FOREX ONLINE TRADING

Forex Trading: Great Opportunity or Scam?

2009-03-08T09:20:00.000-07:00

A lot of interest has been generated recently in FOREX trading, hailed by some as the great new investment opportunity. There are even companies running TV infomercials, offering sure fire systems that will bring massive profits in an easy fashion.

So what is forex? Is it something new? The exchange of currencies is said by some to be the world's second oldest profession and as long as there have been two sovereign states that have issued their own currencies, there has been foreign exchange as a facilitator for trade.

Forex, as foreign exchange has been abbreviated to, has been conducted for centuries and has become a global market with a daily turnover according to a recent Bank for International Settlements survey of $1.9 trillion (billion, billion) per day. Essentially it is a global market place with no physical exchange building where all claims on foreign currencies are settled - between governments, corporations, investors and speculators among others. Banks have traditionally been the middlemen who provide the liquidity to this gigantic market, which incidentally is traded on an almost continuous 24-hour basis.

Then came the Internet and suddenly it became possible for everyone to get a piece of the speculative action. Brokers sprouted up with their electronic trading platforms and high 'leverage'. Essentially the brokers lend clients funds to speculate with, 100:1 or in some cases up to 400:1 ratio, or leverage. This means that $10,000 can 'control' up to $4,000,000 in the market. This is far higher than is possible in the stock market.

Many people have been attracted to the possibilities of earning fast profits from forex. There are often sharp movements that can turn your $10,000 to $20,000 in a matter of minutes. You can also get wiped out, but the lure of a fast buck has turned would-be speculators into out-and-out gamblers.
The Internet has also made it possible for the individual to obtain so-called 'charts', that allow them to do 'technical analysis' on their own PCs. The theory is that price movement patterns repeat themselves, so if you have a system of analysis, you can predict a future move in the market.

This may well be the case, but it does not address the problems of the psychology of trading - the fear and greed that drives many to irrational behaviour. People are often taken in by the seller of a system, often paying $5,000 for a piece of software that shows a green light to buy and a red light to sell. However, they don't tell you how to manage your money.

So speculators lose. It has been estimated that 90% of new investors in forex lose their capital in the first year - an appalling figure. What can one do to avoid being a victim? Well, forex is a business like any other business and planning is required. It is also a profession and as such, adequate training is necessary so that you understand fully what forex trading is all about.

Many are prepared to invest thousands in forex trading without really knowing what it is all about. Just think if franchises were offered in a major hamburger chain without the franchisees having a clue how to run a restaurant or even make the burgers. The failure rate would also probably be 90%!
As with all investing, it is all a matter of risk and reward. Investing in Government securities is considered low risk, therefore they carry the lowest return. Increase the risk (the probability of loss on the investment), the higher an investor is rewarded in terms of return. An individual trading forex decides his own level of risk, which should dictate the level of reward. However, in the hands of an inexperienced trader, the two factors are impossible to reconcile, meaning in stark terms that traders cannot control the risk or the reward levels.

People attracted to forex trading often have an unrealistic expectation of what can be earned. To start with an investment of $5,000 and expect to be making $100,000 a year after the first year is unrealistic. It is not impossible; then again, neither is winning the lottery.
If the parameters for trading are laid down and adhered to combined with knowledge of forex trading, success is possible. It does not take much in the way of 'enhanced' returns to be able to double an investment. 26% per annum is required to double your investment within 3 years.

Who is going to teach you? There are some very good courses available, but these will only give you the theory, in itself very important. The ideal way is to have a mentor, or guide to show you the way.
Getting mentored is a wise move because it makes it possible to draw on the experience of a veteran expert and avoid making the common mistakes that cause the unwary to suffer catastrophic losses. After a while under guidance, a forex trader will gain the experience

The bottom line is that forex is not in itself a scam. There are for sure scam artists who prey on individuals' greed as there are in any other business. If it is approached in a sensible and realistic manner and the trader is prepared to work hard, forex can provide a good living both financially and materially.

Benefits of Forex Trading

2009-03-06T04:57:00.000-08:00

There are many benefits and advantages to trading Forex. Here are just a few
reasons why so many people are choosing this market as a business
opportunity:

1. LEVERAGE: In Forex trading, a small margin deposit can control a much
larger total contract value. Leverage gives the trader the ability to make
extraordinary profits and at the same time keep risk capital to a minimum. Some
Forex firms offer 200 to 1 leverage, which means that a $50 dollar margin
deposit would enable a trader to buy or sell $10,000 worth of currencies.
Similarly, with $500 dollars, one could trade with $100,000 dollars and so on.

2. LIQUIDITY: Because the Forex Market is so large, it is also extremely liquid.
This means that with a click of a mouse you can instantaneously buy and sell at
will. You are never 'stuck' in a trade. You can even set the online trading
platform to automatically close your position at your desired profit level (limit
order), and/or close a trade if a trade is going against you (stop order).

3. PROFIT IN BOTH 'RISING' AND 'FALLING' MARKETS: On the stock
markets, you can only make money if shares are rising, but in economic
recession and falling 'bear' markets, there is little chance of making big money.
Forex is different. One of the most exciting advantages of FX trading is the ability
to generate profits whether a currency pair is 'up' or 'down'. A trader can profit
by taking a 'long' position, (buying the currency pair at one price and selling it
later at a higher price), or a 'short' position, (selling the currency pair and buying
it back at a lower price). For example, if you think the US dollar will increase in
value vs. the Japanese Yen then you will buy Dollars and sell Yen (go long). If
you think the Yen will increase in value against the Dollar then you will sell
Dollars and buy yen (go short). As long as the trader picks the right direction, a
potential for profit always exists.

4. 24 HRS: From Sunday evening to Friday Afternoon EST the Forex market
never sleeps. This is very desirable for those who want to trade on a part-time
basis, because you can choose when you want to trade--morning, noon or night.

5. FREE 'DEMO' ACCOUNTS, NEWS, CHARTS AND ANALYSIS: Most Online
Forex firms offer free 'Demo' accounts to practice trading, along with breaking
Forex news and charting services. These are very valuable resources for traders
who would like to hone their trading skills with 'virtual' money before opening a
live trading account.

6. 'MINI' TRADING: One might think that getting started as a currency trader
would cost a lot of money. The fact is, it doesn't. Online Forex Firms now offer
'mini' trading accounts with a minimum account deposit of only $200-$500 with
no commission trading. This makes Forex much more accessible to the average
individual, without large, start-up capital.

Getting started in trading with a forex seminar

2009-03-02T03:38:00.000-08:00

The world of forex trading can be baffling, especially for someone who’s new to it. While it has similarities to the stock market, there are many differences, too. And what’s even more confusing, some terminology means one thing in the forex world and something else in the stock market. So even veteran stock traders have to learn new vocabulary when they move into the foreign exchange!

Luckily, many companies offer forex seminars to help newcomers understand the complex but lucrative world they’re jumping into. Some seminars are held free of charge (in the hopes you’ll sign on with that broker) and last an hour. Others are more intensive, last longer, and require a registration fee, though obviously the training goes a bit more in depth at those particular seminars.

At a forex seminar you can expect to learn:

- The basics of forex trading -- what it is, how it works, etc.

- The differences between forex and the stock market.

- How to know when to buy and sell currencies.

To find a seminar, search the Internet for forex brokers and browse their pages until you find one offering live seminars. Most major cities host forex seminars fairly regularly, though you may be out of luck if you don’t live near a major city. In some cases, the firms offering seminars aren’t brokerage companies at all, but are simply financial training firms that teach you how to do trading and then leave it to you to find a broker to actually do it.

At a forex seminar you’ll find a variety of people. Some will have had experience in the stock market or took business classes in college. Others will be complete novices interested in diversifying their investments. Still others might not have a lot of income but are looking for a way to use the money they do have more wisely.

One of the latest innovations in forex seminars is to hold them exclusively online. This is much cheaper for the company offering the seminar, obviously, as they don’t need to rent a hotel conference room. It also allows people from all over the world to participate. Hosting online makes the seminar more useful to more people, and since anyone can ask a question, you don’t have to worry about being lost in the crowd.

Whether in person or online, a forex seminar can be an invaluable tool as you start your forex market experience.

Hedging your bets against the future: the forex option

2009-03-02T03:34:00.000-08:00

All speculation-based markets are full of uncertainty, and none more so than the forex market. A currency might be strong and vibrant today, weak and sickly a month from now. One way to guard against major fluctuations like that is through forex option trading.

A forex option is when you buy the right -- but not the obligation -- to buy or sell a particular currency at a particular rate any time between now and the expiration date of the option.

Let’s say you’re worried that the Japanese yen is going to drop in value sometime in the next six months. You might buy an option that basically locks in the current exchange rate for whatever period of time the option seller allows, usually anywhere from 30 days to six months. You set a number of yen, too. Say you choose 10,000 yen at a rate of 116 yen per U.S. dollar for three months. The option basically says, “I may want to sell 10,000 yen sometime in the next three months, but I’m worried the yen is going to devalue in that time. So I’ve locked in this rate of USD/JPY 116.”

Then three months pass. If your prediction was correct and the yen has weakened in that time -- say it’s now USD/JPY 122 -- then you exercise your right to sell 10,000 yen at the rate you bought three months earlier. Everyone else selling yen today (everyone who didn’t have a forex option, that is) is selling it at 122 per U.S. dollar, and you get to sell it at 116.

If, on the other hand, the yen has stayed the same or gotten stronger, you are under no obligation to actually sell that 10,000 yen your option talked about. You can simply do nothing, and all you’ve lost is the premium you originally paid for the option.

Ah yes, there is a premium. Brokers who sell forex options charge a fee for the privilege. Think of it as insurance; calling it a “premium” certainly fits. The price of a forex option for 10,000 yen for three months might be $200, which you must pay up front. If the yen drops enough in value, you’ll hopefully turn enough of a profit to make up for the $200 you had to pay. If it increases in value, and you wind up not exercising the option, all you’ve lost is the $200 premium.

Forex option trading used to be done only by major banks and corporations, but now many brokers who cater to individual traders offer the service, too. If you’re a heavy-duty trader, a forex option is definitely something to consider to guard against future setbacks in the currency you hold.

The basics of reading a forex quote

2009-03-02T03:31:00.000-08:00

The foreign exchange market can be a baffling place for newcomers, and one of the sources of confusion is the forex quote. A forex quote is a small bit of information, yet it’s packed with numbers that may not make sense to someone unfamiliar with the forex system. Here’s a basic explanation of how it works.

A forex quote consists of a currency pair -- forex deals always involve simultaneously selling one currency and buying another -- a bid price and an ask price. For example, one quote might be this:

USD/JPY 118.71/75

The first currency is the base currency, and the other one is the quote currency. The value of the base currency is always 1 -- in this case, 1 U.S. dollar. The number tells you how many of the quote currency (the Japanese yen, in this case) you can buy with $1.

But what kind of number is 118.71/75? It’s actually forex shorthand for two numbers: 118.71 and 118.75. The lower number is the bid price, the other is the ask price. The bid price is the price that dealers will buy the base currency for. The ask price is what dealers will sell it for.

So if the above were the current quote, it would mean right now, you could SELL U.S. dollars in exchange for 118.71 yen per dollar. Or, if you preferred, you could BUY U.S. dollars at a rate of 118.75 yen per dollar.

The difference between the bid price and the ask price in a forex quote is called the “spread,” and those tiny units are called “pips.” In our example, the spread for USD/JPY was four pips. The spread is usually that small for the most commonly traded currencies, which means anything involving the U.S. dollar, Japanese yen, Great British pound, the euro, Swiss franc or Australian dollar. In fact, thanks to the great competition in the forex trading market, some quotes will have spread of as little as one pip.

Of course, for less commonly traded currencies, the spread can be much greater. And even when the quote delivers a small spread, it adds up when you’re trading hundreds of thousands of units. If you were dealing with 100 U.S. dollars, the difference between selling them for 11,871 yen and buying them for 11,875 yen wouldn’t be much at all -- just four yen. But if it were 100,000 U.S. dollars, suddenly that four-pip spread means a 4,000-yen difference. So the spread in a quote is more important than its smallness would suggest.

What a forex rate is and how to read it

2009-03-01T09:30:00.000-08:00

When we talk about the forex rate, we’re talking about the relative value between two currencies -- how many of one the other is worth, in other words. For forex traders, the forex rate is the basic information they use to do their job. The rate is to a forex trader what nails are to a carpenter.

If you plan to get involved in forex trading, reading and understanding the forex rates is absolutely vital to your success, like learning the basics of addition before becoming a mathematician.

A forex rate is always expressed in pairs, followed by a number. The number is how many of the second currency you’d get for one of the first one. For example, you might see USD/EUR: 0.7928. That means that one U.S. dollar is currently worth .7928 euros. If you were to exchange $100, you’d get 79.28 euros for it. Since the number in this rate (0.7928) is less than 1, that means the second currency is currently stronger than the first one -- that is, the euro is stronger than the U.S. dollar.

Forex traders look at rates constantly throughout the day. They carefully examine trends in various currencies’ performance, noting which are going up and which are going down. If a rate suggests, say, that the British pound is starting to increase in value compared to the euro, a trader might swap his euros for pounds. Then, when new rates show the pound has become very strong, he can swap back again, turning a profit because the pound is now worth more than he “paid” for it.

Forex rates are available everywhere on the Internet. Casual observers to the forex trading industry might glance at them for reference on hundreds of different Web sites. Regular traders, though, usually own software that keeps them up to date on rates throughout the day, without having to visit a particular site to get them.

This is important, because rates change constantly, and can be influenced by a wide variety of economic and political factors. The overall change over the course of a day usually isn’t more than a few percentage points either way, but there are minor changes regularly, and those minor changes add up in the long run. Experienced traders watch the rates for those tiny fluctuations, carefully observing whether there is a general upward or downward trend that requires their attention.

When it comes to smart investing, all world news is forex news.

2009-03-01T09:24:00.000-08:00

Forex traders know one of the advantages of their field is that the forex market is open 24 hours a day, five and a half days a week. But a 24-hour marketplace means there’s forex news coming in constantly, too. With so much information coming from so many markets literally at all hours of the day, it can be hard to keep up with all the news available to you.

But at the same time, an informed trader is a successful trader. To make informed decisions on when to buy and sell currencies, you’ll have to keep an eye on all the news you can get your hands on. Many Web sites make it relatively easy for you by corralling the forex news into one place, often dividing it into subcategories for easy navigating. Any forex trader, whether new or experienced, should find a news source he likes and check it often.

Many of these forex news sites also offer commentary and analysis, beyond just a simple ticking off of the latest rates. Here you’ll find experts talking about the issues involved and perhaps offering insights beyond what you would have come up with on your own. Some news sites charge a registration fee for access to all their materials, but it can be worth it in the long run.

Aside from running 24 hours a day, another reason there is constantly a stream of forex news is that so many factors can influence a currency’s strength. Natural disasters, government actions and other things -- both foreseeable and not foreseeable -- can cause a nation’s currency to go up or down in relative value. An experienced trader will look at all this news and know how to predict what effect it will have.

Often, forex news isn’t labeled as such. Any economic news at all can affect the forex market; a sharp-eyed trader is on the lookout constantly for news that might impact his trading. In other words, a good trader will have to be an expert on world affairs, monitoring political, social and other developments in other countries. All of this, combined with the more specific forex news dealing with the details of exchange rates and so forth, gives you the information you need to be successful at currency trading.

Best Stock Market Simulation Games

2008-10-16T04:40:00.000-07:00

by: scott morris
A stock market simulation game is a great way to practice your investment skills before actually investing any "real" money in the stock market.

Simulation games are usually played on the internet, where people can experience the thrill of investing in the stock market without any risks, costs or any fear of losing money when and if they make a poor investment decision.

Many teachers and professors of banking and finance are now using stock market simulation games to teach their students about the rudiments of investing in stocks. Most stock market simulation games come with a fee to get started, but there are some that are free of any charge. One does not need have prior knowledge about the stock market to join.

This is how stock market simulation games usually work:

First, players must register. After registration, players are given an initial sum of "virtual" money to invest in companies of their choice. Players build a portfolio of stocks by buying and selling shares in companies. Most stock market simulation games use real-time market data.

The objective of most stock market simulation games is simple:

To increase the value of your portfolio of stocks so that it is greater than that of the other game players.

Below are some tips on choosing a stock market simulation game:

• Choose a stock market simulation game that is used and recommended by reputable colleges, high schools, middle school, investment clubs, brokers in training, corporate education courses and any other group of individuals studying markets in the U.S. and worldwide.

• Choose a stock market simulation game that is comprehensive and easy to implement in any Finance, Economics, or Investments class. A good stock market simulation game should feature trading of stocks, options, futures, mutual funds, bonds from the U.S. and many of the world's major markets.

• Choose a stock market simulation game that provides a valuable, reliable, and realistic trading simulation at a reasonable price to members and other individuals who are interested in learning more about investing and trading. The simulation game should also have some capability for testing a variety for investment strategies.

• Choose a stock market simulation game that has a toll-free customer service phone number and excellent e-mail support for members. The support function should be able to quickly answer any questions that members/players may have.

• Choose a stock market simulation game that is easy to use and easy to teach even to those who have never had any real hands-on investment experience.

About the author:
Scott Morris manages his personal site on stocks investments and venture capital investments http://ceoinvestments.comfor more information, you can visit http://ceoinvestments.com

Benefits of Forex Trading

2008-10-12T00:56:00.000-07:00

by: Cynthia Macy
There are many benefits and advantages to trading Forex. Here are just a few
reasons why so many people are choosing this market as a business
opportunity:

1. LEVERAGE: In Forex trading, a small margin deposit can control a much
larger total contract value. Leverage gives the trader the ability to make
extraordinary profits and at the same time keep risk capital to a minimum. Some
Forex firms offer 200 to 1 leverage, which means that a $50 dollar margin
deposit would enable a trader to buy or sell $10,000 worth of currencies.
Similarly, with $500 dollars, one could trade with $100,000 dollars and so on.

2. LIQUIDITY: Because the Forex Market is so large, it is also extremely liquid.
This means that with a click of a mouse you can instantaneously buy and sell at
will. You are never 'stuck' in a trade. You can even set the online trading
platform to automatically close your position at your desired profit level (limit
order), and/or close a trade if a trade is going against you (stop order).

3. PROFIT IN BOTH 'RISING' AND 'FALLING' MARKETS: On the stock
markets, you can only make money if shares are rising, but in economic
recession and falling 'bear' markets, there is little chance of making big money.
Forex is different. One of the most exciting advantages of FX trading is the ability
to generate profits whether a currency pair is 'up' or 'down'. A trader can profit
by taking a 'long' position, (buying the currency pair at one price and selling it
later at a higher price), or a 'short' position, (selling the currency pair and buying
it back at a lower price). For example, if you think the US dollar will increase in
value vs. the Japanese Yen then you will buy Dollars and sell Yen (go long). If
you think the Yen will increase in value against the Dollar then you will sell
Dollars and buy yen (go short). As long as the trader picks the right direction, a
potential for profit always exists.

4. 24 HRS: From Sunday evening to Friday Afternoon EST the Forex market
never sleeps. This is very desirable for those who want to trade on a part-time
basis, because you can choose when you want to trade--morning, noon or night.

5. FREE 'DEMO' ACCOUNTS, NEWS, CHARTS AND ANALYSIS: Most Online
Forex firms offer free 'Demo' accounts to practice trading, along with breaking
Forex news and charting services. These are very valuable resources for traders
who would like to hone their trading skills with 'virtual' money before opening a
live trading account.

6. 'MINI' TRADING: One might think that getting started as a currency trader
would cost a lot of money. The fact is, it doesn't. Online Forex Firms now offer
'mini' trading accounts with a minimum account deposit of only $200-$500 with
no commission trading. This makes Forex much more accessible to the average
individual, without large, start-up capital.

Please visit the author's other trading sites to learn more about forex trading:

http://www.daytrade-forex.com
http://www.daytradeforex.com
http://www.daytradeforex.com/products.htm
http://www.professionalforextrading.info
http://www.professionalforextradingonline.info
http://www.successtrading2000.com
http://www.successtrading2000.com/forex
http://www.tradecurrency.ca/education.htm
http://www.shortterminvestingsite.com

About the author:
My name is Cynthia Macy and I've been trading various markets for over 12 years. I now concentrate on the forex market, as it has several advantages over trading
other markets. If you'd like to learn more about forex trading, visit:

http://www.daytrade-forex.com

Are You One of the New Disposable Workers?

2008-10-12T00:55:00.000-07:00

by: John Van Doren
Part III - American Dream or American Myth?

At the beginning of the 1900’s the industrial revolution was the new engine of the american economy and workers were a disposable commodity. The typical worker lined up at the factory door each morning before dawn hoping to hired on the for the day. Only a few skilled workers (tool and die makers and machine set-up specialists) were “full-time”, and there were no regular raises, holidays, vacations, or benefits. Corporations and “trusts” called the shots and workers took what they could get.

Part of our barbaric “Robber Baron” past you say? Think again. Fast forward 100 years and the working world is beginning to look very much the same. Approximately 25% of our workforce is comprised of temporary workers and that number is projected to grow to 40% by the year 2010! The largest employer in the U.S. is Manpower Inc., a huge “temp” agency trading the latest commodity...your labor. The difference between now and 100 years ago is that its not just the labor of muscle and sweat, it is the labor of skill and specialized knowledge, and includes attorneys, accountants, college professors, scientists, software engineers, and business executives. This growing army of “contingent workers” typically works for 8 to 40% less than their “full-time” counterparts, without benefits, and on an as-needed “just-in-time” basis.

Is this new employment model an evil plot by corporate america to suppress the american worker? Not really. Corporations just do what they are structured to do. They minimize costs (including labor) and maximize profits for their shareholders within the boundaries of the market place and the market for labor is now global. During the last 20 years or so the american corporation has quietly evolved and restructured. In large part they have just adapted to a new global and digital economy. It would not be a stretch to say that we are in the middle of a “new economy” revolution every bit as disruptive as the industrial revolution a hundred years ago and that labor (skilled and professional), especially american labor, is at the short end of the stick.

The old corporate model was rigid and highly structured. It was one of high vertical and horizontal integration, somewhat slow to make and implement decisions, highly controlled, and formally structured. It was also highly unionized with a relatively permanent workforce that enjoyed high wages, pensions, and health insurance (i.e. General Motors and U.S. Steel). This model dominated after WWII when the U.S. dominated the world economy and U.S. corporations faced very little global competition.

However, global competition, free trade, and a digital age required a new model capable of rapid change and maximum flexibility. As corporate america evolved into this new model, american workers experienced “re-engineering”, downsizing, “rightsizing” (after mergers), off-shoring, outsourcing, the death of pensions and the birth of 401K’s, shared healthcare costs, and the rapid rise in population of the just-in-time or “contingent” worker. At the extreme the “new” corporation is “virtual”, with a few key employees and executives at the core and a network partner companies and contingent employees always in flux to meet the demands of a rapidly changing global market.

This new trend of contingent labor has also spread to the public sector and shows no sign of slowing down or stabilizing. Many highly skilled and educated workers have been turned into reluctant “free agents” whose value has been bid down by a global labor market. These workers may think they are entrepreneurs, but they are really just employees without health benefits, no different than the factory worker of a 100 years ago lining up at dawn and hoping to be hired on for the day.

About the author:
John Van Doren is former turnaround and startup executive in the manufacturing sector. His is currently an independent entrepreneur with a website {www.youramericandream.info} devoted to redefining the American Dream in the context of a digital and global economy.

Alternative Business Client Gifts

2008-10-12T00:54:00.000-07:00

by: ARA
(ARA) - It is customary for businesses to give gifts of appreciation to their clients and employees during the holiday season; one that says a lot about a company’s values, makes a real difference in the world and honors clients and employees is a gift to a charity in the customer’s name.

Dan Guzman, a broker in the Dow Jones futures pit at the Chicago Board of Trade, had great success with this concept, last year, when he decided it was time to show the public that traders not only have hearts, they understand others don’t have it so good. He suggested that his co-workers offer their support for the work of Heifer International, a nonprofit organization that provides farm animals to poor families in 48 countries around the world. He was overwhelmed at the generosity of the approximately 30 traders in the Dow pit who gave -- they collected $15,000.

“I call it the Dow challenge,” says Guzman. “The money you raise isn’t the most important thing. What’s important is the awareness you raise.”

Guzman learned of Heifer when reading about poor children spending all their waking hours hunting for food. He imagined his own nine-year-old in that situation and his heart broke. “It felt great presenting the check to Heifer International’s Chicago regional director, Rosemary Larson, on the trading room floor. I knew lives would be forever changed for the better,” says Guzman.

Bob Stiller, CEO of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, had a similar experience. “I first became aware of Heifer International and the work they are doing to end world hunger when I received their gift catalog. I thought the symbolic gift of animals was a great idea and over the years personally used them to honor my friends and business colleagues. Last year, my office coffee division used the animal gifts for their best customers. The life-affirming gifts were well received by our customers, who told us this gift reflected our company’s core values,” says Stiller.

Heifer International is leading a response to the alternative business-to-business giving trend by creating its first “Most Important Gift Catalog in the World,” for businesses. Heifer makes it easy for businesses to convey their gift by offering special cards and a new book, called “One World, One Family” as fulfillment pieces. The book’s beautiful photos tell a story of lives that are changed through partnerships with Heifer International. To order this catalog, call (800) 696-1918, or go to www.heifer.org/business. To learn more about Heifer, the leader in world hunger solutions, visit www.heifer.org

Courtesy of ARA Content

About the author:
Courtesy of ARA Content

All About Stock Market

2008-10-12T00:53:00.001-07:00

by: scott morris
A stock market simulation game is a great way to practice your investment skills before actually investing any "real" money in the stock market.

Simulation games are usually played on the internet, where people can experience the thrill of investing in the stock market without any risks, costs or any fear of losing money when and if they make a poor investment decision.

Many teachers and professors of banking and finance are now using stock market simulation games to teach their students about the rudiments of investing in stocks. Most stock market simulation games come with a fee to get started, but there are some that are free of any charge. One does not need have prior knowledge about the stock market to join.

This is how stock market simulation games usually work:

First, players must register. After registration, players are given an initial sum of "virtual" money to invest in companies of their choice. Players build a portfolio of stocks by buying and selling shares in companies. Most stock market simulation games use real-time market data.

The objective of most stock market simulation games is simple:

To increase the value of your portfolio of stocks so that it is greater than that of the other game players.

Below are some tips on choosing a stock market simulation game:

• Choose a stock market simulation game that is used and recommended by reputable colleges, high schools, middle school, investment clubs, brokers in training, corporate education courses and any other group of individuals studying markets in the U.S. and worldwide.

• Choose a stock market simulation game that is comprehensive and easy to implement in any Finance, Economics, or Investments class. A good stock market simulation game should feature trading of stocks, options, futures, mutual funds, bonds from the U.S. and many of the world's major markets.

• Choose a stock market simulation game that provides a valuable, reliable, and realistic trading simulation at a reasonable price to members and other individuals who are interested in learning more about investing and trading. The simulation game should also have some capability for testing a variety for investment strategies.

• Choose a stock market simulation game that has a toll-free customer service phone number and excellent e-mail support for members. The support function should be able to quickly answer any questions that members/players may have.

• Choose a stock market simulation game that is easy to use and easy to teach even to those who have never had any real hands-on investment experience.

About the author:
Morris gathers information about simple trading systemsimple trading system.

A Critical Review of Metastock 8.0: Is Upgrading Worth the Money

2008-10-12T00:52:00.000-07:00

by: David Jenyns
If you are like many other traders, you have been eagerly waiting for the release of Metastock 8.0 for one reason, and one reason only, the reportedly redeveloped system tester. Metastock`s one major flaw has always been its lack of back testing capabilities, though previous versions of Metastock are head and shoulders above the competition on other fronts.

But whatever criteria you use to trade with, be it moving averages, candle sticks, fibonacci retracements, or any other trading system, you`re going to need to back test it. Everyone needs to thoroughly back test, or simulate, their trading system in ways that can match the conditions you will be trading in. It`s something all serious traders do.

Consequently, when Equis International (the makers of Metastock 8.0) announced "an all-new type of exploration that emulates running system tests over an entire database of securities", I could hardly wait to get the Metastock 8.0 release.

While waiting to receiving my copy of Metastock 8.0 I began building trading systems. By the time my copy of Metastock 8.0 finally arrived, I had around 20 systems ready for testing, and couldn`t wait to try them out.

However, when I loaded up the software, I was in for a surprise. It looked like nothing had changed. I thought maybe Equis International had kept the same interface and added in greater flexibility and some more features, but after searching in every nook and cranny, I found next to nothing that was new. It looked the same and, except for a couple of small changes, it was the same!

Then I came to the System tester - now called the "Enhanced System Tester". This was my major reason for upgrading from version 7.22. This is what appeared to be only real difference between Metastock 7.22 and Metastock 8.0.

After fiddling around with the Metastock 8.0 Enhanced System Tester for a few hours, and testing my 20 systems, I reached the verdict that I wasted my money on the new version of Metastock 8.0. Despite the supposed improvements to the Enhanced System Tester it, like it`s predecessor, left a lot to be desired.

Even though the Metastock 8.0 Enhanced System Tester tests multiple securities in one batch, it treats each security independently of the others. Therefore, when Metastock 8.0 tests the first security, it uses your predefined float and takes the trade over the test period selected. Once that is completed, it repeats the same process for the second security, using the same initial float, with no reference to the first security.

In the end, you receive the same result that you would have if you simply tested each security individually and added the results together. Not only is this process dreadfully slow, but the entire reason for testing your system is side-stepped. When your finished all the explorations, the performance of your trading system is still unknown!

The moral of the story is that if you already own Metastock 7, don`t worry about upgrading to Metastock 8.0. Simply stick with the version you have and keep your fingers crossed that Equis International gets it right for Metastock 9.0.

About the author:
David Jenyns, leading expert in designing profitable trading systems, MetaStock website offers a huge free collection of trading related tips and tricks. http://www.meta-formula.com/subscribe

9 Deadly Mistakes of the Stock Trader

2008-10-12T00:51:00.000-07:00

by: Mark Crisp
The following are a list of nine things you want to avoid at all costs. Anyone of them can literally destroy your financial dreams and goals!

1. Trading with money you can't afford to lose.
One of the greatest obstacles to successful trading is using money that you really can’t afford to lose. Examples of this would be money that is supposed to be used to pay the mortgage, bills or your child’s college tuition. This is sometimes referred to as “trading with scared money” and there is a very good reason for that. Ultimately what happens is that when someone knows in the back of their mind that they are risking the rent money, they trade out of fear and emotion versus logic and no emotion. If you are in this situation I highly recommend that you stop trading until you earn enough to put into an account that you truly can afford to lose without causing major financial setbacks. You can start with as little as $2000 and trade stocks under $30.

2. The need to be "certain".
We all have the need to make sure that the trade we want to make is going to be a good one. Therefore we look for signs that will give us a confirmation to enter. This can come in several forms, for example… Tuning into CNBC or the Wall Street Journal to give us news that our stock is on the move or waiting for a couple of extra days to make sure that the stock is really flying and just not on a false breakout. Other traders will get opinions from friends, family or broker. Others will wait for ten technical indicators to line up and give the “green light”.

All of these are okay to a point, however the big mistake to avoid is taking so much time that you let the trade take off without you. Interestingly, what ends up happening as a result of waiting too long is that you actually increase your risk. This is because as a stock moves higher and higher there are fewer buyers left in the market and it can come tumbling down until more buyers step in. It is like a game of musical chairs; eventually someone gets caught without a chair.

Traders who wait and wait and wait to make extra sure are usually the ones buying the top tick just before the stocks sells off. They then beat themselves up thinking they picked the wrong stock. Odds are it had nothing to do with their selection, just bad timing.

The thing to keep in mind is that there can be no absolute certainty in any given trade. All we ever can do is take a very educated risk along with a leap of faith!

3. Spending profits before you make them.
Nothing is more exciting then getting into a trade that blasts off and puts you into a highly profitable situation. This can cause major problems however, because this type of trade puts you in a highly euphoric state and leads to daydreaming about the huge profits still to come. You say “Wow I’m already up 15% in two days; I’ll be up 50% in a week and probably double my money in no time!” Then the next thing that happens is you are deciding on the great new car you are going to buy or perhaps telling your boss that he can stick it… Well you get the idea!

The real problem occurs as you get caught up in the daydream and expectations. This causes you to not be prepared to get out as the market sells off and eats up your profits because you have convinced yourself of the eventual outcome and will deny the reality of the situation.

The simple remedy for this is to know where and how you will take profits once you enter the trade. Also, realize that the market will only go up as long as it wants and not how high you think it should go.

4. Forming an opinion.
I’m here to tell you that the market does not give a damn about you or your opinions. Even if they are based on painstaking research or from a “Wall Street Guru”, it doesn’t matter!

5. Three 4-letter words that will kill you! HOPE---WISH---PRAY
If you ever find yourself doing one or more of the above while in a trade then you are in big trouble! As I have already said, the market doesn’t give a damn. All the hoping, wishing and praying in the world is not going to turn a losing trade into a winning one.

When you are wrong just use a simple 4-letter word to correct the situation-SELL!

6. Not sticking to your plan
A big source of trouble arises when a trader starts to deviate from their strategy. Maybe for a week they will trade according to one set of rules and the next use something entirely different.

This flying by the seat of the pants always ends up backfiring. This is because the trader can never be certain what is working and what is not.

You must never deviate from your methodology once you start. As long as it is a good one statistically there is absolutely no reason to change it. The way to make money from it is to trade it over and over again to exploit the edge it gives you.

One thing to also be aware of is that a trader is most vulnerable to switching approaches after a few loses. So, pay special attention at these times.

7. Not knowing how to get out of a losing trade.
It’s amazing how many people I have talked to who don’t have any clear escape plan for getting out of a bad trade. Once again they hope, pray wish and rationalize their position. As I keep saying the market does not care what you think. It does what it does and when you are wrong you are wrong!

The easiest way to keep a bad trade from going really bad is to determine before you get in, where you will get out. You can use a dollar amount or at some target point such as the low of the previous 15-minute bar.

***Make sure you don’t get the “stunned deer in the headlights syndrome”. This is where you see the stock fall to your stop loss point, but you are unable to take action. Maybe this is due to fear or disbelief that you are wrong, but unless you get out ASAP you could end up I major financial trouble!

8. Having an ego.
I have seen a number of individuals enter the trading game that were extremely successful in other business ventures. Because of this they had a fairly big ego and thought they couldn’t fail. Their egos became their downfall because they couldn’t except that they were wrong and refused to bail out of bad trades.

Once again, whoever or wherever you came from does not concern the markets. All the charm, powers of persuasion, number of diplomas on the wall or business savvy will not budge the market when you are wrong.

9. Falling in love with a stock or trade.
Let me give you an example of what I mean. Back in the spring of 1999 EFAX was a really hot stock. I waited to buy it on a dip and did so at $19/share. It started to move up strongly and life was great!

After a while though, it started to come back to my entry point and then below it. Here’s the problem. For some reason I really liked EFAX and sort of became attached to it. Ultimately I couldn’t let go of it even though I knew I should. I justified and rationalized why my dear friend should bounce back, but it never did. I finally had to break off my love affair when the stock hit $9. (Ouch!)

The moral of this story is never fall in love, let alone get married to any stock. It can cost you dearly!

About the author:
Mark Crisp
The Momentum Stock Trader

Internet Marketing VS Forex Currency Trading

2008-10-11T19:58:00.000-07:00

y: Amin Sadak

Have you ever tried to make money online and failed?
Did you follow your guru's advice and still fail?
Here's an alternative...

Have you noticed that when someone’s trying to sell you something - such as a system for making money - they always make it look far easier than it is?
Let’s look at two Internet businesses, almost as diametrically opposed as it’s possible to be – Internet Marketing and Forex Currency Trading.

You’ve probably heard the old Internet adage – build a better website and they will come. Well it ain’t true!
You could put up a site advertising dollars for a dime and they still wouldn’t come – because they wouldn’t know where to look!

Let’s look at what you need to have in place in order to build a successful Internet marketing business.

First of all, you need a product. If you’ve been reading the recent Internet marketing blurb you’ll know you need a niche product.
Actually, the new thing is sub-niche but whatever they call it, you need a product for which there is high demand but low supply.

Finding a suitable niche is the hardest part of the whole process but let’s say you have a killer product, what else do you need?

The List.
Ask any Internet marketeer and they will say that the most important part of your business is your opt-in list.
For people to join your list you usually have to give them something of value such as a free eBook or report on a subject related to your main product line.
To keep them interested, you need to keep in touch with them offering them additional information, advice and tips.

Website.
To promote your opt-in list you need a website (although there are other ways of promoting your list, too) with features that will encourage people to sign up to your list.
You also need a killer website with killer copy to describe – and sell - your killer product. This may or may not be the same as the one you use for your opt-in list.

Killer copy.
Maybe you’re not a good copywriter. There are many eBooks on the subject that can help you or you can pay someone to write copy for you.

You need a domain name, preferably one with some relation to the product but good domain names are becoming increasing difficult to find.

Ads.
To get people to visit your website in the first place you need to register it with the search engines.
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is an art in itself. You can mug up on the subject or pay someone to do the job for you (but be aware that not all experts are!).

You might also want to place ads for your list in newsletters and ezines. The better ones will charge you although you might get a free ad in return for an article.

Autoresponder.
To automate your business you need an autoresponder. These clever devices automatically send emails to everyone on your opt-in list at predetermined intervals, and contain predetermined copy.
For example, you could create a series of emails containing, say, five parts of a free course to be sent one a day over the first five days.
Then emails would be sent once a week advertising a different product each time.
Whenever anyone signs up to your list they automatically start at the beginning so everyone gets the full cycle of marketing material.

We haven’t even looked at affiliate sales and marketing but I’m sure you get the picture.
The basic idea of selling over the Internet sounds good but there’s a lot more to it than most people realise.

Forex Currency Trading

Someone said that trading is the last frontier, the last place where men and women can stand up and pit themselves against the world.

It sounds very Wild Westish but most of it is true! You win or lose entirely by your own efforts and if you win, it’s like having your very own bank.
However, even owning a bank is a business and you still have to work hard to put the money there – and to keep it!

Unlike Internet marketing where all your efforts, in one form or another, are geared towards making people join your list and then selling them stuff,
Currency Trading has no customers. That’s worth repeating – with currency trading, you don’t need customers.

No customers means you don’t need any of the associated accoutrements that go with Internet marketing such as:

Products
Web site
Domain name
Opt-in list
Ads
eBooks and reports
Autoresponder
Any other marketing aids

So far so good, but what do you have to do and what do you need? Well, you need to know what currency prices are doing.

You can get a list of prices at the close of each trading day free from many web sites. If you want to trade during the day – intraday trading,
you can get real-time prices for a nominal fee from several data suppliers.
In the foreign exchange currency market, commonly called forex, you can get this data and charting software free from many web sites.

Okay, that’s the easy bit. In order to trade currencies, you need to analyse the data and determine which way price is heading.
In other words you need a system and this will require study and dedication.

There’s lots of other stuff you have to know, too – trading terminology, margin, leverage, money management, order types, trader psychology and more.
But all of this is available in eBooks and courses and on the Net.

You also need some money upfront to fund your trading account. With forex you can begin with as little as $300-500 although you would be advised to start with more.

So while you don’t have the ongoing quest for new customers, new products and inventive sales techniques,
you do need some sort of education or training before you begin and you need discipline while you’re trading.

For more information on getting started with forex currency trading, go to: www.webkept.com

Making money takes work whether it’s online or off. Make sure you know what’s involved before you start and remember that the more you put into a business, the easier it gets.

About the author:
From the author of the hit Forex Currency Trading book - "Mechanical Discretion", Amin Sadak has created another masterpiece for Business Opportunists.
His new teaching manual "The Affluent Desktop Currency Trader" provides an alternative for people looking for online business opportunities.

3 Simple Tips for Building Your Subscription List

2008-10-10T14:13:00.001-07:00

by: Jinger Jarrett
Building your list online can be one of the most effective ways of promoting your business online. Once you implement your plan, it will continue to send new subscribers to your list forever.

There are a few obvious things you should do to make sure that you get more subscribers. Here are three of my best tips, and three of the easiest strategies for you to implement in getting
subscribers to your ezine.

1. Add your subscription information to all of your pages.
You may find this to be obvious. However, many sites I have visited seem to think of their ezines as an afterthought. You have to dig to find out that they have one at all.

By putting your ezine subscription box on all your pages, it won't matter what page your visitors uses to arrive at your site. He/she will always have an opportunity to subscribe to your newsletter. By not having to search to find the subscription information, you are more likely to get the person to subscribe to your ezine.

It certainly doesn't hurt to have a newsletter page with a longer description of your ezine.

Write a compelling description to go with it, offer a valuable premium for subscribing, and you will get more subscribers.

2. Submit to the Ezine Directories.
Once you have decided what the subject of your ezine is, and you have created a format, you need to create a sample issue. This should be in HTML.

Once you have your sample issue, you need to write a title and description of your ezine and submit it to the directories. Also, you will want to put a text version of your ezine on autoresponder, as well as have a subscription page link and a subscribe email address.

Once you have all of the elements you need to submit to the directories, put all of this information in a text file so that you can copy and paste as you submit.

The easiest way to find ezine directories to submit to is to search the search engines for the term "ezine directories".

Below is a 14 page tutorial on formatting your ezine, as well as a list of ezine directories you can submit to.

http://www.nowsell.com/ezine-promotion/ezine-directory-1.html

3. Exchange Links with Other Complementary Ezines.
There are several things you should know so that you get the most from this technique.

First, you can contact other ezine publishers with complimentary ezines and ask them to swap ads with you. Make sure that you look at the subscriber numbers for the publishers and give the publisher a fair deal in exchange.

You can find ezines to exchange ads with by searching this ezine directory: http://www.jogena.com. I have found this to be the best directory to help you find ezines that accept ads.

You will also want to ask the publisher for a top sponsor ad so that your ezine information will be seen. If you simply exchange ads with an ezine publisher without qualifying your request, you
may find your ad buried deep within the ezine, reducing your chances of being seen and getting new subscribers.

There are plenty of ways to promote your ezine. What's important is that you create a plan and stick to it. Get your ezine listed in as many directories as possible, exchange ads with other ezines, and always keep marketing. You'll have a large list of new subscribers before you know it.

About the author:
Want even more high traffic sites to market on? Jinger Jarrett will show you how to market your business online to hundreds of high traffic sites for free. Grab a subscription to her premium ezine for just $5 per month. This is a limited time offer. http://www.smallbusinesshowto.com/Special-Offers.html

How You Can Benefit From Forex Trading by Geri Mason

2007-06-11T07:20:00.000-07:00

On line Forex trading is here to stay.
Every day, millions of persons engage in the act of buying or selling currency online.
If you have been thinking about this as a means of making money, here are some things you should think about before you begin the process of buying and selling currency.
You will find that there are many sites on the Internet that are more than happy to have you register for a free account to purchase and sell currency.
However, you want to make sure you read the fine print before you commit to any program. Some of them work off a structure in which they will get a percentage of each transaction completed.

In some cases, this could leave you with less in the way of assets than you had to begin with.
Other sites will charge a flat rate per transaction, which is a little better, since you will now know what it will cost you to make the transaction in advance.
However, there are a number of sites that will charge you a flat monthly fee and allow you to make unlimited transactions during the course of the month.
If you are truly serious about buying and selling currency, this will be the model that you want to seek out.
No doubt someone has told you that you do not need to know a lot in order to jump into buying and selling currency. This is incorrect information.
While it is true you do not have to be an investing whiz or an economics major in order to be successful with this type of venture, it is important to remember that knowledge is always empowering.
You can find several excellent tutorials online that will help you grasp the basics of the process, including some tips on what sort of signs you need to note before buying or selling anything.
Several excellent choices are perfectly free, so you will not have to invest a lot of money in getting up to speed, just some of your time.
Of course, it is always a good idea to have input from an expert before you begin any type of moneymaking venture.
If you have access to someone in the financial community, get input on what they think about the various online trading sites. You may be able to get some references for one or two outstanding sites.
Once you have a list compiled of potential sites to sign up with, do more searches on the Internet and see what type of comments you can find about the veracity and integrity of those sites. You can do this by looking at and joining online Forex forums.
While the chances of coming across a site, that has no negative comments posted somewhere on the Internet, you may very well be able to find enough data that will help you pick an option that will make your on line Forex trading a lot of fun and very profitable.
It should be noted Forex trading involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors.
About the Author
Receive a Free ebook that reveals Forex trading secrets and shows how you can make great returns on your capital click on the link below: Free Forex Trading Secrets Ebook

Trading Forex Online by Andrew Daigle

2007-06-11T07:19:00.000-07:00

The internet has changed our lives in many ways. It has opened up new opportunities for people to make money, learn new trades and improve their lifestyle. One of the newer and most popular ways to make money online is through forex trading online, whereby a forex trader is granted access to the international forex market over the internet. This has revolutionized the way business is done on this market and allows every trader direct access to the productive forex market. Clearly, this has led to the increased popularity of forex trading the world over, and government regulation has been relaxed in the United States, making way for a mini revolution in this area within the country.

Another aspect of forex currency trading that has been affected by widespread internet access is the proliferation of innumerable websites offering training courses and advice on forex trading. Some of these aren't very useful, but there is a large number that do offer excellent advice and forex currency trading education. Most of these will offer packaged services that include access to historical data and online libraries, interactive videos, live chat with experts, in depth advice on using forex currency trading systems and demos of forex trading software online. The forex trading online training courses will often include live workshops and seminars or else let you know where such an event will be scheduled near you. The experience of learning from other amateur and professional forex traders is also invaluable and many of the online forex training courses will offer message boards and forums for members.
Some forex training courses will include video presentations by financial experts, generally the proponent of the forex trading system that the course promotes, and his team. These can certainly be beneficial when you're selecting a system to use personally and help make the rationale of the system clearer. Further, live chat with the expert or members of his or her team is a great bonus and should be used to get answers to any questions you may have.
Online technical analysis software is also a highly beneficial tool, used by most professional forex traders and made available to amateurs by various websites offering forex training courses. This software is used to analyze and identify emerging trends so that forex traders can tap into these patterns and apply techniques to capitalize on them. A forex currency trading system works in addition to the software tools for forex technical analysis in this way. This implies that a forex trader can learn to use the forex trading system, understand how to trade, and execute their forex trades completely online, without ever leaving home.
These elements serve to make online forex trading a popular means of livelihood for many people and contribute to its continued popularity. Learning forex trading is something we can all do in our spare time. When you get to know how to do this business well, you can work from home and take a few minutes a day to keep checking your trading account.
About the Author
Andrew Daigle is the owner and author of many successful websites including a free forex training site called ForexBoost at http://www.ForexBoost.com and http://www.CashCurve.com , a huge resource for online business opportunities.

Online Forex Trading: A Guide to Success by Troy Degarnham

2007-06-11T06:56:00.000-07:00

The popularity of online Forex trading has grown significantly over recent years and has drawn a following of investors from all walks of life, from all over the globe. This system of trading has made it incredibly easy for neophyte investors to become involved. The online foreign exchange trading system is available worldwide, 24 hours a day, which enables an unrestricted playing field. With that in mind, there are several tips that can significantly increase the chances of success and financial goals.
Risk taking is the first area to approach when dealing with the online Forex trading market due to the fact that most greenhorns actually create an environment that guarantees them failure. This happens most often when the trader puts a strangle hold on their trading hence restricting the risks to a point that it is virtually impossible to create any gains. If there is anything to be learned while playing the online foreign exchange trading markets, it is that playing in any markets is largely based upon taking deliberate and calculated risks.

Along with putting enough leverage on the risk taking is the point in case that becoming a wealthy individual practically overnight isn't going to happen. Accept the risks that are associated with online Forex trading and keeping pragmatic financial goals to accomplish through the process are logical steps that make smart business sense. A step in fact, that will actually attribute to the various successes gained in the online foreign exchange trading market. Actions that are not well planned and executed by the seat of the pants typically end up wiping out the investor so make selective trades with an accepted percentage of risk.
The common scenario is that the online Forex trading investor has the money in a margin account and has turned a bit of a profit. Now that the investor is seeing some financial gains within the Forex market and inevitably takes the profits back out. This is the most common downfall of beginners in the online Forex market because they don't realize that taking out profits too early causes them to lose when all is said and done. Investors in the online foreign exchange trading systems that are successful are largely successful because they accept and understand normal market fluctuations. In order to secure longer-term financial gains, it is inherently necessary to take short-term hits against equity.
There are several intrinsic worth characteristics that a successful online Forex trader must demonstrate but among the most important are patience and discipline. A disciplined Forex trader is patient and allows the market to take its natural course while observing trends and patterns that are emerging in the currency pair that is invested. Momma had more than one good saying and along with money can't buy love is; you can't hurry the financial markets of any kind!
About the Author
Troy Degarnham is the author and webmaster of http://www.forex-trading-brokers.info, an informative website about Foreign Exchange Trading. Extensive help and tips on systems, software, forex trading signals, online forex trading, brokers, courses, and other secrets to help you gain financial freedom.

Forex Trading - Become a Successful Forex Trader in 4 Simple Steps by Sacha Tarkovsky

2007-06-11T06:48:00.000-07:00

Anyone can become a successful forex trader from home, if they learn the right knowledge and learn how to apply it.
Here we will look at a proven way to make big profits quickly with low risk in global forex markets - even if you never traded before.
Step 1 - Work Smart Not Hard
In many professions you get paid for how many hours you put in, but this does not apply to the world of currency trading:
You get paid for being right.
There are many clever people who spent huge amounts of time building currency trading systems that are extremely complicated and clever, but don't make money.
The good news is that everything about forex trading can be specifically learned.

It's also a fact that the best methods are not complicated they are extremely simple. A simple system is more robust in the face of ever changing currency fluctuations.
A Simple system is also easy to understand and apply and this gives a user confidence, which translates into discipline, which is essential for online trading success.
Step 2 - A Method for huge gains
Let's now look at a methodology that can make huge gains in currency trading.
The a great methodology for any trader to use is one based upon breakouts of valid resistance.
Breakouts are simple to understand and easy to spot, yet most traders don't use this methodology, as it makes them feel uncomfortable.
Let's look first at why it is so successful and a fact that most traders don't realize which is, most big moves in currency trading start from new market highs, NOT market lows.
If you buy breaks of resistance to new market highs you can catch these moves.
Most traders can't do this because they want to "buy low and sell high" and they wait for the pullback to buy at a better price, however the really big moves don't pull back and most traders miss them.
If you buy these breakouts, you can make big profits and keep in mind "buy high sell higher" is a great way to make money. Yes, you have missed the start of the move, but the odds are on your side if you enter on a breakout that the move will continue.
To make money in forex trading, buy breaks of significant resistance and use trend lines and just a few confirming indicators and you have a simple, but powerful way of trading.
Step 3 Taking Risks
If you don't like risk then you shouldn't trade currency markets.
Most traders spend so much time trying to restrict risk, they actually create it and ensure they lose. They place stops to close or trailing them to quickly and are stopped out by normal market volatility.
If you want to win at forex trading, you need to take meaningful risks.
If you are trading a small account risk as much as 10% per trade and don't move your stop too quickly. This will ensure you won't be bumped out of the trade by normal market volatility and can stay with the longer term trends.
Step 4 Patience
You need to be patient and only trade the best forex trading signals that occur at breakouts of valid resistance.
You don't make money for how often you trade, but for being right.
Many traders like to be in the market all the time in case they miss a move, but this simply ensures they lose.
When you are in a currency trade, you then need to be patient with market volatility eating into your open equity. This is not easy!
When you have to sit and watch dips in your open equity of thousands of dollars however, being patient and riding out this volatility will be very rewarding if you accept it and focus on the longer term trends. Successful Forex trading
Is within reach of all traders and involves working smart not hard, having confidence in what you do and having a method that works, that you can apply with discipline to take calculated risks at the right time.
The above tips will help you win at forex trading, if you incorporate them into your forex trading strategy.
About the author
Trade like a pro with our user-friendly multi-lingual online tradingplatforms up to date financial news, real-time market prices, tight pip spreads, built-in risk management system, and 24-hour professional support Http://www.bestonlineforexbroker.com