Saturday, September 30, 2006

Learn Forex - How Long Does It Take?

When you begin to learn Forex it can seem a bit confusing and hard to navigate. First of all the term Forex itself stands for foreign exchange. One of the very best ways to learn foreign exchange is through full-time educational programs. Yet another way to traing on Forex, although it is more time consuming, is through Forex books. If you choose to learn Forex this way however, you will spend many hours of your time just to find any relevant information. Both of these will teach you the innermost workings of Forex though. One last way to know more on Forex is through practical methods, including working with a Forex broker or trading firm.

Whichever of these you choose from; it is still not an easy thing to learn Forex. Part of the reason for this is because Forex is the largest market on the globe and trade is happening twenty-four hours a day, all in real time. Other things that make it difficult to really master Forex is the fact that it has no centralized trading post or governing body. This makes one of its advantages, being seamless and global reach, a slight disadvantage when trying to learn about it.

A few things you need to know about when trying to learn foreign exchange include the fact that ninety-five percent of its trade is speculative in nature. Countries that have a need to use foreign currency for buying or selling do the other five percent of trade. This means that traders looking to turn a profit by trading on foreign currency do the majority of the trades.

Some other information you should know when deciding to learn Forex are which ones are the most important markets in Forex. These markets include London, New York and Tokyo. While the most used currencies in Forex are the United States dollar, the European Euro, the Japanese Yen, the Swiss Franc and the British Pound. When it comes to these currencies, they are traded in what is known as pairs.

A barrier that may hinder someone who is trying to learn foreign exchange is the real time conditions. It is hard for those starting out, because it takes time to learn how to make the split second decisions needed in a real time market. This makes someone who has taken the time to learn Forex and analyze all the details have a better chance of success of making profits than the person who relies solely on instinct.

In the end, once you choose which method to use in order to learn foreign exchange, it can take a little patience and time to truly learn it. Once you have taken the time to learn Forex however, the effort that you put into it can definitely be some of the best time you spent.
When you begin to learn Forex it can seem a bit confusing and hard to navigate. First of all the term Forex itself stands for foreign exchange. One of the very best ways to learn foreign exchange is through full-time educational programs. Yet another way to traing on Forex, although it is more time consuming, is through Forex books. If you choose to learn Forex this way however, you will spend many hours of your time just to find any relevant information. Both of these will teach you the innermost workings of Forex though. One last way to know more on Forex is through practical methods, including working with a Forex broker or trading firm.

Whichever of these you choose from; it is still not an easy thing to learn Forex. Part of the reason for this is because Forex is the largest market on the globe and trade is happening twenty-four hours a day, all in real time. Other things that make it difficult to really master Forex is the fact that it has no centralized trading post or governing body. This makes one of its advantages, being seamless and global reach, a slight disadvantage when trying to learn about it.

A few things you need to know about when trying to learn foreign exchange include the fact that ninety-five percent of its trade is speculative in nature. Countries that have a need to use foreign currency for buying or selling do the other five percent of trade. This means that traders looking to turn a profit by trading on foreign currency do the majority of the trades.

Some other information you should know when deciding to learn Forex are which ones are the most important markets in Forex. These markets include London, New York and Tokyo. While the most used currencies in Forex are the United States dollar, the European Euro, the Japanese Yen, the Swiss Franc and the British Pound. When it comes to these currencies, they are traded in what is known as pairs.

A barrier that may hinder someone who is trying to learn foreign exchange is the real time conditions. It is hard for those starting out, because it takes time to learn how to make the split second decisions needed in a real time market. This makes someone who has taken the time to learn Forex and analyze all the details have a better chance of success of making profits than the person who relies solely on instinct.

In the end, once you choose which method to use in order to learn foreign exchange, it can take a little patience and time to truly learn it. Once you have taken the time to learn Forex however, the effort that you put into it can definitely be some of the best time you spent.

Is It Possible to Remove Negative Information From Your Credit Report

There is a huge difference between companies who claim that they can remove accurate information from your credit report immediately and those who say that they can help you remove inaccurate information from your credit history right away and can teach you to clear your credit report with patience and a bit of sacrifice.

Be careful with Illegitimate Credit Repair Services

Paying for these companies advice will in the best scenario imply that you will loose a considerably amount of money and get nothing in return. In the worst scenario, however, you may end up being prosecuted due to committing fraud to lenders or the government just by following their advice. Presenting a false identity is a crime, lying in application forms is a crime and trying to deceive lenders or government agencies in any way is also a crime, thus, beware.

Is it Possible to Dispute Information Legally?

The answer is YES, however, you can only dispute inaccurate information successfully without risking prosecution for making false claims. In order to dispute information on your credit report, you need to tell the credit agency in writing what specific details you believe to be false or inaccurate, you’ll also need to attach any documentation (copies, never the original documents) you have as proof of your claims.

You need to include your contact information too along with a copy of the credit report where you found the negative information you believe to be false or inaccurate. Don’t forget to request the information to be corrected or removed. Otherwise, they might do nothing about it. Always keep copies of al the documentation sent and the receipts as you may need to use them in court if they don’t comply.

What if I’m Right and the Information was Inaccurate or False

Credit Agencies have 30 days to review all these information, forward it to the institutions that reported the negative information, make a proper investigation and reach a well informed and formal conclusion. If the information was false or inaccurate, the credit agency will inform the other credit agencies in the market so they can correct their credit reports too.

The credit agency is also obliged to give you a written explanation of everything that was done along with a copy of your credit report if anything was changed. You are also entitled to receive the details and contact information of the bank, lending institution or whoever provided the negative information. If you were declined by a lender or credit card provider or where affected in any way by this information, you can take legal action against this institution first and eventually, against the credit report agency too.
There is a huge difference between companies who claim that they can remove accurate information from your credit report immediately and those who say that they can help you remove inaccurate information from your credit history right away and can teach you to clear your credit report with patience and a bit of sacrifice.

Be careful with Illegitimate Credit Repair Services

Paying for these companies advice will in the best scenario imply that you will loose a considerably amount of money and get nothing in return. In the worst scenario, however, you may end up being prosecuted due to committing fraud to lenders or the government just by following their advice. Presenting a false identity is a crime, lying in application forms is a crime and trying to deceive lenders or government agencies in any way is also a crime, thus, beware.

Is it Possible to Dispute Information Legally?

The answer is YES, however, you can only dispute inaccurate information successfully without risking prosecution for making false claims. In order to dispute information on your credit report, you need to tell the credit agency in writing what specific details you believe to be false or inaccurate, you’ll also need to attach any documentation (copies, never the original documents) you have as proof of your claims.

You need to include your contact information too along with a copy of the credit report where you found the negative information you believe to be false or inaccurate. Don’t forget to request the information to be corrected or removed. Otherwise, they might do nothing about it. Always keep copies of al the documentation sent and the receipts as you may need to use them in court if they don’t comply.

What if I’m Right and the Information was Inaccurate or False

Credit Agencies have 30 days to review all these information, forward it to the institutions that reported the negative information, make a proper investigation and reach a well informed and formal conclusion. If the information was false or inaccurate, the credit agency will inform the other credit agencies in the market so they can correct their credit reports too.

The credit agency is also obliged to give you a written explanation of everything that was done along with a copy of your credit report if anything was changed. You are also entitled to receive the details and contact information of the bank, lending institution or whoever provided the negative information. If you were declined by a lender or credit card provider or where affected in any way by this information, you can take legal action against this institution first and eventually, against the credit report agency too.

All You Need to Know About Grants for College!

In order to apply for a government grant you need to be aware of certain things that will determine if you’ll get approved or not. You have to know that you’ll only be able to receive a limited amount of money, that government aid is awarded based on the needs of the applicants, that the amount of money granted also depends on the amount of applicants, etc.

Fully Funding?

The main problem with government grants is that, since the amount of money available for financing college studies is limited, those who receive grants don’t receive enough money to fund their studies in full and sometimes have to resort to other sources of finance or give up on their studies.

There are however, federal loans that can be obtained more easily than grants and will help you to finance your studies and you won’t have to repay them till you join the workforce after finishing your studies. Combining a government grant and a federal loan is possible but very complicated. There are many restrictions as to the amount of government aid you can receive.

The Poorer, the merrier?

Since government loans are awarded based on the needs of the applicants, those with families that could afford paying for college most of the time can’t get approved for government grants. Even if in order to aid a family member to pay for college huge sacrifices had to be made, government grants may not be available for such families.

The most underprivileged are more likely to get approved for government grants. However, if there are not so many applicants and the amount of money destined to government grants is not fully taken, the “first arrived, first served” rule may apply. There are also some limitations based on geographic and field basis. There are certain territories and knowledge fields that the government is more interested to cover than others. This must also be taken into account when filling grant applications.

Where to apply

Government agencies are the place to go when you want to apply or find information about government grants. There is a lot of research to be done in order to get financial aid from the government. It sometimes seems as if they’ve wanted to make things as hard as possible so as to discourage applicants.

There are however, many online sites providing information and access to online forms that will show you where to apply and what specific requirements you need to meet in order to get finance for your college studies. So if you are in need of funding, just do a search for student grants or college grants and start your hunt for government aid.
In order to apply for a government grant you need to be aware of certain things that will determine if you’ll get approved or not. You have to know that you’ll only be able to receive a limited amount of money, that government aid is awarded based on the needs of the applicants, that the amount of money granted also depends on the amount of applicants, etc.

Fully Funding?

The main problem with government grants is that, since the amount of money available for financing college studies is limited, those who receive grants don’t receive enough money to fund their studies in full and sometimes have to resort to other sources of finance or give up on their studies.

There are however, federal loans that can be obtained more easily than grants and will help you to finance your studies and you won’t have to repay them till you join the workforce after finishing your studies. Combining a government grant and a federal loan is possible but very complicated. There are many restrictions as to the amount of government aid you can receive.

The Poorer, the merrier?

Since government loans are awarded based on the needs of the applicants, those with families that could afford paying for college most of the time can’t get approved for government grants. Even if in order to aid a family member to pay for college huge sacrifices had to be made, government grants may not be available for such families.

The most underprivileged are more likely to get approved for government grants. However, if there are not so many applicants and the amount of money destined to government grants is not fully taken, the “first arrived, first served” rule may apply. There are also some limitations based on geographic and field basis. There are certain territories and knowledge fields that the government is more interested to cover than others. This must also be taken into account when filling grant applications.

Where to apply

Government agencies are the place to go when you want to apply or find information about government grants. There is a lot of research to be done in order to get financial aid from the government. It sometimes seems as if they’ve wanted to make things as hard as possible so as to discourage applicants.

There are however, many online sites providing information and access to online forms that will show you where to apply and what specific requirements you need to meet in order to get finance for your college studies. So if you are in need of funding, just do a search for student grants or college grants and start your hunt for government aid.

Changing Jobs? What about that 401(k)?

So you’ve accepted a lucrative position at another company within your industry. Perhaps you’re in the middle of a career change. Maybe you’re uprooting and heading to greener pastures somewhere else. Whatever the reason, you’re changing jobs. Out with the old, in with the new.

Amidst the hassles of moving, finding the kids a new school, and settling in to your new position and community, it’s easy to lose sight of the finish line—retirement. Your 401(k) is probably your most important investment in regards to retirement savings. Don’t let it get lost in the shuffle when a change in your professional life comes along.

When switching jobs, there are three things you can do with your existing 401(k): leave it where it is, roll it over into an account with your new employer, or move the money into an IRA. Cashing out the plan is not an option. We repeat: DO NOT CASH OUT YOUR 401(K)! It’ll badly set back your retirement savings plan. You’ll be hit with income taxes plus a penalty of 10 percent if you’re under age 59½. What’s more, you’ll miss out on tax-deferred savings.

Leave It Where It Is

There’s nothing wrong with keeping the cash where it is if you’re happy with the plan at your old job. If you’re confident you can keep track of it, if you’ve got a nice chunk of change in there, or if the plan your new employer is offering is less than appetizing - leave it be. Just make sure you tell your old HR department about your plan to leave it behind. If there is less than $5,000 in the account, they have the right to dump you.

Roll It Over

Most financial professionals agree it’s a good idea to have all of your 401(k) dollars under one roof. It’ll work harder for you as one asset and you can dip into it (as a loan) if a financial emergency arises. If you do decide to rollover, make sure to jump through all of the (relatively minor) hoops and fill out the appropriate paperwork with both your old company and your new employer.

Drop It Into An IRA

If your new gig doesn’t offer a 401(k) program, or if you dig the investment freedom that comes with an IRA, go this route. You’ll have much more of a choice when it comes to investing your retirement dollars, as thousands of mutual funds will be at your behest instead of a dozen or so 401(k) options. Be cautious when going this road, though. 401(k)s are generally a smidgen more protected from those evil creditors than are IRAs. It’s a minor detail now, but if you ever declare bankruptcy or get sued, it could become a much bigger issue.

Whichever route you choose, know the rules. Way back when, details were cloudy on the IRS-friendly way to transfer funds from one 401(k) to another account. Investors had to put 401(k) funds into a “conduit” IRA if they believed they would move the funds into another 401(k) account in the future. The money couldn’t be mixed with other retirement savings and new contributions were also verboten. Sound confusing? It was.

But no longer. Mix all you want. You can transfer an old 401(k) account into an IRA while still making payments, move it from a new IRA into a Roth IRA, or shift the funds directly into a new 401(k) account. The choice is yours.

However, make certain to complete a “trustee-to-trustee transfer” when you relocate your funds. This basically means you’re directing your new employer to schedule the details of the transaction with your old company. This way, you can avoid your old job writing you a check for your existing 401(k) balance, wherein you have 60 days to drop it into a new account. This is not a headache you want. When you go this direction, your previous company will hold back 20 percent of your money for income tax purposes.

The next time you file your taxes, you’ll get the money back, but meanwhile you’ll have to make up the difference yourself within the 60 days. No thanks. Even more frightening: if you don’t roll over the entire balance within 60 days, the taxman cometh. The IRS sees that deficit as a taxable withdrawal and enforces regular income taxes along with a 10 percent penalty.
So you’ve accepted a lucrative position at another company within your industry. Perhaps you’re in the middle of a career change. Maybe you’re uprooting and heading to greener pastures somewhere else. Whatever the reason, you’re changing jobs. Out with the old, in with the new.

Amidst the hassles of moving, finding the kids a new school, and settling in to your new position and community, it’s easy to lose sight of the finish line—retirement. Your 401(k) is probably your most important investment in regards to retirement savings. Don’t let it get lost in the shuffle when a change in your professional life comes along.

When switching jobs, there are three things you can do with your existing 401(k): leave it where it is, roll it over into an account with your new employer, or move the money into an IRA. Cashing out the plan is not an option. We repeat: DO NOT CASH OUT YOUR 401(K)! It’ll badly set back your retirement savings plan. You’ll be hit with income taxes plus a penalty of 10 percent if you’re under age 59½. What’s more, you’ll miss out on tax-deferred savings.

Leave It Where It Is

There’s nothing wrong with keeping the cash where it is if you’re happy with the plan at your old job. If you’re confident you can keep track of it, if you’ve got a nice chunk of change in there, or if the plan your new employer is offering is less than appetizing - leave it be. Just make sure you tell your old HR department about your plan to leave it behind. If there is less than $5,000 in the account, they have the right to dump you.

Roll It Over

Most financial professionals agree it’s a good idea to have all of your 401(k) dollars under one roof. It’ll work harder for you as one asset and you can dip into it (as a loan) if a financial emergency arises. If you do decide to rollover, make sure to jump through all of the (relatively minor) hoops and fill out the appropriate paperwork with both your old company and your new employer.

Drop It Into An IRA

If your new gig doesn’t offer a 401(k) program, or if you dig the investment freedom that comes with an IRA, go this route. You’ll have much more of a choice when it comes to investing your retirement dollars, as thousands of mutual funds will be at your behest instead of a dozen or so 401(k) options. Be cautious when going this road, though. 401(k)s are generally a smidgen more protected from those evil creditors than are IRAs. It’s a minor detail now, but if you ever declare bankruptcy or get sued, it could become a much bigger issue.

Whichever route you choose, know the rules. Way back when, details were cloudy on the IRS-friendly way to transfer funds from one 401(k) to another account. Investors had to put 401(k) funds into a “conduit” IRA if they believed they would move the funds into another 401(k) account in the future. The money couldn’t be mixed with other retirement savings and new contributions were also verboten. Sound confusing? It was.

But no longer. Mix all you want. You can transfer an old 401(k) account into an IRA while still making payments, move it from a new IRA into a Roth IRA, or shift the funds directly into a new 401(k) account. The choice is yours.

However, make certain to complete a “trustee-to-trustee transfer” when you relocate your funds. This basically means you’re directing your new employer to schedule the details of the transaction with your old company. This way, you can avoid your old job writing you a check for your existing 401(k) balance, wherein you have 60 days to drop it into a new account. This is not a headache you want. When you go this direction, your previous company will hold back 20 percent of your money for income tax purposes.

The next time you file your taxes, you’ll get the money back, but meanwhile you’ll have to make up the difference yourself within the 60 days. No thanks. Even more frightening: if you don’t roll over the entire balance within 60 days, the taxman cometh. The IRS sees that deficit as a taxable withdrawal and enforces regular income taxes along with a 10 percent penalty.

Do-It-Yourself Credit Check-Up!

Even if you think you don’t need to or you know for sure your credit report reflects your real credit situation, it is always a good idea to request a copy of your credit report at least once a year (you can get a copy for free) in order to see where you stand and to plan ahead your actions to improve your credit situation.

What to Look For

The most common inaccuracies are: pending payments that have already been made, outstanding loans that have already been canceled and open accounts that have already been closed. Also, it is not uncommon to find loans wrongly informed. For instance, you may have requested a $10.000 loan and they might have informed a $100.000 loan.

Even though these are the most common mistakes, you should do a thorough examination and make sure there are absolutely no mistakes or inconsistencies on your credit history. A minimum discrepancy could motivate a decline in a loan or credit card application.

Fixing Credit Report Inaccuracies

When you discover an inaccuracy, the first thing you need to do is to make sure it actually is an inaccuracy. You may think that you didn’t miss a payment but you actually did. Or you may think you didn’t pay late but you just didn’t notice it. Get hold of any documentation in your possession that shows proof of the inaccuracy and make several copies.

The next step is to write a letter to the credit report agency telling them that you’ve found what you believe to be a mistake on their behalf and that you wished for it to be corrected. Tell them which negative information is inaccurate and ask them to remove it or correct it. Enclose to the letter all the copies (never the original) of the documents proving your claims.

The Credit Agency will check this info and if your claim is true, they’ll correct the information and send a new copy of your credit report to you. They’ll also send a written explanation of their investigation even if they conclude that there was no mistake on their side. You can always resort to legal means if you believe them to be wrong and they refuse to exclude the negative information.

Eliminating Accurate Negative Information

Only time can aid you in eliminating negative information from your credit report. Some stains on your credit history will remain for as long as 10 years (bankruptcy), others may only remain for a couple of years. What really helps improving your credit score and history is to maintain an impeccable credit behavior. Paying always on time, never missing a payment, reducing your debt exposure, paying your credit card balances in full whenever possible and at least the minimum payments the rest of the time are the best way to fix your credit. Then, it is all just a matter of time.
Even if you think you don’t need to or you know for sure your credit report reflects your real credit situation, it is always a good idea to request a copy of your credit report at least once a year (you can get a copy for free) in order to see where you stand and to plan ahead your actions to improve your credit situation.

What to Look For

The most common inaccuracies are: pending payments that have already been made, outstanding loans that have already been canceled and open accounts that have already been closed. Also, it is not uncommon to find loans wrongly informed. For instance, you may have requested a $10.000 loan and they might have informed a $100.000 loan.

Even though these are the most common mistakes, you should do a thorough examination and make sure there are absolutely no mistakes or inconsistencies on your credit history. A minimum discrepancy could motivate a decline in a loan or credit card application.

Fixing Credit Report Inaccuracies

When you discover an inaccuracy, the first thing you need to do is to make sure it actually is an inaccuracy. You may think that you didn’t miss a payment but you actually did. Or you may think you didn’t pay late but you just didn’t notice it. Get hold of any documentation in your possession that shows proof of the inaccuracy and make several copies.

The next step is to write a letter to the credit report agency telling them that you’ve found what you believe to be a mistake on their behalf and that you wished for it to be corrected. Tell them which negative information is inaccurate and ask them to remove it or correct it. Enclose to the letter all the copies (never the original) of the documents proving your claims.

The Credit Agency will check this info and if your claim is true, they’ll correct the information and send a new copy of your credit report to you. They’ll also send a written explanation of their investigation even if they conclude that there was no mistake on their side. You can always resort to legal means if you believe them to be wrong and they refuse to exclude the negative information.

Eliminating Accurate Negative Information

Only time can aid you in eliminating negative information from your credit report. Some stains on your credit history will remain for as long as 10 years (bankruptcy), others may only remain for a couple of years. What really helps improving your credit score and history is to maintain an impeccable credit behavior. Paying always on time, never missing a payment, reducing your debt exposure, paying your credit card balances in full whenever possible and at least the minimum payments the rest of the time are the best way to fix your credit. Then, it is all just a matter of time.

Learn How to Aid Student Loan Repaying!

There are many reasons why you can suddenly find yourself in financial difficulties and unable to repay your student debt. You can even foresee these difficulties before the loan payment is due and it is smart to avoid problems by facing the situation with enough time ahead. That way you’ll be able to reschedule the payments or find another solution.

Reasons why repaying may turn into a heavy burden

Though most of student loans come with a six month grace period since graduation, after this period, students have to start repaying the loan. However, sometimes it isn’t easy to find a job right after graduation and even if you are lucky enough to get a job, chances are you’ll get only a part time job or an underpaid one.

This is why it is important to work at least part time during college, getting into the market can be a bit difficult but if you were already working when you graduate, you’ll have half of the problem solved and you’d have plenty of experience and more chances of getting another job.

Possible Solutions

However, you have difficulties repaying your debt and you need a solution, you can’t go back in time and change your decisions so you need to think ahead. If you can’t get a full time job, take one or multiple part-time jobs, you can also work as freelance. The idea is to generate some sort of income; in fact your income should be as steady as possible.

Cut on your expenses till you solve this problem. There are some fields that can be especially useful to concentrate your efforts on them: Accommodation (You can share an apartment, move to a cheaper flat or a cheaper neighborhood, etc). Transportation is another area where you can save money (with the current prices of gas, it is best if you can use public transportation). You can even sell your car if you have one and you’ll have some savings too.

If you still can’t meet your monthly payments, you should try to ask your lender for another grace period, this time it may cost you money to postpone payment to a later day but it may be worth it. If the lender is willing to give you some time, your loan will be rescheduled and you can use the time you just gained to try to get a job and generate income so you can afford the payments.

If all the above fails, then your only option will be to refinance your loan. A refinance student loan can stretch your repayment schedule so as to reduce your monthly payments to an affordable state. This will ease your situation and give a break to your income/spending ratio.
There are many reasons why you can suddenly find yourself in financial difficulties and unable to repay your student debt. You can even foresee these difficulties before the loan payment is due and it is smart to avoid problems by facing the situation with enough time ahead. That way you’ll be able to reschedule the payments or find another solution.

Reasons why repaying may turn into a heavy burden

Though most of student loans come with a six month grace period since graduation, after this period, students have to start repaying the loan. However, sometimes it isn’t easy to find a job right after graduation and even if you are lucky enough to get a job, chances are you’ll get only a part time job or an underpaid one.

This is why it is important to work at least part time during college, getting into the market can be a bit difficult but if you were already working when you graduate, you’ll have half of the problem solved and you’d have plenty of experience and more chances of getting another job.

Possible Solutions

However, you have difficulties repaying your debt and you need a solution, you can’t go back in time and change your decisions so you need to think ahead. If you can’t get a full time job, take one or multiple part-time jobs, you can also work as freelance. The idea is to generate some sort of income; in fact your income should be as steady as possible.

Cut on your expenses till you solve this problem. There are some fields that can be especially useful to concentrate your efforts on them: Accommodation (You can share an apartment, move to a cheaper flat or a cheaper neighborhood, etc). Transportation is another area where you can save money (with the current prices of gas, it is best if you can use public transportation). You can even sell your car if you have one and you’ll have some savings too.

If you still can’t meet your monthly payments, you should try to ask your lender for another grace period, this time it may cost you money to postpone payment to a later day but it may be worth it. If the lender is willing to give you some time, your loan will be rescheduled and you can use the time you just gained to try to get a job and generate income so you can afford the payments.

If all the above fails, then your only option will be to refinance your loan. A refinance student loan can stretch your repayment schedule so as to reduce your monthly payments to an affordable state. This will ease your situation and give a break to your income/spending ratio.

Friday, September 29, 2006

Forex Trading - Too Much of a Good Thing?

When entering the world of Forex trading, you are beginning to enter a market that is very unpredictable and sometimes volatile. In foreign exchange trading, all trade is conducted in real time and this is what can cause a lot of the risk. This can make trading somewhat of a challenge, even for those who have the benefit of experience on their side. In Forex trading there are a lot of factors and patterns that need to be looked at and analyzed before one makes a trade. This can be somewhat overwhelming and daunting to a beginner in Forex trading, but if time is taken to learn, it is well worth it.

In the early days of Forex trading only large banks of financial institutions participated in the Forex market. Now anyone can participate in FX trading. This has resulted in quite a bit of liquidity to the Forex market. The number of individuals, speculators, traders and brokers has greatly increased over the years.

There are no boundaries in foreign exchange trading and it is not affected by time zones. From Sydney, Australia to the United States, it basically just stays open all the time, never sleeping. Whether it is an individual or an organization there is always someone who can be found doing business with Forex at any time of day or night.

Part of Forex trading and its success is that there is no central location or headquarters. Every single market around the world is seamlessly connected from around the globe. London, New York and Tokyo are major locations when it comes to Forex and when all three are open at once, chaos ensues. Trades and the volume of currency and different kinds being used rises sharply at this time. Other than this, the Forex market is open and operating with many lulls and busy times all the time.

Those who conduct business using Forex, base their trades on certain parameters. A lot of the traders that have been involved in Forex trading will just follow instinct and past experience that they have picked up over the years. Those who are less of risk takers or not as experienced tend to use software that is available to track patterns and chart them, then base their decisions upon this information. These charts are great for figuring out the best times to buy or sell as well. Some of the traders will even use online brokerage firms; brokers or Forex research firms to help them find important information that will help guide them in trading.

In the end the world of Forex can indeed be overwhelming and confusing to newcomers. By understanding and learning about it the best way you can, it can become less so. When deciding to become part of Forex trading the best thing to do is to make sure you always look before you jump

When entering the world of Forex trading, you are beginning to enter a market that is very unpredictable and sometimes volatile. In foreign exchange trading, all trade is conducted in real time and this is what can cause a lot of the risk. This can make trading somewhat of a challenge, even for those who have the benefit of experience on their side. In Forex trading there are a lot of factors and patterns that need to be looked at and analyzed before one makes a trade. This can be somewhat overwhelming and daunting to a beginner in Forex trading, but if time is taken to learn, it is well worth it.

In the early days of Forex trading only large banks of financial institutions participated in the Forex market. Now anyone can participate in FX trading. This has resulted in quite a bit of liquidity to the Forex market. The number of individuals, speculators, traders and brokers has greatly increased over the years.

There are no boundaries in foreign exchange trading and it is not affected by time zones. From Sydney, Australia to the United States, it basically just stays open all the time, never sleeping. Whether it is an individual or an organization there is always someone who can be found doing business with Forex at any time of day or night.

Part of Forex trading and its success is that there is no central location or headquarters. Every single market around the world is seamlessly connected from around the globe. London, New York and Tokyo are major locations when it comes to Forex and when all three are open at once, chaos ensues. Trades and the volume of currency and different kinds being used rises sharply at this time. Other than this, the Forex market is open and operating with many lulls and busy times all the time.

Those who conduct business using Forex, base their trades on certain parameters. A lot of the traders that have been involved in Forex trading will just follow instinct and past experience that they have picked up over the years. Those who are less of risk takers or not as experienced tend to use software that is available to track patterns and chart them, then base their decisions upon this information. These charts are great for figuring out the best times to buy or sell as well. Some of the traders will even use online brokerage firms; brokers or Forex research firms to help them find important information that will help guide them in trading.

In the end the world of Forex can indeed be overwhelming and confusing to newcomers. By understanding and learning about it the best way you can, it can become less so. When deciding to become part of Forex trading the best thing to do is to make sure you always look before you jump

Forex Trading Courses - What Can I Expect?

In a market where trade in foreign money is up to two trillion dollars a day, a good Forex trading course can be very beneficial. Part of the reason a trading course is a good idea is because only five percent of traders actually make a profit on a consistent basis. This is has to do a lot with those who decide to get involved in the Forex market without taking a foreign exchange course. Just the fact that so many traders don't make a substantial profit, greatly attests to the benefit of taking a Forex trading course.

Some of the best things about a Forex trading course includes learning how to chart the movements of the market and learning how important it is to know the right times to buy or sell. Something else that can be gleaned from a Forex trading course is familiarizing ones self with the terminology and the general process of trading in the Forex market. Just having this basic knowledge is an immense help to those who are looking to get involved with the Forex market.

There are crash courses available as well as full-time online or even real life classroom courses that offer courses. Another way to learn about Forex is to become an apprentice. To become an apprentice you need to make sure you find a Forex trader who has a lot of experience under their belt.

There are of course some basic things you need to look for in a good Forex trading course. The first thing to look for includes a course that has a particular stress on trading basics. Some of these basics are margins, types of orders and leveraging. Knowing these basics is of great value when dealing in the Forex market. Another thing that you should look for in a good course is one that analyzes common mistakes and looks at ways to avoid them. As well as these a good Forex trading course will also have an explanation of technical and fundamental analysis tools and will look at developing habits that breed success.

There are also three other areas that a good foreign exchange trading course will teach about it. They will make sure that you develop and understand the Forex trading system thoroughly as well as gain knowledge of money management and learn to develop trading psychology properly.

Another aspect that should be considered in a trading course is real life experience. Of course the best way to gain this is by an apprenticeship. But there is however some of the courses that are offered in classrooms that have a live conference room that allow for those who are learning to trade in real time or at least in a simulated environment. These experiences should also have a one on one feedback time and a forum available to exchange information and lessons with others.

The ones that are run online can definitely offer the benefit of convenience. This is because someone who goes this route in a FX trading course can take advantage of the course at any time they are free to. This gives the benefit of being able to have a more flexible schedule as far as when to study and such.

Not everything about Forex can be learned in a trading course. A lot of times the experienced and skilled Forex trader will gain knowledge and valuable learning lessons through years of hands on experience. But taking a foreign exchange trading course is a good start for anyone who is just beginning and highly recommended as well

In a market where trade in foreign money is up to two trillion dollars a day, a good Forex trading course can be very beneficial. Part of the reason a trading course is a good idea is because only five percent of traders actually make a profit on a consistent basis. This is has to do a lot with those who decide to get involved in the Forex market without taking a foreign exchange course. Just the fact that so many traders don't make a substantial profit, greatly attests to the benefit of taking a Forex trading course.

Some of the best things about a Forex trading course includes learning how to chart the movements of the market and learning how important it is to know the right times to buy or sell. Something else that can be gleaned from a Forex trading course is familiarizing ones self with the terminology and the general process of trading in the Forex market. Just having this basic knowledge is an immense help to those who are looking to get involved with the Forex market.

There are crash courses available as well as full-time online or even real life classroom courses that offer courses. Another way to learn about Forex is to become an apprentice. To become an apprentice you need to make sure you find a Forex trader who has a lot of experience under their belt.

There are of course some basic things you need to look for in a good Forex trading course. The first thing to look for includes a course that has a particular stress on trading basics. Some of these basics are margins, types of orders and leveraging. Knowing these basics is of great value when dealing in the Forex market. Another thing that you should look for in a good course is one that analyzes common mistakes and looks at ways to avoid them. As well as these a good Forex trading course will also have an explanation of technical and fundamental analysis tools and will look at developing habits that breed success.

There are also three other areas that a good foreign exchange trading course will teach about it. They will make sure that you develop and understand the Forex trading system thoroughly as well as gain knowledge of money management and learn to develop trading psychology properly.

Another aspect that should be considered in a trading course is real life experience. Of course the best way to gain this is by an apprenticeship. But there is however some of the courses that are offered in classrooms that have a live conference room that allow for those who are learning to trade in real time or at least in a simulated environment. These experiences should also have a one on one feedback time and a forum available to exchange information and lessons with others.

The ones that are run online can definitely offer the benefit of convenience. This is because someone who goes this route in a FX trading course can take advantage of the course at any time they are free to. This gives the benefit of being able to have a more flexible schedule as far as when to study and such.

Not everything about Forex can be learned in a trading course. A lot of times the experienced and skilled Forex trader will gain knowledge and valuable learning lessons through years of hands on experience. But taking a foreign exchange trading course is a good start for anyone who is just beginning and highly recommended as well

Thursday, September 28, 2006

FOREX Accounts - One Size Does Not Fit All

This is the second part of a series aimed at helping prospective investors to get started trading on the FOREX market.

Once you have decided that you have the proper mindset and are ready to start investing on the FOREX exchange you are ready for the next step. That step is to select the type of FOREX account you want to open. You should make this decision before you pick a broker to work with. Some brokerage companies specialize in one type of account or another. The type of account you choose could affect your broker choice.

You will find that most brokers offer several types of accounts. The primary differences between the account types will be margin requirements, minimum deposit and lot sizes. You will need to consider your trading strategy and financial resources to select the right account. The three most common accounts are mini accounts, standard accounts and managed accounts.

The most popular account with new investors is the mini account. One of the factors that make the mini account so popular with beginners is that it has the lowest minimum deposit requirements. The minimum deposit requirements for a mini account are dependent on the broker, some will allow you to open an account with only a $100 deposit. Most mini accounts will deal with lot sizes as small as 10 thousand currency units. Mini accounts may provide as much as a 200 to 1 margin rate and only require $50 per lot to trade. This means that with $50 you will be able to control $10,000 worth of currency.

Most mini accounts have a built in safeguard because they are aimed at beginning investors. This is usually referred to as "Guaranteed Limited Risk"; this guarantees that you will never lose more than your initial investment in a trade. In the case where the currency drops and the broker would need to make a margin call to keep your position open they automatically close the trade. This will cause you to lose the money you invested into this trade but you will not end up owing the broker money. The downside to this is that if the currency rebounds you will no longer have a position that you could profit from.

A standard account is another common account that has higher deposit requirements than a mini account. The usual investment to open a standard account with most brokers is $2,000. These accounts usually trade in lots of 100,000 units. With a standard account you will still usually have a margin ration of 200 to 1. To purchase a normal lot of 100,000 thousand units then will require a deposit of $500 from you. It is still pretty common with a standard account to have the "Guaranteed Limited Risk" safeguard included.

Some brokers will also offer what is called a "Managed Account". With a managed account you will not be actively trading. A professional trader will be assigned to your account and will use your money to make trades. This requires a much lower investment of time and knowledge from you. Managed accounts usually have a higher minimum requirement amount, often of $10,000 or more.

This is the second part of a series aimed at helping prospective investors to get started trading on the FOREX market.

Once you have decided that you have the proper mindset and are ready to start investing on the FOREX exchange you are ready for the next step. That step is to select the type of FOREX account you want to open. You should make this decision before you pick a broker to work with. Some brokerage companies specialize in one type of account or another. The type of account you choose could affect your broker choice.

You will find that most brokers offer several types of accounts. The primary differences between the account types will be margin requirements, minimum deposit and lot sizes. You will need to consider your trading strategy and financial resources to select the right account. The three most common accounts are mini accounts, standard accounts and managed accounts.

The most popular account with new investors is the mini account. One of the factors that make the mini account so popular with beginners is that it has the lowest minimum deposit requirements. The minimum deposit requirements for a mini account are dependent on the broker, some will allow you to open an account with only a $100 deposit. Most mini accounts will deal with lot sizes as small as 10 thousand currency units. Mini accounts may provide as much as a 200 to 1 margin rate and only require $50 per lot to trade. This means that with $50 you will be able to control $10,000 worth of currency.

Most mini accounts have a built in safeguard because they are aimed at beginning investors. This is usually referred to as "Guaranteed Limited Risk"; this guarantees that you will never lose more than your initial investment in a trade. In the case where the currency drops and the broker would need to make a margin call to keep your position open they automatically close the trade. This will cause you to lose the money you invested into this trade but you will not end up owing the broker money. The downside to this is that if the currency rebounds you will no longer have a position that you could profit from.

A standard account is another common account that has higher deposit requirements than a mini account. The usual investment to open a standard account with most brokers is $2,000. These accounts usually trade in lots of 100,000 units. With a standard account you will still usually have a margin ration of 200 to 1. To purchase a normal lot of 100,000 thousand units then will require a deposit of $500 from you. It is still pretty common with a standard account to have the "Guaranteed Limited Risk" safeguard included.

Some brokers will also offer what is called a "Managed Account". With a managed account you will not be actively trading. A professional trader will be assigned to your account and will use your money to make trades. This requires a much lower investment of time and knowledge from you. Managed accounts usually have a higher minimum requirement amount, often of $10,000 or more.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Forex Trading Courses - What Can I Expect?

In a market where trade in foreign money is up to two trillion dollars a day, a good Forex trading course can be very beneficial. Part of the reason a trading course is a good idea is because only five percent of traders actually make a profit on a consistent basis. This is has to do a lot with those who decide to get involved in the Forex market without taking a foreign exchange course. Just the fact that so many traders don't make a substantial profit, greatly attests to the benefit of taking a Forex trading course.

Some of the best things about a Forex trading course includes learning how to chart the movements of the market and learning how important it is to know the right times to buy or sell. Something else that can be gleaned from a Forex trading course is familiarizing ones self with the terminology and the general process of trading in the Forex market. Just having this basic knowledge is an immense help to those who are looking to get involved with the Forex market.

There are crash courses available as well as full-time online or even real life classroom courses that offer courses. Another way to learn about Forex is to become an apprentice. To become an apprentice you need to make sure you find a Forex trader who has a lot of experience under their belt.

There are of course some basic things you need to look for in a good Forex trading course. The first thing to look for includes a course that has a particular stress on trading basics. Some of these basics are margins, types of orders and leveraging. Knowing these basics is of great value when dealing in the Forex market. Another thing that you should look for in a good course is one that analyzes common mistakes and looks at ways to avoid them. As well as these a good Forex trading course will also have an explanation of technical and fundamental analysis tools and will look at developing habits that breed success.

There are also three other areas that a good foreign exchange trading course will teach about it. They will make sure that you develop and understand the Forex trading system thoroughly as well as gain knowledge of money management and learn to develop trading psychology properly.

Another aspect that should be considered in a trading course is real life experience. Of course the best way to gain this is by an apprenticeship. But there is however some of the courses that are offered in classrooms that have a live conference room that allow for those who are learning to trade in real time or at least in a simulated environment. These experiences should also have a one on one feedback time and a forum available to exchange information and lessons with others.

The ones that are run online can definitely offer the benefit of convenience. This is because someone who goes this route in a FX trading course can take advantage of the course at any time they are free to. This gives the benefit of being able to have a more flexible schedule as far as when to study and such.

In a market where trade in foreign money is up to two trillion dollars a day, a good Forex trading course can be very beneficial. Part of the reason a trading course is a good idea is because only five percent of traders actually make a profit on a consistent basis. This is has to do a lot with those who decide to get involved in the Forex market without taking a foreign exchange course. Just the fact that so many traders don't make a substantial profit, greatly attests to the benefit of taking a Forex trading course.

Some of the best things about a Forex trading course includes learning how to chart the movements of the market and learning how important it is to know the right times to buy or sell. Something else that can be gleaned from a Forex trading course is familiarizing ones self with the terminology and the general process of trading in the Forex market. Just having this basic knowledge is an immense help to those who are looking to get involved with the Forex market.

There are crash courses available as well as full-time online or even real life classroom courses that offer courses. Another way to learn about Forex is to become an apprentice. To become an apprentice you need to make sure you find a Forex trader who has a lot of experience under their belt.

There are of course some basic things you need to look for in a good Forex trading course. The first thing to look for includes a course that has a particular stress on trading basics. Some of these basics are margins, types of orders and leveraging. Knowing these basics is of great value when dealing in the Forex market. Another thing that you should look for in a good course is one that analyzes common mistakes and looks at ways to avoid them. As well as these a good Forex trading course will also have an explanation of technical and fundamental analysis tools and will look at developing habits that breed success.

There are also three other areas that a good foreign exchange trading course will teach about it. They will make sure that you develop and understand the Forex trading system thoroughly as well as gain knowledge of money management and learn to develop trading psychology properly.

Another aspect that should be considered in a trading course is real life experience. Of course the best way to gain this is by an apprenticeship. But there is however some of the courses that are offered in classrooms that have a live conference room that allow for those who are learning to trade in real time or at least in a simulated environment. These experiences should also have a one on one feedback time and a forum available to exchange information and lessons with others.

The ones that are run online can definitely offer the benefit of convenience. This is because someone who goes this route in a FX trading course can take advantage of the course at any time they are free to. This gives the benefit of being able to have a more flexible schedule as far as when to study and such.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Forex Trading Education - What's the ROI?

The traders that tend to do better in the Forex market are those who have undertaken some kind of Forex trading education. Jumping in blindly can be a big mistake in the high-risk world of the Forex market. This is because of decisions in the Forex market is made in real time and is usually made in seconds and Forex education can benefit the beginner immensely. This means that those traders who decide on Forex trading training are better equipped to handle the stress and demands than those who do not and rely solely on instinct and experience.

Those who are just beginning will benefit the most from foreign exchange education. This is because from FX education they will be able to learn market mechanics, how different software tools work, how to read a Forex chart, how a trade is closed and when the best time to make a bid is. The most important of these is learning about charting. Taking a class in forex trade is always the best route for a beginner in the Forex market.

Something else that should be learned and can be gleaned from a Forex trading education is why the Forex market is so volatile. Charting and learning about it can definitely help track the reasons that shifts happen in the market and can greatly increase the success of the trader who knows how to read them. Of course there are no guarantees but it can definitely decrease some of the risk.

Forex trading training should always first and foremost cover the basics. These basics include concepts such as margins, types of orders, bids, rollovers and leveraging. Of course Forex trading training should also cover technical and fundamental analysis. These are two types of market analysis that analyze key aspects from different perspectives. This area includes charting and how to read and make them correctly in order to conduct business with any measure of success. One last thing it should cover is trading psychology, which includes learning how to handle the psychological pressure that may occur in such a fast paced environment such as the Forex market. This can include building skills and habits such as discipline, patience, and commitment and risk management.

Forex trading education can also have an aspect to it that teaches the history of the market. Something else that is exceptionally beneficial in a Forex education is one that teaches the common mistakes that can be made and ways to avoid making them. These aspects should be a part of either an online class or one that is real life either way.

In the end having the advantage of a Forex trading education can make a difference. Whether or not you choose to benefit from it is up to you. But having a Forex education can help a beginner immensely and can also benefit those who are not and can make the difference in whether or not you turn a profit. This alone is enough to highly recommend a Forex trading training.
The traders that tend to do better in the Forex market are those who have undertaken some kind of Forex trading education. Jumping in blindly can be a big mistake in the high-risk world of the Forex market. This is because of decisions in the Forex market is made in real time and is usually made in seconds and Forex education can benefit the beginner immensely. This means that those traders who decide on Forex trading training are better equipped to handle the stress and demands than those who do not and rely solely on instinct and experience.

Those who are just beginning will benefit the most from foreign exchange education. This is because from FX education they will be able to learn market mechanics, how different software tools work, how to read a Forex chart, how a trade is closed and when the best time to make a bid is. The most important of these is learning about charting. Taking a class in forex trade is always the best route for a beginner in the Forex market.

Something else that should be learned and can be gleaned from a Forex trading education is why the Forex market is so volatile. Charting and learning about it can definitely help track the reasons that shifts happen in the market and can greatly increase the success of the trader who knows how to read them. Of course there are no guarantees but it can definitely decrease some of the risk.

Forex trading training should always first and foremost cover the basics. These basics include concepts such as margins, types of orders, bids, rollovers and leveraging. Of course Forex trading training should also cover technical and fundamental analysis. These are two types of market analysis that analyze key aspects from different perspectives. This area includes charting and how to read and make them correctly in order to conduct business with any measure of success. One last thing it should cover is trading psychology, which includes learning how to handle the psychological pressure that may occur in such a fast paced environment such as the Forex market. This can include building skills and habits such as discipline, patience, and commitment and risk management.

Forex trading education can also have an aspect to it that teaches the history of the market. Something else that is exceptionally beneficial in a Forex education is one that teaches the common mistakes that can be made and ways to avoid making them. These aspects should be a part of either an online class or one that is real life either way.

In the end having the advantage of a Forex trading education can make a difference. Whether or not you choose to benefit from it is up to you. But having a Forex education can help a beginner immensely and can also benefit those who are not and can make the difference in whether or not you turn a profit. This alone is enough to highly recommend a Forex trading training.

Monday, September 25, 2006

Daytrading The Forex Market

The foreign exchange market (the forex) can be a treacherous market to trade especially if you are not properly equipped for the job. You will need to give attention to the following: the equipment and type of internet connection you have; the overall amount of capital you can put at risk on this enterprise, as well as the amount of capital you are prepared to risk on any one trade;your broker and the reliability of the trading platform; charts and technical analysis; good entry and exit signals; being aware of news releases affecting this market; the need to use a stop loss on each trade to protect your position; the cutting of losses if a trade goes against you; and the compounding of profits.

You will ideally need a Pentium 4 desktop computer running Windows XP with a processor speed of 2.5GHZ and 512MB of RAM. The monitor needs to be at least 17", but 19" or bigger is better. You could get away with a 56K dial-up connection but broadband is usually far better in terms of stability.Some people have been known to trade this market successfully from a laptop which give them mobility.

YOu will need a minimum of $20,000 risk capital to trade this market. "Risk capital" means that it doesn't include money you require for living from month to month, and therefore you can employ it in the market for speculative purposes. The reason for the entry figure being so high is that it is inadvisable to risk more than 3% of your total risk capital on any one trade. On this basis, the most you should be putting at risk on any one trade is $600 ( that is $20,000 X 3%) using full lots. You could start with a lesser amount of risk capital by using mini lots and still maintain the maximum 3% loss any one trade.

You will need to choose a broker wisely for three reasons: his financial stability; the stability of the platform he provides; and the spread per transaction. It is best to chose a broker with a proven record in the forex market operating from a well-regulated country such as the USA, UK or Switzerland.This market was only opened up to speculators in 1997, so forex brokers haven't got as long a history as stockbrokers.It is therefore best to chose on the basis of size -you are looking a broker with at least 10,000 clients operating from one of the aforementioned countries. The functionality of the platform the broker provides is important for the execution and tracking of live trades. What you don't want is a platform that always keeps going down at crucial moments in your trading day. In my experience, the platforms belonging the the major brokers are now very reliable although there might be a problem with the continuity of data displayed from time to time. With regard to the spreads on the 4 majors coupled with the USD, don't pay any more than 2-3 pips on the euro or yen, and no more than 3-4 on the pound or Swiss franc.

People who trade the forex market off fundamental analysis have been known to stay in the positions taken for multiple days, weeks, months or even years. If you are daytrading this market, however, you haven't got much choice but to use technical analysis as the basis of your decisions. Therefore charts become vitally important in the decision making process. candlestick charts are the easiest to follow on the screen as it simple to distinguish a bull candle from a bear one just by viewing the different colors. With charts, especially at the start of your trading day, it is best to use the top-down approach. Even though your entry and exits may be made off the 15 minute chart, you should start the day by looking at the daily chart to get the big picture. Then the 4 hour chart, the 1 hour chart and 30 minute can each in turn be consulted prior to your regular chart (the 15 minute) in order to get the top-down perspective on the market.

Breakouts from support or resistance offer good entry points for trades. A support line can be drawn by joining the bottoms of two candles that stand lower than their immediate neighbors remembering that the support line must be tilted upwards therefore the nearest candle the line is connected to must be higher than the further away one. If this line is then extended into the future and is confirmed by a third candle touching the line you have a solid support line. When a candle breaks this support line and a 15 minute candle closes below it and subsequent candles go 5 pips (or points) beyond the bottom of the candle which broke the support line, you have a valid entry point for a short trade (that is selling the currency pair being traded). Resistance lines are done on the same basis except that the initial line drawn must have a downward slope which when broken and the the other criteria for entry is met, gives you a valid long entry (that is buying the currency pair being traded).

Before you start your trading day, it is imperative that the daytrader knows when economic news affecting the currency pairs being traded is scheduled to be released.There are various websites that do this but the best one that I have found is www.dailyfx.com If you go to their Home Page, and click on the Calendar tab at the top, a page will open with the words "Weekly Economic Calender for ....." on the top left hand side on which you click to take you to the page where all the scheduled news for the world's major currency pairs are listed on a daily basis. The times of the news releases are given in both GMT and EST so you may have to compensate depending on which time zone you happen to be in the world. Knowing when the news is going to be released is crucial, because depending on its strength it may be sensible if you are in a trade that is making a profit, to take profits before the news hits the wire, or at least tighten up your stop.

It is also sensible never to trade without a stop. For daytrading a stop in the region of 20 - 30 pips is sensible. This is the loss you are prepared to take on the trade if it goes against you. It is also sensible to set your profit objective higher than your loss by 25% -50% dependent upon the quality of the signal generated. Only risk 3% of your risk capital on any one trade. If you start off with $20,000 risk capital and after 4 months or so you have found that it has grown to $40,000, now use 2 lots per trade and thereby employ compounding.When you capital grows to $60,000, you would employ 3 lots and so forth. If your selection criteria is good your capital can build at a surprising rate using this technique.

The foreign exchange market (the forex) can be a treacherous market to trade especially if you are not properly equipped for the job. You will need to give attention to the following: the equipment and type of internet connection you have; the overall amount of capital you can put at risk on this enterprise, as well as the amount of capital you are prepared to risk on any one trade;your broker and the reliability of the trading platform; charts and technical analysis; good entry and exit signals; being aware of news releases affecting this market; the need to use a stop loss on each trade to protect your position; the cutting of losses if a trade goes against you; and the compounding of profits.

You will ideally need a Pentium 4 desktop computer running Windows XP with a processor speed of 2.5GHZ and 512MB of RAM. The monitor needs to be at least 17", but 19" or bigger is better. You could get away with a 56K dial-up connection but broadband is usually far better in terms of stability.Some people have been known to trade this market successfully from a laptop which give them mobility.

YOu will need a minimum of $20,000 risk capital to trade this market. "Risk capital" means that it doesn't include money you require for living from month to month, and therefore you can employ it in the market for speculative purposes. The reason for the entry figure being so high is that it is inadvisable to risk more than 3% of your total risk capital on any one trade. On this basis, the most you should be putting at risk on any one trade is $600 ( that is $20,000 X 3%) using full lots. You could start with a lesser amount of risk capital by using mini lots and still maintain the maximum 3% loss any one trade.

You will need to choose a broker wisely for three reasons: his financial stability; the stability of the platform he provides; and the spread per transaction. It is best to chose a broker with a proven record in the forex market operating from a well-regulated country such as the USA, UK or Switzerland.This market was only opened up to speculators in 1997, so forex brokers haven't got as long a history as stockbrokers.It is therefore best to chose on the basis of size -you are looking a broker with at least 10,000 clients operating from one of the aforementioned countries. The functionality of the platform the broker provides is important for the execution and tracking of live trades. What you don't want is a platform that always keeps going down at crucial moments in your trading day. In my experience, the platforms belonging the the major brokers are now very reliable although there might be a problem with the continuity of data displayed from time to time. With regard to the spreads on the 4 majors coupled with the USD, don't pay any more than 2-3 pips on the euro or yen, and no more than 3-4 on the pound or Swiss franc.

People who trade the forex market off fundamental analysis have been known to stay in the positions taken for multiple days, weeks, months or even years. If you are daytrading this market, however, you haven't got much choice but to use technical analysis as the basis of your decisions. Therefore charts become vitally important in the decision making process. candlestick charts are the easiest to follow on the screen as it simple to distinguish a bull candle from a bear one just by viewing the different colors. With charts, especially at the start of your trading day, it is best to use the top-down approach. Even though your entry and exits may be made off the 15 minute chart, you should start the day by looking at the daily chart to get the big picture. Then the 4 hour chart, the 1 hour chart and 30 minute can each in turn be consulted prior to your regular chart (the 15 minute) in order to get the top-down perspective on the market.

Breakouts from support or resistance offer good entry points for trades. A support line can be drawn by joining the bottoms of two candles that stand lower than their immediate neighbors remembering that the support line must be tilted upwards therefore the nearest candle the line is connected to must be higher than the further away one. If this line is then extended into the future and is confirmed by a third candle touching the line you have a solid support line. When a candle breaks this support line and a 15 minute candle closes below it and subsequent candles go 5 pips (or points) beyond the bottom of the candle which broke the support line, you have a valid entry point for a short trade (that is selling the currency pair being traded). Resistance lines are done on the same basis except that the initial line drawn must have a downward slope which when broken and the the other criteria for entry is met, gives you a valid long entry (that is buying the currency pair being traded).

Before you start your trading day, it is imperative that the daytrader knows when economic news affecting the currency pairs being traded is scheduled to be released.There are various websites that do this but the best one that I have found is www.dailyfx.com If you go to their Home Page, and click on the Calendar tab at the top, a page will open with the words "Weekly Economic Calender for ....." on the top left hand side on which you click to take you to the page where all the scheduled news for the world's major currency pairs are listed on a daily basis. The times of the news releases are given in both GMT and EST so you may have to compensate depending on which time zone you happen to be in the world. Knowing when the news is going to be released is crucial, because depending on its strength it may be sensible if you are in a trade that is making a profit, to take profits before the news hits the wire, or at least tighten up your stop.

It is also sensible never to trade without a stop. For daytrading a stop in the region of 20 - 30 pips is sensible. This is the loss you are prepared to take on the trade if it goes against you. It is also sensible to set your profit objective higher than your loss by 25% -50% dependent upon the quality of the signal generated. Only risk 3% of your risk capital on any one trade. If you start off with $20,000 risk capital and after 4 months or so you have found that it has grown to $40,000, now use 2 lots per trade and thereby employ compounding.When you capital grows to $60,000, you would employ 3 lots and so forth. If your selection criteria is good your capital can build at a surprising rate using this technique.

Sunday, September 24, 2006

Forex Mini Account - Am I Eligible?

If you were just learning about Forex Markets a good idea for you would be what is called the Forex mini account. The mini account is also great for those who want to start off with a fairly low investment. A mini account can be opened with only $250 while a regular one has to involve a minimum of $2,500. The option of the Forex mini account is definitely a more realistic option for smaller businesses that would like to get involved in the world market with very little available capital.

Many people wonder if those who are owners of these Forex mini accounts suffer any disadvantages because of the need for less capital. In most cases they do not, and than can definitely be a huge draw to those looking at the world market and not wanting to get taken advantage have by larger companies. Free trading platform and small spreads are just as easily available to Forex mini account holders as they are to anyone else involved in the Forex markets.

There are also some additional benefits to being a holder of a foreign exchange mini account. Those who own these mini accounts only needs fifty dollars as a margin deposit for a ten thousand dollar trade. This benefit of having leverage is one of two hundred to one, when you own a mini account. This means the trader can trade more in a commodity than the amount of money they available to them.

There is also another advantage with an FX mini account, in regards to losses and minimizing its losses. This type of accounts contract size is 1/10th the size of standard contracts and this is how they can save themselves from too much of a loss. These mini lots in a mini account are excellent way to save money in potential losses, depending on you set up your stop loss.

Also with a Forex mini account you are allowed more flexibility in regards to customizing your trades and minimizing your risks. This means that those with less money in their bank account can do better in this type of account. They can feel more comfortable in using the mini accounts because of the advantages and the fact that they have less risk because of them. This can help those with smaller bank accounts have a chance to invest in more areas without as much of the risk. In the end, Forex mini accounts are the best way to go for those with not as much cash available to them and yet want to minimize risk, and still be able to trade on the world market.

If you were just learning about Forex Markets a good idea for you would be what is called the Forex mini account. The mini account is also great for those who want to start off with a fairly low investment. A mini account can be opened with only $250 while a regular one has to involve a minimum of $2,500. The option of the Forex mini account is definitely a more realistic option for smaller businesses that would like to get involved in the world market with very little available capital.

Many people wonder if those who are owners of these Forex mini accounts suffer any disadvantages because of the need for less capital. In most cases they do not, and than can definitely be a huge draw to those looking at the world market and not wanting to get taken advantage have by larger companies. Free trading platform and small spreads are just as easily available to Forex mini account holders as they are to anyone else involved in the Forex markets.

There are also some additional benefits to being a holder of a foreign exchange mini account. Those who own these mini accounts only needs fifty dollars as a margin deposit for a ten thousand dollar trade. This benefit of having leverage is one of two hundred to one, when you own a mini account. This means the trader can trade more in a commodity than the amount of money they available to them.

There is also another advantage with an FX mini account, in regards to losses and minimizing its losses. This type of accounts contract size is 1/10th the size of standard contracts and this is how they can save themselves from too much of a loss. These mini lots in a mini account are excellent way to save money in potential losses, depending on you set up your stop loss.

Also with a Forex mini account you are allowed more flexibility in regards to customizing your trades and minimizing your risks. This means that those with less money in their bank account can do better in this type of account. They can feel more comfortable in using the mini accounts because of the advantages and the fact that they have less risk because of them. This can help those with smaller bank accounts have a chance to invest in more areas without as much of the risk. In the end, Forex mini accounts are the best way to go for those with not as much cash available to them and yet want to minimize risk, and still be able to trade on the world market.