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6 Questions About Currency Trading.

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6 Questions About Currency Trading.
Although forex (FX) is the largest financial market in the world, it is relatively unfamiliar terrain for retail traders. Until the popularization of internet trading, FX was primarily the domain of large financial institutions, multinational corporations, and hedge funds. However, times have changed, and individual retail traders are now hungry for information on forex.
Whether you are an FX novice or just need a refresher course on the basics of currency trading, here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions concerning the FX market.
Top 5 Questions About Currency Trading Answered.
1. How Does Forex Compare to Other Markets?
Unlike stocks, futures, or options, currency trading does not take place on a regulated exchange, and it is not controlled by any central governing body. There are no clearing houses to guarantee trades, and there is no arbitration panel to adjudicate disputes. All members trade with each other based on credit agreements. Essentially, business in the largest, most liquid market in the world depends on nothing more than a metaphorical handshake.
At first glance, this ad-hoc arrangement is bewildering to investors who are used to structured exchanges such as the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). However, this arrangement works in practice. Self-regulation provides effective control over the market because participants in FX must both compete and cooperate. Additionally, reputable retail FX dealers in the United States become members of the National Futures Association (NFA), and by doing so, FX dealers agree to bind arbitration in the event of any dispute. Therefore, it is critical that any retail customer who contemplates trading currencies does so only through an NFA member firm.
The FX market is different from other markets in other unique ways. Traders who think that the EUR/USD might spiral downward can short the pair at will. There is no uptick rule in FX as there is in stocks. There are also no limits on the size of your position (as there are in futures). Thus, in theory, a trader could sell $100 billion worth of currency if they have sufficient capital.
In another context, a trader is free to act on information in a way that would be considered insider trading in traditional markets. For example, a trader finds out from a client who happens to know the governor of the Bank of Japan (BOJ) that the BOJ is planning to raise rates at its next meeting; the trader is free to buy as much yen as they can. There is no such thing as insider trading in FX--European economic data, such as German employment figures, are often leaked days before they are officially released.
Before we leave you with the impression that FX is the Wild West of finance, note that this is the most liquid and fluid market in the world. It trades 24 hours a day, from 5 p.m. EST Sunday to 4 p.m. EST Friday, and it rarely has any gaps in price. Its sheer size and scope (from Asia to Europe to North America) make the currency market the most accessible in the world.
The forex market is a 24-hour market producing substantial data that can be used to gauge future price movements. It is the perfect market for traders that use technical tools.
2. What Is the Forex Commission?
Investors who trade stocks, futures, or options typically use a broker who acts as an agent in the transaction. The broker takes the order to an exchange and attempts to execute it per the customer's instructions. The broker is paid a commission when the customer buys and sells the tradable instrument for providing this service.
The FX market does not have commissions. Unlike exchange-based markets, FX is a principals-only market. FX firms are dealers, not brokers. Unlike brokers, dealers assume market risk by serving as a counterparty to the investor's trade. They do not charge commission; instead, they make their money through the bid-ask spread.
In FX, the investor cannot attempt to buy on the bid or sell at the offer as is the case in exchange-based markets. On the other hand, once the price clears the cost of the spread, there are no additional fees or commissions. Every single penny gained is pure profit to the investor. Nevertheless, the fact that traders must always overcome the bid/ask spread makes scalping much more difficult in FX.
Key Takeaways.
Currency trading is based on credit agreements, which are nothing more than a metaphorical handshake. FX trading is self-regulated because participants must both compete and cooperate. There is no uptick rule in FX as there is in stocks. Unlike futures, there are no limits on the size of a trader's position. FX traders typically use a broker who charges commission fees. A pip is a percentage point and is the smallest increment in an FX trade.
3. What Is a Pip?
Pip stands for percentage in point and is the smallest increment of trade in FX. In the FX market, prices are quoted to the fourth decimal point. For example, if a bar of soap in the drugstore was priced at $1.20, in the FX market the same bar of soap would be quoted at 1.2000. The change in that fourth decimal point is called 1 pip and is typically equal to 1/100 th of 1%. Among the major currencies, the only exception to that rule is the Japanese yen. One dollar is worth approximately 100 Japanese yen; so, in the USD/JPY pair, the quotation is only taken out to two decimal points (i.e., to 1/100 th of yen, as opposed to 1/1000 th with other major currencies).
4. What Are You Really Trading?
The short answer is nothing. The retail FX market is purely a speculative market. No physical exchange of currencies ever takes place. All trades exist simply as computer entries and are netted out depending on market price. For dollar-denominated accounts, all profits or losses are calculated in dollars and recorded as such on the trader's account.
The primary reason the FX market exists is to facilitate the exchange of one currency into another for multinational corporations that need to continually trade currencies (i.e., for payroll, payment for goods and services from foreign vendors, and mergers and acquisitions). However, these day-to-day corporate needs comprise only approximately 20% of the market volume. Eighty percent of trades in the currency market are speculative in nature conducted by large financial institutions, multi-billion-dollar hedge funds, and individuals who want to express their opinions on the economic and geopolitical events of the day.
Since currencies always trade in pairs, when a trader makes a trade, that trader is always long one currency and short the other. For example, if a trader sells one standard lot (equivalent to 100,000 units) of EUR/USD, they would have exchanged euros for dollars and would now be short euros and long dollars. To better understand this dynamic, an individual who purchases a computer from an electronics store for $1,000 is exchanging dollars for a computer. That individual is short $1,000 and long one computer. The store would be long $1,000, but now short one computer in its inventory. The same principle applies to the FX market, except that no physical exchange takes place. While all transactions are simply computer entries, the consequences are no less real.
5. What Currencies Trade in Forex?
Although some retail dealers trade exotic currencies such as the Thai baht or the Czech koruna, the majority of dealers trade the seven most liquid currency pairs in the world, which are the four "majors":
EUR/USD (euro/dollar) USD/JPY (dollar/Japanese yen) GBP/USD (British pound/dollar) USD/CHF (dollar/Swiss franc)
and the three commodity pairs:
AUD/USD (Australian dollar/dollar) USD/CAD (dollar/Canadian dollar) NZD/USD (New Zealand dollar/dollar)
These currency pairs along with their various combinations (such as EUR/JPY, GBP/JPY, and EUR/GBP) account for more than 95% of all speculative trading in FX. Given the small number of trading instruments--only 18 pairs and crosses are actively traded--the FX market is far more concentrated than the stock market.
6. What Is a Currency Carry Trade?
Carry is the most popular trade in the currency market, practiced by both the largest hedge funds and the smallest retail speculators. The carry trade is based on the fact that every currency in the world has an associated interest. These short-term interest rates are set by the central banks of these countries: the Federal Reserve in the United States, the Bank of Japan in Japan, and the Bank of England in the United Kingdom.
The concept of carry is straightforward. The trader goes long on the currency with a high-interest rate and finances that purchase with a currency that has a low-interest rate. For example, in 2005, one of the best pairings was the NZD/JPY cross. The New Zealand economy, spurred by huge commodity demand from China and a hot housing market, saw its rates rise to 7.25% and stay there while Japanese rates remained at 0%. A trader going long on the NZD/JPY could have harvested 725 basis points in yield alone. On a 10:1 leverage basis, the carry trade in NZD/JPY could have produced a 72.5% annual return from interest rate differentials without any contribution from capital appreciation. This example illustrates why the carry trade is so popular.
Before rushing out in pursuit of the next high-yield pair, however, be advised that when the carry trade is unwound, the declines can be rapid and severe. This process is known as the currency carry trade liquidation and occurs when the majority of speculators decide that the carry trade may not have future potential. For every trader seeking to exit their position at once, bids disappear, and the profits from interest rate differentials are not nearly enough to offset capital losses. Anticipation is the key to success: the best time to position the carry is at the beginning of the rate-tightening cycle allowing the trader to ride the move as interest rate differentials increase.
Other Forex Jargon.
Every discipline has its jargon, and the currency market is no different. Here are some terms that a seasoned currency trader should know:
Cable, sterling, pound: nicknames for the GBP Greenback, buck: nicknames for the U.S. dollar Swissie: nickname for the Swiss franc Aussie: nickname for the Australian dollar Kiwi: nickname for the New Zealand dollar Loonie, the little dollar: nicknames for the Canadian dollar Figure: FX term connoting a round number such as 1.2000 Yard: a billion units, as in "I sold a couple of yards of sterling."
The Bottom Line.
Forex can be a profitable, yet volatile, trading strategy for both inexperienced and experienced investors. While accessing the market--through a broker, for instance--is easier than ever before, the answers to the above six questions will serve as a valuable primer for those diving into FX trading.

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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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The Risks of Trading on the Forex Currency Markets.
Photographer is my life / Getty Images.
The word forex, an acronym for "foreign exchange," represents the world's largest financial market, trading over $5 trillion of world currencies daily. forex currency trading involves risk in various forms, while also providing a valuable function for many investors and institutions. Light regulations, leverage, constantly fluctuating currency values, and external market forces create an environment that keeps things challenging for forex traders.
Retail currency trading is typically handled through brokers and market makers. Traders place trades through brokers who, in turn, place corresponding trades on the interbank market.
Currency Value Fluctuations.
Currency values can change quickly and often, for many reasons. Sometimes it's a reaction to external political and economic news, such as Great Britain's proposed exit from the European Union. Other times, the market itself drives value changes.
Often, both external and internal events drive currency value changes on the forex. The fluctuations aren't bad in themselves, but it's a trader's inability to accurately forecast those changes that create risk.
For example, when the U.S. Dollar is strong, companies in the United States may buy more European products, which have become correspondingly less expensive. To pay for these products, they exchange US dollars for euros. When large quantities of dollars are exchanged for euros over a short period this drives up demand for the euro. Consequently, the euro's value increases and the value of the US Dollar relative to the euro decreases.
Investor Types and Risk Levels.
Currencies are traded by individual retail investors, financial institutions, and corporations doing business internationally. Retail investors and banks trade to make profits, and corporations usually trade in the normal course of buying and selling goods and services across the globe.
Currency trading is typically highly leveraged, so with a small amount of cash investment and a certain amount of margin, investors can control a very large amount of money. forex is also lightly regulated, with certain types of trades not regulated at all. Both factors increase the risk of forex trading.
The key to successful currency trading is to trade conservatively while employing some means of risk management. Novice traders should begin trading on a practice trading platform that allows them to make hypothetical trades without risking their investment capital. When and if they see positive results, they can begin doing live forex trades.
How Successful Traders Operate.
Typically, traders who make only a few large, concentrated trades are more apt to lose money. Traders who distribute their trading funds over many different trades diversify their risk and have a better chance of trading profitably. Similarly, traders who leverage their trades aggressively are more likely to have large losses than those who don't.
The risks of forex trading are genuine, and according to a 2014 Bloomberg report, almost 70 percent of forex traders lost money in each of the preceding four quarters. Unsurprisingly, data compiled by the National Futures Association, a forex self-regulatory institution similar to the stock market's FINRA, shows that most retail forex traders drop out after about four months.
Making money trading on the forex involves a good deal of risk, but some traders do make money. Advisable risk-mitigation practices include:
Begin trading with a practice account Diversify risk by making several small trades in different markets rather than a single trade. Use stop loss orders to limit potential losses Until you understand how to use it prudently, avoid using the available leverage, which can exceed 50 to 1. At 50 to 1 even a two-percent difference going against your trade results in a total loss of all invested funds.
Knowledge is power, and the forex market changes continually. Keep learning, testing new strategies and taking a conservative view so that you can minimize risk and maximize trading profits.

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Currency trading online.
Currency trading is the most liquid and robust market in the world. In fact, no other market can compare to the sheer value of this massively traded market. Estimates peg the value of Forex trading at around $5 trillion per day, a figure that far outstrips the value of all stock market trading in the world. Open your currency trading account at AvaTrade or try our risk-free demo account!
The Basics of Currency Trading.
When you're trading currency pairs, you're effectively buying one currency and selling the other currency. Let's take a simple example to illustrate how this works: the EUR/USD is a commonly traded currency pair. The EUR is the symbol for the Euro and the USD is the symbol for the US Dollar. In the above currency pair, the EUR is referred to as the base currency and the USD is referred to as the quote currency.
The ratio is actually viewed as a single unit, even though it refers to 2 individual currencies. In other words, you trade the EUR/USD currency pair - not the EUR or the USD.
Let us further clarify this basic currency trading example by adding in a few figures. If we assume that the EUR/USD is trading at 1.25345, this means that every €1 = $1.25. In other words the Euro is stronger than the dollar, or conversely you would need more dollars to buy euros.
A Few Basic Terms in Currency Trading.
Major Currency Pair.
When you trade currency pairs, you will encounter six major currency pairs in your daily trades. These include the GBP/USD, USD/CHF, USD/JPY, USD/CAD, AUD/USD and EUR/USD. Major currency pairs include one major currency against the US dollar. Simply put, these are the most actively traded currency pairs in the world, and they offer the greatest liquidity. Their volatility is consequently lower, since - given the large number of traders involved - the consensus on a given price is much stronger and harder to disrupt.
Minor Currency Pair.
Minor Pairs by contrast are those currency pairs that are less traded than the major currency pairs. They are less liquid than the major currency pairs and they often have wider spreads. As a general rule, minor currency pairs are any pairs other than the six major currency pairs listed above. Here at AvaTrade, we've got a wide selection of minor currency pairs for you to trade.
Exotic Currency Pair.
Exotic currency pairs typically include a currency from an emerging market country. The reason that they are called exotic currency pairs has nothing to do with the location of the country, but rather the additional challenges involved in trading these currency pairs. Exotic currency pairs are generally illiquid, with wider spreads and fewer market-makers. Examples of exotic currency pairs include the South African Rand (ZAR), the Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) and the Mexican Peso (MXN).
Now that you've got the scoop on online currency trading, download MT4 platform, open an account at AvaTrade to begin trading your favourite major, minor and exotic currency pairs today.
If you're more interested in cryptocurrencies trading, we invite you to first read our guide on how to trade cryptocurrency.
Open your currency trading account at AvaTrade or try our risk-free demo account!
We recommend you to visit our trading for beginners section for more articles on how to trade Forex and CFDs.

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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.

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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.

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Trading Basics You Should Know.
What you should know before you get on board.
Lately, currencies have been on a rollercoaster ride with record breaking highs and lows. The world of foreign exchange is dominating news headlines; but what does it mean, and more importantly, what do you need to know before you get on board?
First of all, it's important that you understand that trading the Foreign Exchange market involves a high degree of risk, including the risk of losing money. Any investment in foreign exchange should involve only risk capital and you should never trade with money that you cannot afford to lose.
What is Forex?
You may have noticed that the value of currencies goes up and down every day. What most people don't realize is that there is a foreign exchange market - or 'Forex' for short - where you can potentially profit from the movement of these currencies. The best known example is George Soros who made a billion dollars in a day by trading currencies. Be aware, however, that currency trading involves significant risk and individuals can lose a substantial part of their investment. As technologies have improved, the Forex market has become more accessible resulting in an unprecedented growth in online trading. One of the great things about trading currencies now is that you no longer have to be a big money manager to trade this market; traders and investors like you and I can trade this market.
Forex in a nutshell.
The Forex market is the largest financial market on Earth. Its average daily trading volume is more than $3.2 trillion. Compare that with the New York Stock Exchange, which only has an average daily trading volume of $55 billion. In fact, if you were to put ALL of the world's equity and futures markets together, their combined trading volume would only equal a QUARTER of the Forex market. Why is size important? Because there are so many buyers and sellers that transaction prices are kept low. If you're wondering how trading the Forex market is different then trading stocks, here are a few major benefits.
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.
How is Forex traded?
The mechanics of a trade are virtually identical to those in other markets. The only difference is that you're buying one currency and selling another at the same time. That's why currencies are quoted in pairs, like EUR/USD or USD/JPY. The exchange rate represents the purchase price between the two currencies.
Important: be aware of the risks:
Finally, it cannot be stressed enough that 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, we recommend that you seek advice from an independent financial advisor.

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