Today I would like to talk with you about a few very important rules of investing in the Forex market.  If you follow these rules, you will most surely come out on the winning side in the long run.

Rule number 1 is never risk more money than you can afford to lose.  No trader is perfect, you are going to have losing trades.  There is no system you can learn that wins all the  time. So expect to lose some money.

Rule number 2 is to cut your loses short and let your winners compound to greater gains.  The secret to not losing your shirt is to use stop loss orders consistently and not let your emotions rule your trading.  It’s better to lose a little and get out of a trade than to hope that things will turn around and suffer a devastating loss.  If you are using the proper techniques and strategies on how to trade, you can usually tell right away if your trade is going in the right direction.  If it’s not, get out of the trade.  There are always more opportunities to get into the market and try again.  So be a smart trader, not an emotional one.

Rule number 3 and probably the most important rule in trading Forex  is to always use stop loss orders.  Before you even consider starting any trade, you should have a good idea in your mind of the point at which you think a trade might be going in the wrong direction and set your stop loss order there, along with your entry order.  This way you automatically prevent a potential loss from going too far.  Stop loss orders are free.  They don’t cost you anything and they may save more than your piece of mind.

Rule number 4 is to know what your exit point will be before you get into a trade. There are many good reasons for this.  It’s easy to get sidetracked when you are doing live trading and get caught up in all the excitement. Chances of making bad decisions go up dramatically if you do not have a predetermined exit point.

Rule number 5 is to know when to quit.  Don’t become a gambler with your money.  If you start having a streak of bad luck, get out of live trading and go practice with a demo account until you gain back your confidence.

If you want to make big profits from currency trading, you need to lock into and follow the longer-term trends.

“The art of contrary” thinking is one of the most powerful tools a trader can use, and is a trait with which all true great traders are familiar with.

What is the Art of Contrary Thinking?

Humphrey Neill’s book, “the art of contrary thinking,” the best known work on the subject, is based on a simple powerful idea that:

“When everybody thinks alike, everybody is likely to be wrong”

“The art of contrary” thinking consists in training your mind to ruminate in directions opposite to general public opinions; but basing your opinion in the light of current events and human behavior”.

Why Contrary Trading Works

By spotting situations when the consensus of a currency is either extremely bullish or bearish, means that a trend change is imminent, as it is likely the emotions of greed and fear have pushed prices too far away from true value.

If you can step aside from the crowd and take a contrary view at these turning points, you can make big currency trading profits. Contrary thinking can be used in any market and is highly effective in currencies.

Contrary thinking can be used to make really big currency trading profits and if used selectively, when markets are extremely over bought or oversold, you can be in right at the start of the trend for maximum profitability.

In any currency you look at – The Yen, Euro, British Pound Swiss Franc Canadian or Australian dollar and many others, there are always occasions where a currency trend in the news is forecast to continue, due to overwhelming evidence in its favor and it then promptly collapses!

Big profits from currency trading can therefore be made by using the art of contrary thinking when the market is extremely bullish or bearish.

Why? Because everyone who has bought has taken positions and there are no buyers left. Prices have moved away from fair value. When there is no more buying to enter the market, a trend change is imminent.

It is clear that to succeed and make big profits in currency trading you need to think independently of the majority at important market turning points.

You can make big profits in currency trading from trend following, but you can with a little practice spot potential turning points in currencies as well which will help you bank profits, tighten stops or open new trades right on the turn, for maximum profitability.

Contrary trading will not only make you big profits in currency trading but in ANY market and has worked for centuries, as human nature never changes.

Below you will find the six common beliefs followed by the bulk of traders – and if you believe these myths as well, then they will restrict your chances of making significant currency trading profits.

Ninety percent of currency traders believe at least one or more of these myths – which explains why ninety percent of traders don’t make much profit by trading currencies!

1. You should always be in the Market in Case you Miss a Move

Traders love excitement, and their view is, if they are in the market they may catch the big move. Well they may – but chances are they won’t.

The big trends only come a few times a year in each currency – and you should stay out the market until they come, otherwise you will take losses, and run up commissions that will deplete your account.

Wait for the big trades – patience is a virtue in trading.

2. Diversification Reduces Risk, and Increases Profit Potential

Diversification simply dilutes your profits.

You hit a big move, and your other trades that lose, or give you only marginal profits, eat up all your currency-trading profits.

You need to have confidence to go for the big moves, when they occur, and load up these trades.

Currency trading is about calculated risks – if the trade looks good, hit it hard for big profits.

3. Day Trading is Better than Long Term Trend Following, as it’s Less Risky.

Many brokers spread this myth – and why not? – They make more commission if you believe it!

You will end up having more losses than profits in your trading. You will never make enough money in a day to cover your inevitable losses. When you add in commission and slippage, it’s inevitable that you will lose.

You need to hold longer-term trends, as these yield the big profits to cover your smaller losses.

4. Timing the Market is the Correct Way to Make Profits

Timing the market means you are trying to PREDICT where prices are going to top and bottom – this is not a good way to trade and the odds are against you.

A better way to trade is to wait for the market to CONFIRM a trend is under way, and jump on board. You may not buy the bottom or sell the high, but you can catch the major chunk in between – and with currency trends lasting for many months or years, you can still get plenty of profits from the trend.

5. Markets are the Same Today as they Were Hundreds of Years Ago

Rubbish! Trends now are much more volatile than they were even 50 years ago. Why? Today, with the Internet, price information reaches every corner of the globe in a split second. This increases volatility as everyone has the same information at once – and everyone tries to enter the market at the same time.

This was not the case even 50 years ago – the trends are still there, but volatility is much higher – traders get the direction of the trend right, but they find themselves stopped out by the volatility. How often has this happened to you? – It happens to all traders. Look at using options to give you staying power.

6. You can use a Black Box System to Make Money

You can buy a system from a vendor for a few thousand dollars – and it can make 50 to 100% profit per annum.

These systems normally have a hypothetical track record – and use price information where the results are already known, and of course, the logic of the system remains hidden from you – as it’s unlikely to have a sound basis.

Have you ever wondered why these vendors sell systems, when they could simply get a bank loan and trade their own systems?

Enough said on this one!

How about some Positive Advice?

If you want to make big currency trading profits, you need to do it for yourself.

Get a plan you have confidence in, and execute the plan with discipline – and have the courage to trade for large gains when they occur.

Good luck!

If you are new to Forex, no doubt you are confused by all of the strange and unfamiliar terminology. For example, what is a pip? Also, you are probably already aware that Forex trading can be risky. How can you limit your loss and best protect your funds? This article briefly covers how currency lots are traded to help you better understand how to plan your trading strategy and manage your funds.

In Foreign Currency Exchange (FOREX), earnings are expressed in “pips”. Pip is short for Price Interest Point, also called points. Whereas the smallest denomination in USD is the penny ($.01), in Currency Exchange, funds can be traded in an even smaller denomination, $0.0001. This means that very small movements in currency prices can create large profits.

So, a PIP is the smallest unit a currency can be traded in. The actual value of a pip is not a set price. If you are trading with a standard account, a pip is worth $10. If you are trading a mini account, a pip is only worth $1.

The value of a pip changes based upon the size of your account, because the size of your account affects how much currency you can leverage. A standard full size trading account is 100,000 units of the base currency. If you are trading in USD, a standard account has a value of $100,000 USD.

A mini lot is 10,000 units of base currency. If you are trading mini lots, you can leverage $10,000. This is why a pip in a mini account is worth less than a pip in a standard full sized account.

While Forex trading allows you to leverage more funds than you actually have, this can be a double edged sword. While you can make profits on funds that you leverage (rather than own), you can also have losses amplified as well. There are several ways, however, to manage your risk when trading Forex. If you are interested in trading Forex, you should have a definite trading strategy. You must educate yourself to know when to enter and exit the market and what kind of movements to anticipate.

You can also place something known as a stop loss order. Stop-loss orders the typical way traders minimize risk when placing an entry order. A stop-loss order to exit your position if the currency price reaches a certain point.

If you are taking a long position, you would place the stop loss order below current market price. For a short position, you would place a stop loss order above current market price. This technique allows you to manage your risk and, just as the name suggests, stop your losses at a certain point.

As you can see, Forex trading can be complex, but once you understand the basic fundamental principals of how lots are traded, its starts to come together for you. Foreign Currency Trading can be quite profitable and and exciting way to invest.

Foreign exchange (forex) currency trading, the largest financial market in the world, requires a minimum of capital to invest and the profits can be substantial. Once you have learned the basics of forex, you’re on the way to making money through the simultaneous buying or selling of currencies. Forex trading is instantaneous; as soon as you click the mouse, it’s done. The most commonly traded currencies, easiest to liquidate, are the U.S. dollar, Japanese yen, British pound, Swiss Franc, the Canadian dollar, Australian dollar, and the Eurodollar.

Unlike the stock market, forex trading has no central exchange. With forex, you can make a profit whether the market is up or down vs. only making money when the stock market is on the rise. By taking the long position with a pair of currencies, the forex trader buys at one price and sells when it reaches a higher price. The other option for the forex trader is to go short by selling currencies, anticipating depreciation, and then buying back when the value falls. The forex trader can pick either direction, long or short, and if correct, he will generate a profit. You can also set up a certain point (limit order) based on the amount of profit you want to earn to automatically limit the order. In the same way, you can stop or close an order to automatically liquidate if the currency trade is going against you.

In general, the strength of a country’s economy determines the value of its currency. Other factors to take into consideration in forex trading are the political and social status of the country, interest and employment rates, and the overall stability of its government. You will learn to see patterns or trends as you become more familiar with the in’s and out’s of forex trading.

The Forex market is a 24-hour trading place, Sunday through Friday, giving you the option of trading at any time of the day or night. Unlike the stock market, it doesn’t close with the ringing of the bell. Forex online firms provide demos, guidance, and market news for the beginning investor. You can practice your skills in forex trading before actually investing real capital. Once you’ve learned the basics, a minimum investment is made, sometimes as low as $200.00. These “mini-trading” accounts are a good way to begin forex trading and often there is no commission attached to your trading. You don’t have to be a seasoned market analyst or economist to learn, enjoy, and make money with forex currency trading.