For those unfamiliar with the term, FOREX (FOReign EXchange market), refers to an international exchange market where currencies are bought and sold. The Foreign Exchange Market that we see today began in the 1970’s, when free exchange rates and floating currencies were introduced. In such an environment only participants in the market determine the price of one currency against another, based upon supply and demand for that currency.
FOREX is a somewhat unique market for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is one of the few markets in which it can be said with very few qualifications that it is free of external controls and that it cannot be manipulated. It is also the largest liquid financial market, with trade reaching between 1 and 1.5 trillion US dollars a day. With this much money moving this fast, it is clear why a single investor would find it near impossible to significantly affect the price of a major currency. Furthermore, the liquidity of the market means that unlike some rarely traded stock, traders are able to open and close positions within a few seconds as there are always willing buyers and sellers.
Another somewhat unique characteristic of the FOREX money market is the variance of its participants. Investors find a number of reasons for entering the market, some as longer term hedge investors, while others utilize massive credit lines to seek large short term gains. Interestingly, unlike blue-chip stocks, which are usually most attractive only to the long term investor, the combination of rather constant but small daily fluctuations in currency prices, create an environment which attracts investors with a broad range of strategies
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Currency Trading Broker
A broker is usually backed with decades of experience and can give you some really good tips but I think one of the undiscovered gold mines about the Forex markets is the alternative currency pairs and the exotics that only brokers know about. This is because on the market, the big three currency pairs take the limelight with some of the more unknown ones shuffling around the dark corners of the market.
This does not mean that you cannot make any money from these other more exotic combinations, just ask the broker about alternative pairings and how you can get your head around these markets and their psychology. As a beginner, you have to understand that there is not one inch of the market that cannot give you good returns; it is all down to hard work and research into market psychology.
A word on market psychology: the FX market is one of the most sensitive and volatile markets in the financial arena today because it can be affected by the possibility of an event, much more sometimes, then the actual event happening. From political agendas to new global financial laws passed by co-operating governments, anything and everything can push market movement into a grey area of uncertainty and cause most of the investors to fly to a safe zone within the market and abandon their assets for the day.
This does not mean that you cannot make any money from these other more exotic combinations, just ask the broker about alternative pairings and how you can get your head around these markets and their psychology. As a beginner, you have to understand that there is not one inch of the market that cannot give you good returns; it is all down to hard work and research into market psychology.
A word on market psychology: the FX market is one of the most sensitive and volatile markets in the financial arena today because it can be affected by the possibility of an event, much more sometimes, then the actual event happening. From political agendas to new global financial laws passed by co-operating governments, anything and everything can push market movement into a grey area of uncertainty and cause most of the investors to fly to a safe zone within the market and abandon their assets for the day.
Currency Trading
Each currency is assigned a three-letter code. For example, US dollar is coded - USD (United States Dollar), euro is coded EUR (EURo), Swiss frank is coded CHF (Confederation Helvetica Franc), Japanese yen is coded JPY (JaPanese Yen), British pound is coded GBP (Great British Pound). Currency rates are equal to ratios of currency units of different countries relative to each other. The rates are represented by 6-letter words composed of two three-letter currency codes. The first position is occupied, as a rule, by the code of a more expensive currency. The rates are expressed in units of the second currency per unit of the first one. For example, rates USDCHF (USD-CHF) show the number of Swiss franks in one US dollar, but rates GBPUSD (GBP-USD) show the number of US dollars having to be paid for one British pound.
Currency Trading 101
Currency trading is about speculating on the value of one currency versus another. Currency trading is pure and simple, just like buying an individual stock, or any other financial security, in the hope that it will make a profitable return. On the other hand, the securities you’re speculating with are the currencies of various countries. Viewed separately, that means that currency trading is both about the dynamics of market speculation, or trading, and the factors that affect the value of currencies. Put them together and you’ve got the largest, most dynamic and exciting financial market in the world.
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