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Forex Faq
Frequently Asked Questions
• What is Foreign Exchange / Forex / FX?
Foreign exchange is the simultaneous purchase of one currency and sale of another - currencies are always traded in pairs. International currencies are traded on floating exchange rates. There is a daily average turnover of about US$1.5 trillion in the foreign exchange markets. The foreign exchange market is known as the "Forex," or "FX" market. It is the largest financial market in the world.
• Is there a central location for the Forex Market?
Forex trading is not managed through an exchange. Since transactions are conducted between two counterparts, the FX market is an "inter-bank," or over the counter (OTC) market.
• Who participates in the FX market?
Central, commercial and investment banks have traditionally dominated the Forex market. Other market participation is rapidly increasing, and now includes international money managers and brokers, multinational corporations, registered dealers, options and futures traders, and private investors.
• When is the FX market open for trading?
Forex is a true global 24-hour marketplace. The trading day begins in Sydney, and moves around the globe as each financial center comes to life. Tokyo follows, then London, and finally New York. Investors can respond in real time to any fluctuations caused by current economic, social and political events.
• What are the most common currencies in the Forex Markets?
The most "liquid" currencies in the Forex market are those of countries with low inflation, stable governments, and respected central banks. Nearly 85% of daily transactions involve the major currencies, including the U.S. Dollar, Japanese Yen, the European Union Euro, British Pound, Swiss Franc, and the Canadian and Australian Dollars.
• Is capital intensive to trade forex?
Different forex brokers have different minimum account startup balances. Depending upon the broker, $100.00 to $100,000.00
You set the degree of leverage that you wish to
deploy. Unless otherwise specified, your leverage
level is set at the most lenient level required
by your account size. Please remember that while
this degree of leverage enables you to maximize
your profit potential, there is an equally great
potential for loss.
• What is Margin?
Margin is a performance bond that insures against
trading losses. Margin requirements in the FX
marketplace allow you to hold positions much larger
than the asset value of your account. Trading
with us includes a pre-trade check for margin
availability, the trade is executed only if there
are sufficient margin funds in your account. The
trading system calculates cash on hand necessary
to cover current positions, and provides this
information to you in real time. If funds in your
account fall below margin requirements, the system
will close all open positions. This prevents your
account from falling below your available equity,
which is a key protection in this volatile, fast
moving marketplace.
• What are "short" and "long" positions?
Short positions are taken when a trader sells currency in anticipation of a downturn in price. Making this move allows the investor to benefit from a decline. Long positions are taken when a trader buys a currency at a low price in anticipation of selling it later for more. Making these moves allows the investor to benefit from changing market prices. Remember! Since currencies are traded in pairs, every forex position inevitably requires the investor to go short in one currency and long in the other.
• What is the difference between an "intraday" and "overnight position"?
Intraday positions are all positions opened anytime
during the 24 hour period AFTER the close of the
markets normal trading hours at 5:00pm EST. Overnight
positions are positions that are still on at the
end of normal trading hours (5:00pm EST), which
are automatically rolled into the next day.
• How is pricing determined for certain currencies?
The full range of economic and political conditions impact currency pricing. It is generally held that interest rates, inflation rates and political stability are top among important factors. At times, governments participate in the forex market in order to influence the traded value of their currencies. These and other market factors such as very large orders can cause extreme relative volatility in currency prices. The sheer size of the forex market prevents any single factor from dominating the market for any length of time.
• How can I managed risk?
The most common risk management tools in Forex
trading are the stop-loss order and the limit
order. The stop-loss order directs that a position
be automatically liquidated at a certain price
in order to guard against dramatic changes against
the position. A limit order sets the maximum price
that the investor is willing to pay in a transaction,
as well as a minimum price to be received in exchange.
The foreign exchange marketplace is so liquid
that it is easy to execute stop-loss and limit
orders.
• What trading strategy should I use?
Both economic fundamentals and technical factors influence the decisions of currency traders. Those who follow economic fundamentals use government issued reports, current news, and broad economic trends to anticipate movements in price. Technical traders rely on trend lines, support and resistance levels, and a variety of charts and mathematical analysis to identify trading opportunities. Over time, the most significant price movements occur in close association with unexpected events. Perhaps the central bank changes rates without warning, or an election puts an unexpected candidate in power. News from conflicts certainly impacts currency pricing. More often than not, it is the expectation of a certain event rather than the actual event that drives price pressures.
• How often can trades be made?
As one might expect, trading activity on any particular
day is dictated by current market conditions.
Some small to medium size traders might make as
many as 10 transactions in a day. By not charging
commission and offering tight spreads, investors
can take positions as often as is necessary without
concern for excessive transaction costs.
• How long should a position be maintained?
Forex traders generally hold positions until one of three criteria is met:
A sufficient profit has been realized from the position.
A pre-set stop-loss order is triggered.
A better potential position emerges and the trader needs to liquidate funds to take advantage of it.
• How do margin calls work?
A margin call is generated when the equity balance in an account drops below the margin requirement for that size account. If the maximum allowable leverage has been exceeded, any open positions are immediately liquidated, regardless of the nature or size of the positions.
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