What Is Forex Trading? Is It Right For Me?

Summary: Foreign Currency Exchange (FOREX) Trading is an exhilarating way to trade foreign currency in a market that runs 24 hours a day, five days a week. The Forex market is also the most volatile financial market in the world. It doesn't have a physical location, trading floor or central exchange like the NYSE or futures market does, but instead it functions and operates amid a global network of banks with trades taking place over an electronic network or by phone. With its nea...

Foreign Currency Exchange (FOREX) Trading is an exhilarating way to trade foreign currency in a market that runs 24 hours a day, five days a week. The Forex market is also the most volatile financial market in the world. It doesn't have a physical location, trading floor or central exchange like the NYSE or futures market does, but instead it functions and operates amid a global network of banks with trades taking place over an electronic network or by phone. With its nearly nonstop currency market where Forex brokers trade in the currencies of the world, profits are made or lost depending on how various nations' currencies increase or decrease relative to each other. Current, real time events can influence currency prices and thus Forex trading brokers typically keep track of worldwide events on a minute by minute, hour by hour basis each day. Even though Forex trading is volatile, there are many things to like about it. Since the Forex Trading System is open 24 hours a day, the majority of each week, it allows for ample time and numerous trading opportunities around the clock. This means Forex Brokers are not under as much pressure to initiate a trade as quickly as if they were playing the stock market. Also, since world government currencies are very liquid, they are much easier to trade than other securities. As with the stock and option markets, profits can be made either way, whether in a rising or falling market. And since Foreign Currency Trading is volatile by nature, it can afford even more profit opportunities than other markets. Of course a person's Forex Trading Strategy should be to profit from the movement in currency values. As with any financial market, the more times a person "gets it right", the more money they will make. In Forex or FX Trading, currency pairs are always used. FX Traders will try to determine, for instance, if the U.S. Dollar will rise in value over the British Pound, or vice versa. This is called a Currency Pair. Another trader may have some Forex information that informs them that the Euro will increase in value against the Dollar. They would then pay X amount of Dollars for X amount of Euros. As time went on and the Euro did strengthen against the Dollar then they could sell the Euros for even more Dollars than they had invested originally. Foreign Currency Exchange is essentially the simultaneous buying of one currency and the selling of another. There is no doubt that the Forex Currency Trading System is unique. It has its own set of rules and opportunities. It can be as fast moving or slow as a trader would like. A big advantage is the number of hours in a week that a trader can place and execute trades. It can be volatile just as with any market. If a person studies their options and does their homework, a great deal of profit making opportunities exists in Foreign Currency Trading. As with any financial markets, a good Forex Trading Strategy will go a long way in determining what kind of profits you will make.