How to Trade Forex? It's a Piece of Cake!

By Steve Maenshel

How to trade Forex? Trading Forex is a snap. It might be hard to believe, but Forex trades merely consist of selecting one of the currency pairs, selecting the amount of the base currency, and defining whether you would like to buy or to sell at that time. Once you have placed your first order, you will merely have to wait for a time to exit your transaction at a profit. How to trade Forex profitably? Learn the main rules of Forex trading.

Demo Account Trading

Trading with a demo account is definitely one of the easiest ways to learn how to trade Forex. A Demo account will safeguard you from incurring any real losses while making mistakes at the time of your trading. At first, you will most likely often make mistakes when selecting the time of entering and exiting the trades, such as you may be too late or too early. Mistakes that you make while trading on a demo account will not cost you a dime. However, if you skip this essential step, you may join the 90% of failing Forex traders.

Currency Pairs in Forex Trades

Currency pairs represent two currencies paired together against one another. Which currency pair to choose from the multitude of currency pairs? Its probably a good idea to start with the most traded currency, which is nowadays USD/EUR. Try to first understand the traits, which are unique, particularly for this currency pair. How does this currency fluctuate? What may be the reasons of the fluctuations? Which currency in this pair seems to be going up and which seems to be going down, and why? Every currency pair has different reasons for fluctuations. It is better to learn one currency pair before advancing to the next one. Study the currencies and currency pairs, and you will be well on the way to learning how to trade Forex.

Currency Quotes

Forex trades are always based on currency quotes. Currency quotes are two-sided, consisting of the bid price from one side and the ask price from the other side. Bid represents the selling price of the base currency, when concurrently buying the counter one. Ask represents the purchasing price of the base currency, when concurrently selling the counter one. Good grasp of currency quotes is essential for learning how to trade Forex.

First currency in the quote is the base currency, and second currency is the counter currency (also called quote currency or terms currency). In the example of the USD/EUR currency pair, USD is the base currency and EUR is the counter currency. The value of the base currency is always 1. The value of the counter currency is calculated against the base currency, i.e., 1 USD = 0.7422 EUR. Prices in the terms of quotes are expressed through pips, which are usually the 4th decimal point. Once you understand the currency pairs, you will be well on your way in the process of learning how to trade Forex.

Understanding Leverage and Margins

Leverage allows you to trade with not much of your own money. It's very pleasant to realize that you can trade with a lot more money than what you really have. Imagine the possible profits? It's breath-taking, isn't it? Well, now turn your imagination on and try to imagine the possible losses. It's spine-chilling, isn't it? Many dealers advertise margins with up to 100:1 leverage. What does it mean? It means that if you are trading with many lots and the market goes against you in most of the lots, your losses will be horrific. Do not just learn how to trade Forex, do so without incurring losses.

No matter what dealers may say, they often do not care much about the outcome of your trades. Dealers are similar to banks, which are willing to provide you with a loan, and they do not care much if you will lose your property for example. You will still have to pay back the loan, as well as the interest to the bank. You should try to never trade on a margin since the outcome may be frightening. You should consider trading on a margin only after you gain sufficient knowledge of how to trade Forex.

It's very easy to learn how to trade Forex. However, how to trade Forex with a profit? Allow enough time to train on a demo account before proceeding to real-life trading. - 23200

About the Author:

About the author: Steve Maenshel can you help you navigate how to trade the forex markets. For more forex trading information, visit his forex resource center.

Forex Practice Trading (Part I)

By Ahmad Hassam

Almost every forex broker offers a free practice account to new clients. This is used as a marketing gimmick by most of the brokers in order to entice new people to forex trading. All you need to do is to sign up with any good forex broker. The best way for new traders to get a handle on what currency trading is all about is to open a practice account.

Practice accounts are funded with virtual money. So you are able to make trades with no real money at stake and gain experience in how margin trading works. Practice accounts give you the great chance to experience the forex market. You can see how the price changes at different times of the day.

Without any fear of losing money, you can trade your practice account with real market conditions. Practice trading will teach you how various currency pairs may differ from each other? It will also teach you how the forex market reacts to new information when major news and economic data is released.

You will also learn using different market orders. How to manage an open position? Improve your understanding of how margin trading and leverage works and start analyzing charts and following technical indicators. You can experiment with different trading strategies and see how they work out in the real market conditions with any fear of losing your money.

You can test drive almost all the features and functionality of a brokers platform on your practice account. However, one thing you will never be able to simulate on your practice account is the emotions involved in trading. Controlling emotions is important in order to become a successful trader. Emotions will only come into play once you put your real money on the line. Practice accounts are a great way to experience real forex markets first hand.

You can trade the current price of the market using the click and deal feature of your brokers platform. You can also use market orders like the limit orders or the one cancels the other orders. There are many ways to pull the trigger in the forex market. Pulling the trigger means how to enter or exit a position.

Many traders dont want to leave an order that may or may not get executed. Most like the idea of opening a position by trading at the market. Most prefer the certainty of knowing that they are in the market.

Just specify the amount that you want to trade. Click on the buy or sell button to execute the trade. The forex trading platform responds back within a second or two with a pop-up message either confirming or not confirming that the position was opened. Most forex brokers provide live streaming prices that you can deal on with a simple click of your computer mouse.

You must know that attempts to trade at the market can sometimes fail in very fast moving markets. Currency markets can suddenly become highly volatile. This happens when prices are adjusting quickly like after a data release or break of a key technical level or price point. - 23200

About the Author:

Mr. Ahmad Hassam has done Masters from Harvard University. He is interested in day trading stocks and currencies. First Trade Your Forex Demo Account. Learn Forex Trading!

Trading System - Are you A System Trader?

By Maclin Vestor

A trading system is a methodology of trading. An investor who uses one system and follows a specific set of guidelines when making a decision, follows system trading, and will usually never deviate. A trading system is only one method of trading, and usual requires no thinking. It is possible to have one system that is governed by multiple system.

For example, to have 10 different systems, and select only one stock from each system every month according to the main system's qualifications.

Someone that uses several Trading Systems is a multiple system trader. They have to either have an overall system that encompasses all of them, or make their own decision on which to follow. Doing so can be dangerous, as the purpose of system is to prevent human error. It is advised to be a system trader who trades one system at a time, or trade multiple systems within a larger core system, and avoid being a multiple systems trader.

Trading System - Trading can be awfully hectic without some kind of methodology. You can't expect to take on the best traders in the world who have teams and resources at their disposal just by throwing around money at will hoping that it works. You need an actually defined system in order to be able to trade effectively.

Many successful systems are based on earnings and high potential for growth. Stockbee's trading system often swings for the fences. As a result, it requires a solid degree of protection. Obviously you shouldn't limit yourself to someone else's system, you need to find one that is right for you.

There are two kinds of traders, technical traders, and fundamental traders, each has their own system. Of course there are some who use both.

Technical traders

Some system traders, are day traders. Others are swing traders. Still other people are more of a trend trader. Each will have it's unique system. The system will be based on the technicals. Is it volume that triggers the buy? Is it price movement? A combination of both? Or perhaps it's pattern trading.

Some people even have trading machines or robots that do the work for them. Others rely on pattern recognition done by a system. The method is to sign up for email alerts, or some form of alerts, then make a purchase based on the software's recommendation. There are some people that screen down a stock based on strong fundamentals, and only trade those stocks, but trade them based on the technical chart patterns and volume.

They will sell based on a trend break, or rules on when to take gains such as 20% gain according to their system. They will set a stop loss based on their system as well. It might be 4%, or 8%, or it may be a trailing stop.

Fundamental traders

Fundamental traders might do things a little differently. They are looking for improving fundamentals, or stocks that pass through a certain screener. Zacks.com is a great resource if you want to rely on fundamentals. Earnings is always a big part of a system, and the Zacks' ranking uses earnings revision to get in early when the earnings and company internals appear to be improving. Zacks' has several screens, and their software allows you to screen stocks according to many different options.

Regardless of your trading system, one thing remains important in every single system. Money Management and loss protection.

It doesn't matter what the upside is or win rate is, if you can't protect yourself from major declines, you shouldn't be trading. I don't care if your system is 90% effective (no system is and if they say they are, they're lying), and if the gain is 1,000%. If you put all your money on it repeatedly, eventually you will suffer a loss so catastrophic you will never be able to recover without borrowing money. By taking one loss, you hinder your ability to make money. That is more costly then the potential for greater gains that you would gain by taking additional risk.

Just to illustrate if your system causes you to take a 95% loss, you need a 2000% return just to make up for that loss. You cannot trade like this. No system is better then it's weakest link. That weak link unfortunately for many people is the ability to manage money. Fortunately, it is a skill that can be learned, and doing so will make you a better trader. Better yet, if you do not wish to be a better trader, you can simply follow the rules of a system that contains a methodology on how to manage money and how much to invest before placing a trade.

I recommend that you either have a trailing stop or a hard stop. You can also buy a protective put if you are afraid of a stock bottoming out overnight and plummeting through the stop. Protective puts are like owning insurance. Unfortunately, you have to continue to buy the insurance as it eventually expires if you don't use it. Don't trade options without learning everything about them.

Some puts are not good for some strategies. Longer term trades and Investments will require long-term equity anticipation securities, or LEAPs, where as you may not need to risk as much capital for short term protective puts. A trailing stop should be usually 20%, where a hard stop should be more like 7%. Different systems will require different stops so take this with a grain of salt.

A good investor or trader actually will rarely need to ever be fully invested. There are people that trade on complete margin for a few times the entire year, and the rest of the year they're on the sideline, but generally the best traders that have a career that lasts have lots of money on the side, even more so if they use options and are unhedged. If you are unhedged, that is only playing one side of the market, (all buys, or only playing one theme such as only playing inflation or only playing deflation), you need to have even more cash on the side.

The lower the win rate, the more money on the side you need, and the smaller your positions should be. Any good system won't require you to analyze. Having to do a lot of the thinking can cause you to panic and make incorrect decisions. Most people aren't cut out for that, and that's why it is a smart thing for many to use a trading system.

If you trade within a system, you have a much better chance at placing winning trades. A trading system will have a solid record of success, evidence that it works and has been working, an understanding of the decline and proper money management planning. If you trade within a system, you can estimate your results, and by doing so attain measurable success consistently with a trading system. - 23200

About the Author:

Maclin Vestor teaches about a few examples of an online trading system and teaches you to find an options trading system that works for you.

Learn Forex Trading-Get Ahead Early

By Zita Von Snyder

When swimming with sharks, you need to keep your teeth sharp, learn forex trading and swim with the best of them. To learn forex trading you need to have an understanding of the current market trends, know which currency you are trading, know what triggers change in that currency as well as having a good trading strategy. You can have an edge in forex trading by being prepared, minimizing your risks, and investing the time and research to learn forex trading.

To learn forex trading, you should consider a forex trading course. There are a couple of benefits to learning forex trading with a forex course:

Why do you need a forex trading course? To really learn forex you need to understand charting, forex terminology, and some of the common processes pertaining to forex trading. A forex trading course will provide all of this and more so you can learn forex.

The world of forex demands discipline, the ability to move quickly and the knowledge of the risks involved. To learn forex you need to learn to manage the stress and emotions that can come along with forex trading. A good forex trading course teaches these principles.

A good forex trading course should include the following features so you can best learn forex trading:

*Forex Trading Basics- This should include the basic language used when trading forex. It should give good definitions as well as offer some discussion on terms like how to leverage a trade, charts and how to use indicators to analyze them, margins, and order types to use when you learn forex trading.

*How to analyze Forex Charts- learn forex charting and you will increase your profits while minimizing the risks involved in forex trading. It is important the forex trading course include both fundamental and technical analysis.

*Values of Forex Trading- Discipline and commitment are invaluable to a good forex trader. These theories should be discussed in length in a good forex trading course. If you learn to control the emotion, you can learn forex trading successfully.

Learn forex trading with the help of a trading course that offers simulated trading boards or rooms or even real time trading gives you invaluable experience. As a student being able to discuss what you have learned, your trading strategy, or views on the latest indicators will keep you ahead of the pack in the forex market.

So getting ahead of the game if you want to learn forex can be achieved! Whether you decide to invest in a forex trading course or not, research and knowledge are what can give you the edge in the worlds largest financial market. Invest the time, learn the language, study both technical and fundamental analysis, manage both your emotions and your risks and you can learn forex trading. - 23200

About the Author:

Zita Von Snyder, a forex trader and financial advisor for many years, has shared some beneficial hints to Learn Forex Trading. Zita offers tips on finding a good Forex Trading Course as well as the benefits it provides.

What Happens When Companies Get Listed On the NASDAQ

By Sam Nielson

Out of the thousands of questions I've been asked over the years, one question keeps coming up that pisses me off. A bright eye'd newbie trader wants to know what will happen to his OTCBB stock if it gets uplisted to a major exchange like the NASDAQ.

Unless some special arrangement has been made, and you will know this from your brokerage firm, your stock will automatically transition to the Nasdaq.

This scenario is called a jumper. There is a good chance that your stock shares will gain in value because it opens your stock up to a whole new set of investors who only trade on major exchanges.

If any change in the ticker symbol takes place, your brokerage firm (i.e. ETrade, Scottrade, etc.) will contact you via your trading console and/or by regular mail.

But let's be straight here. You are an idiot if you are buying OTCBB stocks hoping they will uplist to a major exchange.

Slick con artists and their publishing companies will try and sell you on some alert service that supposedly has a guaranteed track record at picking jumpers but they are lying. Every last one of them.

In the thousands of traders I've known over the years, not one of them made money at picking jumpers.

Time for another dose of reality. Drink up. It doesn't cost that much more for a listing on a major exchange as it does on the OTCBB. If the company was such a good company, selling such a hot product, that had this great potential to jump from the OTC to the Nasdaq, then why didn't they just list on the Nasdaq in the first place? Hmmmmm? The main different between the two listings is not money, but the additional reporting requirements. Companies that list on the OTCBB don't want to disclose to investors what's really going on behind the PRs and they sure as hell don't want to provide this information on anything remotely close to a timely and regular basis.

That's the anti-moron truth. The main reason for a company to list on the OTC and not the NASDAQ in the first place is that they do not want to meet the stricter reporting requirements of a major exchange. They do not want investors looking at their financial statements. They do not want investors to know what is really going on.

The only exchange fraught with more danger than the OTCBB is the pink sheets. But still, the OTCBB has thousands of fraudulent companies listed on it that will be delisted within a year and the CEO brought up on fraud charges by the SEC. Over many years, investing in the OTCBB because you want to bag a jumper stock will make you go broke. I should know, it happened to me. Yes, I'm a former jumper stock investor. As the saying goes, he who has grabbed a bull by the tail knows twice as much as he who never has. Don't go grab the bull by the tail. Learn from my painful experience.

Plus, think about this. The primary reason for investing in OTCBB was to get stocks cheap. Now that we are at a market bottom, many good companies listed on the major exchanges are at crazy OTCBB prices! Plus there's a lot less risk because stocks on the major exchanges have stricter disclosure and reporting laws they must follow than stocks listed on the OTCBB. So what is the advantage to the OTCBB at this present time? None. - 23200

About the Author:

Written By Sam Nielson. To discover more million dollar trader articles go to what happens to my stock when it goes from otc to nasdaq