Online Foreign Currency Trading

GETTING STARTED WITH FOREX TRADING

CHOOSING A FOREX BROKER

Once you have grasped the basics of forex trading, you are ready for the next step. Find out about choosing a broker, using a demo account, charting basics, and many other things that contribute to your forex foundation.

Choosing a forex broker can be daunting task. They all seem to sound so good when you read their sales pages, but how do you know which ones are worth your money?

Initial Deposit

You should look for a forex broker that has a low initial deposit. It is not a matter of the amount you should start trading with, but if a broker wants many thousands just for you to open an account, it is questionable. The ideal initial deposit requirements should be $1,000 to $10,000 or less.

Regulation

The forex market is an unregulated market meaning there is no central exchange. However, forex brokers themselves are regulated. They should be registered as a broker with the Futures Exchange Commission.If you do not find the broker you are interested in listed with the Future Exchange Commission, look for another broker that is listed and has a clean record.

Customer Service

Forex trading hours vary depending on what currencies you are most interested in trading. With that in mind, it is important to find a broker with 24 hour customer service. The forex markets can be wild at times. If you had a question about order execution or a closed order, you should be able to get your question answered no matter what time it is.

A good test of a forex broker’s customer service ability is to contact the support desk and ask some questions by phone. Keep notes on how responsive they are to your questions and what attitude they have about answering them. Remember, you are trusting these people with your money. You need to feel absolutely comfortable that all your needs will be addressed.

Currency Pairs

Find a broker that offers the currency pairs that you are most interested in trading, or at least a good variety to choose from. Currency pairs tend to have different breathing patterns and you want to have a good menu of selections.

Software

A professional and easy to use trading platform is a must. You would not want to be struggling with the features of the trading platform while trying to make a trade. Any reputable forex broker will offer the ability to trade on a demo account. The demo software operates the same way as the live trading platform. This will give you a chance to fully test out the trading platform without the pressure of using real money.

Reputation

Always check the reputation of a forex broker. One way is to do a google search with the name of the broker plus the word “complaints”. Check around and get opinions from traders on forex message boards. Spend a fair amount of time doing your research. This is an important relationship. You will want to be absolutely comfortable with the broker that you decide on.

The important thing to remember is that you will have to do some homework here. It is imperative that you are not lazy about it. Don’t be sucked in by a glossy sales page with extraordinary claims. Investigate! Use a demo account. Take some time to shop around. In the end, you will be happy that you did.

FOREX TUTORIALS

USING A DEMO ACCOUNT

A demo account is a virtual account that comes with play money that you can make virtual trades with. Demo accounts are free of charge and they are supposed to represent actual market conditions. Some brokers limit the demo account to 30 days of use. A good broker allows unlimited use of a demo account.

LEARN ABOUT LEVERAGE

Forex trading is typically carried out using leverage, or trading on margin. Margin is a useful tool, but it can be very dangerous if it isn’t used correctly. Forex brokers typically offer anywhere from 50:1 leverage up to 400:1 leverage. The higher the number, the less money required to put on a large trade. The use of leverage is something that needs to be taken with a lot of care.

PRACTICE READING CHART

Before you start making trades you should get familiar with charts and how they work. It is a good idea to get familiar with the different time frames and the different types of charts. The shorter time frames will give you an idea of how the market is moving minute to minute. The longer time frames can show you how the market moves over longer periods and will show the larger trends. Most charting software will offer charts as lines, candlesticks, or bars. Take plenty of time to try out different looks and time frames to find the style that you are comfortable with.

MAKING THE FIRST LIVE TRADE

The first trade is a nervous and exciting experience. The demo account prepares you for the technical aspects of trading, but when real money is on the line, emotions will come into play. It is important that you keep a level head and do your best to trade with the same methods that you practiced on the demo account. It may prove to be difficult, but if you master your emotions and use sound money management, anything is possible after this step. If your first trade loses money, do not give up, just piece together where you think you went wrong, and try again.

Forex trading is a constant learning experience. Trading mistakes can be expensive. If you learn from those mistakes and do your best to avoid them in the future, you can become a very successful forex trader.

Risk Disclaimer
“Trading in the Forex market is one of the riskiest forms of investment available in the financial markets and suitable for sophisticated individuals and institutions. Nothing in this presentation is a recommendation to buy or sell currencies and FXcharles is not liable for any loss or damage.”