Forex Market Trading learn online
Introduction to the Forex Market

The Foreign Exchange market, also referred to as the "Forex" or "FX" market is the largest financial market in the world, with a daily average turnover of US$1.9 trillion.

"Foreign Exchange" is the simultaneous buying of one currency and selling of another. Currencies are traded in pairs, for example Euro/US Dollar (EUR/USD) or US Dollar/Japanese Yen (USD/JPY).

EURUSD has now fallen over 4.5% in the 2 weeks since the surprise non-farm payrolls, and the exit of USD short positions in the market now looks less like a temporary correction and more like a trend reversal with every passing day.  Despite still being in the sweet spot of low US rates against a backdrop of improving global data, the truth is that US data has just been a little bit too good…

There are two reasons to buy and sell currencies. About 5% of daily turnover is from companies and governments that buy or sell products and services in a foreign country or must convert profits made in foreign currencies into their domestic currency. The other 95% is trading for profit, or speculation.

For speculators, we believe the best trading opportunities are with the most commonly traded (and therefore most liquid) currencies, called "the Majors." Today, more than 85% of all daily transactions involve trading of the Majors, which include the US Dollar, Japanese Yen, Euro, British Pound, Swiss Franc, Canadian Dollar and Australian Dollar.

A true 24-hour market from Sunday 5:00 PM ET to Friday 5:00PM ET, Forex trading begins each day in Sydney, and moves around the globe as the business day begins in each financial center, first to Tokyo, London, and New York. Unlike any other financial market, investors can respond to currency fluctuations caused by economic, social and political events at the time they occur - day or night.

The FX market is considered an Over The Counter (OTC) or 'interbank/interdealer' market, due to the fact that transactions are conducted between two counterparts over the telephone or via an electronic network. Trading is not centralized on an exchange, as with the stock and futures marke
The Benefits of Forex Trading

No Short Selling Restrictions

Forex trading always involves buying one currency and selling another, so traders can easily trade in a rising or falling market. There is no Zero Uptick rule or any other restriction against shorting a currency.

At $1.9 Trillion Per Day, Forex is the Most Traded Market in the World
The sheer volume of Forex helps to facilitates price stability in most market conditions. What's more, almost 90% of all currency transactions involve the 7 major currency pairs.
Trade on Your Schedule; Respond to Changes in the Market
Forex is a true 24-hour market, open continuously from 5:00pm ET on Sunday to 5:00 pm on Friday. With three distinct trading sessions in the US, Europe and Asia, you can trade on your own schedule and respond to breaking news
Forex trading examples

Example 1:

An investor has a margin deposit with Saxo Bank of USD 100,000.

The investor expects the US dollar to rise against the Swiss franc and therefore decides to buy USD 2,000,000 - 2% of his maximum possible exposure at a 1% margin Forex gearing.

The Saxo Bank dealer quotes him 1.5515-20. The investor buys USD at 1.5520.

Day 1: Buy USD 2,000,000 vs CHF 1.5520 = Sell CHF 3,104,000.

Four days later, the dollar has actually risen to CHF 1.5745 and the investor decides to take his profit.

Upon his request, the Saxo Bank dealer quotes him 1.5745-50. The investor sells at 1.5745.

Day 5: Sell USD 2,000,000 vs CHF 1.5745 = Buy CHF 3,149,000.

As the dollar side of the transaction involves a credit and a debit of USD 2,000,000, the investor's USD account will show no change. The CHF account will show a debit of CHF 3,104,000 and a credit of CHF 3,149,000. Due to the simplicity of the example and the short time horizon of the trade, we have disregarded the interest rate swap that would marginally alter the profit calculation.

This results in a profit of CHF 45,000 = approx. USD 28,600 = 28.6% profit on the deposit of USD 100,000.

Example 2 :

The investor follows the cross rate between the EUR o and the Japanese yen. He believes that this market is headed for a fall. As he is not quite confident of this trade, he uses less of the leverage available on his deposit. He chooses to ask the dealer for a quote in EUR 1,000,000. This requires a margin of EUR 1,000,000 x 5% = EUR 10,000 = approx. USD 52,500 (EUR /USD 1.05).

The dealer quotes 112.05-10. The investor sells EUR at 112.05.

Day 1: Sell EUR 1,000,000 vs JPY 112.05 = Buy JPY 112,050,000.

He protects his position with a stop-loss order to buy back the EUR o at 112.60. Two days later, this stop is triggered as the EUR o strengthens short term in spite of the investor's expectations.

Day 3: Buy EUR 1,000,000 vs JPY 112.60 = Sell JPY 112,600,000.

The EUR side involves a credit and a debit of EUR 1,000,000. Therefore, the EUR account shows no change. The JPY account is credited JPY 112.05m and debited JPY 112.6m for a loss of JPY 0.55m. Due to the simplicity of the example and the short time horizon of the trade, we have disregarded the interest rate swap that would marginally alter the loss calculation.

This results in a loss of JPY 0.55m = approx.USD 5,300 (USD/JPY 105) = 5.3% loss on the original deposit of USD 100,000.

Example 3

The investor believes the Canadian dollar will strengthen against the US dollar. It is a long term view, so he takes a small position to allow for wider swings in the rate:

He asks Saxo Bank for a quote in USD 1,000,000 against the Canadian dollar. The dealer quotes 1.5390-95 and the investors sells USD at 1.5390. Selling USD is the equivalent of buying the Canadian dollar.

Day 1: Sell USD 1,000,000 vs CAD 1.5390. He swaps the position out for two months receiving a forward rate of CAD 1.5357 = Buy CAD 1,535,700 for Day 61 due to the interest rate differential.

After a month, the desired move has occurred. The investor buys back the US dollars at 1.4880. He has to swap the position forward for a month to match the original sale. The forward rate is agreed at 1.4865.

Day 31: Buy USD 1,000,000 vs CAD 1.4865 = Sell CAD 1,486,500 for Day 61.

Day 61: The two trades are settled and the trades go off the books. The profit secured on Day 31 can be used for margin purposes before Day 61.

The USD account receives a credit and debit of USD 1,000,000 and shows no change on the account. The CAD account is credited CAD 1,535,700 and debited CAD 1,486,500 for a profit of CAD 49,200 = approx. USD 33,100 = profit of 33.1% on the original deposit of USD 100,000.
The first and most important step you will take as a Forex trader is choosing a broker. Forex brokers come in all different styles, types and qualities. Some are very user friendly, with easy to use platforms, instant, hassle free execution and excellent customer service, while others will take your initial in the blink of an eye. Its so important to choose the right broker because you want to be able to focus on trading and let the broker handle the all the other aspects of Forex.
These 5 things to look for will help you find the best Forex broker, the one thats right for you.

Choosing The Right Forex Broker

1.) Minimum Deposits
As an expert trader, the first thing I look for in a broker is always the minimum deposit. Those offering mini accounts, with a minimum deposit of $25, are generally great for more inexperience, possibly new traders. Those which offer higher minimum deposits are generally geared from more professional, experienced traders who are ready to risk more money trading currencies. While this isnt an indication of whether or not its a quality broker, it surely tells you the type youre dealing with.
As a newer trader, a mini account with a small initial deposit is a great choice. If youre an expert trader, choosing a broker with an advanced platform geared towards experienced traders may be the best option.

2.) Customer Reviews
Independent reviews and testimonys are very important because they show you the types of experiences real people have had with a specific brokerage. When looking for reviews, remember that people are more likely to post if their experience has been negative and reviews on a brokers own website will always be positive, so I wouldnt even take those into account as they are usually biased.

3.) 24/7 Customer Service
Customer care is extremely important to me! If youre having trouble with execution, using the platform or making deposits & withdrawals, it really helps to have understanding, knowledgeable & caring customer service agents on your site 24 hours a day. Talking to a real person about a question or problem is so much easier and more convenient than reading an FAQ page. You deserve a broker with 24/7 service, after all, its your money!

4.) Other Services Offered
Check for market news feeds, commodity trading or other currency pairs besides the majors that are offered by all brokers. These types of services may not seem like a big deal now, but once youre making money and gaining experience, you may be interested in them later.
Its also important to note that a broker which offers more services generally has more financial backup, meaning the chances of it going under with your money are very small.

5.) Trying A Demo Account
Always trade on a demo account before choosing a broker. A demo will let you try the platform, test the execution, customer service and news feeds which are all vital parts of your trading experience. Demo account should be free and you can try as many as you like before actually making a deposit