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Choosing a Forex Broker
In order to trade in the Forex market you will need to find yourself a broker. A broker is someone who executes trades according to your wishes and earns a commission on each trade.
But there are so many brokers out there competing for your business it can be hard to figure out which one is best. This article will give you as idea of what to look for.
Transaction Costs. In the forex market, brokers are paid via the bid/ask spread. There should be no hidden fees or charges to trade. However, there may be additional charges to access certain reports and optional services.
Obviously the smaller the spread the better. Pip spreads vary by broker (and also by currency pairs), so shop around for competitive rates.
Currency Pairs Available. All brokers should at least have the big seven currencies ((AUD, CAD, CHF, EUR, GBP, JPY, and USD). But if you plan on trading New Zealand dollars or Danish krones, you should be sure that the broker is able to do so.
Immediate Execution of Orders. Currency prices are constantly moving up and down and any delay in the execution of your order can cut into your profits or add to your losses. Of course its possible a delay will help you, but it never seems to work out that way does it? Look for a broker that can consistently execute your trade at the price you see on your screen. An occasional delay is understandable, but if it happens frequently find yourself a new broker.
Free Tools. In order to analyze currency prices, spot trends, and plan entry and exit points you need access to charting and technical analysis tools. Most brokers offer basic services free of charge with an expanded array of tools for an added charge.
Minimum Account Balance. As a small investor you will need a broker that does not require a large balance to open an account. Many brokers today will let you open a mini-account with as little as $300.
Margin Requirement. The lower the margin requirement, the more leverage you have. If a broker allows you to use 100:1 leverage, that means you can trade $100,000 in currency for only $1,000. You can use margin to rack up huge profits. But don't margin yourself too much or you will find yourself wiped out fast.
Superior Customer Service. This is something traders often overlook when choosing a broker and later regret it when they need assistance. A quality broker should respond quickly to any question you have. They should have knowledgeable reps available 24 hours a day by phone and email.
A User-friendly Trading Platform. Some brokers require you to download a trading program to your PC in order to make trades. Others let you make trades directly over the web. Pick a few brokers out and sign up for a free demo account. You can trade with play money while you test out their software and see which one works best for you.
Recent Forex News
Forex Technical Analysis Reports (ActionForex.com)
Technical analysis reports from selected analysts around the world on forex market. Available in ActionForex.com
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The Index is still trading below the significant 100 SMA area which could be strong enough to instigate short dollars and long euro's in the next few days. However, any break or move above the 100 SMA, and the black trend line will completely change the situation. After the euro...
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Newsfeed display by CaRP
Forex Fundamental Analysis Reports (ActionForex.com)
Fundamental analysis reports from selected analysts around the world on forex market. Available in ActionForex.com
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The resonance of the New Year is starting to show its true colors at the start of the first full trading-week this year. The Dow finished a volatile day lower, in some ways ruining the sense of stability that pervaded in last week's market. Volatility in equity prices was complemented...
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Turning to our market highlights for the day, we see a very sharp drop in the Euro-Dollar pair, amounting to more than 400 pips from high to low. The main theme today that fueled Dollar strength was speculation that President-elect Barack Obama's fiscal stimulus plan will help the US recover...
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The buck was lower against most of the majors in NY trading as poor economic data, lower stocks and some big technical breaks saw the greenback sink. The S&P 500 fell about -0.5% and this was helped by a weak US November construction spending report and horrid motor vehicle sales...
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The market moved towards the safety of the dollar in the European session after a similar move was tried in the Asian session. The market was led lower by the euro, which is more likely a victim of collateral damage right now. First, the Israeli incursion into the Gaza strip...
Newsfeed display by CaRP
Forex Technical Analysis Reports (ActionForex.com)
Technical analysis reports from selected analysts around the world on forex market. Available in ActionForex.com
Chart Of The Day: EUR/USD
On the first day of the first full week of 2009, price action on the EUR/USD pair, a daily chart of which is shown, has made a bold statement regarding the remarkably rapid uptrend that was in place during the month of December. It is indicating that the uptrend could...
Dollar Outlook (Short Term) Mixed to Begin 2009
First, let's review what has occurred over the past several months. The decline from the July 2008 high (1.6040) can be counted as a 5 wave drop (wave 5 is truncated). 5 waves down at this degree of trend indicate that the long term trend has changed and that a...
Restored Liquidity Leads To Volatility And Breakouts For The Forex Market
After two weeks of depressed liquidity, currency traders have decided to make their return to the market a memorable one. Breakouts have been marked across a number of the majors and equally charging moves were developed through many of the crosses. Where will the market go from here and what...
Elliott Wave - Gold, Oil, Dollar Index
The Index is still trading below the significant 100 SMA area which could be strong enough to instigate short dollars and long euro's in the next few days. However, any break or move above the 100 SMA, and the black trend line will completely change the situation. After the euro...
Daily Forex Outlook: EUR/USD
The chart shows the movement started from 1.4718 (18 December). I think it is corrective in nature and is in the position of wave B or wave 2 of one higher degree. In both cases I will expect a new high above 1.4718 later. Currently the big question is how...
Newsfeed display by CaRP
Forex Fundamental Analysis Reports (ActionForex.com)
Fundamental analysis reports from selected analysts around the world on forex market. Available in ActionForex.com
Volatility Returns to the Currency Markets
The resonance of the New Year is starting to show its true colors at the start of the first full trading-week this year. The Dow finished a volatile day lower, in some ways ruining the sense of stability that pervaded in last week's market. Volatility in equity prices was complemented...
Stocks Decline On Monday/Dollar Mixed
U.S. equity markets declined on Monday, but the loss was relatively contained after automakers reported dismal sales numbers for December. Profit taking was also a possible culprit after the S&P completed a 25% run off the Nov.21 low to last Friday's close.
Euro Plummets vs Dollar and Pound to Start the Week
Turning to our market highlights for the day, we see a very sharp drop in the Euro-Dollar pair, amounting to more than 400 pips from high to low. The main theme today that fueled Dollar strength was speculation that President-elect Barack Obama's fiscal stimulus plan will help the US recover...
New York Session Recap
The buck was lower against most of the majors in NY trading as poor economic data, lower stocks and some big technical breaks saw the greenback sink. The S&P 500 fell about -0.5% and this was helped by a weak US November construction spending report and horrid motor vehicle sales...
Currency Pair Overview
The market moved towards the safety of the dollar in the European session after a similar move was tried in the Asian session. The market was led lower by the euro, which is more likely a victim of collateral damage right now. First, the Israeli incursion into the Gaza strip...
Newsfeed display by CaRP