Understanding A Forex 'Carry Trade'

Recently, the breakdown of the "yen carry trade" has graced the front page of major financial newspapers and business magazines. But what is a "carry trade" and how does it affect the forex? More importantly, how can you, as an individual investor, profit from carry trades? This article endeavors to provide the answers.

What is a Carry Trade?

First, it is important to remember that each forex trade is actually the simultaneous buying of one currency and selling of another. As a result, you end up receiving interest on the currency you purchase, and paying interest on the currency you sell. A carry trade takes advantage of this by seeking out high-yielding currencies to purchase while simultaneously selling low-yielding currencies -- allowing the trader to pocket the difference in interest rates.

For example, if you had purchased U.S. dollars with Japanese yen a few years ago, you would have received around 4% interest on your U.S. dollars, while paying out less than 1% on your yen. This would be a net profit of 3%, which, given the huge leverage of forex trades, could add up to a lot! Alternatively, if you did the trade the other way -- buying yen and selling U.S. dollars -- you would be at a net loss of 2%.

'Breakdown' of the Carry Trade

It's important to note that most forex brokers require a minimum margin to earn interest on carry trades -- you can't benefit from the typical 100:1 (or greater) margin; 10:1 is more common. Still, 3% net interest at 10:1 margin would result in gains of 30% just for holding the position. But is the carry trade a "sure thing?" Far from it.

The carry trade breaks down when the low-yielding currency appreciates against the high-yielding one. For example, as the yen became more valuable and the dollar lost its purchasing power, the yen-for-dollar strategy fell apart. Even though the net interest gain may have been 3%, this was cancelled out by movements in the underlying value of the currencies. Thus, a carry trade is by no means a risk-free investment or a "sure thing" -- there's never a sure thing in the financial world.

What Makes Currencies Appreciate/Depreciate?

In the example above, the carry trade "broke down" because the yen appreciated against the dollar -- meaning progressively fewer yen were needed to purchase one U.S. dollar. But why did this happen? There are several reasons one currency appreciates or depreciates versus another, including:

Unemployment (appreciate) or over-employment (depreciate)

Central banks cutting (depreciate) or hiking (appreciate) interest rates

Running trade or budget surpluses (appreciate) or deficits (depreciate)

Major macroeconomic events -- like terrorist attacks, wars, major changes in political leadership, etc.

For these reasons, carry trades are best executed between two currencies backed by stable governments. Of course, the U.S. dollar and the yen fit this description, and even their carry trade broke down. This just goes to show that there's never a sure thing in the world of high-stakes finance, and the forex market is certainly no exception. But where there is uncertainty and risk, there are also opportunities to profit. If you're willing to seek them out, then the carry trade can be one strategy in your trading arsenal.

Trading Smart In The Forex Market

Hundreds of thousands of individuals have already joined the FOREX market. If you are interested in a way to invest your money with quicker returns, FOREX may be perfect for you. But before you can begin earning money, you should thoroughly understand the FOREX market.

Investing Methods To better understand the FOREX market, you can compare this investing method to trading stocks. In the stock market, you can buy shares of many different corporations in the hope that stocks will rise, earning you a profit.

Well, the FOREX market works in the same way, except you are not buying shares of a corporation. Rather, you are buying and selling currencies. The aim is the buy a currency and sell it when the currency rises, thus earning a profit when the currency is more valuable.

As with the stock market, the FOREX market consists of those who invest a small amount as well as those with millions to invest. Any individuals with any capital can join in on the action. Because of the wide variety of FOREX brokers available today, you can become a FOREX trader with as little as two or three hundred dollars.

Predicting Results But like the stock market, the FOREX market is full of risks. When you are investing any money there is always a risk of some loss. To minimize loss, many FOREX traders thoroughly educate themselves through classes, online courses, books, and other materials. There are many kinds of trading methods that will help you analyze current conditions and enable you to predict results.

The FOREX market is constantly changing, with drops and rises in currencies, 24 hours a day. The trick is to predict these trends before they occur, so you can buy currencies low and sell them when it is higher than the original cost. Sometimes, this means buying a dropping currency, and waiting for that currency to take on an upward trend. This forces you to keep up to date on the FOREX market conditions.

Online Trading To become a FOREX participant, you should at least read a book, if not take a course. Because real money is involved here, you must proceed with utmost caution. Many FOREX investors sign up with FOREX related websites to receive newsletters, advice, and to keep up with currency trends. Some investors even sign up to receive trends on their phones and PDA's to stay in the game.

The good news is that you have the opportunity to practice with play money before you put any of your hard-earned cash through the FOREX market. When you sign up with a brokerage firm that offers the option to trade online, you can use play money to test and understand the software. You can use this valuable opportunity to put your research to the test by trying out different trading methods to see if your predictions and analyses are correct. While the money may not be real, the conditions are, which allow you a stable playground to learn and adapt to the FOREX market.

Stay informed to stay on top of your game; your FOREX profits count on it. By remaining vigilant, you'll be able to pull in great profits through the FOREX market.

Trading In Forex Will Soon Be Just As Popular As Shares

Shares are now owned by millions of ordinary people worldwide.

By 1956, 37 million families owned automobiles a rise of 61 per cent in eight years. By 1956, 37 million married couples were living in their own households?an increase of 28 per cent over the total of ten years before. The $5,000-a-year income, that mystical dividing line between scraping and comfort, had been achieved by 23 million families or individuals a jump of 153 per cent in ten years.

Inflation, subtle and invisible, had also set in and had begun to erode the value of a dollar. Yet it was not the catastrophic, runaway inflation of Germany in the Twenties, but a benign, "creeping" inflation the kind of mild stomach distress that accompanies rich living. Prices have risen inexorably. The generation of war babies is growing up in a world of $5,000 cars, $30,000 houses, $8 theater tickets, $5 books, 28-cent milk, and $85 suits. A nickel buys almost nothing. Even the candy bar has jumped 20 per cent to six cents?and a mighty small candy bar it is, too.

The end is not yet. The Sixties are here, and it may be it could be that the shooting pains of inflation will be diagnosed as ulcerous. But for the present, the vigor of the economy seems generally to be overcoming the drags and resistances.

People have not only been spending more, but saving more. "Discretionary income," that pleasant bulge over and beyond the budget for necessities, is at the command of most families. Consumer credit, which in the past has expanded dangerously beyond people's ability to pay, has reached astronomic heights with an astonishingly low percentage of defaults.

The enormous and unremitting flow of dollars into the market place has returned unexampled profits to industry. Corporations have assiduously strengthened their underpinning, invested hugely in research, laid away cash surpluses, and still distributed the highest dividend totals in history.

The combination of these forces and these events and of many others, as well?has been faithfully noted by the stock market. It has surged upward strongly, scaling peaks like a mountain goat, past the frayed rope ends and broken ice axes marking the high point of 1929, and into the rarefied atmosphere beyond. As noted, about 12,500,000 people are making the trip.

Who are these people and what do they want? They are, for the most part, plain old American citizens who want a piece of the American future. They work, they earn, they put something by, and they believe they know a solid, reasonably safe, capitalistic investment when they see one. For nearly fifteen years, American business has been doing handsomely, as anyone with half an eye can tell. It's a meager little town that hasn't acquired an assembly plant, a parts depot, a retail outlet, a branch sales office, or some other piece of one industrial complex or another in the past decade. There is a fine glow of prosperity about these places, and if you can't see it, your local friends who work there will be happy to tell you about it.

What doesn't pop up under one's nose is in the air. Never has industry seemed so glamorous. This is not to say that strikes and unemployment and other stubborn problems of the capitalistic pattern have been eliminated, but that there is a new gloss and glitter to industry's ability to perform and produce. The accelerated technology of the postwar period has plunged stodgy old business into the frontiers of the universe. Missiles, rockets, electronic miracles of a thousand kinds are now meat-and-potatoes business not only for established giants like General Electric but for fresh young sprouts like Texas Instruments, Tracerlab, Ampex, Polaroid, and many other fast-growing corporations.

Ordinarily, such excitement would be noted almost exclusively by business and financial publications, except for the occasional rocket whose manufacturer's name makes the front page of the paper. But through television, industry is now in every home. Not alone to sell foods, drugs, cosmetics, cigarettes, and appliances; radio had and has plenty to say about these, too. But to sell industry itself its resourcefulness, its inventiveness, its enormous concern with creature comforts and with national welfare. With tremendous visual impact, the institutional commercials of Westinghouse, U.S. Steel, duPont, Alcoa, and the rest are telling the success story of American business for all to hear.

Two prime requisites of an active stock market are hereby established. Across the country, people with "discretionary income" are becoming acquainted with the sweet smell of corporate success. There are buyers and something to buy they can easily buys shares or unit trusts and a lot of people are also investing on Forex.

As computers became more intelligent they can predict future price movements and take a lot of the risk out of Forex trading.

Soon Forex trading could be just as prevalent as owning stocks and shares.

Trading Forex With Pivot Points

Forex Pivot Point Trading are used today by Forex Traders and are calculated on the previous days move and trades are entered when the market hits a support or resistance line of the pivot point providing your OB/OS indicator is in agreement. All the support and resist lines are put in place 1st thing in the morning. then you wait for the market to hit those entry Points.

Contrary to what some might believe, trading Forex with Pivot Points are probably the most popular method used in trading the financial markets today. Long before the invention of computers this was the method used by the traders in the pits to determine hidden support and resistance levels.

The Pivot Point is still used by experienced floor traders and technical analysts alike. The major advantage now is that we now have computers and can calculate our points well in advance. Many charting packages can calculate them for you automatically, thus enhancing the use of Pivot Points.

Whilst there is a lot more to Pivot Point Trading in Forex Trading than we will be mentioned in this article, the purpose of this exercise is to introduce you to the concept of trading Forex with Pivot Points.

Remember the market can only go up, down, or sideways. It is like an elastic band that has been stretched, sooner or later it will rebound to an equilibrium point where the market is in balance, and then stretch the opposite way only to rebound and reach another balance point. Then some fundamental announcement or happening will drive the market in a new direction and so on day after day. Pivot Points can aid us in determining how far that elastic can stretch before it rebounds.

Whilst there are many time frames that can be used for calculating Pivots, for the purpose of this exercise lets concentrate on the daily time frame (i.e.: 24hr) Pivot Points are calculated using the previous days, Open, High, Low, and Close figures. There are many Pivot Point calculators available on the web so you don?t have to waste your time doing the calculations manually. Also bear in mind the longer the time frame you are using the longer you must be prepared to stay in the market or wait for the next entry point.

Pivot points unlike many other indicators are an objective tool. Because they are mathematically calculated, there can only be one answer for a specific time period.

Many subjective indicators like Fibonacci retracements, (and I am a great fib fan) Elliot waves etc. can have different people trading in different directions at the same time due to individual interpretation..

The PP?s can help you to predict the next day?s highs and lows in advance. PP?s can give you anything from 4 to 8 support and resistance levels. However you still have to be able to identify the trend to be a successful PP trader. Pivot Points also work best in a trending market.

Entry and exit points

Pivot Points can give you exact entry and exit points, rather than enter markets that are in the middle of a run, or about to turn the other way. Here is where we use other indicators to assist on the entry or exit. If the market stalls at a Pivot Point level, and you have an overbought or oversold indicator that will be a good time to get in or out. Or if a Fibonacci level coincides with a Pivot Point level it can make a strong case to enter or exit a trade. If the market is bullish and your favourite indicator is not near overbought, when it hits the first resistance level then you probably have a good case to stay in the market and make your profit target the next Pivot Point resistance line. The breakout above the 1st resistance level can then become your new stop or stop reverse.

Obviously the reverse is true of the support level as well. By combining the Pivot Points with your favourite indicator you can develop your own trading system that no one else uses.

Trading for the day will probably remain between the 1st support (S1) and resistance (R1) levels as the floor traders make their markets. Once one of these levels is penetrated other traders will be attracted to the market, and should the second level be breached, the longer term traders are attracted to the market.

Knowledge of where the floor traders are expecting support or resistance can be a distinct advantage especially when there is no outside influence in the market. Provided no significant market news has occurred between yesterdays close and today?s opening, the local floor traders and market makers tend to move the market between the Pivot Point (P) and the first support line (S1) and resistance (R1) If one of these levels is breached then expect the market to test the next levels (S2) and ( S3) or (R2) and (R3)

Whilst there are many other aspects to Pivot Point trading why not try this simple method first and see if you can develop your own strategy by using your existing trading technique?s in conjunction with the Pivot Points.

Trading Forex? What's That?

Foreign exchange (FOREX) trading, simply put, is the concurrent buying and trading of different worldwide currencies. Established in 1971 as an interbank, interdealer market, it has grown into the single largest financial market in the world at trades of roughly $2 trillion per day.

Today, the average individual can sit at home and trade on the Forex 24 hours a day, seven days a week. But as must be noted about trading on this worldwide currency exchange, such investments carry a high level of risk. After careful consideration of an investor?s level of experience, financial objectives and acceptance of the risk involved, Forex trading education is absolutely necessary.

In order to essentially grasp a workable understanding of the market, traders must be familiar with the history, strategies and related gimmicks found all over the Internet.

The idea of becoming a successful Forex trader leaves millions of personal investors searching for a magic, money-making answer. Unfortunately, most new traders fail within the first year and, in the meantime, lose thousands of dollars learning the basics of Forex trading education the hard way. Thousands of dollars are spent on profitless educational programs, fast keys to success and software that systematically cannot do the trading in place of the investor.

In essence, the answer to making money trading in this market isn?t just a magic word, a computer program or an ounce of luck. It takes quality forex trading education from a knowledgeable, reliable, experienced source.

Success on the Forex lies in learning and implementing precise, straight-forward strategies that are practical and proved over time. It takes a practical, forex trading education program designed to help traders understand the price momentum of the Forex use that in a way that suits individual financial situations, risk tolerance levels and personality.

Forex trading education cannot and will never be a magic, money-making formula. It isn?t a software system that tracks currency price shifts or other investor?s moves. It is a broad understanding of the market, a personal understanding of the investor?s goals and willingness to work in obtaining them and the experience that comes with trading.

A good forex trading education package must include home study training courses, live online or on-site classes and weekly live market Web instruction to really stand apart. Practice and repetition are necessary to understanding the trading process and constant, available interaction with trading pro?s and veterans must be implemented in the learning process.

A properly educated trader understand the significant details of how the currency market works, why the prices fluctuate and how to capitalize on its volatility and price momentum swings.

Without a basic understanding of the major currencies involved on the Forex, successful trading will be significantly hindered. Understanding the top-traded currencies like the U.S. dollar, the Euro and the Japanese yen will leave traders with more options in buying or selling, and therefore, will lead to increased exposure and experience because these currencies are considered the most stable.

In addition, knowing how to compute and predict the inflation and depreciation of the currency traded with can help to avoid massive losses. The profitability of implementing successful Forex trading education strategies is very high and within reach of anyone willing to put forth the effort to get there. Proper education leads to monetary success, and there is no way around that simple fact.

Every day, new traders enter the wide world of Forex trading, most with high expectations for quick profit and little effort. However, knowledge is vital to success. This isn?t a game of luck. This isn?t a game without inevitable losses. But in the end, successful Forex trading isn?t only possible, it can be a reality. All it takes is a quality education.

Tips For Good Forex Trading

Do you want a very good career that has a potential to make you earn a lot of money? Do you want to enter a particular financial market but don?t know which one to choose?

If you answered yes to either of these questions, then the Forex market is right for you. If you want to make a lot of money, the Forex market can provide for you.

You have to realize that the Forex market is the largest and the most liquid financial institution in the world. With trades that go on for 24 hours a day, you will have an opportunity to make money any time of day you wish to. It is also a fact that the Forex market generates currency exchanges that amounts up to trillions of dollars each day.

With these kinds of feature, who wouldn?t want to trade in this very large financial market?

Forex trading is not as complicated as it may sound. With the right knowledge and skills, you can instantly trade Forex for a minimum of 500 dollars in a mini-Forex account. The Forex trading system is very simple.

Basically, Forex is the exchange of currencies of the world. You should realize that all the currency of the world is involved in the Forex market. It may be confusing to choose which one to trade but all you need is to know the major currencies that are frequently traded. Here are the major currencies that you can choose from to trade:

? US Dollar (USD) ? Japanese Yen (JPY) ? British Pound (GBP) ? Swiss Franc (CHF) ? European Union Euro (EUR) ? Australian Dollar (AUD) ? New Zealand Dollar (NZD) ? Canadian Dollar (CAD)

These are the major currencies that you should consider trading. With these trades, you can be sure that you can maximize your money making potential.

The basic thing that you need to know when trading in the Forex market is that you should buy low and sell high. And, since you will be trading with different countries currency, the economy and the government stability of a particular country can literally affect the value of the particular currency.

The next thing you need to know is that Forex trades are done by trading currency pairs. Currency pairs are the simultaneous buying one currency and selling the currency of another. So, basically, Forex is in fact trading.

Aside from knowing how to trade currencies of the world or at least the major currencies, you also have to know about the different strategies used when trading in the Forex market. You have to realize the fact that knowing how to trade in the Forex market isn?t enough to get you that money. You also need to know the different strategies that are used in the Forex market.

An example of a Forex trading strategy that is used in this market is the leverage strategy. This will enable you to trade 100 times the amount of money you deposited in your Forex account. This means that you can earn a potential of 100 times more. With this kind of strategy, you can really maximize your income opportunity.

You should also consider the stop loss order strategy. This strategy minimizes the risk of losing money. The stop loss order works when you choose to stop trading at a specific price. If the currency reaches that point, you will automatically stop trading.

There are other strategies that you can use in the Forex market that you should be aware of. If you want to be successful in the Forex market, you also have to realize and accept the fact that you will lose money in the first few months when you trade in Forex. This is why it is also important to remember that you should invest what you can afford to lose in the Forex market. If you can?t afford to lose the money you plan on investing in the Forex market, then it is recommended that you should never trade in this very large and very risky market.

Now that you know how to trade in the Forex market, all you need to do now is decide whether you really want to trade in this trillion dollar industry. If you do decide that you want to trade, then all you have to do is open an account with Forex brokerage companies and start using their Forex trading software to trade.

Tips For Forex Pivot Point Trading

Forex pivot point trading is an easy way for traders to utilize the pivot points and predict what is possible in the market. There are some easy to use, follow, and remember tips that will help any Forex market investor use pivot points and the associated support and resistance levels to minimize their risks.

If the price is at the pivot point, a move back to the resistance one or support one level is very possible. If the price is at the resistance one level, you can expect to see a move to the resistance two level or a move back towards the pivot point. If the price of the currency is at the support one levels, expect it to move towards the support two level or to go back towards the pivot point level. If the price is at resistance two levels then it can be expected to move towards the resistance three levels or back towards the resistance one level. If the price is at the support two level, you can expect it to move towards the support three level or a move back towards the support one level.

Any news that is a significant influence to the market will have an effect on prices. If there is no news at all that has a significant influence on the market, the price will generally move from the pivot point to either support or resistance level one. If there is any significant news which has an influence on the market, then market price may go right through the resistance one or support one level, and reach level two, or even three, of the support or resistance levels. Resistance level three and support level three are used by Forex market traders as a general indication of the maximum range for days that are extremely violatile but may occasionally be exceeded. Pivot points work excellently in sideways markets because prices will usually range between the resistance level one and the support level one price fluctuation. In a very strong Forex market trend, the price may blow right through a pivot line and keep moving.

The pivot point is a very important tool used by Forex market traders to analyze market fluctuations. The pivot point is the first place an investor usually enters a trade, because the pivot point is the primary support and resistance level and the biggest price movements generally occur at the pivot point price. By following the tips above, pivot point trading on the Forex market will help a trader anticipate market trends and minimize the risk.

Copyright ? 2007 Joel Teo. All rights reserved.

Tips For Finding The Best Forex Trading Software

Finding good Forex software, will help you trade quickly and easily and make greater profits.

It seems that when it comes to Forex software, just about everybody has their own set of programs they would love to have you utilize.

Knowing that software is not necessarily created equally, this means you will have to make some decisions about what you expect from the trading software that you decide to go with.

Here are some tips you should consider before committing to any one software package.

The first question you should ask yourself about any trading software has to do with usability.

Do you find the software to be logical to your mind?

Can you manoeuvre through the prompts with a full understanding of what you are doing?

Should you need assistance at any point in the process, does the software provide the ability to access a help section?

Being comfortable, with the way that the software works, is a huge part of whether or not you need to consider a particular software trading package.

If it seems too complicated, then pass on that selection and move on to another potential candidate.

When you have identified a few software packages that you believe are workable for you, then you need to begin doing some investigation into each one.

Find out what other consumers are saying about these particular software options. Is there a consistent history of persons who have found the software to not be what they thought it would be?

What types of complaints can you find, and how did the software manufacturer respond to the problems?

Do the issues you uncover have to do with earlier versions and are not relevant to the current version that you are considering?

Getting feedback, from other consumers, can help you to narrow your list of software candidates down to a manageable few, to give your focused attention.

After you have narrowed the list down to those that you believe will be easy for you to use and that have a proven track record of success, the time has come to compare apples to apples.

What type of trade limitations does Candidate A software have versus Candidate B?

How quickly can a transaction take place on each of the software platforms?

While you have previously determined that you could work with each of these programs, the time is now here to decide, which one goes beyond that stage and actually is the one that you would enjoy using as your trade software of choice.

By identifying potential trade software packages and performing due diligence to obtain the relevant comments that have been shared by other consumers, you go a long way toward finding the ideal software package.

Once you have narrowed the list by comparing the functionality of each of your top choices point by point, you will be able to enjoy your choice of Forex software for a long time to come.

Download some free forex trading software today by clicking on the link below.

Three Simple Forex Trading Strategies

No one ever said that trading success was easy. It takes time and you need to know and understand your market, as well as have a good bit of self control. These three simple Forex trading strategies will help keep you on track.

If someone tells you that you can continuously make money in a foreign exchange market they are either lying or they have no idea about the market they talk about. Foreign exchange has always been a volatile market and it still is today. Add trading on margin and the volatility goes up even more. But three simple Forex trading strategies can keep you in the green.

For you to make successful trades you need to understand and take into account the data and then make an informed decision based on your understanding and what you expect from the market. Just three simple Forex trading strategies will make all the difference to you.

1. Never trade with money unless you can afford to loose it

Trading on Forex markets is speculative and don?t let anyone tell you differently. That means losses can occur. It?s also exiting and somewhat addictive and the more you get involved the harder it is to clearly see what the right thing is to do. These three simple Forex trading strategies will certainly help keep you on track. Trading on Forex should enhance not hurt your life.

One of the keys to the three simple Forex trading strategies is to know your exit strategy. You should also determine what time frame you are making your trades on. What is it you want to get out of your money and the market? Sure you enjoy the thrill of the hunt but you really need to have a time frame and a goal of where you are going.

Use your three simple Forex trading strategies to do what the pro traders do. 9 and 14 RSI are the most common trend lines and then there are 9, 20, and 40 day moving averages. The closer you want to get to where the pro traders do the more precise your calculations for your estimates are going to have to do.

These three simple Forex trading strategies are just a start to the strategies available to try. If your life needs a little excitement and you could use a few extra dollars do give Forex trading a try.

Let these three simple Forex trading strategies be your guide.

Copyright ? 2007 Joel Teo. All rights reserved. (You may publish this article in its entirety with the following author's information with live links only.)

Three Inside Strategies To Make Money With Forex Trading

Making money with Forex but more important is the ability to make wealth. Check out these three inside strategies to make money with Forex Trading.

There are plenty of strategies for working Forex but inside strategies are always the best. These three inside strategies to make money with Forex Trading will certainly have you on the right track in no time.

1. Do not use gold as an inflation hedge ? Generally gold is a good bet against inflation but prices seem to be dipping. Many use gold as a hedge against inflation especially if oil prices are rising because gold usually tracks gold. However the dipping oil prices also translate to dipping gold. Of the three inside strategies to make money with Forex Trading this one needs your full attention.

2. Avoid Emerging Forex Markets Currently choosing emergency markets is not a good choice. There is no question that emerging markets are exciting to add to any Forex strategy just because they are volatile. Right now bypassing them is a far better choice than getting involved with them. Many of these markets that are emerging are currently struggling. These three inside strategies to make money with Forex Trading are just the beginning.

3. Profit Taking When you are ahead in trading currencies it is time for some profit taking. One of the best ways for you as a trader to earn money is with the Forex profit taking strategy and these three inside strategies to make money with Forex Trading are the perfect start. You buy currency on the low and you sell currency on the high putting profit in your pocket. There is always the potential to buy low and sell and high. Rather an old standby on the stock market too.

There are all kinds of Forex strategies available online and if you are really nervous about jumping in there are also some excellent online courses that you can take and of course these three inside strategies to make money with Forex Trading will keep you on track.

You might also decide on the Forex Mini trading rather than the standard Forex where these three inside strategies to make money with Forex trading will also work.

You are just at the beginning of making great gains on your investments using these three inside strategies to make money with Forex Trading. What will you do with all your profits?

Copyright ? 2007 Joel Teo. All rights reserved. (You may publish this article in its entirety with the following author's information with live links only.)

Things You Should Know Before Opening A Forex Account

Forex or Foreign exchange has been more visible in many business portfolios ever since small investors were given a chance to join in the currency exchange realm. Even with the presence of pressure and the rigors of a day job, numerous traders still aspire to enter and profit from the Forex markets.

There are available Forex accounts that lets you practice your trading skills for 1 month without risk. There are quotes, currency pairs, technical charts and analysis and 24 hour news regarding your account. The amount of the mini practice account is $5,000 while the standard practice account costs $50,000.

The minimum investment in a standard Forex account ranges from $5,000 to $10,000.

There are different types of foreign exchange accounts and most traders keep two or more accounts while trading. These accounts are basically categorized according to how much capital a broker can invest. Generally there are three types of Forex accounts namely:

1. Mini account which is ideal for beginners who have an initial capital of less than $10,000. Basically, one is allowed to engage in Forex with just $250. Mini account can be a good starting point which can build up the confidence of new and less experienced traders in the market. With just a small capital, one should not expect a high profit; nevertheless your money is subject to low risks of loss.

2. Standard account which requires a trader an initial investment of $2,000.

3. Premium accounts with significant amounts of capital required. These accounts can have different trading services and tools for innovation.

With the presence of these kinds of accounts, it is worth pointing out that a good managed Forex account can do miracles in trading. A trader can gain much by choosing a managed account backed up with good track records. Aside from these facts, certain benefits are worth mentioning such as:

? Managed Forex accounts can let a trader participate in trading market without the hassle of monitoring it 24 hours.

? Managed accounts are handled by professionals

? There are managed accounts that are not attached to the stock market, thus assets can be more diversified.

? Greater profit maximization can be possible in both falling and rising markets.

? Assets are liquid and can be withdrawn regularly

? Monthly reports of account are accessible and there is a real time management of account.

Choosing a right account and investing in it poses a risk. It is important therefore to know what steps are to take in order to minimize. Here are the few things to remember when opening a Forex account:

1. In signing up for an account, identification is necessary; this is required by the Federal Law to avoid fraud. A trader will be asked to sign a margin agreement. Prepare the necessary documents and read the agreements thoroughly to avoid confusions.

2. Try the practice or demo account to learn the basics of trading. There are brokers who impulsively leap into trading and quickly lose their money. Take your time and learn how the trading process works.

3. Avoid being emotional while in a trade. Traders should stick to their decisions and not let their emotions control them.

Foreign exchange can be considered as the biggest and most interesting markets in the world. Certain individuals, even inexperienced ones get hooked on trading it. Before opening a Forex account, it is but necessary to be knowledgeable in all the aspects involved in trading.

Things To Consider Before You Invest In Forex

There are several things to consider before you invest in the stock market or Forex.

Your Personal Situation: Your age, the state of your health, the number of dependents you support, the kind of job you have, whether you are a man or a woman, what kind of goals you have set for yourself all these, and more, are factors which will bear on your decision whether or not to invest.

There is no rule, no prescription governing these factors, either singly or in combination. Again, the decision is yours. It is well to wonder, however, whether your personal situation contains any elements which might conflict with your freedom, need, or desire to invest.

There is, for instance, no age more appropriate than another for investment. But it is conceivable that a young man might find family obligations, such as a new house, absorbing all his resources, that a middle-aged man might prefer to invest surplus funds in his business, and that an elderly man might feel he is too far along for the amount he is able to invest to bring him any significant return.

On the other hand, a young man, if he is able to invest at all regularly, can look forward to a fairly considerable estate in 30 or 40 years. A middle-aged man who finds the premiums for a new insurance policy higher than he feels like paying might decide that investments might help cushion the requirements of the years past 60. And an elderly man, with family responsibilities and obligations behind him, might decide that a sturdy stock returning a comfortable 5 or 6 per cent is better than the interest rate he can get at a savings bank.

As these, examples indicate, age?or any other single factor?immediately involves other considerations.

Good health helps guarantee steadiness of income. Poor health suggests the need for a larger-than-usual emergency cash reserve. A number of dependents may mean that there is nothing left over for investment, or that the surplus should be invested more conservatively than in stocks, or that the surplus, with reinvested dividends, could provide a college fund in 15 years.

The kind of job you have is important only in so far as it relates to steadiness of income. If you operate on a system of incentives, bonuses, and options of one sort or another, you may wish for more stability than stocks offer, in the kind of investment you undertake. If you have a year-in, year-out salary level, stocks may be just the thing to give you that wished-for extra edge.

Or it may be just the opposite. As a bonus man you may have learned to live comfortably with the prospect that one week may be up and the next one down. And, as a steady Joe, you may find it more alarming than it's worth to have the price and value of your holdings vary.

Whether you are a man or a woman will not have much to do with your readiness to invest. For, surprising as it may seem, the Stock Exchange survey referred to earlier showed that there are more women shareholders than men. Out of the 12.5 million total, nearly 6.4 million, or 52.5 per cent, are women. For many, investment has become a normal and acceptable way to put money to work. There is no telling, either, how many women, having inherited stocks, have since taken a lively interest in investment as part of the responsibility of preserving their capital. Certainly brokers will tell you that women customers are no longer the rarity they once were.

The kind of goals you have will very often be bound up in just such things as whether you are young or old, in business or retired, childless or the chief of a tribe; and the achievement of many of them will require money. If that is so, investment is worth serious consideration. Some people, of course, may prefer to invest in books, or paintings, or travel, and for them the attention that must be paid to investment, or the attractiveness of the financial reward may just not be worth their while.

The story is told of the two salesmen who met in the club car on the train. "How's business?" asked the first. "Oh, very good," said the second, "and yours?" "Fine, fine," said the first. "Got orders for a thousand gross last week. I sell buttons."

"Really," said the second. "I've had one order in the last three years." "You call that good?" said the first. "Well," answered the other, "you see, I sell suspension bridges." Like the salesmen, the investor must have a clear notion of his goals and expectations, must realize that what is normal and acceptable to someone else might not be what he would choose for himself.

The Kind of Person You Are: Consideration of your goals and their relation to investment brings up the final point of personal evaluation: yourself. For your goals are necessarily a reflection of your temperament and personality.

Go beyond your goals and see if you can pin down the traits and characteristics they stem from. Are your goals? and you?realistic? How do you regard money, and how do you handle it? Are you easy-come, easy-go? Or do you count the pennies? Are decisions involving money difficult for you to make? Are you on top of your budget, or always running to keep up?

When investing in the stock market, long term commitment is usually more successful and more money will be needed, but with Forex a smaller pool of money can be used for good results.

Forex is more speculative so you will need to be prepared for more risks and swings in your profit and losses.

Using good Forex software will help to limit your losses on Forex.

The Very Basics Of The Forex Market

The forex, or foreign exchange, market is a specialized type of market in which types of currency are exchanged for other types of currency. On average, the daily trade within the forex market is more than $1.9 trillion. As the world?s largest financial market, forex involves trading among central banks, large banks, governments, multinational corporations, large banks, and other institutions and markets of a financial nature. Individuals may also participate in the forex market through banks or brokers, though individuals represent only a small fraction of those trading within the market.

The Levels of Forex

Forex is different from the stock market, which provides the same prices to all participants. With forex, the market is actually divided into various levels. The top level is the inter-bank market that consists of the largest banking firms. The spreads of the inter-market usually are not shared with those outside of this exclusive circle. As the spreads work their way down through the levels, the difference between the ask price and the bid actually widens. This is primarily because those within the inter-bank level are capable of guaranteeing larger numbers of transactions and, as such, can demand a better spread.

The level below the inter-bank market is comprised of the smaller investment banks. The next level is made up by multi-national companies that pay employees in various companies as well as some retail forex market makers and large hedge funds.

Forex Trading Characteristics

Within the forex market, there are a number of different rates, or prices, which depend on what is being traded by the market or bank. In addition, there are a number of recognized trading centers within the forex market, with the main centers being in New York, London, Singapore, and Tokyo. In addition, a number of banks throughout the world participate in forex training. With so many markets located throughout the world, the market is literally open 24 hours per day. As such, traders can make trades immediately when events occur that can impact the market.

The U.S. Economy And Forex Trading

Forex trading is trading on the foreign exchange market. This market trades foreign currencies from all over the world. The U.S. Economy, as well as the global economy, plays a big part in the analysis that is done by Forex traders to help them make good investment decisions.

There are numerous reports on the U.S. and global economy that are used by investors in the foreign exchange market, and learning how to read and analyze these reports on the United States economy is important to be successful in Forex trading. There are numerous reports on the condition of the economy in the United States, and these reports reflect upon the value of the U.S. Dollar. Forex trading is based on the market value of both currencies that are being traded, so if the U.S. Dollar is weak, then you would trade them for a currency that you believe will appreciate in value. The currencies on the Forex market are quoted in pairs, and they look like this xxx/yyy, where x and y are different currencies. The first currency, or x, is the base currency, and that is what you are getting. The second currency, currency y, is called the quote, or counter, currency, and that is what is being sold in exchange for currency x.

Unemployment, housing, and numerous other economic indicators are the basis for economic reports that directly affect the Forex trading. Some of these reports include government reports like the Gross Domestic Product, which is considered the broadest measure of the economy of a country. This report represents the total market value of all services and goods that were produced by a country in a given year. The consumer price index is another report that is analysed by Forex traders to understand the condition of the U.S. economy. This report measures changes in the prices of goods for consumers in two hundred different categories. By comparing this report to U.S. exports for the same period, can be used to figure out if the United States makes or loses money on the services and products.

The U.S. economy greatly affects the Forex market. Economic indicators, such as government and private reports on different sectors of the economy, are analysed by Forex traders to anticipate whether the United States dollar will weaken or strengthen. By knowing what is happening in the U.S. Economy, Forex investors can minimize the risks and maximize the benefits. The economy of any country whose currency is traded on the Forex market will affect the market.

Copyright ? 2007 Joel Teo. All rights reserved.

The U.S. Dollar Index Chart: What It Means For Forex Trading

The U. S. Dollar Index is an index for currency traders, and it consists of a geometric weighted average of a basket of foreign currencies against the United States Dollar. The U.S. Dollar Index, just like stock indexes, provides a general indication of the value of a basket of securities. In this case the basket holds securities that consist of other major world currencies.

The U.S. Dollar Index has a basket that consists of six foreign currencies. These are the Euro, the Yen, the Cable, the Loonie, the Kronas, and the Francs. The index is made up of six currencies, but it includes seventeen countries. This is because there are twelve members of the European Union, plus Japan, Great Britain, Canada, Sweden, and Switzerland. These seventeen countries may only be a small percentage of the countries in the world, but there are many other currencies that follow the U.S. Dollar Index closely. The index is a great tool for measuring the global strength of the United States Dollar.

The components of the U. S. Dollar Index have a geometric weighted average. This is to factor in the fact that not every country is the same size, so each country is given an appropriate weight when the U.S. Dollar Index is calculated. Euros account for a large portion of the U.S. Dollar Index, more than fifty percent. The other five countries in the basket make up a combined total of forty three percent of the basket, with euros consisting of the other fifty seven percent.

The Federal Reserve uses another kind of dollar index, and this is called the trade-weighted U.S. Dollar Index. This index was created by the Feds to more accurately reflect the value of the dollar against foreign currencies based on the competitiveness of U.S. goods compared to other countries. The biggest difference between these two indexes is the basket of currencies that are used as well as the relative weights of the currencies. The weights are based on annual trade data, and this is why it is called the trade weighted U.S. Dollar Index.

No matter which U.S. Dollar Index you are looking at, these indexes help Forex traders know the value of the United States Dollar, and the global strength as well. Forex traders use these indexes to help them determine the value of a currency when compared to the U.S. Dollar. There are two U.S. Dollar Indexes, and the second one is called trade weighted U.S. Dollar Index. This index is based more on actual trade data, but countries are given weights in this index as well.

Copyright ? 2007 Joel Teo. All rights reserved.

The Truth About Trading Forex

Educating yourself is, beyond any other factor, the most important thing that you can do to ensure that you will find success as you learn how to trade forex. There are multitudes of educational resources available. Almost all of the major trading platforms offer some variation of an educational program. These companies want you to succeed because that's how they stay in business. It is in their best interest to have well educated and successful investors trading forex through their sites.

If you are serious about learning how to trade forex, then www.forextrading.com will be an invaluable resource. You will find loads of information here. Everything from a working glossary of terms that you will need to be familiar with to a practical history of forex markets and how they have evolved. If you are looking for a good resource that will provide accurate information in an easily understood format, then this site is a necessary read.

Did you know that the average daily trade in the global forex markets currently exceeds US$ 2-2.5 trillion !

Another outstanding educational resource for those who want to learn to trade forex is www.gftforex.com. This site offers a wealth of foreign exchange trading information as well as a demo program. This program actually allows you to practice forex trading with play money, and to track your fictitious investments. This is a great tool for those who are completely unfamiliar with forex trading but who are serious about getting comfortable with the processes involved. Additionally, this resource offers downloadable software that you can use when you decide that you are ready to trade forex for real. This has the potential to be a one-stop shop for a forex trader.

Quick fact : The Forex market is by far the largest financial market in the world, and includes trading between large banks,central banks, currency speculators,multinational corporations, governments, and other financial markets and institutions.

Further resources for those wishing to learn to trade forex can be uncovered at www.pro-forex.com. While this site is mainly a trading site, you can find some very helpful information on it. There is a streaming chart of current prices on the front page of the Web site. Access to this information will be helpful to you as you seek to learn how prices fluctuate within the course of a week or even a day. If you ever decide that you want to try your hand at day trading forex, then this kind of current information will be invaluable. In addition to streaming exchange rates and prices, www.pro-forex.com also displays the current interest rates on majors.

With so many resources available that allow you to learn the intricacies of trading in real time, it would be a serious oversight on your part to overlook them. Every lesson that you can learn about how to trade forex before you start putting your own hard-earned money into play will reap dividends larger than you can imagine. Use the resources that are out there and be fully prepared when you jump into the live market place.

The Stock Market And Forex Trading

More books and articles have been written on the stock market than on perhaps any other business subject in the world.

Most of these have as their purpose instructing the reader on exactly how he can invest to make a sizable amount of money, and if he really applies himself, how he can become rich in either three or five years.

One of the most useful books written appeared in 1961. It did not tell you how to get rich. It emphasized the difficulties of investing in the stock market and it performed a tremendous service in this way, plus isolating the significant factors which record and explain the ups and downs of the market.

To invest in the market by following the procedures outlined in that book is anything but easy.

It requires a considerable amount of work every day the stock market is in operation. The book is written more for the professional investor to tell him how to make maximum profits out of both the rises and falls of the market.

The average investor will not take the time or perform the work necessary to maximize his profits, and he is satisfied with something less than maximum profits over a period of time. It is this type of person that we are writing for, not the professional investor who often spends 100% of his time on investments. We are, furthermore, writing for the smaller investor, not for the larger, professional one.

When we talk about the stock market we are not trying to write one more treatise on how to get wealthy in the stock market.

We do not present it as the only outlet for funds, although it certainly is for many people who know only the stock market on the one hand and the savings bank on the other. We treat the stock market as one outlet for funds, an outlet that can be almost the only good outlet at certain times, and a terrible outlet at other times one that offers too much risk.

In 1960 the stock market for the non-professional investor was, in my opinion, a substandard investment. Other investments in my portfolio yielded 12% and 14% and sent checks monthly, and the underlying businesses grew stronger while a number of the major firms listed on the Stock Exchanges showed declining profits and the trend of the market was down until late in the year. An inexpert investor in the stock market during most of the year 1960 would have had the cards stacked against him.

If we consider investments primarily of the loan type, those in which a person or organization is obligated to return a given number of dollars, plus a profit, over a period of months or years. Above everything, the proper investigation of these risks and safeguards against losses have been stressed.

The stock market is good for long term investing especially through investment trusts and unit trusts.

Forex is more risky but greater profits can be made. Good software will help you to reduce the risks if you trade the Forex.

The Secrets Of A Successful Stock Or Forex Investment Club

If the investment club strikes you as an ideal answer to your needs and requirements, there here are some points to consider.

Do not attempt to form a club until you have investigated its status under Federal, state, and local laws. The Association of Stock Exchange Firms is attempting to win passage for a model statute that will simplify and clarify the status of investment clubs and in some states is has already been enacted.

In most states, however, a variety of laws govern the formation and operation of a club and its status as a partnership, corporation, joint venture, or whatever. The difficulties are rarely insurmountable, but complications can be avoided if your club will check with an attorney before becoming involved financially.

Along the same lines, your club can avoid awkward misunderstandings if the ground rules are clearly established from the start. Provisions should be made for the death or departure of a member. Each investor should be able to withdraw his share of the club's assets at any time.

The position of newcomers or replacements for members who have dropped out or moved away should be defined. Does the new member participate on an equal basis in the accumulated assets of the club upon payment of his first $10? Or should he be expected to match the total investment of his predecessor?

Run your meetings briskly. Expect to give the business at hand your full and earnest attention for two hours; investment is too serious to be brushed over in less. On the other hand, be organized. Don't let meetings drag on or founder in confusion. Members will start resigning out of boredom.

Insist that your investigation committees do their homework. And that they stay on the point. These are elements of good reporting in any field, and are not hard to learn. Clarity and precision will not only make reports more interesting, but help you to make your decisions confidently.

Absenteeism plagues almost every organization, and you will have to find your own way to lick it. As noted, the proxy at least assures a vote by the whole membership, but it has its disadvantages. The Williston club has instituted an automatic $5 fine for missing a meeting, regardless of the excuse. Some clubs interpret a certain number of absences as evidence of disinterest and as grounds for dismissal.

As for the club's performance as an investment group, it will, at first, leave something to be desired. There is something heady about the manipulation of money and the challenge of out-guessing the market. You will find, as you start out, that it is easy to be overly enthusiastic about one stock or another, or, because your fund is relatively small, to concentrate on low-priced issues. The enthusiasm may be warranted, and your low-priced issue may be solid, but try not to let judgment be colored by passion, and never choose price over quality.

Make your committee reports as realistic as possible. In the first flush of enthusiasm, it is possible to be swayed by the mass of beautifully printed material available about this company or that. Set up your standards in advance: know what you are looking for in terms of price and dividend trend, in terms of products, in terms of capital structure and management.

Note: Changes in corporate management are not automatically good. Very often a new slate of officers, or some retirements, will bring in fresh blood, but there is no way of knowing immediately whether the new men are as capable as the ones they replaced.

There is nothing wrong with over-the-counter stocks as such. But many clubs have found that the fluidity of the market on the big exchanges, and the certainty of daily reporting of stock prices, makes investment in Big Board issues considerably more satisfactory.

It is easy to decide that you've got a natural bent for investment if your first purchase begins behaving nicely. Don't be fooled. A great many stocks have been behaving nicely for some years now. In many ways it's difficult to pick one that doesn't. Enjoy your success, but keep studying and keep learning.

Fight the tendency to make too many switches in your portfolio, particularly in the early stages. Remember that the commissions on getting in and out are going to eat into your gains. Furthermore, impatience is likely to boost you out of a stock before it has a chance to show its worth. Remember, too, that from the tax angle, you'll be paying on gains as straight income unless you've held the stocks for six months or more.

Finally, stay friendly. Money can get people quite excited. Money can come between friends. You'll have a better chance of success if your members are friendly on grounds other than investment, if everyone understands clearly that there are hazards as well as profits, and if everyone does his best to become knowledgeable in the field as soon as is reasonably possible.

It is the mistakes of ignorance that cause trouble. Many clubs have had some hot times because a member couldn't understand why the group sold short of the top or why, with the good old Northern & Southern Railway running right through town, everyone insisted on buying Gulf Oil.

Stay in close touch with your broker. He can help spell out some of the fundamental ABC's until you can paddle on your own. He also should have, or be able to get, information bearing on the problems and experience of other investment clubs, which can aid you in steering around pitfalls..

Otherwise, every piece of information and advice in this article applies as rigorously to investment clubs as to investing individuals.

Use good investment and Forex software to help you research how particular shares and currencies have performed.

The Secret Of Shares And Forex Clubs That Can Help You Succeed

By pooling your investment you will have more protection when your investment depreciates and you stand to gain more when it appreciates.

One of the secrets of pooled investment is that you will also gain a significant amount of knowledge. This will help to steer you on your way to success.

Most clubs are less than three years old, and that nine out of ten have a portfolio valued at less than $10,000.

No concerted organizational or promotional effort One of the astonishing developments in stock ownership in the past 10 years has been the wildfire spread of investment clubs throughout the nation.

A New York Stock Exchange survey indicates that there are at least 20,000 clubs in existence, with a total membership of more than 277,000 people?and that more are forming, at a phenomenal rate, every day. The market value of the clubs' holdings tops $160 million and they are pouring $2 million of new investment into the market each month.

All this is the more remarkable when it is considered has created these clubs. They have sprung up spontaneously as the realization has spread that here is a device enabling people of modest means to educate themselves about investment and to acquire stock in an orderly, consistent, and intelligent manner.

In outline, a club's members meet regularly, contribute funds equally, study investment possibilities carefully, and agree jointly on shares to be purchased or sold. The unique features of this procedure are, first, that by responsible group effort the members can learn the complexities of investment and, second, that by aggregating funds they can acquire stock with individual contributions even smaller than the Monthly Investment Plan minimum.

Most clubs are composed of neighbourhood friends or business associates. Sometimes they are employees of the same firm, sometimes members of a fraternal or religious group. The majority of clubs have all-male memberships, although some 3,800 include women, and something over 2,000 are exclusively for the ladies.

A group of policemen form the New York's Finest Investment Club. A group of Maine business?men, who have been long-time hunting companions, are now stalking profits as the Katahdin Investors Club. Some avid bridge players have become the Bridge Investors Club; the Johns-Manville Club is made up of J-M employees. Essentially, these alignments assure a pleasant social atmosphere and economic compatibility, so that everyone can contribute equally to the club's program without strain.

The average club membership is 15, a few number 20. Many clubs start with six or eight, and grow as interest is aroused. Experience indicates that 12 to 15 members are best able to conduct the business of the club. Beyond that number, things get somewhat bulky and unmanageable.

It can be extremely helpful to have a lawyer, accountant, and/or banker among the members. This is not always possible, and many clubs are operating successfully without them, but if they are not members, they should be within hailing distance to give professional advice on legal and tax matters, where necessary.

Clubs should also establish an account with a brokerage and get to know the customer's representative who is handling it. He can be a source of much useful information on the new and unfamiliar field the club is entering.

Many brokerage houses are happy to have representatives attend occasional club meetings to explain brokerage and market operations, security analysis, and economic trends.

With membership established, the club's next step is to agree on objectives and procedures: How often shall it meet? How much shall each member contribute? How should stocks be selected? What should be done with dividends?

Clubs ordinarily meet once a month. Meeting less frequently than that slows activity to an unsatisfactory pace, more frequently places a greater demand on the members' time than the funds involved warrant.

The usual investment is $10 per person per month, although this depends entirely on the group's level of income. Some clubs set the ante as high as $100 per month. Less than $10, of course, does not give the club much capital to work with, and will probably make progress seem discouragingly slow. More than $40 makes it possible for a member to set up an individual MIP, and at $100 an investor could deal directly with a broker from time to time. In these latter instances, however, diversification would be harder to achieve and, of course, the burden of stock selection would be on the individual rather than decided by the shared wisdom of the group. It appears that most individuals find the club experience a good training ground in investment and that, after they learn their way around, some 40 per cent of them feel well enough oriented to open personal accounts.

Investments of $10 to $20 a month for groups of 10 to 15 people mean a fund of from $100 to $300, not an overwhelming amount, but enough to buy 10-share blocks at 30 or 5-share units at 60. The average club investment is about $260 a month.

Whatever the amount, most clubs feel that it is absolutely essential that all members invest equally. If individuals are allowed to have two or more memberships, or to invest twice or three times as much as the others, it will also be necessary to give them two or three votes in club affairs, thus unbalancing the share-and-share-alike mutuality which is basic to successful operation of this kind of organization. Twice as much money is not automatically a guarantee of twice as much good sense when the votes on investment are cast.

In selecting stocks for investment, procedures are as various as the ingenuity of the club permits. Some clubs start by accumulating shares of the company the members work for, or a company active in the area whose personnel and operations are known to the club.

Other clubs undertake a study of a different industry each month and then, perhaps, appoint a committee of several members to report on companies within the industry. Some clubs arrange visits to company headquarters, or branches, in their vicinity. They inspect oil fields, mines, mills, and manufacturing facilities. All of this, of course, is rudimentary, but it is the beginning of understanding and evaluation.

For the rest, it depends on the club's objectives. Like you, it must decide whether to try for growth, dividends, or stability, whether it is in for a quick profit or for long term appreciation.

There are some Forex investment clubs that you can join by searching the internet that help to pool investors money.

It is well worth using Forex software to help you perform well when you trade on the Forex.

The Roulette Wheel Of Forex?improving Your Odds

There are two factors that really determine whether an investor will risk capital or not: the potential for profit and the ability to liquidate the position should things start to head south. Real estate is a very stable investment for one simple reason: they aren?t making any more of it. In time, all property value rises making it a fairly safe investment vehicle but it takes a long time to liquidate?especially if the market suddenly goes south!

The currencies market, on the other hand, is an entirely different beast. The Forex, also called the Foreign Exchange market, is the largest and most fluid in the world. Nearly 2 trillion dollars are exchanged 24 hours a day between Sunday afternoon and Friday. It is very fluid making it attractive for investors because there always seems to be someone willing to buy or sell a position. Investors are also attracted to the Forex because it is very volatile which provides great potential for profit. There are five basic options available to a retail Forex trader, including:

? Spot transactions ? Forwards and futures ? Options ? Spread betting ? Contracts for difference

The vast majority of Forex traders stick with spot transactions. These straightforward transactions simply involve the exchange of one currency for another. To choose currency pairs and determine entry and exit points, most traders opt to either trade based on news releases and fundamental analysis?or to study performance charts and track price movements using technical analysis.

Fundamental analysis typically is used in scalping or day trading. Forex scalpers try to anticipate price movements in the short-term and generally do not hold a position for more than a day or two. In some cases, positions may be bought and sold in a matter of hours. However, this is considered an especially dangerous trading strategy because the heavily leveraged positions tend to reach stop/loss points quickly and losses can mount quickly.

Technical analysis is essentially aimed at identifying and capitalizing upon trends. The moving average is a favored technical indicator used to guide investment decisions. To identify trends, technical investors look at the historical data of currency rate prices. The moving average helps smooth out the erratic nature of lines causes by the daily highs and lows and is refreshed daily with the most recent day being added and the oldest entry dropped. The larger the sample (in other words, a 10-day moving average is smaller than a 50-day moving average pricing chart), the smoother the lines will be on the charts.

Simple and exponential moving averages can also be used to further identify trends. Resistance and support levels are sometimes then identified as entry and exit points in some Forex technical trading strategies. The simple truth is that you have to find the strategy that best suits your trading style. Then, to improve your odds:

? Avoid over-trading?Forex traders can make big profits but can lose equally big due to highly leveraged accounts and a very volatile market. Over trading increases the odds that you will lose money?period. ? Trust charts?once you have your strategy and set your exit points, let it ride. Study the charts at the end of the day?and stick to your strategy. ? Patience is a virtue ? Back test to continually test your investment strategy

No investment strategy can predict price fluctuations with 100% accuracy. However, the best strategies for Forex tend to involve technical analysis, using stop/loss points with every order, and trusting the charts and strategy while avoiding the temptation to over trade. You may incur a loss once in awhile but the steps listed above will definitely put the odds of success and profit in your favor.

The Realm Of Automated Forex Trading System

First off we must confirm a few basic facts about the foreign currency trading system. It is the largest financial market on the planet and has the greatest number of participants and investors. The huge daily turnover and presence of such a large quantity of traders and investors requires a system that meets superlative needs for a massive industry. Why don't you consider the following points when discussing the importance of an automated system for the forex trading market:

Banks are one of the bigger 'players' in the forex trading system and are not just here to service your frugal needs and capital loans (addressing all you blood hungry entrepreneurs out there). The banks service a massive amount of speculative trading and service the daily monetary circulation as well by trading and investing billions of dollars in the foreign currency market daily, considering a portion if the investments are on behalf of their client?le and the rest are traded by the bank itself.

Commercial companies are up next. here's how it goes folks. get yourselves comfortable...did you pour that bourbon yet? Well, if you didn't please do so. I'll wait. Ah good. there we go. I like to do these things in a relaxed fashion. Anyways, back to commercial companies. These guys are also players in the foreign currency market although their investments are slightly smaller than the bank trades, however still significant enough to make this list. the trades made by these companies may be more short term but their impact on the forex market is undeniable and influences the exchange values when it comes to the overall long term trajectory.

Number three on our fabulous list are central banks. You may not realize it but central banks play a somewhat significant role in the forex market and have a certain amount of influence on the currency values, interest rates (blasted interest rates!) and market inflations as well as influencing the stability of the forex market via foreign currency exchange reserves. They have impact also due to established trajectory rates for the currencies that they themselves are trading.

Guess who comes next? How could we leave them out? Investment management firms. yes, yes. Those young,cocky, rosy cheeked well fed prep boys straight out of college who are investing YOUR money. Leave it up to them. Passion succeeds where reason fails and surely you know that they have no reason. Just kidding. Actually, aside from the fact that these firms handle massive amounts of money for their prestigious client?le part of their management extends to the forex market where they mediate transactions via the currency system, mainly in foreign securities. If you don't know what I'm talking about, please go back to the previous page. Oh la la we've come to my favorite rookies. the retail forex brokers. these boys ain't as rosy cheeked as our previous lads but they certainly know how to manage a small, yet significant portion of the forex trading system. One retail forex broker conducts transactions of twenty five to a fifty billion dollars a day, in retail volume. It may only consist of 2 percent of the currency trading market but hell, that's a lot more than you ever did.

Now we get to the more interesting humanoids. The speculators. It almost sounds scary, but honestly, they're just mammals with fore brains, like me and you. these courageous dudes buy foreign currencies and reap benefit not from interest and dividends but directly from the currency market's fluctuations. They are pretty high risk. that's the only scary thing about them. although it's best this way because somebody has got to handle the priceless burden of risk. So far we have named six hardcore players involved in the volatile yet lucrative foreign currency trading market and they all are involved in the daily two trillion dollar circulation. ergo, a sophisticated and automated system would be most appropriate in handling the complex arena.

There is one group for which the automated forex system works to their benefit big time and these are the speculators (blasted clever risk takers!). They are concerned about the market fluctuations, specifically the values and real time info ameliorates their process of determining which trades they should invest in. Super smart and super slick.

Manual systems have become pretty obsolete in most financial markets and most of the financial systems have incorporated the process of atomization. Some automation systems come without cost and are pretty reliable and sometimes the automated system is received when opening a forex account online or via a broker. what a world! Usually the automated systems that come with opening an account are pretty simple but you may purchase a more advanced system by adding an additional fee. Now that you're a forex market genius and know why we need automation (yes an automation nation! who needs to think anymore?( we shall discuss the two types of automation systems.

the first system is desktop based and all your important forex information is put in your desktops hard drive. A lot of traders do not appreciate this system because your info is exposed to potential viruses or other bastards that hack into your computer security. Plus, if your computer all of a sudden loses a screw and goes nuts, most of or all of your data may be lost and never ever ever found again. pretty scary, even more than the forex speculators. It is however significantly cheaper and should you choose this type of system, always make sure to have back up.

The second type of system is web based and your forex account's security and other info are available via your web provider. Obviously the host would be a secure server and this system is far more efficient since you need no software and it is compatible with any type of computer because it's via the web. the best part is the fact that if anything gets screwed up or lost-you have THEM to blame.

Basically you should explore various demos and see what tickles your fancy. just like choosing a mate, you know what I mean? Trial and error, baby, trial and error. By doing a little research you will find the system that suits your forex trading strategies.

The Philosophy Of Winning In Trading the Forex Market -The Sure Way To Become A Successful Trader

Everyone who enters into the forex market to trade always starts off with good intentions. They will invariably aim to win. They are there to make gigantic profits in the market. After all, it is a keen interest in trading that has led to their involvement in trading the forex market.

In all my years of trading, I have yet to meet a complete newbie who is in the forex market to trade without spending at least some time to learn how to trade. At worst, the newbie to forex trading has at least learned the technical terms to trading, and has at least entered his trading account to look at the trading platform and the trading interface provided by his broker.

In the quest to become a better trader, most forex traders I know would have learnt the use of many tools, usually technical tools. To them, the tools are their weapons of war. Many use technical trading systems to help them get a more accurate analysis of price movements, and to study price trends. Some use simple trend trading methods such as trendlines, others use price patterns of congestion and outbreaks, some use the more sophisticated Elliot wave counting and WD Gann squaring of price and time, and some even neural networks forecasting and astronomy. Yet, with the help of many trading tools, a big majority of traders are still unprofitable.

Herein lies the problem with many traders.

In forex trading, like in all forms of market trading, the amount of tools you use, whether singly or in synergy, will not guarantee your success. Having a battery of technical indicators to provide you a technical reading will not ensure your success in trading.At best, these technical indicators will help you understand the market trend more, or might even serve to confuse you especially if they generate conflicting signals.

Forex trading, is just like fighting a battle, and the following principle holds true:

"It's not the sword that wins the battle.

It's the Warrior who?s wielding it.?

It's the warrior who's wielding the sword that will determine the outcome of the battle. In other words, if you are a forex trader, it is your trading discipline, and the proper use of the trading tool or method that will ensure your success.It is you, the trading warrior, who wields the trading tool correctly that can ensure the battle is won.

Therefore to become a successful trader, you will need to master your self - to follow a set trading method and to execute the trades based on a trading plan, where you will follow stringently to the best trading setups and exit at pre-determined stop losses. Without trading discipline, you will not be able to master your trades, and you will find profits hard to come by.

It is only when you master yourself to conduct discipline trading and also master your trades by following a proven trading methodology with a timely and suitable entry and exit strategy that you can become a profitable trader.

The Nuts And Bolts Of Online Forex Trading

The evolution of the foreign exchange trading in the 1970?s brought about different strategies that cope up to fast evolving phase of the market. One of the latest innovations is currency Forex online trading.

One can earn as much money and make a fortune by trading online. Trading doesn?t stop as long as monetary supplies are available. It is being dictated by several currencies that rise and fall against one another. There are 164 currencies and varies from Euro, Dinar, Ruble, Pound, Franc, Real, Yen, Peso, etc. A known fact is that the top currency in the Forex trading is US Dollar. Over $1.5 trillion US dollars are traded regularly. It is also notable that the currency trading leads all other kinds of trading.

There are several advantages and disadvantages to Forex online trading. To start with, here are some of the advantages:

1. Forex currency online trading eliminates the barriers that traditionally exist in other markets. Broker?s ability to trade at the right time is not restricted.

2. Trading can be done 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

3. The availability of the computers and internet allows for a real time transaction that is more rapid.

4. Lack of discipline by most traders can be eliminated by the use of systems in online trading. Losses which are the results of poor trading methods by certain traders are minimized.

5. Maximum profits are achieved by just following the technicalities of online trading. Once traders gained skills in online trading, they can be assured of stability and good market whether any currency falls or rises.

6. Online trading is accessible anytime and in any place. Traders can save a lot of money and time because middlemen are not required in any transactions; thus commission is omitted. All that is needed is an internet connection; traders can even work at home.

8. A wealth of information regarding Forex currency trading is available via the internet. A right timing for buying or selling a profitable currency can be done with just a click of the mouse. Traders can update themselves and monitor sudden changes in the exchange rate by a technical chart which contains information about the rise and fall of currencies.

As it seems, there are many advantages in trading online, however, there are also certain drawbacks such as:

1. There is an immense quantity of information about online trading that has to be analyzed and learn.

2. Complicated online systems are expensive and can eat all of the investments.

3. Some of the systems are highly technical. It will take time for traders to get used to certain systematic approach to trading.

4. Bad online trading system can prolong transactions thus can lead to unsatisfied or loss of good trading clients.

5. In the absence of middlemen, traders are doing transactions on their own; they may be carried away with the trend. No one will advise them whether buying a particular currency is profitable or not.

In engaging in Forex currency online trading, several important aspects should be taken into account. It is essential to understand the whole trading system. How will one follow and transact in trading if he doesn?t know the discipline involved in it?

Another important factor is the online system one chooses to have good trading methods and faster access to target market. Choosing a fitted system can lead to a win-win situation to both the traders and their market.

Good management of money is also vital in Forex trading. Shortage in cash is one of the reasons why one trading company may incur losses and eventually goes bankrupt.

There are certain drawbacks in online Forex trading but one can get rid of these by choosing the best system. Changes are inevitable and adaptation to advance techniques is a sure means to survive in the trading industry.

The Importance Of Timing In Forex And The Stock Market

When we make money from the Forex we are looking for economic data which will influence the price of currencies. But when we are looking for good companies to invest in on the stock market we have been told to "Buy the blue chips." "Blue chips" are the big,reliable companies, and obviously these are listed for the most part on the New York Stock Exchange.

The Dow Jones Average is composed of blue chips, and since there are only 30 listed, at the same time that the average has been going up, it might seem a simple matter to toss a coin to see which ones should be bought out of this list of 30.

But let us get down to specific cases: Standard Oil Company of New Jersey is one of the largest, best managed and generally soundest corporations in the United States. Its earnings per share in 1958 were $2.72, in 1959 $2.91 and in 1960 $3.18. From 1957 through 1960 its dividends have been $2.25 per share each year. From the middle of 1957 to the end of 1960 the price trend of this stock was down. It declined from almost 70 to a point below 40.

Another giant on the list of 30 Dow Jones stocks is the highly successful General Electric. From a high in early 1960 of nearly 100, GE plummeted to a level of close to 60 in the spring of 1961 because of the actions of the United States government in connection with price fixing by the corporation.

There is some merit to the classical approach to the valuation of a stock by analyzing the underlying strength and prospects of the company, but this is only * An example of a high yield tax free bond is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel Authority 5?% bond. In 1961 this bond could be bought under 100 to yield almost 6% and this 6% is equal to 12% for a man whose top income is taxed at a rate of 50%.

one of the elements to look at. It, of course, should not be overlooked because in the long run, earnings per share will determine the price of a stock. The only question is, "How long?" While you are holding a sound company's stock others may be moving up and you want to move up with them.

Determine the earnings trend of the company over the recent four or five years. It should be up in general, but stocks have moved up in price while earnings were declining.

Determine the position of the industry through reading the Wall Street Journal, the financial and business section of The New York Times, the Value Line Investment Survey, and the journals published by every industry and available in any library. The reason Standard Oil of New Jersey was not moving up more rapidly is due to the fact that the outlook for the petroleum industry was not as healthy as some of the other industries.

The most important piece of advice that can be given the investor in stock is that the price of a stock is the direct result of the forces which make the price of anything (stock, commodity or service) demand and supply. For a long time in the spring of 19611 thought GE was a good buy; that it might go up. I questioned a number of brokers and investment bankers about GE. There was a distinct lack of enthusiasm. Since these are the buyers and these are the people who recommend that customers buy the stock, it was evident to me that the demand was not there. It might change very quickly, but until it did I determined to buy other stocks.

It is important to emphasize this point once again: that the price of a stock is the direct result of how much of a stock is offered for sale and what the demand is. We will return later to this point with a striking example.

The next most important piece of advice is that you should buy a stock which is moving up, not one which might move up or one which is moving down and looks as though it might be a bargain. You cannot hope to buy at the bottom and sell at the top. If you try to buy at the bottom you have no assurance that the decline has stopped; and if you try to sell at the top you cannot be certain the rise will not continue. Buy just after a stock has demonstrated its willingness to rise for a few weeks, and sell after about two weeks of decline.

The most foolish piece of philosophizing that an investor can engage in is to say to himself, "I don't need to worry about the declining trend in the price of my stock. It will come back." Yes, it may, but when? And if you sold and simply held cash, you might for your cash get far more shares with which to ride the market up again. At the beginning of 1960 Shell Oil was well over 40. By the summer it was down close to 30, and by the spring of 1961 it was close to 45. The downtrend was clear and the uptrend was just as clear. A person could have sold early in the decline and bought early in the rise. My wife, being as good an analyst as I, if not a little better through"intuition," hit the low point and advised buying at that point. A profit of 50% could have been realized in one year!

Next, follow the market and follow it every few days to determine trend. The closer you are to the market the better you are informed as to what to do. Do not worry about a decline of a few days or a sudden break in the market, no matter how sharp. Worry only about the trend of your stock and the trend of the market.

Use the stop loss order to protect yourself against losses and to provide you with peace of mind. When you purchase stock after careful study and consideration, you may not want to put in an immediate stop loss order which is an order to sell if the stock reaches a particular price below the present market. In the past I have placed stop loss orders, when I bought stock, at about two points under my purchase price. If I bought a stock at 501 put in a stop loss order at 48. Very often the stock went down to 48 and I was sold out. I lost both in the price of the stock and in the commission and tax I had to pay when I bought and when I sold.

Then I had the unhappy experience of seeing my stock rise above 50 and keep on rising. If an investor followed the rule of placing a stop loss order a few points under the purchase price, he could hardly ever purchase a stock that jumps around like O'okiep Copper.

This stock jumps up and down two points during one trading session.

If a stock goes up say 10 points, you may place a stop loss order three or four points under the market. This still prevents a loss and you have already made a good profit in the stock. The strict trailing stop loss order may hurt you not only by getting you out of a rising stock on a minor decline, but the use of trailing stop loss orders by the general investing public damages the market. A slight drop in price of a stock can touch off a series of stop loss orders which lower the price of the stock needlessly.

The major value of having a stock market is the provision of a place in which to buy and a place in which to sell with little delay and at a price which can to a great extent be known in advance. For this reason stocks listed on the New York Stock Exchange and on the American Stock Exchange offer a great advantage to the investor. He knows where he stands by looking at the daily paper, and he has liquidity. He can get his money out of the stock in a matter of minutes.

With the Forex our money is just as liquid and we stand to make more money in a shorter space of time, and we can put a stop loss to protect our position.

Good software will help us predict future price movements in currencies and help us time our purchases and sales of currencies for maximum profit.

The importance of Forex trading signals

Why are Forex trading signals important? After you are happy with your 'demo' account, you will want to start trading. However, the truth is that you would not have trained yourself properly in Forex trading. These services are offered by either brokers or professional traders or some market analysts through desktop or pager alerts, emails and SMS. They may provide additional automated alerts also, it is important to look at any extra features provided. You have to pay either a quarterly or monthly fee depending on the broker you choose. These fee may vary from one Forex signal service provider to another, however, they would range anywhere between $50 and $250.

It is always better to subscribe to these Forex trading signals as you need not spend time in monitoring the market for entry and exit points. However, it is also essential to analyze the track record of the Forex trading signal provider before subscribing, to ensure that the majority of the time, they were right, and the track record is reliable.

One of the main advantages of using Forex trading signals is that you need not worry about analyzing the market. This is taken care of the Forex trading signal providers. They also tell you the entry and exit point by monitoring and analyzing the market.

As I said, this is a paid service and in general, they offer Forex signal services to leading currency pairs like EUR/USD, GBP/USD, and USD/JPY. For some providers, you may have to pay an additional fee to get signal services for other currencies or pairs that are not used often or in other words, rare. Few providers will also provide you with the charts that they use for taking these market decisions.

Even though, Forex trading signals help you in minimizing risks or losses in Forex trading, it is vital that you have self-confidence that you can do good trading and can gain profits. Never do trading when you feel insecure.

I would recommend subscribing to these Forex trading signal services at least till you have gained confidence in trading or if you do not have the time to monitor and analyze the market. It can help you develop your trading strategy as you observe how another, successful trader operates.

Happy trading!