will help you select the best signals which will work best to your advantage.

These signals can be merged. It can also be implemented along with some parameters for improving its performance and reducing the danger of wrong moves. Take note, forex trading signals are characterized as unique market aspects. Using different signal varieties will provide a good system of balances and checks. It enables the traders to anticipate the market movements and conditions before making their trading decision.

Keep in mind that trading forex is difficult especially if it is done only as part-time. It could be easier if you are using your computer twenty four hours each day. Many independent companies and forex brokers have created trading systems which provide forex signals to its users to know when to sell and buy. The trade executions could be very simple. You can just make a phone call or press a button.

Remember, forex trading signals are operating using a mathematical formula. The signals are sent out through phone or email if the parameters are met. If the signals are received, the user will then decide whether to obtain the signals or not.

There are a great number of available service providers on forex trading signals. However, make sure that you carefully read their reviews. In fact, most service provider’s signals works, the problem lies on the failure of following the system. Even if you haven’t decided when it is the right time to sell and buy, you can be sometimes emotional which will later on distract your business’ right direction. The traders should follow the systems to succeed.

Beginners in the Forex market need all the help they can get. You can’t possibly make it big in the Forex market if you don’t know much about Forex trading. There are lots of online tools that you can make use in order to learn more about this fast-changing market. You can find software programs, trading systems, trend indicators, signal generators, trading courses, and even Forex trading eBooks. Perhaps you’ve already tried all the other online tools expect eBook; the reason may be because you’re not very much interested in reading. You’re probably unaware that you can learn a lot of things from reading. Did you know that there are effective Forex eBooks online which you can get for free? When reading eBooks, you should also understand the things that you’re reading and that is called comprehension.

The problem with most traders is that they tend to read blindly; they lack comprehension. The Forex market has lots of unforgiving paths where you can lose huge investments. If you don’t want to end up with the 90% unsuccessful Forex traders in the world, you need to read good trading eBooks now.

Trading eBooks are usually written by experienced and knowledgeable Forex traders who are willing to share their secrets to beginners. New traders tend to have lots of questions like how much should they invest, where they should start investing, when they should get out of the trade, etc. Some online Forex trading tools charge fees but why should you even pay fees when you can get free trading eBooks?

Investing in the Forex market involves a lot of risks. If you want to be prepared for this kind of situation, you will need a trading eBook. Through these eBooks, you can handle various kinds of situations suitably. By getting the right eBook, you will be given an opportunity to understand everything you need to know about the Forex market.

What are the things that you can learn from these trading eBooks? Well, there are so many things to learn like Forex quotes, currency pairs, pips, execution, bids, dealing desk, and many other things.

Once you’ve read and understood the trading eBook, you will know that the trading sessions start after an order is placed. Basic orders can include market order, limit entry, stop entry, etc. These orders are used in various applications and you need to learn when to use them. eBooks can provide you with simple introductions about these orders so that you won’t have any difficulty in trading.

Aside from the Forex trading info mentioned earlier, you will also learn about trading types. These are the strategies being used by traders such as short and long positions. You will also learn about carry trading, scalping, swing and trend trading, and many others. These types of trading can be used depending on the conditions in the Forex market.

So you see, you can learn lots of things from reading trading eBooks. Take your time in reading a good eBook. Search the internet for helpful eBooks written by expert reputable Forex traders. You can even check reviews and ratings of various trading eBooks so that you can pick the best one. Reading may take some time especially if you try to understand the contents of the eBook but its really worthy. Get your free Forex trading eBooks now.

Technical Analysis is the easiest and most precise way of trading the FOREX market known by the forex traders community. All available information on any particular currency, and its impact on traders, and the market, are already reflected in a currency’s price. The foreign exchange market is mostly composed of trends and is, therefore, a place where technical analysis can be used very effectively. Experience in trading has shown that history repeats itself – over time, certain chart patterns become consistent, predictable and very reliable. The problem is being able of  spoting them. There’s always more than meets the eye at first glance.

Prices move in trends; and the traders who don’t know this fact obviously have no need to implement a trading methodology on technical analysis, they haven’t even realized yet. But, over 100 years of research has shown that those who trade “with the trend”, more often than not, greatly improve their chances of winning in the forex markets (i.e., making a profitable trade).

Many times finding the prevailing trend will help you become aware of the overall market direction and offer you better visibility–especially when shorter-term movements tend to clutter the picture. And many times following the trend will bail you out of an initially less than great entry point.

The main question you may be asking yourself by now  is; how does technical analysis help you to determine what the trend of the market is and how does it help your efforts to trade with the trend and not against the trend?

It is important to mention that no one is claiming technical analysis as the “magic bullet” of trading . And if you ask, which indicators are better in Forex trading? The answer is none – technical indicators should simply be  components of your overall customized / personalized trading system and not systems in and of themselves. They are like tools in a tool kit, not the kit itself!)/

As a Forex Technical Trader, your goals are:

#1) To figure out the price action of the currency pair. Price is the main concern. If the EUR/USD is at 1.3226 and goes to 1.3219, 1.3112, 1.3008 – the market is in a down trend. Despite what every technical indicator might predict, if the trend is down, stay with the trend. Indicators showing where price will go next or what it should be doing are useless. A trader need only be concerned with what the market is doing, not what the market might do. The price tells you what the market is doing.

#2) To always remember that technical indicators are only giving you confirmations based on what the market is telling you. So listen and pay close attention to the market and let it dictate which method you will use and which tool you will pull out of your bag of strategies and techniques. For only by listening to the markets will you ever be able to conquer it successfully and become a profitable trader.