Forex trading is when traders buy and sell foreign currencies to profit. It is one of the most popular forms of trading, as it allows individuals to speculate on the value of currency pairs without actually having to purchase any physical currency.
Forex trading is conducted through a global network of banks, dealers and brokers, open day and night, five days a week, making it an attractive option for those who want to take advantage of market opportunities.
Understanding Currency Pairs
To trade forex, you must first understand what a currency pair is. A currency pair is simply the two currencies being traded against each other. For example, if you were to buy the EUR/USD currency pair, you would buy Euros and sell US Dollars.
The currency pair’s value is determined by the relative value of the two currencies that make up the pair. For example, if the EUR/USD currency pair has a value of 1.2000, one Euro is worth 1.20 US Dollars.
When you trade forex, you will continually trade one currency against another, which is why it is crucial to understand how different currency pairs work. Some currency pairs are more volatile than others, meaning they can rapidly move up and down in value. Others are less volatile and tend to move more slowly.
Choosing the correct currency pairs to trade is essential based on your risk tolerance and investment goals.
Leverage
Traders use leverage to enable them to trade more significant amounts than they would be able to without it. Leverage enables you to control a more significant amount of currency with a smaller amount of capital.
For instance, if you were trading with a leverage ratio of 1:10, this would mean that for every SGD1 you have in your account, you can trade SGD10 worth of currency.
While it can be a great tool, it also comes with risks. Leverage can amplify both your profits and losses, so it is important to use leverage responsibly and always trade with a stop-loss.
Margin
Margin is the amount of money you need to open a trade. When you open a trade, you will need to have enough margin in your account to cover the total value of the trade.
For instance, if you were trading with a 1% margin, this would mean that you would need to have SGD1 in your account for every SGD100 that you wanted to trade.
Margin differs from leverage in that it is the amount of money you put up rather than a loan provided to you by your broker.
Order Types
You must use various order types to enter and exit trades when you trade forex. The most common type is the market order, which means buying or selling at the current market price.
Other types of orders include limit orders, stop-loss orders and take-profit orders. You can set a maximum price at which you are willing to buy or sell a currency pair with a limit order. Stop-loss orders automatically exit a trade when it reaches a certain level of loss. Take-profit orders do the opposite, automatically exiting a trade when it reaches a certain profit level.
Fundamental Analysis
Fundamental analysis analyses a country’s economic indicators to determine its currency’s value; it considers factors like GDP, inflation, interest rates and trade balance.
In contrast, technical analysis looks at past price data to predict future price movements. While technical analysis can be helpful, it is essential to remember that it is not an exact science.
When trading forex, it is crucial to use both fundamental and technical analysis to make the most informed decisions possible.
Risk Management
There are several different risk management strategies that you can use to protect your capital, and this is an essential part of forex trading.
One of the most critical risk management tools is the stop-loss order. You can place a stop-loss order to automatically exit a trade when it reaches a certain level of loss, which is helpful because it can help you limit your losses and protect your capital.
You can read more here.