How to consistently conquer the Forex markets

Today, we are dissecting and examining one of my favorite markets … the Forex market. The Forex market is the biggest in the world and is traded on a 24/7 basis.

What makes these markets so exciting is the fact that they have a very strong tendency to trend, that is, once they get started in one direction they tend to continue in that direction for some time.

I learned how to trade Forex in the trading pits of Chicago where I was a member of the IMM, a division of the Chicago Mercantile exchange. The CME has grown dramatically over the years, and I have many fond memories of trading in the old exchange in Chicago. Today, you can trade the stock of the CME (NASDAQ_CME). That’s a good idea for our next video, let us know if you would like to see a video on trading the stock of the CME.

I digress to today’s video.

CLICK TO BEGIN VIDEO

Today we are exploring the relationship between the Euro and the Dollar (EURUSD). In this short video, which we are making available without cost or registration, you’ll catch a glimpse of a conservative way to trade the Forex markets. This approach will detach you from your computer screen and show you how to enjoy your free time without having to worry about the markets.

I would not recommend this movie if you are risk adverse. Trading in Forex, the futures markets, and in any market for that matter always has an element of risk.

VIDEO HERE

I hope you enjoy this educational Forex trading video and that you’re able to see the value in this approach.

Every success in the markets.

Sincerely,

Adam Hewison
President, INO.com
Co-creator, MarketClub

Choosing Stocks from a Consumer Perspective

Investing in the stock market sometimes boils down to one essential element, namely good choices. No matter how well we do our research, how often we buy and sell, or how much we pay experts for their tips and advice, without choosing stocks that represent value, we won’t succeed. Although some are good at predicting the direction of the market and timing the ups and downs, if they don’t purchase the right stocks, they will still meet with difficulties when trying to reap profits.

For that reason, some of the best paid people on Wall Street known primarily for their talent at picking stocks. Financial advisors give talks and write books and newsletters about how to choose stocks that will outperform the market, and most experts echo the same sentiment and agree that one of the best ways to judge a stock is from the point of view of a consumer. By using instincts we have already honed as ordinary shoppers, we can often ferret out information that even the most skilled and software-savvy market watchers miss. While they study analytical charts, earnings reports, and the stock exchange ticker tape, folks just like yourself actually do business with the companies they invest in, because their experience as a customer speaks volumes about the value of the company and its products and services.

Here are the kinds of things to look for as indicators of a company’s worth:

1) How popular is their product or service? If everyone you know uses it, and is satisfied with such things as price, customer service, and reliability, the company is probably well situated among the competition.
2) Are the employees satisfied? One of the best ways to judge a company is by talking to employees. Many companies put on a good façade, but underneath the fancy marketing is plenty of discontent. But if employees like a company – especially if they like it enough to buy stock in it – that’s a very good sign.
3) How well known are they? You may find a great startup company with all the trappings of success, but discover that it is lesser known. Many small or regional companies are popular in their own back yards, but the rest of the world may not yet know about them. Buying such unknowns can be a great way to invest in the next hot stock. If the fundamentals look good, sometimes being lesser known is a good thing for investors getting in on the ground floor.
4) If they went out of business, where would you go for similar products and services? If you can’t think of a convenient alternative, the company is probably in a niche market that enjoys customer loyalty and repeat business.

Shop around, and notice what you see and how each business makes you feel. Then trust your intuition. Make a list of companies that get your attention, and then call their shareholder relations department and ask for more details. By starting your list with companies you already have a first hand experience of, you raise the chances considerably that you will make smart choices.

Choosing a Stockbroker

It is true that even though you can choose your own investments you must still use a stockbroker to execute the orders. You do not have to rely in their advice though it may be helpful. You can make your own selections but you will still require their services to invest. There was a time when you had no choice about the type of stockbroker to utilize. There was only one type of broker, the full service brokers, and they controlled the market. The commissions that they demanded for their services were very high but this was the industry standard. This contributed to the notion that the stock market and stock market investment were beyond the means of the average person and only for the very affluent.
The initial loss of control of the market by these full service brokerages occurred in 1975 and discount brokers emerged. They charged a fraction of the fees the full service brokers did and as such were a big hit on the market. They offered the same great services but were affordable to the average individual as the cost were significantly lower. Another great innovation was the introduction of the internet. This was a great innovation as there was greater trading efficiency as a result.
The overall effect of all the changes on the stock market was that individuals now had access to a ton of information that was never accessible to them previously. It is a debate however whether these avenues have in fact enhanced investments and made better investors. In the case of persons that do their homework and seek out the truth behind the hype the answer is a definitive yes. The investors out their can now choose the type of broker they require from the range available.
There are four categories of brokers. These are the discount/online broker, the discount broker that provides advice, the full service broker and the money manager. The discount/online broker is basically an order taker. They do not offer advice and will not tell you when to buy or sell a stock. There may be research available and other account management tools but the choice of investment in the stock market is entirely up to you.
The variation of the discount/online broker that assists customers is the nest type. They do not offer full consultation services but will have more research than order taking sites. They will offer newsletters and investing tips but most likely not recommend particular stocks. You are not totally on your own with this option but you will still need to do a lot in terms of deciding on the best stock investment.
The full service broker will provide recommendations on specific stocks and the broker will also access your financial situation to determine your needs and investment options. This service is suitable for the investor that does not have the interest or time in making their investment decisions.
The money manager is made for the investor with a hefty investment sum. This broker will handle only significant portfolios and will invest and manage the entire account for a percentage of the assets under investment. This option can be expensive but very worthwhile in the long run.
Whichever option that you choose make sure it suits your purpose and that you are covered by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation. Ask about backups and other options in case of technical problems and ensure that your broker has your best interest at heart.

A plan to save the world -- part two, or is it three?

When Paulson came out today and stated that his earlier plan to save the western world was not working, he offered up a plan "C" (or is it "D") to relieve pressure on consumer credit, scrapping his earlier effort to buy the value mortgage assets.

No matter what happens or what the next plan is here, are the 3 reasons I believe stocks are headed lower.

* Number one: The trend in most all stocks is down. This trend is likely to persist and last longer than most people imagine.

* Number two: There is no plan. The government is floundering and does not have a plan that is going to work anytime soon.

* Number three: We have a lame-duck president, and nothing is going to happen of any consequence until President-elect Obama is sworn in.

New Video analysis of what could really happen:

WATCH VIDEO HERE

Okay, so let's look at the first problem. Most people trading the market today have had no experience in a prolonged bear market like the one we had in the '70s. That bear market was brutal as it did not let anyone out. Over the course of the early '70s, the bear market basically wore people out to the extent they eventually just threw in the towel. We believe the market is going to make another new low and take out the recent lows that were put in place in early October. Unlike a bull market that constantly needs positive news to drive it higher, a bear market just falls under its own weight.

The second problem we have is that there is no concrete plan in place to rescue the economy. In fact, the domestic and global economic issues are so great that they are overwhelming in scope. The Paulson plan, which is being changed and will continue to change, is a major concern and creates significant uncertainty in the marketplace. Only when we see the new regime take! off ice this coming January will we see any meaningful changes.

The third problem we have is a lame-duck president. This is a major problem for the markets as President-elect Obama can not make any sweeping changes until he is sworn into office. Yes, he may hit the ground running, but the reality is, it's not for over two months from now and a lot can happen to the market in two months. The key levels that everyone is going to be watching for are the recent lows we saw in early October. If these lows are taken out, and I expect they will be, it's going to push this market and everything else down to new lows. It will exacerbate the housing situation, the unemployment situation and most of all, the morale of the country.

Having lived through the bear market of the '70s, I know firsthand how difficult the journey we face is going to be. Now this may seem like a very pessimistic outlook and in some ways it is, however there are always opportunities to make mone! y i n the marketplace. These opportunities may not be in stocks! , it may be in forex or the commodity markets.

So buckle your seatbelt. I think we are in for a bumpy ride...check out the new video analysis:

CLICK TO WATCH VIDEO

Adam Hewison,
President, INO.com
Co-Creator, MarketClub

FAQs In Stock Trading Online

Stock trading not only deals with trading stocks for a profit. Traders have to correctly identify the direction of prices. It is equally vital to anticipate the timing of the price fluctuations. An unfavorable price fluctuation may result in a huge loss in a short span of time, while the trader is anticipating a profit eventually. Conversely, a trader might buy stock whose prices may rise after the purchase and may not sell it, expecting a further thrust in the price. If the price falls at that point of time, the trader is bound to suffer a huge loss. Therefore, timing is very important in online stock trading, which makes the new investors apprehensive while taking up trading.

The most frequently asked questions or FAQ s, by new as well as experienced traders, are on how to initiate trade, the working of the online stock trading and where to access help regarding trading strategies.

There are many stocks in the market, such as, common stock, preferred stock, original issue stock, penny stock, story stock, synthetic stock, treasury stock, and widow-and-orphan stock. It is very important to understand all the risk factors associated with all of them, before choosing a suitable one. Stock trading brokers can help the investor to select the product that will give them best returns.

Online stock trading offers the investors a quick and inexpensive way to trade, from the comfort of their homes or offices, day or in the night. Many online websites of these brokers offer demo or trial accounts that help the investors to practice their trading skills. These accounts also help to increase the understanding of the functioning of the trading market. There are short courses and books to help new as well as experienced investors, to understand the fine points of trading.

Technical Analysis Of Stock Data

To perform a technical analysis is simply examining stock chart data in order to make predictions about the future of that stock. Investors who use this style of analysis are often unconcerned about the nature or value of the companies they trade stocks in. They only invest in a stock as far as it is projected to yeild profit, then they sell all their stock.

1. The technical analysis

In order to perform a technical analysis, you have to observe how stock prices within certain industries move and interact. All the factors that influence price movement company performance, the general state of the economy, natural disasters are supposedly reflected in the stock market with great efficiency. This efficiency, coupled with historical trends produces movements that can be analyzed and applied to future stock market movements.

2. Short term investing

Technical analysis is not intended for long-term investments because fundamental information concerning a companys potential for growth is not taken into account. Trades must be entered and exited at precise times, so technical analysts need to spend a great deal of time watching market movements.

3. Upswings and downswings

There are many tools available to the technical analyst. Literally hundreds of stock patterns have been developed over time. Most of them, however, rely on the basic concepts of support and resistance. Support is the level that downward prices are expected to rise from, and Resistance is the level that upward prices are expected to reach before falling again. In other words, prices tend to bounce once they have hit support or resistance levels.

4. Charts

Technical analysis relies heavily on charts for tracking market movements. Bar charts are the most commonly used. They consist of vertical bars representing a particular time period weekly, daily, hourly, or even by the minute. The top of each bar shows the highest price for the period, the bottom is the lowest price, and the small bar to the right is the opening price and the small bar to the left is the closing price. A great deal of information can be seen in glancing at bar charts. Long bars indicate a large price spread and the position of the side bars shows whether the price rose or dropped and also the spread between opening and closing prices.

The other major type of chart that is used is called a candlestick chart, and this is used to show the slight variations between the opening and closing prices of all stocks daily. Candlesticks form various shapes that can indicate market movement. A green body with short shadows is bullish the stock opened near its low and closed near its high. Conversely, a red body with short shadows is bearish the stock opened near the high and closed near the low. Experts analyze these trends closely and invest based on their results.

Automated Forex Trading System: Faster Execution Means Increased Trade Volumes

The concept of automated Forex trading system is mind-catching.

Before the automation of the Forex market, exchange-traded futures market was the first to switch on automation. Then, the traders on the Interbank spot FX market decided to catch up with the latest trend and moved too to the new system.

Automated Forex trading system enables traders to execute their trade on spot Forex market automatically and anytime of the day, based on existing technical indicators and custom trading rules. There are various features included in the automated trading system, such as:

• Automatic trailing stops especially if the trader is losing in a particular trade position;
• Account equity management;
• Stop and/or limit orders;
• Discretionary market orders; and
• Various technical analysis indicators within your discretion for enabling trend-following systems.

Automated Forex trading systems supports most of the following indicators (the technical support will depend on the technology used as well as the available features of the system):

• WMA (weighted moving average);
• EMA (exponential moving average);
• SMA (simple moving average);
• VMA (variable moving average);
• TMA (triangular moving average);
• TSMA (time series moving average);
• WATR (wilder’s average true range);
• VHF (vertical horizontal filter);
• Standard deviation;
• Trailing stops;
• Mass index;
• Fixed limits and stops, and others.

The success of the automation process to the Forex market is attributed to several factors, such as the following:

• Its ability to perform or execute trades in real time. Because of the automation, a trader can close trades within a few milliseconds. It is impossible in manual systems, as previous trades are normally closed after several hours. In addition, there are also instances wherein a trader incurs several losses in a row that prevents him from making any fresh transactions. Thus, with automated Forex trading system, this problem could be avoided.

• Its ability to greater diversification. With automated trading system now in place, a trader can trade in various local as well as international markets within varying time zones. In other words, you can place trade or close deals with different traders from various markets around the world even at the middle of the night.

• Its ability to analyze short-term data. This feature is not available in manual trading system. Thus, traders using automated system have the bigger advantage since they can predict market trends in less than an hour.

If you will consolidate the features as well as the benefits of automated Forex trading system, it will give you a solid conclusion: with the Forex market on automation, you will be able to place more trades on a single day, thus increasing the average volume trades daily.

To further clarify the conclusion. Let us take the following scenario: If you are trading using the manual system, you will notice that it takes time before a trader confirms if he will accept your deal or not. He will look on the market condition first as well as the exchange rate of the currencies that you are trading with. Thus, if it takes time before a transaction will be finalized; there would be fewer trade volumes.

Now, if you are using the automated Forex trading system, the evaluation of exchange rates and market conditions could be done within a few minutes, since Forex data are now updated in real time. Probably after less than an hour, you will be able to take your position whether you will push through the deal or not. If a Forex transaction per trader is averaging within an hour, a single trader can place as much as 8 trades within the regular trading hours (if he is following the day trading schedule) and additional trades beyond the regular trading hours. There are thousands of traders in just a single market who can place such average number of trade per day. Combining it with the number of Forex markets around the world, the figure is just huge enough.

In addition, the technology is changing continuously, thus there is a tendency that the average number of trades per day will increase, thus a possibility of increased trade volumes on daily basis. With faster trade execution, that is a certain possibility.

Be thankful, the Forex market is now at the helm of automation. Transactions are now faster, and earning money through Forex trading is now easier.