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Beginner's guide to currency trading.

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Beginner's guide to currency trading.
Currency returns are outperforming equities, so how can newbies get a slice of the action?
UK overseas investors have been doing remarkably well out of Brexit. That's the findings of Natixis Global Asset Management's annual Global Portfolio Barometer, which has found that UK portfolios with significant non-sterling assets saw average performance of more than 13 per cent.
That far outstripped even US investors, who came second globally with average returns of 8.2 per cent.
Interestingly, though, a large part of that success was as a result of currency risk, with currency-related returns outperforming the underlying equity markets.
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Matthew Riley, head of research at the portfolio research and consulting group, says: "A substantial part of the explanation is currency risk which is no surprise since currency moves in 2016 were the highest since 2008 and had a large impact on the surveyed portfolios.
For example, he says, a UK investor with unhedged US equity exposure (in other words, without making compensating investments to counteract the risk) would have gained an extra 19 per cent return in 2016 due to the depreciation of the Pound versus the Dollar.
"For eurozone equities, this would have been around 16 per cent, and for Japanese equities this would have been 23 per cent. Currency impact was also seen in allocation funds, EM debt and high yield debt funds, which are often not hedged by advisers."
He adds: "In equities, these currency-related returns were more than the returns of the underlying equity markets. In fact, adding up all of the currency impact, we find that about 7 per cent of the return contribution to UK adviser portfolios, or 50 per cent of the total returns in 2016, came from currency risk."
One thing is clear, there's money to be made trading currencies. But for new entrants to the market face a bewildering array of options, platforms and terminology, so here's a rundown.
Who's trading?
A lot of people. Foreign exchange is most commonly known as Forex and Forex is the world's most traded market. According to CityIndex there's an average turnover in excess of US$5.3 trillion every single day. That's 4.24 trillion pounds at time of writing, although as will be seen that can change.
A lot of different people are trading, from large companies to part-time traders operating out of their bedrooms, something that only became possible with the proliferation of the internet.
What drives currency movements?
Most people already know that the values of currencies shift, that's why exchange rates change. And the changes in those rates are determined by multitude of traders buying currencies with other currencies and making judgements on what each is worth in relation to each other.
Prices can change at incredible speed in response to news and global events. Traders look at key factors, including political and economic stability, currency intervention, monetary policy and major events such as natural disasters.
How does it work?
When trading Forex, currencies come in pairs, for example, sterling/US dollar. The trader predicts how the exchange rate between the two currencies will change. So, if the trader believes that US dollars will strengthen against the pound then they buy dollars, which means they are also ditching their pounds.
If they are right then the value of their currency rises and they can sell for a profit. If their hunch was wrong then they lose.
For example, the GBP/USD rate shows the number of dollars one pound can buy. If a trader believes the pound will increase in value against the dollar then they use dollars to buy pounds. If the exchange rate rises then they can sell the pounds back for a profit.
One of the reasons Forex trading is so popular with hobbyist investors is that the markets are open pretty much 24 hours a day, following the different countries' time zones.
Will I make any money?
Forex is risky. It's so risky that many commentators have likened home traders to professional gamblers, arguing that the idea an individual can reliably predict the movements of currencies is nonsense.
There are an abundance of platforms and guides and books and investment tutorials that suggest it's possible to make a small fortune trading currencies. However, spend any time reading forums and there are hoards of bedroom Forex traders losing money day after day.
It can be very expensive to make currency transactions and individual traders usually don't have a large enough pot to make anything other than small gains.
It's essential that would-be traders don't invest money they can't afford to lose.
What next?
This whistle-stop tour of currency trading is not enough to equip a would-be investor with everything they need to know to stand a chance of making an actual return. It's a complex area and one that, even with extensive reading and knowledge, is full of risk.
There ae stockbrokers and financial advisers available to discuss standard investments and degrees of risk, but for individuals trading Forex it's largely self-taught and fraught with risk.
Before undertaking any kind of online trading, it's a good idea to spend time reading more and talking to other investors. Just be aware that any book, tutorial or guide that promises large returns is not being entirely honest about the level of risk involved.
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What is Forex Market All About?
The roots of forex that is foreign exchange market can be traced backed to the end of 1970's after many countries decided to unpeg their currency against dollar and gold. Forex or FX or Forex market became a decentralized hub for currency trading. Currencies are bought, sold and exchanged at the live forex rate. FX is the largest trading market in terms of volumes traded. More than hundred thousand of forex beginners and traders have chosen AAFX as their forex service providers and open their forex trading accounts.
Who are Forex Brokers?
Forex Broker or Traders, tries to predict the direction of specific currencies in which prices of currencies may shift whether the price will go up or down, and traders decide if it is a right time to buy or sell the currency. Furthermore, the basic rule is to buy a currency at a lower price and then sell it a higher price to gain profits sounds easy but it is not a piece of cake. It is high risk investment and there are many factors involved. All the factors has to be evaluated perfectly before reaching a decision. One can make profit either on currency deprecation or appreciation. One of the best features of Forex is that a trader can work from anywhere in the world. We are one of the best forex brokers in the market that will guide you in the whole process.
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Forex for beginners.
One of the best things about forex is that investors don't need to have a lot of capital to get started. They can begin their trade with few couple of dollars and predict the direction of the currencies. Furthermore, traders can trade at their own term which means that they can trade at any time or from anywhere in the world.
Forex market is open 5 days a week and traders can get their forex trading accounts and begin the trades. Moreover, there are many opportunities in the market and around 4 trillion dollars are traded each day. However, forex for beginners need to have proper strategies since if the price of one currency is depreciating there is another currency whose value will be increasing so there is always a chance to make profits.

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The Basics Of Currency Trading.
The investment markets can quickly take the money of investors who believe that trading is easy. Trading in any investment market is exceedingly difficult, but success first comes with education and practice. So, what is currency trading and is it right for you?
The currency market, or forex (FX), is the largest investment market in the world and continues to grow annually. On April 2010, the forex market reached $4 trillion in daily average turnover, an increase of 20 percent since 2007.
In comparison, there is only $25 billion of daily volume on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The market may be large, but until recently the volume came from professional traders, but as currency trading platforms have improved more retail traders have found forex to be suitable for their investment goals.
Key Takeaways.
Forex exchanges allow for 24-7 trading in currency pairs, making it the world's largest and most liquid asset market. While it is the largest market in the world, a relatively small number (
20) of currency pairs are responsible for the majority of volume and activity. Currencies are traded against one another as pairs (e.g. EUR/USD) and each pair is typically quoted in pips (percentage in points) out to four decimal places. Currency prices fluctuate based on the economic situation of the countries involved, geopolitical risk and instability, and trade & financial flows, among other factors.
How Does it Work?
Currency trading is a 24-hour market that is only closed from Friday evening to Sunday evening, but the 24-hour trading sessions are misleading. There are three sessions that include the European, Asian and United States trading sessions.
Although there is some overlap in the sessions, the main currencies in each market are traded mostly during those market hours. This means that certain currency pairs will have more volume during certain sessions. Traders who stay with pairs based on the dollar will find the most volume in the U.S. trading session.
Currency is traded in various sized lots. The micro-lot is 1,000 units of a currency. If your account is funded in U.S. dollars, a micro lot represents $1,000 of your base currency, the dollar. A mini lot is 10,000 units of your base currency and a standard lot is 100,000 units.
Top 5 Questions About Currency Trading Answered.
Pairs and Pips.
All currency trading is done in pairs. Unlike the stock market, where you can buy or sell a single stock, you have to buy one currency and sell another currency in the forex market. Next, nearly all currencies are priced out to the fourth decimal point. A pip or percentage in point is the smallest increment of trade. One pip typically equals 1/100 of 1 percent.
Retail or beginning traders often trade currency in micro lots, because one pip in a micro lot represents only a 10-cent move in the price. This makes losses easier to manage if a trade doesn't produce the intended results. In a mini lot, one pip equals $1 and that same one pip in a standard lot equals $10. Some currencies move as much as 100 pips or more in a single trading session making the potential losses to the small investor much more manageable by trading in micro or mini lots.
Far Fewer Products.
The majority of the volume in currency trading is confined to only 18 currency pairs compared to the thousands of stocks that are available in the global equity markets. Although there are other traded pairs outside of the 18, the eight currencies most often traded are the U.S. dollar (USD), Canadian dollar (CAD), euro (EUR), British pound (GBP), Swiss franc (CHF), New Zealand dollar (NZD), Australian dollar (AUD) and the Japanese yen (JPY). Although nobody would say that currency trading is easy, having far fewer trading options makes trade and portfolio management an easier task.
What Moves Currencies?
An increasing amount of stock traders are taking interest in the currency markets because many of the forces that move the stock market also move the currency market. One of the largest is supply and demand. When the world needs more dollars, the value of the dollar increases and when there are too many circulating, the price drops.
Other factors like interest rates, new economic data from the largest countries and geopolitical tensions, are just a few of the events that may affect currency prices.
The Bottom Line.
Much like anything in the investing market, learning about currency trading is easy but finding the winning trading strategies takes a lot of practice. Most forex brokers will allow you to open a free virtual account that allows you to trade with virtual money until you find strategies that will help you become a successful forex trader.

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Currency Trading.
The term "currency trading" can mean different things. If you want to learn about how to save time and money on foreign payments and currency transfers, visit XE Money Transfer.
These articles, on the other hand, discuss currency trading as buying and selling currency on the foreign exchange (or "Forex") market with the intent to make money, often called "speculative forex trading". XE does not offer speculative forex trading, nor do we recommend any firms that offer this service. These articles are provided for general information only.
How Forex Works.
The currency exchange rate is the rate at which one currency can be exchanged for another. It is always quoted in pairs like the EUR/USD (the Euro and the US Dollar). Exchange rates fluctuate based on economic factors like inflation, industrial production and geopolitical events. These factors will influence whether you buy or sell a currency pair.
Example of a Forex Trade:
Why Trade Currencies?
Forex is the world's largest market, with about 3.2 trillion US dollars in daily volume and 24-hour market action. Some key differences between Forex and Equities markets are:
Many firms don't charge commissions - you pay only the bid/ask spreads. There's 24 hour trading - you dictate when to trade and how to trade. You can trade on leverage, but this can magnify potential gains and losses. You can focus on picking from a few currencies rather than from 5000 stocks. Forex is accessible - you don't need a lot of money to get started.
Why Currency Trading Is Not For Everyone.
Trading foreign exchange on margin carries a high level of risk, and may not be suitable for everyone. Before deciding to trade foreign exchange you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite. Remember, you could sustain a loss of some or all of your initial investment, which means that you should not invest money that you cannot afford to lose. If you have any doubts, it is advisable to seek advice from an independent financial advisor.

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What is forex trading?
Forex trading, foreign exchange trading or currency trading is the buying and selling of currencies on the forex market with the aim of making a profit.
Forex is the world's most-traded financial market, with transactions worth trillions of dollars taking place every day.
What are the benefits?
Go long or short 24-hour trading High liquidity Regular opportunities Trade on leverage Wide range of FX pairs.
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Spot FX IG min. spread IG av. spread 2 DMA av. spread 3 EUR/USD 0.6 0.70 0.165 AUD/USD 0.6 0.76 0.295 USD/JPY 0.7 0.79 0.242 EUR/GBP 0.9 1.33 0.540 GBP/USD 0.9 1.52 0.589 EUR/JPY 1.5 1.61 0.678 USD/CHF 1.5 1.67 0.399.
Depending on your position, you may need to pay overnight funding.
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Forex Trading: A Beginner's Gu >
Forex is a portmanteau of foreign currency and exchange. Foreign exchange is the process of changing one currency into another currency for a variety of reasons, usually for commerce, trading, or tourism. According to a recent triennial report from the Bank for International Settlements (a global bank for national central banks), the average was more than $5.1 trillion in daily forex trading volume.
Key Takeaways.
The foreign exchange (also known as FX or forex) market is a global marketplace for exchanging national currencies against one another. Because of the worldwide reach of trade, commerce, and finance, forex markets tend to be the largest and most liquid asset markets in the world. Currencies trade against each other as exchange rate pairs, for instance EUR/USD. Forex markets exist as spot (cash) markets as well as derivatives markets offering forwards, futures, options, and currency swaps. Market participants use forex to hedge against international currency and interest rate risk, to speculate on geopolitical events, and to diversify portfolios, among several other reasons.
What Is the Forex Market?
The foreign exchange market is where currencies are traded. Currencies are important to most people around the world, whether they realize it or not, because currencies need to be exchanged in order to conduct foreign trade and business. If you are living in the U.S. and want to buy cheese from France, either you or the company that you buy the cheese from has to pay the French for the cheese in euros (EUR). This means that the U.S. importer would have to exchange the equivalent value of U.S. dollars (USD) into euros. The same goes for traveling. A French tourist in Egypt can't pay in euros to see the pyramids because it's not the locally accepted currency. As such, the tourist has to exchange the euros for the local currency, in this case the Egyptian pound, at the current exchange rate.
One unique aspect of this international market is that there is no central marketplace for foreign exchange. Rather, currency trading is conducted electronically over-the-counter (OTC), which means that all transactions occur via computer networks between traders around the world, rather than on one centralized exchange. The market is open 24 hours a day, five and a half days a week, and currencies are traded worldwide in the major financial centers of London, New York, Tokyo, Zurich, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Singapore, Paris and Sydney--across almost every time zone. This means that when the trading day in the U.S. ends, the forex market begins anew in Tokyo and Hong Kong. As such, the forex market can be extremely active any time of the day, with price quotes changing constantly.
A Brief History of Forex.
Unlike stock markets, which can trace their roots back centuries, the forex market as we understand it today is a truly new market. Of course, in its most basic sense - that of people converting one currency to another for financial advantage - forex has been around since nations began minting currencies. But the modern forex markets are a modern invention. After the accord at Bretton Woods in 1971, more major currencies were allowed to float freely against one another. The values of individual currencies vary, which has given rise to the need for foreign exchange services and trading.
Commercial and investment banks conduct most of the trading in the forex markets on behalf of their clients, but there are also speculative opportunities for trading one currency against another for professional and individual investors.
Spot Market and the Forwards & Futures Markets.
There are actually three ways that institutions, corporations and individuals trade forex: the spot market, the forwards market and the futures market. The forex trading in the spot market always has been the largest market because it is the "underlying" real asset that the forwards and futures markets are based on. In the past, the futures market was the most popular venue for traders because it was available to individual investors for a longer period of time. However, with the advent of electronic trading and numerous forex brokers, the spot market has witnessed a huge surge in activity and now surpasses the futures market as the preferred trading market for individual investors and speculators. When people refer to the forex market, they usually are referring to the spot market. The forwards and futures markets tend to be more popular with companies that need to hedge their foreign exchange risks out to a specific date in the future.
More specifically, the spot market is where currencies are bought and sold according to the current price. That price, determined by supply and demand, is a reflection of many things, including current interest rates, economic performance, sentiment towards ongoing political situations (both locally and internationally), as well as the perception of the future performance of one currency against another. When a deal is finalized, this is known as a "spot deal". It is a bilateral transaction by which one party delivers an agreed-upon currency amount to the counter party and receives a specified amount of another currency at the agreed-upon exchange rate value. After a position is closed, the settlement is in cash. Although the spot market is commonly known as one that deals with transactions in the present (rather than the future), these trades actually take two days for settlement.
Unlike the spot market, the forwards and futures markets do not trade actual currencies. Instead they deal in contracts that represent claims to a certain currency type, a specific price per unit and a future date for settlement.
In the forwards market, contracts are bought and sold OTC between two parties, who determine the terms of the agreement between themselves.
In the futures market, futures contracts are bought and sold based upon a standard size and settlement date on public commodities markets, such as the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. In the U.S., the National Futures Association regulates the futures market. Futures contracts have specific details, including the number of units being traded, delivery and settlement dates, and minimum price increments that cannot be customized. The exchange acts as a counterpart to the trader, providing clearance and settlement.
Both types of contracts are binding and are typically settled for cash for the exchange in question upon expiry, although contracts can also be bought and sold before they expire. The forwards and futures markets can offer protection against risk when trading currencies. Usually, big international corporations use these markets in order to hedge against future exchange rate fluctuations, but speculators take part in these markets as well.
Note that you'll see the terms: FX, forex, foreign-exchange market and currency market. These terms are synonymous and all refer to the forex market.
Forex for Hedging.
Companies doing business in foreign countries are at risk due to fluctuations in currency values when they buy or sell goods and services outside of their domestic market. Foreign exchange markets provide a way to hedge currency risk by fixing a rate at which the transaction will be completed.
To accomplish this, a trader can buy or sell currencies in the forward or swap markets in advance, which locks in an exchange rate. For example, imagine that a company plans to sell U.S.-made blenders in Europe when the exchange rate between the euro and the dollar (EUR/USD) is €1 to $1 at parity.
The blender costs $100 to manufacture, and the U.S. firm plans to sell it for €150--which is competitive with other blenders that were made in Europe. If this plan is successful, the company will make $50 in profit because the EUR/USD exchange rate is even. Unfortunately, the USD begins to rise in value versus the euro until the EUR/USD exchange rate is .80, which means it now costs $0.80 to buy €1.00.
The problem the company faces is that it, while it still costs $100 to make the blender, the company can only sell the product at the competitive price of €150, which when translated back into dollars is only $120 (€150 X .80 = $120). A stronger dollar resulted in a much smaller profit than expected.
The blender company could have reduced this risk by shorting the euro and buying the USD when they were at parity. That way, if the dollar rose in value, the profits from the trade would offset the reduced profit from the sale of blenders. If the USD fell in value, the more favorable exchange rate will increase the profit from the sale of blenders, which offsets the losses in the trade.
Hedging of this kind can be done in the currency futures market. The advantage for the trader is that futures contracts are standardized and cleared by a central authority. However, currency futures may be less liquid than the forward markets, which are decentralized and exist within the interbank system throughout the world.
Forex for Speculation.
Factors like interest rates, trade flows, tourism, economic strength and geopolitical risk affect supply and demand for currencies, which creates daily volatility in the forex markets. An opportunity exists to profit from changes that may increase or reduce one currency's value compared to another. A forecast that one currency will weaken is essentially the same as assuming that the other currency in the pair will strengthen because currencies are traded as pairs.
Imagine a trader who expects interest rates to rise in the U.S. compared to Australia while the exchange rate between the two currencies (AUD/USD) is .71 (it takes $.71 USD to buy $1.00 AUD). The trader believes higher interest rates in the U.S. will increase demand for USD, and therefore the AUD/USD exchange rate will fall because it will require fewer, stronger USD to buy an AUD.
Assume that the trader is correct and interest rates rise, which decreases the AUD/USD exchange rate to .50. This means that it requires $.50 USD to buy $1.00 AUD. If the investor had shorted the AUD and went long the USD, he or she would have profited from the change in value.
Currency as an Asset Class.
There are two distinct features to currencies as an asset class:
You can earn the interest rate differential between two currencies. You can profit from changes in the exchange rate.
An investor can profit from the difference between two interest rates in two different economies by buying the currency with the higher interest rate and shorting the currency with the lower interest rate. Prior to the 2008 financial crisis, it was very common to short the Japanese yen (JPY) and buy British pounds (GBP) because the interest rate differential was very large. This strategy is sometimes referred to as a "carry trade."
Why We Can Trade Currencies.
Currency trading was very difficult for individual investors prior to the internet. Most currency traders were large multinational corporations, hedge funds or high-net-worth individuals because forex trading required a lot of capital. With help from the internet, a retail market aimed at individual traders has emerged, providing easy access to the foreign exchange markets, either through the banks themselves or brokers making a secondary market. Most online brokers or dealers offer very high leverage to individual traders who can control a large trade with a small account balance.
Forex Trading: A Beginner's Guide.
Forex Trading Risks.
Trading currencies can be risky and complex. The interbank market has varying degrees of regulation, and forex instruments are not standardized. In some parts of the world, forex trading is almost completely unregulated.
The interbank market is made up of banks trading with each other around the world. The banks themselves have to determine and accept sovereign risk and credit risk, and they have established internal processes to keep themselves as safe as possible. Regulations like this are industry imposed for the protection of each participating bank.
Since the market is made by each of the participating banks providing offers and bids for a particular currency, the market pricing mechanism is based on supply and demand. Because there are such large trade flows within the system, it is difficult for rogue traders to influence the price of a currency. This system helps create transparency in the market for investors with access to interbank dealing.
Most small retail traders trade with relatively small and semi-unregulated forex brokers/dealers, which can (and sometimes do) re-quote prices and even trade against their own customers. Depending on where the dealer exists, there may be some government and industry regulation, but those safeguards are inconsistent around the globe.
Most retail investors should spend time investigating a forex dealer to find out whether it is regulated in the U.S. or the U.K. (dealers in the U.S. and U.K. have more oversight) or in a country with lax rules and oversight. It is also a good idea to find out what kind of account protections are available in case of a market crisis, or if a dealer becomes insolvent.
Pros and Challenges of Trading Forex.
Pro : The forex markets are the largest in terms of daily trading volume in the world and therefore offer the most liquidity. This makes it easy to enter and exit a position in any of the major currencies within a fraction of a second for a small spread in most market conditions.
Challenge : Banks, brokers and dealers in the forex markets allow a high amount of leverage, which means that traders can control large positions with relatively little money of their own. Leverage in the range of 100:1 is a high ratio but not uncommon in forex. A trader must understand the use of leverage and the risks that leverage introduces in an account. Extreme amounts of leverage have led to many dealers becoming insolvent unexpectedly.
Pro : The forex market is traded 24 hours a day, five days a week--starting each day in Australia and ending in New York. The major centers are Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Frankfurt, Paris, London and New York.
Challenge : Trading currencies productively requires an understanding of economic fundamentals and indicators. A currency trader needs to have a big-picture understanding of the economies of the various countries and their inter-connectedness to grasp the fundamentals that drive currency values.
The Bottom Line.
For traders--especially those with limited funds--day trading or swing trading in small amounts is easier in the forex market than other markets. For those with longer-term horizons and larger funds, long-term fundamentals-based trading or a carry trade can be profitable. A focus on understanding the macroeconomic fundamentals driving currency values and experience with technical analysis will help new forex traders to become more profitable. (For related reading, see "Benefits & Risks of Trading Forex with Bitcoin")
One of the underlying tenets of technical analysis is that historical price action predicts future price action. Since the forex market is a 24-hour market, there tends to be a large amount of data that can be used to gauge future price movements. This makes it the perfect market for traders that use technical tools.