Saturday, April 12, 2008

6 Trading Habits To Strive For

There are many methods to build superior trading habits. Good trading habits will make trading a part of routine, rather than a task. Getting in the habit of doing everything exactly to plan will boost trading profits, marking one more step in the path to financial freedom.

1. Trading Discipline - Following your own trading plan is very important to success. When emotions are left to go as they please, it is easier to lose track of your portfolio. Proven techniques and strategies should not be edited for any reason; follow the plan and let it work for you.

2. Look at Every Time Frame - Even when trading short 5 minute ticks, it is important to evaluate all timeframes for market data. It just might happen that a 200 day moving average is acting to support your position. You'll never know this unless you take the time to study all timeframes rather than just a few. Long term trends can and do impact short term trading positions. Day traders are more susceptible to trading in only one timeframe because of how time-sensitive their investments are. Swing traders are probably used to checking multiple timeframes for entry points.

3. Trade As Your Capital Allows - Day traders are able to access high levels of margin that can greatly exceed their trading capital. Overextension of credit is dangerous and can compound losses just as easily as gains. Momentum trading with many different entry points can end up in costly mistakes if your account becomes overextended.

4. Understanding Risk - Managing risk is the difference between gambling and investing. Profitable traders can quickly calculate how much of a drawdown they are willing to incur before cutting a position. It is important to have a plan for pruning losses and minimizing the damage of drawdown.

5. Stick to Your Niche - Niche trading or only trading in your specific area of study is the best way to stay profitable. Too often do traders get bored with inactivity, only to take positions that are out of their trading knowledge. Sticking to what you do best keeps your account from being overextended in too many positions and minimizes loss. If you are best in high volume trading, then only trade during periods of high volume. Finding your trading niche will help you to become more a more efficient trader.

6. Trading is Affected by Emotion - It can be difficult to get away from trading. Holding positions overnight can only double the amount of stress that comes with having open positions. For the day trader, try to limit your exposure to overnight markets and keep stress levels low.

Lifestyle Of Traders

Trading can be a very active lifestyle. Whereas day traders spend hours every day in front of a computer monitor scalping small movements in price, the active trader does have a "rich" lifestyle both in money and time.

Lifestyle Depends Upon Trading Style

Professional traders usually make their income from scalping short tick charts, day trading from open to close, or swing trading over a matter of days or weeks. The trading style differs with the lifestyle. Scalpers can profit heavily in just a few hours to have the rest of the day to relax and read up on the markets. Day traders benefit from taking positions when they want through the course of the week, often taking full days off at a time. A swing trader has the luxury of placing few trades every few weeks, allowing for plenty of down time.

Improving Your Trading Skills During Your Down Time

Many traders use their down time to participate in trading seminars to meet new people in the financial world. Trading for the big firms is all about whom you know, and indeed, getting involved in the trading community is the only way to work your way to the top of the trading world. For the smaller investor, time may be better spent on an online home study course to further their trading potential.

Skill-building activities, such as looking at old charts, reviewing failed trades, or sharpening your trend line drawing skills, are a great way to spend the surplus of time trading provides. Developing a trading plan planner is another good way to spend the extra time, as a complete trading plan will give you the confidence to trade, even when the market goes against you.

Trading isn't just about investing in the markets, but also in your own ability to trade. Locking in consistent profits means more time off and more time to review your trading plan. Bettering yourself at your own job means less time studying and more time off, while bringing in consistent profits.

Earning a Relaxed Lifestyle

To the person on the outside, the financial district appears to be "stressed out" people huddled around computer monitors for the bulk of the day. For many people on the inside, trading provides a profitable career and a relaxed atmosphere. For the home trader, a job as a day trader provides a luxurious income and the chance to be your own boss. The ability to take off work whenever you want easily trumps the consistency of a 9-5.

Options Trading For Beginners - Making More Of Your Money

Options trading is an investment vehicle for experienced investors, who track their investments proactively. It is not a suitable vehicle for investors looking to maintain assets without direct management, as it's very much a timing related purchase and float. Options trading is an excellent technique for using financial leverage to make bigger purchases.

A very simple example of an options trade would be this: If you're selling a commodity worth $100,000 (say 1,000 shares of a stock worth $100 per share), and a prospective buyer likes the price, they can offer to pay for an option to buy all of those commodities, while spending the time researching other investments. Say, for example, they're offering you $1,000 to hold that price for them while they gather the rest of the funds, which they say will take three months.

When three months passes, they either pay the remaining $99,000 for the shares of the stock, or forfeit the option. If the stock goes up in price to $110 per share from $100, they can either buy the stock, or sell the option to someone else for the difference between the old price and the new price. Either way, the person holding the option stands to make a tidy profit.

Options trading has its own set of terminology, which we'll get into a bit later, but the basic premise is this: You buy an option to purchase a stock or commodity at a given price; the option expires after a given time period (American style options trading), or the option must be exercised on a specific date (European style options trading).

There are two principle types of options that are traded. Calls increase in value as the stock price rises, and puts increase in value as the stock price declines. (There's a lot of fiscal mathematics behind both of these, but the layman's explanation will suffice.) In most cases, options are sold to other investors just before they expire; most options traders don't end up holding shares in the stock they have options for; the options are bought, sold, liquidated and transacted before their expiration dates. It is possible to have both call and put options on the same commodity or stock; this is a "straddle" strategy.

Options trading is not a casual investment strategy; it's a strategy used by people who are investing as their profession, or who intend to manage their own wealth directly. The benefits of options trading is flexibility, coupled with (in the case of put options) a bit of a countercyclical strategy for bear markets.

The key to options trading is market research on specific stocks; an options trader will be researching stocks that are either slated for a price spike (call options) or are likely to undergo a price decline (put options). How quickly these options express themselves is a measure of market volatility, and most options traders will try to take a neutral position - they'll put in put and call options to cover both directions, and to cover themselves against broad market trends.

Options arbitrage is a lower risk strategy done by floor traders, and can be short term profitable, with good liquidity. The aim is to swap options with other traders before certain factors influence the market, or to get rid of underperforming options while still getting some profit out of them. Options arbitrage is perhaps the best place to start in options trading for a novice.

Friday, April 11, 2008

Relative Market Share Profit - Great Tool For Stock Picking

Relative market share profit indicates likely cash generation, because the higher the market share of a company, the more cash will be generated through sales. As a result of increased market share, it is usually assumed that the company will be able to increase its earnings at a faster rate than if it remained the same size.

This increased growth usually stems from being able to reduce the cost per unit or variable cost of its products. One example of how this can happen is the marginal cost or cost to produce one more unit will not have to include extra costs for say fixtures and fittings of the factory. In essence it means the more a company produces, the more profitable it should be.

One way to measure a brands relative market share is simply not by the percentage of the market it has (through revenue) but instead by comparing a companys sales relative to its largest competitor. For example if say Stockbroker A has a market share of 20 percent, and the largest competitor had the same, the ratio would be 1:1. If the largest competitor had a share of 60 percent; the ratio would be 1:3, implying that the organization's brand was in a relatively weak position.

The definition of a high or dominant market share can be hard to define. However stock pickers and investors usually recognise a brand leader if they have a market share double that of the second brand, and triple that of the third. In such a case the company would definitely be considered a market leader.

The reason for choosing relative market share, rather than just profits for smart stock investing analysis, is that it provides the investor with a more content rich measure with which to compare as opposed to just plain profit margin information. Not only can it be used to compare the stock with its competitors but also to itself over time, allowing to the true affects of any changes in strategy.

How To Stay Away From Information Overload In Trading

The problem in modern day trading is not lack of information - but rather, a complete overload of data. There are many sources that all have different strategies on how to improve your trading and meet your trading goals. Each program will have different steps to building a perfect strategy; following one plan is a great way to succeed, but trying to use them all will lead to failure. Even proven strategies are only as good as the people behind them.

Group Mentoring

Group mentoring is a great way to learn about trading with a number of people in the same situation. Group mentoring allows a group of people to learn by trading information or looking at each other's Tradestation examples and workspaces. Many group sessions offer an interactive classroom with a live trading room and virtual library full of trading education and resource materials. Many groups benefit from custom indicators that have been created by the members of the group. Information is freely shared for the benefit of everyone.

Profitable traders often meet in these sessions to talk about trading goals and how to generate profits. The virtual libraries online make for great reference material whenever you need a second opinion on an investment. The group mentoring sessions allow you to learn with peers who have a similar education as you do.

Don't Overload Yourself

Staying away from information overload is made easy when learning with a group of your peers. Knowledge is spread quickly through a small group of informed traders. It is much easier to learn from the mistakes and good fortune of others than to listen to financial advice from someone who probably isn't in your situation. A group session will allow you to feel comfortable with your trading and investing.

Information overload occurs when you try to make your strategy perfect. The holy grail of trading has not yet been found and likely will never be. There is no 100% winning system. The best profits come from strategies that also have losses. When is the last time you saw a CD yielding 30% per year?

Avoiding information overload is as simple as learning with your peers. A virtual library of trading education and resource information is available around the clock with most group mentoring programs. Learn about the markets piece by piece rather than attempting to take it on all in one weekend.

What is Day Trading?

They buy and sell several times a day, the exchange volumes very high, and therefore receive daily big discounts of the brokerage.

One day, traders focusing solely on the dynamics and trends. They are more patient and wait for a ride on the strong who can move that day. They are far fewer trades that these traders.
Many day traders sell their positions before the market closes for the trading day to avoid the risk of price differentials (the difference between the day and close to the open overnight price), to open it. One day, traders say it is a golden rule to be respected at all times. Other traders think they should let the profits run, it is acceptable to stay with a position after the market closes.

Day traders often borrow money to trade. Since margins are typically charged interest on balances overnight, the additional costs also discourage them from holding positions overnight.
Risks and benefits

Because of the nature of leverage and speed of returns are possible, day trading can be extremely profitable or highly profitable, and high-risk profile traders can generate huge percentage is huge percentage returns or losses. One day, the operators are able to earn millions each year, only by day trading.

Because of the high profits (or losses), which enables the trading day, these traders are sometimes described as "bandits" or "players" with other investors. Some people, however, make a consistent living day trading.

But day trading can be very risky, especially if it was bad discipline, risk or managing money. The common use of purchases on margin (with borrowed funds) magnifies gains and losses, such as losses or gains may occur in a very short time. In addition, brokers will usually from the higher margins for day traders. When the night margins required to hold a stock position are normally 50% of the value of the stock, many brokers allow pattern day trader accounts to use levels as low as 25% for purchases intraday. That means one day negotiating with the legal minimum $ 25000 in his account can buy a $ 100000 stock during the day, as long as half of those positions were released before the market close. Due to the high risk margin of the use and the other day business practices, a day trader will often leave for a losing position very quickly, in order to avoid a greater, unacceptable loss, or even a catastrophic loss, much larger than its initial investment, even larger than its total assets.

Even when one has made a profit, the trader has to compensate for transaction costs and interest on the margin. It is commonly said that 80-90% of day traders lose money. An analysis of the Taiwanese stock market suggests that "less than 20% of day traders profit net of transaction costs."
History

Originally, the largest American stocks were traded on the New York Stock Exchange. An operator will contact a stockbroker, which would be about relay to a specialist on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. These specialists to visit each market in only a handful of stocks. The specialist could correspond to the buyer with another broker seller; write tickets natural that, once treated, would have the effect of transferring the stock and relay the information to both brokers. The brokerage commissions were set at 1% of the transaction amount, ie for the purchase of a value of $ 10000 inventory costs to the buyer $ 100 in commissions.

One of the first steps to make day trading shares potentially profitable was the regime change of the commission. In 1975, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. (SEC) has set the commission rate illegal, giving rise to a lot of brokers offering commission rate reduced.
Financial Regulations

Financial institutions to be used much longer periods: Before the early 1990's in the London Exchange, for example, the stock could be paid for a maximum of 10 working days after it was bought, which allows traders to buy (or sell) shares at the beginning of a settlement period only to sell (or buy) by the end of the period of hope for a higher (or lower) prices. This activity is identical to the negotiation of modern times, but for the longest period of settlement. But today, in order to reduce market risk, the settlement period is generally three days. Reducing the settlement period of default reduces the likelihood, but it was not possible before the advent of the electronic transfer of ownership.

The next important step in the facilitation of the day was the founder in 1971 of the NASDAQ - a virtual exchange on which the orders were transmitted electronically. Switching from paper and wrote share certificates to the registers dematerialized shares, negotiation and computerized registration not only requires amendments to the legislation, but also the development of technology necessary: online, real-time systems, rather than in batches; electronic communications rather than the postal service, telex or physical shipment of computer tapes, and the development of secure cryptographic algorithms.

This marked the advent of "market makers": the Nasdaq NYSE equivalent of a specialist. A market maker is an inventory of stocks to buy and sell, and at the same time offers to buy and sell the same title. Obviously, it will offer to sell shares at a higher price than the price at which it offers to buy. This difference is known as the "spread". It is of no importance for the market-maker if the price of a stock goes up or down, because it has sufficient capital stock and always buy cheaper than it sells. Today, there are nearly 500 companies participating as market makers on the RET, each one giving a market generally four to forty different stocks. Without any legal obligation, the market makers are free to offer small deviations ECN'sthan on the NASDAQ. A small investor might have to pay $ 0.25 spread (for example, it might have to pay $ 10.50 to buy a share of stock, but could not get $ 10.25 for sale), while the institution would only pay a spread 0.05 $ (10.40 $ buying and selling at $ 10.35).

Day trading is undoubtedly very lucrative for traders willing to put the time and effort to leanring how it really works. It is not passive income. This is a career. But a very lucrative if done correctly.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Forex Pivot Points - Understanding Where to Start

Forex pivot points are a valuable tool which needs to be used with any time of forex trading. If you are new to forex trading and are just starting out, you must understand that this is a risky but highly profitable business. When you are starting out in forex trading you must understand that a lot of work goes into being very profitable in this business. The great thing is though; you do not need much capital investment when starting out. $300.00 or less can get you a long way in this investing wheel.
Before you jump into forex trading you must understand the basics and without a doubt you must understand that this is way different than trading stock. You must study the global and local markets as a whole and any trends will affect any of these markets. Forex trading is a highly liquefiable market in which you can exchange currency 24 hours a day.

Without the proper training in the forex industry you must be prepared to fail. You need to devote a lot of time to learning the forex system in its entirety. The worst thing you could do is jump right into forex trading not knowing a thing, and risk losing thousands and thousands of dollars. You can go into online forex situations which present you with real life trading events and you can make real life decisions, but all it will cost you is play money. You can see how much you would have gained or lost depending on the market. This is a great training mechanism and will gain great experience in order for you to truly understand forex trading.

I recommend you use a forex platform trading mechanism that will net you great money and great results. Even some predict forex software can help you score millions. There is some high tech software out there that can even teach your what the currency exchange iraq can be. It doesn't matter what currency you are actually trading for, as long as it is profitable. Knowing when to invest and how to invest your foreign currency will be your one way ticket to success. The forex market is a wide open, highly profitable market. Check out the free forex forum and chat room next time you are snooping around on the internet for as much free forex information as you can. You can even go to a forex seminar to increase your chances and raise your profitability of making money for as low as 100 bucks.

The greatest way to learn forex trading is through forex ebooks offered through many established sellers. Learning as much on hands information with a guide to follow will be your best way to earn lots and lots of income. There is tons and tons of forex software out there, you just need to be careful what you buy. I highly recommend you stay away from such software and focus yourself more towards hands on learning and forex ebooks. As always, I wish you the best of luck in your trading!

Commodity Trading - The Next Profit Center?

With the rapid sinking of the US dollar relative to other foreign currencies, investors who can read trends and are students of history are looking for ways to make their capital grow. Housing and esoteric debt products have burst the way the stock market bubble burst in 2000, and the normal business cycle may have turned into a cycle of repeating bubbles, with strong inflationary trends.

As always, the process of investing is one of making carefully researched bets on things - selling assets when they've appreciated in value and buying those you think will rise in time. With the declining dollar, and risks of a recession, coupled with the Fed cutting the prime rate to banks as part of a staged bail out of the mortgage crisis mess, the trend lines make commodity trading appealing.

Commodity trading is simply buying commodities (such as gold, or silver or platinum) as a tangible asset. When inflationary pressures are strong (and interest rates are low), these can give a better return on investments. For example, in 2003, oil futures were trading at $25 per barrel; now they're trading at roughly $95 to $100 per barrel.

When you buy commodities, you are generally buying a piece of paper saying you own something and have the right to re-sell it, rather than taking physical delivery of goods. This can cause commodities markets to be quite volatile and subject to events in the world - for example, oil went up when the US invaded Iraq; it went up again when terrorists were caught in the Saudi oil terminals...and right now, while oil is priced very high, there's also lax capacity at the refineries in the US, which is a strong indicator that oil's current position is a speculative surge.

Other commodities to look into for trading are precious metals; when inflation hits (and we're in the process, with the Fed cutting rates, of starting an inflationary spike), precious metals tend to be one of the major categories of investment that's gains outstrip the rate of inflation. However, like oil, there is a severe risk of a speculative bubble, as happened in the early 1980s with the Bass brothers and the silver market.

Lastly, the environmental crises being touted in the media and the demand for "green" biofuels are causing a huge surge in the price of corn, where the subsidies for planting corn for making ethanol for E85 gasoline outstrip the price of growing corn for crops by a factor of four. While this is going to cause rises in prices for food (a major drive of inflation), it also means that commodity trading in corn, soybeans and other agricultural crops is a viable investment.

The general advice in commodities trading is that when your asset reaches the price point you want to sell at, sell at least half to realize your gains, and sell off the other lots over the next two weeks in chunks of 5 to 10%. Like a high stakes poker game, commodity trading rewards those who know when to leave the table rather than be held to the siren lure of the ever growing pot.

Day Trading Basics - The 4 Kinds Of Forex Trading Systems!

Although the currency exchange market is not really what we can call as a newbie-friendly business, a lot of people want to learn forex day trading basics so that they can see for themselves if this earning opportunity if the right one for them.

And the first lesson in forex day trading basics lies in knowing the different kinds of trading systems in this industry.

Day Trading Basics Lesson 1: Currency Spot Trading

Currency spot trading means exactly what its name implies: trading currencies on the spot. This occurs when one investor agrees with another investor to trade currencies during the course of trading hours. These investors should be able to complete their trade within 48 hours, given the volatile nature of currency exchange rates.

The only exception to this rule is when Canadian dollar is involved, in which case, the trade must be completed within a day's time.

Day Trading Basics Lesson 2: Forward Currency Trading

Forward currency trading is the perfect setup for investors who want to take the speculative game a little further, by investing on currencies now and reaping its benefits later on.]

For the purpose of studying day trading basics, please take note that currencies traded in this kind of system depend on the value of the currencies at the time they change hands. If they will depend on the value of the currency at the time the deal was made, then it won't be a forward trading setup, rather, it will fall under the system we will be discussing next.

Day Trading Basics Lesson 3: Future Currency Trading

Future currency trading is somewhat similar to forward currency trading. The only difference? Whereas in forward currency trading, the parties have to exchange currencies based on their values at the time the trade is consummated, in future currency trading, the trade will depend on the value of the currencies at the time the agreement is made.

Day Trading Basics Lesson 4: Options Currency Trading

In options currency trading, the buyer buys the "option" to trade a particular currency for a particular price at a particular period he will name. The seller will be obliged to deliver the particular currency in accordance with the terms provided by the buyer.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Amazing Results with Technical Analysis and Option Trading

The understanding of how to trade options effectively does not typically include the subject of technical analysis. Information like this could be an important addition for the options trader since different market conditions warrant different spreads. In this essay, I will wade through the reasons why a trader would prefer to incorporate this genre of support into their option trading.

More advanced options traders can use the options pricing model to focus on certain elements of risk. But, the market's direction sometimes plays a role in the risk associated to trading certain option spreads. If the trader employs and options spread that uses call options, a bullish move would cause a delta of the call to increase. So, if a trader understands technical analysis he can select the spreads of a perform best under certain market conditions.

There are some advantages that are usually derived by looking for chart patterns when doing the type of technical analysis that the trader needs to perform when trading options. The head and shoulders, wedge and flag patterns typically fall under this heading. Patterns like the Gartley 222 and Elliott Wave can also fall under this heading. This can surely offer an advantage to those involved in option trading. These patterns are helpful because they assist the trader in determining the current mode of the market.

Once a trader understands the current mode or direction of a market they can choose the strategy that will perform best under those conditions. So, a chart that is showing a bullish bias would be better suited for a bull call or bear put spread. However, directionally based debit spreads can lose money if the market does not move much due to the time decay of the options used.

Looking at a price chart in this way can prove very helpful to traders because it helps them to see the area of support and resistance. From among the many option spread candidates that a trader may consider, he can include in his analysis to break even this of the spreads and how they correspond to the areas of support and resistance on the securities price chart.

When learning how to trade options effectively, traders may wish to also understand how they can effectively combine their new knowledge with technical analysis. While this may add a level of complexity to the many topics that traders already consider for their trading, they may find that it helps them in understanding why some trades are more successful than others. Once the trader has acquired this understanding about his results, he can better position himself to trade with more consistency. Finally, the trader has an additional holistic appraisal which enables him to associate option methods with technical aid for his option trading.

Forex Assassin - Is This System A Scam? Find In This Review

Forex Assassin system just came out few days back and experts are already talking about it. I am sure you must have heard of this system already. Also, you must have heard of a formula that this system contains that helps identify the trade. Many of you might be thinking - Is Forex Assassin really that good as what experts are saying?

Lets look at the this system -

What kind of System is Forex Assassin?

Each forex trading system consists of a trading strategy of a particular category. The primary categories of Trading strategies are -

1. Fundamental analysis based - These kind of systems focus on making pips using fundamental news such as NFP (Non Farm payroll) etc.

2. Technical Analysis based - Most of the systems fall in this category where the trades are made using the technical indicators. There are tons of technical indicators such as Fibonacci, EMAs, candles, MACD etc.

3. Price Driven - Forex Assassin system falls in this category. These systems are based on the theory that particular kind of price movement influence the market to move in a particular way.

What is the Forex Assassin Formula?

This system primarily is based on a formula. This formula recommends the entry and exit points for the next trades to be made based on current price information of the currency pair. Since the formula makes the calculations, this frees up the time of the traders since they don't have to continously watch the charts. Due to this, the identification of the trades is matter of just minutes because of this formula.

Is Forex Assassin costly?

Typically, from my observation I have found that all the forex trading systems come for a standard price of $97. So does this system. I guess, $97 has become more of a market standard. There are few systems that come for even 1000s of Dollars, but they are DVD based courses. Considering this point, this system is more in line with Market price. Just to mention here, my suggestions is that when you think about buying a system, pay $97 only to the systems you know that have good reviews.

Should you buy Forex assassin?

Here is the thing. Before buying any system, find out what is its review ( Find here Forex Assassin review and experiences).

However, the first important thing is that you should buy a system only when you are planning to use it. I have known people who just buy a trading strategy, but they hardly open it and use it. If you are planning on doing the same, Don't buy any system to throw away your money!

So, here was my review. In all, the system looks to be fine so far. I really like the part where it saves a lot of time because of the formula it contains. Use the information mentioned here to make decision about Forex Assassin.

Five Simple Steps That Will Get You Started Trading Online Forex

Before you start the business of online currency trading or forex trading it is important that you have three basic things needed to trade and profit from online forex. These three things are your mental Box which is your brain and this can be provided by you. However, there is need for continuous and constant training to develop your mental box. The other two things needed to trade forex are computer preferably Laptop and table and chair, what a very easy business you will say.

Having got all these three things needed, the next thing you have to do is to open an account with a broker. To open an account with a broker, you need to follow five basic steps. The first step is carrying out what we call due diligent and intelligent search of reliable brokers. There is need for you to carry out this search on the forex brokers so as to get reliable ones as there are many scammers out there calling themselves authentic forex brokers.

The next step after you have selected the broker is to open an account with the broker. It is advisable you open a demo account; this is the same thing as practice account to test your strategy and develop the rquired skills before you finally open a live account. Before you decide to open a real account you must also consider the account type whether it is a mini account or a standard account. If you are still young trading forex you will be classify as being amateur and you are advised to open mini or micro account. The moment you notice improvement in your trading system you are advised to open the standard account and begin to trade like pros.

The third step which relates to the second step is registration. Proper registration should be done with the right broker. Get your Username and register your password which will prevent outsiders from tampering with your business, I mean your forex trading platform.

The fourth step has to do with the funding of your account which actually activate your account with the chosen brokers. Figure out how to fund your account from your broker as there are various ways of funding the account accepted by individual forex brokers. You must know that some forex brokers accept credit and debit card. Some equally accept e-gold and other types of e-currencies. Apart from these two means of payment, some brokers also accept bank transfer. This means if you don't have bank account you will need to open domiciliary account with your bank if your broker doesn't leave in your country. What is essential here is that you should visit your broker's website and make a thorough tour of their site to alert yourself of the rules and regulations as well as the guidelines of the brokers.

The last step that will get your investment running is to start trading for real by following the strategy you have developed while demo- trading. I mean while you were doing practice with the trader platform. It is important at this junction that I advise you on the essentiality of putting stop loss to your trading. This will save you when the market trend suddenly turns against you.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Pivot Points Anticipate Forex Market Breakouts

Wouldn't it be great to be psychic? Wouldn't it be great if when you sat down to make your Forex trade you could somehow know ahead of time when and where the market was going to breakout, and ride that baby to maximum profits?

It's one thing to look back on a month of charts and point out where all the pivot points occurred, and see where the best pivot reversal points were, but it's an entirely different thing to be able to see and anticipate the pivot reversals as they are happening, and to make profit from them.

A pivot point, when it is part of a pivot reversal, is basically the turning point where a currency pair hits the highest point of a high trend, or the lowest point of a low trend, before retracing back the direction it came. Basically, the "new high" or "new low" will help show you how far the market is willing to go in either direction before it reverses course back into itself. This is critical!

The reason these pivot highs and pivot lows are so important is that the area between the pivot high and low bars is where you will notice most of the price action, but there are certain breakout days when the market will shoot past the current range, and these days are the pivot reversal breakout days. These are denoted by large movements in the market that are fueled by strong momentum. Remember: large movements + strong momentum = HUGE PROFITS!

Pivot points can lead to pivot reversal breakouts, and these opportunities are too good to ignore. Now you have knowledge, but knowledge is power (or in this case, profits) only when you know how to use it right! When a pivot reversal happens, you want to see whether the market breaks a new higher high or a lower low. Once you have this information, here's the basic rule for how to act on it:

1. If the market goes higher than a pivot high, you want to BUY!

2. If the market drops lower than a pivot low, you want to SELL SHORT!

It usually takes a day for the breakout to occur. Sometimes the breakout won't materialize. That's fine. If that's the case, close out your positions and wait for the next pivot reversal. Have patience, and you will bag that big profit day.

Make sure that these trades are performed with a one day time table in mind. Once the breakout occurs, close your position at the end of the trading day to protect your gains. Follow this advice, and you will be a very happy and wealthy Forex trader.

What Are the Day Trading Indicators You Should Look for?

Trading on the stock market requires that you have some kind of strategy so that your losses do not exceed your wins. Without having some indicators to go on, you can almost be sure that you will not make the profit you want because you will be continuously picking the wrong stocks. Here are some tips about selecting the indicators you want to use.

Choosing Your Own Indicators

Reliable indicators, or what you think are reliable indicators, can only be selected carefully if you have a real familiarity with the stock market and how it works. This makes it very important to read and study as much as you can about it. Once you know the techniques that others choose to use, you can add or eliminate them one at a time from your own list of day trading indicators.

Find A System That Works

Some one may ask, Why would this point be in an article that is supposed to be telling you about what to look for? The answer to that question needs to be answered by you.

Everyone has slightly different ideas of what they are looking for in the way of information needed to make a wise stock trading decision. This means that any ideas that you actually receive in the way of good indicators are only valid if they help you to make better trades. Your particular system may call for different tools and indicators than someone else's system.

The next time someone tells you about indicators that he or she watches, be sure to ask the follow up question, Are you making money from your system? Remember that a couple of wins do not indicate a reliable indicator.

Develop Your Strategy with Testing

Your chosen indicators for the stock market need to be watched and understood. This should give you a plan of buying or selling when the stock you are watching makes an increase or decrease within a certain time frame. Learn not to go on instinct, however, because this will often mislead you. This will help you to eliminate making any decisions based on emotions alone. Set limits on how much the stock is to move in any direction from a set point before you decide to buy or sell. Then, watch your stock and its actions.

Another way that you can trade stock, which is much simpler, would be to choose to let your stock build over the long haul. This means that after you have picked it, that you just let it take the rise and fall of the stock market. Let the averages bring profit to your stock. Of course, if the stock takes a serious dip in value, that would be a good time to trade it before you lose all of your investment.

A lot of market wisdom is out there, along with valuable trading principles from those who are well-known successful day traders. Part of the reason that they are well known is because at least some of their advice has paid off.

Research Before You Invest

Valid stock market indicators need to be chosen by you because it is your investment that is at stake. You should take the time to follow track records of stock and even get financial information about a company before you invest. Check the news, too, about that company, which can easily be found on the Internet.

Monday, April 7, 2008

Day Trading Stocks - Gain Maximum Profits In Less Time Period

Do you want future financial security - if your answer is yes, then have you thought of any investment plan? Investment is important, but it is more important to know how and where you want to invest your hard earned money. Don't worry - day trading is the answer to all such questions. It is a method of trading stocks within the same day. Many people get confused with this word, but it is a very simple term. However, in such type of trading, one needs to be more experienced. Besides, it's a fast method of trading and one can gain maximum profits in a very short time period.

However, in day trading, you can start investing with small funds initially and as you gain profits - add more funds and gain more. Since, this trading system comes attached with more profits, many investors are showing their interests and are investing also. There are several benefits associated with such type of trading, which are mentioned as follows:

More secured: Since, stock trading is done on the same day, share prices are not affected much unlike regular trading. Therefore, traders get a golden chance of gaining maximum profits. That's the reason why, professional and experienced investors choose this type of trading option and enjoy the benefits.

Maximum returns: The most obvious advantage of day trading is that you can easily cope up with the sudden share market fluctuations. And, as trading is done on the same day; you get a chance to gain more profits from your trading operation.

Beside all these advantages Internet based stock trading today has given a new meaning to the world of investing. Forget the old and traditional brokerage house - today anyone can trade from any corner of the world. What you need actually is an online account. So, the very next question arises - where will you open an online account? The method is quite easy - all you need to do is to search a good online trading company and open an account online. When your account gets activated, you can start trading online.

In addition to your online presence, your online broker also plays a crucial role in trading. He is the person who actually does all kinds of transactions. So, it is also important to hire an experienced broker for intelligent trading. Since, all these and related services are offered by stock trading companies , they charge a very minimal amount of commission. So, choose the company where you get maximum services and pay minimum commission rate.

Market knowledge is must for successful trading. Due to lack of knowledge, many investors fail to reap the benefits from their investment plan. On the other hand, those who understand the market moods always enjoy the benefits. Therefore, the first and most important step in any kind of investment plan is to educate the investors. There are open resources available on the Internet. And you can also access a wealth of information from the Website where you have opened an online account. You can read the latest articles, blogs and reviews related to trading. This will definitely help you learn the marketing strategy for successful trading. In addition, you also need to act intelligently in order to buy and sell stocks online. Your intelligent investment plan will determine your success. So, if you have any doubt about the plan, consult with online financial experts and then implement your plan in a better way.

There are several investment options available in the market. But, all such options come attached with some sort of limitations such as lock-in period and fixed interest rates. However, trading online is free from all such restrictions. Moreover, you can also manage your funds from home - all you need is a PC and an Internet connection. So, hurry now - invest today and enjoy investing forever.

Making Money Online with The Forex AutoPilot System

Stop! This is what you have been looking for! Read this article because it contains essential information on one of the most powerful and easy to duplicate online money generating methods available today!

The Forex AutoPilot System is the method and the opportunity that I am referring to.

What is it?

"The Forex AutoPilot System is a fully-automated, yet powerfully-effective piece of software that will help making killer trades in the Forex market (easier)."

What does it do?

The system does all the trading for you if you want it to. Just set it and forget it, or watch it work, the choice is yours.

How does it work?

I'm not a software programmer but I can tell you that "It is a complete method, with setup conditions, entry rules, initial stop rules, and exit strategy rules, leaving no decision to chance. It includes specific risk management, money management, and portfolio management guidelines. It takes less than 20 minutes a day to apply."

What can you expect?

You can expect support and no monthly fees like other Forex Programs. Also, The system will come along with a guide which instructs you step-by-step how to setup the system and use the system to trade. It will take you about 15 minutes to read the guide and 5 minutes or so to complete the setup and run the system. All the steps involve no cost. But please read the guide carefully to understand what needs to be done. You also will get a PDF guide that outlines the following:

* The basics of Trading the Forex Market.

* Where to get a free copy of MetaTrader, and how to install it.

* Where to find a MetaTrader broker, and how to open a free demo / live account.

* Manually Trading MetaTrader, using the order window.

* Expert Advisors explained.

* The key features of Forex Autopilot System.

* How to install Forex Autopilot System

* How to trade with Forex Autopilot System

* What you will see on the screen.

What are you waiting for?

I hope you aren't waiting for a lead because I just gave it to you in this article, act on it today!

In summary, The Forex AutoPilot System is one of the most powerful and easy to duplicate online money generating methods available today.!

Still not sure?

I Suggest that you read the following free review to get more information on the subject.

http://forexautopilotsystemreview.blogspot.com/

Success Is Measured By What You Overcome!

Penny Stocks Profits - Money Management

Penny stocks, and day trading in general, are attractive because profits can be realized in a short amount of time. Unfortunately, that short-term profit often puts traders into a short-term mindset. And when it comes to money management and goal setting, short term thinking can be devastating.

The very reason for day trading is to make a greater profit than might be possible in any other investment vehicle. And it certainly can be if done correctly. But if the mindset is only for the short-term goal of getting rich quick, then you can be guaranteed, disaster looms ahead.

To truly cash in on penny stocks profits, one must have a longer term outlook. Now, I'm not talking about the time period of a trade. I'm talking about the overall plan and expectations. Not trade-by-trade. Not even week-by-week. But how about developing a life-time system? (Sort of like a developing a life-time mindset of eating healthy as opposed to crash diets.)

Two Aspects of Trading

Let's examine two aspects of trading. The first is when to get in and when to get out of the market. When to pull the trigger, where to set the trailing stops, when to make the exits. To help you in these decisions, there are trading systems, software, newsletters, hot lines, trading reports, and the list goes on. These are all tremendous helps. (See below for some of the better ones available.)

But the second aspect often goes begging - and it is a decision made every time a trade is executed. That decision is: how much of your capital are you going to risk on one trade? This decision often has more to do with your success than knowledge of the market itself.

Your decision of how much you are willing to risk must be made way ahead of the moment you pull the trigger to make your trade.

A Simple Example.

One trader followed the advice of a trading service (perhaps much like Marl, the Stock Trading Robot). For a year this trader made trades according to the advice given. At the end of the year his account reached $27,000. The next year, he pulled in $15,000. He now was in profits for $42,000. Pretty good, right?

Trader number two used the same service. Contrary to trader number one, this trader applied conservative money management principles. His first year netted him $63,000. (If you're slow with math, that is a 233% increase over trader number one.) The second year, he continued in his conservative pattern and brought in $113,000. His total profits added up to $176,000. A whopping 419% more than trader number one.

The third year showed a downturn in the trading service and there was a loss of $15,000. Trader number one wound up with a profit of $27,000 for the three years. Trader number two, however, stood at $102,000 in total profits. Hence trader number one wound up giving back all his profits.

The question is, which trader would you rather be?

What Can Money Management Do For You?

  1. Keep you from being wiped out.

  2. Allow you to approach system trading with a plan and the ability to continue trading even if the system fails miserably.

  3. Increase your profits five- to tenfold (500 percent to 1,000 percent) without increasing your overall risk of the account. (It may even decrease the overall percent at risk in the account.)

  4. Protect your profits should the system fail you.

There are three vital questions that every trader must ask regarding money management:

  1. What is the goal of your account?

  2. What is the total risk you are willing to take to achieve that goal?

  3. What are the available resources to achieve your goal without violating your risk tolerance levels?

With every penny stock day trader the answers will be different. What is right for you might not be right for your trading buddy.

Understanding money management will allow you apply the principles to your trading to accomplish your goals - without violating your risk tolerance levels.

Three Simple Tips in Money Management:

  1. Limit Order: Know how to place a limit order when buying stock. No surprises. You buy only at the exact price you specify, usually somewhere between the bid and ask price on your screen.

  2. Stop-loss market order: Immediately after you buy, place your stop-loss market sell order with your online broker. This 30-second act of typing in symbol, price, shares, and the time period during which you want this order in place will automatically sell your stock later, at the price you have predetermined should the market take a surprise nosedive.

  3. Sell order: Decide on the price at which you'd like to sell. Don't get greedy. (Greed and fear are the twin killers in trading. Keep greed glands in check at all times.) Keep that number written down on a piece of paper and keep it close at hand. If the stock zooms up further, you can always buy back in for $8 or $10 or $30 commissions. That better than losing your entire investment.

Online day trading is a tremendous opportunity to grow your cash reserves. But please educate yourself along the way. Just as a person can self-educate in the areas of finance and the Internet, you can learn how to safely profit by day trading penny stocks.

In the area of money management ask yourself:

  1. Are you strong enough to create a plan of action and stick with it?

  2. Are you strong enough to walk away when winning? (Hint: Emotions are dangerous to your trading health.)

We've all read the statistics that approximately 70% of all traders lose money. Isn't it ironic that in the trading industry, more than 70% of all traders ignore money management. Hmmm. Could it be coincidence?

Only you can determine if this venture is for you. And if it is, be wise enough to include prudent money management into your trading system.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Forex Autopilot System - Why Do We Have To Use Forex Autopilot

Have you ever heard of Forex Autopilot? There are lots of attempt to create a software or system that will help trader to minimize risk and maximize their profits. All of this system has been promising a lot to the new and expert trader alike. The truth of the matter is quite simple however, if you want a solution , all you need is a system that can identify and predict trends accurately and act upon them with precise timing. This is the core of successful currency trading and it is based on what is known as the Fibonacci formula. With the onset of the computer age and sophisticated trading software, novice traders can drastically shorten the time it takes to profit from FOREX trading. One great way to do this is by using a forex autopilot system or forex robot. It is a completely automated currency trading system which identifies trends in the market and make trades for you automatically. The better FOREX trading robots will be able to maximize profits for you by picking entry/exit points based on sophisticated algorithms. Some come complete with money management tools that will compound your account automatically for you while minimizing risk.

If you plan to invest your money through FOREX autopilot system, you need to do some searching. Some automated system charges you around $65 per month to use their program. Other than that, a minimum investment is required to participate in forex trading robot. However, forex trading system can reduce risk and improve over all system performance. Before you try on anything or decide to purchase a forex autopilot system you should consider the following:

1. You have to be sure that there is a free trial. Most of the forex autopilot system are offering free 8 weeks trial for you to see if the forex robot you purchased really work.

2. See if you can start with their demo account. This is really good specially if you are just new in the forex trading arena. Having a demo account allow you to trade even without investing any money. In this way you will see the performance of the system without risking any of your hard earned money.

3. Be sure that they are offering training, a video and helpful information on forex trading. Most of the trader failed because they don't even know what they are doing. To be able to ensure profits, you must first start educating yourself. In this way you will know the pros and con of your action.

4. Make sure that the system that you have works in any trading platform. Trading platform is very important in forex market. It has a big contribution to the failure of a trader, the same thing with the forex signal.

5. Take note if the system has their own money back guarantee!

Maybe, you can have a better understanding of forex autopilot now. I hope that you can be successful in the near future. Deciding to choose from the different robot system is very difficult but if you will going to use the simple step I was mentioned above, I know you will find the system that fits your trading needs.

How To Enjoy Your Trading Success

Trading discipline is a fast track to trading success. Disciplined, working strategies will statistically win in the long run. But how should you celebrate your trading success and make the most of your wins?

Day Trading Mentality

Day traders who make a quick profit are the first to celebrate trading success. The small intraday movements in price are enough to keep day traders happy with their positions. The most important thing to remember is even with a comprehensive trading plan, losses are inevitable. Statistically, a win only brings more losses, but the biggest trading secret is that a few wins can easily strike out many small losses.

For day trading with a small account, trading success should send the trader to increase his or her stake. Your trading capital must grow over time to cover your own cost of living, as well as provide a "pay raise" over time. To obtain financial freedom, a day trader must have sufficient capital to both weather losses and collect big gains.

The Biggest Fallacy in Celebration

After a big win, the greatest fallacy a trader enacts is changing his or her trading structure. Too many times, an over-confident day trader makes trades based on "gut" feelings, rather than basic trading fundamentals. However, in this scenario, the trader eliminates strategy, instead entering the gray zone characteristic of gambling. Remember, the difference between gambling and day trading is proper money management. Proven techniques and strategies are profitable in the long run because they have set criteria for each trade, rather than just a stab in the dark based upon "gut" feelings.

The Greatest Gift of Success is Education

Learn from your successes. Indeed, the greatest gift of trading success is the education it presents you. Chances are that you placed the trade because of your own trading system and analysis; review the details surrounding your trade (ideally in the trade journal you keep) to develop a core of strategies that will produce winning trades.

Give Yourself a Brokerage "Present"

Boost your own trading profits by topping your account. Day trading with a small account is very limiting. After a big win, add some of your own personal funds to your account to keep your success. Undercapitalized accounts are the first to falter when the market turns. Investing in yourself can be the difference between profitability or simply getting by.

For large wins, you might even consider quitting your day job. Many people have found financial freedom through day trading. If the time is right and you have bankrolled a significant balance, making day trading or swing trading a career can be both profitable and rewarding. Quitting the 9-5 is the ultimate way to celebrate long-term trading success.

5 Tips For Dealing With The Trading Blues

Can't seem to pick a winner? Tired of the sideways market? The trading blues are quick to set in and ruin your future trades. Depending on the trading style, you may be more or less prone to the trading blues. Day trading and scalping are very quick, nerve-wracking professions and can be easily impacted by a series of losses.

However, there are five ways in which you can improve your trading environment, allowing you to overcome your trading blues.

1. Skill-Building Activities - Taking a look back to the basics of your trading plan blueprints can help you overcome the trading blues. Skill-building activities, such as drawing trendlines on short-term movements or analyzing candlestick patterns, can help you feel comfortable again with your own trading style. Go back through the step-by-step instructions of your trading plan and fine tune any possible variables in your trading plan - these activities will all help you avoid losses.

2. Trading Seminars - Listen to what others have to say about the markets, find what will work best for you, and incorporate the trading philosophy into a trading plan planner. Trading seminars allow a different perspective on the same market, letting you see the market from someone else's perspective.

3. Take Some Time Off - Take some time off from the computer and rest your mind. Day trading is very tiresome, both mentally and physically. A brief escape from the constant flux of the markets will give you some time to relax and rewind. Consistent profits are best achieved after a restful break from the drama of the market.

4. Establish an Emergency Fund - Even professional traders have their bad streaks. The key is to ride out each bad period for times of prosperity. Establishing an emergency fund for day to day expenses can take the worry out of living off your trading capital. The stress of knowing you have to deliver results to make money can be devastating to your trading accounts.

5. Have a Complete Trading Plan - A complete trading plan should take into account the worst of times. You should be prepared for anything, including steps for trading in bear markets and what to do in case of a large draw down. A complete trading plan should also include ways to re-up your brokerage account after large losses. A trading plan planner will help set up a plan for even the worst scenarios. Anything short of nuclear war should be included in a complete trading plan.