Last Updated on: 16th November 2023, 10:48 am
Forex trading guide is a detailed description of the financial market to help beginners invest. They can understand the trading process, learn about the market, and polish their trading knowledge.
The market is huge, with high trade volume that attracts millions of daily investors. But the market volatility makes it difficult to earn from forex trading.
So, before you kick start forex trading, know about in-depth information, technicalities, and definitions that can help you get a command over forex trading.
What is Forex Trading?
Forex trading is investing in currency pairs of different countries to earn from the difference in the exchange rates. The market is highly volatile and liquid and thus needs a forex trading guide to investing accurately.
Traders can buy and sell the currencies easily online through brokers. The market is decentralized and does not involve any third party. 24 round-the-clock trading makes it attractive to millions of traders daily.
The market is easy to invest in with futures, forward, and spot market investments.
How to Trade in the Forex Market?
Forex trading is a simple process that does not have many requirements. Traders with small funds can begin their trading in the currency market and enjoy profits.
Here, we have the process that traders can take to invest in the forex market:
- The first step is to open a trading account with a known forex broker that offers a range of services. The account could be a spread betting or CFD trading account.
- The second step is to research and find the best currency pair to invest in. For this, traders can use analysis and research tools that will help them understand the market conditions.
- After analysis, traders can make their decision whether they want to buy or sell or go speculating in the market.
- In this process, traders also need to have their strategy ready to make better trade investments and enjoy good market profits. They can then deposit funds in the account.
- Once all the above is done, they can place their order using the trading platform available. Define their entry and exit points, and have risk management and proper order types to invest.
- Traders can monitor their trades, close the position when needed and be active forex traders.
Essential Terminologies of Forex Trading Guide
Forex market is the widest financial market globally and involves several terminologies that would help traders make good investments.
These will help traders know the market and a great part of the forex trading guide. To understand the market and have excellent trading experience here we have them listed.
Base currency
It is the first currency lying on the left side of a forex pair. Some traders also refer to it as accounting currency or domestic currency. For example, in the currency pair EUR/USD, EUR is the base currency.
The base currency is the representation of the number of quote currency one needs to draw the base currency’s one unit.
Quote currency
The currency lying on the right of the base currency is the quote currency. Precisely, a quote currency represents the foreign currency in a pair. Traders and market experts also call it counter currency or secondary currency.
The primary use of quote currency is to determine the valuation of the base currency in a pair. Anyone looking to trade in the forex market should know the pricing structure and quotation.
For example, in the currency pair USD/GBP, GBP is the quote currency.
PIP
It is the smallest unit of change in price, which an exchange rate can afford to make is a pip.
Notably, major currency pairs get priced to four-point decimals. It is the tiniest change in the last decimal point. However, the Japanese yen comes with an exception. Its second decimal point is considered the last.
Currency pair
It is the combination of two different currencies, where one is sold against the other. Currency pair is the combination of one base currency and another quote currency.
The valuation of a currency gets determined by comparing it with another one. It showcases the number of quote currencies required to buy a unit of the base currency.
Leverage
Leveraging has an old relation with forex currency. It is precisely a borrowed sum of money from the account for trading assets of the value of various sizes. A trader can open a position at a larger contract size using it.
Leveraging helps in drawing bigger profits by investing a little. Based on your comfort, you can use any preferred forex pair of your choice and make gains through the advice of an expert.
Ask and bid price
Bidding and asking prices are for selling and buying assets of forex at a given rate or price. It is the most formulated way of trading in the forex financial market.
At an asking price, the buyer shows interest to buy a currency or pair at a proposed rate.; whereas a bid price would mean that a seller is willing to sell the pair or currency at a specific price.
The distinction between the bidding and asking prices is called a spread.
Margin
In forex, it is the fund that a trader or investor needs to put in before trading in the market or to open the initial position. Also, it assists in opening a bigger positioning size at times.
While trading with margin, you have to put the fraction of the percentage of the full value. It assists in opening a trade. It is precisely a security deposit instead of a transaction cost.
Trading currencies on margins help in gaining exposure to the market. Margin opens the doors for leverage trading. However, one needs to be very cautious as it is vulnerable to both profits and losses.
Lot size
It is the size of the trade that a trader is willing to open in the forex market while trading in it.
In standard forex trading, one lot is equivalent to 100,000 units of the first currency or base currency on a currency pair.
Best Forex Trading Strategies
Forex Trading Strategies are important when talking about forex trading guide because the volumes here are higher than any other financial instruments or markets.
The volatility if dealt with no planning is a recipe for disaster in the foreign exchange market.
Also, the bigger the market size, the better execution of strategies is needed to see through a tough time.
Through a strategy, you can define when to buy or sell a forex pair. You can create several plans through technical and fundamental analysis.
An astute and intelligent trader would closely analyze the trades and then execute them for fetching benefits by applying risk management techniques simultaneously, mitigating perils like losses.
Forex scalping
It is the process where a trader is content withdrawing small profits instead of bigger ones. However, it requires consistent efforts to culminate into larger profits over time.
To try it, one has to open and close positions several times a day. Here, more frequency would ensure better gains.
One can seek help from an algorithm, which can automate the trading by using predetermined guidelines for exiting and entering positions. If you wish, you can do it manually as well.
Most liquid pairs like EUR/USD are preferred by traders mostly for tighter spreads. Also, it goes well with short-term trading.
Trade length
The length of the trade here is around 30 mins to 1 minute. Scalping means minimum returns with short-term trades. It operates on small time frame charts.
Exit and entry points
The forex market runs at a pace of knots. So, deciding on the entry and exit points usually take some time, because going haphazard in the market has its risks.
Identification of trends is the number one remedy of entering and exiting the forex market. Several scalpers use distinguishing indicators like moving average for verifying the direction of the trend.
When you put into use the following levels of trends on a longer time frame, you can see a larger picture.
The levels here create different bands like resistance and support. After learning the art of scalping within the level, you can attempt it on smaller time frames. RSI is one oscillator that can come in handy while you try it.
For avoiding the large movements, stops get placed at only a few pips distance. You can even use a MACD indicator for exiting and entering the position.
Day Trading Strategy
Here, all forex positions get closed at the end of the day. A trader has to trade within the stipulated limit.
It means all positions should come to a stop when the day ends. You can make several trades or can feel satisfied with a single trade.
Trade length
Here, the length of trades can be quite short, as small as a minute or minutes. However, it cannot go beyond a day’s time. Also, there can be hour-long trades.
Entry and exit points
There are short intervals, and currency pairs are too quick to change their positions.
Range trading strategy
You have to identify resistance and support points because, after the identification only, one can place their bids. The strategy works well without indulging in the risk of volatility. Also, there is no dependence on discernible trends.
The technical analysis comes as a crucial tool that is helpful while laying the foundation of the range trading strategy.
Trade length
You do not have to give a thought about the trade’s length here. Range bound strategies come with a boon to work irrespective of time frames. However, you should be wary, as breakouts may occur while applying it. So, manage your risks.
Entry and exit points
In timing tools, oscillators are the most conducive tools. The few tools include stochastics, Commodity Channel Index (CCI), and Relative Strength Index (RSI). For validating the range-bound signals further, you can use price action.
Position Trading
It primarily depends on fundamental factors and runs for a longer time. You can also use technical tools like Elliott wave theory for stoking more benefits and gains in the forex market while applying the strategy.
Tiny or smaller market fluctuations are cast aside in the strategy because they do not have any impact on a larger picture of forex trading.
Trade length
Position trade generally means taking delivery of forex assets. So, it does not get affected by the fact that the market is going down or up. The idea caters to a long-term process. There is a set threshold that should meet the thought of a trader.
Entry and exit points
Valuable information on the market is the crucial key point that determines whether to hold or let it go. The long-term outlook of a position trade provides ample time to think and then execute the planning in forex markets.
Speculation in the Forex Market
The forex market is all about predicting the market’s trend and movement. If you can guess it right, then you get money in your hands as profits.
The demand and supply of forex markets depend on factors like geopolitical situation, economic strength, tourism, interest rates, international affairs, policy-making and trades, interest rates, and many more.
Speculation that one currency is going to surge would subsequently mean that the other will plunge as currencies get traded in pairs.
For example, if there is a GBP/EUR currency pair and the price of the base currency rises, that would mean the quote currency’s rate slipped and vice versa.
Forex Trading in Futures
It is a standardized and appropriate way of trading foreign currencies at a pre-decided time, contract size and date.
You can trade such contracts at different exchanges or broker places. A trader also gets a guarantee on credit losses by intermediaries. Furthermore, such contracts are non-customizable and get traded publicly.
Best Brokers For Forex Trading Guide
You should be keeping an eye out for brokers that seem authentic by reading reviews and asking experts around you because a broker is an escalation point that can elevate your profits within limited expenses.
Global Trade ATF, InvestFW, Capitalix, HFTrading, Investby, etc. are among the top brokers and brokerage firms that are legally offering their services to traders across the world.
Conclusion
Forex trading or understanding the foreign exchange currency trade is not a one-day thing. Also, mere reading won’t help you either thus, the need for a forex trading guide arises.
There are an array of ways to trade currencies of different nations. Furthermore, you have to be patient and consider various elements that go around globally and affect changes in the currency market.