How Is Forex Traded In The Global Market?

| October 7, 2014

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The term “Forex” refers to the foreign exchange market where a number of different things are traded, including currency. Currencies from all over the world are traded against each other and it can be quite the lucrative practice, but it can come with a great deal of risk because of how volatile the market can be. There are a number of different currencies which are traded in this market, including the Euro (EUR) as well as the US Dollar or USD. One example of a forex transaction is when a person buys a Euro while at the same time selling a US dollar. This would be an example of “going long” on the EUR/USD.

A vast majority of people who trade currency in the foreign exchange market have a broker or market maker. When you trade on this market you will be able to choose which currency pairs you think will go up or down in value and place your trade based on that estimate. You will be able to place your forex trades through a broker or money maker. A trade can be placed and processed within a matter of minutes and must through the Interbank Market. When you are ready to close your trade, your broker will do so on the Interbank Market and your account will be credited with either a loss or gain, depending on how your trade does.

There are a number of things which you will need to do and consider before getting started with trading on the foreign exchange market, including:

Choose a Broker

Anyone who is interested in trading forex will definitely need to start out by getting a broker they can trust. You will need to make a point of looking for a broker that offers options that work for you and make trading more convenient. Because each of these brokers will be different in terms of the funding options they offer as well as a number of other things, you will definitely want to make a point of finding one that you feel good about before doing any actual trading.

Read Charts

You will also want to take the time to practice reading charts so you can get familiar with them. The ability to read and analyze charts is crucial when it comes to trading forex, so you will therefore want to practice doing this. There are different types of charts and time frames associated with them. Shorter time frames will be able to provide you with a good idea as to how the market is moving from minute to minute, whereas longer time frames will tell you how the marker is moving over longer periods of time, helping to expose some of the overall trends.

Leverage

Leverage is an important part of trading on the forex market and it is also referred to as “trading on margin”. While it is true that margin can be a very useful resource for the currency trader, it can also put you at risk if you don’t know how to use it properly. Trading on margin is essentially a way to extend your credit with a broker, but when you get your margin call it may come back to hurt you.

The Difference between Forex and other Markets

There are actually quite a few differences between the foreign exchange or forex market and other types of markets. One of the ways in which forex is different from stocks, options, and futures is the fact that it doesn’t take place on a regulated exchange. Unlike the stock market, there is no central governing body, and there are nothing like clearing houses that can guarantee the trades you make. Members of the foreign exchange market trade with each other based on credit agreements.

Is it worth the Risk?

One of the questions that you will have to ask yourself before getting involved in the foreign exchange market is whether or not it is really worth it. If you are the kind of person who likes to make safe investments with a guaranteed pay off, stick with bonds. The forex market is mostly for those who are experienced at investing and willing to take some risk for potential returns. Ultimately, it is up to you whether or not trading currencies is worth the risk.

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Category: Forex

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