If you are interested in trading currencies online, you will find the Forex market offers several advantages over stock and futures trading.
24-hour trading
Forex is a true 24-hour market. Whether it's 6pm or 6am, somewhere in the world there are buyers and sellers actively trading foreign currencies. Traders can always respond to breaking news immediately, and P&L is not affected by after hours earning reports or analyst conference calls.
After hours trading for U.S. stocks and futures brings with it several limitations. ECN's (Electronic Communication Networks), also called matching systems, exist to bring together buyers and sellers - when possible. However, there is no guarantee that every trade will be executed, nor at a fair market price. Quite frequently, traders must wait until the market opens the following day in order to receive a tighter spread.
Superior liquidity
With a daily trading volume that is 50x larger than the New York Stock Exchange, there are always broker/dealers willing to buy or sell currencies in the Forex markets. The liquidity of this market, especially that of the major currencies, helps ensure price stability. Traders can almost always open or close a position at a fair market price.
Because of the lower trade volume, investors in the stock market and other exchange-traded markets are more vulnerable to liquidity risk, which results in a wider dealing spread or larger price movements in response to any relatively large transaction.
100:1 Leverage
100:1 leverage is commonly available from online Forex dealers, which substantially exceeds the common 2:1 margin offered by equity brokers, and 15:1 in the futures market. At 100:1, traders post $1000 margin for a $100,000 position, or 1%.
While certainly not for everyone, the substantial leverage available from online currency trading firms is a powerful, moneymaking tool. Rather than merely loading up on risk as many people incorrectly assume, leverage is essential in the Forex market. This is because the average daily percentage move of a major currency is less than 1%, whereas a stock can easily have a 10% price move on any given day. The most effective way to manage the risk associated with margined trading is to diligently follow a disciplined trading style that consistently utilizes stop and limit orders. Devise and adhere to a system where your controls kick in when emotion might otherwise take over. Leverage is a double-edged sword and necessitates the use of proper money management. Without proper risk management, this high degree of leverage can lead to large losses as well as gains.
Lower transaction costs
It is much more cost-efficient to trade Forex in terms of both commissions and transaction fees. Commissions for stock trades range from $7.95-$29.95 per trade with online discount brokers up to $100 or more per trade with full service brokers. An average commission on a futures trade is $15 a round turn. Forex brokers offer much lower commission structures.
Another important point to consider is the width of the bid/ask spread. In general, the width of the spread in a Forex transaction is less than 1/10 that of a stock transaction, which could include a .125 (1/8) wide spread. And in the futures market, spreads are typically 7 pips or wider. As a rule of thumb, one pip equals $10, which means at 7 pips, a futures trade costs approximately $20 more than a comparable trade in the spot Forex market.
Trading potential in both rising and falling markets
In every open Forex position, an investor is long in one currency and short the other. A short position is one in which the trader sells the base currency in anticipation that it will depreciate. This means that trading potential exists in a rising as well as a falling market.
The ability to sell currencies without any limitations is another distinct advantage over equity trading. In the US equity markets, it is much more difficult to establish a short position due to the Zero Uptick rule, which prevents investors from shorting a stock unless the immediately preceding trade was equal to or lower than the price of the short sale.
Risk Statement: "Trading foreign exchange on margin carries a high level of risk, and may not be suitable for all investors. The high degree of leverage can work against you as well as for you. Before deciding to invest in foreign exchange you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite. The possibility exists that you could sustain a loss of some or all of your initial investment and therefore you should not invest money that you cannot afford to lose. You should be aware of all the risks associated with foreign exchange trading, and seek advice from an independent financial advisor if you have any doubts."
Risk Notice Privacy
Friday, April 27, 2007
How to Find a Broker for the FOREX Trading Market
It's not always easy to know what to look for in a broker in any market, much less a market as complex as the FOREX. But, if you want to trade in FOREX you need a broker. While it might be tempting to simply ask the brokers what they can do for you, you can't always depend on them to give you a straight answer. Here are a few things to consider when choosing your broker.
You will want a broker that has low spreads. Since FOREX brokers don't charge a commission, this difference is how they make money. Low spreads will save you money.
Along with this, you should be looking for a broker attached to a reputable institution.
Unlike equity brokers, FOREX brokers are usually attached to large banks or lending institutions. The broker should also be registered with the Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) as well as regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
Once you've narrowed your choices down to brokers that won't cost you too much, and that are reputable, consider the trading tools that they are offering you. FOREX brokers have many different trading platforms for their clients, just like brokers in other markets. These often show real-time charts, technical analysis tools, real-time news and data, and may even offer support for the various trading systems. Before you commit to any one broker, request free trials of their tools. Brokers generally provide technical as well as fundamental commentaries, economic calendars, and other research to help you make good trades. Shop around until you find a broker who will give you what you need to succeed
The next item that you will need to evaluate carefully is the number of leverage options your potential broker has. Leverage is a necessity in FOREX trading because the price deviations in the currencies are set at fractions of a cent. Leverage is expressed as a ratio between the total capital that is available to be traded and your actual capital. For example, when you have a ratio of 100:1, your broker will lend you $100 for every $1 of actual capital you have. Many brokerage firms will offer you as much as 250:1. If you have low levels of capital you will need a brokerage with high levels of leverage to make reasonable profits.If capital is not a problem, any broker that has a wide variety of leverage options would be a good choice for you. A variety of options will let you vary the amount of risk you choose to take. For example, less leverage (and therefore less risk) may be preferable if you are dealing with highly volatile (exotic) currency pairs.Along with different levels of leverage, look for brokers that offer different types of accounts. Many brokers will offer you two or more types. The smallest account is known as a mini account and it requires you to trade with a minimum of around $300. The mini account also generally offers a high amount of leverage.The standard account allows you to trade at a variety of different leverages, but it requires minimum initial capital of $2,000. And finally, there are premium accounts, which often require significant amounts of capital. They also generally have different levels of leverage available to the traders who use them, and often offer additional tools and services. You will need to make sure that the broker you choose has the right leverage, tools, and services for the amount of capital that you are able to work with.
About the Author: Who Else Wants To Trade Inside A Never-Ending Bull Market, Open 24 Hours A Day, With High Leverage And Low Transaction Costs? - Discover My Forex Trading Strategies Click here for FREE online ebook! http://www.forextradingstrategies.org/
Article Source: ArticlesMaker.com
You will want a broker that has low spreads. Since FOREX brokers don't charge a commission, this difference is how they make money. Low spreads will save you money.
Along with this, you should be looking for a broker attached to a reputable institution.
Unlike equity brokers, FOREX brokers are usually attached to large banks or lending institutions. The broker should also be registered with the Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) as well as regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
Once you've narrowed your choices down to brokers that won't cost you too much, and that are reputable, consider the trading tools that they are offering you. FOREX brokers have many different trading platforms for their clients, just like brokers in other markets. These often show real-time charts, technical analysis tools, real-time news and data, and may even offer support for the various trading systems. Before you commit to any one broker, request free trials of their tools. Brokers generally provide technical as well as fundamental commentaries, economic calendars, and other research to help you make good trades. Shop around until you find a broker who will give you what you need to succeed
The next item that you will need to evaluate carefully is the number of leverage options your potential broker has. Leverage is a necessity in FOREX trading because the price deviations in the currencies are set at fractions of a cent. Leverage is expressed as a ratio between the total capital that is available to be traded and your actual capital. For example, when you have a ratio of 100:1, your broker will lend you $100 for every $1 of actual capital you have. Many brokerage firms will offer you as much as 250:1. If you have low levels of capital you will need a brokerage with high levels of leverage to make reasonable profits.If capital is not a problem, any broker that has a wide variety of leverage options would be a good choice for you. A variety of options will let you vary the amount of risk you choose to take. For example, less leverage (and therefore less risk) may be preferable if you are dealing with highly volatile (exotic) currency pairs.Along with different levels of leverage, look for brokers that offer different types of accounts. Many brokers will offer you two or more types. The smallest account is known as a mini account and it requires you to trade with a minimum of around $300. The mini account also generally offers a high amount of leverage.The standard account allows you to trade at a variety of different leverages, but it requires minimum initial capital of $2,000. And finally, there are premium accounts, which often require significant amounts of capital. They also generally have different levels of leverage available to the traders who use them, and often offer additional tools and services. You will need to make sure that the broker you choose has the right leverage, tools, and services for the amount of capital that you are able to work with.
About the Author: Who Else Wants To Trade Inside A Never-Ending Bull Market, Open 24 Hours A Day, With High Leverage And Low Transaction Costs? - Discover My Forex Trading Strategies Click here for FREE online ebook! http://www.forextradingstrategies.org/
Article Source: ArticlesMaker.com
Learn Forex Trading To Expand Opportunities
Capitalize on the opportunity to learn forex trading so you can begin the process of branching your portfolio out of domestic stocks and into the global market. Any financial advisor worth his weight will tell you that it is important to diversify your investment portfolio and this is by far the largest volume market in the world. Daily, it does nearly four times the volume of trading than the New York Stock Exchange does.
Anyone who holds a basic understanding of how money is converted and exchange rates work can learn forex trading. The sale or trading of currency is at the heart of what forex is. Using one currency to buy another means that your counterpart is using their currency to buy yours. As exchange rates fluctuate and the economies of nations surge and recede, these investments in cash behave in value very much like a traditional stock.
As with any new venture, you will need to master the vocabulary that is an inherent part of forex. When you begin to learn forex trading you will be introduced to terms like pip, spread, cross, base currency and trade currency. Foreign exchange trading does have some unique terminologies. While they may be new to you, you will learn them quickly because they describe certain parts of forex quotes that you will need to understand in order to trade.There are quite a few resources available to those who wish to learn forex trading. The reliability of internet access has opened the door to online forex trading, which means that more investors have the ability to participate in trading activity.
Since the foreign exchange trade is considered a spot market, the ready availability of internet access is crucial. Business is done on the "spot," thus the name.You can capitalize on many benefits when you learn forex trading. The availability of a 24-hour a day market is one. Since forex involves the trade of currency at banks across the globe, the market never closes. The market is also remarkably liquid, meaning that you will never have trouble finding trading partners. Since most of your trading partners are banks and the medium is cash, you will never be at a loss for customers. Another benefit is the lack of commissions.
Since you make the trades on your own, you don't have to spend part of your profit on brokerage commission fees.
Taking the time to learn forex trading opens one more investment door for you. As you continue to realize the importance of diversifying your investment portfolio, it may be a good idea to begin looking at what kinds of opportunities are available to you in foreign exchange trading. You may be surprised to see who else is capitalizing on this market and just how easy it is.
By: Lorna Goldsborough
Anyone who holds a basic understanding of how money is converted and exchange rates work can learn forex trading. The sale or trading of currency is at the heart of what forex is. Using one currency to buy another means that your counterpart is using their currency to buy yours. As exchange rates fluctuate and the economies of nations surge and recede, these investments in cash behave in value very much like a traditional stock.
As with any new venture, you will need to master the vocabulary that is an inherent part of forex. When you begin to learn forex trading you will be introduced to terms like pip, spread, cross, base currency and trade currency. Foreign exchange trading does have some unique terminologies. While they may be new to you, you will learn them quickly because they describe certain parts of forex quotes that you will need to understand in order to trade.There are quite a few resources available to those who wish to learn forex trading. The reliability of internet access has opened the door to online forex trading, which means that more investors have the ability to participate in trading activity.
Since the foreign exchange trade is considered a spot market, the ready availability of internet access is crucial. Business is done on the "spot," thus the name.You can capitalize on many benefits when you learn forex trading. The availability of a 24-hour a day market is one. Since forex involves the trade of currency at banks across the globe, the market never closes. The market is also remarkably liquid, meaning that you will never have trouble finding trading partners. Since most of your trading partners are banks and the medium is cash, you will never be at a loss for customers. Another benefit is the lack of commissions.
Since you make the trades on your own, you don't have to spend part of your profit on brokerage commission fees.
Taking the time to learn forex trading opens one more investment door for you. As you continue to realize the importance of diversifying your investment portfolio, it may be a good idea to begin looking at what kinds of opportunities are available to you in foreign exchange trading. You may be surprised to see who else is capitalizing on this market and just how easy it is.
By: Lorna Goldsborough
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