Critical Factors For Successful Forex Trading

- by Roxanne Manning

Online, Day trading has exploded across America. Some investors have been very successful and boast of huge gains made in incredibly short periods of time. However, there are many others who experience devastating losses because they have not tapped into the 6 critical factors necessary for successful Futures and FOREX Trading. Http://Free-Cash-Site.com

Success in any profession can be broken down into a number of critical factors. Trading is no different. A successful trading strategy incorporates the following 6 factors.

1. Determination of An Edge: Trading Futures is a zero sum game. There must be an identifiable edge over the other market participants.

2. Disciplined Execution:There is no point in identifying an edge if there is no discipline to follow thru. Create a plan, stick with it, then determine if the plan is successful. If it is not, change the plan. The important thing is disciplined execution.

3. Money Management: If the risk per trade is too aggressive, then there is the risk of blowing an account. If trades are too conservative, then the opportunity to optimize returns is missed. It is critical to establish the maximum expected draw down of any system and set money management rules accordingly.

4. Create a Trading Plan: A trading plan will determine what will be done in any given situation during the trade day. A plan helps keep one focused on execution and not distractions.

5. Responsibility: Responsibility lies with the trader. Gains, losses, success, or failure is determined by the skill, determination and discipline of the trader.

6. Commitment: There must be commitment to placing every trade according to plan, even through the losing periods where every trade seems to end up a loser. Trading seems to throw up extremes of good times and bad times. One must not be over confident during the good times, and one must not give up in the bad times. There also must be adequate time every day to compare actual performances against the trading plan.

8 Basic Tips on choosing Best Forex Broker

- by Mostafa Soleimanzadeh

There are some basic notices that you should consider when you want choosing online forex broker.

#1- Spread Amount

The spread, which is calculated in pips, is the difference between how much you can buy or sell a currency at a specific point in time.

Forex currencies are not traded through a central exchange market, so the spread can be different depending on the forex broker you use. Some online forex brokers have variable spread; some of them have two spread amounts that depend to day and night.

Some of them their spread depends to the position of market. When market is quiet the spread is small and when market is busy the spread is high. I prefer forex brokers that have fixed spread, because over the long term fixed can be safer.

#2- Execution

- How fast is the broker's order execution?

- Do they offer automatic execution?

- How much can you trade before having to request a quote?

- Do they trade against their clients?

The best way to find out is to open a demo account and give them a test drive.

#3- Leverage Options

Leverage is expressed as a ratio between the total capital that is available to be traded and your actual capital. For example, when you have a ratio of 100:1, your forex broker will lend you $100 for every $1 of actual capital you have. Leverage is a necessity in forex trading because the price deviations in the currencies are set at fractions of a cent.

Before choosing an online forex broker notice that what is their leverage. Many brokerages offer a flexible margin that allows you to choose the leverage that's right for you.

#4- Account Types

Notice the forex broker you choose has mini account or not. Mini account is designed for those new to online currency trading and those with limited investment capital. There is a smaller deposit required to start trade of just $300 or less.

#5- Trading Platform

Good trading software will show live prices that you can actually trade at, not just indicative quotes. It will offer Limit and Stop orders, and ideally will let you attach these to your entry order. One-Cancels-Other orders are another useful feature - they mean you can set up your trade and then leave the software to get on with it.

#6- Dealing tools and value-added services

Find out online forex broker that offers the best resources and information to help you make the smartest trading decisions. A good company should offer real-time charts, technical analysis tools, real-time news and data, and software or website support. Be weary of any company that refuses to share information or trial versions before opening up an account. You will want to try out their system before you choose to invest money in it.

#7- Support

Forex is a 24 hour market, so your online forex broker should offer 24 hour support. You should also check if you can close positions over the phone - essential in case your PC or internet connection crash at a critical moment. You could contact to their Internet help desks to see how quickly they respond to enquiries.

#8- Get Referrals

Ask around and read forex forums to find out which forex brokers other people use and why they selected a specific broker.

Forex Scams: How To Spot Them A Mile Away

by John Bekian

In rcent years, investors have witnessed increased number of investment opportunities and offerings. While the complexity and success of these investment products vary, technological innovation has made the Forex market one of the fastest growth areas. Many of the leading Forex brokers reported up to 500% rise in the number of new retail customers. However, the growth of the Forex market has been accompanied by a sharp rise in foreign currency trading scams.

Many of these Forex scams are promoted on the radio, television, newspapers and the Internet. Investors who fall victim to these schemes, often lose all of their money. As an illustration, let's examine the facts of a recent case involving Forex fraud and its consequences. W learned of a foreign currency trading opportunity through an infomercial on the radio. K, the owner of a Forex asset management firm, spoke during the infomercial, promising viewers significant profits with minimum risk. After seeing the infomercial, W contacted K, and later attended a seminar presented by K and his firm. The seminar was so convincing that W wrote a check to K for $100,000.

Several months later, W received statements (which were false) from K's firm reflecting significant returns on his initial $100,000 investment. Thereafter, W attended another seminar and decided to invest more money. W took a loan and invested another $800,000 in K's Forex trading operation. Short while after W's second investment, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a complaint against K and his firm for engaging in a scheme to defraud investors. K's firm's assets were frozen, including the $900,000 invested by W. A receiver was appointed to distribute the remaining assets of K's firm to defrauded investors. The assets were distributed on pro-rata basis with no legal preference given to any of the victims. Since K's firm's assets were not enough to satisfy all of the defrauded investor's claims, W received only about $22,000 of the $900,000 he invested.

Since a whole book can be written on the various tactics and methods used by Forex scam artists, in this article, I will focus on the major warning signs that one needs to identify to avoid falling victim to Forex swindlers.

1. Promises of Little or No Risk

If you encounter a Forex firm that claims to have developed a foreign currency trading strategy that carries very little or no risk, stay away. The reason Forex trading can be very profitable is because it also carries a very high risk of loss. The Forex market is very volatile, and, without good money management, an investor can lose most if not all her capital within few days. Thus, individuals and firms who make claims that are far from market realities, as is riskless Forex trading, are really after your money.

2. Guarantees of Large Profits

Beware of firms that guarantee large profits in Forex trading. These so called "guarantees" are mere ploys to entice investors and make them believe that their money is safe and that they will definitely make large profits. Such claims are simply untrue, because even the best professional traders cannot guarantee that they will make a profit any given day. The Forex market, as most financial markets, is very unpredictable. Hence, be suspicious of such claims and those who make them.

3. Employment Ads For Forex Traders

Many Forex trading firms use employment ads to attract individuals with capital to trade using their systems. The employment ads, which often appear in newspapers and on the Internet, state that a foreign currency trading firm is looking for individuals to teach them how to trade the foreign currency market using firm capital. Those who reply to the ad are convinced by the firm that they will make a fortune trading currencies if they participate in the firm's training program. During the training process, which often occurs on a demo system, the novice traders are encouraged and told that their demo trading records show that have made significant profits, that they are ready to make real money and would very successful. Despite the firm's assessment of the novice trader as a brilliant newcomer, no firm capital is provided to the trader, instead the excited novice is told to use her own capital to trade using the firm's platform. In addition to various fees imposed on traders using the firm's platform, the Forex firm makes money as an introducing broker. Each time the novice trader trades through the firm's system, a good part of the spread charged by the broker is shared and goes into the firm's coffers. After few months, the novice trader loses all of her capital and leaves. The Forex firm, having made money during the novice trader's short stint, moves on to new traders eager to become rich trading foreign currencies.

4. Is the Forex Firm a CFTC or NFA Member?

Before you sign a check and give your capital to a Forex company, make sure you investigate the entity. Check to see whether the Forex firm, with which you want to do business, is registered with the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission or the National Futures Association. Many scam artists falsely claim that their firms are registered with the CFTC or the NFA to gain a perspective investor's trust. Do not trust anyone, research the firm and the background of the individuals involved before parting with your hard earned money.

The Internet has paved the way for many new opportunities for retail investors. The Forex market is both exciting and fast paced. Investor's who are careful and diligent are likely to avoid the perils of this market, and will profit from the growth and opportunities of foreign currency trading.

How To Spot Forex Fraud

by Willie Reynolds

As the popularity of Forex increases so do the number of scam artists attempting to cash in on the Forex gravy train. Since Forex involves trading money internationally, often over the Internet, a whole new breed of scams have come about. Ironically many of these scam artists are finding their marks through newspaper, television or other print media advertisements.

While these scams are generally easily spotted by experienced traders, new speculators may have problems knowing the difference between what is real and what isn't. It is absolutely essential to thoroughly research Forex trading, and any potential companies you may trade with before making an initial investment. The last thing you need is to find out that the company you have invested with is under investigation by the SEC for fraud. In this type of circumstance it can often be impossible to retrieve your money as the claims from all fraud of participants will be higher than the total payouts the government can guarantee.

One way to spot a scam on Forex is when someone promoting a Forex system guarantees no risk. It is a fact that there is risk with Forx trading, and generally anyone who claims otherwise is a liar, or more likely a criminal. Trading in Forex successfully requires knowledge, discipline, and a trading strategy. But there is no magic software or no risk way to assure that you will make money.

Another red flag indicating a sure sign of a Forex scam is a web site that guarantees profits. Nobody can guarantee profits and Forex trading. It is up to you as an investor to perform. If it were possible to guarantee profits in Forex trading then nobody would need to start a business showing others how to make guaranteed profits. The profit potential for anyone who could guarantee profits would be so enormous in Forex trading, that they would quickly become a billionaire by trades. So why would they waste time teaching others?

Another common tactic of Forex scam artists is to promise employment opportunities for people using their system. This is usually a trick to get you to spend your money with them. They are fishing for people with capital who can fund their enterprise. They typically promise to offer firm money to people using their system. But why would they do this? Instead what happens is they lure people into their training systems and convince people that they have done so well in the training session that they should start using their real money in order to make a fortune.

All reputable Forex trading web sites will be a member of the CFTC or the NFA. Make sure to check the company's claims out and assure that they are members of one of these organizations before dealing with them.

Keep in mind that Forex is a relatively unregulated system of exchanging money. In many cases Forex scams can become highly technical, involving brokers manipulating prices in ways that cannot be tracked by the average trader. Because of this is essential that you not become a mark for such brokers.

In the United States the CFTC is the federal agency responsible for regulating the trade of Forex currency. If you suspect that you have been a victim of some type of fraud contact the CFTC. They have jurisdiction for investigating and enforcing the laws.

Forex Software - Choosing The Best

by Oliver Turner

When it comes to forex trading the forex software you choose is essential. There are so many forex trading companies all competing for your business that choosing the right forex software can be quite a difficult task. Most of the forex software products available offers live online forex trading platforms but what other components are vital when it comes to your forex software.

Key Elements For Your Forex Software

Before purchasing any forex software there are a few essential items that should be included. The most important is security and your online forex trading software should include a 128 bit SSL encryption which will prevent hackers from accessing any of your personal details and information such as your account balance, transaction history, etc.

Providing the best security for your forex trading will include a company that provides 24 hour technical server support for your forex software, 24 hour maintenance should anything go wrong, daily backups of all information, and a security system that has been designed to prevent any unauthorized access. Along with these security protocols there are also some forex trading companies that use smart cards and fingerprint scanners to ensure that only their employees can have access to their servers.

Another important factor when it comes to choosing your forex software is to check what the company's downtime is like. When it comes to trading forex and particularly your online forex trading you need to ensure that the forex software you choose is reliable and available 24 hours a day. The forex software you choose for your forex trading should also have technical support available at all times should your session be cut short.

Ensuring that all the above features are listed in the forex software you choose will help to ensure your forex trading success.Anyway, a forex software is a must have if you want to earn money.

The Pros and Cons, of Trading a Forex Trading Demonstration Account

by Bill Boyd

Trading is a skill that takes time to learn. Think of it like Boxing it's also a skill that takes time to learn. If you get into a professional boxing ring without any training, you'll get beat up physically! If you get into the Forex ring without any training, you'll get beat up financially!

The similarities are that both the examples are Skills, and both require psychological preparation. The difference is that one is physical and the other is financial.

We can get over a physical beating usually in a few days or weeks, BUT a financial beating can be devastating and easily affect us for the rest of our lives, not only does it hurt our hip pocket but it can cause problems with our relationships and family. So when we get into the Forex ring we have to be prepared.

The Professional Boxer

When a professional boxer gets in the ring he has already been practicing in a safe environment usually for years, this safe environment is where he can make mistakes without having medical treatment. He can also spar with other opponents that have more skills and experience then he does and he learns from them. He also has someone there to watch him and give advice and guidance. Then when he is ready, he gets into the ring and boxes for real, he's accepted the risk and KNOWS that he can get hurt, but he's also studied his opponent and done his home work, so he KNOWS he has a good chance. He can still lose this round but if he wins most of them he will take the money home. BUT! What about the psychological side? Does he fear getting into the ring? Sometimes! But he's aware of it and he can control how it affects him in a way that is beneficial. Will he be thinking about the money he'll make? Or will he be thinking about the fight as is happens and planning his next moves during the breaks? He'll be analyzing the results from the previous rounds and making changes in his strategy for the next round.

The professional Trader

Can you see what's coming next? If so than, you've learnt to analyze what you read and form a projection into the future. (A very valuable skill for the FOREX Trader) A forex trader, like the professional boxer, will not get into the Forex trading ring without being prepared first. He might not spend years practicing in the Demonstration Account, but he will at least have spent a month or two or three, sparing with the Forex Market in a safe environment that he won't get beat up in. He'll practice trading forex against all the other traders and learn from them, and he'll also have someone watching him and giving advice, and guidance. Then when he is ready, he'll get into the Forex trading ring and trade forex for real, he's accepted the risk and KNOWS that he can get hurt, but he's also studied the Forex market and done his home work, so he KNOWS he has a good chance. He can still lose on this trade but if he wins most of the trades he will take the money home. BUT! What about the psychological side? Does he fear getting into the forex trading ring? Sometimes! But he's aware of this fear, but he can control how it affects him, in a way that is beneficial to his forex trading. Will he be thinking about the money he'll make? Or will he be thinking about the things that are influencing the market as is happens and planning his next trades while he waits for the results? He'll be analyzing the results from the previous trades and making changes in his strategy or continuing with the one that's working, and planning for the next Forex Trade.

So it's easy to see that trading with a Forex Trading Demonstration account is something everyone should do before getting into a live Forex Trading account.

The practice account will give the trader MOST of the skills necessary, to be able to trade profitably, giving them the training ring to spar in.

BUT A BIG WARNING!!!

Like the Boxer the Forex trader has learnt to manage his emotions, this is often overlooked by new Forex Traders. BUT is probably what separates the successful investor from the ones that keep getting beat up! If you are considering getting into the Forex trading Ring, then be sure to practice first, and find all the information you can about controlling your emotions. Fear, greed, impatience, are the main culprits of financial bashings, so keep an eye out for them, and learn how to beat them before you get in the ring with them. Understanding these emotions will enable you to use them to your advantage in understanding the market, the market is influence by these emotions and if you understand them you can have them on your side, thus giving you an advantage.

Forex Brokers - Helping to Maximize Your Success

by Anthony Trister

A Forex broker is a broker dealing in foreign exchange, just like real estate broker who deals in real estate and properties. Simply, a Forex broker is an advisor who advises you about the forex market. However, the Forex market is not the perfect place to play with as a novice and beginner as there are many criticalities involved along with much risk bearing capacities. Novices can very quickly get their fingers badly burnt. But inexperience is not the only reason to consider using a Forex broker to trade in the high-risk international currencies market.

So, the Forex broker is an advisor who advises you about the forex market and allows you to work for 24 hours a day with major currencies like EUR, JPY, GBP, CHF etc against the US dollar on the spot, i.e. according to the current prices on the forex international exchange market. But the level of profits depends only on your abilities as well as your timely decision.

Although the role of the Forex broker is relatively redundant as a result of technological advancement and increased awareness, we cannot completely underestimate his role. The new paradigm shift has had something of a democratizing effect on the financial markets, and in the years that have followed a plethora of banks and brokerages have extended the range of their services to a new market by packaging up their online trading systems for the retail market, enabling the more modest investor to trade from their own computer screen - even on the previously out-of-reach currency markets. This is where the real role of Forex broker starts.

PIP is nothing special but Price Interest Points. In the forex market, currencies are always priced in pairs. The quoted price is the level where we, acting as the market maker, are willing to buy/sell the currency pair. In the wholesale market, currencies are quoted out to four decimal places, with the last placeholder called a point or a pip. A pip in most currencies is one /10,000th of an exchange rate (in USD/JPY, it is one /100th, likewise you can find for others).

Let's see some more information about Spread. As with all financial products, forex quotes include terms like 'bid' and 'ask"'. The 'bid', in its simplest terms is the price at which a dealer is willing to buy (and clients can sell) the base currency in exchange for the counter currency. The 'ask' is the price at which dealer will sell (and clients can buy) the base currency in exchange for the counter currency. The difference between the bid and the ask price is referred to as the spread. The spread defines the trader's cost, which can be recovered with a favorable currency move in the market. The value of a pip is determined by the pair of currencies being traded, the rate at which the currency pair is trading and the size of the position being traded.

There are many great Forex brokers, like COESfx, who maintains tight, competitive spreads in the four major currencies against the Dollar, and a total of 17 currency pairs including USD/CAD and AUD/USD. Some of the major features of COESfx are:

Real-time streaming prices

Price certainty on market orders

Competitive pricing

Fixed 3-5 pip spreads

For details, about this forex broker as well as their offerings, please visit: http://www.coesfx.com.

FXcast Forex Broker

FXcast is a unique Forex broker registered on Antigua and Barbuda and is an accredited member of GDCA. FXcast offers its exclusive FXcast Swing platform for small accounts. This platform features 1 pip spreads and really easy-to-use interface, which is understandable even by the completely new Forex traders. Professional traders may benefit from the FXcast Pro platform which is based on MetaTrader 4 platform thus allows using custom indicators and automated expert advisors. FXcast also supports almost all possible ways to deposit and withdraw trading funds - everything for the trader's comfort.

• Spreads - from 1 pip on EUR/USD (on FXcast Swing).
• Open account in just five minutes.
• $1 to open a real trading account.
• Professional user support.
• Trade more than 35 currency pairs.
• Fund account via e-gold, WebMoney and E-Bullion.
• No slippage, even in volatile market.
• Guaranteed order execution.
• Live support during trading session.
• Exclusive FXcast Swing and MetaTrader 4 platforms.
• Segregated secure accounts available for big traders.
• Partnership program available.

FXcast is very easy to start with: register via their website, update your personal identification information and enjoy trading - either via FXcast Swing or via FXcast Pro (MetaTrader 4 platform).

LiteForex Forex Broker

LiteForex Forex Broker

LiteForex is one of the leading MetaTrader 4 Forex brokers that accept e-currencies (such as e-gold and WebMoney) as the payment method. Accounts can be started with the minimum of $1, which combined with flexibility of MetaTrader platform makes LiteForex an ultimate choice for the traders that want to test their automated trading strategies on real account, but without risk of losing too much money. CFD trading is also available, so Forex traders can diversify some of their portfolio into stocks traded on NYSE.

• Start trading with $1.
• Commission free trading.
• Leverage from 1:100 to 1:200.
• Receive monthly interest on your balance.
• Competitive fixed bid/ask spreads.
• Really fast order execution.
• Many different account types available.
• 33 currency pairs, 8 currency indexes, 32 CFDs and 2 metals to trade.
• One of the best trading platforms - MetaTrader 4.
• Reliable dedicated trading servers.
• 24 hours a day, 5 days a week trading support.
• Partnership opportunities for serious clients.

It is easy to start trading with LiteForex - all you have to do is just register at their website, download their MetaTrader 4 client software, deposit money via one of the available methods (takes no more than an hour) and start trading!

The Prime Time For Daily Forex Trading

by David Mclauchlan

Investors and traders can trade currencies worldwide, in any trading zone, 24 hours a day, in today's foreign exchange market. London, Japan and New York top the top three currency traders among the currency dealers. These currencies are being traded 24 hours a day. The only time that currencies stop trading is on Friday when the Japanese market shuts its doors. There is a one day window after Japan closes before Europe steps in on Monday morning to open for business.

The majority of trading comes from banks, brokerages and investment companies. Companies that sell and buy foreign currencies as part of their business, like independent brokers and currency dealers, make up only a small part of the foreign exchange currency trading. The Forex market will continue to develop and grow at a steady pace as more currency traders become aware of the foreign exchange markets potential for earning and raising capital. The Forex market reaches an average daily turnover 30 times higher than any other U.S. market.

Added to the drive for supply and demand, the Forex market presses on as the enormous scope for profit potential among the currency dealers is steadily rising. The Forex market also uses the free floating system that is considered more practical for today's foreign exchange market which can experience a change in the currency rates at an estimated 4.8 seconds. The Forex market is taking on a prodigious role in the country's economy, after developing from connective financial centers to one unified market. Having expanded worldwide, the Forex market is reflecting the constant growth of all international trades and their countries. When you consider the size of the foreign exchange market, it would be important to understand that any transactions that are made with a future trading broker or an independent broker, can lead to more transactions. This can be due to the brokerage businesses as they work to readjust their positions.

Understanding your overall portfolio and its sensitivity to market unpredictability is necessary in order to be an effective day trader. This is especially important when trading foreign exchange currencies, because these currencies are priced in pairs and no single pair will trade completely independently of the others. Gaining an understanding of these correlations and how they can change will help you use them to your advantage to control your portfolio's exposure.

Correlations Defined

There is a reason for the interdependence of foreign currency pairs. For instance, if you were trading the British pound (GBP) against the Japanese yen (JPY) or GBP/JPY pair, then you're trading a type of derivative of the USD/JPY and GBP/USD pairs. Therefore, the GBP/JPY must be slightly correlated to one or both of the other currency pairs. Even so, the interdependence amongst these currencies will stem from more than the fact that they are in pairs. While there are some currencies that will move one right behind the other, the other currency pairs can move in different directions often resulting in a more complex force. In the financial world, correlation is the statistical measure of a relationship between two securities.

Then there is the correlation coefficient that ranges between -1 and +1. The correlation of +1 indicates that two currency pairs can move in the same direction nearly 100% of the time. While the correlations of -1 indicates that two currency pairs are likely to move in the opposite direction 100% of the time. If the correlation is zero, this indicates that the relationships between the currency pairs will be completely at random.

Correlations are not always stable. Correlations change, just as the global economic system and other various factors can change on a daily basis, making the ability to follow the shift in correlations very important. The correlations of today may not be in line with the long-term correlations between any two-currency pairs. This is why it's suggested to take a look at the past six months trailing correlation to provide a more clear perspective on the average relationship between the two currency pairs. This change is the result of a variety of reasons - the most common reasons being a currency pair's predisposition to commodity prices, the diverging monetary policies and unique political and economic circumstances.

The Forex Market And Its Three Distinctive Elements

by David Mclauchlan

Although there are many distinctive elements of the Forex market, there are three that can be highlighted as helping new traders learn exactly what the foreign exchange market is all about. These distinctive elements are those that every new trader should know long before they make their first trade. The Forex system is one that is made to encompass the entire globe. It can be difficult to interpret and even more difficult to successfully trade within. The first step to being a successful trader is knowing how the system works. Before you even think about opening a Forex account, be sure that you are familiar with the foreign exchange market's three distinctive elements: geographical, functional, and participant.

Geographical

The Forex is a huge market that encompasses the entire globe. This is a market that spans from North America to Europe, to China, and back. There is no area it doesn't touch which makes the market so popular. There is simply something for everyone within the Forex market. Its easy 24 hour a day access makes it even more attractive for investors. No matter what time of day you want to trade, there will be someone trading in some distant location around the world. Although there is trading in the Forex in every corner of the globe, the major exchanges are Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Bahrain, London, New York, San Francisco, and Sydney. The geographical element of the foreign exchange market can help new traders realize the size and volume of the Forex. It is simply unmatched in volume and size making it a powerful tool for investors everywhere.

Functional

The entire Forex market functions to transfer purchasing power between countries. When trades are made, partners are converting currency revenues into their domestic currency. When one country's purchasing power is strong, another country's purchasing power may be weaker. The Forex market also functions to obtain and provide credit for international trade and to avoid an exchange rate disaster. When it comes to international trade, the Forex is helpful because it helps the movement of goods between countries and offers credit for financing.

Participant

There are two main parts to the foreign exchange market. The first part is the interbank, which is often called the wholesale market. The second part is the client, which is often called the retail market. In these two categories are approximately five different types of participants. The first type of participant being the bank and non-bank foreign exchange dealers who buy at bid prices and sell at asking prices. This helps the efficiency of the market as a whole. An interesting thing to note is that by trading currencies, banks often make up to 20% of their profits.

The second type of participants is made up of individuals, and commercial and investment firms. This group consists of importers, exporters, tourists, and other portfolio investors. They use the market to help them invest. These are often the participants who use the Forex to hedge, which is a way to reduce their risk.

The third group type that seeks to profit from the foreign exchange market are s speculators and arbitragers. These people are out to make money for themselves. They are acting in their own self-interest. They seek profitable rate changes in order to help them profit and try to profit with the least possible risk involved. Large banks are sometimes a part of this group.

Also involved in the Froex are central banks and treasuries. They use it to change the value of their own currency, or to at least attempt to do so. This is something that they do with reserves. Their motive is not to profit but to influence the market. They want the value of their domestic currency to benefit their interests.

Foreign exchange brokers are the last of the five groups involved in the participant element of the Forex. These participants are those who facilitate trading but are not partners in the transaction. They typically charge a fee for their service, which is most often on a commission scale. They are often seen as go betweens for large traders.

Investment Myths And The Forex Markets

by David Mclauchlan

First what is Forex: The FOREX or Foreign Exchange market is the largest financial market in the world, with an volume of more than $1.5 trillion daily, dealing in currencies. Unlike other financial markets, the Forex market has no physical location, no central exchange. It operates through an electronic network of banks, corporations and individuals trading one currency for another.

What is a myth: A myth is often thought to be a lesson in story form which has deep explanatory or symbolic resonance for preliterate cultures, who preserve and cherish the wisdom of their elders through oral traditions by the use of skilled story tellers.

Many new Forex market traders have misconceptions about the entire system. They see people making money trading with the Forex market and automatically assume they can easily do the same. What they tend to forget it that there is strategy and research done in order to make successful trades and profits from trading. If you are new to the Forex market system, don't get caught up in popular investment myths. Be sure that you know exactly what to expect and be realistic when trading.

When you are trading and investing in any market, including the Forex, you must have the discipline needed to be successful. Although the system is enormous and there is a lot going on that you won't be involved within, you must actively protect your investments. Your investments will not be protected just because they are in the market. A lot can change throughout a day, so you have to always be aware of what is going on in order to be fully protected to your best ability. You should always make logical and researched decisions when trading. It is not a system to use to "get rich quick". It is a serious financial system that can break your pocket if you are not careful.

One thing to remember when trading and trying to protect your investments however will be that you must take risks to gain. Along with taking a large risk, can come a large success or large loss. You have to be prepared for the worst. You can do this by educating yourself as much as possible on the trading system and your investments. The more you know, the better prepared you will be to make successful decisions. If you are unsure about a system of trading, like the Forex, be sure to take classes and read about the system before you begin trading. Only trade when you are certain you are ready to begin. Even after you learn what you need to know about the system and are a seasoned trader, there are times when you will have losses. The system is not one that protects your investments or your money in general. So, be prepared and aware of this issue. Being realistic can really help you gain more success.

Leverage is something that is both great when it comes to the Forex and possibly dangerous. Trading currencies offers a high level of leverage. Those who don't have a lot of money to begin with can use leverage to gain more money. When used correctly, you can often do this in short amounts of time. Most people think however that this is something that can be done easily. Those who use leverage to their potential are often those with years of experience in trading. Some people tend to follow the myth that anyone will be able to easily use leverage to get rich fast. This is simply not true. You must be a trader with an excellent knowledge of the system in order to make leverage work to your maximum advantage.

Another thing to keep in mind is that just because you are trading with a minimum marginal deposit does not mean you should trade at levels above your portfolio. The myth that you can get away with this every time is not true. You should not over leverage yourself. By trading in small amounts, you will be able to make safe investments that will not result in huge losses. You will win some and lose some, especially when you are first starting out.

When it comes to the Forex market, you should know that what you assume to be true may not be true at all. You may think that you can use the Forex market to protect your investments. You have learned from reading this however that the Forex may not protect your investments, and one should be diligent in watching their investments in order to avoid anything catastrophic. You may also think that you can get rich quickly using the Forex market. The truth is that short term trading, which is notorious for turning profits quickly, is not for the beginner. Those who have traded for years may try short term investing, but it is very risky indeed. Lastly, you may think that leverage will help you "play with the big boys" and still stay safe. This can be a horrible assumption and many people will over leverage themselves if they are not careful. So, do research, be smart, and think before you act when dealing with the Forex.

What Is Rollover Interest In The Forex Market?

by Martin Maier

In the spot forex market, all trades must be settled in two business days. A rollover refers to the process of closing open position for today's value date and the opening of the same position for the next day's value date at a price reflecting the difference in interest rates between the two currencies.

In accordance with international banking practices, Forex brokers automatically rolls over all open positions to the next date at 5 PM EST for settlement.

Rollover involves exchanging the position being held for a position expiring the following settlement date. For example, for trades executed on Monday, the value date is Wednesday.

However, if a position is opened on Monday and held overnight, the value date is now Thursday. The exception is a position opened and held overnight on Wednesday. The normal value date would be Saturday; because banks are closed on Saturday the value date is actually the following Monday. Due to the weekend, positions held overnight on Wednesday incur or earn an extra two days of interest.

Trades with a value date that falls on a holiday will also incur or earn additional interest. Forex Traders can earn interest on rollovers, depending on the direction of their positions and interest rate differential between the two currencies involved.

For instance, the primary interest rates in Great Britain are much higher than in Japan, so if a trader buys GBP, he/she will earn interest at 5 PM EST time. on the other hand, if he/she sells GBP in this currency pair, he/she will pay interest at 5 PM EST time.

Overnight Interest/Rollover is automatically paid to a client's account after buying a currency with greater Interest Rate in its country, and charged to a client's account if the country issuing this currency has smaller Primary Interest Rates.

Currency Trading Is Not The Monopoly Of The Nerds And The Geeks - by Sara Chambers

by Sara Chambers

The general perception is that any and every person who is involved in the business of trading of currency or foreign exchange is a person who has a super high IQ. To hear words and phrases like liquidity ratio, central bank intervention and inflationary demand makes us feel as if we are back in the boring and inherently avoidable lecture on economics that we were forced to attend in our college.

However, all these preconceived notions apart, forex or currency trading is not the domain for the super intelligent alone.

There is no doubt that you need brains to get involved in forex trading. Then, I bet you cannot name a single sphere of human activity that does not need the application of one's mind. A bit of brains and lot of research can help you make a tidy sum in currency trading.

Till recently, the forex trading market was not open to individual investors. To take part in the process of buying and selling of currency, you either had to be a big bank with lots of deposits and assets under your belt or you had to be a big financial institution that carried out the business of trading in forex as its primary activity. Today you do not need a lot of capital to earn money in currency trading. A few thousand dollars as the initial capital is sufficient to get you started.

The advantages of trading in currency are manifold. The biggest advantage is that the currency trading market is a market that remains open round the clock. No other financial market stays open and operation twenty-four hours a day. This round the clock functioning results in constant and immediate reflection of economic, political and social events. A smart investor can take advantage of the fluctuation to make huge profits.

Further, the forex market works without any centralized exchange. There is direct interaction between the persons involved in currency trading over the telephone or electronic network.

However, just because it is easy to enter the currency trading market does not mean it is easy to make profit in the currency trading market. It is very important to possess knowledge of the forex market. You will have to grasp and establish your command over basic concepts. You will have to understand the significance of the technical indicators of the functioning of the forex market. Trying to gain complete knowledge of the currency market without actually entering into the field is like trying to learn swimming without entering the water.

By arriving at a judicious combination of knowledge, instincts and risk, one can make a lot of money in the currency trading market, or the forex market as it is known as, with very little initial investment.

forex books !!!!!!!!! come here and download its freeee

Forex Books

Here you can download free FOREX e-books. The information in these Forex e-books will help you develop your trading skills, money management abilities and self-control.

The Forex e-books are in .pdf format. You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open these e-books. You can get Adobe Acrobat Reader from here. Some of the e-books (those that are in parts) are zipped.

Forex Books for Beginners

Candlesticks For Support And Resistance - The basics of trading with candlesticks charts by John H. Forman

Online Trading Courses - Course #1 lesson #1 by Jake Bernstein

Commodity_Futures_Trading_for_Beginners - by Bruce Babcock

Hidden Divergence - by Barbara Star, Ph.D

The Law Of Charts - by unknown author

Peaks and Troughs - by Martin J. Pring

Reverse Divergences And Momentum - by Martin J. Pring

Strategy:10 - Low-risk, high-return forex trading by W. R. Booker & Co.

The NYSE Tick Index And Candlesticks - by Tim Ord

Trend Determination - A quick, accurate and effective methodology by John Hayden

The Original Turtle Trading Rules - by OrignalTurtles.org

Introduction to Forex - by 1st Forex Trading Academy. This trading course intends to provide to all of the students analytical tools on the trading system and methodologies. In this respect, the purpose of the course is to provide an overview of the many strategies that are being used in Forex market and to discuss the steps and tools that are needed in order to use these strategies successfully.

The Six Forces of Forex - by Scott Owens. A small e-book covering the basic and the main problems of Forex trading.

Study Book for Successful Foreign Exchange Dealing - by Royal Forex.

Forex Books about Market in General

Screen Information, Trader Activity, and Bid-Ask Spreads in a Limit Order Market - An in-depth work on a Limit Order Market by Mark Coppejans and Ian Domowitz

Strategic experimentation in a dealership market - by Massimo Massa and Andrei Simonov

Limit Orders, Depth, and Volatility - by Hee-Joon Ahna, Kee-Hong Baeb and Kalok Chan

Reminiscences of a Stock Operator - the best of the best book on financial trading by Edwin Lefevre

Market Profile Basics - by Jayanthi Gopalakrishnan

Quote Setting and Price Formation in an Order Driven Market - by Puneet Handa, Robert Schwartz and Ashish Tiwari

Phantom of the Pits - General thoughts and opinions on trading and market by Arthur L. Simpson

An Introduction to Market Profile and a User's Guide to Capital Flow Software - by J. Peter Steidlmayer and Ted Hearne

The Effect of Tick Size on Volatility, Trader Behavior, and Market Quality - by Tavy Ronen and Daniel G. Weaver

Trading as a Business - by unknown author

What Moves the Currency Market? - by Kathy Lien - Find out which economic factors help shape the short-term and long-term forex landscape.

Macroeconomic Implications of the Beliefs and Behavior of Foreign Exchange Traders - by Yin-Wong Cheung and Menzie D. Chinn.

Forex Books about Money Management

Risk Control and Money Management - by Gibbons Burke

Money Management - A chapter from The Mathematics of Gambling

Position-sizing Effects on Trader Performance: An experimental analysis - by Johan Ginyard

Fine-Tuning Your Money Management System - by Bennett A. McDowel

Money Management Strategies - a vast scientific approach to the money management problem of the financial trading.

Money Management - by Dave Landry - a short and easy book on money management.

Forex Books about Trader's Psychology

A Course in Miracles - A Christian view on the probability by unknown author

Thoughts on Trading - Some general thoughts about financial trading by Joe Ross

Calming The Mind So That Body Can Perform - by Robert M. Nideffer, Ph.D

Emotion Free Trading - "How to consistently act in your own best interest with your off-the-floor trading!" by Larry Levin

How George Soros Knows What He Knows - a must-read book by Flavia Cymbalista, Ph.D

Lifestyles of the Rich and Pipped - by Rob Booker & Kim Shaftner, M.D.

The Miracle of Discipline - by W.R. Booker & Co.

Zoom in on Personal Trading Behavior And Profit from It - by Linda Bradford Raschke

The Woodchuck and the Possum - by Rob Booker

25 Rules Of Forex Trading Discipline - by Douglas E. Zalesky

Stop Losses Are For Sissies - by W. R. Brooker & Co. - a rather descriptive evidence of how important stop losses in Forex trading are.

Your Personality and Successful Trading - by Windsor Advisory Services - describes and discusses almost all psychological and emotional aspects of financial trading.

Forex Books about Strategy

1-2-3 System - A simple pattern trading system by Mark Crisp

Bollinger Bandit Trading Strategy - A trading system based on Bollinger bands indicator by unknown author

Value Area - from The Likos Letter

The Dynamic Breakout II Strategy - by unknown author

Ghost Trader Trading Strategy - by unknown author

King Keltner Trading Strategy - by unknown author

Scalp Trading Methods - by Kevin Ho

LSS - An Introduction to the 3-Day Cycle Method - by George Angell

Market Turns And Continuation Moves With The Tick Index - by Tim Ord

The Money Manager Trading Strategy - by unknown author

Picking Tops And Bottoms With The Tick Index - by Tim Ord

The Super Combo Day Trading Strategy - by unknown author

The Eleven Elliott Wave Patterns - by unknown author

The Thermostat Trading Strategy - by unknown author

Intraday trading with the TICK - by Christopher Terry

Traders Trick Entry - by Traders Educators of Traders University

Fibonacci Trader Journal - a journal covering different trading techniques based on Fibonacci indicators, by Robert Krausz. 12 issues.

Rapid Forex - a set of aggressive Forex trading strategies (Rapid Forex) by Robert Borowski and Stephen A. Pierce

Microtrading the 1 Minute Chart - a small e-book aimed on Forex newbies to teach them the basics of M1 scalping.

ICWR Forex Trading Strategy - Impulsive/Corrective Waves Retracement strategy rules and examples in this piece of marketing-language literature.

BunnyGirl Forex Trading Strategy Rules and FAQ - set of rules for a BunnyGirl trading strategy based on WMA crossing.

Forex Books for Advanced Traders

A New Interpretation of Information Rate - by J. L. Kelly Jr.

CCI Manual - by James L. O'Connell

Nicktrader and Jeff Explaining Reverse and Regular Divers - from Woodies CCI Club Discussion From January 15,16 2004

NickTrader on No Price CCI Divergence Trading - by Nicktrader

Are Supply and Demand Driving Stock Prices? - by Carl Hopman

The Sharpe Ratio - by William F. Sharpe

FOREX Education - Thinking Of Buying FOREX Advice? Read This First

by Sacha Tarkovsky

There is a huge amount of FOREX Education you can buy but before you buy it read this, as in excess of 90% of it will ensure you lose.

So you ensure you get the right FOREX Education follow the guidelines below.

1. Never buy a day trading system!

Most novice traders are enticed by the theory of making money everyday, with low risk and high rewards, but this is not the reality of day trading.

The reality of day trading is:

A quick wipe out of equity - why?

Quite simply, all short term moves are random and using support and resistance as day traders do is destined to failure.

If you don't believe me try this simple test when buying any FOREX Education from a vendor:

Ask for the real time track record of profits and you won't get one from a day trader.

At best you will get a hypothetical track record, but that's done in hindsight, knowing the closing prices and if we know the closing prices its not hard to make money.

If you want to make money don't day trade!

2. Real time profits

A real time track record is an essential requirement on ANY FOREX education you buy, not just day trading systems.

The fact however is, most FOREX education is sold by failed brokers, or people who have never traded in their lives.

If these people have not had the confidence to trade their own money on their own system why should you?

3. Understand the FOREX Education

Even if you are lucky enough to find a system that does have a track record of real FX Profits you need to be mindful of the following:

You need to fully understand the method and not follow it blindly.

If you don't understand why a method works you won't have confidence to follow it through inevitable periods of losses.

Not only must you understand it to follow it with discipline, you must also check it fits your trading personality.

Some traders can take big drawdowns or losses, other traders find them hard to take, so pick a system with a risk to reward you can handle emotionally.

4. The best FOREX education

There is a huge amount of FOREX education and FOREX advice free on the web, so use it.

In other articles we have shown how to build a system that makes profits from free info and it's a lot easier to learn FOREX Trading this way than many people think.

You can also get some great FOREX education at nominal cost from your local bookstore this FOREX advice is from:

Traders who don't just talk the talk - they have walked the walk and made money.

Great books to look at are Jack Schwager's excellent Market Wizards and New Market Wizards - which interview some of the best traders of all time.

Trader Vic - Victor Sperandeo a great all round book and there are many more.

Rather than buying a e-book from someone without a track record, get your FOREX Education free on the net and get some classics from legendary traders.

Most of the courses and systems on the web are over priced, don't work and you can frankly, do better on your own with the above advice.

Secrets To Potentially Making Money In The Forex Markets

by Bill Poulos

How would you like to be able to potentially make money trading currencies in the Forex markets? Better yet, how would you like to be able to potentially do this within strict risk control parameters? Even better yet, how would you like to potentially do it with a minimum of effort on your part? I'm talking about only10 minutes a week. Well, I am here to tell you a few key principles or secrets to potentially make it happen.

Secret #1

The Forex markets are heavily advertised as being a great way to make money, which is very misleading. The unwary would-be Forex trader is led to believe all she has to do is open a Forex account to gain access to one of the many excellent Forex trading platforms, begin trading and then become rich in no time. So what's the secret? The Forex market is a highly liquid, potentially profitable market to trade, sure enough, but only if you have a winning edge methodology that you can apply to these markets. Without such a methodology, the hapless trader will quickly lose money trading the Forex as they would any market.

Secret #2

The Forex markets are heavily advertised as commission-free. True, but unlike the futures market, entering and exiting positions in the Forex markets is done by buying at the high end of a rather wide bid/ask spread and selling at the low end. So the difference in the spread is your cost of doing business. This cost may be acceptable for swing and long term traders, but may not be acceptable for day traders. So if your goal is to make money, you may not wan to day trade the Forex markets.

Secret #3

While swing trading could be potentially profitable trading the Forex markets, there is potentially greater opportunity trading the long term trends. Currencies have always moved in long sweeping mega-trends that potentially offer low risk entry points and the potential opportunity to ride a long money making trend (sometimes for several months). The following wisdom from legendary stock trader Jesse Livermore is equally applicable to the Forex markets:

"And right here let me say one thing: After spending many years in Wall Street and after making and losing millions of dollars I want to tell you this: It never was my thinking that made the big money for me. It always was my sitting. Got that? My sitting tight! It is no trick at all to be right on the market. You always find lots of early bulls in bull markets and early bears in bear markets. I've known many men who were right at exactly the right time, and began buying and selling stocks when prices were at the very level which should show the greatest profit. And their experience invariably matched mine - that is, they made no real money out of it. Men who can both be right and sit tight are uncommon. I found it one of the hardest things to learn. But it is only after a stock operator has firmly grasped this that he can make big money. It is literally true that millions come easier to a trader after he knows how to trade than hundreds did in the days of his ignorance."

Secret #4

Potentially the best way to trade for the longer term is to trade off of the weekly charts, thus avoiding the day-to-day volatility that wreak havoc on one's account or at a minimum shake you out of your position prematurely and potentially missing a big money move altogether. By definition, then, a potential winning edge methodology based on a weekly chart only requires analysis once a week after the futures markets close for the week each Friday. You then simply update your chart, determine the following week's entry, trailing stop loss and profit target orders, which should be placed before the futures market opens on Monday. A clarification is in order here, even though we are trading the Forex market, we can use the weekly futures markets charts for determining exit and entry orders that can then be executed in the Forex market. And these same signals, by the way, are equally executable in the futures markets. It becomes a matter of which market platform you prefer to trade the currencies.

It should be clear from this discussion that there is no magic to trading the Forex or currency futures markets. The magic is in the potential winning edge methodology that you apply to these markets that makes the money.

Your Guide to Learning a Forex Trading System

by Morgan Hamilton

There are a great number of people in America that are interested in investing in order to make a tidy profit. There are many ways to invest and many ways to make profits by investing. One method that has been gaining in popularity is that of the Forex trading system. If you are unsure of what this is, let me explain. Forex stands for foreign exchange. A Forex trading system is defined as the simultaneous exchange of one countries currency for another countries currency. If you would like more information, please let this be your guide to learning a Forex trading system.

The Forex trading system involves trading some of the world's most major currencies. These are: the dollar, yen, British pound, Swiss franc, and the Euro. The way the exchange rates of these types of currencies change is based on economic growth. An example: Sometimes the Dollar is worth more than the British pound because the United States was in a period of economic growth while Britain was on the decline. This can be because the unemployment rate was declining in the United States, while on the rise in Britain. Another example: the export rate is up in Asia so the yen is worth more than the Swiss franc where the export rate is down. Economic growth changes daily, so the value of these currencies changes daily. You need to learn to watch for these changes in order to make any money with the Forex trading system.

The Forex Trading system is much larger than that of all U.S. stock markets combined. In fact, the Forex Trading system makes about 1.9 trillion dollars each year. This is 30 times larger than the U.S. stock markets. Also, Forex trading is done throughout the entire world, so it is available 24 hours a day, unlike the U.S. stock markets.

You can learn the Forex trading system for free online at various websites. Many websites offer a free demo account and free Forex trading System training. This way you can practice everything you learn for free, without investing or losing any real money. Then when you get a feel for the Forex trading system, many websites offer a free 30 day trial or free trades to new investors. It is best to utilize some of this free training and the free demo accounts before you start investing your own money.

Now that you understand the Forex trading system a little better, you may wish to get out there and start investing. There is a lot of money to be made, or lost. Be careful and make sure you get the proper training first. With the right frame of mind, you may be able to make some healthy sums of cash through the Forex trading system!

Automated Trading Systems for Financial Markets and Recommendations for Their Usage

by Nikita Laukhin

1. Introductions

Today, using information and trading platforms has become a de facto requirement for successful trading in the financial markets. Their advantages as compared to conventional trading schemes include, for example, an unprecedented speed of processing and delivery of information to end users, the level of integration with data providers, and a wide array of built-in technical analysis instruments.

At the same time, an investor opening an account with a brokerage firm simply cannot simultaneously manage the real-time analysis and trade in more than 4-6 financial instruments in several markets 24 hours 7 days a week. This brings about the need to employ automatic trading systems in the form of runtime environment with client and server parts and the programs to control these systems (scripts).

2. Comparative Analysis of the Problem Area

Various software components embrace the entire target sector of the market-from analytics and forecasting to complex trade and administration. The components of a trading platform provide its clients-brokers, dealers, traders, financial analysts and advisors-just the service they need at the very moment they need it, from immediate round-the-clock access to information of concern by means of mobile devices, to multi-move trading operations in the major client terminal.

The software market offers a great many of information and trading platforms that differ, first of all, in the functionality of the client and server parts, and the list of services provided by the financial company once an account has been opened. However, only a relatively small number of software solutions include the components that automate trading.

2.1. MetaTrader4-based Solutions

One of the world's most widely used trade platform products is apparently MetaTrader4, developed by MetaQuotes Software Corporat?on for Forex market trading. The platform includes an integrated development environment (IDE) MetaEd?tor, intended for writing scripts in a programming language called MetaQuotes Language, or MQL4 for short. The language's syntax is based on the classic C language syntax, and the flow logic has not been significantly changed since the previous version of the platform that used MQL II as the programming language. The new automated trade framework is, undoubtedly, an evolution of the previous one. Both languages feature good functionality, with an optimum set of built-in trading and utility functions which is quite sufficient to implement the basic operations, and a facility to define custom functions to help implement non-standard ideas.

From the programming point of view, MQL4 is much more convenient that its predecessor; this language is more oriented at professional programmers, while MQL II, in my opinion, will rather suit financial experts wishing to build trading programs (or trading advisors, in the MetaQuotes terminology) of their own.

2.2. Omega Research-based Solutions

In the New World, the vast majority of companies use the Omega Research platform developed by TradeStation Securities, Inc. This platform has long ago proven its worth at the worldwide market, and to date experts consider it to be the best system for technical analysis. The provided IDE called Omega Research PowerEditor is intended to create control programs in EasyLanguage (EL).

The language's major advantage that strikes the eye is the easiness (hence is the name) of placing opening and closing orders. The corresponding program instructions can be written such as if we were formulating an order to our broker in the plain human language. In MQL4, for example, placing an order to open a position would involve specifying about a dozen of various parameters. In EasyLanguage, the same can be expressed in a short statement using a few words. Working with technical indicators is about that simple, too. But don't fall under an illusion: when creating these simple commands, language developers sacrificed the functionality and limited the possible ways of using a particular function, therefore effectively depriving the IDE users of the opportunity to accurately implement their own algorithms.

TradeStation decided not to create extensive libraries of built-in trading and utility functions but to limit to only an essential set. As the platform advanced, the number of functions written by both in-house and third-party developers grew, and TradeStation simply included them as user-defined functions into the repository of its scripts. As a result, the functionality offered to users is not in the least scarcer than that of MetaQuotes product.

PowerEditor provides a built-in dictionary that lets user search and get help on the available functions. Another handy tool worth mentioning is the strategy builder. Using the strategy builder, the user can easily create a basic algorithm for his or her trading program, and then modify and adjust it as necessary.

EasyLanguage is an old-timer and pioneer in the field of creating automated trading systems for the stock market. It was the basis for the development of MQL II. EasyLanguage will be a good choice for programmers, but still a better one for financial experts more oriented at analyzing the market than trading.

2.3. ProTrader-based Solutions

Professional financial experts can choose the ProTrader2 or ProTraderFX platform as their working tool, depending on the type of the financial market-stock or Forex, respectively. The two platforms are developed and supported by PFSoft LLC. While featuring the specially developed ProTrader Language (PTL), the provided IDE named PTL Builder offers also the opportunity to create scripts in MQLII, MQL4 and EasyLanguage. For this, the text of the program is translated to a language-independent code. Therefore, at runtime it does not matter in which language the script was written. This technology does not only enable creating new scripts, but makes it possible to use freely the entire accumulated collection of scripts that many experienced traders possess.

The main idea put into the new scripting language was to ensure maximum reliability and predictability of the scripts being run. The PTL language is built so as to minimize the possibility of making a mistake in the text of a user's script-the potentially dangerous points will be detected even before the script is tested or launched.

Regardless of the programming language chosen, the platform works with verified managed code while running the script. This Microsoft-developed technology enables proper handling of errors that cannot be detected before the script is run. This means the program will not fail and will not perform any unwanted operations that might be due to critical errors or damage caused by another program, for which the account holder would eventually have to pay.

The PTL Builder IDE will serve well both financial experts and programmers thanks to its support of different programming languages and provided tools such as tester and debugger.

2.4. Solution Comparison

The above IDEs have their specific feature sets. The table below provides a summary comparison of the capabilities offered by each.

3. Approaches for Creating Automated Trading Systems and Recommendations for Using Them

It hardly needs mentioning that choosing an information and trading platform should be taken with all seriousness. For those who plan to use an automated trading system in their business, below are some points I would recommend considering, based on my personal experience.

3.1. Choosing a Working Environment

First of all, define the type of tasks the automated trading system is to perform. These could be:

Actual trading: opening and closing positions in selected instrument(s).

Secondary support-type functions. These could include placing protective orders, creating and sending out reports of notifications.

Analyzing the market with different technical analysis tools using your own algorithm.

Now, after you have studied user comments on the Internet and perhaps consulted your broker, proceed to getting the feel of the products offered. I strongly encourage you not to just have a cursory look, but to test the system for a day of two, thankfully, most of the large companies will let you sign up for a demo account for testing. Pay attention to both the convenience of the IDE and the tools that go with it, and to reliability and security of the control programs created with the IDE.

3.2. Creating a Control Program

If you are planning to create your own scripts, take the time to study the documentation for the programming language and the IDE. Naturally, for an automated trading system to be expertly organized, the scripts should be written by qualified professionals in the field of programming and finance. In case you wish to use one of the classic programs, remember that most of them are of trial, demonstration nature. They are good for testing the automated trading system or to be used as a basis for your own programs, but as self-sustaining, ready-to-use solutions they are of little avail.

If you decide to use programs written by third-party developers, keep in mind that good solutions will have to be paid for. The cost of one innovative strategy varies between $300 and $500, but the price for fine-tuned strategies that use advanced mathematical and economic techniques and especially for winners and runners-up of automated trading championships may exceed $1,000.

3.3. Testing Scripts

When using an automated trading system, always test your scripts. The procedure can be as follows:

1. Test the program in a script tester (if such facility is available in your IDE) several times, varying the chart period, the instrument being traded, and the program settings. Try to model the conditions close to the actual state of the market.

2. Test the script in a demo account (if such an opportunity is available). At this stage, it is important to let the program run for a sufficiently long time (it is defined by the period of the chart). Do not stop the test if the program has at once produced a big gain or a big loss. The usefulness of the script can only be estimated after it has worked for a significant amount of time.

3. Run the script in the live account. At this stage, it is not advisable to interfere with the script-for example, close the positions it has opened or modify their settings-or you can upset the internal logic of the program.

3.4. How Not to Fall Prey to Tricks When Choosing a Script

Remember that there are no absolutely perfect advisers. So, do not let them sell you the Brooklyn Bridge-if you had a system that brings in fabulous profits, would you sell it? There is only one advice-a rigorous comprehensive testing will help you get the right impression about the script offered.

Usually, script vendors describe their products with the results of their own testing. In most cases, however, such results are very slanted. Remember that testing should always be performed on several histories, or you can simply adjust to one history fragment and show sky-high results. Based on the NFL theorem, it is fair to say that it is impossible to create a script that would the best of all those existing, in all instruments.

Some professional programmers use sophisticated mathematical tools to endow their programs with artificial intelligence-neural networks, forecasting and evolutionary algorithms are no longer surprising. I would not recommend overestimating such systems-complex forecasting algorithms are very sensitive to errors and parameter settings, while simple schemes are not of much help to the advisor when it comes to generating trade signals, and can only be used to raise the price of the script.

4. Conclusion

In this article, I neither discuss any programming rules for creating the advisors, nor the specifics of writing scripts in a particular language. On these subjects, there are whole books written as well as a number of articles. My aim was to present several points which I think to be quite important but which have not been sufficiently covered in existing publications.

So, are automated trading systems your ally or enemy? When used carefully and without hasty judgments, an automated trading system can facilitate the financial expert's work and bring in certain profits. But when used incorrectly, incompletely tested, or having settings changed frequently, the automated trading system can lose the money you entrust to it.

Remember that an automated trading system is not going to do your job for you without any effort on your part. Use it to solve your existing problems and not add new ones.

5. References

1. MetaQuotes - developer of MetaTrader, MQL2 and MQL4

2. TradeStation - developers of TradeStation and EasyLanguage

3. PFSoft - developers of ProTraderFX, ProTrader2 and ProTraderLanguage

5 EMAs FOREX SYSTEM, Exponential Moving Averages Full Potential

by Adrian Pablo

Among one of the important concepts a new forex trader should know is what a Moving Average means, how it's calculated and what its use as a trading indicator is.

Moving Average is defined as a technical indicator that shows the average value of a particular currency pair over a previously determined amount of time. This means, for example, that prices are averaged over 20 or 50 days, or 10 and 50 min depending on the time frame you are using at the moment of your trading activity.

As an averaged quantity, MA's can bee seen as a smoothed representation of the current market activity and an indicator of the major trend influencing the market behavior.

The basic mechanics of how Moving Averages can tell you where the forex market is moving (up or down), at the moment of your analysis is by considering two different time frame Moving Averages and plotting them on the forex chart. It is very important that one of these MA is over a shorter time period than the other one; let's say one will be over a 15 days period and the other over a 50 days period. Most trading station software available by a number of brokers will let you do this plotting and much more.

Recently there has been the realese of a new forex trading system called "The 5 EMAs FOREX SYSTEM". This system will allow you to identify both entry and exit points with incredible accuracy. He even claims you can convert $1000 into $1000 000 in just 24 months. He may be exaggerating a bit on this, but his plan of action and use of moving averages is quite outstanding and accurate.

Depending upon the exit strategy selected, the system generates monthly returns of between 30% and 55%. Which is more tha enough to make a living trading the forex markets with the 5 EMAs Forex System.

Forex Forecasts - You Never Know What You Will Benefit From

by Kevin

Possible risks and profits to be made can always be predicted if traders would only have more accurate Forex forecast to base their trade and decisions upon. Forex forecasts are only one way of keeping up with the volatile Forex market. Success will depend the most in knowing what and who will affect the rate changes.

The Forex market has already been through a lot of ups and downs that even fortune tellers would have difficulty guessing what will be its next movement. Making a Forex forecast can be helpful but can also be too risky. Besides, doing it is not that easy also.

In Forex forecasts, nothing specific is given. The traders are not made to hope high and expect more. If you have seen or heard a Forex forecast, be sure to check on some projected rate fluctuations whenever and wherever possible so you would have an idea it the Forex forecast shows a likely possibility to be true or not.

Staying in touch and up-to-date with the latest news and happenings around the globe and information about the Forex currency can help traders determine when is the best time to buy, sell and stay away from a particular market. All these things are important in the performance of your trade. Take note of some Forex forecasts if only to serve as guide whenever you are in a situation that you find hard to make a decision upon.

How can one benefit from Forex forecasts?

There are some companies that are offering Forex forecast information as a subscription that traders can avail of. For those who do not have enough patience and browse for information in the internet, this Forex forecast information would be their alternative.

No one said that there is a 100% accuracy in these Forex forecasts. And no one told traders that they should also believe them 100%. If you want to have more degree of accuracy in the Forex forecast, you could always find one with the most accurate percentage rate.

You could look for something or someone that offers free information or a trail period for you to test the degree of their ability to give accurate forecast about the Forex market. There are also some sites that send out Forex forecast to emails that you may want to try out just so you will choice to choose from if you decide to avail the services of some of them.

Relying only on one Forex forecast is not the thing to do. You should at least have some more choices in the process of making an investment decision. Try to get more Forex forecast from sources that are rampant online and offline so you would not stick to just one.

The thing to remember is that your investments are your future and you have already worked too hard to just let it all down the drain. Do not put the future of your Forex trade into the hands of only person. Try to get several Forex forecast and choose the best one that you think has great ounces of accuracy up their sleeves.

Before putting the future of your investments into the hands of those offering Forex forecasts, make it a point to check out the latest that is happening in the Forex trading and see if the trend is likely to go with what the predictions are telling about.

If you think more about it, people doing Forex forecasts would not be out there giving bad forecasts because their reputation is the one at stake there. They surely would not want to ruin the image they have by giving false predictions about things that they know people will listen to, would they?

Like they say, traders should not believe all that is written in Forex forecasts. Some but not all. There are still decisions to be made that will be based upon the trader itself and no amount or accuracy of Forex forecasts can make that decision for them.

Just to be on the right side of things, always make sure and do your own research that will back up the Forex forecast you actually think is going to work. You never know what it will lead to...

Do You Have A Back Up Plan?

by Marquez Comelab

I know a woman in her sixties. She worked for a company for a little more than a decade as an administration and office assistant for a staff of one hundred sales people, who loved her dearly. She always made sure all the faxes got to their desks; the stationery stock was full and each staff member had what he needed.

Beyond her job description, she was like a mother to all of them: making sure the toilets got cleaned, old food was removed from the fridge and decorating the entire floor which the department occupied. She worked hard and never complained. She was always smiling, friendly and polite.

She felt good about being a 'mother' to all the people who entered and left that department. She was comfortable with her position. No-one else could do the things she did. And she did them better than anyone else in the building.

One day, she went to work as usual. After doing her morning chores, she was invited to the office, where she was told her services were no longer needed. The company was undergoing certain cost-cutting measures in every department and unfortunately, her role would have to be sacrificed. She was then asked to leave the building as soon as possible. She was assured, however, that before having made the decision, every attempt had been made to find a position for her somewhere within the company.

She has financial obligations to fulfil and she still hasn't saved enough for her retirement. She still has credit to pay off and she was saving for a trip overseas, something she never got around to doing in her younger years. She wanted to save up to establish a book-selling business. Suddenly, she would have to re-evaluate her plans. Losing a job and nearing retirement age, she will have to relinquish some of the things she had dreamt for herself.

I am sure you have heard hundreds of similar stories like these. Just five months before writing this article, I had already read about companies cutting costs by laying off jobs. Their main reason is to remain competitive, so they would not have to raise the prices they charge to their customers. Companies are outsourcing jobs overseas because the labour costs in other countries are relatively cheap compared to the local currency and sometimes because of significant skills or technological advantages. Other businesses lessen staff when sales drop and they can no longer sustain to pay the same number of people they have on their payroll. No organisation - not even a big, established business - is immune from the need to become leaner in an ever-increasingly competitive market environment.

In the past, most people believed the companies or the governments - whom they work for - could guarantee them a job for life. Nowadays, I think more and more people are becoming increasingly aware that expecting to have a job-for-life is unrealistic. It is a dire predicament to be working everyday, taking care of someone else's business and realising that at the end of one's career, years of service do not guarantee one's well-being. Because of this, I believe that people are now looking to improve their chances of having enough funds to meet their needs and wants after retirement.

I think there is a dawning awareness that the ultimate responsibility for one's own well-being lies within each individual. People are beginning to understand that their boss or the company they work for does not have an obligation nor the ability to ensure that they are taken care of when they finish working for them.

According to an article written by John Roskam(*), based on a forthcoming Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) Backgrounder on self-employment and the self-reliant society, the trend to self-employment will speed up in coming decades. Five reasons explain this change:

1. Our societies will continue to develop knowledge-intensive and service industries.

2. Jobs of the future need more education; however, better educated workers might opt to work for themselves instead.

3. Older workers are more comfortable with being self-employed than the younger workers, which might indicate individuals would prefer to work for themselves as they grow older.

4. Individuals want more control and flexibility over their working arrangements and self-employment allows for this.

5. Individuals are more willing to assume responsibility for the decisions that affect their lives and their families.

In addition to this trend, more and more people are now seeking to gain greater control over their financial assets.

What we can all learn from this article is the idea that we do not have to rely on our employers to be there for us when we desperately need them to pay us our periodic paycheques at the end of our working days. There are alternatives and, while we still can, I believe we owe it to ourselves and our families to have a back-up plan and look at every single opportunity available. The question for you is this: Do you have a back-up plan?

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Footnotes:

* "Self-Reliance and the Self-Employment Revolution" http://www.ipa.org.au/files/news_953.html (21st March 2005).

About The Author:

Marquez Comelab is the author of the book: The Part-Time Currency Trader. It is a guide for men and women interested in trading currencies in the forex market. Discusses analysis, tools, indicators, trading systems, strategies, discipline and psychology. See: http://marquezcomelab.com. His other articles are also published at http://thefreedomtochoose.com along with other helpful articles.