Forex Currency Trading

When trading currencies online, there seems to be no end to the mistakes a beginning forex trader can make. Beginning traders are always the most susceptible, but experienced traders can often revert back into bad practices as well. Here are some of the most common trading mistakes listed in no particular order, and how to avoid them.

Predicting instead of reacting. Otherwise known as overconfidence. This usually happens after a winning trade or two. The trader starts to think that if he can enter a trade sooner, he will get more pips. He begins to believe he can pick the top or bottom before the market reveals it to him. So instead of reacting to what the market is telling him, he starts to predict what the market will do. He enters a trade and the market continues its move, which is against him. Now, does he admit he was wrong and close his position, or does he add to it?

Adding to losing positions. Here is an extension of predicting instead of reacting. Look, you just entered a trade and the market is going against your position. The market is telling you, you are wrong. Now is the time to close your position, not add to it. If you add to your losing position, you are making at least two incorrect decisions. First, you are predicting the market will turn around. Second, you are hoping the market will prove you right because you are unable to admit you made a losing trade. Losing trades are a fact of life in the forex market. You weren’t wrong, simply, your edge didn’t play in your favor on this trade. Close your losing position and move onto the next trade.

Insufficient capitalization. Forex trading is already highly leveraged. Insufficient capitalization just magnifies the potential problems you can face. If you read about the famous and big name traders, they never use more than 1% – 2% of their trading capital on a position. Get out a calculator and let’s see… 1% of $10,000 is $100. So as a position trader who might have a stop-loss order of 100 pips, you can only trade one mini lot of one currency pair for each $10,000 in your trading account. That is, if you want to trade like the pros. Do you have $10,000 in your account? Why do forex dealers boldly advertise you can start trading with only $250 then? Because they are in business to make money, and if they can convince you to commit trading errors, they stand a much better chance that they will soon have your money.

Overtrading. A close cousin of insufficient capitalization. Knowing that very few currency traders trade with sufficient capital in the first place, they further compound the potential problems by trading too actively and in too many currency pairs. Spreading themselves too thin you might say. Potential problems include loosing focus and margin calls. Getting a margin call is a very irresponsible position for a forex trader to be in and is a direct result of overtrading, over leveraging, and insufficient capitalization. This is as close to the perfect recipe for failure as you can get.

Not using stop-loss orders. There are very few times when not using stop-loss orders is the correct action to take. Large traders with several hundred or more lots don’t want to advertise where their stops are placed is one. The other might be scalpers whose stop is only 10-15 pips away. By the time they figure the math and enter it in the system, the price might already be there or even past it. And some forex dealing stations won’t let you place stops closer than 15 pips anyway, especially in fast moving situations. Other than those times, you need to put stop-loss orders in on every position. It is in your own best interest to protect yourself. I know, some people whine that their stops are always being run by the dealer. A whole article could be written on stop-loss order management, if not a complete chapter in a book. Let’s just say for now, don’t put them where everybody else does, and don’t put them too close.

Trading as a hobby. Golf is a hobby and it costs you money to play. Horseback riding is a hobby and it costs you money as well. The point is hobbies cost money, business makes money. You need to treat your forex trading as a business if you ever hope to make money on a consistent basis. That means keeping records, keeping a trading journal, and have a written business plan. You wouldn’t invest money into a start up business without first seeing a business plan, so why would you invest money into your own trading account without the same thoughtful consideration.

Not having a trading plan. This is one of those catch-all mistakes. If you have a written trading plan, and follow it, you will already have identified and hopefully eliminated all of the above mistakes. If you don’t have a written trading plan, you are almost assuredly making some, if not all of the above mistakes. Maybe not all at once, but even occasional mistakes add up quickly. Do yourself a favor and don’t put on another trade until you think through and write down the response for all of the above mistakes and any others you can identify, as well as entry and exit rules. Then follow it.

These are just some of the many mistakes you can make as a forex trader. You need to take responsibility for yourself and your money and act in your own best interest. The currency markets are a zero sum game and the many players are out to make a profit. Don’t let them profit with your money. Do your best to eliminate the above mistakes, and you will go a long way to ensuring you are the one who profits in the forex market.

James is a successful online currency trader and also runs the popular website http://www.todayscurrencytrading.com. Go there now and you can sign up for his FREE, “Currency Trade of the Week”.

You may have an illusion that forex trading is something very easy and simple but in reality a lot of trader will lose all the money they have. So what are the mistakes they made?

In fact, the number one mistake they make is that they do not prepare well. They will think that they can make money by following a system from others. They may even think that they can predict the forex price. In fact, you should not just follow the others if you want to be successful in forex trading.

Besides, some people lose because they think that there is a formula for them to follow and they can just trade according to this scientific formula. However, the sad fact is that there is no such formula in the world. If such formula really exists, all of us have already become billionaire.

The most serious mistake, according to experiences, is probably being too greedy. Some traders want to make the most money out of the market and they try to predict the highest price they call trade. They will be reluctant to make the deal even if they know they have already made some money. However, they will only find later that they cannot make money or even lose because they have missed the chance.

In fact, discipline is very important if you want to be successful in the forex market. Most traders know that it is important but they are just unable to do so. And this will make them lose money in the market.

You have to do your own research. You have also to study the market yourself. Of course you are also going to make your own decision. You should not just listen to what others say. Instead you should only take the opinions of the others some advices.

Besides, if you have set a target, you should make the deal when it is achieved. You should never think that you will be able to make more money and forget your original target. As discussed, this is the most serious mistake some traders make.

To be honest, forex trading is not easy. However, if you can work hard and do your own research, you will always have the chance to make money. You have to keep learning. Education is probably the most important thing if you would like to make money from forex trading. And if you have the discipline and educate yourself well, there is no reason why you cannot be successful in the marketing.

The Author has a website on Financial Planning http://myfinancialexpert.info/