Applying Fibonacci Retracements

Posted by Forex on May 8, 2012 - 9:02 pm

If you’re trading currencies, you’ve probably heard the experts rave about Fibonacci. It’s said to be the most informative tool in Forex. Many believe the sequence to be a matter of magic, and the golden ratio as the key to trading successfully. If you’ve never heard about this wonderful system, you may go online and look for any of the sites that address how to make money day trading the Forex.
Fibonacci offers an array of numbers which take on important meaning when trading currencies. Many of the traders utilize the retracements which resulted from the idea that a movement whether to the upside or to the downside, comes to an end. Therefore, a movement to the upside showcases several corrections and rebounds. Those changes are what are known as retracements. And in nature, they occur at the following levels: 23.6%, 38.2%, 50%, 61.8% and 100%.
These retracements are often seen as a better way to handle risk. But note that retracements don’t always appear within the movements. Much depends on the market’s conditions. If the environment is bullish for example, the retracement will happen at the 23.6 percent level of the price hike; this is usually because market participants believe the price action will continue to the upside; at said point, they’ll ride the trend for as long as possible. Note that retracement levels have the role of resistance when the currency is in a downtrend; and they act as support when the currency is rising in price.

So Much About Trends

Posted by Forex on April 24, 2012 - 8:02 pm

A currency’s trend is perhaps the cornerstone of technical overview. The trend tells a trader the direction the market is going in, and showcases the tendencies for price changes. So many articles have been written about the trend and its importance. However, not many of these explain the different currency trends. Here, we’ll do so.
The trend falls into three categories: upward, downward and sideways. These can also be considered as short, medium and long term. And importantly, large trends may render smaller ones within. As you trade Forex online, this knowledge takes increasing importance.
A trend to the upside means that the currency is appreciating in value over a period of time. It certainly doesn’t mean that the prices never retrace or reverse. It only tells you that the tendency of the price action is towards the upside. On the other hand, a trend to the downside shares the same qualities as one to the upside but in the opposite direction. It depicts the currency as it depreciates in value.
And at times, the currencies trade sideways or as the pros say “trendless.” These reflect no differential in the currency prices between the inception and end of a time period. During these periods, the currency pair is believed to be moving between support and resistance.
While trading along with the trend provides a scenario for Forex profits, there are many other methods for making money in currency trading. But the trend usually offers clues for trading Forex majors.

Going Long Or Short In Forex

Posted by Forex on April 10, 2012 - 7:02 pm

You don’t have to be a professional Forex trader to make money in the currency exchange. But you do need to understand the difference between going long and short. After all, you certainly don’t want to open a position in the wrong direction. And that’s exactly what you’d be doing if you hit the button to go long when you actually wish to sell the currency pair.
A long position is placed when the trader decides to purchase the currency. If the individual expects the currency to appreciate, he or she will go long. If the forecast is correct, the trader will have the opportunity to sell the currency at a higher price level than what he or she paid for. In this case, the trader makes a profit.
So if you’re vested in technical analysis using the Chande legacy and you believe the USD will gain against the JPY, you’ll enter into a long position using the ask price.
An individual trading short will sell a currency pair in anticipation of it dropping in value. Contrary to what we’ve been taught, in this case we do want the currency prices to decline in order to make money. Thus, as you can see, it’s true that in the Forex one can make money when the prices fall or when they increase.
For choosing wisely the direction in which to place the trade, educators recommend learning about price action and placing demo trades on a simulator platform.

Capture The Average Daily Movement

Posted by Forex on March 27, 2012 - 6:02 pm

Many foreign currency traders are painfully aware of the fake-outs the market offers even when the trend is present. These movements are also known as whipsaws, and are common during trending markets; however, these trends are not normally strong.

Why do whipsaws happen? As the banks open up for business and begin their currency exchange activities, they create bigger volume, causing the currencies to fluctuate erratically. But soon thereafter, the strong trends develop and savvy traders enter into the market in an effort to maximize their daily earnings. Usually, these experts know that after the fake-out comes the strong trends, and the chance for online day trading.

And of course, not every currency is worth analyzing. The pros suggest looking for the pairs that exhibit high volume and liquidity. Because of the fact that several markets overlap with one another, the London market is ideal for trading at opening hours. So between 1:30 am EST and 4 am EST you’ll have several pairs to observe.

You’ll find that prior to those hours, the currencies will move within tight ranges, although this is not 100% the case. So the experts look for calm conditions prior to the open, and for a breakout of 10-30 pips to take place. To benefit from it, traders look for an engulfing candlestick pattern to appear on their charts; better yet, one that moves in the opposite direction of the initial breakout. This method may even help traders triangulate for profit in Forex.

 

The Important Cs For Trading

Posted by Forex on March 13, 2012 - 5:02 pm

As the skilled traders in the Forex will tell you, nothing beats a good strategy. Whether you use technical or fundamental analysis, trading with the right tools is like driving in a fast automobile.

As a matter of habit, many Forex participants have gotten used to checking the economic calendar at the start of the week. This way they can see which reports are likely to impact the currencies and pen the door to gains. Knowing the times at which the important events will be released helps them assess which reports will be setting the stage for the day. A negative employment report for instance, may fuel risk aversion for the rest of the trading session.

To obtain their best Forex trading results while capitalizing on the release of economic data, traders pay close attention to the “important Cs.” These include metrics on Capital Account, Consumer Confidence and Construction Spending among many.

Capital account offers clues for trading Forex majors as it reflects the amount of capital available from international transactions. It relates to the differential between exports and imports as well as repayment of debts abroad, and investments in other countries. Spending in construction is also important since it measures how much the U.S. spends on all types of building activities. It’s a great tool for predicting home sales and mortgage applications.

And of course one can’t trade without assessing Consumer Confidence. After all, it’s the consumer who with its optimism or pessimism influences market sentiment.