Introduction to best forex trading platform
The foreign exchange market, commonly known as the Forex or FX market, is the largest and most actively traded financial market globally. With a daily trading volume of over $5 trillion, it surpasses the New York Stock Exchange by more than 200 times. Initially dominated by central banks, multinational corporations, and major financial institutions, technological advancements and the rise of online brokers have democratized access to the Forex market.
Understanding Currency Pairs
Each pair consists of a base currency and a secondary currency. The prices and charts of currency pairs primarily reflect the base currency. For instance, if you come across the statement that the EUR/USD is strengthening, it implies that the Euro (EUR) is gaining strength against the US Dollar (USD). By examining the EUR/USD chart, you'll observe an upward trend, indicating the Euro's strength relative to the US Dollar.
Majors
1. Major Currency Pairs: These pairs involve the world's most dominant currencies, such as the US Dollar (USD), Euro (EUR), Japanese Yen (JPY), British Pound (GBP), Swiss Franc (CHF), Canadian Dollar (CAD), and Australian Dollar (AUD). Major currency pairs exhibit high liquidity and tight spreads, making them popular among traders.
Currency Pairs
- EUR/USD
- GBP/USD
- USD/JPY
- USD/CHF
- USD/CAD
- AUD/USD
- NZD/USD
2. Rosses: Cross currency pairs, also known as minor currency pairs, do not include the US Dollar. They consist of two major currencies, such as EUR/GBP (Euro against British Pound) or AUD/JPY (Australian Dollar against Japanese Yen). Crosses provide traders with alternative trading opportunities and are often influenced by the respective economies' performance.
3. Exotic Currency Pairs: Exotic pairs involve one major currency and one currency from an emerging or smaller economy, like USD/ZAR (US Dollar against South African Rand) or EUR/TRY (Euro against Turkish Lira). Exotic currency pairs tend to have lower liquidity, wider spreads, and higher volatility, making them more challenging to trade.
Bid And ask/Spread ??
In the world of Forex trading, understanding bid and ask prices, also known as the spread, is crucial. When looking at a currency table, you will notice quotes that refer to currency pairs, with the prices always referencing the base currency in the pair. The bid price represents the selling price of the base currency, while the ask price represents the buying price of the base currency.
For example, if you want to buy 1 Euro, you would do so at the ask price. Conversely, if you want to sell 1 Euro, you would do so at the bid price. These prices are typically expressed in terms of the secondary currency in the pair, such as US Dollars.
When opening a trade, whether buying or selling, it is referred to as taking a position in the market. A long position indicates buying a currency, while a short position indicates selling a currency. When a currency is moving up, it is considered bullish, and when it is dropping, it is considered bearish.
Spreads
The spread, on the other hand, is the difference between the bid and ask price. It represents the commission charged by the broker for their services and is measured in pips. A pip is the smallest movement in the price of a currency and is typically calculated as the fourth digit after the decimal point.
In addition to bid and ask prices, it is important to understand lot sizes in Forex trading. In the past, currencies were traded in specific amounts known as lots. The standard lot size is 100,000 units, but there are also mini-lots of 10,000 units and micro-lots of 1,000 units.
Lots |
No. of Units |
Standard |
100000 |
Mini |
10000 |
Micro |
1000 |
Nano |
100 |
Margin and Leverage: Are important concepts in Forex trading that can significantly impact your trades.
Margin refers to the amount required to open and hold a trading position using leverage. It is usually expressed as a percentage of the position size and is determined by the broker's margin requirements.
Leverage, on the other hand, enables traders to open larger positions with a smaller amount of capital. It allows traders to potentially increase their profits, but also increases their risk of loss.
Rollover or Swap: Rollover or Swap is the interest rate differential between two currencies that is charged or credited when a trade is held overnight. This can affect the profitability of trades and should be considered when making trading decisions.