FOREX vs Other Investments

FOREX means the foreign currency exchange, and that today alone nearly $2 Trillion will be traded by banks, governments, corporations, trading partners and private and corporate speculators. Speculators trade to make a profit by purchasing one currency and simultaneously selling another. And people like you are making handsome profits everyday from home, after hours, trading without thinking about commissions and margin calls (dreaded word for day-traders)

So is Forex for you? Yes and let me list the benefits that are available to all – including you. As stated Forex Trading is the exchange of currencies for profit, and it offers unmatched potential for profitable trading in any market condition or stage of the business cycle. No other market can make that claim – and I haven’t even begun to list the cool things yet.

Here we go:
* No commissions. No clearing fees, no exchange fees, no government fees, no brokerage fees.
* No middlemen. You can deal directly with the market using an online trading platform.
* No fixed lot size. You can start a trading account for as little as $300, because the lot sizes are not pre-determined.
* Low transaction cost. True there is no official commission, but there is a spread between the bid and ask price of a currency paid. But that spread is about 0.1% of the actual transaction – making it relatively much cheaper than other markets.
* High Liquidity. A trader can enter or exit the market at will in almost any market condition. Your bottleneck is your internet connection speed! You have almost instantaneous transactions.
* Low margin, high leverage. These factors increase the potential for higher profits (and losses if you gamble with your money)
* 24 hour market. A trader may take advantage of all profitable market conditions at any time – there is no opening bell or ‘after hours’ trading – its always open!
* Online access – you can do this all from home or work… even on the train or plane or coffee stop with WiFi access!
* Not related to the stock market! Because you can profit no matter what the stock markets are doing to the world currencies, you don’t really care whether the DOW is up or not!
* Interbank Market. The backbone of the FOREX market consists of a global network of dealers. They are mainly major commercial banks that communicate and trade with one another. There are no organized exchanges to serve as a central hub, like the New York stock exchange… the FOREX market will never crash because of some major world event. Sure prices may be affected, but your trading opportunities are always present.
* No one can corner the market. Due to its sheer size and number of participants, not even a central bank can control the market price for an extended period of time.
* No insider trading. Again because of its size and de-centralized nature, there are no significant fraud opportunities compared to other markets.

If you are familiar with either equity (stock) or futures markets – the list above will be very impressive to you. If you are not familiar with this stuff, take my word – its good news and its way cheaper than trading stocks. The profits can be staggering and so can the losses. That’s why it’s critical that beginners invest in a training program that will give them an understanding and trading system that minimizes losses and emphasises educated trading.

What is Forex ?

The largest financial market in the world, Foreign Exchange market, Forex or FX market, all the terms are used to describe the business of trading of the world's various currencies, with more than $2 trillion changing hands every day. Being an international foreign exchange market, Forex is a market where money is sold and bought freely. FOREX was launched in the 1970s, to become the biggest liquid financial market today, dealing in more than hundred times the daily trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

FOREX is a perfect market to invest in, as it is free from any external control and free competition. Mostly, all Forex trading are tentative and unlike the stock market trading, the Forex market is not conducted by a central exchange, but on the “interbank” market, which is thought of as an OTC (over the counter) market. The trading takes place between the two dealers, either over the telephone or through Internet, all over the world. The major trading centers are the ones at Sydney, London, Frankfurt, Tokyo and New York, making Forex a 24-hour market.

Forex Trading requires the employing fundamental as well as technical analyses. These analysis help a trader to foresee and determine the development in the price trends of currencies, based on which, he attempts to predict market changes and make profits. Fundamental analysis can be said to use techniques to analyze the value of a state’s currency with the help of its economic indicators, quality markets and political events and associations. Political stability also influences the exchange rate at Forex. Its not just that Forex Trading is intutive, rather its technical

While Technical analysis engages the study of patterns of price trends and movements, making it easier for the trader to predict the path of the future developments in the Forex market. The primary data for a technical analysis are values, be it the highest or the lowest values, the price of opening and closing in a definite period of time, and the amount of transactions taking place. Any factor, be it economic, political or psychological, having little or some influence on the value or the price, has already been measured by the market to be included in the price. We offer some very useful Tips for New Forex Traders.

Incorporating Price Action into a Forex Trading System

Trading the Forex market has become very popular in the last few years. But how difficult is it to achieve success in the Forex trading arena? Or let me rephrase this question, how many traders achieve consistent profitable results trading the Forex market? Unfortunately very few, only 5% of traders achieve this goal. One of the main reasons of this is because Forex traders focus in the wrong information to make their trading decisions and totally forget about the most important factor: Price behavior.

Most Forex trading systems are made off technical indicators (a moving average (MA) crossover, overbought/oversold conditions in an oscillator, etc.) But what are technical indicators? They are just a series of data points plotted in a chart; these points are derived from a mathematical formula applied to the price of any given currency pair. In other words, it is a chart of price plotted in a different way that helps us see other aspects of price.

There is an important implication on this definition of technical indicators. The fact that the readings obtained from them are based on price action. Take for instance a long MA crossover signal, the price has gone up enough to make the short period MA crossover the long period MA generating a long signal. Most traders see it as “the MA crossover made the price go up,” but it happened the other way around, the MA crossover signal occurred because the price went up. Where I'm trying to get here is that at the end, price behavior dictates how an indicator will act, and this should be taken into consideration on any trading decision made.

Trading decisions based on technical indicators without taking price action into consideration will give us less accurate results. For example, again a long signal generated by a MA crossover as the market approaches an important resistance level. If the price suddenly starts to bounce back off that important level there is no point on taking this signal, price action is telling us the market doesn't want to go up. Most of the time, under this circumstances, the market will continue to fall down, disregarding the MA crossover.

Don't get us wrong here, technical indicators are a very important aspect of trading. They help us see certain conditions that are otherwise difficult to see by watching pure price action. But when it comes to pull the trigger, price action incorporation into our Forex trading system will definitely put the odds in our favor, it will generate higher probability trades.



So, how to create a perfect Forex trading system?

First of all, you need to make sure your trading system fits your trading personality; otherwise you will find it hard to follow it. Every trader has different needs and goals, thus there is no system that perfectly fits all traders. You need to make your own research on various trading styles and technical indicators until you find a concept that perfectly works for you. Make sure you know the nature of whatever technical indicator used.

Secondly, incorporate price action into your system. So you only take long signals if the price behavior tells you the market wants to go up, and short signals if the market gives you indication that it will go down.

Third, and most importantly, you need to have the discipline to follow your Forex trading system rigorously. Try it first on a demo account, then move on to a small account and finally when feeling comfortably and being consistent profitable apply your system in a regular account.

Why opt for Forex trading?

Why opt for Forex trading?

With more than $1.5 trillion USD being traded daily, the foreign exchange market has managed to become the world's largest financial market, over the last three decades. With the large minimum deal sizes and rigid financial requirements, the Forex market, till recently, was not explored by the common trader or individual investor. But now the average investors can also engage in Forex trading. Some of the advantages of Forex trading are as follows:

24 hours trading
Forex gives its traders a 24 hour trading opportunity. Being a Forex trader, you can trade 24 hours a day from Sunday 5:00 pm (ET) to Friday 4:30 pm. This gives traders an opportunity to trade according to their convenience, going by their own schedule and also a chance to react instantly to any breaking news of the markets.

High levels of liquidity
Also, acting as a huge attraction is the high liquidity. With almost 90% of all the currency transactions consisting of 7 major currency pairs, helps these currencies display price stability, smooth trends, narrow spreads and high levels of liquidity. This liquidity mainly comes from the banks which offer cash flow to companies, investors and market players.

No commission
With “free of commission” trading, Forex trade lets you keep 100% of your trading profits. This makes Forex trading even more attractive as a business opportunity, especially for those who want to deal on a regular basis.

Steady trading prospects
The market is constantly moving and since Forex trading involves buying and selling of currencies, so traders can easily operate in a rising or falling market. This is because, there are always trading prospects, whether a currency is rising or deteriorating in relation to another currency. So there is always profit potential in the Forex market, whether it’s a rising one or a falling one.

Along with these major advantages, the Forex market also has some other merits such as, Forex trading gives its traders, an opportunity to bigger profits as returns on their invested money. Also, since the market is open 24 hours a day, 5.5 days a week, it gives the investors can make their deals anytime they want to.

With such superior speed of the market, and fine liquidity, even the largest of transactions are conducted within a few seconds.

Forex Trading System: Choosing between Mechanical and Discretionary Systems

There are basically two types of Forex trading systems, mechanical and discretionary systems. The trading signals that come out of mechanical systems are mainly based off technical analysis applied in a systematic way. On the other hand, discretionary systems use experience, intuition or judgment on entries and exits. But which one produces better results? Or more importantly, which one fits better your trading style? These are the answers we will try to answer on this article.

We will first analyze the pros and cons about each system approach.

Mechanical systems

Advantages

This kind of system can be automated and backtested efficiently.

It has very rigid rules. Either, there is a trade or there isn't.

Mechanical traders are less susceptible to emotions than discretionary traders.

Disadvantages

Most traders backtest Forex trading systems incorrectly. In order to produce accurate results you need tick data.

The Forex market is always changing. The Forex market (and all markets) has a random component. The market conditions may look similar, but they are never the same.

A system that worked successfully the past year doesn't necessary mean it will work this year.

Discretionary systems

Advantages

Discretionary systems are easily adaptable to new market conditions.

Trading decisions are based on experience. Traders learn to see which trading signals have higher probability of success.


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Disadvantages

They cannot be backtested or automated, since there is always a thought decision to be made.

It takes time to develop the experience required to trade successfully and track trades in a discretionary way. At early stages this can be dangerous.

Now, which approach is better for Forex traders? The one that fits better your personality. For instance, if you are a trader that finds it hard to follow your trading signals, then you are better off using a mechanical system, where your judgment won't play an important role in your system. You only take the trades that your system signals.

If the psychological barriers that affect every trader (fear, greed, anger, etc.) puts you in unwanted scenarios, you are also better off trading mechanical systems, because you only need to follow what your system is telling you, go short, go long, close a trade. No other decision has to be made.

On the other hand, if you are a disciplined trader, then you are better off using a discretionary system, because discretionary systems adapt to the market conditions and you are able to change your trading conditions as the market changes. For instance, you have a target of 60 pips on a long trade. But the market suddenly starts trending up pretty strongly, then you could move your target to say 100 pips.

Does it mean that trading a discretionary system has no rules? This is absolutely incorrect. Trading discretionary systems means that once a trader finds his/her setup, the trader then decides what to do. But every trader still needs certain rules that need to be followed, such as the size of the position, conditions that have to be met before thinking to get in the market, and so on.

I am a discretionary trader. The main reason I chose a discretionary system is that my trades are based on price behavior, and as you already know, the price behaves similar to the past, but it is never identical, therefore the outcome of every trade is unknown. However, I do have rigid rules on my system, certain conditions have to be met before I even think in getting in a trade. This keeps me out of trouble, once my setup is present and in accordance with the rules I have set, then I closely watch the price behavior and finally decide whether it is a good opportunity or not.

Whether you choose to be a discretionary or a mechanical trader there are some important points you should take in consideration:

1. You need to make sure the Forex trading system you are using totally fits your personality. Otherwise you will find yourself outguessing your system.
2. You also need to have some rules and most importantly have the discipline to follow them.
3. Take your time to build the perfect system for you. It's not easy and requires time and hard work, but at the end, if done correctly, it will give you consistent profitable results.
4. Before going live, try it on a demo account or even on a small account (I will go for the second option, since psychological barriers will be present.

Why choose Forex Market?

Why choose MarketForex?

MarketForex was set up by trading professionals and expert software developers with the main aim of discovering and comprehending the needs and requirements of its traders and investors, since the very beginning of their trading deal. Providing you with secure, user friendly Forex trading software, MarketForex offers the best currency trading technology with reliable and steady customer feedback services.

Live Real-Time quotes
At MarketForex, we believe in employing superior and sophisticated technologies, enabling us to offer updated quotes every second. We also give you the option of keeping a check on your positions in real time, 24 hours a day, enabling you to make a deal based on real-time information.

100:1 Leverage
The high leverage available with MarketForex is one of the main advantages which only a Forex trader avails, and not the ones dealing in futures and stocks. At over $1.2 trillion a day, it is the unparalleled size of the Forex market which enables us to offer such high leverage. This also means the increase in the amount of its transactions per day, leading to superior liquidity. By offering you higher leverage of 100:1, we are giving you more buying power than what you normally have as it increases your total return on investment.

Personal account management
At MarketForex, we are available for you 24x7 via phone, e-mails, or through the online chat. Your own Account Service Manager will be appointed to handle and work closely with you. We will also provide you with appropriate background information you require on any issues regarding the Forex market, through seminars, trainings, chat and telephone and technical support.

Stability and Reliability
Fully acknowledging the fact that our clients and their trading is highly dependant on our systems, we keep a powerful, robust and highly fault tolerant server stored safely in our server farm. Forex Day Trading Prospects are such that It has been designed keeping in mind the need of our clients for a 24-hour trading environment, guaranteeing them with more than 99% uptime. We realize the importance of being reliable to our investors, especially for their funds, which is a major concern for them all. Therefore we have taken several important measures to ensure our stability and reliability in context to our clients and their customer deposits.

Instant Deposit via Credit Card
At MarketForex, we enable you to finance your account with your credit card or paypal, permitting you to start trading immediately. We have integrated in our website, high end softwares that ensure the protection of your credit card and also secure your privacy to the utmost standards. You can instantly start trading as you don’t have to download any particular software for the trading purposes. Latest technologies, rules and regulations have been used to give you uninterrupted services.

No hidden costs or fees
MarketForex offers its clients, a totally transparent system assuring no hidden costs, fess or commissions for the deals you make. We are the market makers and make our profits through the bid/ask spreads embedded in the currency rates.

Security and Safety
MarketForex assures its clients a fair and secure dealing while trading, by treating with care and interest, all the matters of data security, confidentiality, reliability and backup.
We make use of top class firewall for security purposes and advanced SSL by Verisign for accurate user authentication and data transferring.
Also, all the information is encrypted and then stored on the servers, along with providing physical security to our server farms, assuring you that your transactions are secure and backed up, in any cases of failure or disaster.

The World And The Forex Market

It is possible to day trade currencies along with trading stocks. In case you have ever wondered how the foreign exchange market, or Forex, works, here is an overview of some of the markets basic features:

First and foremost there are the foreign exchange rates, which is the proportional value of two currencies. To be more specific, it’s the required quantity of one particular currency to sell or buy a unit of another currency. There are two methods used to express a foreign exchange rate. The most common method would express the amount of foreign currency that is needed to buy one U.S. dollar. For instance, if a foreign exchange quote expressed as USD/CND at 1.4300, this means that one U.S. dollar can be exchanged for 1.43 Canadian dollars, and vise versa. The second method is when the foreign exchange rate is expressed under the terms that the USD amount can be exchanged for one unit of a foreign currency. For instance, if a quote of CND/USD at 0.6700 means that one Canadian dollar can be exchanged for the same 0.6700 USD. When the USD is not used to convey an exchange rate, then the “cross rate” term is used to convey the proportional values between the two currencies. For instance, if the quote is DEM/SFR at .7000, this means that on German Mark can be exchanged for only .7 Swiss Francs.

Basis points are normally when the foreign exchange rate is expressed by a whole number followed by four decimal points. For example, 0.0001 is called a basis point. Therefore, if an exchange rate rises from 1.4550 to 1.4590, then the currency is said to have changed by 40 basis points.

The Forex market is used to invest in other countries or even to buy foreign products. Sometimes individuals or firms who wish to buy foreign currencies or products, may need to get hold of some of the currency, beforehand, from the country in which they wish to do business with. Also, the exporters may require payment for services or goods in their own currency, or in USD, which is accepted throughout the world.

In the Forex market, a majority of selling and buying of foreign currencies throughout the world is taken place, mostly by the large commercial banks, who are the major traders in the Forex market. With five major institutions based throughout the world in New York, London, Frankfurt, Zurich and Tokyo, the Forex market is considered the largest financial market in the world by far, with the multitude of trading volumes exceeding 1.5 trillion USD on most days.

The foreign exchange spreads are when the exchange rates in the Forex market are cited as a two-tier “bid” or “ask” rate. For instance, when a USD and a DEM is cited as 1.6000/15, the Forex trader who cites this exchange rate is agreeing to buy the DEM’s at 1.6000 and sell them at 1.6015. The “spread” is the actual difference between cites of purchase and cites of sale and also illustrates the profit expected from the transaction for the Forex trader. The “spread” may vary comprehensively on any specific currency; all depending on the currency’s strength or weakness, and even it’s past history or prospective volatility.

Forex traders who consist primarily of world wide network interbank traders are connected together by computers and telephone lines and are constantly negotiating prices among one another. These artful negotiations normally ensue in a market bid, or asking price, for a specific currency that is then introduced continuously into computers to be displayed on official quote screens. When the Forex exchange rates are quoted between banks, this is called “Interbank Rates.”

Many individuals may not be able to get hold of some foreign currencies at Forex rates unless they become licensed traders through Forex. Instead, those individuals may be able to come across foreign currency through a commercial bank, which may charge the individuals with either a commission or a higher spread than those reigning in the Forex market. Sometimes these commercial banks will even charge individuals both commission and higher spread as to enable the bank to make a reasonable profit from the transaction.

FOREX or Futures. Where to Trade

Our modern futures market originated in the 19th century when farmers began selling contracts to deliver agricultural products at a later time. They did this to attempt to anticipate market needs and to smooth the supply and demand during the off-season.

The futures market has changed dramatically since then, in current times the futures market is no longer restricted to agricultural products. This worldwide commodities market now includes such things as manufactured goods and financial products as well as agricultural products. A futures contract is a guarantee that a certain product will be sold at a fixed price on a certain date.

When speculators play the futures market there is no expectation of the products being delivered and the actual goods are not even important. It is actually just the contracts themselves that are traded and the value of these contracts is in constant fluctuation.

In every futures contract there are two positions a long position and a short position. The short position is filled by the seller and the long position is the buyer. Futures accounts are settled on a daily basis.

As an example a farmer enters into a contract with a grocer to sale him 1000 bushels of corn at $10 a bushel. At the end of the specified time the contract is settled, if the current market price of corn is at $9 a bushel the farmer will realize an extra profit of $1000 dollars on the contract and the grocer will have lost the same amount. In this situation the farmer now sells his corn at $9 a bushel on the open market but his loss is covered by the profit from the contract. The grocer now will buy his corn for $9 a bushel but in reality he is still paying $10 a bushel because of the cost of the contract. If he had not entered into a contract he could have bought his corn for $9 and saved $1000. However if the price of corn had risen significantly to $13 a bushel he would have saved himself $3000.

Speculators try to guess the direction of the market fluctuations and make a profit by buying and selling contracts.

FOREX

The FOREX market has numerous advantages over the futures market. Since it is the largest financial market in the world it is far larger than the futures market. The FOREX market is also far more fluid, which makes it easier to execute stop orders with very little slippage.

The futures market is usually only open 7 hours a day where as the FOREX exchange is open 24 hours a day 5 days a week. This extra time makes the FOREX market more fluid and allows traders to take advantage of this by trading at any time instead of waiting for the markets to open.

There are no commissions in FOREX trades; the brokers make their profit through the spread. This is the gap between the currency buy price and selling price. In futures contracts the trader has to pay commission fees on every transaction.

Due to the extremely high volume of trades in the FOREX market most transaction are executed almost immediately, this allows for better price control of your trades. In future contracts the price the broker quotes will be from the last transaction and your price could be significantly different.

In the futures market debits are a constant possibility due to daily fluctuations. The FOREX exchange has many built-in safeguards in the trading system that helps protect the traders.

Forex Currency Trading Made Easy

Forex is a stock market that is based on the trade of Liquid currencies. Liquid currencies are the currencies of countries which have the stability to back up their currency with commodities such as gold and silver. Forex currency trading has become the working man’s stock choice because you are able to trade at your convenience 24 hours a day.

Forex currency trading has become popular because it is backed by the world’s leading financial institution and you are playing the stock market based on cash and not just supply and demand, your placing your money in the market hoping the exchange rate you are buying into will come out in the end with the most profit. For example If you are placing your money being USD into the forex currency trading market and your currency of choice for the trade gains backing and increases in exchange rate, you make profit.

Forex currency trading is effected by many different variables which change day to day. Some of these variables include economic and political conditions in each respective country offering their currency on the Forex market. If the economy takes a hit on any given day, you can be sure you will see a drop in the currency exchange rate and you will experience a greater loss. During war, if a specific country is at war with another country you can also guarantee there may be a greater loss due to the fluctuation of the exchange rate of the currency being traded.

If a country sees an increase in economical gain, such as the opening of new trade routes or new commodities being traded internationally, then you would expect that the cost of the currency exchange for their currency would increase, making their currency worth more than the previous day. In turn, inflation in the currency exchange rate would prove profitable if the trader sold their shares high. As they say in the stock markets you want to buy low and sell high. If conditions become poor in a country whose currency is traded in the forex market then you may risk losing money. This is why forex currency trading has become a widely popular practice.

Because of the ever-changing world we live in most people who participate in forex currency trading are doing so on a short trading timeline. Because of things that may happen with any one particular economy on any given day and even people believing some rumors about a countries prosper or demise, it is most common for forex currency trading participants to sell their shares in a more quick manner than they would do so in a standard stock market situation.

If you place your money in the forex currency trading on the Japanese Yen, and then you hear that Japan just launched a new brand of electronics that will be popular all over the globe, or if you hear of 2 Japanese electronics companies completing a merger to provide consumers with a better product, you would assume by the rumor mill that the exchange rate of the Yen will be set to increase, and you will want to hold your place in that market, only to find out the exact opposite. For example, a automotive plant has decided to shut down production and lay off many of their employees, which would cause the exchange rate of the Yen to drop. Since you decided to hold on a rumor, and the opposite occurred, you would lose more money instead of reducing your risk by selling based on major trend and fact instead of rumor.

Benefits of Forex Trading

Did you know that more and more business opportunity seekers worldwide are discovering the powerful profit potential of Foreign Exchange trading?

In this business, there are no employees to hire, no advertising, no products to stock, no downlines to fill -- just you, an Internet connection and a computer. That's all you need to make money on the worlds largest market.

If you are searching for an alternative to more traditional home-based business opportunities, then Forex trading may be for you.

This article will explain what Forex is, the benefits of Forex trading and how easy it is to get started.

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.

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: 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). 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.

Foreign Exchange trading (forex) is easier to learn than stock trading or any other type of trading. No need to spend years attending expensive seminars or purchase expensive trading tools.

How To Identify The Major Economic Factors That Are Important In Forex Trading

Unlike other trading exchanges such as the NYSE, NASDAQ, and other major stock trading organizations, trading in the foreign exchange market can be extremely volatile on a day-to-day basis. It is crucial that anyone who is going to invest in the Forex market be as informed as possible on the global economic news of the day that influences the market. There are numerous economic factors that influence the movement of a particular currency.

When you are considering investing in the foreign exchange market there are many economic indicators and factors that governments, as well as privately owned companies provide that can give an inside look at possible economic performance. When countries issue economic reports they not only show the country's particular policies and current events but also reveal the economic health of the country.

Many times a responsible and reputable broker can be a good source of economic news and give good advice on what particular trades may be good at a particular time. If you don't have the time to stay up on the most current reports, a good broker can be crucial to your Forex trading success by studying these reports and determining whether a particular country is in an economic decline or enjoying a major increase. The great thing about Forex is that you can make money either way.

News that is necessary for the Forex trader is of much greater detail than the typical investor is interested in or even cares to follow. When you are considering investing in a particular country's currency, a few of the main factors to look at include current events and the state of the economy in that given nation. Statistics such as housing, unemployment, inflation, budget deficits, and current political climate can all affect the value of the currency. As mentioned before, money can be made in positive as well as negative political climates. You can make money from countries that are experiencing tremendous political unrest and rampant inflation as easily as one that is fiscally responsible and experiencing great economic growth.

The Gross Domestic Product, known more commonly as the GDP, is another huge economic indicator that experienced traders look at intensely when considering trades. The GDP is the total market value of all goods and services that are normally produced within a particular country. Normally this figure is an annual one and is not given in shorter periods. Because of the volatility of the Forex market this is considered a lagging indicator that becomes more measurable after the particular country's economy has started to follow a unique trend.

Other important factors for Forex trading include retail sales reports, which are the total sales receipts of all the retail stores in the country, industrial production that includes factories, mines, utilities and more, and the CPI or consumer price index. The CPI is the measure of the change in the prices of consumer goods in 200 different categories. This report can show whether or not a country is making a profit or losing money on their products and services. The exports a country contributes is are very important when looking at this indicator because the amount of exports can reflect a currency's weakness or its strength.

As you can see there are a lot of factors that need to be considered when investing in foreign currencies. It can be fun and exhilarating, but doing your homework will always pay the largest dividends.

Disable or Enable Folder Option

Folder options are very important when a system is shared between users. One of the main functionality that can be changed from folder options is to view hidden or/and super hidden files and folder in Windows XP.
(Before...)
folder options in Windows XP
(After...)
Disabling the folder options from Tools Menu
Imagine if you have some of your important files set as hidden and if someone else uses your system for a short amount of time, he/she can access your hidden files by enabling the 'viewing of hidden files' option from the folder options.
So, if you share your system among multiple users, it is advisable to disable the folder options in Windows XP.
The Method involved:
* Fire up Group Policy Editor. (Start->Run->"gpedit.msc")
Starting GPC from Run
* On the left, go to User Configuration.
* Then, go to Administrative Templates.
* Then, go to Windows Components.
* Then, go to Windows Explorer.
* Finally, on the right enable the option of "Remove the Folder Options menu item from the Tools Menu". (see the figure)