Trading the News

I just don’t do it! I am a technical forex trader, but I do incorporate fundamentals into my trading strategy. Whether I take a contrarian view point or use the fundamentals as a catalyst to impending technical developments I am always aware on how news events affect the forex market.

In my trade journal (if you are not keeping a record of your trade and the events surrounding your trades you are just plan wrong!) I note the upcoming events and plan for actions around any scheduled news release. If I don’t want to play I will close my position and wait for 30 minutes and trade the trend. I will treat the price before the news as support or resistance and wait for the overriding trend to continue.

Unexpected news often spikes the market, but beware of unsustainable news as it is unlikely top change the long term trend. I never enter a trade without a stop-loss period!

Like I said, the fundamentals are the catalyst but technicals are the roadmap! You can find more forex strategies at FX Trade Central.

Visit FX Trainer to fulfill your forex educational needs.

My 5 Golden Forex Trading Rules

As a trader in the forex market, I have come to understand the truth about trading and it mostly has to do with myself and my personality. Taking the time to learn the FX market and developing an awareness of yourself as a trader will aid you tremendously on your very own forex journey. To aid you along the way, I have developed my 5 golden forex trading rules.


1. Having an understanding the currency pairs, including which pairs has the most liquidity and volatility in order to decide when and when not to trade them. I want to know the pairs as well as my brother and that is why I trade just a few pairs.

2. Employing technical analysis to determine past price action to set future targets. I was raised a technician and will let technical analysis be my primary mechanism for trade management.

3. Understanding the market’s psychology and my own, and then incorporating this information as part of my forex trading strategy. Understanding the drivers of the market and my own nuances allows me to sleep in when I am too tired to trade the London session and plan my trading activity, including my daily forex education session, at the times of the day when my mental focus is at its sharpest.

4. Awareness of the fundamentals that will cause a currency pair price action. Knowing current events and anticipated news allows me to trade when the market conditions fit my trading style. This is one of the things I absolutely love about the forex market … you never have to wait long for an opportunity!

5. Risk management and trade execution to ensure my trades can achieve the maximum profit. I don’t want to be greedy and I don’t like to leave money on the table either. I will be trying to master this skill for the rest of my life!

Getting your forex education, practicing in a demo account, becoming aware of your own psychology and being persistent will allow you to succeed in the forex market as well.

For information on forex education visit my forex education site or fx educational portal.

Why Trade the FOREX?

Why Trade the FOREX?

I was searching Google news, just trying to stay current when I came across this article [see above link] from Dr. Walker. She hit it right on the head and is one of the reasons I use the forex market as an income generating machine. Remember your education is king. Don't waste your time playing this market without expert taining!!! Visit FX Trade Central for the latest in forex education.

Forex Swing Trading with Elliott Wave

One of my favorite forex trading strategies involves using the Elliott Wave to trade market swings. Elliott Wave theory is named after Ralph Nelson Elliott, who concluded that the markets moved in a repetitive pattern of waves. Elliott attributed this action to the mass psychology of the market. Elliot Wave patterns follow a rhythm that the markets move up in a series of 3 waves and down in a series of 2 waves which form the base of the 5-wave pattern (the opposite is true in a downtrend).

Elliott Wave Counts

1. Short Covering Wave
2. Pullback
3. Institutional Buying Phase
4. Retracement
5. Retail Buying

I trade using Elliott Wave analysis quite frequently on options and sought to port that strategy to the forex market.

Just like in my option trading I look for the Elliott Oscillator to pull back between 90% and 140% of my wave-3 high to set up the trade. This pullback should correspond to a 38%-62% Fibonacci retracement from the wave-2 extension.

My next step is to look for confirming candle patterns, such as Harami, Tweezers or Harami cross, to trigger the trade. I draw a regression channel and look for a break above or below the channel as confirmation to enter the trade.

I place my stops at the high of the wave-1 advance and trail my stop aggressively once the currency pair has advanced past the wave-3 high. A 3-bar trailing stop is my usual exit strategy.

Look more into Elliott Wave and other strategies on my site as a tool for increasing your forex swing trade opportunities.

FX Trade Central Forex Education Portal

FX Trade Central provides an educational roadmap and portal for forex trading and information. Specifically designed to provide the latest in forex educational news and services for those individuals new to currency trading, as well servicing the needs of the more experienced retail FX traders. FX Trade Central provides recommendation on the top-level educational organizations, such as FX Trainer Financial Services Inc., in the market and a unique approach to developing forex trading athletes.

Are You Kidding Me!!!

Well, as everyone knows by now, I am a forex trader that is on this wonderful journey to freeing myself from a job that I have no passion for and being able to control my time and destiny….

Well I knew there would be bumps along the way and boy did I run into one today! I was speaking to a mentor of mine who is in the real estate business (I have been quietly investing in real estate to build me revenue streams… but that is another topic). My mentor has recently left the rat race world for entrepreneurship. As one that is planning on ‘crossing-over’ soon we began a discussion around medical insurance in the U.S.

Wow! COBRA, carrying your own medical insurance, look back by the medical insurance companies and many more hooks has caused me to rethink the cash reserves I am going to need. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE YOUR INSURANCE NEEDS!

Yes, I am ranting and no this has little to do with forex trading. If you are looking to trade currencies for a living this is definitely going to be on of those ‘challenges’ to plan and know all of your options!

I welcome any and all expert opinion. You can leave me a comment here or on my website FX Trade Central.

Also, do not forget to check out FX Trainer for all your forex education and training needs! You must take the first step!

Reality Check – Baby Boomers Are You Listening?

Well it was time for me to hit the road again. That means a trip down to my local Wal-Mart Super Center to pick up some supplies. As I was standing there at the check out counter I could not help but to notice the Wal-Mart employee placing the purchased items in the bags. This person should have been enjoying those golden years of retirement long ago, but was instead working for minimum wage at this retailer in Arizona. I began to look around and noticed more and more seniors working side-by-side with teenagers earning some extra cash after school.

I was horrified!

It got worse, much worse!

On the drive back home I started reflecting on current events, from the recent jabs between the Unites States and Venezuela to the news that pension fund after pension fund are dissolving, changing the retirement landscape forever. Today, most people are depending upon their 401k savings and what will be left of social security to provide for them during retirement. I actually heard on CNN a financial planner recommend workers consider holding off on retirement longer. As if the average working has not already worked long enough! The US economy has gone through one of the largest peacetime expansions in history. An economic boom supported by our generation, Baby Boomers. We are also paying our share as we support both children in college and aging parents who where left unprepared this ever-changing global economy. What will happen when this generation decides to retire?

BE PREPARED AND STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE!

We are living longer in a global economy that will continue to react to geo-political events with America at the center. Hugo Chavez is socializing Latin America, the Iranians are enriching uranium, China will be an economic force equal to the United States in our lifetime and Iraq is on the verge of civil war. Hot spots have always been apart of the global landscape, but at no time in history has the global economies been as linked as they are today. That is why I share with anyone who would listen, my economic philosophy of personal responsibility.

IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO GET FINANCIALLY LITERATE!

Get educated and created a rock solid investment plan. Take personal responsibility for every last cent of your hard earned money. Learn to invest! In no time you will know more than your financial planner. It is possible to increase your portfolio during market downturns. You must have all the tools in your bag because success is when preparation meets opportunity!

NOW IS THE TIME TO PREPARE AND GET EDUCATED!

I am not an investment diversity junkie. I do believe that being the absolute expert in a few areas is the best risk aversion strategy around. The real risk is being educated in the investment area you are focusing in on, just ask Warren Buffet.

I trade currencies as a tool to take advantage of upside and downside markets. Why? You just read why! Mastering the art of trading now, will allow me to continue to grow my portfolio well into retirement and enjoy the life we are all dreaming of living. I chose FX Trainer as my education partner in forex, because the product set allows for:

1. Classroom or online training.
2. Product mix for all forex ability.
3. The ability to build a community of traders.
4. Increased knowledge through networking with other traders.
5. Ability to further increase your knowledge by mentoring other traders.

I also trade options as well, but the forex market is the only truly global market and this is how I am staying ahead of the curve in this marketplace.

See for yourself why FX Trainer can provide you with the skills necessary to master the forex market.

FX Trade Central specializies in Forex Education and is your source for the latest currency trading education and information.