PLANET FOREX

Australian Dollar Gains on Rising Commodities/Equities and Weakening U.S. Dollar

2009-11-24T19:54:00.001-08:00

Following four downtrending days attributed to a rising stock market and record setting gold prices, the Australian Dollar finally saw broad gains in Asian trading today. As reported at 4:41 pm in Sydney, versus the U.S. Dollar, the Australian Dollar rose to $.9193, a gain of .5% from Friday’s New York trade of $91.47. Against the Yen, the Australian Dollar traded at 81.70 Yen, a .5% rise and the first increase in six days. The New Zealand Dollar also rose against the greenback, trading at $.7269, a gain of .4%; versus the Japanese Yen it rose to 64.60 Yen.

Speculators continue to believe that, given the rebounding economy in Australia, the Australian Reserve Bank will have no choice but to raise key interest rates next week, for the third month in a row. The benchmark interest rate in Australia currently stands at 3.5% and in New Zealand, the rate is 2.5%. Both rates are among the highest of developing nations, attracting investors with their higher-yielding assets. In the United States, the benchmark rate remains at a historic low of zero and is expected to remain there until the economy sees a more sustained renewal.

Easy-Forex at the 5th ME Forex Expo & Conference

2009-11-24T19:45:00.000-08:00

Easy Forex is pleased to announce its participation in the 5th Middle East Forex Trading Expo in Dubai on November 17-18, 2009 and invites all participants to come to booth F23 for a chance to have a personal demonstration of their Visual Trading Machine.

Easy-Forex’s Visual Trading machine provides an exciting, easy and transparent option that helps users make educated, clear decisions in an otherwise complicated market.
Distinctive features of the Easy-Forex platform include:

The Visual Trading Machine which provides a quick display of the most current market information. Each element of the machine is designed to empower the user to make educated decisions about their portfolio of trades, optimizing their trading experience.

Inside Viewer™ allows traders to see through the market with ease and informs them what others on the Easy-Forex platform are trading in real time (popularity of a currency pair, deal direction and the average structure of open deals). This feature brings Easy-Forex to a new standard of ethics in

The unique Trade Controller™ tool which provides a clear and complete picture of all profit/loss scenarios for precision measurement and adjustment. Users with the controls to set their desired values visually and simply.

The Freeze Rate capability enables traders to freeze an existing Buy or Sell rate for a few seconds, allowing traders to briefly lock in a rate regardless of market movement with no commitment to trade.

The Easy-Forex trading platform was founded on the idea of bringing currency trading to the general consumer. Easy-Forex was the first online Forex trading system allowing clients to trade Forex as a consumer product and is one of the only platforms enabling a trader to start trading immediately. Since 2001, Easy-Forex has been revolutionizing foreign exchange trading in more than 150 countries.

The Easy-Forex trading platform was founded on the idea of bringing currency trading to the general consumer. Easy-Forex was the first online Forex trading system allowing clients to trade Forex as a consumer product and is one of the only platforms enabling a trader to start trading immediately. Since 2001, Easy-Forex has been revolutionizing foreign exchange trading in more than 150 countries.

Easy-Forex is licensed in Australia, the EU, and the USA and has nine physical office locations around the world. To find out more, please visit easy-forex.com.

EUR/USD Limit Buy at 1.4504*

2009-09-11T23:40:00.001-07:00

The Euro has actually managed to clear out our yearly target of 1.4500 and has now taken hold of the 1.4600 level and possibly looking for higher prices. Renewed optimism was reinforced by a string of positive Chinese data which showed clear signals of the global economic recovery. However, there still remain worries over the pace of recovery; something that can be seen expressed in the Yen pairs.

The Dollar by itself is under a questionable umbrella having to finance major budget deficits, as well as the skepticism over the quality to continue as the World’s reserve currency. As the recovery continues to gain traction, investors will have no choice but to continue shifting their risk averse portfolios for the search of higher yield. However, as mentioned by many Central Bankers the recovery may be slow and bumpy.

Ahead, the economic calendar will be rather light with no major news announcements. Traders will look at the latest preliminary consumer sentiment reading as well as the import prices data.

Looking at the 4hour chart, EUR/USD rose to an intraday high at 1.4627 where it found supply and encounters strong resistance points. Negative sentiment towards the USD continues to play a big role in the currency markets and the outlook remains bullish for the pair. It’s not a Euro strength story… rather a pessimistic outlook towards the USD.

“A continuation of stabilizing data will lift risk appetite which in turn will keep the pair well supported. China has reiterated once again that it will “absolutely” maintain its stimulative fiscal and monetary policies until a stable economic recovery is achieved.”

The bias in the near term is bullish with preferred strategy is to buy on dips. The bounce off the 1.4504 level suggests their is strong demand near that level where an entry order could be placed.

Initial resistance can be found at 1.4627, followed by stronger levels at 1.4720 and 1.4857. Next strong support comes in at 1.4544, where a break of such would target subsequent levels at 1.4504 followed by 1.4468. Wall street performance will be key in today’s trading.

Trading levels in play:

*Data is canceled if the consumer sentiment reading is below expectations. If so entry order could be moved lower to 1.4468 or 1.4425. Be cautious as Friday’s are known for retracements.

Limit Buy @ 1.4504 Targets: T1 1.4534 – T2 1.4700 Risk: 1.4460
* After 15 pips profit move stop to entry, take profit at will. Trade is canceled if it rebounds near entry and moves higher by 20 pips. Comments will follow if outlook changes.

DISCLAIMER: Trading off-exchange currencies on margin carries a high level of risk, and may not be suitable for all investors. Before deciding to trade the foreign exchange, you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite. Before making your investment decisions please acknowledge that the information provided herein should not be taken without your own individual assessment and extensive investigation, it should not be preempted as your own trading strategies, investment advice and/or trading portfolio. The views, forecasts and strategies may not prove to be accurate and may not be appropriate for you. Additionally, the views, forecasts and strategies provided by the author are not necessarily those of Gorbe Investments Corp., ForexDistrict, its owners, employees or other affiliates and/or contributors. Gorbe Investments Corp., ForexDistrict and the technical analysts will not be responsible for any loss incurred as a result of any information provided in this section. As such, Gorbe Investments Corp., ForexDistrict and the technical analysts do not provide investment advice, trading signals and/or any other professional advice such as legal, accounting, financial, etc… ForexDistrict provides this section only for general information; please contact an expert professional if any of these advices are needed.

GBP/USD Limit Buy at 1.6558

2009-09-11T23:39:00.001-07:00

The Pound continues to strengthen on renewed optimism over the economic recovery as well as gaining support after the BOE announcement did not include an expansion of QE measures. In addition, the GBP/USD is rising further as concerns over the Dollar intensify. Skepticism in the quality of the USD World’s reserve status and concerns in the U.S. having to finance major budget deficits has kept the Dollar under pressure.

Looking at the 4hour chart, GBP/USD spiked above the 1.6700 handle to reach a fresh 1 month high at 1.6740. The bias is bullish in the near term with preferred startegy to buy on dips. Wall Street performance will be monitored and key in the pair’s next move.

Above 1.6700, GBP/USD is encountering strong levels of resistance at the 1.6740 followed by 1.6809 and 1.6908. Initial support can be found at 1.6666, followed by stronger levels at 1.6580 and 1.6500.

Trading levels in play:

Limit Buy @ 1.6558 Targets: T1 1.6595 – T2 1.6835 Risk 1.6498.
* After 20 pips profit move stop to entry, take profit at will. Comments will follow if outlook changes

NY: Afternoon Forex Overview

2009-09-11T23:38:00.001-07:00

Previous session overview

The dollar remains under pressure if off earlier intraday lows Friday, after a flurry of strong economic numbers from China overnight gave a further lift to risk appetites.

The latest Chinese data on industrial production, retail sales and lending were all beyond expectations, developments which helped the Shanghai Composite Index to rally 2.0% and the price of gold to rise back to around the USD1,000 per ounce mark.

For foreign exchange, the news also contributed to fresh multi-month U.S. dollar lows against the euro and the yen, although a pre-weekend tendency toward position-squaring has limited the dollar’s losses and enabled it to recover modestly off its weakest levels of the day.

The yen’s gains have come despite some discouraging economic developments in Japan, as the country’s second- quarter GDP growth was downgraded to 0.6% from 0.9%, a factor that helped to ensure that the Nikkei Index lost 0.7% on the day.

Market expectation

EURUSD continues to orbit a narrow range around USD1.4600 area with flows described as light, traders suggest that many want to participate but are either waiting for the dip or waiting for the break. Overnight high area at USD1.4628 still said to hold supply after the push higher was rebuffed, stops positioned above. Bids back at USD1.4570 with stops positioned below. Euro last at USD1.4590.

USDJPY holds near JPY91.00 area as it maintains its rebound level after seeing European hour’s lows at JPY90.69 after a swath of stops were flushed on the break of JPY91.00. Rebound got an assist from vigorous dollar buying out of Tokyo, traders say, adding Japanese retail accounts to the earlier talk of semi-official buys off the low. Bids expected in the JPY90.75/80 area, further down to JPY90.60 with barrier strike noted at JPY90.50 and JPY90.25, stops positioned below each.

Currency watchers believe that the yen’s recent strength is less a product of fundamental developments than of factors like repatriation flows into Japan at the end of the fiscal half-year there, as well as due to persistent dollar weakness as a result of the ongoing portfolio asset shift.

In traders view, the USD is really working hard at bottoming; volatility has been high and official interest is actively buying. With sentiment and technical’s very oversold USD is primed for a strong rally; at least to correct the oversold condition. Look for profit-taking by the shorts to end the week, today’s US data may be the catalyst.

U.S. Import Prices Rose 2.0% in August.

2009-09-11T23:37:00.001-07:00

The U.S. Import Price Index increased 2.0% in August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday. Data was above market consensus of 1.0% and the previous report in July of -0.7%

The increment in price was driven primarily by a 9.8% advance in fuel prices. Excluding fuel, prices for imports increased 0.4 % in August following a 0.2% decline the previous month.

Related Stories

“U.S. import prices spiked 2 percent in August as the cost of oil rose, the Labor Department said on Friday,” Reuters reported.

“The increase, twice what analysts polled by Reuters had expected, was the fifth rise in the last six months. It followed a July drop of 0.7 percent.”

Full Story – Via Reuters

Dollar continues its weakness against the Euro, Pound moves up after rate decision

2009-09-11T23:36:00.001-07:00

G10 Advancers and Decliners vs USD

	JPY	1.13
	SEK	0.70
	NZD	0.47
	CAD	0.42
	NOK	0.41
	GBP	0.32
	EUR	0.14
	DKK	0.12
	CHF	0.10
	AUD	0.01

Global Indexes

Current Level

% Change

Nikkei 225 Index	10,444.33	- 0.69
Hang Seng Index	21,096.97	+ 0.13
Shanghai Index	2,989.79	+ 2.21
FTSE 100 Index	5,015.31	+ 0.55
DAX Index	5,618.59	+ 0.42
SMI Index	6,220.02	+ 0.18
S&P future	1,041.70	+ 0.89

World Markets

Current Level

% Change

Gold	1,000.20	+ 0.36
Silver	16.85	+ 1.04
VIX	23.55	- 3.16
Crude wti	71.96	+ 0.02
USD Index	76.59	- 0.30

Todays Calender

Estimates

Country / GMT

Producer input prices, % m/m (y/y) Aug	0.6 (-8.7)	-1.4,-12.2	GBP / 08.30
Producer core output prices, % m/m (y/y) Aug	0.2 (0.7)	0.5 (0.2)	GBP / 08.30
Producer output prices, % m/m (y/y) Aug	0.3 (-0.5)	0.3 (-1.3)	GBP / 08.30
Import prices, % m/m (y/y) Aug	1.0,-16.0	-0.7,-19.3	USD / 12.30
Nonpetroleum import prices, % m/m (y/y) Aug	–	-0.2, -7.3	USD / 12.30
Michigan consumer sentiment, index Sep P	67.0	65.7	USD /13.55
Wholesale inventories, % m/m (y/y) Jul	-1.0,-11.6	-1.7,10.3	USD / 14.00
Budget balance, $ bn Aug	-174.0	-111.9 (’0	USD / 18.00
Industrial production, % y/y Jul	–	-10.6	MXN / 19.30

Currency Tech

AUDUSD
R 2: 0.8813
R 1: 0.8695
CURRENT: 0.8631
S 1: 0.8507
S 2: 0.8379
USDCAD
R 2: 1.1100
R 1: 1.0950
CURRENT: 1.0760
S 1: 1.0630
S 2: 1.0545
EURJPY
R 2: 136.10
R 1: 135.00
CURRENT: 132.70
S 1: 132.75
S 2: 131.75
USDMXN
R 2: 13.573
R 1: 13.545
CURRENT: 13.36
S 1: 13.245
S 2: 13.130

Market Brief

The Dollar continued its weakness against the Euro moving towards 1.4620 as jobless claims reduced while the trade deficit widened to 12 year high. The initial jobless claims rose 550,000 lesser than the estimated rise of 560,000 while the total claims were 6.02 million against expectation of 6.2 million. Trade deficit widened $32 Billion as demand for autos spurred imports leading to weakening of the US Dollar. The Dow Jones index crossed the 9600 mark topping at 9633 on the jobs data.
The Bank of England (BOE) left their interest rates unchanged at 0.5%, their lowest level ever while also maintaining the asset purchase plan at 175 Billion Pounds indicating that the UK economy won’t exit the QE program soon and that the interest rates won’t be increased till next year. The Pound moved higher on this news moving to a high of 1.6680 while holding below the key level of 1.6720.
The Bank of Canada (BOC) kept its interest rates unchanged at .25% while also adding that the second half recovery would be better than previously expected while also adding that the interest rates won’t be hiked until the second quarter of 2010. The USD/CHF continued to decline closing lower at 1.0356 as the Franc continues to be stronger against the USD while the Swiss Bank has so far restrained from intervening to weaken the CHF.
OPEC decided to keep its production levels unchanged as the oil has been moving in their desired price range while moving back to high of $72.44 after correcting itself to below $70 after moving to $75. OPEC is keeping a watch to demand factors as well as economic growth which would support oil prices.
Important news today would be the Wholesale inventories, University of Michigan Confidence report as well as the Monthly Budget Statement from the US. Although confidence levels have dipped in past few weeks, it is expected to improve as the economy has been improving with signs of stability.

Recovering Forex losses

2009-09-11T23:35:00.001-07:00

Finding yourself all at sea in an ocean of losses can happen all too quickly.

A new trader friend, a successful businessman, wisely opened his first live Forex account with $500. He had spent 6 months researching the market, and trialling different strategies at length on demo until finding a method that he believed consistently profitable. Within a month of going live, he had converted his $500 into $2,200. This was quite an achievement, especially for a first “outing”.

A few weeks later, I ran into him again. Things were not going so well. His early success had given him a false sense of confidence. Believing he had the formula right, he started to take on greater levels of risk (larger position sizes) and in more volatile currencies (Yen pairs). When the losses began to kick in, he attempted to cover the losses as many new traders do, by increasing his position sizes further. He related that because it was just a mini-account, he found it difficult to treat it in the same way as he would a larger account, he felt more comfortable taking larger levels of risk because the actual money involved was not huge. It was unfortunately, just a few short weeks before his fantastic start had come completely undone. Blown account. Back to square one.

Being able to treat a mini account with the same respect and discipline you would a larger account is a necessary bridge to success.

Account Drawdown

The issue with drawdown is the compounding factor – and the subsequent level of profit the trader needs to generate in order to recoup the loss. This table illustrates why keeping drawdown as low as possible is so important.

Original Acct. Amount	Acct. Balance	Percent Loss	Percent Profit Required to Recoup
The above data is for information only.
$1,000	$900	10%	11.1%
	$800	20%	25.0%
	$750	25%	33.3%
	$600	40%	66.6%
	$500	50%	100.0%
	$250	75%	300.0%
	$100	90%	900.0%

As shown on the chart, the drawdown problem compounds at a fierce, almost suffocating rate. The profit percentage required to recoup losses grows exponentially with each losing trade. When the account is deep in the red, recovery becomes extremely difficult. It is not however, mission impossible (although it may certainly look that way). It will take a much longer period of time (patience) and a very consistent string of positive trades to recover the losses.

The “Usual” Quick Fix.

Once a trader begins to take losses, the first response is very often an attempt to fix the drawdown problem by taking higher levels of risk.

Let’s think for a moment about what this approach does. Backing our own judgement, we’ve had a few, usually quite a collection, of losing trades. So then, to fix the problem, backing our own (already proven dubious) judgement again, except this time, increasing (sometimes doubling) the stakes in order to fix the problem, we launch the next trade (this is usually where prayer comes in).

The “increase the stakes” approach to addressing drawdown is not trading, it’s gambling.

The Other Quick Fix.

Another way that traders often seek to address drawdown is by re-funding the account with much higher amounts. Red numbers suddenly look much less red with a nice big green injection of fresh capital Sounds good, except, there’s a minor technical hitch. The skill needed to get it right this time (instead of wrong) has not yet been proven. Until it is proven – the trader’s ability to put one positive trade on the board after another, the outcome to re-funding much higher amounts will very likely be exactly the same, more and much greater losses. This is especially so if the “raise the stakes” gambling ethos is still at work in the trader’s mind.

The Right Fix.

The objective with trading is not to make a truckload of money in a hurry. The objective is to put consistent positive runs on the board (regardless of size). Putting one foot in front of the other, and repeating the process so that your account continues moving forward, one step at a time, not back. Developing this skill needs to become the #1 focus of each and every trade, because it is this same skill that will both recover drawdown losses and put the trader on the road to long term success.

Re-funding a mini account with further small amounts may be a necessary and valid response (there is a limit to how low an account can go before it is not worth your while), just keep any re-funding amounts small not big. Once trading a mini account successfully, the mini can then become the seed capital for a larger account, or the trader can then add fresh larger capital amounts (because the proven track record required for success has already been laid down, the hard evidence of this being the profitable mini account).

Red numbers remind us of our failure. The emotional response to it is an urge to obliterate the evidence, to replace the confrontational nature of it with something more positive. Resist the temptation to take the easy way out. Use the red numbers and the urge it generates to motivate and train yourself in the skills you will need for the long haul. Learn to swim through the ocean to dry land, one stroke at a time.

Recovering losses occurs in exactly the same way it happened, but in reverse; it also happens in exactly the same way that your account will grow and remain solid into the future – one successful (disciplined) trade at a time.

The 4 Stages to Forex Profitability

2009-09-11T23:33:00.000-07:00

Becoming profitable in Forex is a process – like any other profession, it requires competency training.

The process of training the mind and acquiring the necessary TA and market skill to obtain competence and trade successfully takes time. Psychology’s competence matrix (often used in both education and change management disciplines) has much application to trading. This article looks at how the sequence applies to the process of acquiring trading competence, trading profitability and account balances during each phase. It also provides an approximate time frame for each stage.

Stage 1. Unconscious Incompetence – Losing Money – Minor Red Account

In the unconscious incompetence phase, we don’t know yet what it is that we don’t know (aka ignorance is bliss.)

Sitting in the Forex saddle for the first time is exciting, but it’s also precarious. Some traders manage to make good progress on the first live debut, but eventually the knowledge vacuum and pressure of live trading takes over causing higher levels of risk-taking, compounding the losses problem. At this stage the trader may also be embracing unrealistic grandiose expectations or have an exaggerated self-assessment of their trading prowess, the type of projections that are not anchored in realities.

This is called the unconscious incompetence stage. The trader “thinks” they have the required knowledge and strategy to make Forex work for them (from demo trading) but don’t yet know what it is that they don’t know – about the market and about themselves as traders. Market has a way of letting the trader know what the knowledge gaps are, fast.

Approx. Time Frame: 0-3 months.

Stage 2. Conscious Incompetence – Still Losing Money – Deeper Red Account

In the conscious incompetence phase, the trader has arrived at the point of recognizing the knowledge gaps – we know for certain now that we don’t know enough.

In this phase, the trader sees what they are doing wrong and what the knowledge gaps are, but has trouble fixing the problems. The account at this stage keeps getting redder as losses accumulate. This evidence is highly confronting, things are not going to plan.

This is the stage where the trader needs to make a conscious choice to begin seriously working on themselves and their trading system. It’s also the point where many new traders quit. The trader becomes fully and acutely aware of the many nuances of the market. The TA that looked so reliable in demo is failing far too often in the heated environment of live trading. Acquiring experiential knowledge of precisely how this market works; what can go wrong; how the trader’s judgement can be clouded; trading discipline; locating a TA system and trading routine that delivers the goods – these themes become the primary challenge. The trader has an important choice to make – meet the challenge and get across the issues, or quit.

Approx. Time Frame: 3 – 6 months.

Stage 3. Conscious Competence – Breaking Even – Account Holding Steady

The conscious competence stage arrives when the trader has begun addressing trading problems and started refining their trading system and personal discipline to a greater level of precision. Respect for risk is at a peak (thanks to losses and red numbers up to this point.) The trader takes great care in opening a new position, doing everything necessary to maximize the chances of success and reduce the risk of loss. At this stage, the trader is reluctant to let profits run, preferring to take profit, while confidence and knowledge builds.

Conscious competence is arriving – we now know with increasing certainty that we know how to do this – trading is starting to look very do-able, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. The trader is getting it right with increasing frequency. Confidence is building. The trader’s brain is in the process of being programmed to trade successfully. The trader is working hard, thinking carefully and fully, applying rigorous care to every trade. This is the most lengthy, time intensive and effort intensive phase of the competence matrix.

The trader is no longer losing money, but also not making much money either. The breaking-even phase is nevertheless a huge achievement, and the essential precursor to the final stage.

Approx. Time Frame: 6 months to 3+ years.

Stage 4. Unconscious Competence – Making Money – Green Account

The final stage of the competence matrix is when the account begins to put consistent positive runs on the board. The trader begins to make money regularly. Trading profitability has shifted from having to think / work hard at it, to a stage of being clinical and instinctive. The red account begins to claw back drawdown and then turn green. When losses have been fully recouped, this is when the trader knows they have graduated and are ready to trade in a professional sense.

In this phase, trading successfully and profitability has become a much more automatic process – one that continues to evolve with an increasingly higher success rate. The trader recognizes the entry set-ups automatically, has the detailed knowledge, skills, discipline and market experience to make the right decisions at the right time. Trading begins to seriously work for them.

Trading profitably has become second nature. The trader’s brain has been successfully programmed to trade with accuracy and precision. The trader has acquired a level of instinctive professional competence.

Approx. Time Frame: 12 months – 5+ years.

Summary
Building up the credit balance in the trader’s personal knowledge bank is an essential precursor to building healthy trading accounts. Programming the mind to trade is part of the process of acquiring competency.

Experienced traders who have come through the school of hard knocks process often lament “if only I had known in the beginning what I know now, and still had the same funds available, how different things might now be.” Hindsight is a wonderful teacher. Make some allowances for the competency learning curve.

While there is no hard and fast rule about the time sequence for each phase of acquiring trading competence (since this is entirely dependent upon the trader’s personal capabilities), there is nevertheless, a distinct process that every trader goes through. Plotting where you are in the competence matrix at this present moment in time can provide a realistic indication of what is left to accomplish and how long it may take.

USD/JPY Limit Buy at 87.30

2009-09-11T15:38:00.000-07:00

The Japanese Yen remains volatile and heading lower on overall Dollar weakness. There is a tug o’ war between risk appetite and risk aversion keeping trading in most Yen pairs mixed. The preliminary reading of the University of Michigan consumer sentiment rose to 70.2 in Mid September from 65.7 in August. Data was above market consensus as analysts estimated a reading of 67.0. Stocks were briefly in positive territory but reversed gains quickly. Wall Street performance will continue to be key for the pair.

Looking at the 4hour chart, USD/JPY broke below the 91.00 area and appears to be targeting the next support at 89.98. The outlook at the moment remains bearish and trader talk intensifies for calls to reach the 87.15 area in coming weeks, last years low.

If these level is reached, a long entry can be taken at 0.8730 with a first target at 88.72. A strong Yen is undesirable for the Japanese economy and we would expect government officials to start jawboning the levels.

The bias is bearish and preferred strategy is to sell on rallies. However, a neutral stance should be taken near this area as strong support levels are being reached and risks of verbal intervention intensify. The next level of support is 89.98, followed by 88.72 and 88.03.

Resistance is now seen at 90.91, followed by 91.81 and 93.34.

Trading levels in play:

(Swing Trade) Limit Buy @ 87.30 Targets: T1 100.00 – T2 94.40 Risk: 86.80
** After 30 pips profit move stop to entry, take profit at will. Trade is canceled if it rebounds near entry and moves higher by 20 pips. Will follow up with comments if outlook changes.

Sino pessimism wanes after strong slew of data

2009-09-11T15:37:00.000-07:00

What the world took away from Chinese exporters, the government appears to have been successful in replacing. News today that the domestic mainland economy is firing ahead on all cylinders has restored fortunes to the prospects of the entire Asian region, in turn sending the dollar lower as investors once again eye yields and equity market returns greater than the cost of borrowing through an extremely inexpensive greenback. The U.S. unit reached a new low for the year at $1.4635 per euro while the fortunes of the yen took a boost as Japanese corporations began the quarterly process of repatriating foreign currency earnings back to head office.

Click on link for updated table throughout the day at http://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/general/education/FX-View.php?ib_entity=llc

It was only yesterday that Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao expressed concern that it was hardly the right time to retract the government’s stimulus measures and he refused to curb his stimulative path. Out of Beijing today come fresh stats that have set the bulls running once again in the Asian region in hopes that Chinese good fortune will spill over into greater demand for raw materials as consumer demand is revived.

Industrial production was 12.3% higher in August than a year ago, exceeding forecasts. The equivalent of $60 billion in new loans were granted, which compares to an equivalent $52 billion in July. Retail sales were also higher by 15.3% in August compared to the same time in 2008. The news buoyed regional sentiment and the 2.2% gain for the Shanghai composite index for Chinese stocks brushed aside fears of asset-price inflation. But the fact that exports declined at a year-over-year pace of 23.4% emphasized the Chinese predicament. The rally in global stocks tells us that investors are growing less concerned that the bridge between Chinese stimulus measures and the ultimate replacement by global demand will finally be built.

The dollar slumped once again and against the Japanese yen today only buys ¥90.65from Thursday’s ¥91.71. The yen strengthened against the euro to ¥132.29 from ¥133.78 while against a strong British pound the yen rose to ¥151.29 from ¥152.84.

The dollar’s fortunes were temporarily reversed after a stronger reading of confidence from the preliminary Michigan sentiment index coming in at a strong 70.2 and well above the 67.5 consensus. However, the euro is now once again firming as dollar appetite fades. What is amazing, however, is the dollar’s weakness in the context of the very strong appetite at the U.S. bond and note auctions. Weekly auctions that finished Thursday sapped a further $70 billion from investors and bid-to-cover ratios indicate extremely healthy demand as the dollar declines. Where are all the dollars coming from?

U.K. producer prices rose to help support the view that the Bank of England and the British treasury have been successful in fighting the recession. Prices for goods leaving the factory gate rose at a 0.2% pace in August making that a sixth consecutive monthly increase. The pound rallied against the dollar to $1.6705 while it added to 87.48 pence per euro.

The Australian dollar reversed early morning losses to stand at 86.52 and so close to yesterday’s 52-week peak. The Canadian dollar continues to strengthen at 93.10 as some analysts expect to see parity later this year as the groundswell of recovery takes place.

AUD/USD Limit Buy at 0.8548

2009-09-11T15:36:00.000-07:00

The Aussie recovered all of its losses from the weaker than expected jobs report as underlining economic indicators remain well positioned. The currency has also been buoyed by a string of better than expected Chinese data which showed clear signals of a global economic recovery.

In addition, China has reiterated it will “absolutely” maintain its stimulative fiscal and monetary policies until a stable economic recovery is achieved. This should add confidence to Aussie investors who feared that global stimulus would start to get withdrawn. Ahead we could experience a possible retracement as investors lock in some profits before adding at lower levels to their longer term positions.

Looking at the 4hour chart, AUD/USD reached an intraday high at 0.8656 where it has rebounded for the a fifth straight time and unable to surpass.A break above this level would open subsequent levels at 0.8691, 0.8731 and 0.8804.

The bias is neutral in the near term but the longer term outlook continues to point for higher prices. At these levels a buying on dips strategy is preferred. Strong support levels to watch lie at 0.8571/40, 0.8500, and 0.8460.

Trading levels in play:

Limit Buy @ 0.8548 Targets: T1 0.8570 – T2 0.8700 Risk: 0.8490
* Good Till NY Close After 15 pips profit move stop to entry, take profit at will. Trade is canceled if it rebounds near entry and moves higher by 20 pips. Will follow up with comments if outlook changes.

Limit Buy @ 0.8460 Targets: T1 0.8498 – T2 0.8700 Risk: 0.8410
* After 15 pips profit move stop to entry, take profit at will. Trade is canceled if it rebounds near entry and moves higher by 20 pips. Will follow up with comments if outlook changes.

Advanced Forex Trading Strategies

2009-09-11T15:33:00.001-07:00

Having a good trading system means more money being generated. Traders have found it very difficult to maintain a particular trading system due to the fact that there are several factors that cause the system to become obsolete and this is one of the main reasons that new strategies have to be developed each and every time.

Having a good trading strategy does not mean that you should be over confident when trading. Basing your trading system with related strategies such as trading news, Fibonacci analysis, determining your stop loss and risk management will help your trading system to be solid.

In this section we will look at one of the advanced trading strategy that is very profitable. As the name says Early Bird Breakout System means that you should do your trade very early morning so as to observe a significant breakout. This advanced system requires traders to commence their trades as early as possible e.g. 5:00 am (EST).

The Early Bird Breakout System is a morning strategy which bases on time factor, two currency pairs and does not make use of indicators. The currencies we would prefer you make use of with this system is the GBP/USD and the EUR/USD.
Read More

Dollar Surges Higher Versus Major

2009-09-11T15:32:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday the US dollar strengthened against its major counterparts as a fall in European stocks boosted demand for the relative safety of the U.S. currency.

European shares fell in early trade today, slipping back from their highest close in nearly 11 months, tracking a decline in Asia and as metals prices weighed on mining stocks.

Against the European currency, the US dollar edged higher during early deals on Wednesday. At 3:30 am ET, the dollar reached a high of 1.4469 against the euro, compared to 1.4480 hit late New York Tuesday. The next upside target level for the dollar is seen around 1.437.

The US currency that closed Tuesday's North American session at 1.6489 against the British pound slipped to 1.6566 at 2:05 am ET Wednesday. Thereafter, the dollar reversed its direction and is currently trading at 1.6462 versus the pound with 1.616 seen as the next target level.
Read More

Yen Strengthens

2009-09-11T15:31:00.000-07:00

During Wednesday deals the Japanese yen recovered from an early Asian session's 12-day low against euro and Swiss franc. Meantime, the yen weakened versus the US dollar and the British pound.

Against the US dollar, the Japanese yen edged down during early Asian deals on Wednesday. At 9:25 pm ET, the yen touched a low of 92.45 against the dollar, compared to 92.33 hit late New York Tuesday. The next downside target level for the yen is seen around 94.4.

The Japanese unit that closed Tuesday's North American session at 133.68 against the European currency slipped to a 12-day low of 134.18 during today's early Asian deals. Thereafter, the yen reversed its direction and is currently trading at 133.79 with 132.5 seen as the next target level.
Read More

New Zealand Q2 retail sales gain, backing low rates

2009-09-11T15:28:00.002-07:00

Sales volumes, which strip out price movements, rose 0.4 percent in the April to June period over the previous quarter , seasonally adjusted, with core, ex-auto, sales up 0.2 percent, official data showed on Friday. A Reuters poll forecast no change in sales volumes. The data was seen pointing to the economy starting to emerge from recession that started early last year, but not requiring any change to the central bank's low rate policy. 'It's the sort of thing that leaves the Reserve Bank (of NZ) where it is, reducing the odds of a rate cut,' said Bank of NZ senior economist Craig Ebert.

Retail Sales in U.S. Unexpectedly Fell as Job Losses Mounted

2009-09-11T15:28:00.001-07:00

Sales at U.S. retailers unexpectedly fell in July, the first decline in three months, as concern over jobs and stagnant incomes caused consumers to cut back on other items after taking advantage of the cash-for-clunkers program. The 0.1 percent decrease followed a revised 0.8 percent gain in June that was larger than previously estimated, Commerce Department figures showed today in Washington. Purchases excluding automobiles fell 0.6 percent, also more than anticipated.

U.S. Unemployment Claims Increased to 558,000

2009-09-11T15:27:00.001-07:00

Featured Advertiser (ForexDistrict) - Seasonally adjusted initial claims were 558,000 in the week ending August 8, recording an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 554,000, a report by the U.S. Department of Labor showed today. The four-week moving average, a better gauge of initial claims, estimated an increase of 8,500 to 565,000. Initial claims were lower than expectations for the second week of August as analysts had expected the number around the 548,000 range. A key component of the report edged lower, albeit remaining at record highs. During the week ending August 1 a decrease of 141,000 was reported with the figure falling near the 6.0 million mark at 6,202,000. The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending August 1 were in Alabama, Washington, Nebraska, Kentucky, and Delaware, while the largest decreases were in California, Michigan, Tennessee, Florida, and Georgia. By Manuel F. Ramirez. Edited by Juan P. Bejarano Related Stories:

Euro hits 1-week high vs dollar after EZ Q2 GDP

2009-09-11T15:26:00.002-07:00

Euro zone gross domestic product contracted only 0.1 percent in April-June against the first three months of the of 2009, when the quarterly fall was 2.5 percent, estimates from the European Union's statistics office Eurostat showed [ID:nLD440556]. The euro EUR rose as high as $1.4281 according to electronic trading platform EBS, its strongest since last Friday. The pair traded around $1.4255 before the announcement.

Germany, France exit recession early

2009-09-11T15:26:00.001-07:00

German gross domestic product rose by 0.3 percent in the second quarter, bringing an end to the country's deepest recession since World War Two and boosting hopes of recovery in the broader euro zone. French GDP also grew by 0.3 percent in the second quarter. The consensus in a Reuters poll of economists had predicted a 0.3 percent quarterly contraction in both countries. "The data is very surprising. After four negative quarters France is finally coming out of the red," French Economy Minister Christine Lagarde told RTL radio. Germany suffered a calamitous 3.5 percent contraction in the first quarter of this year to cap four quarters of decline while the French economy shrank by 1.3 percent.

Morning Forex Overview

2009-09-11T15:23:00.002-07:00

The euro rose against the yen and the dollar in Asia Thursday as firm Asian share markets spurred demand for the riskier euro.
Overnight comments by the Federal Reserve also led to a more optimistic economic outlook among traders, nudging them to take more risks and buy the single currency, dealers said. The euro's near-term direction is slightly upward, they added.
Regional share markets were broadly higher. As of 0530 GMT Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average index was up 1.0%, while stock markets in South Korea, India and Australia also gained.
Some Japanese banks sold the dollar for the yen due to redemptions of dollar-denominated bonds, traders said.
The Euro tested USD1.4100 before bouncing hard on USD weakness in the US session, shrugging off the FOMC report to finish above USD1.4200. June Industrial Production fell -0.6% vs. 0.3% forecast. EURJPY had a wild day trading in a 3 yen range on the change in risk appetite . EURGBP remained supported on GBP weakness.
British pound propped up by a weaker US dollar despite bearish sentiment in their country. Bank of England said inflation will stay below its 2 percent target as its economy undergoes a "slow and protracted" recovery. UK Central bank Governor Mervyn King said it is "more likely than not" that inflation will slow below 1 percent this year and unemployment reached a 14-year high. Thus, UK interest rates are expected to remain on hold for a while.
The Australian dollar reversed course Thursday, rallying as risk appetite regained lost ground while long-dated bond futures were sold. Spurring the risk-buying mood in Asia was a relatively optimistic outlook from the U.S. Federal Reserve, which didn't extend it's bond buying program and said the economy's contraction is slowing.
Market expectation
The euro is marginally higher against the dollar, yen and UK pound as short-term Asian investors buy on higher risk tolerance.
EURUSD reported offers placed between USD1.4265/70 able to contain the early GDP react driven rally, with underlying tone remaining firm. Rate currently trades around USD1.4257 after touching fresh intraday highs at USD1.4268 (50% USD1.4448/1.4086). Above USD1.4270 may open a move on toward USD1.4280/85.
For Pound offers seen placed above USD1.6585 through to USD1.6600, a break to open a move on toward USD1.6615/20 ahead of stronger level at USD1.6650. Support now seen placed at USD1.6550, a break below USD1.6540 to open a deeper move back toward USD1.6510/00.
Attention now turns to U.S. retail sales data at 1230 GMT and second-quarter earnings from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. later in the day to gauge whether consumption is recovering in the U.S.
The euro could rise toward JPY138.00 and USD1.4300, if those figures come in better than expected, adding to the positive outlook for the U.S. economy, dealers said.
European stock markets are expected to open higher Thursday, as investors react with optimism to the latest comments from the Federal Reserve about the strength of the U.S. economy, the world's largest.

Euro Rises for 3rd Day on Optimism Europe’s Contraction Slowed

2009-09-11T15:23:00.001-07:00

The euro also advanced against 13 of the 16 major currencies before a U.S. report that may show retail sales gained for a third month, prompting investors to seek higher- yielding assets. South Korea’s won led Asian currencies higher after the Federal Reserve acknowledged that the worst U.S. recession since the 1930s may be ending, helping shore up demand for riskier assets. “I expect growth in the euro-zone economy will be very high” later this year and that should benefit the euro, said Adam Carr, a senior economist at ICAP Australia Ltd. in Sydney. “I will be surprised if we didn’t see something positive in the second half of this year.” The euro strengthened to $1.4224 as of 11:06 a.m. in Tokyo from $1.4188 yesterday in New York. The 16-nation currency rose to 136.47 yen from 136.32 yen. The yen was at 95.96 per dollar from 96.06. The won rose 0.8 percent to 1,236.60 per dollar.

Trade Forex Like Professionals Do

2009-09-11T15:21:00.001-07:00

Hello Fellow Forex Men And Women,Let me tell you a couple of words about the best way to trade Forex that ever existed. I'll keep it short because there's no time to waste as this great opportunity may soon expire.It's a known fast that non-stop profits in Forex trading is what everybody's dreaming of. I'm sure you too wouldn't mind earning good money at little effort.Now there's an unique opportunity to achieve this. Without going to worthless and costly trading seminars,without buying expensive software, without having to wade through tons of books and charts.Each day of the month, every month of the year you can earn hundreds of dollars completely automatically!Forex Automoney have released their unbeatable trading system based on generated buy/sell signals

How does it work?It's amazingly simple. Just place simple buy/sell orders. You are told exactly what to do. Work when you like and as frequently as you prefer (a couple of minutes once a week? - no problem!).Be sure to take this opportunity right now because the interest is high and prices are likely to go up soon

CBN Raises Weekly Forex Sale By 25%

2009-09-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

The foreign exchange offered for sale under the Retail Dutch Auction System (RDAS) amounted to $300.00 million, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) disclosed over the weekend.
The amount showed an increase of 25 per cent over the level in the preceding week.
Making this known through its weekly bulletin on the foreign exchange market for the week ended January 30, 2009, the apex bank further said "aggregate demand for foreign exchange by authorised dealers rose to US$1,128.39 million, indicating an increase of 172.1 per cent when compared with the level recorded in the week-ended January 23, 2009."
Consequently, it continued, the actual amount of foreign exchange sold by the Central Bank increased from US$205.08 million or 143.7 per cent above the level in the preceding week to US$499.72 million during the week under review.
On the level of participation, it noted that the average number of participating banks increased from 12 to 23. Similarly, the average number of successful banks increased to 21 from 11.
At N145.75 per US dollar, the Bank observed, the average exchange rate of the naira depreciated by 0.2 percent below the level in the preceding week. Similarly, at the Bureau-De-Change (BDC) segment of the market, the naira traded at an average exchange rate of N150.00 per US dollar, showing a depreciation of 1.6 per cent below the level in the previous week.
Consequently, the premium between the official and BDC rates widened from 1.9 per cent in the week-ended January 23, 2009 to 2.9 per cent during the week.
Meanwhile, the apex Bank has requested banks to annualize all their charges, commissions and fees and add them to their base lending rates to arrive at their all-inclusive average lending rates which should be submitted for publication.
Making this known through a circular BSD/DIR/GEN/CIR/02/019 of January 29, 2009, the acting Director of Banking Supervision, Mr. Dan Eke, said "this is to remind all Deposit Money Banks that as agreed at the last Governor's breakfast meeting with Chief Executive Officers of banks, and with effect from January, 2009 the CBN-published monthly deposit and interest rates and charges, will be inclusive of all charges, commissions and fees."
Also, the CBN shall, with effect from January 2009, include the following footnote to the monthly publication of banks' deposit and interest rates and charges. "The Central Bank of Nigeria publishes the average deposit and lending rates paid or charged by deposit money banks in Nigeria for the interest of the general public in order to promote transparency. The lending rates which include all charges, fees and commissions and the deposit rates represent the true rates at which the banks do business.
Failure to comply with the requirements of the circular, according to the apex bank, shall be met by appropriate sanctions.
In another development, the Bank would be holding a seminar on the challenges of ensuring appropriate inflation rate, exchange rate and interest rate regimes in Nigeria.
An invitation letter sent to the media yesterday, the Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, stated "against the backdrop of recent developments in the Nigerian economy fuelled by the global crisis with its attendant effect on the crude oil prices in the international market, and the implication for interest rate, exchange rate and inflation, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is organizing a one-day seminar on the theme: "The Challenges of Ensuring Appropriate Inflation Rate, Exchange Rate and Interest Rate Regimes in Nigeria".
The seminar which is scheduled for next Thursday would hold at the Main Auditorium, CBN Head Office, Central Business District, Abuja.

FOREX-Euro hits 2-month low vs dlr on gloomy euro zone outlook

2009-09-11T15:19:00.000-07:00

Euro down, yen buoyed as investors take shelter
* Aussie falls before expected hefty rate cut by RBA
* Kiwi hits 8-year low on yen after job market data
By Kaori Kaneko
TOKYO, Feb 2 (Reuters) - The euro fell to its weakest in two months against the dollar on Monday while the yen gained across the board as investors opted for less risky assets on concerns about the deepening global recession.
Worsening labour market data and receding inflation late last week made some in the market reassess the outlook for interest rate cuts in the euro zone, although analysts said the European Central Bank was unlikely to lower rates when it meets this week.
Worries about the faltering global economy also weighed on higher-yielding currencies such as the Australian dollar and the New Zealand dollar, which hit its lowest in eight years against the yen as investors remained risk averse.
"Changing rate expectations is one factor behind the euro's weakness," said Tomoko Fujii, head of Japan economics and strategy at Bank of America

How To Get Started In Forex Trading

2009-08-27T06:41:00.000-07:00

You may have been hearing about the foreign exchange market (Forex) and the investment advantages it offers. You would like to try it out, but don't know where to start. This short guide will give you the basics in Forex and tell you what you need to participate in this fast growing field.

Foreign exchange used to be limited to large players such as national banks and multi-national corporations. In the 1980's the rules were revised to allow smaller investors to participate using margin accounts. Margin accounts are the reason why Forex trading has become so popular. With a 100:1 margin account, you can control $100,000 with a $1,000 investment.

Forex is not simple, however, and education is needed to make wise investment decisions. Although it is relatively easy to start trading on the Forex, there are risks involved, so finding out as much as possible about the market is a good move for any beginner.

Forex traders usually require a broker to handle transactions. Most brokers are reputable and are associated with large financial institutions such as banks. A reputable broker will be registered as a Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) as protection against fraud and abusive trade practices.

Opening a Forex account is as simple as filling out a form and providing the necessary ID. The form will include a margin agreement that states that the broker can interfere with any trade it deems to be too risky. This is to protect the interests of the broker — most trades, after all, are done using the broker's money. Once your account has been established, you can fund it and begin trading.

Many brokers have different types of accounts to suit the needs of individual investors. Mini accounts allow you to get involved in Forex trading for as little as $250, while standard accounts may have a minimum deposit of $1000 to $2500 depending on the broker. The amount of leverage — using borrowed money — varies with accounts. High leverage gives you more money to trade for a given investment.

HOWEVER — beginner traders are advised get accustomed to Forex by doing paper trades for a period of time. Paper trades are practice transactions that don't involve real capital. They allow you to see how the system works while learning how to use the various software tools that are at provided by most Forex brokers.

Most online brokers have demo accounts that allow you to make free paper trades for up to 30 days. Every new Forex investor is strongly advised to use these demo accounts at least until they are showing consistently steady profits.

Each broker has their own set of software tools to aid in making transactions, but there are a few tools that are common to all Forex brokers. Real time quotes, news feeds, technical analyses and charts, and profit and loss analyses are some of the features you should expect to see on most online brokers' web sites.

Almost every broker operates on the Internet. To access their online services you should have a reasonably modern computer, a fast Internet connection, and an up-to-date operating system such as Windows XP. Once your account is set up, you can access it from any computer — just enter your account name and password. If for some reason you are not able get access to a computer, most brokers will allow you to make trades over the phone.

Trades are commission free, meaning that you can make many trades in one day without worrying about incurring high brokerage fees. Brokers make their money on the 'spread' — the difference between bid and ask prices.......More

Internet Marketing VS Forex Currency Trading

2009-08-27T06:38:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed that when someone's trying to sell you something — such as a system for making money — they always make it look far easier than it is?

Let's look at two Internet businesses, almost as diametrically opposed as it's possible to be — Internet Marketing and Forex Currency Trading.

You've probably heard the old Internet adage — build a better website and they will come. Well it ain't true!

You could put up a site advertising dollars for a dime and they still wouldn't come — because they wouldn't know where to look!

Let's look at what you need to have in place in order to build a successful Internet marketing business.

First of all, you need a product. If you've been reading the recent Internet marketing blurb you'll know you need a niche product.

Actually, the new thing is sub-niche but whatever they call it, you need a product for which there is high demand but low supply.

Finding a suitable niche is the hardest part of the whole process but let's say you have a killer product, what else do you need?

The List.

Ask any Internet marketeer and they will say that the most important part of your business is your opt-in list.

For people to join your list you usually have to give them something of value such as a free eBook or report on a subject related to your main product line.

To keep them interested, you need to keep in touch with them offering them additional information, advice and tips.

Website.

To promote your opt-in list you need a website (although there are other ways of promoting your list, too) with features that will encourage people to sign up to your list.

You also need a killer website with killer copy to describe — and sell — your killer product. This may or may not be the same as the one you use for your opt-in list.

Killer copy.

Maybe you're not a good copywriter. There are many eBooks on the subject that can help you or you can pay someone to write copy for you.

You need a domain name, preferably one with some relation to the product but good domain names are becoming increasing difficult to find.

Ads.

To get people to visit your website in the first place you need to register it with the search engines.

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is an art in itself. You can mug up on the subject or pay someone to do the job for you (but be aware that not all experts are!).

You might also want to place ads for your list in newsletters and ezines. The better ones will charge you although you might get a free ad in return for an article.

Autoresponder.

To automate your business you need an autoresponder. These clever devices automatically send emails to everyone on your opt-in list at predetermined intervals, and contain predetermined copy.

For example, you could create a series of emails containing, say, five parts of a free course to be sent one a day over the first five days.

Then emails would be sent once a week advertising a different product each time.

Whenever anyone signs up to your list they automatically start at the beginning so everyone gets the full cycle of marketing material.

We haven't even looked at affiliate sales and marketing but I'm sure you get the picture.

The basic idea of selling over the Internet sounds good but there's a lot more to it than most people realise.

Forex Currency Trading

Someone said that trading is the last frontier, the last place where men and women can stand up and pit themselves against the world.

It sounds very Wild Westish but most of it is true! You win or lose entirely by your own efforts and if you win, it's like having your very own bank.

However, even owning a bank is a business and you still have to work hard to put the money there — and to keep it!

Unlike Internet marketing where all your efforts, in one form or another, are geared towards making people join your list and then selling them stuff,

Currency Trading has no customers. That's worth repeating — with currency trading, you don't need customers.

No customers means you don't need any of the associated accoutrements that go with Internet marketing such as:

Products
Web site
Domain name
Opt-in list
Ads
eBooks and reports
Autoresponder
Any other marketing aids

So far so good, but what do you have to do and what do you need? Well, you need to know what currency prices are doing.

You can get a list of prices at the close of each trading day free from many web sites. If you want to trade during the day — intraday trading, you can get real-time prices for a nominal fee from several data suppliers.

In the foreign exchange currency market, commonly called forex, you can get this data and charting software free from many web sites.

Okay, that's the easy bit. In order to trade currencies, you need to analyse the data and determine which way price is heading.

In other words you need a system and this will require study and dedication.

There's lots of other stuff you have to know, too — trading terminology, margin, leverage, money management, order types, trader psychology and more.

But all of this is available in eBooks and courses and on the Net.

You also need some money upfront to fund your trading account. With forex you can begin with as little as $300-500 although you would be advised to start with more.

So while you don't have the ongoing quest for new customers, new products and inventive sales techniques, you do need some sort of education or training before you begin and you need discipline while you're trading.

For more information on getting started with forex currency trading, go to: www.webkept.com

Making money takes work whether it's online or off. Make sure you know what's involved before you start and remember that the more you put into a business, the easier it gets......More

Nigerian c.bank offers $600 mln at forex auction

2009-08-03T08:06:00.000-07:00

Nigeria's central bank offered $600 million at its foreign exchange auction on Monday, 200 percent more than its regular offer, to calm the market and help strengthen the naira, traders said.
.........read more

UPDATE 1-Turkey c.bank forex-buying auctions to begin Aug 4

2009-08-03T08:05:00.000-07:00

ISTANBUL, Aug 3 (Reuters) - The Turkish Central Bank will restart foreign exchange-buying auctions from Aug. 4 with a daily volume of up to $60 million to strengthen reserves as the forex market attains relative stability, it said on Monday.

Nigeria: Three banks face sanctions over forex scam

2009-08-03T08:02:00.000-07:00

The Central Bank (CBN) will, this week, withdraw the foreign exchange authorised dealership of three banks and suspend them from the foreign exchange market for three months for engaging in foreign exchange speculation.
........read more

Korea's Forex Reserves Seen Hitting Record High

2009-08-03T07:59:00.000-07:00

Korea's foreign exchange reserves are swelling rapidly due to massive current account surpluses and other factors. As of the end of June, the nation's foreign exchange reserves stood at US$231.73 billion. The volume could hit
........read more

WORLD FOREX: Recovery Hopes Leave Dlr Mixed, Yen Lower

2009-08-03T07:56:00.000-07:00

LONDON (Dow Jones)--Hopes that a strong Institute of Supply Management survey for U.S. manufacturers later in the day will lift market sentiment is helping the dollar higher in places and the yen lower in Europe Monday.
.......read more

US Dollar Climbs To 11-day High Against European Currency

2009-07-06T04:09:00.000-07:00

Against the European currency, the US dollar gained ground after hitting a low of 1.4000 at 1:30 am ET Monday. The dollar is currently trading at an 11-day high of 1.3916 against the euro with 1.382 seen as
......Read more

CORRECTED - Sterling adds to losses, hits 1-month low vs dollar

2009-07-06T04:08:00.000-07:00

Sterling hit a one-month low against the dollar on Monday as traders continued to dump the UK currency after on the back of last week's dismal U.S. payrolls figures, which cast doubt about an improvement in the global economy.
.......Read more

Forex and Economic Analysis by Lloyds TSB

2009-07-06T04:03:00.000-07:00

The Bank on England is expected to follow the Fed and ECB and announce no change to interest rates this week. However, while Bank rate may have reached its floor at a historic low of 0.5%, there is more uncertainty about the next stage of the asset purchase facility (APF).

Although it is still too early to properly assess its impact, some fresh indications about its potential scale should be forthcoming on Thursday, particularly given that the current £125bn programme is due to be completed at the end of July and so before the next MPC meeting. We look for the remaining tranche of £25bn already agreed with the Treasury to be utilised, with the view that further additional amounts may be requested from HMT subject to review at forthcoming MPC meetings. The Reserve Bank of Australia is widely expected to leave interest rates on hold at 3% on Tuesday.

Data this week should continue to suggest that the pace of the decline is easing, though still not signalling recovery. The US ISM services index, published today, is forecast to have nudged higher for the third successive month in June to 45, from 44 in May.

Later this week, the US trade figures are expected to show the deficit remained relatively steady around $29bn in May, raising hopes that net trade could contribute to GDP in Q2. However, the continuing risk posed to the nascent recovery from a weak labour market may be underlined by a rise in initial jobless claims and a softer University of Michigan confidence index. In the UK, we forecast a second consecutive rise in industrial production, however the monthly series is notoriously volatile. The details in the second estimate of Q1 EU-16 GDP provide the main highlight in the euro zone. It is yet another big week for US Treasury auctions.

Full Report

Forex Trading-How can investors profit?

2009-06-23T01:26:00.001-07:00

Indeed, the major multinational and other large banks and financial institutions have dominated FX trading (also known as Forex), but there is a paradigm shift in the nature and type of investment. According to one estimate, in the new millennium, there are over 6 million investment accounts online, compared to 1.5 million in 1997.

Accordingly, the creation of new companies in direct competition with financial institutions to investors in the new economy through technology, and the winner is the customer. The competition between the brick and mortar institutions and Internet-based companies has dramatically reduced the investment costs, and allows the investor to take control of their own investment strategy in Forex.

We know that trade is the direct access trading of currencies. In the past, currency trading was limited to large banks and institutional traders but recent technological advances have allowed small traders to take advantage of the many benefits of using Forex trading platforms for online commerce trade. Virtually all foreign exchange transactions are conducted 24 hours a day and almost 5? Days per week. In recent times, online trading has revolutionized the currency markets, making it accessible to small and medium investors.

Forex is probably the largest financial market in the world, with an average daily turnover of about $ 1.5 billion. Exchange is buying one currency and selling another. Currencies of the world are in a floating exchange rate and are always traded in pairs, for example, EUR / USD /USD / JPY and USD / INR etc.

In this new millennium, currency trading has become accessible to an individual investor or small group of investors. In the current scenario, investors take advantage of many benefits of Forex trading the stock market, futures E-mini and others. Today, most retailers are choosing foreign exchange to negotiate, because there are about 4500 securities listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Another 3500 are listed on the NASDAQ. In the field of foreign exchange of 4 major markets, 24 hours a day, 5.5 days per week. If you are told you about 34 seconds Level currencies to examine at leisure. You can focus on the major currencies, and you can find your company. When you invest in currencies, you can spend your afternoon on the golf course with your spouse or watching a movie or the celebration of festivals in short, easy and no problem of stocks future of the market.

Not only is it accessible, easy and less capital-intensive business opportunity, but it is much more profitable to invest too much in the Forex market, both in terms of commissions and transaction fees. In general, commissions securities trading range from a minimum of $ 7.95-$ 29.95 per trade with the online brokers to over $ 100 per trade with the brokers. In this context, the securities commissions in general are directly related to the level of services offered by the broker. At the other end, brokers offer full access to research, the recommendations of securities analysts, etc. However, online Forex brokers charge significantly lower commission and transaction costs . more

Forex Intermarket Analysis

2009-06-23T01:25:00.000-07:00

Most traders stress the role of fundamental information and historical single-market price data in analyzing markets for the purpose of price and trend forecasting. Traders do need to look back at past price action to put current price action in perspective, but they also need to look forward to anticipate what will happen to prices if their analysis is to pay off in the real trading world.

To be able to look ahead with confidence, however, traders need to look in one other direction, and that is sideways to what is happening in related markets, which has a major influence on price action in a target market. What are the external market forces that affect the internal market dynamics – the Intermarket context or environment in which the market you are trading exists? more

2009-06-23T01:24:00.002-07:00

Hedging is defined as holding two or more places at the same time, with the goal to lose in the first place by obtained from the other positions.

Usual hedging instrument is the position in a currency, the opening of an inverse for this function in the same currency A. This type of hedging instrument to protect the trader from taking margin calls as the other position will be if the first loses, and vice versa.

However, traders developed more hedging techniques to try to benefit from hedging and profit instead of just offset the losses.

On this page we'll talk about some of the hedging instrument techniques.

1. 100% Hedging.

This technique is safest ever, and most profitable of all hedging techniques while the minimum risk. This technique uses the arbitrage of interest rates (roll over rates) between brokers. In this type of hedging you two brokers. One broker which pays or charges interest at the end of the day, and the other does not cost or payment of interest. However, in this case should try to offer the maximum profit from, in other words, the greatest benefit from this kind of hedging.

The main idea of this type of cover to open foreign currency position HP to the broker, you'll pay high interest rates for each night of the position and is carried to open the field to position HP for the same currency with a mediator who does not charge interest for the implementation of trade. In this way, you'll have the interest or rollover that is credited to your account.

But there are many factors that you need to be taken into account.

A. The currency to use. The best combination for use GBPJPY, because at the time of writing this article, the interest credited to your account will be EUR 24 for every 1 regular long lot you have. You must contact your broker, because each broker credits a different amount. The range can be from $10 to $26.

B. The interest free broker. This is the hardest part. Before your account with a broker, you need the following:

i. Does the broker allow opening the position for an unlimited time?

ii. Does the broker charge commissions?

Some brokers are $ 5 flat every night for each lot held, this is a good, not appearance. For, when the broker charges the money to save your position, your broker will probably leave his position indefinitely.

C. Ownership of your account. Hedging requires a lot of money. For example, if you want to use the GBPJPY you 20000USD in each account. This is necessary because the maximum monthly range for GBPJPY in the last few years was the 2000 Pips. You do not want to be one of your accounts to margin calls. Remember that if your 2 position on the 2 agent, you pay the spread of some 16 stones together. If you are using 1 regular lot, then it is about 145 USD.

So you trade, lost $ 145. So you have the first 6 days just to cover the cost of expansion. So, if you have margin calls again, to close your position, and then transfer money to your other account, and then re-open position. Each time this happens, you will lose $ 145! It is important that it is not activated. It is possible to manage large capital, and a quick way to transfer money between brokers.

D. Money management. One of the best ways to manage such an account is to monthly withdraw profits and balancing your positions. This can be a surplus of withdraws from one account and receive the investment of surplus in the losing account. However, this can be expensive. You would also need to contact your broker if he allows withdrawals and your position is still open. Effective way to is to use the services brokers provide withdrawals the third company. more

Forex Books?

2009-06-23T01:24:00.001-07:00

Hundreds of books are available on this site and we encourage you to read. However, no one has written a “how to - step by step” book on how to become a millionaire over night or even in a month. Why? Because successful trading is a process, it does not happen over night.

The market is vast and complex. Hundreds of authors have written books about most of the characteristics of the markets.

Success in trading comes by focusing on one or two markets and specializing in those markets. One must decide what they want to trade, educate themselves and then focus in on that area of the market. more

2009-06-23T01:23:00.001-07:00

Learning to trade Forex is not an easy task, but not in any case, it is difficult either. Learning to trade Forex does not require a great intellect or a college degree. Doctors do not like merchants and construction workers are millionaires. Trading is about discipline, determination and perseverance.

The most important thing is to understand who you are from business and marketing their own strength. Leverage your strengths can be increased by using the appropriate Forex trading strategy. There are hundreds if not thousands of Forex trading strategies there. Logic tells us that there is a currency strategy there who take advantage of our strengths. It is not a one size fits all "world.

Immediately cut the chase and take the magic, it all comes down to two basic steps Forex strategies, trends and after a number assigned. All Forex trading strategies use a variety of indicators and combinations, MACD, moving averages, stochastic, pattern designs, Candlesticks, Pivot Points, Fibonacci ratios, Elliott Wave analysis, Bollinger Bands, and the list continues and continues. Let's take the magic again.

These indicators and studies are the only measurement of support and resistance and trend in Forex market. more

2009-06-23T01:22:00.003-07:00

The FOREX trading market offers its investors with exclusive and lucrative investing opportunities. Other factors like 24 hours open market, high leverage, commission-free trading and easy accessibility through various means of communications has helped Forex to become one of the most popularly invested financial markets. With a daily volume of about $1.2 trillion money changing hands everyday, the magnitude of Forex market is definitely one of the highest as compared to the Equities and the Futures market. So, you should educate yourself comprehensively and take advantage of this giant investment vehicle.
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Fibo Ceilings and Floors in the Fiber

2009-06-23T01:22:00.001-07:00

As the EUR/USD continues it rocket ship climb is there a chance that it’s running out of fuel as prices reach the 1.3800 psychological level? It’s as good a place as any to find sellers. The key to this — and any uptrend — is the support and Fibo Extension levels are helping out here by identifying the support on the pullback at 127.2. And while the 161.8 is certainly not a solid ceiling, the two intraday highs at 1.3831 and 1.3838 will offer a double top to watch out for.
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Starting to use Forex economic indicators

2009-06-23T01:21:00.001-07:00

To get started, you should first keep a log of all the important Forex economic indicators' release dates. Keep a log or make a subscription to one of the economic journals, so you'll know the most important factors of that time. If you are trading in JPY, the Forex economic indicators need to be relevant to the currency type, of course.
Each economic indicator tells you about a different aspect of the economy, and this should be translated in turn into the predicted movement of the currency price. Make sure you understand which aspect the indicator is about. For example, know that the GDP measures the growth of the economy while the PPI measures inflation. Don't worry, with some experience this will come naturally.

Online Forex Trading Profits

2009-06-23T01:20:00.003-07:00

Another example of an online Forex trade: If you buy EUR/USD, this means you are buying euros, and simultaneously are selling dollars. Your expectation therefore is that the euro will appreciate (go up) relative to the US dollar.
If you believe that the US economy will weaken and this will hurt the US dollar, you would execute a buy EUR/USD order. By doing so you will buy euros in the expectation that the currency will appreciate against the US dollar. If you believe that the US economy is strong and the euro will weaken against the US dollar you would execute a sell EUR/USD order. By doing so you have sold euros in the expectation that they will depreciate against the US dollar. More information concerning online Forex trading is available at Forex Floor

Forex Vs Equities

2009-06-23T01:20:00.001-07:00

Any novice Forex trader questions himself sooner or later – "Why did I choose the Forex market, is it definitely the best financial market for me?" Usually this question arises from curiosity and nothing else, but curiosity must be satisfied.
In the next two articles our team will point the evident advantages the Forex market has over other well-known financial markets, starting with the famous US equities market. Any person with a feel for economics and trading experiences some sensation to the sound of Wall Street, but does it truly measure up to the colossal forex market?
First, the key benefit the forex market offers is its 24-hour accessibility. When you are trading forex it doesn’t matter at all whether it is 5am or 5pm. Time differences and market dynamics make sure there will always be an eager trader somewhere around the globe looking for a deal. This feature gives you the privilege to respond to any financial developments, as soon as they transpire. Furthermore, the prices of forex can not be affected from after-hours trade.

Understanding and Trading Forex Currency Pairs

2009-06-23T01:19:00.001-07:00

Any Forex trading transaction is made of the buying of one currency and the simultaneous selling of another currency. The two Forex trading currencies being traded are called the currency pair. A currency quote is made of these two pairs of Forex trading currencies, situated together and divided by a line (for example, EUR/USD).
There are various Forex currency pairs to choose from. These are divided into major and minor currencies. Major currencies are the seven most frequently traded currencies, which include the USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, CHF, CAD and AUD. All other currencies are called minor currencies, and include the NZD (the New Zealand dollar) and the ZAR (the South African rand).

Major Currencies and Major Participants of the Forex Trading Market

2009-06-23T01:18:00.002-07:00

In the Forex trading market, you have several currencies to choose from. Most Forex trading deals are done using the major currencies. These are the seven most frequently traded currencies.
The major currencies include:
USD – United States Dollar
EUR – The European union Euro
JPY – The Japanese Yen
GBP – The UK Pound
CHF – The Swiss Franc
CAD – The Canadian Dollar
AUD – The Australian Dollar
All currencies other than the major currencies are called minors
Trading these major currencies are banks, companies, investment firms, hedge funds and Forex trading brokers.
Banks do a lot of the trading themselves. These include trades that are done for the bank's clients and ones that are done for the bank itself. Banks can trade huge amounts of major currencies, depending on the size and funding of the bank

Fundamental Analysis Vs Technical Analysis in the Forex Trading Market

2009-06-23T01:18:00.001-07:00

The main difference between fundamental vs technical analysis of the Forex trading market is that, while fundamental analysis uses economic, political, social and other factors that affect supply and demand of the trading Forex market to foresee price movements, technical analysis uses mathematical and graphical charts of previous market action, in order to analyze the Forex trading market.
The basic difference between Forex fundamental and technical analysis is therefore that:
- Forex Fundamental analysis uses various factors that influence supply and demand to predict the currency change.
- Technical analysis uses charts of previous currency change to predict the currency change.

Forex Economic Indicators

2009-06-23T01:17:00.001-07:00

The execution of fundamental analysis in the Forex market is done through the use of economic indicators. These indicators point to the state of some economical factors in the country whose currency you wish to trade with.
Economic indicators are published by various sections of the government and private companies. These statistics are analyzed by market investors to predict the direction of the Forex trading market. Forex economic indicators are published at fixed time intervals, and are followed by any serious online Forex trader.
Since so many people are tuned to use them, Forex economic indicators have a large impact on prices of currencies of the Forex trading market. Most traders do not use fundamental analysis because economic indicators seem difficult. This however is wrong because following simple guides can help you stay updated with the important Forex economic indicators easily.

Forex account activation and confirmation

2009-06-23T01:16:00.000-07:00

Because we are dealing with real money accounts, you are required to verify your details and your email, through various needed steps. Before you sign the terms and conditions of the Forex trading account, make sure you understand what the site is offering. You should make sure you understand about the various conditions that include:
- The Forex site's hours of operation and the availability of live support.
- The bid/ask spread that the site offers for major currencies, in relation to what other sites offer.
- Make sure that proper leverage is available through the margin per trade.
- Find out about The minimum account size and lot size.
- Check that there are no small print or hidden commissions that the site's operators prefer you don’t know about.
- If you can, try out the Forex trading platform, as well as the charting and technical analysis options beforehand.
- Check the general contract and make sure you save it along with the requoting policy on your computer.

How to Place Different Types of Forex Trading Orders

2009-06-23T01:15:00.002-07:00

In this page we explain about the different forex order types available for online Forex trading. The most important things to remember about placing a Forex trading order is this: Always understand the orders you place. Never place an order which you are not entirely knowledgeable about. You'll be able to see the orders available for you after you open your trading account, so soon after check and learn about the different ones you can make.
There are various Forex trading order types to choose from, and each order has its advantages and disadvantages, which will described in later pages.

Market Orders

2009-06-23T01:15:00.001-07:00

Market orders are the most basic Forex trading orders that are bought and sold for the current market price. With market orders, the transaction is done regardless of the price. The Forex trading software gives you real time prices, so you can decide exactly when to execute a market order with ease. Market orders are perfect for situations where you follow a certain currency up close. The minute you want to enter a position you can buy and sell the currency at a click of a button using Forex trading market order.
The main thing to remember about market orders is that they are executed for the current market price, and that this is beneficial if you want to instantly enter a position.
The process of placing Forex trading orders is like so:
1. First you specify the currency pair and the size of the deal. Let's say the EUR/USD pair quoted 1.2603/06, for 2 lots of $100 each.
2. Next you choose to either sell each EUR for 1.2603 USD (bid price), or choose to buy each EUR for 1.2607 USD (ask price).
3. Finally, the transaction is confirmed by your dealer. This only takes a few seconds for Forex trading orders.

Major Forex Economic Indicators

2009-06-23T01:14:00.003-07:00

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - The sum of goods and services produced by domestic or foreign companies.
Industrial Production - A measure of the production change, industrial capacity and resources of a country's factories, mines and utilities.
Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) - A monthly index of a country's manufacturing conditions, including new orders, supplier delivery times, inventories, prices, employment, export orders, and import orders.

Inflation Indicators

2009-06-23T01:14:00.001-07:00

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – This measures the total market value of all goods and services that companies make within the country. This is an indicator of the growth pace of a country, and can tell the trader much about the prospect of inflation indicators.
Producer Price Index (PPI) - This measures price changes in manufacturing. It measures the changes in selling prices for the various manufacturers. The prices of manufacturing are at a close link with inflation indicators, and thus can help predict the online Forex trading direction.

The Employment Cost Index (ECI)

2009-06-23T01:13:00.003-07:00

The ECI is an important Forex employment indicator, and is published in a quarterly report from the U.S. Department of Labor. It measures the growth of employees' compensation, and this includes the wages and benefits that employees get.
The information in the survey is based on a report that is held at the end of the month every quarter. The information that is tracked by the ECI is the wages movements, the fringe benefits and the bonuses that are given to employees at various levels of the organizations.

The Employment Report

2009-06-23T01:13:00.001-07:00

This report contains two employment reports inside: the household survey and the establishment survey.
The household survey is an employment indicator concerned with households, and is smaller, covering only 50,000 households.
the establishment is about businesses, is more comprehensive and thus it is preferred by analysts of the online Forex market. It covers 400,000 businesses with 47 million people.

The Establishment Survey

2009-06-23T01:12:00.001-07:00

Non-farm Payrolls - This is a very important employment indicator for the establishment report, and has crucial importance for online Forex trading. it measures how many people are there on payrolls for non-agricultural businesses.
Average Workweek - This measures the average hours worked non-farm payroll employees, and is a fine judge of the overall strength of the employment report.
Aggregate Hours Worked - This index combines the two previous indexes together

The Household Survey

2009-06-23T01:11:00.000-07:00

The Unemployment Rate - This index is calculated through the division of the number of people unemployed by the number of people in the labor force.

There are other employment indicators in the employment report but these are the relevant ones for the online Forex trading market .