The foreign exchange market, commonly known as the forex market, can be a great place to earn a steady income, but it has its share of dangers and pitfalls. If you’ve been interested in trading on the forex market but aren’t sure how to get started, this article will help you on your way.
Use leverage with caution. Using leverage can lead to large gains if properly applied, however, without careful study and tracking of trends you can leverage yourself into a hole. If you are a less experienced trader do not leverage greater that 10:1. This will allow you to gain without risking large quantities of your capital should the market turn.
It is almost inevitable that you will make unprofitable trades when you start trading on forex. Do not forget the concept of sunk costs when one of your trades turns sour. Money that you lose on a bad trade is lost forever, and funneling more money into such a trade will only increase your losses.
On the forex market it is tempting to respond enthusiastically to good news for a country by trading in its currrency. This is a mistake. Mainstream news is ultimately external to the forex market, and has not nearly as much to do with the trading as does the activity of the market itself. Good news for a country does not always mean good news for its currency – invest accordingly!
If you are an experienced stock trader looking to start trading in forex markets, learn the differences. For example, it is often good strategy to “buy and hold” stocks but the opposite is true with forex trading. Avoid losing money by using stock trading practices by learning about how forex is different than the stock market.
A great forex trading tip is to focus on a single pair of currency that you know and understand. It can be extremely difficult trying to figure out all of the different currencies in the world because of variables that are constantly changing. It’s best to select a currency you have a grasp on.
A great forex trading tip is to try and learn what factors drive a certain currency. There are a number of things that can have a major influence on currency, such as, policy decisions and even political changes. Getting to know these factors will improve your chances of making smart decisions.
With the stock market as volatile as we know it to be today, make sure you seek expert advice before you invest any of your money. Stock brokers might not work wonders, but they know a lot more about today’s economy and how to invest your wealth better than you do.
As you’ve seen, once you know what you are doing the forex market can be a rewarding and lucrative way to invest your money. To get the best returns, though, you need to remember the advice you’ve learned in this article. This way, you’ll avoid the fate of many traders who end up on the wrong end of a big loss.