start forex

Forex charts and technical analysis is time efficient, works and will continue to work and here we introduce you to the basics of forex charting and how to win…

Before we start, let’s get rid of one of the big forex myths which is - forex charts can predict the future, they can’t. That doesn’t mean you cant win with them, you can and there huge advantage is:

Human nature is constant and while it cannot be predicted with scientific accuracy, human nature repeats and greed the greed and fear of the participants is reflected in chart action. You can then trade the reality of price change for profit and if you employ robust forex management, you can run your profits and cut your losses.

Forex charts work because price trends are always present and always will be. These trends last for weeks, months or years. By locking into these price trends, you can make big profits. If you are wrong, you simply cut your profits quickly.

The basic logic of technical analysis is:

- Human psychology is constant and shows up in high odds chart formations
- Trends develop and persist
- A trend in motion is more likely to continue than reverse.

Profiting From Forex Charts

Look at any forex chart and you will see this to be true, so how do you turn this theory into profit?

The best way to trade is to look for longer term trends and use a breakout methodology as the basis of your forex trading strategy:

The fact is most trends start and continue from new market highs or lows that’s why you don’t need to predict you just go with these breakouts.

Most traders cannot do this and think they can buy exact tops and bottoms, when of course they cant. They think they have missed a bit of the move when prices break and wait for the pullback. Of course, the pullback doesn’t come and they watch the trend go into the distance, piling up thousands in profit and their not in!

If you trade the reality of price change at these breakouts, the odds are on your side and you can win. We have discussed forex breakout systems in other articles so look them up - but lets make one point clear in this article which is the key to Forex success:

Any forex trading system you use should be simple!

Many traders think the more complex their system the better but this is another forex myth. Complicated systems have to many elements to break whereas a simple one is more robust in the brutal world of trading.

A simple forex trading system based on breakouts and applied with discipline can make you a lot of money over time.

The Way to Enjoy Currency Trading Success is:

Forex markets are a lot simpler than many people believe and you don’t need to be clever or complicated to win.

All you need is a simple robust strategy and the discipline to apply it and you could soon be making big profits, from forex technical analysis, in around 30 minutes a day. Discover the power of forex charts and you maybe glad you did.

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If you’ve been in the Forex trading game for any number of days, hours or minutes you’ll have realized there are a plethora of applications, strategies and methods available to get you the results you want. Mad confusion, so which are better and for what purpose? Don’t stop now, keep reading!

Let’s start with the big one, Forex trading strategies. One thing you should understand before even thinking about designing or getting help with a trading strategy is you need knowledge of the trading game. You try to develop a strategy or get one from someone else but you have little to no knowledge you’re likely to lose money. So if you don’t know the market, skip the next paragraph because they’re not for you. Come on now don’t cry; there’s something for everyone in this article (even those with no experience).

So yeah, Forex strategies are to be used by those who know what they’re doing. The idea is pretty self-explanatory from the term. You use a strategy to stop missing good Forex trades and start making a consistent and reliable income in both large numbers and a fast manner. These strategies go from basic like “fast moving averages crossover” to complex like “picking tops and bottoms”. Google those terms and you’ll be guaranteed to find those strategies and likely many more. I just want to add that strategies like those are for educational purposes only as the trading market can significantly change at any time. I am not suggesting those do or do not work I am simply saying those are common strategies. Use at your own risk.

Next come Forex trading systems. There are a ton of these bad boys out there but let’s focus on a common style, autopilot, and a common choice, Forex Tracer. The concept, again, is pretty self-explanatory by the term. It’s an autopilot application. It does it all on its own. These are the optimal choices for lazy people like me who want large amounts of cash with little effort. Worst case scenario we spend 10-15 minutes in front of the computer per-day. All that’s left is leaving the computer on and connected to the Internet 24/7 and it’ll do the trading for us. What’s not to love?

The GOOD autopilot Forex trading systems are created by expert traders/advisors along with mathematicians and in some cases, behavioral psychologists. Heavy stuff man. This combination of experts ensures you’re getting reliable information (they send updates, newsletters, have full support, etc.) from credible sources. That’s what we’re after for maximum profits. In the case of Forex Tracer there is also a “demo account” where you can play the trading market with “play money” to see how much you could potentially profit. No investment needed, it’s great.

So there you have it. Strategies are great for those who know and understand the complicated magic that we call Forex trading and Forex trading systems are for those who genuinely don’t care about the complicated business and just want the money (with little work).

Click here to check out reviews of the top three selling Forex trading systems

Many traders believe that to be successful you need mountains of indicators that give you some kind of “edge” over the market. I am here to say that trading as a means of consistent income does not have to be painful or difficult. That less is certainly more when it comes to trading. I’ve met traders with every indicator under the sun on their charts, with years of training under their belts having spent thousands of $$$’s and STILL not making a consistent income….

Why? Because Indicators are liars! Sure sometimes you might pull of a trade or 2 but in the end you always get spanked….Why? Because not everyone uses a MACD with your settings, not everyone uses the Stochastic or the RSI. I believe to be an effective trader you have to look at what the majority of traders look at…So what do most traders look at? Support and Resistance! Almost every system out there uses Support and Resistance to some extent. Support and Resistance is our number 1 indicator. So why not make Support and Resistance your system?! Mark up some levels on a chart using time frames from 1hr and above (this is what the big boys who move the market watch, so no lower please) and see what happens! Use other info that the majority of traders watch ONLY as confluence, Market Profile levels, Pivots and Fibs.

Support and Resistance levels are considered high probability areas for market “reversal”, offering retracements of 0.75 points to in some cases 50+ points. In many instances historically referenced Support and Resistance levels can help traders catch markets tops/ bottoms to the very tick! Why? Because Support and Resistance levels are the most widely used trading tool! Everyone from Hedge funds and banks to the small time trader at home use Support and Resistance levels

For many it may be difficult to leave the system you are using now so why not use Support and Resistance levels as a guide alongside set ups defined by the system/strategy that you are implementing. Using Support and Resistance levels obtained from the 1hr, 4hr and daily timeframes offers the highest odds Support and Resistance levels. All levels should have historical significance and thus will be considered high probability trading areas. Throughout the trading day these numbers can become areas of Support AND Resistance.

We believe that using Support and Resistance as your CORE trading methodology can reap great rewards for traders.

To find a methodology that really works and receive FREE Support and Resistance levels please visit us at http://www.supportandresistancetrading.com/

The lesser known Forex strategy revealed here can make a big difference to your profits.
Getting in at the optimum level results in more pips which can accumulate steadily.

Two methods of drawing trendlines are:

1. The Eye Ball Method

By just running the eye over a candle chart, it is easy to identify a series of lower highs or higher lows. Drawing a trendline across the tops or the bottoms will indicate where price is likely to bounce in the future.

It is not necessary to be obsessive about the trendline having to touch exactly all the highs and lows. In some cases they may touch the bottom of some candle shadows, in other cases, they may touch the bodies of the candles.

2. The Tom DeMark Method

Tom DeMark, a highly respected market analyst, suggests connecting the last high with the previous high in a downtrend and extending the line past current price action OR connecting the last low with the previous low in an uptrend and extending the line past current price action.

Highs are candles that have lower candles adjacent to them on the left and right and lows are candles that have higher candles adjacent to them on the right and left.

These trendlines can be regularly updated as new highs and lows are formed.

Trendlines For Optimum Entry

Many traders enter a trade on the break of a trendline as part of their Forex strategy. That works for many.

However, there is a way to use trendlines to ensure an optimum entry point.

Often, not always, price will break a trendline and move away 10 or 20 pips. Then, it comes back to test the backside of that trendline. That’s where you enter the trade.

If the trendline break coincides with your other favorite indicators such as pivot points, Fibonacci calculations, set an entry order for price to take you in when it comes back to test that level.

That way you enter the trade at an optimum level and squeeze even more pips out of the move.

Of course, price may not come back to test the backside of the trendline so your order doesn’t get taken in and you miss the move. No problem. As a trader patience is an essential quality you develop as a part of your Forex strategy. You simply wait for the next time!

See the link below for a visual example of this Forex strategy.

For screen shots of trade entries using trendlines as discussed in this article click here:

http://www.vitalstop.com/Forex/trendline.html

Click here to learn how to use another indicator, the 200 EMA, in a simple yet powerful way:

http://www.vitalstop.com/Forex/Advisor/200EMA-forex-strategy.htm

For the best free economic calendars plus a free pivot point calculator and Fibonacci calculator click here:

http://www.vitalstop.com/Forex/tools.html

Day trading can be a thrilling way to make money. But it’s more challenging than most beginners think. Here are some day trading tips that can help the new trader as well as the more advanced trader to achieve your goals faster.

First: Be careful not to over trade. The majority of the time the market is a random walk - meaning that it’s moving without any rhyme or reason. Amateur traders taking small positions in the market are behind these unpredictable movements.

These amateurs do not affect the long-term movement of the market. The professionals, with their large volume and their willingness to hold positions longer, are the ones who create sustainable moves in the market that can provide meaningful profits.

Many people are drawn to day trading because of the excitement of the business and the potential for big, fast profits. This attitude sets up the trader for failure. Day trading does not have the frantic energy of a video game. Most successful day traders sit by the sidelines for long periods of time simply waiting for a high-probability setup to occur. The pros trade much less frequently than the amateurs think.

Second: The trend is your friend … sometimes.

The truth is that the trend is a fair weather friend!

It is your friend early on. But trends get run out of steam.

Therefore there are 2 times to trade when you can put statistics on your side:

When a new trend is just starting.

When a trend has run its course.

Trading only at these 2 times allows you to put the statistics of the “edge” of the bell curve on your side. Trading in the middle of a trend, puts you solidly in the middle of the bell curve where anything can happen.

Third: Join free trading rooms for day trading tips but do exactly the opposite of what you hear!

I’ve participated in many chat rooms over the years, and have received a tremendous benefit from them. But the benefit did not come from listening to the teacher. It came from watching the comments of the participants as they shared what they were doing at any given time in the market.

The vast majority of the time they were dead wrong in their approach.

They reveal the mind of the unprofitable retail traders. It’s almost eerie how the amateurs think alike when it comes to trading the markets. If you listen to them long enough in the trading rooms you’ll start to notice the patterns of the things they do consistently. Do the opposite and win.

As an example, one of the most common problems amateur traders have, is resisting the urge to fight the trend. You’ll often hear comments such as: “The market can’t go any higher than this.” “This market just has to turn around at this point.” “The market is definitely way over-extended now.”

It is absolutely amazing to see how amateurs habitually trade against the trend in an effort to find tops and bottoms. They are constantly looking for the market to turn around. As is always the case, you can profit tremendously by taking the other side of their trades.

Day trading can be extremely rewarding, but to be successful you must stand aside from the masses and avoid the herd instinct that drives so many. These 3 day trading tips can help you be among the minority who succeeds.

Dr. Barry Burns is the owner of Top Dog Trading and writes a Day Trading Blog. He offers a 5-day free video trading course which provides more day trading tips to help traders become successful.

He started his study of the markets under the direction of his father, Patrick F. Burns, who became independently wealthy through trading and had over 70 years of trading experience before passing away in 2005.

He has been the featured speaker at DayTradersUSA, and developed a 5 Day Course for WorldWideTrders.

Dr. Burns has been a headlining guest speaker for the Market Analysts of Southern California, given seminars around the country at many Wealth Expos as well as many Traders Expos, been interviewed on the Robin Dayne “Elite Masters of Trading” Radio Show, and is the former moderator of the FuturesTalk chat room.

He has a doctorate in Hypnotherapy and is a certified NLP practitioner, and therefore able to help people with the psychology of trading.

Defense wins championships. A good defense gives your team a chance to win; it keeps you in the game. To put this in trading terms, your game plan should keep your losses manageable while waiting for an opportunity to build a position. When you trade with this mindset you will always be in the game and ONE trade could turn around your entire day or your week.

Too often we see trader after trader trying to earn their entire month by gambling big on every single trade instead of seeing the big picture and earning your pay by the month.

There are literally stores and bookshelves filled with trading books and videos about how to earn money in the stock market. If I was forced to put a number on it I would say that 98%of them focus on telling you what to do to be successful as a trader.

We are going to discuss some of the things you can AVOID to give yourself the best chance of netting money on a regular monthly basis.

1. Using maximum leverage all the time: Most retail traders who make the venture into full time trading have a very common belief; “if I had more buying power I would make more money.” So when they actually make the jump to a professional firm they can’t wait to “load up” a position. All they can see is the dollar signs of what they will earn as the trade moves in their favor. It is just not possible for every trade you take to be one where you should increase your leverage. Placing maximum share size on your initial entry requires you to be amazingly accurate with every entry. Think about that, maximum share size all the time forces you to be perfect. Is that possible?

2. Not using enough leverage: There are however certain times of the day, week and month when you will have the market condition to increase your position size. Keep in mind this will occur on average around 30% of the day, week, and month. Think about that; 70% of the month will NOT be optimal conditions for max share size!! How often does the market, sector, your stock, market internals and volume all line up for this perfect storm?

3. Trading the entry signal instead of the trend: One of the most exciting things to do when trading is obviously getting into a trade, that’s what gets your blood pumping. Unfortunately because the entry is so exciting that is where most new traders put most of their focus during the trading day; on the entry signals. This is equivalent to going to the beach and watching the small splashes of water around your ankles and thinking those splashes move the ocean. It is the other way around and that should be your focus. The big picture first and THEN the smaller time frames to enter or exit. Don’t even look at the smaller entry time frames until it looks good on the higher time frames.

4. Guessing when a trend will end: When you remove the ego based desire to pick tops and bottoms you will immediately become a better trader. This will add to your net profitability than any other advice you will receive. One of the first mentors I had said it the best; “it is what it is until it’s not.” In other words assume the order flow the buying or selling pressure is intact until you see a heavy volume pause or exhaustive volume.

5. Trying to scalp AND position trade: Pete Rose was not a home run hitter and Barry Bonds was not paid to hit singles. They both knew very clearly before they went to the batters box what they were trying to accomplish. This is a very important concept to understand before you begin trading for the day it will affect how you manage a position and how you get shares for a trade. If you are a “singles hitter” as a trader you will be trading full size on both entry and exit. If you are a trader who holds positions you will be building a position as the stock moves in your favor and scaling out as well. It is very difficult to scalp and to be a position trader; you will constantly be mixing business plans. This is a quick road to the poor house. Pick a style that fits your personality and trade it like you own it. This will make it much easier to replicate your success.

Spend some time during lunch or after the close and see how many of these five you can remove from your daily trading.

Good luck this week,

Pete

The founders and instructors of Keystone Trading Concepts have managed a profitable short term trading desk for the last seven years. Our specialty is short term intra day to five day stock trades.
http://www.keystonetradingconcepts.com/