FOREX Day Trading – Will Lose Your Money Quickly

FOREX day trading is big business and there are plenty of FOREX day trading systems, tip sheets and guru’s, who will promise you they can make you rich.

The problem is the odds are you won’t make any money and worse lose still lose all your capital. Ask anyone selling to show you a real time track record and chances is are you won’t get one!


FOREX day trading sounds good in theory but doesn’t work in practice. Here’s why.

Currency movements tend to reflect the underlying economic climate and interest rate outlook of the countries currency and they trade long term. Short term movements within a day are random and are the same as flipping a coin.

Even if you think you can day trade FOREX, consider one of the fundamental laws of trading:

Run your profits and cut your loses

Well in day trading, a short trading session is all you have to make money in before you close your position.

You will never be able to run your profits long enough and make enough money to cover your inevitable losses.

When you add transaction costs to losses and subtract them from profits, FOREX day trading will soon empty your account of money and leave you with losses.

It would seem fairly obvious that FOREX day trading on the whole stacks the odds against you, but investors still buy day trading courses and systems through greed and ignorance.

So why is day trading so popular?

Simply people think it restricts risk, but on the flip side it restricts profit as well - and you need to take risk to make a profit â€" there is no free lunch.

If you can’t run profits enough to cover your losses you will lose pre and simple.

Day traders think they are restricting risk but really they are creating it and stacking the odds firmly against them.

Many people who sell the concept of FOREX day trading are also linked to brokers, who pay commission to them on each transation and there is no better commission earner than someone trading every day.

Fact is, if you want to make money in FOREX Don’t day trade - Do what the pro’s do, catch the bigger profits from the longer term moves.

Have a day trading system on my computer, says its 91% accurate and will cost me just $99.00!

Wonder if I should buy it?

On second thoughts, Let’s give it the benefit of the doubt and ask for the real time track record.

Wonder if I will get one?

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Online FOREX Trading - The Biggest Error You Can Make

There is one error that is common amongst novice traders and guarantees that they will join the 90% of losing traders.

The biggest error traders make in online forex trading is:

Traders, who think that others such as:

Mentors gurus and systems they buy can give them success â€" This needs a bit more explanation, consider this:

1. Why is the advice being sold?

Think about it if someone is really a good trader why are they selling advice? The answer is most advice is sold by writers and failed brokers who can’t make money from trading and simply make it selling advice!

You have seen them earn 10,000 a month easily, win on 70% of trades, an automatic way to make profits etc

Well if I could do that, I would keep quite and make myself a millionaire and wouldn’t bother picking up a few hundred dollars selling the advice!

A bit harsh?

Maybe, but the above is true for over 90% of the advice sold on online forex trading.

Now not all advice sold is bad but the vast majority of it is and even if you do some advice that is good this presents another problem.

2. Can you follow someone else with discipline?

You will find it difficult to follow as it’s not yours.

You need to have confidence that the logic works and will work, even through periods of losses, otherwise you will not be able to follow the advice with discipline.

Many traders can’t do this as they did not come to their own solution they can trade with confidence or discipline.

The fact is

We live in a society that teaches us to consult an expert or someone else about almost everything.

We are not taught to find our own solutions, but the fact is if you want to be successful in anything you need the following:

Confidence, discipline and courage.

This you give to yourself and cannot get from someone else.

If you want to be a success

Then you need to learn and teach yourself a method you’re comfortable with and that’s a lot easier than most traders think.

If you read stories of the great traders you will see they all came to their own solutions and applied their own methods ( check out Jack Shwager’s great books that interview some of the best traders of all time in Market Wizards and The New Market Wizards ) all of them built their own methods and that’s why they became successful.

If you think about it no one will give you success it’s up to you to make yourself successful and that goes for trading as well as most other ventures in life.

Do your own research, derive your own method and you will find the success in online forex trading that you desire.

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Discover Some Magic to Beat The Forex: The Elliott Wave Theory for Forex Markets

One of the best known and least understood theories of technical analysis in forex trading is the Elliot Wave Theory. Developed in the 1920s by Ralph Nelson Elliot as a method of predicting trends in the stock market, the Elliot Wave theory applies fractal mathematics to movements in the market to make predictions based on crowd behavior. In its essence, the Elliot Wave theory states that the market â€" in this case, the forex market â€" moves in a series of 5 swings upward and 3 swings back down, repeated perpetually. But if it were that simple, everyone would be making a killing by catching the wave and riding it until just before it crashes on the shore. Obviously, there’s a lot more to it.

One of the things that makes riding the Elliot Wave so tricky is timing â€" of all the major wave theories, it’s the only one that doesn’t put a time limit on the reactions and rebounds of the market. A single In fact, the theories of fractal mathematics makes it clear that there are multiple waves within waves within waves. Interpreting the data and finding the right curves and crests is a tricky process, which gives rise to the contention that you can put 20 experts on the Elliot Wave theory in one room and they will never reach an agreement on which way a stock â€" or in this case, a currency â€" is headed.

Elliot Wave Basics

• Every action is followed by a reaction.
It’s a standard rule of physics that applies to the crowd behavior on which the Elliot Wave theory is based. If prices drop, people will buy. When people buy, the demand increases and supply decreases driving prices back up. Nearly every system that uses trend analysis to predict the movements of the currency market is based on determining when those actions will cause reactions that make a trade profitable.

• There are five waves in the direction of the main trend followed by three corrective waves (a "5-3" move).
The Elliot Wave theory is that market activity can be predicted as a series of five waves that move in one direction (the trend) followed by three ‘corrective’ waves that move the market back toward its starting point.

• A 5-3 move completes a cycle.
And here’s where the theory begins to get truly complex. Like the mirror reflecting a mirror that reflects a mirror that reflects a mirror, the each 5-3 wave is not only complete in itself, it is a superset of a smaller series of waves, and a subset of a larger set of 5-3 waves â€" the next principle.

• This 5-3 move then becomes two subdivisions of the next higher 5-3 wave.
In Elliot Wave notation, the 5 waves that fit the trend are labeled 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 (impulses). The three correcting waves are called a, b and c (corrections). Each of these waves is made up of a 5-3 series of waves, and each of those is made up of a 5-3 series of waves. The 5-3 cycle that you’re studying is an impulse and correction in the next ascending 5-3 series.

• The underlying 5-3 pattern remains constant, though the time span of each may vary.
A 5-3 wave may take decades to complete â€" or it may be over in minutes. Traders who are successful in using the Elliot Wavy theory to trade in the currency market say that the trick is timing trades to coincide with the beginning and end of impulse 3 to minimize your risk and maximize your profit.

Because the timing of each sequence of waves varies so much, using the Elliot Wave theory is very much a matter of interpretation. Identifying the best time to enter and leave a trade is dependent on being able to see and follow the pattern of larger and smaller waves, and to know when to trade and when to get out based on the patterns you identify.

The key is in interpreting the pattern correctly â€" in finding the right starting point. Once you learn to see the wave patterns and identify them correctly, say those who are experts, you’ll see how they apply in every facet of forex trading, and will be able to use those patterns to trigger your decisions whether you’re day trading or in it for the long haul.

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Learning To Profit From Forex Day Trading

Learning To Profit From Forex Day Trading

Investors are always looking for ways to make money; for some this means buying and selling futures contracts, for others means buying and selling stocks. One such method is Forex day trading. Day trading in general, and specifically Forex Day Trading, is the practice of buying and selling various assets, such as futures, options, stocks and currencies, with the intention of profiting from the price volatility on a particular day. Trading Forex entails looking for variations in pairs of currencies and attempting to buy when their difference is low and sell when their difference is high.

A Specialized Form of Trading

In the beginning, day trading was only possible for financial companies such as banks because of the fact that few had access to the market exchanges and live market data. Now with the advancement of both the Internet and the processes of the stock and futures markets, individuals now have access the same market data and futures exchanges as these financial institutions. In addition, trading has become so affordable that just about anyone with a computer can make trades. Thanks to the computer age, Forex day trading is now more available than ever before.

Trading in your Bathrobe?

For many people, the year 2000 image of Forex day trading was middle-aged guys who quit their regular jobs to sit at home in their bathrobes making trades. Thanks to the Internet, we don't have to see a sight like this! While this is definitely possible, it is a broader picture; if you have an Internet connection, you can receive Forex news. If you can receive news, you are able to do the technical analysis necessary to make decisions and then to make trades, no matter whether you are at home, in an Internet café or on the beach. It sounds simple because it is; the hard part of Forex day trading isn't implementing trades, it is knowing what trades to make.

Forex Day Trading is not for Everyone

As with any kind of trading, Forex day trading is not for everyone. The stories of great successes in day trading (which are usually sold in EBooks on the Internet) are more than overshadowed by a large percentage of people who lose money day trading Forex or any other commodity. The money that you invest is called “risk capital” for a good reason; when you start investing, you have put this money at risk of loss. Successful traders know that when they expose their money to risk, it takes research and experience to make Forex day trading profitable.

Forex currency trading for beginners includes some important steps. Like any other form of trading, the investor needs a trading plan to outline his or her strategy; do you plan to trade by “scalping” (only holding positions for a few seconds or minutes)? Do you plan to use trend trades, counter-trend trades, or ranging trades? These are the kind of decisions that come into play and you need to know what you are going to do before you do it.

In addition, Forex day trading requires the new investor to understand the importance of research and technical analysis; if you don't follow the news, you can't really know what's going to happen with the currencies you trade. These days, there is a wealth of technical analysis tools available on the Internet. Finally, beginners need to have a system for charting trends and analyzing the movement for each currency they trade. For Forex day trading (and for all other types of trading for that matter), Japanese Candlesticks offers the best system for seeing movement in the market.

Conclusion

Forex day trading is not for everyone. It can be unpredictable and it is possible to lose more than you originally invested. If you learn Forex trading and the techniques and processes involved, it is possible to profit from Forex day trading. The good news is you don't have to work in your bathrobe! (Unless you want to!)

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How To Get Rich Quick With Forex

Would you like to get rich quick with the foreign exchange?

Read on!

When considering forex trading as a profit making venture, it is important to work out winning strategies beforehand if at all possible. Making decisions regarding your forex trading and developing a strategy can be seen as your foundation. With your strategy you will optimize your risk with respect to the expected reward, or put the odds in your favor. Trading strategies should be disciplined and limit risk, while placing you at the most favorable advantage in the market. One strategy is the simple moving away average, which is based on a technical study over twelve periods, with each period fifteen minutes in length. This is a good example of a trading decision that is arrived at through strategy.

A simple algorithm is used in this strategy. When currency price crosses above the twelfth period, simply move away it is a signal to stop and reverse. In this way a long position will be liquidated and a short position will be established, both using market orders. This system will keep trades always in the market, with either a short position or a long position after the first signal.

Another strategy is of support and resistance levels. This is another technical analysis strategy and derives support and resistance. The idea is that the market tends to trade above support levels and trade below resistance levels. If either a support or a resistance level is broken, then the market will follow through is the direction given. These levels can be determined by analysis of the chart and assessment of where the chart has encountered unbroken support or resistance in times past.

Anther strategy that many see as exotic is called the balloon strategy. A balloon option is an option that balloons, or increases in size when triggers are reached. For example, if an investor believes that the dollar will gain strength against the Euro in the near future and is currently trading at 100, the investor will see 110 as being strong resistance, but the investor also believes it will be broken. So, rather than buying straight dollars at 100 for the next six months the investor will purchase at “at the money” balloon call with a 110 trigger and multiple of two. The investor will then own a 100 call in USD110mm. But if the dollar and Euro ever trade at or above 110, the 110 call will double to USD 20mm.

The double bottom is another strategy worth looking at. The double bottom is significant to the short term trader as double bottoms indicate a possible major change in sentiment and trend. The pattern is used on all times frames, and many powerful intraday and long term bull markets are conceived from this setup. Double bottoms reflect strong support levels. When prices fail to break support in the down trending markets on more than one occasion we see powerful changes of trend. These reversal signals are meaningful. The most common entry point where a trader will open on a double bottom trade is on a move through the high of the two troughs. This high will represent secondary resistance, and when penetrated confirms a price reversal. The stops are placed around the lows of he patters because a move below lows negates the pattern premise.

Another good potential strategy is the ichimoku chart. These charts are following indicators, which identify support and resistance levels and create trading signals in a way that is similar to moving averages. A big difference however between the two is that the Ichimoku chart lines shift forward in time, creating wider support and resistance zones and decreasing the risk of trading false breakouts. They are calculated using information on trend existence, direction, support and resistance.

The four main lines are:
• Turning Line = (Highest High + Lowest Low) / 2, for the past nine days
• Standard Line = (Highest High + Lowest Low) / 2, for the past twenty-six days
• Leading Span 1 = (Standard Line + Turning Line) / 2, plotted twenty-six days ahead of today
• Leading Span 2 = (Highest High + Lowest Low) / 2, for the past fifty days, plotted twenty-six days ahead of today’s date.

Whichever strategy you choose to use, devote as much study as possible to increase your chances of gain and profit.

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Are You Guilty Of Committing These Flaws In Your Forex Trading? - Part #1

I am hardly surprised when friends and clients tell me that they are not consistent in their winning trades in trading forex. Many times, friends relate their stories of making a giant win in the markets at one time, and then will continue to tell a sad story of losing it all in the next few trades. Worst, some have even lost their capital. It is when they are at the verge of abandoning the entire idea of making a career of being a professional trader and when their financial losses are really hurting them, that they seek for help.

I have identified 5 of the most common flaws of forex traders, and have helped many of them to rectify their trading problems. Let me share them with you. We will cover the 2 most important trading flaws in Part #1 of this article.

1. The Most Common Flaw
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I have often been presented with rather sophisticated trading systems by traders who come to seek help. Most of them have been attracted by the promise of multi indicators and sophistication in the use of these trading systems. Many of them appear to be a rehash of the principle of confluence. What this simply means is that if a multitude of technical indicators show the same signal to buy, sell or hold, then the pure sense of synergy occurring suggests that the signal generated is correct. This sounds good in theory, but in practise, not all the indicators agree at the same time.

For example, a trading system might have a moving average indicator with a positive crossover occuring when its Relative Strength Index or RSI is at the lower boundary or is oversold at the 30% band. These two indicators occurring together at the same time is a good enough indication that the correct signal is to buy. But what happens in real life is that the deriving the decision is not that simple.

Why is that so?

Many of these "confluence" systems throw in other indicators that depict the price movement and do not add any value in helping you to trade. As a result, you get a pot-purri of technical indicators comprising oversold and overbought indicators such as stochastics, stochastics-RSI, momentum indicators, bollinger band breakouts and candlestick chart pattern recognition, and even artificial intelligence systems such as neural networks.

The end result is that many of these losing traders are unable to make a decision as to the true direction of the market and either get into the market too late or too early or just remained paralysed from making a decision at all. It is therefore no wonder that they are losing money by the buckets.

So the most common flaw among forex traders is the use of an unsuitable trading system which does not serve its purpose as a tool to help them trade profitably but rather confusing and complicating forex trading until they become perpetual losers.

2. The Most Dangerous Flaw
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An other flaw that I would classify as the most dangerous flaw of them all is that of greed and fear.

This is an emotional issue interwoven into the entire process of trading.

Giving friends and clients a listening ear, I have often heard how a profitable trade can lead to euphoria, and exuberance, and greed comes in and over-ride all aspects of risk management. The trader who is profitable at that stage will over-ride all his stop loss positions when prices fall back, believing without substance that the price will continue to go up many pips for a longer period of time. Risk-reward ratios are thrown to the wind. These traders see their winning trades ride up into huge profits, only to see them correct, pullback and crash down to earth. Worst, they are then paralysed by greed which tells them to wait a little longer for prices to recover, which they normally don't, but continue to pullback and consolidate and they have to take a loss at the worst possible time.

The trader is then struck by fear as he realises his position. When the next buying signal comes, he is paralysed by fear and unable to open any position. That is why when you override the emotional side of trading, the psychology of trading and the discipline of trading, you commit the most dangerous flaw in forex trading, with financial ruin facing the door.

We will discuss the next remaining 3 major trading flaws that cause forex traders to lose money in Part #(1b) of this article, and provide the solutions to overcome these trading flaws in Part #2 of this series.

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10 Forex Trading Essentials

These 10 Forex trading essentials are a high-level peek at the pitfalls that catch many traders. Compare your trading style with these simple fixes and if you are not employing some or all of them, you are placing yourself at a higher risk level.

1) Increase your time perspective - If you are not a well seasoned Forex trader, you shouldn't even look at a price chart of less than 60 minutes. The randomness of the normal transactions which occur in Forex will distort your judgment of the true picture. Use longer time frames, such as 60 minute, 4 hour and daily charts when planning your trades.

2) Reduce your position size to 5% Maximum - Having more than 3 to 5 percent of your trading capital on the table is a major no no. High leverage makes it very easy to get in away over your head. This combination snares many traders and can rapidly destroy your account. You need to have the ability to ride the volatility waves common in Forex.

3) Give your trade time to work - You can only use this option effectively if your position is sized safely... as per 2) above. Prices will fluctuate dramatically in Forex, and you need to be sure that a loss really is a loss before you close a trade that is moving against your plan. A 30 pip stop loss will often kick you out of a trade, just as it's about to turn in your direction. You need to allow for larger price swings... if you have determined the major price trend, be patient and let the odds work in your favor.

4) Reduce your dependence on technical indicators - Due to the fact that technical indicators get their data from past events, the reality is they have no ability to predict the future. Pro's that enjoy success using these indicators, often profit from the knowledge of how the masses are likely to react to this data, rather than the information itself. You need to determine the major trend (a simple moving average will show you this) and hop aboard. Use a longer time frame, as in 1). The largest players in Forex rely about 25% on technical indicators when making their trading decisions.

5) Trade only one or two currency pairs - And stick to the majors... not the crosses. Currency prices are driven primarily by fundamental data. In order to anticipate what is likely coming down the road, you need to follow some basic data for each of the countries involved. Trading too many currencies will make it difficult to keep up to date. There is equal opportunity to profit from each of the pairs, so wait until your experience level has matured and the information tends to sink in without as much effort on your part before you start to trade more currencies.

6) Average in and out of your trades - If your trading account is less than $50,000 have your broker enable mini-lots for your account. This will allow you to average in and out of your trades... a great way to add more flexibility to your account. If this applies to you and your broker doesn't offer mini lots, find a new broker... this is an important need to do.

7) Follow the data for your currency pair(s) - Know what data is pending for release. Volatility often increases dramatically when these releases occur. The safe strategy is to exit your positions prior to major releases... this is the way many of the larger accounts handle these situations. Data releases can often cause a change to the trend. Take them seriously.

8) Determine the trend and get aboard - As with any type of trading, the safest bet is to determine which way prices are trending, and then trade in that direction. You don't need anything fancy... a simple moving average on your candlestick chart is sufficient. Zoom your chart out to be sure you have the big picture. Compare where the price is now, relative to where is has been for a significant amount of time (at least a month). Use caution if the current price is near upper or lower extremes, as there may be a trend change once that extreme is reached.

9) Know when to take a profit - A winning position can quickly turn into a loser if you set your sights too high. Don't be afraid to take your profit - or a part of your profit at 20 or 30 pips. The price waves in Forex make it ideally suited to averaging into and out of positions by using multiple entry and exit points for each position. This is exactly where your mini lots can help! The benefit of spreading out your position is that your overall risk is reduced.

10) Stop listening to "Gurus" - Don't fall into the trap of believing everything, or even most things, you hear. The trading world is overflowing with gurus only too willing to offer their opinion on the future. It will only be an opinion, nothing more. They may seem to have convincing data, but trust your own brain. You need to weigh the economic data from your countries... that is what drives currency prices. The enormous size and nature of Forex ensure there is no insider information. You have access to the same data as everyone else in the game. In time, your own instinct will guide you to your goals, and that is what you need to trust.

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Forex - Currency Trading - FX - the right choice for YOU

With the current questioning on whether or not property [whether residential, buy-to-let, or industrial] is the place to invest at the present moment; the experts assessment that a further interest rate rise is on the cards; the large amounts of money required for any significant promise of profiting from shares, even if you pick the correct ones... plus the costs involved; the gloom and doom in pension funds - are you looking for just one small glimmer of hope, a bright spot?
The Currency Trading/Forex/FX markets could be that bright spot... after all billionsare traded there on a regular basis, day after day, month after month, year after year.
It doesn't matter whether you buy or sell, the potential for profit is there whichever way the market is headed.
Did you know that it is a TAX-FREE market? That it is relatively cheap to enter, especially when compared to shares? And that costs are extremely low?

It is quite easy to learn the ins and outs which you will need to know to make successful trades, if you don't know anything about it in the first place, then a course will easily put you in the know. Don't expect it to be difficult to learn and don't be put off by the technical terms. They are extremely simple to pick up, you will find it interesting, riveting even, and the details of the actual amounts of money which are traded are guaranteed to be an eye opener.

Once you have learnt HOW to trade, you can sign up with an online trading platform... remember to take advantage of their FREE courses, tutorials, and, most importantly, their demo account.

Does this sound like an avenue worth exploring... get your research off to a resounding success... visit http://www.5thNovember.com for all the lowdown on the best courses and trading platforms, plus free tips which you won't want to miss.

Remember, remember, the 5thNovember!

About the author:
5thNovember.com represents one of my newest interests... a new and fascinating world of currency trading. Other interests include, gardening, stress management, dogs, and weight loss.

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How To Choose A Good Forex Broker And A Practical Forex System

Currency trade has come to stay, because many people are making profit from it. That being the way it is, some people have become brokers, but not all of them will give you service satisfactorily. Therefore, you must verify the following before selecting a broker with which to open a Forex trading account.

What Is The Spread Of Displayed Prices; Are They Fixed Or Variable?

Currencies are different from stocks that are traded through a central exchange; instead, different brokers handle currency trading by displaying prices on their websites, as a result spread depends on your broker's policy. For instance, some brokers work the fixed spread, meaning that at whatever time or trading period it remains the same. Conversely, some other brokers apply the variable spread, which, as the name implies, has no solid spread and so may look like being okay and small in your favor for a moment, and before you blink an eyelid, it turns unfavorable as the market hurts up and the broker broadens the spread. Be certain that the broker you intend to use operates the fixed spread.

Speed And Honor:

In several cases brokers may refuse to honor their display prices after you push the Buy or Sell button. Determine a broker's honesty by first registering a test account as a test drive. By so doing you will also be in a position to ascertain how fast it takes to execute your order. Don't get involved with a broker who takes ten or more minutes to execute and substantiate your order.

Efficient Forex System:

Capable Forex trading software should exhibit live prices for you to with assurance trade at, and also makes available both Limit and Stop orders. A reliable Forex system should ideally grant a technique of attaching those to your entry order. It should also have the One-Cancels-Other orders feature that permits you to input your options and leave the software to carry on with its work. The most salient feature of a good Forex trading system is simplicity, for if you do not quite understand your trading platform how can you profit from its use?

Broker Support:

Forex trading is a nonstop 24 hour market procedure that requires a 24 hour Broker support. Phone connection between you and your Broker is very indispensable. Whether it be daylight in your part of the planet and dead of night in your Broker's part of planet, there must always be someone over there to attend to you. You may have need to be able to close positions over the phone if suddenly you experience Internet outage.

Broker Financial Backing

To end this article, for the purpose of detecting all the above, you should examine the company you intend to trade with. Brokers do not act in vacuum, they are regulated, but irregularities are as old as commerce. Be sure that your broker makes both their parentage and financial backing clear. If they balk on this very important clarification, do not register with them. You need only that broker with a solid financial backing.