Jan 31
How To Get Started In Forex Trading
How To Get Started In Forex Trading
You may have been hearing about the foreign exchange market (FOREX) and the investment advantages it offers. You would like to try it out, but don’t know where to start. This short guide will give you the basics in FOREX and tell you what you need to participate in this fast growing field.
Foreign exchange used to be limited to large players such as national banks and multi-national corporations. In the 1980’s the rules were revised to allow smaller investors to participate using margin accounts. Margin accounts are the reason why FOREX trading has become so popular. With a 100:1 margin account, you can control $100,000 with a $1,000 investment.
FOREX is not simple, however, and education is needed to make wise investment decisions. Although it is relatively easy to start trading on the FOREX, there are risks involved, so finding out as much as possible about the market is a good move for any beginner.
FOREX traders usually require a broker to handle transactions. Most brokers are reputable and are associated with large financial institutions such as banks. A reputable broker will be registered as a Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) as protection against fraud and abusive trade practices.
Opening a FOREX account is as simple as filling out a form and providing the necessary ID. The form will include a margin agreement that states that the broker can interfere with any trade it deems to be too risky. This is to protect the interests of the broker ? most trades, after all, are done using the broker’s money. Once your account has been established, you can fund it and begin trading.
Many brokers have different types of accounts to suit the needs of individual investors. Mini accounts allow you to get involved in FOREX trading for as little as $250, while standard accounts may have a minimum deposit of $1000 to $2500 depending on the broker. The amount of leverage ? using borrowed money ? varies with accounts. High leverage gives you more money to trade for a given investment.
HOWEVER ? beginner traders are advised get accustomed to FOREX by doing paper trades for a period of time. Paper trades are practice transactions that don’t involve real capital. They allow you to see how the system works while learning how to use the various software tools that are at provided by most FOREX brokers.
Most online brokers have demo accounts that allow you to make free paper trades for up to 30 days. Every new FOREX investor is strongly advised to use these demo accounts at least until they are showing consistently steady profits.
Each broker has their own set of software tools to aid in making transactions, but there are a few tools that are common to all FOREX brokers. Real time quotes, news feeds, technical analyses and charts, and profit and loss analyses are some of the features you should expect to see on most online brokers’ web sites.
Almost every broker operates on the Internet. To access their online services you should have a reasonably modern computer, a fast Internet connection, and an up-to-date operating system such as Windows XP. Once your account is set up, you can access it from any computer ? just enter your account name and password. If for some reason you are not able get access to a computer, most brokers will allow you to make trades over the phone.
Trades are commission free, meaning that you can make many trades in one day without worrying about incurring high brokerage fees. Brokers make their money on the ’spread’ ? the difference between bid and ask prices.
This article provided courtesy of <a href="http://www.day-trader-futures.com" target="_blank">http://www.day-trader-futures.com</a>
A Forex Trading system that works
Before using a Forex trading method, whatever it is, it is essential to test it on a virtual Forex account, but more especially, to check its effectiveness, look at the past charts and check how many winning orloosing trades the method generates.
No method is effective at 100% and all those who try to sell you this type of method get rich by the sales of their expensive ebooks, rather than by Forex. If I would hold a method as effective as affirmed by certain salesmen, I would not waste my time in intensive marketing to sell it, I would apply it with a real account at the forex!
I personally apply a method which gives me good results: an average of approximately 70 % of winning trades over a month. I will not sell this method to you, but quite simply will offer it to you. If it succeeds for me, it can to also bring the success to you, but there is no guarantee of success. I have to specify that Forex implies financial risks, and that the amount which you engage on Forex can bring back money to you, but you can also lose all your money.
This article does not represent an incentive to invest on Forex or any other system, and you must be conscious that you assume your own risks as soon as you invest on a market like Forex.
And now, about the method…
In order to apply my Forex Method, you need to have a minimum knowledge about how to read charts, or how to set indicators.
First Step:
You need to set your chart to a 30 minutes timeframe
Second Step:
Set up 2 indicators: one simple moving average (MA) set to 4 period - one MA set to 75 period
The method is quit simple, and gives you BUY or SELL signals:
- If MA4 crosses MA75 upwards, then BUY the pair
- If MA4 crosses MA75 downwards, then SELL the pair
Does it seem to easy to work?? Take a look at the history of charts, you will be amazed by the results!
Some important tips about this method:
- Protect your trade with a Stop Loss, set at 25 pips from the entry point
- Try to get quick profit from your trade: do not wait for a +150 pips result, +15/25 pips is a good level!
- Do not trade against the trend: if all indicators are “up”, do not trade “down”, you will never change the market, even you think you are right!
Daily Forex Trader, giving away trade ideas, NO signals!! Please, visit http://forex.webophil.net