Friday, April 23, 2010

How Forex Trading Works by Martin Chandra

Forex, as you very well know, is the largest financial market in the world. Unlike many other markets, the international forex market is open 24 hours a day. Its daily turnover is well over US$ 1.2 trillion. This turnover is more than the combined turnover of the world's major stock markets on any given day. Hence, the international forex market is a very liquid, and thus, a desirable market for trading. As with any other market, technology has also contributed immensely towards its expansion. Now trades are executed increasingly through the internet. It has allowed even smaller investors the access to the market.
In this market you may buy or sell currencies. The objective is to earn a profit from your position. Placing a trade in the foreign exchange market is simple: the mechanics of a trade are virtually identical to those found in other markets, so the transition for many traders is often seamless.
Here are an example of how forex trading works. Say, a trader purchases 10,000 euros in the beginning of 2004 at the EUR/USD rate was .9600. In May of 2006 the trader exchanges his 10,000 euro back into US dollar at the market rate of 1.1800. In this example, the trader earned a gross profit of $2,200.
Example of How Margin Works
Since the trader opened 1 lot of the EUR/USD, his margin requirement or Used Margin is $1000. Usable Margin is the funds available to open new positions or sustain trading losses. If the equity (the value of his account) falls below his Used Margin due to trading losses, his position will automatically be closed. As a result, the trader can never lose more than he/she deposits.

Author: Martin Chandra

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