Thursday, October 29, 2009

Forex Robots - Why They Will Not Give You Success!

Forex Robots - Why They Will Not Give You Success!

Forex robots if you believe the advertising copy means you can pay a miniscule amount of money normally a few hundred dollars and then get an income for life! Does anyone believe this nonsense? Yes loads of traders but its obvious they will never make you money for the following reason...

Never Traded - Never Proven

The aim of these systems is to make you money but they have never done this - when you strip through the copy and delve a bit deeper you will see this!

"CFTC RULE 4.41 - Hypothetical or simulated performance results have certain limitations. Unlike an actual performance record, simulated results do not represent actual trading.

Umm, so it's made no real money and of course that's what you're hoping it will achieve and really you should pay attention to the last bit of the disclaimer kills all the hyped advertising...

"Simulated trading programs in general are also subject to the fact that they are designed with the benefit of hindsight. No representation is being made that any account will or is likely to achieve profit or losses similar to those shown".

So what is the point in having great copy and colorful packaging, when the forex robot has never done what it is claimed to do i.e. make money in the markets?

Exactly - no use at all.

You will find lots of people online claiming they have made money - but they are normally affiliates for the system and they are looking to make a percentage of the sale.

As a trader I get bemused by some of the comment they make trying to get you to buy them like...

It's a robot but be cautious, you need to practice with it otherwise you will lose.

Well, a robot means it should just give you buy and sell recommendations and make money, or am I missing something?

Furthermore, many robots say you can make money by investing just $100.00 or so, well try that with any system ( even a good one ) and you are relying on luck and luck, wont get you anywhere - your account will get destroyed.

You can practice in a demo account for a few weeks. Well this is no use any forex trading system needs to be tested over a 2 year period as a minimum really and most serious traders know this.

You also hear these so called users saying you don't need to know what your doing, or you can make money with your feet up, sleeping or on the beach but that's rubbish.

Even with a good system, you need to know how and why it works so you have confidence in it and can follow it in a disciplined fashion. If you don't know the logic and why it is likely to work you will never stick with it through losing periods.

Ask yourself this question:

If the forex robots really worked, people would all be trading and not working and your local bank, brokerage or investment house would sack all the high paid dealing teams and rely on them.

Strange I haven't seen this happen yet and nor is it likely to happen, for the obvious reason - they don't work and they never will.

Call me a skeptic ( or realist is a better description) but its obvious that these systems will blow your account up and do it quickly.

Futures Trading Systems

Futures Trading Systems - 60 Minute Trader Review

Playing the futures market in commodities trading as a speculator can be quite a gamble if you don't know what you are doing. Futures trading analysis depends upon many factors in today's global marketplace. Some of these factors include the changing trends in the weather, reports from market exchanges, and current political news. If you're going to be a successful futures trader, you need to have and follow a system that will assure you of success.

Speculators trade the futures market for the profit they can gain through predicting the movements in the market. They have no interest in buying or using the commodities in which they speculate. Their interest is in buying the commodity "on paper" and selling it for a profit.

Because successful trading in the futures markets can be so difficult, it is beneficial to have or be using a system designed to take advantage of certain trends in the marketplace. One such system is called the 60 Minute Trader. It was designed by a long-time futures trader who, like many others, figured out how to make successful trades based upon certain market conditions.

The system's developer, Chris Kobewka, will take you step by step through the very thought processes he personally uses in order to successfully trade the futures market. A few of the things he covers are: understanding the basics of how the market works; how to make money in a bear market; how to trade effectively, commission-free; learn what to trade and why; how to anticipate market trends; and learn about the real factors that drive the markets.

One of the advantages of this trading system is that it utilizes one specific time to trade during the trading day. This allows the trader to make his trade and not be tied down to his computer all day to monitor subsequent trades. The trader gets his trading signals and makes his trades during one part of the day, then he's done and can go on to take care of other business of the day. For those who wish to utilize it, the system does include a trading method for day trading, though this is not generally recommended for inexperienced traders.

The trading method that Chris teaches is easy to follow and easy to implement. Although using this system may not make you big money, it will, over time, be a consistent winner, getting you in and out of successful trades. As one successful student using the 60 Minutes Trader has said, "This system is the only one that I am currently using and have been doing for the past several months. It works, is fully back testable, and the results are truly amazing."

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Forex Trading is Hot!

The Economy May Be Down - But Forex Trading is Hot!

The economy is doing bad right now. The stock market isn't going strong and gas prices are through the roof, but there are still areas that have untapped potential to make you money. One of those areas is the forex market and it is hotter then ever. If you have been looking for some type of financial relief in these tough times, the forex market is your answer.

As I mentioned earlier, times are hard for many people and they are trying to find ways to make life more easier for themselves. Many times any extra income can be the difference between living comfortably and having to work harder to make ends meat. Did you know that you can be trading forex from the comfort of your own home and bringing in more money then you do at your day job?

This is not a stretch of the imagination, it is actually possible. You can actually do forex trading on complete autopilot with the help of an expert advisor. A forex expert advisor is a robot that you run that will buy and sell for you automatically. It is programmed to make you profits and will not make any errors otherwise. In case you were wondering, you don't have to be a forex expert to run one of these forex robots. They are quite easy to install and people are normally up and running in 5 minutes.

The Value of Day Trading Charts

The Value of Day Trading Charts

Almost all people who are within the confines of the stock market business are perfectly aware that such a place constantly undergoes change. Thus, they deem that there is the dire need for the so-called algorithms in order to appropriately analyze their actions as they partake in day trading. Foresight is one valuable factor that day traders need in visualizing the possible outcome of their endeavors. In order for them to achieve such foresight, what they depend on are the day trading charts.

The day trading charts paint a clear picture regarding what is basically going on with the stock market. Are the prices going down? Is there any possibility that the prices will go up? As a matter of fact, every second counts in the algorithms reflected in these charts. Among the general features which are promoted by the trading charts are the TRIN, TIKI, fair value, and the TICK all of which are market internals that play integral roles in the course of your trading. With these market internals, you can define the suitable strategy that you may adopt.

The day trading software permits the entry of some technical indicators like those of the morning averages and the RSI within the market internals that you are currently using. The software thereby allows you some trial periods so that you may identify if such application works to your own advantage. It is however important to take note that the applicability of the day trading software will also have something to do with the technique that you employ in trading.

The charts therefore gift you with the ability to foresee what is likely to happen the next day whether there is the tendency for the prices to go down or go up. Take note that prices in the stock market often fluctuate. They can't even be held steady for a matter of a few hours. With the stock prices' direction as shown by the charts, you may be able to vividly draw out the points wherein you need to focus on as you continue with your trading spree.

Many day traders generate their own dooms when it comes to playing with the figures of the stock market prices. What they don't realize is that the charts can do something significant for them. You should not be the next victim of the lack of foresight. If you wish to succeed in line with day trading, you may check out the availability of the day trading software online and purchase one for your own use.

Trading The Global Futures Market For Wealth Creation

Trading The Global Futures Market For Wealth Creation

With the persistent downward movement in the global stock market, the allocation of some portion of investment capital to futures trading can provide a means of achieving greater portfolio
diversification and a potentially higher overall rate of return on investments. Unlike investment in equity, a trader in futures market can make money when the market goes down as well as when the market goes up. There are also a number of ways futures and options on futures can be used in combination with other investments to pursue larger profits or to limit risks.

*WHAT IS A FUTURES CONTRACT?
Futures contracts are legally binding agreement to buy or sell a commodity such as metals or financial instrument such as stock indexes at a later date. Futures contracts are standardized according to the quality, quantity and delivery time and location for each commodity. There are two types of futures contracts, those that provide for physical delivery of a particular commodity and those that call for an eventual cash settlement. The commodity itself is specifically defined, as is the month when delivery or settlement is to occur. A july futures contract, for example, provides for delivery or settlement in july.
During the last two decades following the advent of microcomputer, participation in futures trading by individual traders has grown tremendously. Trading software has proliferated as an increasing number of traders have embraced online trading methods to participate in the global financial markets.

*TRADING THE FUTURES MARKET
Futures' trading is a technique whereby one can buy and/or sell a variety of raw and processed commodity items, as well as contracts on financial instruments, stock indices, and even individual stocks, for anticipated delivery at some point in the future. A person who buys a security futures contract enters into a contract to purchase an underlying security and is said to be 'long' the contract. A person who sells a security futures contract enters into a contract to sell the underlying security and is said to be 'short' the contract. The price at which the contract trades[the 'contract price'] is determined by relative buying and selling interest on a regulated exchange.

In order to enter into a security futures contract, you must deposit funds with your brokerage firm equal to a specified percentage[usually at least 20 percent] of the current market value of the contract as a performance bond. Moreover, all security futures contracts are marked-to-market at least daily, usually after the close of trading. At that time, the account of each buyer and seller reflects the amount of any gain or loss on the security futures contract based on the contract price established at the end of the day for settlement purposes[the 'daily settlement price']. For example, E-minus, like other futures are traded in units called 'contracts'. These contracts represent a bidding agreement to buy or sell electronic mini lot of a future contract at a specified price. You can buy contracts on oil, cotton, pork, bellies etc. Using E-mini S & P 500 futures index for our illustration, you earn [or lose] $50 per point per contract and pay a commission of $6. 20 per round trip.

Each movement of the contract between prices at which profit or loss is recognised is called a 'TICK'. For instance the S&P E-mini ticks like this:1422. 00, 1421. 75, 1421. 50, 1421. 25, 1421. 00
In other words it is divided into 4 ticks per point. Each full point is worth $50 per contract. Each tick is worth $12. 50. So if you made 6 points on 2 trades of 5 contracts each, your profit picture would look like this: 2 x 5 contracts x 6 points
=60 points x $50 =$3, 000

The only thing we have not taken into account in the above equation is the market maker's commission. Assuming the brokerage deal of about $6. 20, the commission would be $62. 00 for the trades[$6. 2 x 10], so your total profit on the 2 trades would have been $3, 000 - $62 =$2938.
The NASDAQ E-mini contracts are worth $20 per point. The NASDAQ E-mini ticks like this: 2420. 00, 2419. 50, 2419. 00.

Notice that the NASDAQ is only divided into 2 ticks per point. Each full point is worth $20. Each tick is worth $10 per contract. To trade E-minus or any futures contract for that matter you have to maintain a certain level of cash in your trading account. That amount is called 'Margin', if your broker requires a $3, 000 margin per contract [very common amount with many brokers for short term trading accounts then you would need $6, 000 in your account to trade 2 contracts. You will also need some funds over and above that as a cushion, just in case the trade does not go your way. So as in the above example, if you had a $3, 000 margin and wanted to work with 2 contracts, you would need to have about $8, 000 in your account [$6, 000 for the margin and $2, 000 cushion]. You could do it with less, but you will be required to have at least the margin in your account or you won't be allowed to make any 2 contract trades. Commissions are often expressed in terms of 'Round Trips'. That means a buy and sell, or a sell and buys. Each time you get in a trade and then back out is a round trip. You will see various prices all over the net for these commissions. Some brokers will give you a very low commission rate, but a higher margin. It is worth it to you as a trader to pay a slightly higher commission if you can get a nice low margin! The low margin will allow you to play with more contracts and increase your profits with less money in your account.

*PARTICIPATION IN FUTURES MARKET
Individual, investment group or corporate organisation can trade in any of the major futures market of their choice. This is made possible by the advent of online trading. Online trading allows traders to actively participate in buying and selling of futures and equity in any major stock exchange market across the world. The trader is link up directly into the market through software called platform.
A platform is the software you will actually use to make trades with. Your demo account is a platform. When you go live you will be using the same software or platform [or at least you should learn the platform, is part of the battle in becoming a trader] that you used with your demo. Since trading in the global futures and equity market is real time, therefore, an aspiring successful trader must have the right tool, system and attitude to succeed. Traders must also have some level of capital and the relevant knowledge required to analyse the market proper. There are two ways to carry out market analysis. [a] Fundamental analysis [b] Technical analysis.

Fundamental analysis focuses on external factors such as interest rates, the general economic performance, and social and geo-political factors that drive supply and demand that affect the performance of companies that makes up the component units of financial markets. Three main factors that impact stock market movements from a fundamental perspective are:

[a] GOVERNMENT POLICY AS IT RELATES TO INTEREST RATE: The cost of borrowing within the local economy. Since this is a direct cost to corporate organisations, it has an effect on profitability on companies operation.

[b] ECONOMIC INDICES: These are the indicators that show the state of health [performance] of the economy of the country where the market is situated in one hand and the state of world economy in general.

[c] GEO-POLITICAL FACTORS: This is the extent of social stability across the world. The effect of events such as crisis, change in government, natural disaster, threat of terrorist attack, policy changes play a significant role in determining the ability of corporate world to operate profitably. While technical analysis involves the forecasting of stock price movement based solely upon statistics and price pattern. Simply put, technical analysis is the analysis of the market based on price action. While fundamental analysis looks at economic factors and geopolitical conditions [such as economic numbers, capital flows and key political events] in an attempt to forecast exchange rates;technical analysis relies on the statistics and patterns in price movement for its forecast. Technical analysis has gained great popularity in recent history, especially as trends in computerized trading continue to develop and active traders continue to refine their strategies to best assess what is going on in the market at all times. Coinciding with the increasing popularity of computerised trading across all investment arenas is the ability for traders to employ technical analysis. As markets tend to become inundated with information and as charting applications are able to provide traders with an increasing array of data, technical analysis has become both practical and relevant. I n today's marketplace, technical analysis has become an essential tool for any aspiring trader.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Forex Signals Generators

Forex Signals Generators

The foreign exchange market is swamped with investors and interested individuals that want to earn a lot of profit from trading currencies and making lifetime investments. You as an investor basically trade currencies in the foreign exchange market and earn profit from it. Since foreign exchange or FOREX is an ever-changing business, the investor must monitor the rise and fall of the value rates of the currency you are investing in. With 24 hour access and easy trading of all kinds of currencies, the foreign exchange market is a place where you can make a lot profit easily. Forex trading was once done manually, but that was a long time ago. Now with the creation of auto trading robots and expert advisors (EAs), you can easily gain access in the Forex markets 24 hours a day and can make trades and investments online. With this development, investors can now sit and relax while making trades online.

Ever since the groundbreaking discovery of the many uses of the World Wide Web, many people of all professions have turned to the Internet in order to get things or information easier and faster. Doing things manually has become so tedious to the impatient human being, this including serious business transactions like Forex, that almost everything is being converted virtually and placed in a website online. Yes, foreign exchange investors are now looking for more ways to make trading and investing easier and less time-consuming compared to manually monitoring the foreign exchange markets manually. With the help of Forex auto trading tools and services available for investors online, Forex trading and building investments can be done in just a matter of minutes and can be updated 24 hours a day. Forex signals can also help Forex investors by sending alerts and notifications about what currency pair to buy and sell now. Forex signals generators are primarily programmed to send these alerts to the investor, so if you are planning on depending on forex signals to update you while you are away from your computer, get the best, most effective, and most updated forex signals generators available on the World Wide Web in order to keep the cash flowing in and to lessen losses as much as possible.

You can find websites hosting forex signals generators and can download the software immediately by just paying a certain fee for purchasing the product. Make sure that the forex signals generators you are planning on investing in are reliable and reviewed by professionals to ensure that you are not buying a worthless program and wasting time and money on it. Since the Internet has allowed scammers a wider arena for their scamming projects, it will take a lot of smart thinking and heavy decision making to be able to find the best forex signals generators out there that are updated and are easy to use. Incorrect and inaccurate Forex signals can lead you to making a lot of bad investments and decisions in the market, so be careful and choose wisely which generator will serve you best.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Future Option Trading

Future Option Trading - CBOT Future - Can You Make Consistent Profits?

Can you make money consistently in future option trading? Is the CBOT Future really a place that you can profit day in and day out? Those are good questions and the answer is a resounding "Yes!" Yes, you can make consistently good profits in future option trading. Yes, the CBOT future is a place where you can make money day in and day out. You came here to find out what the biggest mistake traders make in future option trading. Here it is:

A lack of discipline is the absolute biggest reason why traders fail in future option trading. As a result of a lack of discipline, emotions get in the way and the result is disaster. What is needed is a trading system when it comes to CBOT future. Trading with a system does away with emotions from future option trading. If you don't have a strategy and you try to make decisions when the market is moving, you are bound to become emotionally attached to positions. Usually what follows is panic and indecision when the market does go your way, as you do not have a prepared response. That's when most CBOT future traders lose their money. If you follow a system you will know what to do no matter what the market does.

Th big question is: How do you learn to exercise discipline with future option trading? That is not an easy question to answer but can say that the cheapest and most direct route to consistent profits in CBOT future trading is accomplished by trading under someone. I am talking about getting a mentor or coach. If you know someone that has been successful in future option trading then I would advise getting under their wing and learning all that you can. If you do not have a coach currently you may want to click on the link below. They are offering a FREE coaching session with a professional team of CBOT future traders.

10 Commonly Held Wisdoms That Will Destroy Your Account

Forex Trading Basics - 10 Commonly Held Wisdoms That Will Destroy Your Account

There is a lot of good forex trading education on the web and a lot which will ruin you. The 10 so called common wisdoms on how to make money don't. This might be why 95% of traders lose, so avoid them and get the right forex education and win.

1. You can Follow a Forex Robot and Win

You can but there are very few robots that do win.

It's an industry designed to appeal to greed and the fact is most of the robots have never even been traded - they are all simulated in hindsight ( check the disclaimer) and never likely to win going forward, as there simply made up knowing the past - How hard is that? Not very. Pay $100 and make $100,000 a year, is not real life!

2. You need to predict prices to win

Prediction is another word for hoping and guessing and wont get you far and you will find your market timing and you're trading signals are as accurate as your horoscope!

Act on the reality of price change on your forex charts and forget prediction - know one knows the future, so trade the reality and the truth and you will have the odds on your side.

3. Buy low and sell high is a Great Way to Make Money

It would be if you could do it but you can't and you will get involved in prediction and also keep in mind this simple fact - most big trends start from breaks of new market highs, so you need to buy and sell higher, to catch the really big forex trends.

If you are not familiar with breakout trading make it part of your forex education if you do, you will catch all the best moves and be in on the high odds trades

4. You Should see if You Can Win With a Demo Account

You might win with a demo account but what does that prove? Nothing, as real hard cold dollars are not on the line.

There is no pressure and forex trading is a pressure industry. To win you have to trade with the pressure on you and demo accounts don't do this.

5. Learn From Your Losses

Learn what - you lost! Big deal losing is part of the game. If you executed your trading signals in line with your system you learn absolutely nothing, don't bother it's a waste of time

6. Continually Learn

If you have a forex trading strategy that's logical you have confidence in and works - why change it?

We all want perfection but it's not possible. I have used the same system for 22 years and never changed it.

Sure, my forex trading system is not perfect but no ones is; it works and makes money and that's good enough for me.

7. Day trading and Scalping Works

Really? Ever seen a day trader with a track record of real profits?

Exactly, there all simulated profits not real ones, just like the forex robots we referred to earlier.

Forget this form of trading, the data is too short to try and work out what millions of traders will do in a few hours is futile.

8. Only Risk 2% Per Trade

Maybe if you have 100k or more but for small potato investors you can't take such small risks as your account will be destroyed by volatility - look to risk 10 - 20% and trade only high odds sets ups...

Better to risk more on these great trades, than low odds trades with 2%.

Most traders try to avoid risk so much they create it - don't make the same mistake.

9. Diversification Reduces Risk

It also dilutes profit potential. If you have a good high odds trade, don't dilute its potential for profit with low odds trades.

Diversification, if you have 100k plus can work but really it's not a way to make a small accounts equity grow quickly.

10. You Need Information Quickly

Why? It doesn't help you win and never will. Everyone has the information quickly, so you can't respond to it or gain an edge, so don't bother trying.

This is one of the biggest myths of forex trading and will make you lose. Stand back and watch the big picture, not the impact of every short term event.

So there you have some currency trading basics, in terms of wisdoms, that are commonly accepted and you should avoid. keep in mind the majority doesn't win so, what most think is true ...well - You know the answer!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Best Online Trading

Best Online Trading -Trading In Virtual World

Online stock trading has a taken a new dimension today. In the stock markets officials are nothing a large amount of stock is being traded and a major rise in the opening of share trading accounts. Previously, everything was done manually or at the stock exchange and was the monopoly of few trading agencies but due to advancement in technology now everything has come to a finger click. No more waiting for replies from brokers!! On the other hand, Information of current market trends ups and downfall everything is easily available in the respective website. All the investor has to do is via Internet decide on the stock purchase and sales and easily earn in loads.

Strategies of Trading

In stock market investing, it is very commonly observed that small investors go through major losses due to lack of the knowledge of online stock trading strategy. The way of good trading strategy is of two ways. First, invest on an undervalued stock so that your investment should not go at total loss. Emotion should be kept out of mind and one should mentally acquire an upper and lower selling limit. Reflex ability should be maintained in this matter, when trading stock the instrument should be moveable, otherwise these trading would not work.

Day –Trading

The individuals are not aware what the Wall Street professionals have in store in them at all. Moreover, they know at what they are good in doing and giving the best shot. They do things like questionable analyst upgrades for other companies. In addition, those are the clients of the brokerage firm, for which the analyst is working. Therefore, the company or a corporate can sell it at a higher price. Day traders do not sleep at night it seems that they even dream about selling and buying stocks. Day traders are in born to trade. They know how to do business and make profit upon the market. By day trading, the day trader can earn in millions every day. The day traders invest blindly in the stock market today.

The truth behind the stock market is that it is game of fortune the big play with their money in the stocks. They try their hand in every aspect to earn a large profit out of their stocks. Moreover, their greed for money even takes them higher. In addition, a good portion of money is made out of by not informing the stock trader and investor who blindly trades and makes his contribution in the stock market today.

Discount Stock Trading

The most affordable way of buying stocks is through discount brokers. Nevertheless, a discount broker would only give a little about the company shares and that would not clarify the information about the stocks at a whole. Therefore, a full service barker is necessary for full financial advice support that cans advice on stock selections and financial planning. The foremost thing in stock broking is to rely on yourself that is to study and personally thus avoiding being less reliable on investment advisors or full service brokers. However, financial advisers can be of extremely helpful when you are real financial crisis. They are help at hand. They should be kept handy when needed.

Best Online Trading

When someone is thinking of investing in an open market, he should follow some real good guideline. He should know the terminology of share trading. He has to have a good financial background in order to gain success in stock trading. You have to volatile and quite familiar with the stock market in order to make a good profit. But you don’t have to be so much savvy with the stock market.

If Yours Doesn't Have This in it You Are Guaranteed to Lose!

Regardless of the forex trading strategy you use, it must contain the key element enclosed yet, most traders never even consider it and when asked what it is get it wrong! If you don't want to join the majority of losers, make sure your strategy has it and get in the winning minority...

The key to success in forex markets is:

A trading edge which you can define and which you have confidence in can help you NOT join the losing majority or the 95% of traders who burn their money.

Obvious?

Yes it is - but most traders think the statements below are trading edges and they are not! If you think they are, you will soon see your account wiped out.

Agree with any of the following statements and you are odds on to lose

- I have a forex robot with a simulated track record in hindsight and think it will make me money
- Forex day trading and scalping are a great way to trade
- I like to trade breaking news stories and react quickly
- I like to predict forex prices in advance.
- I believe in a scientific method of trading and science is the answer
- I am clever so am bound to succeed
- I work hard and will get there in the end
- Knowledge is power and I will learn everything I can about forex

There are many more - but show me anyone who agrees with the above and I Will show you a loser.

The problem is most forex traders just don't understand what an edge is and the above are either myths, thinking forex trading is a walk in the park, or they can follow other people.

Forex trading is hard and that's why the rewards are so big for the small minority who can get a trading edge.

The good news is anyone can learn to trade and get an edge with the right education.

A trading edge is personal but it is the key factor which will give you confidence and allow you to follow your chosen forex trading strategy through periods of losses (and don't believe anyone who says losing periods don't last - they can last for many weeks and this happens to even the worlds top traders) and stay on course with discipline until you hit a home run.

In forex trading its dealing with the losses that is the hard part and if you think it's easy to stay disciplined when the market makes you look a fool time after time, you have never traded.

In forex trading you must love your losses and see them as part of being successful.

A trading edge has nothing to do with being clever or working hard or having a complicated strategy.

It's a fact that simple systems work best and always will, as they have fewer elements to break. Furthermore, your strategy on its own even if its logically based still needs to be applied for this you need confidence and this will lead to discipline.

Lack of discipline is the key reason most traders fail because, if you can't follow your trading system with discipline you don't have one.

To win at forex trading you need to work smart not hard; you can learn forex trading in a few weeks, gain confidence, get discipline and then start trading and get on the road to currency trading success.

Futures Trading System

Today, more than ever before trading has become easy for everyone. Whether you are at your workplace or at home, trading systems are making it easier for everyone to trade on stocks or futures with the click of the mouse. But with so many futures and stock trading systems available, how do you decide on the best one for you? Here is our checklist that will, hopefully, help you make the right choice in future trading systems.

What are the markets the future trading system provided? The choice of futures markets really depends on the ones you are interested in. Generally, you must try to get a trading system that offers trade in all major commodities, as well as currency/forex, and stock index. These commodities include agriculture, energy, oil, gas, coal, and softer commodities like coffee, sugar, besides precious metals.

What reporting features does the software offer?

The reason most people opt for futures trading systems is because these softwares provide accurate reports and analysis. Before you select a futures trading system, you should check if you can access the basic information on futures with ease. The software should be simple, and convenient to use. However, complex reports, analysis on each company, charts, and highs and lows on a daily basis should be the other features of the software.

Be careful of the drawdowns

While many futures trading systems relay messages that customers can make huge profits by investing in certain commodities over a period of time, they conveniently forget to mention that the drawdowns can not be more than the starting capital you invested and most of the time this amount doesn't last for longer than a year. So, we advice you to look closely on the dollar amount you sign up with and the drawdown as well as the length of time it will last you.

Look for a futures trading system that is easy to use

You don't really want to add more stress to your life by choosing one of the complex futures trading systems. A trading system should be user friendly and easy to use for people of all ages. A complex trading system will not add value to your experience, irrespective of how good the company providing the system maybe. A completely intuitive system can enhance your experience as well as make it easier for you to invest and make money. So how do you choose the best futures trading system? Ask for a demo. Use the demo to experience the ease of using the system. If the experience is an unpleasant one or if you have to go through a long series of instructions before performing basic operations, don't waste your time on that particular software; simply look for a different system.

Check the reviews of the systems

Nasdaq Penny Stocks and Micro-Caps

When an investor is wanting to involve themselves in the stock market, they need to understand that companies are not just born, they are made. They have to work their way to the top just like every other company has. Investors sometimes think that investing in Nasdaq Penny Stocks, will find them the next big fortune maker but this is not the way to think.

Nasdaq Penny Stocks and Micro-cap stocks are stocks used on the Nasdaq that are interchangeable. The Nasdaq Penny Stocks are stocks that are considered to be five dollars or less, some think they are three dollars or less, and others classify them as under a dollar. There are some that even classify them as not being on the major market sheet.

The main thing that any investor needs to know about the Nasdaq Penny Stocks or the Micro-cap stocks is that these stocks are much riskier then the regular stocks. There are four major issues that an investor must think about when buying these Nasdaq Penny Stocks and Micro-cap stocks.

The first is the lack of information to the public. This mainly pertains to the Micro-cap stocks and not the Nasdaq Penny Stocks because these stocks are usually found on the pink sheets where the companies do not have to file with the SEC so they don't have to publicly give out the information about their company.

The next is there are no minimum standards. If the Nasdaq Penny Stocks cannot hold their own on the major market exchange, then they have to move to one of the other exchanges. On these exchanges, there is no minimum standard requirements in order to stay on the exchange.

The next is lack of history. This also applies to the Micro-cap stocks and not mainly to the Nasdaq Penny Stocks. The Micro-cap stocks are usually from companies that are fairly new or are companies that are approaching bankruptcy and do not have a good history of strength.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Tips For Making Currency Trading Made Easy

Currency trading made easy is the goal of all the traders out there. It isn't an impossible task, it just requires you to apply some basic rules on a daily basis to keep your trading as simple as possible.

  • Become Emotionless: We are emotional creatures and we cannot change that. What we can do is control it. Emotions over the long term always lead to losses. You need to learn to control yourself. One of the most common emotions you'll get is the "gut feeling". Something inside of you is just telling you to buy, sell or even avoid. It almost seems counter-intuitive, but your emotions can really play tricks on you. Trading should be nothing more than a logical move. You need to make moves on numbers because numbers never lie. Number aren't biased and you definitely can't weasel yourself out of numbers. I find the best way to be emotionless is to make rules for a trade before you even make it. You should already know the points where you're going to sell this currency for a profit or to avoid a loss.
  • Economic News: Very important to pay attention too, but many people miss it. The economic news of a country is the foundation that holds up a currency. The last thing you want to do is buy into a trade hours before the Federal Reserve is about to announce something. You need to watch out for the news related to central banks, like the federal reserve, and any other economic news like GDP, unemployment rates, etc. If you don't you could buy into a trade that goes in a completely different direction based completely on the news.

How to Pick a Profitable Forex Trading System

In the beginning of my trading career I was jumping from one trading system to another as soon as it gave me a few failing trades. I think it's a common thing among beginner traders to change system without even testing it.

Oftentimes I can hear traders argue which system is better or which trading style is more profitable. I believe that it all depends on trader's personality. One has a greater emotional control so he can sit and continuously monitor his trade. Some type of short-term trading strategy will suit him the best. Another trader is more patient. He can wait for his trade to mature for a few days. For this trader long-term trading systems are more relevant.

It is surprising to see that even very successful traders do not realize that a trading style must suit a personal trait of the trader to make him successful. Usually traders advocate their own trading style or system. Anyone who wants to become a successful trader needs to study himself before studying the market to know what is best for him.

Personally I dislike short -term trading suchlike scalping. Besides that it's emotionally challenging for me to watch continuous fluctuation of the market, there is another reason I don't practice scalping.

Scalping is a trading style that targets very few pips per trade. Therefore to make a significant profit one needs to make several trades a day. Brokers nowadays do not charge commissions for trades, but there is a spread. The more trades you execute the more pips in spread you lose. Let's say you scalping a currency pair that has 3 pips spread and you need to make 10 trades a day. By doing so you are already 30 pips behind. It will add up into 150 pips in a week.

A long term trading strategy on the other hand usually targets quite a large profit for a single trade. This style of trading suits me the best. I can analyze the market, set a trade and keep coming back to see how it evolves. No emotional overreaction. No huge number of trades to lose spreads on.

I don't mean to put down any trading style. What I mean is that you are the one who needs to choose what trading style suits you the best. Once you find that out buy studying yourself then success in trading will come easy to you.

Technical Levels Forex Trading System - Easy to Use, Almost Automated

A forex trader without a specific trading system is like a seaman going on a voyage without a compass. Any wind is good because he doesn't have a specific predetermined direction. He is called a discretionary trader. At the end of the day he arrives at the destination called frustration.

However, most of the forex trading systems that have been developed could be very tedious to trade because you just have to sit there for many hour watching out for the right set up, and sometimes not helpful at all due to the fact that they make use of market following indicators that just actually tell you what has just happened. So the essence of this writing is to give you, free of charge, a system that helps me overcome these challenges and trade profitably.
 
This system is meant for day traders because it makes use of daily technical levels i.e. daily pivot levels with some considerations for Fibonacci levels. Don't worry about the stress involved in the determination and placement of these levels; there's an indicator called fiboPiv_v2 which is available at the online library of Metatreder4 trading software that does all the hard work for you.
 
Currencies: This system works well on EUR/USD, GBP/USD and AUD/USD. These currencies obey technical rules quite well.
 
Time Frame: Hourly.
 
Indicators: FiboPiv_v2. Just double click on Meta editor at the tools bar of MT4, click on the online library, then on indicators and scroll down the list to find it. Once you find it click on it to highlight it, and then click on download. Once it's correctly done it will give you a report with zero error. Then go back to the platform and open the indicator window, you'll find it among the custom indicators. Double-click on it while the chart e.g. EUR/USD (H1) is open and just click on OK. It will automatically give you the support and resistance levels every day at 5p.m EST.
In addition to this you would also impute RSI 14, and Bollinger band 3 for detecting trends and their tops and bottoms.
 
Chart settings: Use candle stick charts at about 75%, and set the period separators. You could do that by right clicking on the chart and selecting properties at the end of the list. Click on common and check the period separator.
 
Risk-Reward: 1.5. (20pips stop loss and 30pips take profit).
 
Strategy: The settings have to be done anytime between 5p.m EST and London open at 3a.m EST. Let's assume that at 5p.m EST the price is above the pivot point and below R1, just place a buy pending order between 7-10 pips above R1 and a stop loss 20pips from that price, and your take profit should be 30pips from the entry price. For the sell place a sell pending order 7-10 pips from the pivot point and a stop loss 20pips from the entry price, and your take profit 30pips form the price.
 
Note: The middle line of the Bollinger band will let you know the trend, while the RSI will give you top and bottom hint through divergence and overbought or oversold. Be careful about selling at the bottom or buying at the top. Better still avoid it all together.
 
Caution: A ranging market day or more usually follow a trending day, while the range between the technical levels will be wide. So you may want to adjust your take profit and stop loss according to what is expected e.g. 20:15.
 
If the system is properly used you could expect between 60-70% winner which should be profitable on a 1.5 risk reward. Please demo trade it first! The major advantage of this system is that you don't have to be there 24/7 because it makes use of pending orders at technical level. This affords you the luxury of logical, emotion and stress free trading. That's why I call it an "easy to use; almost automated" technical level forex trading system.

Forex Trading Review

Where do we go from here? A Forex trading review is a tough subject to handle in only a few hundred words so I'll be as succinct as possible. We all know that the market is tough and a wise investor will always be looking for a good ongoing education. It is true, most people lose money in the Forex market and a big part of this reason is that they are not prepared. It is really silly to be impulsive when it comes to currency trading. I strongly suggest you get the following when you are looking for a course or software to help you trade better.

Who runs the Forex software company?

Try and find a well established company that has a proven successful Forex trader as the head of that company. Too many software companies and Forex courses are run by people that are looking to just make a buck and really don't know a thing about the the market. For example the software company that I favor is developed by a prior Deutsche Bank Forex consultant/advisor. I made sure that he had a successful background in trading the Fx market. If you would like to know more about his company there is a link at the bottom otherwise let's move on.

Make sure that the software is reliable and the product is trustworthy.

Have there been positive testimonials about the product? Who gave the testimonials and what is their track record? Have there been interviews or reviews on television or radio?

I believe the most helpful products available to Forex traders are those systems that have a signal generator. This type of software prompts the trader when it is time to buy and sell. A proven Forex trading system that is accurate and reliable is priceless, especially if you are serious about making serious money on the market.

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Monday, October 19, 2009

Stock Trading Account

You can trade in stocks only through the stock brokers. You can open an account only if you are a US citizen, or, a resident alien. In both cases you need to provide your valid social security number. You must have become a major, at least 18 years old in your state of residence before you can apply for opening a trading account.

Usually there are four main types of stock trading accounts. They are individual accounts, joint accounts, IRAs ---Individual Retirement accounts, and Education Savings accounts. You have to select one of these accounts according to your personal needs and circumstances. You must be ready to deposit a minimum of $ 2,500 irrespective of the account you open. You can fund your account via free electronic transfer directly from your current bank account. You can also pay by check or wire transfer.

The individual investment account can be opened in the name of one person. Joint account can be opened for two people. It is also mandatory that both the persons should have reached the age of majority in their state of residence.

The third type of stock trading account is IRA or individual retirement account. It is a personal retirement savings account. It offers tax advantages to investors. You can deposit a part of your earnings into a tax-deferred brokerage account. Your contributions are also tax-deductible.

Individual retirement account-IRA-- is of three types.

The first type is traditional IRA. In this account, you can defer the payment of taxes on your earnings until you start taking the money out. The money that you put in is tax deductible in the year you put it in. The investors who are up to the age of 50, or under by the end of the year, can currently contribute up to $ 5000 every year, but those who are up to the age of 70 can contribute $ 4,000.

The benefit of investing under the traditional IRA is that you do not have to pay any taxes on what you earn till the time you start withdrawing the money. This process is known as tax deferment. This account makes sense because by the time you retire, you may be in a lower tax bracket. In that case, you will have to pay less in taxes on earnings from your IRA account.

The second type of retirement category account is Roth IRA. This account is similar to the traditional IRA except that you pay taxes on the money you put in while you can withdraw money without paying any tax. Those who are up to the age of 50 can currently contribute up to $5,000 every year and those who are up to the age of 70 can contribute up to $4,000. You should opt for a Roth IRA if you think you will be in a higher tax bracket when you retire. If you invest under a Roth IRA, your investments can grow tax-free. You can withdraw money after a period of 5 years from the date of opening your account without paying any tax with the proviso that you have turned 59. The withdrawal can also be tax-free if it is used for a first time home purchase up to a limit of $10,000. You will, however, have to pay 10% penalty if you withdraw early.

The third type of account in retirement category is Rollover IRA. A Rollover IRA is a holding account. If you transfer funds or stock from a retirement plan such as a 401(k) or 403(b), the money or stock can be allowed to stay in the Rollover account for a period of 60 days. Thereafter you will have to place the funds into another retirement plan. You can control your account during these 60 days. It must be noted that you cannot avail of this facility more than once a year

The fourth type of account is Education Savings Account or ESA. This account can be opened as a trust to pay educational expenses of the designated minor beneficiary and no contributions can be made after the beneficiary has reached the age of 18. The total contributions cannot exceed $2,000.

Stock Trading Tips

Making a profit in today’s money market economy requires cautious calculation, knowledge of the financial environment, and a little luck. Even if you don’t believe in the latter, online stock trading is a huge investment opportunity for many, and a daring endeavor for day traders. Before choosing a particular online stockbroker, it’s imperative to consider these key points.

• Investment Options-Go with a site that provides multiple stock options, mutual funds, CDs, IRA rollovers and things of that nature. TD Ameritrade is a great source for stocks, bonds and all things finance.

• Trading Platform-Consider the usability and intuitiveness of the online stock trading platform you’re signing up with. For example, Schwab Active Trader utilizes StreetSmart Pro® and gives traders streaming market data in a simple, yet sophisticated custom display view.

• Investment Outlooks-To trade successfully, you need continuously updated, extensive real-time stock charts and quotes. Zecco lets you customize ‘Watch Lists’ and even has their own ‘Gainers,’ ‘Losers,’ and ‘Most Active’s’ to help you out.

• Ease of Use-Online stock trading isn’t for the faint at heart, but doesn’t require expert knowledge to acquire an understanding of it. Sharebuilder, for instance, targets both novice and professional traders with their user-friendly site and minimal investment requirements.

While the market incessantly fluctuates, and one good day on Wall Street could turn into an investor’s nightmare the next, trading online greatly assists those building their portfolios. TD Ameritrade offers extended hours trading for those working a longer day, and online stock trading services such as eTrade provide real-time streaming stock quotes. You may just become a Dow Jones junkie while having fun in the process.

Tips For Becoming A Skilled Trader

Despite the dire caveats by the Securities and Exchange Commission cautioning investors against the controversial yet potentially lucrative world of day trading, people attempt to try and attain day trading skills, and a day trading stock tip is literally worth it's weight in either gold, or dross! Below is some information on learning trading techniques, the risk involved, and tips for becoming a proficient trader.

Just what is day trading and how do individuals acquire day trading skill? Day trading is the system of rapidly buying and selling stock throughout the day in order profit from the marginal fluctuations in the market for that specific day. In the ideal world, day trading strategies permit investors to secure profits from the tiny increases in the market.

Day traders watch a specific set of indicators when determining whether a stock is suited for day trading. First, the stock should have high liquidity. This means that the stock in question has a large number of buyers and sellers. The liquidity allows day traders to rapidly acquire and then sell stock. Liquidity is determined by the volume of transactions on the market, the number of outstanding shares, the total number of shareholders and the number of market makers. Almost all stocks on the NYSE and NASDAQ have a high degree of liquidity.

A day trader also watches volume individually, in addition to using it as criteria for liquidity. To be eligible for day trading, a stock needs to trade at least 500,000 shares each day. Stocks with 500,000 trades a day or more enable the day trader to acquire or sell a large amount of stock without greatly altering the price of the stock. Volatility is another factor in evaluating a stock for day trading. The word refers to the actual or expected price movement of the stock. This movement is up or down over a period of time. Day traders study the pattern and volatility of stocks over an individual day. Stocks that change price many times over one trading day are ideal candidates for day trading. A fluctuation of at least $2.00 per day is recommended.

Finally, a day trader evaluates the price transparency of stock. This term refers to the ability to gather information on the order flow of a stock. Also called market depth, price transparency helps the day trader calculate just how much money there is to be made on a certain stock. The NASDAQ II quote system offers data on all bids. Day traders who are able to access the NASDAQ level II quote screens can evaluate the performance of a stock and watch its swing in price.

While these trading practices are entirely legal and entirely ethical, they are highly risky. Day traders generally buy on borrowed money with the hope that they will realize higher profits through their acquisitions and sales. People who are determined to be "pattern day traders" by the NASDAQ and NYSE must have at least $25,000 in their accounts and can only trade in margin accounts. Margin accounts are brokerage accounts in which the broker lends the investor cash to purchase securities. If the value of the stock drops a great deal, the investor is required to deposit more cash to cover the margin or sell the stock. The SEC warns against day trading and acting on a day trading stock tip, and has taken many steps to inform people of the corresponding risks.

The first few months, a huge majority of day traders suffer tremendous financial losses and only a few make it through to become profit-making day traders. For this reason, day traders should only invest funds that they can afford to lose. They should never invest money set aside for necessities like living expenses or second mortgages.

Keep in mind that day traders do not own stocks for longer than a few minutes at most. Stocks are never kept overnight because of extreme dangers of prices changing to the detriment of the trader. Day traders do not invest, instead, they speculate on the movement in price of a stock throughout the day.

There are lots of websites whose sole purpose is to profit off those who are trying to find a day trading stock tip. These websites assure rapid results and offer hot tips to their members for a fee. The sources are most often paid to make these recommendations and are best avoided. Seek the advice of a proven professional, and take plenty of time to learn trading strategies for longer term success. Remember, there is no free money, and day trading skill is often paid for with enormous stress and cataclysmic losses.

Forex Trading Made Simple

Forex trading may seem rather daunting at first. So much to learn, and possibly a big risk if you have not learned enough! Not anymore!

There are a few good 'Forex Trading Systems' out there, where you invest an initial amount of money, and the system does the rest for you. The most recent product to market makes things even easier. As long as you have an internet connection, and a computer you can leave on nearly 24/7, you can benefit from the software. It allows you to set the trading system on autopilot, making the decisions for you, and this latest system makes some good decisions. On average, 90% of attempted trades are won, that means for every 5 trades, 4.8 of them are profitable.

The trading system works by making its decisions based upon future forecasts, from data gathered within the last 4 years on the trading of USD/JPY (United States Dollars/Japanese Yen). During testing, a $50,000 account was upped to an incredible $430,000 in 4 years. That is $107,500 every year from doing basically nothing but installing the software.

The average recorded number of consecutive wins on this account was 19. So that is 19 trades in a row, all of which were won. And the highest number of consecutive trades reached an astonishing 53.

This particular Forex trading system offers a 60 day or 8 week money back guarantee on the product, meaning if your not happy with the system or find it too mind boggling, you can get a refund no questions asked! If you think logically, the product is worth $250, which you could easily make back in the first 2 weeks depending your initial investment!

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Why Cheap Trading is So Important For Beginning Traders

A beginning trader is faced with having to make many choices as they get started. They must decide which stocks to focus on first and how to increase their online trading education. Most importantly, they should be concerned about managing their risk so they don't end up losing a lot of money fast and ending their trading career early.

One reason the beginner should focus on cheap online trading is that you will likely be making small trades at first. Instead of making a stock trade of $20,000 or even $2,000 early on, the beginner will make many trades closer to $200. Beginning traders don't have the confidence, knowledge or experience to make a $10,000 trade right off the bat. Doing that without more experience is way too risky.

Beginners should start with small trades to see how they do. They need to get some experience in picking a type of stock and then reading the buy and sell indicators. Once they prove they can generate consistent profits, they can move on to larger trades.

The amount you pay in commissions is very important in these cases. If you trade in small amounts, your commission on the buy and sell is much greater on a percentage basis than with larger trades. For example, if you make a $200 trade with a $10 commission, then your cost to buy and then sell will be $20 per stock.

In this example, right away you are starting with a 10% loss. That means the stock you pick has to make a 10% gain just for you to break even. And since you want to make a profit, your stock picks must consistently gain more than 10% ON AVERAGE - including your winners and losers. So doing cheap trading by keeping your commissions low is very important.

By selecting from the big name discount brokers, traders can feel pretty safe that they are getting a quality service from each of them. With this confidence, they should then look for the broker that allows them to do cheap online trading with the lowest commissions. There are many types of fees that can drive your trading costs up, so choose your online broker after viewing a side-by-side comparison of all these charges.

Forex Trading Software - Don't Let it Send You Bankrupt

You want to start forex trading from your desktop, but what forex trading software should you use? There are plenty of software programs out there for you to use, but first let's define forex for those who have no idea what we're talking about. Forex, or foreign exchange, is the business of exchanging of one currency for another and making a profit in the process through ever-shifting exchange rates. Fx is the largest financial market with the most liquidity in the world and trades about $4 trillion a day worldwide. Though this article is not out to promote any one particular software, there are some recommendations that can be made to steer you in the right direction.

First, when you are on the lookout for some good forex trading software, look for some reviews, don't just go to the software's homepage. Instead, type in the name of the software in your favorite search engine, followed by the word "review." There are many forex software scam products out there, so you will quickly be able to track down any potential bad press which should discourage you from purchasing.

Next, find out what kind of support the software has. You don't want software that just gets you the program and leaves you on your own. The best forex trading software has 24-hour support lines to help you get over any hurdles or speed bumps you come across. An integral part of this support is backup and security. Backup is essential in case anything happens to your information-you don't want to lose it all if your home or office computer crashes. The importance of security cannot be stressed enough. These days, there are hackers and viruses out there looking for a hole in any security feature and they will take advantage if they find one, especially if there is money to be had. For that reason, you have to have forex trading software that has top-notch, guaranteed security features.

Though only you can decide what type of forex trading software to use, you need to take into account the things listed here. You have to make sure that you are not getting scammed and buying software that doesn't get the job done. You also need to make sure that your forex trading software has proper support features and that they are available 24 hours a day in case you have any problems. You must also make sure that everything is properly backed up on the software, as you don't want to lose information in the case of a computer crash or if your session is cut short. Security is also essential. You have to make sure that all your personal information is properly encoded so that hackers cannot gain access to it and exploit it. If you shop for forex trading software with these ideals in mind, you cannot go wrong.

The Cost of Being an Ignorant Trader

Statistics show that only 15% of forex traders make money, which seems to contradict the vast numbers of people actually trading in forex. What follows is five mistakes new traders and experienced make that often causes them to lose money.

1. No Forex Trading Plan - Trading in forex without a forex trading plan is akin to going to war without a battle plan. You have very little chance making money without a well-conceived plan and strategy and how to execute it. The forex trading plan needs to be extremely specific, understandable and easy enough to execute for even a small child. Without an entry strategy, exit strategy, trade continuation strategy and money management strategy the chances of success are at best very slim.

2. Switching Strategy - A well drawn up strategy takes time to develop and is an iterative process, which should reflect the traders' own personal style. Development of aggressive or passive strategies should be refined on a demo account and helps develop a single strategy that the trader is going to stick to. Upon learning the strategy the trader should stick to it in the main but learn to merely adapt it to changing market conditions - having this versatility within the traders existing plan is vital. New traders should not switch from one strategy to another, they need chance to develop and mature.

3. Trading Emotionally - The most successful traders can turn off their emotions, which is a critical characteristic to have when trading in forex successfully. This includes both positive and negative emotions. Getting in and out of trades as necessary and making sure the head rules the heart is crucial in forex trading but often a mistake made by traders. Many a trader has made the mistakes of trading when they feel they can ride the wave of current good luck and also kept trading when they are down but are motivated out of desperation.

4. Failure to utilize a Stop Loss - Partly a problem of emotions, a clear exit strategy should be employed when entering a trade so parameters are clear. Not getting out at the right time is a key trader mistake. A good trader will know out the outset how many pips they are looking for and what their loss limit will be. Not having an automatic trigger has been many a trader's downfall. Ill-disciplined and not setting stop loss targets is a bad mistake to make, a trader has to acknowledge there will always be new trades happening.

5. Unclear Rationale for Trading - A trader trading for the wrong reason will fail. It has to be taken seriously and trading should not be undertaken merely for the excitement of trading. The undeniably high of making a huge profit should be tempered with the seriousness of making a loss. Trading is a serious business and should be treated as such. Many a trader has made the mistake of not giving trades the time to develop as they have 'better things to be doing'.

Day Trade Forex

Never rush and hurry your career in the day trade forex industry. It is better that you have the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to ensure your success in this business. Getting familiar about the industry and becoming familiar in the forex market will lessen your risk of failing and getting broke. To give you an overview of the day trade forex, here are some tips to stimulate and make your mind work. Before trading, thoroughly study the market and spot new trends using the trends reversal method. Through this you can assess what are the upcoming changes in the market and make a strategy on how you can benefit from those changes. Aside from this, you also have to take note "never to profit from extreme fear and greed".

Although you can get profit from this on the first time, you will create a negative feedback from your clients and co-brokers. This will ruined your rapport and record in the industry thus lessening your chances to make transaction with other brokers. Another important tip for day trade brokers is to make business at the most profitable time by using the 10 a.m. reversal method. When you now this, business will be good with you. By using this strategy, you will know the right time to trade when brokers get online and a lot more. These tips is just an outline to make you comfortable with this business, but to be an expert make more readings and get enough trainings to assure your success.

Automated Forex Day Trading Systems

Various trading software used as forex dealings continue to surface and one of the best ways in acquiring substantial profits is through automatic forex day trading systems that entails the acquisition of takings given a shorter period of time. Dealing with this kind of business requires a trader to have considerable knowledge of how the forex trade works and what makes the automated forex day trading system effectual for trading.

This kind of system helps in moderating the possibilities of losing a big sum of money and provides you with ways of how it is done and how to triumph against possible threats. Instinctively, the automated forex day trading gives a trader the opportunity to gain takings in every way possible. This means that the transactions are incessantly flowing even a trader is asleep, at rest or at work. Aside from this, forex trading need not have mathematicians except if you will do the calculations manually. However, employing this kind of system will provide all the necessary evaluation and calculations of all your takings as well as the risks.

Since most traders utilizing this kind of system are novice traders and are on the process of learning the entire game, this can be used by almost all levels of expertise; software providers offer 24 hours customer support service where you will be given points on how to generate the whole process and later on manipulate the formula towards the winning system. This kind of software is designed and developed by various experts and specialists in the field of forex marketing. You are also given few analysis checks and trial tests in order to assess the market without having to shed money or break the bank. The automated forex day trading software doesn't require a monthly obligation and subscription fee. It will automatically generate forex trading signals even without having to pay for any monthly subscription. For professionals in the field with high capital can even trade in multiple currencies, with this software you will no longer have to endure going from one market place to another since all financial markets are positioned in one specific place making trading a lot easier to maneuver.

Versatility is what best describes an automated system which primarily permits different transactions from diverse fields. This gives a trader the opportunity to trade in unstable markets with various time zones. You can also supervise a lot of trading models as the system takes care of the handling of each model. This system also evaluates some of the data and you can utilize the evaluated data for your future assessment based on the movement of the foreign currency at the present time. As forex trading changes from time to time, it is but necessary to employ an automated forex trading system to trail where the market will go in the next minutes, hours and so on.

All these are few of the finest points that a trader should know in case opportunity present itself and are already up for grabs.

Day Trading - Good Or Bad?

Day Trading is seen by many people as a way to get out of the daily grind of having to get out of bed to go to a job and to make good money at the same time, which is most people's goal. But while there are a lot of advantages to day trading, there can also be pitfalls that you need to avoid.

The good stuff : You can work when you want, you have no boss on your case, you can dress how you like, take breaks when you like, take time off when you like, spend more time with your family and friends, you don't need to get yourself to work, you just fall out of bed and you're there. You have time to do what you want when YOU want to do it and, if you get it right, you can make a stack of money!

The bad stuff : You have to discipline yourself to do the job properly and not take silly risks, you have to learn when to get out of a trade (not necessarily right at the top), and if you're losing you need to know when to cut, because if you get this wrong, you could lose everything.

You must only use money that you can afford to lose. Day trading is just another form of gambling, but if you work at getting it right, the rewards can be fantastic. You can find a lot of help and information on the Internet, and while some isn't very good, a lot is excellent. There is also software available to help you to trade more safely and even free software that allows you to simulate trading. You would be wise to try this first before you invest your hard earned cash.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Why Cheap Trading is So Important For Beginning Traders

A beginning trader is faced with having to make many choices as they get started. They must decide which stocks to focus on first and how to increase their online trading education. Most importantly, they should be concerned about managing their risk so they don't end up losing a lot of money fast and ending their trading career early.

One reason the beginner should focus on cheap online trading is that you will likely be making small trades at first. Instead of making a stock trade of $20,000 or even $2,000 early on, the beginner will make many trades closer to $200. Beginning traders don't have the confidence, knowledge or experience to make a $10,000 trade right off the bat. Doing that without more experience is way too risky.

Beginners should start with small trades to see how they do. They need to get some experience in picking a type of stock and then reading the buy and sell indicators. Once they prove they can generate consistent profits, they can move on to larger trades.

The amount you pay in commissions is very important in these cases. If you trade in small amounts, your commission on the buy and sell is much greater on a percentage basis than with larger trades. For example, if you make a $200 trade with a $10 commission, then your cost to buy and then sell will be $20 per stock.

In this example, right away you are starting with a 10% loss. That means the stock you pick has to make a 10% gain just for you to break even. And since you want to make a profit, your stock picks must consistently gain more than 10% ON AVERAGE - including your winners and losers. So doing cheap trading by keeping your commissions low is very important.

By selecting from the big name discount brokers, traders can feel pretty safe that they are getting a quality service from each of them. With this confidence, they should then look for the broker that allows them to do cheap online trading with the lowest commissions. There are many types of fees that can drive your trading costs up, so choose your online broker after viewing a side-by-side comparison of all these charges.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Forex Trading Platforms - 3 Questions To Ask When Comparing Trading Platforms

Assuming you've already done you initial research into forex, and understand the basics and the risks involved, you'll probably start searching for a forex trading platform next. Here are three questions to ask when comparing your options to help you make the best choice for your situation.

Tip #1: Is A Demo Account Provided?

Almost every company that offers a forex trading platform will provide a demo account for you to practice and learn on first. Stay away from any trading platform that does not provide this option. It is in every company's best interest for you to learn to trade as well as possible, and demo accounts are one way of encouraging this. Also, once you've chosen your platform, make certain to actually use the demo account first before risking any actual capital.

Tip #2: Is Solid Training And Responsive Support Included?

No matter which platform you choose, you'll likely need some help along the way. See how much training information is offered by the company. Make sure they have a support email and phone number - and test them out. Call and email with a few questions, and see how fast they respond - and how helpful their responses are. This will give you a good indication of the type of personal service you'll be getting if you decide to invest in their platform. Beware of any company that provides canned responses on the phone, or boilerplate email replies.

Tip #3: What Is The Minimum Amount You Can Start With?

Once you've narrowed down your choices with the questions above, you'll need to find out which platform will let you effectively trade with the amount of money you have to initially invest. Keep in mind, although you'll be able to trade larger amounts if you have larger amount to start with - never risk more than you can afford to lose.

Day Trading - What is It?

Day trading is basically the buying and selling of stocks over a relatively short period of time, sometimes minutes. It was once only available to floor traders and investment banks but now the Internet has made day trading accessible to anyone with a computer system. There is good money to be made (and lost) using this method.

As an example, a day trader might buy 1000 shares of stock A at 10:00 as the price begins to move upwards on good news, then sell it at 10:04 when the stock price has risen (for example, by $0.50). The day trader would make $500 profit, less his commission which with today's low commission rates of around $30 or less per trade, that's a nice $440 or better, excluding taxes.

Day trading usually follows one of two approaches, either beating the spread or attempting to catch short term trends. The spread is the difference between what is being offered for a stock (the bid) and the price being asked for the stock (the ask). With spread trading, you attempt to buy at the 'bid' and sell at the 'ask' as many times as possible. Spread traders can make hundreds of this type of trade every day.

ECNs or Electronic Communication Networks are a recent development. They are completely electronic exchanges with very low commissions and very fast execution of orders. As a method of encouraging traders to use their networks, some ECNs offer incentives in the form of a rebate. In some cases, this can allow a day trader to make money simply from buying and selling a stock at the same price.

Day trading can be very profitable if you get it right, but you need to research as much as possible and take advantage of the free simulation software that is available for you to practice with before you take the plunge. Remember, day trading isn't for the faint hearted!

Factors in Choosing a Forex Trading Broker

Before you can implement any of your Forex trading strategies, you must select an appropriate broker. However, keep in mind that not all brokers are created equal. Below are several factors to take into consideration.

Industry Experience - It's always a good idea to see how long your broker has been in business. Investigating the background of any particular firm will give you a good sense of their professionalism and that your money is not at risk unnecessarily. You should always choose a firm that is established and has a strong reputation in the industry.

Demo Account - Especially if you're a beginner, you need to familiarize yourself with the mechanics of how the broker operates. You should always use a broker that offers a free demo account so that you can test out your Forex trading system. These accounts usually come with all the research tools that are important for your Forex education. It's always an intelligent idea to test our your system, their trading platform, and your comfort level before you start Forex trading in earnest.

Forex Trading Spread - When choosing a broker, it is important to take in to consideration the spread. In Forex trading, the spread is the difference a currency is being offered to be purchased and the price it is offered to be sold. Brokers make their money on this difference. The smaller the spread, the better it is for you. It's always best to choose a brokerage that offers the smallest spread in order to maximize your currency trading strategies.

Leverage in Forex Trading- Almost all brokers allow you to trade at a level much higher than the amount of funds in your account, often hundreds of times this amount. If you are confident in your Forex trading techniques, the higher the leverage a broker offers you, the greater your profits will be.

Forex Trading Tools - Most brokerage will allow you access to a variety of research tools. However, keep in mind that the quantity and quality can vary greatly. Regardless of the broker you choose for your Forex trading, you need real-time quotes, various charting possibilities, professional research reports, and live news capabilities. If you are a novice and unfamiliar with computers, then you might want to choose a brokerage with easy-to-use software.

Whoever you choose for your currency trading purposes, you should always be well prepared before you start. Educate yourself, practice, and test out all your strategies beforehand. No one ever succeeds in Forex trading without being well-prepared first.

Forex Trading With Candlesticks

With everything that is at stake when you are trading Forex, it is only logical that you would want the best tools available to help you. Forex trading is the epitome of volatile trading and even the best trading systems seem to fail eventually. This is why over 90% of new forex traders blow through their accounts and go bust. Don't get me wrong, volatility is a good thing and can lead to quick profits. But we have to remember that the same effect can also lead to quick losses.

So now that I have stated the obvious you are asking yourself what is needed to analyze a currency chart and that is the purpose of this article. When we analyze a chart we need only look for signals that indicate one of two emotions; fear and greed. These two emotions are found quite frequently in forex markets due to the high leverage and quick gains or losses. By using a trading system like Japanese Candlesticks with your trading plan and research, you are giving yourself the best chance for success in Forex trading.

What's so different about candlestick trading forex? When you are watching your favorite chart as the market moves it's easy to forget that what we are watching are the collective trading activities of every trader, both institutional and individual, leaving their tracks for us to interpret on the chart. This is very important and I want you to stop and think about it for a minute! No matter how small the timeframe, the chart will show us not only the collective trading activity but the collective emotions as well. Fear, greed and uncertainty are easy to spot with the use and understanding of candlesticks and are also easy to learn.

Japanese Candlesticks have been around for centuries and have proven their effectiveness in all tradable markets. With forex however, we need to adjust our thinking a bit because the patterns form differently due to the fact that forex is traded twenty-four hours a day and there is no open or close to the trading day. Many traders are under the false misconception that candlestick trading won't work in forex due to this feature of the forex market. In actuality, there isn't a better market to use candlesticks than forex once you learn to spot the different nuances in the candlestick reversal patterns.

With everything at stake while trading forex it's time to stop relying on useless indicators and start concentrating on the chart itself. A candlestick chart if you want to learn to quickly asses the mood of the forex market. I urge you to spend a little time studying forex candlestick trading and see for yourself how easy it is to spot these changing tides of emotions that lead to price moves and reversals.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Factors in Choosing a Forex Trading Broker

Before you can implement any of your Forex trading strategies, you must select an appropriate broker. However, keep in mind that not all brokers are created equal. Below are several factors to take into consideration.

Industry Experience - It's always a good idea to see how long your broker has been in business. Investigating the background of any particular firm will give you a good sense of their professionalism and that your money is not at risk unnecessarily. You should always choose a firm that is established and has a strong reputation in the industry.

Demo Account - Especially if you're a beginner, you need to familiarize yourself with the mechanics of how the broker operates. You should always use a broker that offers a free demo account so that you can test out your Forex trading system. These accounts usually come with all the research tools that are important for your Forex education. It's always an intelligent idea to test our your system, their trading platform, and your comfort level before you start Forex trading in earnest.

Forex Trading Spread - When choosing a broker, it is important to take in to consideration the spread. In Forex trading, the spread is the difference a currency is being offered to be purchased and the price it is offered to be sold. Brokers make their money on this difference. The smaller the spread, the better it is for you. It's always best to choose a brokerage that offers the smallest spread in order to maximize your currency trading strategies.

Leverage in Forex Trading- Almost all brokers allow you to trade at a level much higher than the amount of funds in your account, often hundreds of times this amount. If you are confident in your Forex trading techniques, the higher the leverage a broker offers you, the greater your profits will be.

Forex Trading Tools - Most brokerage will allow you access to a variety of research tools. However, keep in mind that the quantity and quality can vary greatly. Regardless of the broker you choose for your Forex trading, you need real-time quotes, various charting possibilities, professional research reports, and live news capabilities. If you are a novice and unfamiliar with computers, then you might want to choose a brokerage with easy-to-use software.

Whoever you choose for your currency trading purposes, you should always be well prepared before you start. Educate yourself, practice, and test out all your strategies beforehand. No one ever succeeds in Forex trading without being well-prepared first.

Forex Trading With Candlesticks

With everything that is at stake when you are trading Forex, it is only logical that you would want the best tools available to help you. Forex trading is the epitome of volatile trading and even the best trading systems seem to fail eventually. This is why over 90% of new forex traders blow through their accounts and go bust. Don't get me wrong, volatility is a good thing and can lead to quick profits. But we have to remember that the same effect can also lead to quick losses.

So now that I have stated the obvious you are asking yourself what is needed to analyze a currency chart and that is the purpose of this article. When we analyze a chart we need only look for signals that indicate one of two emotions; fear and greed. These two emotions are found quite frequently in forex markets due to the high leverage and quick gains or losses. By using a trading system like Japanese Candlesticks with your trading plan and research, you are giving yourself the best chance for success in Forex trading.

What's so different about candlestick trading forex? When you are watching your favorite chart as the market moves it's easy to forget that what we are watching are the collective trading activities of every trader, both institutional and individual, leaving their tracks for us to interpret on the chart. This is very important and I want you to stop and think about it for a minute! No matter how small the timeframe, the chart will show us not only the collective trading activity but the collective emotions as well. Fear, greed and uncertainty are easy to spot with the use and understanding of candlesticks and are also easy to learn.

Japanese Candlesticks have been around for centuries and have proven their effectiveness in all tradable markets. With forex however, we need to adjust our thinking a bit because the patterns form differently due to the fact that forex is traded twenty-four hours a day and there is no open or close to the trading day. Many traders are under the false misconception that candlestick trading won't work in forex due to this feature of the forex market. In actuality, there isn't a better market to use candlesticks than forex once you learn to spot the different nuances in the candlestick reversal patterns.

With everything at stake while trading forex it's time to stop relying on useless indicators and start concentrating on the chart itself. A candlestick chart if you want to learn to quickly asses the mood of the forex market. I urge you to spend a little time studying forex candlestick trading and see for yourself how easy it is to spot these changing tides of emotions that lead to price moves and reversals.

Big Day Trading Mistakes - Do Not Ignore These 3 Crucial Points When You Start Trading

So many potentially good traders can easily be put off from the outset, because they failed to follow three main rules when they started out. Losing money is result, and the most common problem is ignorance, or at least lack of proper knowledge.

It's not essentially their fault, because there's so much available to temp people into trading quickly and easily. Not that it need to be difficult, but you have to follow the rules. Wander from them at your peril, but stick to them and you should find yourself enjoying trading either as a hobby, or full time, if that's your desire.

Here are 3 essential things you must grasp before you can trade profitably:

1. Your Stop Loss order is crucial. It is the closest thing you have to an insurance policy that ensures your account is not wiped out. And lose money you will. There's nothing that can be guaranteed in trading the stock market except that you will take hits. But employ a stop loss order and you can rest easy that your losses are kept to a minimum and that you have traded well.

2. Over trading. I think you'd be very unwise to place any more than 5 percent of you trading budget on any trade. Don't open more than one position when you start either, and look for those trades with more gentle personalities. The FTSE 250 is a good place to look for such trades because they have movement but without the volatility of say, the Forex market. Unfortunately my introduction to trading was by virtue of the commodities market - it all but wiped me out.

3. Emotion will play a huge part in trying to wipe out you account too. It gallops in under two guises - greed and fear. It is crucial you harness and control them and you do this by taking the time to learn a good trading system that you're comfortable with. It's about learning a trading plan and then sticking to it until you're more experienced. I won't say confident because that could trip you up in the form of greed. Keep greed and fear far behind you, where they belong.

By getting to grips with these three important points, you will better equip yourself for a far better trading experience. Every good trader will tell you to that you focus should be to cut your losses and let your profits run.

Find the Best Online Trading Option

Online stock trading today got a new makeover. In the last few years, there has been a continuous rise in the opening of online trading accounts. In the case of a traditional brokerage house, everything was done manually and the trading process was quite cumbersome and time consuming. Now things have become much easier than ever before. If you have a PC and Internet access you can trade straight from your home or office. In addition, you can manage your funds online.

Moreover, one can access latest information of the current market, share prices, stock quotes and charts in just few mouse clicks. Thanks to the Internet that has brought a new revolution in the investment world. The Internet has definitely come up as a boom for investors. Now, anyone from anywhere in the world can access his or her account and can trade online.

Learn the stock trading strategy

In the volatile stock market, the main reason why small investors fail to make substantial profits is due to their lack of market knowledge. Therefore, it is important to educate yourself: read the latest articles, news, reviews, etc and broaden your market knowledge. However, in order to gain profits, you need to follow some trading strategies. Target major company shares and analyze the market before you actually decide to buy and sell stocks. However, you should always keep an eye on the share prices. For example, if your share prices go up you can sell those shares immediately in order to gain quick profits. Even if you wait for further rise in the share prices, you should not wait for too long.

Since, share prices always go up and down therefore, you need to control your emotions. Be optimistic and always take right decision right from your mind and not from your heart. In order to make the right decision, you need to know the market trends, therefore, always keep abreast of the latest market news and information. Analyze the market using online tools and then trade accordingly. Learn about various other stock trading options and make e the right decision at the right time.

What is day trading?

In this type of trading option, traders need to buy and sell stocks in the same day. This is the most profitable stock option one can pick. However, day trading involves a lot of market analysis and therefore, it needs a lot of experience as well. According to expert professionals, if you are a new investor, this trading option will not be an intelligent choice. First start with simple trading and with experience, you can switch to day trading.

What is the best investment option?

No doubt, online stock trading today is the best investment option you can opt for. But, you should have comprehensive knowledge about the market. You should be aware of the terminologies that are often used in the stock market. You need to be flexible according to the market and then trade intelligently.

Why do people invest money? It is quite obvious, as most of us want future financial security. By investing one can save money for their future. So, why not save money from today? Invest in stocks and earn profits from the market.

Why Forex Trading is the Answer to a Struggling Economy

I know it may seem strange hearing that forex trading is the answer to a struggling economy. Especially when you consider how much the economy affects the value of currencies. But if you think about it, how many other businesses are completely recession proof? In the times we live in, there is no better freedom than being your own boss. Forex trading gives you that option along with many other perks.

It seems like all you hear in the news is how many people are getting laid off, how many people are losing their homes, businesses going under, etc... Obviously times are tough. Small time traditional bricks and mortar business are struggling to succeed now more than ever. What makes forex trading so amazing is that your business can be as successful when the economy is flourishing or during a recession. As long as you are able to trade on either side of the market (long or short) it you can be successful.

Another great advantage to trading forex is that you can save so much money on gas. This didn't use to be such a big issue but in the times we live in, people are going broke just filling their gas tanks. Think of how much money is spent on gasoline from people just commuting to and from work. The beauty of forex trading is that it is all done online. There is no need to sit in gridlock and waste 2 hours of your day just from being in a car.

Even the Best Forex Trading Course Will Not Benefit You

Many beginner traders ask me what is the best Forex trading course that worth taking. There are many trading courses that claim to make you into a successful trader in a matter of weekend. If that was true you wouldn't need those courses. There is a famous saying "Success is a journey not a destination." For that reason I believe that a good training course should be on a continuous basis.

I have taken many courses hoping that they will magically turn me into a profitable trader. I wouldn't say they were useless. Actually there are quite a few great courses on Forex trading out there. In my opinion since you need to improve your skills on a consistent basis then the best trainings are those where you have continuous support. Rob Booker's personal training is one of such courses. You pay only one time fee and have lifetime access to the tools and personal support. Peter Bain's Forex Mentor course is another one but you need to pay monthly fee to have ongoing access to the member's area and support.

Even though these trainings improved my trading skill it was not a course that propelled me to become a consistently profitable trader. Do you want to know what it was? It was a book written by Mark Douglas "Disciplined Trader". If you are trading currencies and have not yet read this book I urge to run to a bookstore or library and read it. Read it a few times. Mark Douglas not only gives you the overview of psychology but also gives you practical exercises to actually help you to become a successful trader.

Now to answer a question will any kind of training will benefit you even if it's the best one? Unfortunately it depends not only on training but also on a person being trained. Some people will take the information that they have learned and skyrocket to success others will sit there with the same information not moving ahead. What separates these people is their mindset. There is no Forex trading course that will change your psychology. Only you can change it by working on your trading psychology day in and day out.

Now how about those companies who offer trading systems and trading software? Again their systems may be brilliant, but if you do not have a discipline and your mind is programmed to lose money in trading there is no software or system that will help you. You see, all these systems, strategies and software are tools that supposed to make your trading easier. They are not meant to trade currencies instead of you. You do not ask a hammer to hit the nail you hit it with the hammer. But if you know what you are doing then the tools can make a dramatic change in your trading.

So if you are still failing to make a consistent profit in trading I suggest you not to look for a best courses and strategies but first develop discipline and train your mindset to control your fear and anxiety during the trades. Once you achieve it then the best tools will do the best for you.