This will allow you to test out your newly formed trading strategies before risking your own capital. In the next section of our forex trading PDF, we explore some of the more important technical indicators and market insights used by seasoned traders. First invented by Richard Donchian, the donchian channels can be adapted as you like, in terms of parameters. Should you choose to view a day breakdown, for example, the indicator will be created by taking the lowest low, and the highest high of that period so in this example 30 periods.

When observing the moving average on a donchian channel you can look at averages stretching from 25 days to the last days. The direction which is permitted is determined by the direction of the short-term moving average. With this in mind, you should think about opening one of the following two positions:.

You will need to sell your pair in order to exit your trade if you open a long position and visa-versa. This is another commonly used forex indicator. The simple moving average aka SMA operates at a slower rate than the present market price known as a lagging indicator. Furthermore, it uses a lot of historical price data. In fact, more so than most other strategies. A good indication that the latest price is higher than the older price is when the long-term moving average is below the short-term moving average.

This could be considered a buy signal due to an upward trend in the market. In the opposite scenario when the long-term moving average is higher than the short-term moving average, this of course points towards a sell signal due to a downward trend. Moving averages are usually used as evidence of an overall trend, rather than purely forex trading signals.

Of course, this is a great way to make your breakout signals much more productive. If you are alerted to a sell signal, this indicates that the short-term moving average is below that of the long-term moving average, so you might want to place a sell order.

However, if you are given a signal to buy, this usually means that the short-term moving average is higher than that of the long-term moving average. Using breaks as trading signals, the breakout is considered a long-term strategy.

The breakout itself occurs when the market goes further than these consolidation limits — whether that be lower or higher. As such, a breakout must take place whenever a new trend occurs. By looking at breaks, you will have a good indication of whether or not a new trend has begun.

In this case, you might want to use a stop-loss order to give you a better chance of avoiding a substantial loss. As glamorous as a career in forex trading might sound, there are a number of risks that you need to take into account.

In the below sections of our forex trading PDF, we explore these possible risks in more detail. The transaction risk is in relation to the exchange rate and any time zone differences.

This means there is a chance that at some point between the beginning and end of a contract that the exchange rates could be subject to change. The risk of this happening elevates with the more time that passes between entering a contract and settling the same contract. This generally leads to investors withdrawing investments, and as a result, your return will be lower. The good news is that when a currency rate is on the rise, chances are that the respective currency will be stronger.

When this does happen, your returns could be higher. This is because seasoned investors like to gain exposure to stronger currencies. The higher your leverage is, the higher your losses or benefits will be. Of course, this means leverage can affect your trading in a positive or negative way — depending on which way it goes. The final part of our forex trading PDF is to explore which brokers are popular with both newbie and seasoned traders.

Each of the forex trading platforms listed below has been pre-vetted, meaning that you can be confident they tick most boxed. This means that each platform is regulated, offers heaps of forex pairs, has low commissions and fees, and supports several payment methods. AvaTrade is an established broker that offers thousands of financial instruments. On top of stocks, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies all via CFDs , you can also trade heaps of forex pairs.

There are no trading commissions to pay, and spreads are very competitive. You can either trade via the AvaTrade web-platform, or via popular third-party provider MT4. The platform is heavily regulated, with several licenses under its belt. com is an FCA, CySEC, ASIC, and NBRB-regulated online broker that offers heaps of financial instruments. All in the form of CFDs - this covers stocks, indices and commodities.

You will not pay a single penny in commission, and spreads are super-tight. Leverage facilities are also on offer - fully in-line with ESMA limits. Once again, this stands at on majors and on minors and exotics.

If you are based outside of Europe or you are deemed to be a professional client, you will get even higher limits. Getting money into Capital. Having made it this far through our forex trading PDF, you should by now have an understanding of how technical analysis works, and have a good grasp of the macroeconomic fundamentals which guide currency values. Armed with all of the useful information included in this guide, you should be ready to get out there and start trading forex.

Hopefully, making a profit and learning more along the way. If you are a trader with somewhat limited funds, you might find that swing trading suits you best. If you have a larger trading fund available to you, you might have a more profitable experience with fundamental based trading.

Either way, w e do recommend trying out a free demo account where possible before trading with your hard-earned money. As well as reading helpful guides like ours, actually learning by doing will also provide you with a better sense of how it all works and how you might like to trade yourself. What does forex mean? Forex as a term refers to 'foreign exchange'. You will make money in two different scenarios. You either buy a currency pair for less than you sell it for long order , and you sell a currency pair for less than you bought it for short order.

The spread is the difference between the bid and ask price of a forex pair. This gap in pricing must be included in your profit and loss forecasts, and it is how the broker ensures that the platform always makes money. This depends on the type of forex pair you are trading. The pip refers to the movement of one decimal place in a pair. This depends on several factors, such as your location, the currency pair, and the broker itself. In most cases, traders from the UK and Europe are capped to leverage of on major pairs and on minor and exotic pairs.

Slippage means that your forex order is executed at a slightly different price to what you had asked for. Free Forex Signals Telegram Groups of Forex Trading for Beginners: How to Trade Forex and Find the Best Platform Learn 2Trade Forex Channel. Learn 2Trade Crypto Channel. Download Our Forex Trading PDF! Samantha Forlow. The relationship of growth and currencies applies throughout the world.

An increase in interest rates tends to strengthen the currency. The trader needs to go further than just knowing what the rate levels are. They trader needs to assess whether the economy is strengthening or weakening. Housing data is one of the most important areas that affect the decision to increase rates, keep rates the same, or decrease rates.

The forex trader should keep track of housing data when trading a currency. I Much progress has been made over the decades. In the period of through , inflation levels in industrialized countries were near the 7. A decade later, in , inflation levels ranged at the much lower level of 3 percent.

Many central banks, in fact, announce inflation targets. In fact, Bernard Bernanke, the successor to Alan Greenspan, has favored formal inflation targeting for the U. Central banks around the world monitor inflation and raise interest rates to try to slow down inflation.

Central banks often include in their statements accompanying in- terest rate decisions that they will be vigilant over potential risks of inflation. A fear of lingering inflation tends to generate in the market the anticipation of higher rates, and therefore works to support the buying of a currency. That is also why strong retail prices tend to undermine bond prices. Bondholders fear increased rates because they reduce the attractiveness of the bonds they hold, and the market lowers the prices of the bonds in order to equalize the yield of the old bonds with the new interest rates.

Inflation is the ever-present yet stealthy ghost that spooks the forex market and chal- lenges central banks.

It is particularly difficult to track. even among the best economists on how to measure and detect inflation, and as a result there are many data sets relating to inflation.

Central banks all over the world are trying to get an accurate answer to the question of what is true core inflation? This level of complexity in measuring inflation sets up the forex market for surprises when data comes along that inflation has not been contained.

Surprises can be ex- pected. For example, in December , when inflation data rose the highest in 30 years, it provided a boost in the dollar value as more traders were betting that the Fed would not decrease rates, or might even increase rates.

The challenge to getting a true measure of inflation has also been a focus of recent activity in Britain. The Office of National Statistics is introducing a new inflation calcu- lator that allows persons to calculate their own inflation measure!

In other words, the other measures [such as the Retail Price Index RPI , the Retail Price Index excluding Mortgage Payments RPIX , and the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices HCIP ] are still in force, but there is recognition that inflation needs more measures for an accurate assessment. This confusion and debate over how to detect inflation in Great Britain un- derscores the issue is an international one.

The Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England www. htm offers more details on this subject. D in economics to follow inflation data. There are many key measures of inflation that are tracked. But you have to check the central bank web sites.

The best way to do this is to first check the web site of the central bank. They contain a great deal of information on inflation and inflation policy. Core inflation refers to the components of inflation that are more durable and not a result of temporary events, such as a hurricane. Core inflation excludes food and energy prices, which vary temporarily. The PCE is now the favorite measure used by the Federal Reserve. However, in an at- tempt to be even more accurate, economists have gone further and developed a trimmed PCE, which is designed to give a truer view of inflation.

Table 2. The Producer Price Index PPI is another key measure that is reported and tracked. The PPI measures what businesses charge one another for everything from iron ore and diesel fuel to cases of soda pop. The U. Bureau of Labor Statistics generates PPI data for over different product categories, reflecting price pressures among differ- ent industries.

A net PPI figure, of course, is more general in nature www. In November , the PPI surprisingly rose 2 percent higher than the month before. The index had not risen by that much in a single month in more than 32 years, since the energy and stagflation crises of the mids. The fact that the PPI and the core infla- tion may differ adds to the uncertainty of the true condition of the economy regarding inflation.

The Consumer Price Index CPI tracks consumer price changes given a fixed basket of goods and is part of the data set watched by traders in all countries. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides comprehensive data on inflation and, in fact, tracks the vari- ous inflation rates. It conducts extensive sampling of 87 urban areas, 50, homes, and 23, retail establishments.

From time to time, the CPI basket changes to more accurately reflect new items TABLE 2. available in the economy. Tracking gold, the Commodity Research Bureau, and other commodity indexes and patterns will also help you get a handle on inflation. We look at the commodity-currency connection in Chapter 5. The main point here is that the forex trader needs to pay serious attention to inflation rates and expectations of inflation rates, because they are a key to discerning what the central banks fear, and a clue to whether they will raise interest rates.

Which Countries Have Inflation above the Target Rate? Take the indicators or economic data releases coming out and group them. Which are leading? Which are lagging? Which are coincident? Which countries have inflation rates over 2 percent? Which country has a central bank policy to increase inflation? Countries that are experiencing economic growth generate more jobs in their economy.

Con- sumer spending therefore increases. In turn, the demand for housing increases as peo- ple have more disposable income and can better afford housing. The transactions of a modern economy intimately involve global flows of capital as exports and imports are part and parcel of the vitality of an economy.

The term economic growth is really a wide category. How is economic growth measured and tracked by the forex trader? The rate of economic growth or development of a country is mainly measured es- sentially by its gross domestic product GDP , so news about GDP becomes an essential ingredient in shaping trader sentiment about the value of a currency.

A slowdown or ex- pected slowdown in GDP translates into anticipation that interest rates will not go higher or may even decrease. The importance of economic development statistics in currency trading is evidenced by the fact that whenever an economic data release is scheduled, the currency market hes- itates in its price movements and then often moves vigorously when the news surprises the market. In fact, one of the best times to trade is after a news release. Technical strate- gies for trading the news will be thoroughly explored in a later chapter.

Traders can gain insight into economic growth and development data by following several sources that track global economic growth, such as the Organisation for Eco- nomic Co-operation and Development www. org , the Group of Seven, www. ca , and the World Trade Organi- zation www. A growing econ- omy has new job creation and lower levels of employment.

An economy that is slowing down or showing signs of slowing down has increased jobless claims, a declining rate of job creation, and higher unemployment levels. Whenever job data is released by governments, the forex markets react. There are many layers of information regarding employment data. Manufacturing Employment Payroll Employment of Wage and Salary Workers Total Population of the United States U. Employment in Service-Producing Industries Civilian Unemployed for 15 Weeks and Over Civilian Unemployed for Less Than 5 Weeks Median Duration of Unemployment Unemployed: all civilian workers Unemployment Rate U.

Employment in Construction U. Employment in Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate U. Employment in Goods-Producing Sectors U.

Employment in Mining U. Employment in Services U. Employment in Transportation and Public Utilities U. Employment in Retail Trade Industry U. Employment in Wholesale Trade Industry For more information on job data, visit the following web sites: www. com www. As long as the world is dependent on hydrocarbon-based energy, oil prices become a factor in stimu- lating or delaying economic growth. In the near term, higher oil prices result in reducing economic growth expectations as well. Higher hydrocarbon prices portend increases in transportation costs and the per- unit cost of outputs in the economy, and therefore become an inflationary factor in the costs of goods.

One of the most important as- pects of oil prices is that the market reaction to oil price increases often tends to overem- phasize its importance, particularly for the U. econ- omy. translates into only a 3. A quick rise in oil prices, or even just the fear of a rise, offers trading opportuni- ties. Hurricane Katrina is a good example, as we saw some countries benefit from high crude oil prices, while others did not.

The result impacts currency prices as well. Closely tracking oil is important in shaping currency-trading strategies. See Figure 3. Oil has another impact.

Oil-producing countries have amassed huge sums of money, and what they do with their increasing petrodollars impacts currency values. FIGURE 3. Source: CQG, Inc. Copyright © The economies of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Coun- tries OPEC nations are accumulating current account surplus due to petrodollars that are nearing 30 percent of their GDP!

If oil producers start to shift into nondollar assets such as the euro and pound sterling, the dollar fundamentally weakens. This has already begun. OPEC and Russia data showed that the dollar holdings were cut from 67 percent to 65 percent. It was not a coincidence that the highs of the euro coincided with the last known shift of oil producers from dollars to euros.

It is also not a coincidence that the Canadian dollar strengthens when oil prices increase and weakens when oil prices decline. We can see that crude oil patterns have had wide ranges and are likely to continue to have such swings.

This will benefit the forex trader. YIELD CURVE AND ECONOMIC GROWTH As Arturo Estrella and Frederic S. Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Guessing what phase of the business cycle an economy is in is a great game.

Is the economy going into a recession? However, sentiment about an expected recession is not stopped by lack of data. One of the most important measures that traders track is the shape of the yield curve. The yield curve is defined as the difference between the year Treasury note and the 3-month Treasury bill.

We see here the key role that interest rates play in reflecting expectations in the market. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York published an important study of the yield curve and recessions, which included a table relating probability of recession to the yield curve Table 3. A separate study see Figure 3. We can see that the yield curve provides an important barometer for the future GDP growth. With regard to the yield curve, what is particularly important to track for the forex trader is the shape of the yield curve.

Is it flat? Is it upward sloping? Is it inverted? These are the key patterns to observe. In normal times, people are willing to pay more for longer-term maturities and bonds. This is a natural reaction to the fact that there is more risk over a longer period of time. But a slowdown or fear of a recession causes the market to demand higher interest rates for short-term borrowing.

The yield curve becomes inverted. Short-term interest rates become greater than longer-term rates! Note: The figure plots 4-quarter GDP growth together with the quarter term spread upper panel and the 1-quarter short rate lower panel lagged 4 quarters. common interpretation is that when the yield curve inverts, a recession is coming. An inverted yield curve situation makes it difficult for the central banks to increase rates and more likely, in fact, that rates may decrease. Such a situation becomes negative for the dollar or any currency involved.

A flat yield curve indicates uncertainty about the economy. On December 27, , the yield curve inverted for a few days for the first time in five years. Also, there is no guarantee that an inverted yield curve will always predict a recession, but when the yield curve inverts, the forex trader should be very vigilant. Strategies favoring a weaker dollar or currency pair should be considered. The formula for those who want to set up an Excel spreadsheet is www.

federal reserve. bond, the 3-month yield, and the federal funds rate at www. On March 21, according to the current model, the probability of a recession due to the relationship between the year and 3-month bond yield curve was 52 percent. Table 3. One month later, on April 21, the data showed that the probability of a recession was even lower, at These proba- bilities are the results of models.

They are not guarantees but do give insights into what the professional economists are thinking. A further visualization of the relationship between a recession and the yield curve as developed by the Federal Reserve researchers is shown in Figure 3. Obviously, a great FIGURE 3. Federal Funds Rate for 50 Percent Probability of Recession Occurring in Next 12 Months.

Source: www. deal of work is being constantly done by economists to try to pinpoint the probability of a recession. At the same time, ask yourself the question: Is the dollar getting stronger or weaker? Doing this assignment will help you sharpen your understanding of sentiment toward the dollar and whether that sentiment reflects economic fundamentals.

This chapter provides a review of key China developments that every trader should know about. Watching Chinese economic developments is likely to become a daily pastime for many traders all over the world. China is impacting every region of the world and every industry. This occurred after a 21 percent increase in imports from China to the 25 countries forming the European Union Financial Times, March 23, , p.

exports to China grew almost percent, while U. exports to the rest of the world rose by only 16 percent. During that period, China accounted for roughly 25 percent of total U. Fred Bergsten, Bates Gill, Nicholas R. Lardy, and Derek Mitchell, China: The Balance Sheet: What the World Needs to Know Now about the Emerging Superpower.

New York: PublicAffairs, CHINA REVALUES YUAN: A TURNING POINT? On July 21, , after more than a decade of strictly pegging the renminbi to the U. dollar at an exchange rate of 8. This was the beginning of a long-term strategy to integrate China into the world economy by easing the abil- ity of capital to flow into and out of the country. The ability to exchange currency is a key factor in this process of integration. The revaluation signaled that China was begin- ning to allow the strengthening of its currency.

As of March , the renminbi value was at approximately 7. This means that it takes fewer renminbi 6 percent to con- vert to one dollar since revaluation. Many economic studies believe that a free-floating Chinese currency would appreciate by 20 percent.

The five currencies are the U. dollar, the yuan, the yen, the Korean won, and the pound. However, the exact weighting of these currencies in the basket is not being disclosed and there may be other currencies included.

Even though the Chinese currency known as the renminbi does not float on the mar- ket, and it is tied to the dollar within a narrow price, the influence of China on global currency flows is profound. There is increasing pres- sure on China to allow the renminbi to increase in value, either through a wider managed envelope or through a full float.

A full float is highly unlikely because the Chinese gov- ernment is not interested in giving up control of its economy, which would occur in a full float. Any increase in the value of the renminbi could result in a significant benefit to exporters in the United States and Japan. In recent years, even speculation that the Chinese were about to allow the renminbi to increase in value led to price moves that strengthened the Australian dollar and the yen. China is becoming a global economic power that impacts the economic development of the world.

It is the processing plant of the world, wherein many product components are imported and then put together. But just over 40 percent of its trade is with Asia. Federal Reserve chairman Bernard Bernanke at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Beijing, China, December 15, : The emergence of China as a global economic power is one of the most important developments of recent decades. For the past twenty years, the Chinese economy has achieved a growth rate averaging nearly 10 percent per year, resulting in a quintupling of output per person [see Figure 4.

Currently, however, this process is not balanced. The Chinese export more than they import, and therefore accumulate a great deal of cash. dollars will have a major impact on the direction of the U.

The Chinese State Admin- istration of Foreign Exchange SAFE is the key agency on the future of these dollar reserves. For the forex trader, following Chinese developments and intentions on global trade and currency policies can be rewarding because it can point the way for new trad- ing opportunities. One big effect could result from a possible slowdown in the China economy. RMB 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 0 60 80 90 00 70 65 75 85 95 19 19 19 20 19 19 19 19 19 FIGURE 4.

Sources: National Bureau of Statistics, China Statistical Yearbook ; National Bureau of Statistics Plan Report.

cover the U. budget deficit. An economic crisis in China has the potential to raise the U. interest rates, thereby placing major additional costs on U. businesses and individual consumers and producing dislocation in the U.

It could also exacerbate Chinese domestic political tensions in an unpredictable fashion. October 30, If a possible slowdown in China worries U.

assets worries them even more. dollar around the world. This is historically an extremely high level that no other country has been able to sustain for any significant period.

The danger is that the U. economy could suffer a precipitous decline if the ability of the United States to borrow ever-greater amounts should end abruptly. Inter- est rates and inflation might suddenly soar as the dollar fell and the stock market crashed.

Since the Chinese growth rate of over 10 percent per year GDP generates a voracious appetite for resources such as oil, copper, steel, iron ore, cement, and Ag complex, the countries that provide these resources experience a demand for their dollars. When China buys copper from Australia, renminbi must be converted into Australian dollars. This provides support for the Australian dollar and the Australian economy. Since China imports major resources such as copper from Australia, the aussie would be affected by a potential Chinese slowdown.

Also, Japan, a significant trading partner of China, and its currency will often weaken or strengthen on expectations of a Chinese slowdown or sustained growth.

Chinese influence has begun to extend also to Africa. For example, Chinese exports are beginning to shift to the Suez Canal, rather than going around Africa. This is causing Turkey, Italy, and other nations to invest in Egypt to tap into Chinese export to Europe.

In the coming years, the trading world will focus on whether China can control its growth rate, avoid inflation, and increase its currency float. Traders need to keep track of key per- formance parameters such as Chinese GDP and inflation projections, as well as Chinese interest rate decisions.

Between and July , China increased its interest rates to reach a level of 6. Whether this will work is unknown. But as China, which is now the seventh largest econ- omy in the world and the second largest in purchasing power parity, becomes more of a consumer economy, the status of the Chinese economy will become easier to monitor.

Companies such as Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Kingfisher British , and Best Buy are en- tering the Chinese market, and many other firms are acquiring Chinese companies. As a result, the coming years will provide more reliable data on Chinese consumer spending and growth.

The Shanghai Composite Index is very sensitive to whether the ren- minbi will strengthen. Their value would increase Wall Street Journal, March 22, , p. com and find the latest value of the renminbi in the quote table that is supplied. It is listed as the symbol CNY as shown in Figure 4. Is it getting stronger or weaker? FIGURE 4. Commodities are key resources in world growth, and they impact global inflation. This chapter focuses on what the forex trader should know about the commodity connection to currencies.

GOLD Gold price movements are important for currency traders to understand. But gold is also a commodity on its own, adding strength or weakness to currencies of countries that produce gold. South Africa, of course, is the leading producer of gold, but its currency, the rand, is not floating, so traders can look to the Australian dollar and the Canadian dollar for trading those cur- rencies when gold patterns provide trading opportunities.

Gold price action can also be a misleading guide to the currency trader. In recent years, Gold has attracted a great deal of investment demand from exchange-traded funds ETFs. In , ETFs were buying 20 tons of gold, and this rose to tons in The trader who looks at gold prices rising may interpret it as a reaction to the dollar, when it actually can be reacting as a function of investment demand. Figure 5. Dollar Index USDX.

Central banks have an important role regarding gold. They hold gold as part of their reserves see Figure 5. FIGURE 5. the USDX. reserves, and 15 percent is in gold. The key variable that can affect currency prices is whether a central bank will increase its gold reserves and thereby decrease its reserves of dollars or another currency. As a result, rumors of central banks increasing gold reserves can disrupt currency prices.

The idea that gold is important to currency moves is sound, but needs to be qualified and put in the context of world events. Sometimes gold acts as a store of value in times of crises. But the correlations between gold moves and currency moves provide a great deal of variation. The trader needs to be vigilant regarding what factors are moving gold. At the end of the day, in the words of Phillip M. Source: Phillip M. Hildebrand, member of the Governing Board, Swiss National Bank.

For example, copper plays an important part in the industrial development of China. As the world grows, more copper is in demand. The forex trader has to ask the question: Who benefits from copper demand? To answer this question, we should look at who produces copper.

Australia is the second largest producer of copper, and since its currency is freely floating, the Australian dollar can be traded. The commodity connection with currencies is particularly strong for the Australian dollar, the New Zealand dollar, and the Canadian dollar. A closer look is presented in our section on currency personalities.

CRB INDEX Traders looking to track the commodity and currency relationships should follow the Commodity Research Bureau CRB Index. The CRB Index consists of a basket of com- modities and provides a useful measure of potential inflationary pressure.

When com- modity prices rise, this price increase can spread into the economy by increasing the costs of production and goods. This inflationary tendency is closely watched by central banks. We can see in Figure 5. EQUITIES AND FOREX The relationship between currencies and equities is an area of interest that is becoming increasingly evident and important for traders to become knowledgeable about.

In all equity markets around the world, exporting sectors benefit from a weaker home currency or the expectation of one. DaimlerChrysler, Renault, and Peugot suffer share declines when the euro surges beyond expectations. As we noted in our section on China Chapter 4 , when there is specula- tion that the renminbi will increase, many Chinese equities increase in stock value due to expectations that their assets will increase in value. housing sector equities have a direct link to forex.

Dow Jones Industrial Index suffered its worst day in four years, was a direct example of the link between equities and forex. The sell-off was precipitated by a sudden fall in the dollar against the yen. This decline caused a liquidity crisis as hedge funds needed to sell equities to release funds to buy back their positions in the yen. See Chapter 1 for a discussion of this event. As globalization increases, strong currency moves will impact equity markets as it did on February In a real sense, tracking equities where their dollar earnings are important can benefit a trader in providing leading indicators of forex price moves.

The relationship between the dollar and the equity markets is further underscored by the Dow Jones Industrial Index reaching historic highs. This occurred as the USDX entered into an extended downtrend see Figure 5. Why has the relationship been in- verse between the equity market and the value of the dollar?

A deeper look reveals the answer. As the dollar value declines versus other currencies, the companies that export to the rest of the world benefit from increased sales, as exports become more attractive to foreign buyers.

Additionally, multinational corporations having assets abroad experi- ence an increase in the dollar value of those assets. the Dow. Are any of these commodities in a channel pattern? These reports are results of extensive profes- sionally designed surveys that are conducted on a regular basis in many countries.

When these survey results are released, they provide important information on expecta- tions regarding the economy of a country. This information is seriously assessed by cen- tral banks in determining their next moves in controlling inflation.

Growth in business or consumer confidence has inflationary potential, while a decline in business or consumer confidence portends economic slowdown.

When these releases come out, they move the market, especially if the results are surprising. Beyond having an impact upon their release, confidence indicators can also provide a leading indicator for the forex trader. If business confidence is at its highest in years, the market will interpret it as positive for the currency because greater confidence in- dicates expansion and growth of an economy.

Where there is expectation of expansion and growth, there is the concomitant expectation of interest rates not going lower and possibly going higher. These confidence surveys are not perfect predictors of resulting currency moves. They are one of the most important ingredients in the mix of fundamen- tal forex factors. Some of the important confidence indicators are listed on page 42 and should be fol- lowed.

Their release times are tracked in the numerous economic calendars available, and strategies for trading these economic data releases should be learned by traders. It is interesting to note that every major country has its version of investor and busi- ness confidence indicators. These form in effect a leading indicator about currency directions. de r IFO Business Climate Survey www.

de r Institute of Supply Managers www. aspx U. Sentiment Indicators r Consumer Confidence www. htm r Fed Beige Book released two weeks prior to Federal Open Market Committee meet- ings, eight times a year r ISM Nonmanufacturing www.

cfm r Empire State Manufacturing Survey monthly report, www. html r Chicago PMI ISM Nonmanufacturing released on the third business day of the month, can be found at www. cfm r Philadelphia Business Outlook Survey monthly, www. com and Find the Next Business or Consumer Confidence Report Release Time Watch what happens upon the release to the currency pairs. This chapter focuses on how a trader can gain an understanding about the strength and weakness of a currency.

The concept of a trade- weighted currency basket is introduced as well as how to obtain the latest trade-weighted information and data that can be directly used in trading. TRACKING CURRENCY STRENGTH: HOW STRONG IS A CURRENCY? We can be convinced that currencies reflect world opinion about how well an economy is doing or expected to do. The next step in fundamental analysis is to be able to make a judgment about a particular currency itself. Ultimately, the question arises for the trade: How strong is the currency?

In spot forex trading, the trade itself is always a paired event of one currency against another. But when a trader makes a judgment about the strength or weakness of a currency by only comparing one currency against another usually the U. dollar , the conclusion can be misleading as to the global strength or weakness of the currency. When trading majors where the U.

dollar is part of the pair, the comparative question becomes: How strong is the U. dollar against that currency? question of how strong a particular currency is on its own terms without reference to another pair, the trade-weighted index TWI is used by economists and should also be used by currency traders.

The TWI represents how well the currency of a country is doing against a basket of other currencies. The currencies included in the TWI are those that reflect the major trading relationships with the index currency. Each currency receives a weight in the index that reflects its importance. For example, in Table 7. We can also see that Canada and many other nations have a very small percentage compo- nent of the TWI. Each year the central bank and economists adjust the weights to reflect changing realities of international trade.

As China increases its trading relationships around the world, it will receive more weight in TWIs. The point is that the TWI represents a way TABLE 7. in Singapore, wrote depreciation.

in a report. The Super Tuesday results are being seen as "an outcome for continuity over the disruption threatened by Trump and Sanders," he said. You must remember that investors hate uncertainty! Similar effects have occured with Clinton and Obama.

For Trump the upward trend was also there due to his promise to lower taxes and increase government spending on infrastrucure. Section 02 Key drivers of currency movements Market psychology The golden rule of economic indicators The currency rates often start moving even before the actual data comes out due to forecasts and market sentiment!

Sentiment analysis is a kind of FX analysis that concentrates on indicating and consequently measuring the overall psychological and emotional state of all participants of the foreign exchange market. This kind of Forex analysis strives to quantify what percentage of FX market participants are bullish or bearish, in other words being optimistic or pessimistic. If the forecast promised a positive growth and the actual data comes out even better than forecasted, it amplifies the rise of the currency even more.

Overlap between two The Foreign Exchange market operates 24 hours a day, making it nearly impossible sessions for a single trader to track every market Generally, whenever there is an overlap in movement and respond immediately at the market e. In period. For instance, every morning during order to devise an effective and London Open session. Euro pairs are active time-efficient investment strategy, it is and if you have a good strategy, you could important to understand how much get pips.

liquidity there is around the clock to maximize the number of trading opportunities during a trader's own 2. News Release market hours. Fundamentals drive the market. During News Release, volatility is experienced and Besides liquidity, a currency pair's trading some pairs could move over pips range is also heavily dependent on depending on the type of news.

For example geographical location and macroeconomic Non-Farm Payroll is the most volatile news factors. release and dollar based currency pairs could move hundreds of pips in seconds. Knowing what time of day a currency pair However, trading news is risky if you are not has the highest or narrowest trading knowledgeable about it.

volatility will undoubtedly help traders improve their investment utility due to better capital allocation. Central Bank Govenor's Speech High volatility offers lucrative profit Speeches from these guys could make pairs potentials to short-term traders.

Lower go hundred's of pips and even change volatility under 80 pips per day is better market sentiment with effects lasting into for risk-averse traders, because there are months.

However, its risky to trade these less iregular market movements caused by speeches except you are subscribed to some aggressive intraday speculation. Section 03 Forex timing What Are the Best Times to Trade Forex We strongly advice you to avoid all resources that traders can then purchase currencies from tell you Forex market is a fairy-tale place where different continents. The timing in forex trading is is usually the most active as it involves many crucial!

countries of the European Union. The US market comes next, so the time when the London session The Forex market is open 24 hours a day, but it is intersects with the US session usually provides the not active all this time! In Forex trading money is biggest returns. Expert traders consider 10 AM to made when the market is active when traders are be the best time as this is the period when the bidding on the prices so it is crucial for you to London market is preparing to close the trades learn about the most productive hours of the day and traders are getting ready to move to US and of the week for trading the forex!

This creates big swings in currency prices thus opening great opportunities for profit. There are three major trading sessions of the Forex market: London, US and Tokyo session.

Fridays are busy as well, but only until PM and during the second half of the day the movements can be very unpredictable. While it is crucial to understand when is the best time to analyze the charts and make the bids, it is equally important to know when NOT to open positions.

A thin market also comes with higher commissions spreads for each trade due to the decreased liquidity. In simple words: if you want to sell a currency, it is harder to find potential buyers, so the broker or bank must increase the commission as it takes a risk of not finding a buyer so quickly.

A good example of chaotic trading is shortly before, during and shortly after important news events. In these times of uncertainty, the currency rates can swing wildly and unpredictably, thus messing up trading by creating execution lags, triggering stop-loss orders, etc. Usually, the higher the liquidity, the lower the volatility, and therefore the tighter the spread Spread is like a commission that you pay for the trade. However, even major pairs can experience wider than normal spreads during volatile periods, such as interest rates announcements, GDP reports, unemployment figures, to name a few examples.

There will also be wider spreads during off market hours, when there is only a fraction of the participants in the market, so the liquidity is lower. This can be seen when the markets open for the Asian session, at GMT Sunday, for example. This widening occurs typically around news announcements or off-market hours.

Most forex brokers allow you to trade all weekend, but spreads will be significantly wider during weekends when liquidity is almost non-existent. Dealing desk or market making brokers are going to widen their spreads coming into economic announcements to offset the risk they take on by filling orders. Unfortunately, banks do the same thing, so an average forex broker could be better, but only marginally.

What happens before or during important announcements. The volatility jumps before important anouncements and the drastic movements can hit the stop-losses, resulting in a lost trade and investment. wild swings based on rumours etc. So I generally close the position or wait out the increased spread unless it is really pumping.

This should not be a problem if you are trading the higher time frames as your stop will probably be quite large and so increasing it by 5 or 10 pips probably won't be too significant risk increase better yet - factor in the widened spread when you calculate your position size as you know that if the trade works out you will be holding for a few days or more, in which time there will be anouncements.

If you can't be at your computer when the news anuncement hits, I would suggest leaving your stop wider for the periods that you can't manage the trade unless there are no announcements over that period.

If you are trading lower time frames however, your stops will inevitably be smaller and the increase in stop size may substantially increase your risk. In this case, you may have to decide to close the position before the anouncment or close enough of the position so that the increased stop will equal the same loss as the originally intended loss. But make no mistake - you will have to widen your stop. The spread will get you. Even if the announcement is in your favour, price generally whips up and down at least a few pips before taking direction.

If your stop is anywhere near price just prior to news, chances are you will be taken out not matter what the result. Just be aware of the anouncement times and factor this in when deciding wether or not to take a trade. It may often seem that these indicators are contradictory. Analyses of longer time periods show tendencies, ignoring accidental changes, whereas daily, hourly ir minute graphs help in choosing the moment to open and close positions.

Example Multiple time frame analysis time X Let us look at a daily graph. What do most traders do when they see such a curve? Aug Sep Okt Nov Dec Conclusion For successful and precise market analysis, you must use at least time frames! Section 04 Time frames Time frame choice of pros The shortest time frame that traders should start looking at when their trading day starts are daily charts, even if you are trading on a 5-minute time frame!

The most common form of multiple time frame analysis is to use daily charts to identify the overall trend and then use the hourly charts to determine specific entry levels. As a matter of principle, all good traders I know use 2—3 time frames 3 being the best spaced enough so that each timeframe above encompasses 4—8 bars from the lower time frame.

Even then, I prefer to switch to the other time frames to be really sure about what to do. It attempts to predict price action and trends by analyzing economic indicators, government policy, societal and other factors within a business cycle framework. If you think of the markets as a big clock, fundamentals are the gears and springs that move the hands around the face. Anyone can tell you what time it is now, but the fundamentalist knows about the inner workings that move the clock's hands towards times or prices in the future.

What is Technical Analysis Unlike fundamental analysis, technical analysis focuses on the study of price movements. Technical analysts use historical currency data to forecast the direction of future prices. The underlying belief behind technical analysis is that all current market information is already reflected in the price of that currency; therefore, studying price action is all that is required to make informed trading decisions.

In a nutshell, technical analysis assumes that history will repeat itself. Beware of "Analysis Paralysis" Forecasting models are both art and science, with so many different approaches that traders can get overloaded. It can be tough to decide when you know enough to pull the trigger on a trade with confidence. Many traders switch to technical analysis at this point to test their hunches and see when price patterns suggest an entry.

Look for Fundamental Drivers First The fundamentals include everything that makes a country and its currency tick. From interest rates and central bank policy to natural disasters, the fundamentals are a dynamic mix of distinct plans, erratic behaviors and unforeseen events. No one will ever win the age-long battle between technical and fundamental analysis. Prior to the mids, fundamental traders dominated the FX market.

However, with the advent of new technologies, the influence of technical trading on the FX market has increased significantly. Nowadays the best strategies tend to be the ones that combine both fundamental and technical analysis.

Textbook perfect technical formations have failed too often because of major fundamental news and events like U. nonfarm payrolls. Most individual traders will start trading with technical analysis because for some it is But trading on fundamentals alone can also easier to understand and does not require be risky.

There will oftentimes be sharp hours of news and fact checking. gyrations in the price of currency on a day when there are no news or economic Technical analysts can also follow many reports. currencies and markets at one time, whereas fundamental analysts tend to focus on a few This suggests that the price action is driven pairs due to the overwhelming amount of by nothing more than flows, sentiment, and data in the market. pattern formations. Nonetheless, technical analysis works well Therefore, it is very important for technical because the currency market tends to traders to be aware of the key economic data develop strong trends.

Once technical or events that are scheduled for release, and, analysis is mastered, it can be applied with in turn, for fundamental traders to be aware equal ease to any time frame or currency of important technical levels that the general traded. market may be focusing on. However, as we already noted - it is important to take both strategies into consideration, as fundamental analysis can trigger technical movements such as breakouts or reversal in trends.

Technical analysis, on the other hand, can also explain moves that fundamentals cannot, especially in quiet markets, causing resistance in trends or unexplainable movements. Wang, who started trading futures in , said he supplements his fundamental analysis of commodities supply and demand with simple forms of technical analysis.

One of his favorite measures is the day moving average. But he closed out the last of those positions on Wednesday, responding to local speculation that producers of coke and coking coal will be allowed to ramp up production. Dollar pair Single currency or Fiber - Euro Swissy - Swiss Franc Loonie - Canadian Dollar Aussie or Ozzie - Australian Dollar Kiwi - New Zealand Dollar Barnie - U. Natural resources often constitute the majority of the countries' exports, and the strength of the economy its currency can be highly dependent on the prices of these natural resources.

These correlations makes them easier to trade. currency, the U. That means gold prices tend to have an inverse relationship to the USD, offering several ways for currency traders to take advantage of that relationship. For example, if gold breaks an important price level, you'd expect gold to move higher. With this in mind, you might sell dollars and buy Euros, for example, as a proxy for higher gold prices.

These two major biggest oil consumer — the United States. currencies tend to strengthen as gold prices Because the US is largely dependent on oil, rise.

You might consider going long these the rise and fall of the commodity will have currencies when gold is increasing in value, an effect not only on the Canadian Dollar but or trade your GBP or JPY for these currencies also on the US Dollar — the higher the price of when gold is on the rise.

oil, the higher benefits Canada gets, and the more disadvantaged the US becomes. Monitoring exchange rates is essential to predicting earnings and corporate profitability. Throughout and , European manufacturers complained extensively about the rapid rise in the euro and the weakness in the U. The main reason for the dollar's selloff at the time was the country's rapidly growing trade and budget deficits.

This caused the EURUSD exchange rate to surge, which took a significant toll on the profitability of European corporations because a higher exchange rate makes the goods of European exporters more expensive to U. Unfortunately, inadequate hedging is still a reality in Europe, which makes monitoring the EURUSD exchange rate even more important in forecasting the earnings and profitability of European exporters.

than on foreign markets. But the loans, essentially a bet on the Aussie The price difference in Russia and abroad dollar remaining strong against the franc, made the re-export of cars from Russia went horribly wrong when the dollar lucrative. plunged in and , costing some borrowers their farms.

Seizing on currency disparities, Russians made quick money by re-exporting the vehicles, which got so cheap in ruble terms that selling them back - sometimes to the same country that manufactured them in the first place - became a way to make a good profit. accelerating pace. They are hoping to buy before the yuan weakens any further.

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eliza salihu. Abstract Forexhero. Continue Reading Download Free PDF. You will not find long third upgraded edition. We received a lot of great watery essay type paragraphs here, just feedback about the first and second e-book actionable and easy-to-digest information. thank you! For this new edition we have rewritten This e-book will help you learn Forex trading everything from the ground up.

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market experience often delivered better performance than those with the experience! If someone teaches you something and it this fact is confirmed as well. sounds really complex, they probably haven't taken the time to think through how to boil it down. Be careful with folks like that. There's a difference between being good at something and being good at teaching it. The currency pair price changes will generate your profits. It is better to invest in the currency of a country that is growing faster and fund it with a currency of a country that is growing slower.

When does it work The market is open 24 hours, 5. Read on to uncover deeper secrets about forex timing. Spread point The difference between the sell quote and the buy quote in pips.

The smaller the spread, the more liquid the currency! Section 01 Introduction and key concepts 5 advantages of forex Make money even in times of crisis While the stock market and commercial bank deposits are in deep depression during the crisis, Forex profits, because any change in currency can be used to make profit.

A falling market is as profitable for Forex trading as a developing one because unlike in stock trading you can short the falling assets. Work while lying in a hammock All you need to start making money is a computer or a smart phone and an Internet connection. Your work space and goals are up to you! Easy rules Unlike the stock market with tens of thousands of different shares, Forex works with 8 basic currencies, which are the center of most trades.

Moreover, there are significantly less factors that influence currency exchange rates than in the stock market. Section 01 Introduction and key concepts 3 main disadvantages of forex Most of other forex learning materials will tell you that forex offers an easy way to make money. High risk to lose the whole position In stock trading, unlike forex, it is very unlikely that you will lose all the money when investing in the stock market.

But the truth is, you struggle with finding enought time to do it all. Emmanuel Follow Follow their activities. This is also a good way to learn Forex strategies in a real-life trading environment. I believe the investors. This was a great opportunity to make money shorting betting that it would decline the euro.

This is useful because the larger trade. Leverage is shown as a ratio, for movement in currency rates can be very small, example profits and losses alike. Leverage allows you to trade with more money Stock market Forex market Maximum leverage from to Varying lot sizes Term Lot In Forex, all transactions can be conducted via standard, mini, and micro lots.

Each lot size accounts for a different measure of units of the base currency, which in turn presents a different pip value. Below is a simple chart to illustrate the differences in lot sizes, measured in units, volume for the major pairs where the base currency is USD. Those traders who are looking to get started in the forex market should consider opening a mini account because of the smaller contract sizes.

Term Spread The difference between the bid price and the ask price is called a spread. Although these movements may seem insignificant, even the smallest point change can result in thousands of dollars being made or lost due to leverage.

Again, this is one of the reasons that speculators are so attracted to the forex market; even the tiniest price movement can result in huge profit.

While the high degree of leverage used in forex trading magnifies returns and risks, a few safety precautions used by professional traders may help mitigate these risks. Do you need more than strategy and only those with high risk , US dollars to open the trade?

With tolerance should consider using big leverage. If you are a relatively cautious Leverage investor or trader, use a lower level of leverage with perhaps or leverage. Maximum leverage limits vary in different This is the amount that will be used to cover your potential losses. In other words, the countries, varying from to margin is the actual amount that you are Use Stop Loss orders!

Stops can be used not risking to lose if the trade goes against you. just to ensure that losses are capped, but also to protect profits. Section 01 Introduction and key concepts Example: leverage in use Going short on euro Europe has been hit by a crisis, so you expect the euro to fall against the US dollar.

nov 1. dec Case B: Leverage Case B: Leverage 1. You open a position of 1 lot, which 1. You were right. Euro depreciates against 2. Euro depreciates against the dollar to 1. close your trade and take your profits. Result: The euro fell by pips 1. Your profit is x 1 - 1. Section 01 Introduction and key concepts How much should I invest? Traders should look to use an effective leverage of to1 or less.

Research shows that the amount of capital in your trading account can affect your profitability. With smaller investment you will not get enough profits as the average changes in the currency rates are small. If you haven't heard of these terms already, you undoubtedly will as you begin to invest.

The terms bull market and bear market describe upward and downward market trends, respectively, and can be used to describe either the market as a whole or specific sectors and securities. These images will help you memorize which is which. Doji - when the opening and closing price are equal. Long-Legged Doji - after small candlesticks, they indicate a potential trend change. Normally only seen on thinly traded pairs. Your Capital may be at risk.

That is, on the most fundamental level, a currency rallies because there is a demand for that currency. Regardless of whether the demand is for hedging, speculative, or conversion purposes, true movements are based on the need for the currency. Currency values decrease when there is excess supply. Supply and demand should be the real determinants for predicting future movements.

However, how to predict supply and demand is not as simple as many would think. Two of the primary factors affecting supply and demand of currencies are interest rates and the overall strength of the economy.

There are many factors that contribute to the net supply and demand for a currency and the strength of the economy. Read on to uncover the main drivers that influence the exchange rates. The number of economic announcements made each day from around the world can be intimidating, so we will focus just on the most important ones. How are they divided The drivers are divided into three major groups: Geo-political, Economic and Market Psychology.

Here they are: Kathy Lien Chief Currency Strategist at Forex Capital Markets LLC. Former Currency trader at JPMorgan Chase. TOP 9 Unemployment NFP or Non Farm 1 Payroll 6 Retail sales Will US employment continue to grow? For example, if the U. trade the U. more dollars flow out of the U.

It is also not a coincidence that the Canadian dollar strengthens when oil prices increase and weakens when oil prices decline. For example, household disposable income had a growth rate of only 0. DaimlerChrysler, Renault, and Peugot suffer share declines when the euro surges beyond expectations. Risk warning from eToro: eToro AUS Capital Limited ACN AFSL For example, the forex industry is filled with a great deal of information flow. But a slowdown or fear of a recession causes the market to demand higher interest rates for short-term borrowing.

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