Currency Trading

In the Forex or Foreign exchange market, the bid/ask spread is the difference between the price at which a bank or market maker will sell ("ask", or "offer") and the price at which a marketplace-maker will buy ("bid") from a wholesale customer. When you are doing your research of the brokers, check to see what kind of trading tools and analysis data they are offering.

There is no unified or centrally cleared marketplace for the majority of Forex trades, and there is very little cross-border regulation. There are many economic indicators that can be used to evaluate the fundamentals of the Foreign exchange. In recent years, for instance, money supply, employment, trade balance figures and inflation numbers have all taken turns in the spotlight.

Although trading in the euro has grown considerably since the currency's creation in January 1999, the foreign exchange marketplace is thus far still largely dollar-centered. When a country raises its interest rate, that country’s currency strengthens relative to other currencies.

The diverse selection of execution venues such as internet trading platforms has made it easier for retail traders to trade in the forex market. There is the potential for profit in the currencies market regardless of which way the marketplace moves. The world's currency markets can be viewed as a huge melting pot: in a large and ever-changing mix of current events, supply and demand factors are constantly shifting, and the price of one currency in comparison to another shifts accordingly. There will be a greater demand, thus a higher price, for currencies perceived as stronger over their comparably weaker counterparts.

A broker is any person or firm that charges a fee in exchange for executing trades for a trader. A Forex broker does not charge a commission for placing a buy or a sell order the way a real estate broker would charge a percentage fee of the total price of a sale. A Forex broker is paid according to the spread or the difference between the traders bid for a currency, and the sellers asking price for that currency. Different dealers offer very different deals to their customers.

If you’re looking for the best days of the week to trade try Tuesdays and Wednesdays because these are the busiest days for trading.

Due to the over-the-counter (OTC) nature of currency markets, there are rather a number of interconnected marketplaces, where different currency instruments are traded. Interest rate news has a direct impact on the international financial markets. It is the tendency for the price of a currency to reflect the impact of a certain action before it occurs and, when the anticipated event comes to pass, react in exactly the opposite direction.

Currency trading is risky but not any riskier than other investment trading (such as the stock market). Foreign currencies traded in the forex market are bought and sold directly between banks, foreign currency dealers and forex investors wishing either to diversify, speculate or to hedge foreign currency risk. Foreign exchange trading between parties occurs through computer terminals, exchanges and over telephones at thousands of locations worldwide.

Economic reports such as those on unemployment numbers and housing statistics are used as fundamental indicators. Interest rate news has a direct impact on the international financial markets. The Foreign exchange market is a worldwide marketplace and according to some estimates is almost as big as thirty times the turnover of the US Equity markets.