Six steps to improve your currency trading: Third step

step 3 Choose Your Approach

There are two basic approaches to analyzing the Forex market. It is important to understand how they can be used successfully.

Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis focuses on the study of price movements, using historical currency data to try to predict the direction of future prices. The premise is that all available market information is already reflected in the price of any currency, and that all you need to do is study price movements to make informed trading decisions.

The primary tools of Technical Analysis are charts. Charts are used to identify trends and patterns in an attempt to find profit opportunities. Those who follow this approach look for trending tendencies in the Forex markets, and say that the key to success is identifying such trends in their earliest stage of development.

Fundamental Analysis

Fundamental Analysis focuses on the economic, social, and political forces that drive supply and demand. The premise is that macroeconomic indicators such as economic growth rates, interest rates, inflation, and unemployment can be used to make informed trading decisions. Information about economic data can be found using XE Forex News, which is free to use.

There is no single set of beliefs that guide Fundamental Analysis. Different traders look to different indicators, and weigh various indicators in different ways.

What should I use - Technical or Fundamental Analysis?

Traders using Technical Analysis follow charts and trends, typically following a number currency pairs simultaneously. Traders using Fundamental Analysis must sort through a great deal of market data, and so typically focus on only a few currency pairs. For this reason, many traders prefer Technical Analysis.

In addition, many traders choose Technical Analysis because they see strong trending tendencies in the Forex market. They look to master the fundamentals of Technical Analysis and apply them to numerous time frames and currency pairs.

Be aware that 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.

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Basics of Forex Trading

What you should know before you get on board Forex Trading?

Lately, currencies have been on a rollercoaster ride with record breaking highs and lows. The world of foreign exchange is dominating news headlines; but what does it mean, and more importantly, what do you need to know before you get on board?

First of all, it's important that you understand that trading the Foreign Exchange market involves a high degree of risk, including the risk of losing money. Any investment in foreign exchange should involve only risk capital and you should never trade with money that you cannot afford to lose.

What is Forex?

You may have noticed that the value of currencies goes up and down every day. What most people don't realize is that there is a foreign exchange market - or 'Forex' for short - where you can potentially profit from the movement of these currencies. The best known example is George Soros who made a billion dollars in a day by trading currencies. Be aware, however, that currency trading involves significant risk and individuals can lose a substantial part of their investment. As technologies have improved, the Forex market has become more accessible resulting in an unprecedented growth in online trading. One of the great things about trading currencies now is that you no longer have to be a big money manager to trade this market; traders and investors like you and I can trade this market.

Forex in a nutshell

The Forex market is the largest financial market on Earth. Its average daily trading volume is more than $3.2 trillion. Compare that with the New York Stock Exchange, which only has an average daily trading volume of $55 billion. In fact, if you were to put ALL of the world's equity and futures markets together, their combined trading volume would only equal a QUARTER of the Forex market. Why is size important? Because there are so many buyers and sellers that transaction prices are kept low. If you're wondering how trading the Forex market is different then trading stocks, here are a few major benefits.

1. Many firms don't charge commissions – you pay only the bid/ask spreads.
2. There's 24 hour trading – you dictate when to trade and how to trade.
3. You can trade on leverage, but this can magnify potential gains and losses.
4. You can focus on picking from a few currencies rather than from 5000 stocks.
5. Forex is accessible – you don’t need a lot of money to get started.

How is Forex traded?

The mechanics of a trade are virtually identical to those in other markets. The only difference is that you're buying one currency and selling another at the same time. That's why currencies are quoted in pairs, like EUR/USD or USD/JPY. The exchange rate represents the purchase price between the two currencies.

Example:

The EUR/USD rate represents the number of USD one EUR can buy. If you think the Euro will increase in value against the US Dollar, you buy Euros with US Dollars. If the exchange rate rises, you sell the Euros back, and you cash in your profit. Please keep in mind that forex trading involves a high risk of loss.

Important: be aware of the risks:

Finally, it cannot be stressed enough that trading foreign exchange on margin carries a high level of risk, and may not be suitable for everyone. Before deciding to trade foreign exchange you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite. Remember, you could sustain a loss of some or all of your initial investment, which means that you should not invest money that you cannot afford to lose. If you have any doubts, we recommend that you seek advice from an independent financial advisor.

http://www.xe.com/currencytrading/basics.php

What should you know about Forex Signals ?