Forex Online Training Courses

Self-study course

This online course is ideal for students who want a quick introduction to forex.

Seven web-based lessons will teach you.

Basic terms and concepts, like pips, major and minor currency pairs.

How to develop a personal trading plan using the tools and resources available. Instructor-led course Learn forex essentials plus trading strategies, and tips for intelligent risk management. Study on your own online and benefit from access to a dedicated Forex instructor. You'll learn how: To anticipate and react to major announcements and events. To recognize trading patterns and detect trading opportunities more effectively using technical tools. Core risk management concepts and strategies.

Forex Bookstore

Top Ten Recommended Books
Currency Trading For Dummies by Mark Galant and Brian Dolan
Mastering the Trade by John Carter
ForeX Trading for Maximum Profit: The Best Kept Secret Off Wall Street by Raghee Horner
Getting Started in Currency Trading : Winning in Today's Hottest Marketplace by Michael Archer & Jim Bickford
Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets : A Comprehensive Guide... by John Murphy
Come Into My Trading Room: A Complete Guide to Trading by Alexander Elder
Forex Revolution : An Insider's Guide to the Real World of Foreign Exchange Trading by Peter Rosenstreich
A Complete Guide to Technical Trading Tactics : How to Profit Using Pivot Points, Candlesticks & Other Indicators by John L. Person
Japanese Candlestick Charting by Steve Nison
Technical Analysis from A to Z, 2nd Edition by Steven B. Achelis






The Forex Market Trading Strategies & Techniques Technical Analysis



The Forex Market

Currency Trading For Dummies

Currency Trading For Dummies

by Mark Galant & Brian Dolan


This nuts and bolts guide gives you a step-by-step action plan for understanding and trading the Forex market. It offers practical guidance and savvy tips in everything from comprehending currency quotes to using leverage, trading with fundamentals, and navigating technical analysis. Plus, you get Forex market guidelines and sample trading plans.

Getting Started in Currency Trading : Winning in Today's Hottest Marketplace

An Getting Started in Currency Trading : Winning in Today's Hottest Marketplace

by Michael Archer & Jim Bickford


Getting Started in Currency Trading is both an introduction and reference tool for beginning and intermediate foreign exchange (Forex) traders. This information-packed resource opens with a description of the Forex market and a section of clearly defined Forex terms with examples. You'll learn how to open your own trading account by following step-by-step instructions and numerous screen shots that show you what expect inside a dealer's trading platform. You'll walk through the physical process of placing and liquidating currency orders. Later chapters introduce various trading strategies and tactics in detail, along with some fundamental and technical analysis that will help you win in the exploding foreign exchange trading market.

Forex Revolution : An Insider's Guide to the Real World of Foreign Exchange Trading
Forex Revolution : An Insider's Guide to the Real World of Foreign Exchange Trading

by Peter Rosenstreich


Forex Revolution reveals everything you need to know to trade Forex hands-on-from fundamental and technical trading strategies to the unyielding discipline that's essential to success. Peter Rosenstreich brings together insider techniques from all over the industry: Traders, banks, Forex firms, even the National Futures Association. You'll find expert guidance on everything from handling 24/7 markets to finding trading opportunities from the emergence of China.

Currency Trading: How to Access and Trade the World's Biggest Market

Currency Trading: How to Access and Trade the World's Biggest Market

by Philip Gotthelf


Expert trading veteran Philip Gotthelf provides the first comprehensive guide to currency speculation aimed toward the average investor. Combining fundamental and technical analysis, this book teaches traders how to take advantage of fluctuations within the currency markets. Currency Trading takes the latest developments in the FOREX market and provides readers with a complete trading plan.

A Foreign Exchange Primer

A Foreign Exchange Primer

by Shani Shamah


The foreign exchange market is the most traded in the world, with an estimated USD3.2 trillion average daily turnover. This book sets out to introduce the novice to the practical skills necessary to understand the foreign exchange market today. A Foreign Exchange Primer provides a clear understanding of how this market functions, from the main products through to the techniques used, coverage of the main participants, details of the various 'players' and an understanding of the 'jargon' used in everyday dealings. This concise, highly accessible primer is ideal for anyone new to or wanting to become involved in the foreign exchange market, from a dealing room or sales perspective through to the novice investor.



Trading Strategies & Techniques

Mastering the Trade
Mastering the Trade.

by John Carter


Expert tactics to become make the most of every swing trade

In Mastering the Trade, veteran trader and educator John Carter shares his hard-won five-point technique for swing trading. In addition, Carter helps you move to the next level of confidence by explaining how markets really work and detailing behind-the-scenes market mechanics.

ForeX Trading for Maximum Profit: The Best Kept Secret Off Wall Street

ForeX Trading for Maximum Profit: The Best Kept Secret Off Wall Street

by Raghee Horner


An in-depth how-to look at Forex trading using the methods, analysis, and insights of a renowned trader, Raghee Horner. As the fate of the dollar against foreign currency generates both anxiety and opportunities, currency trading has been drawing much interest and a growing following among traders in the United States. The liquidity of the Forex market and worldwide participation makes for more reliable and longer lasting trends as well. Raghee Horner (Pompano Beach, FL) is an accomplished trader with more than fifteen years in the markets. She is the cofounder and lead trader of the EZ2 Trade Institute and an educator teaching her style of technical analysis and charting strategies to students all over the world. Raghee has written more than 100 articles on investing, has been a regular on the MoneyWatch Radio Network, is featured at eSignal's "Trading with the Masters," and is a regular contributor to Trader's magazine. Her chart analysis and commentary have appeared on TradingMarkets, JAGNotes, StockCharts.com, and FXStreet. She is also a sought-after speaker who has conducted seminars throughout the U.S., Canada, Caribbean, and Asia.

Come Into My Trading Room: A Complete Guide to Trading

Come Into My Trading Room: A Complete Guide to Trading

by Alexander Elder


You can become a successful trader. It has been done before, and it is being done right now, today, by people around the world. If you enjoy learning, if you are not scared of risk, if the rewards appeal to you, and if you are prepared to put in the work, you have a great project ahead of you. In Come Into My Trading Room: A Complete Guide to Trading, Dr. Alexander Elder takes you far beyond the three M's (Mind, Method, Money) of his international bestseller Trading for a Living. This essential book educates the novice and gives more power to the professional through expert advice, proven trading methods, and something entirely unique a visit to Dr. Elder's own trading room. You get to follow him through several actual trades, whose entries and exits illustrate many of the key concepts of this book. Come Into My Trading Room offers: A complete introduction to trading essentials An overview of trading psychology, both individual and mass psychology of the markets A practical overview of technical analysis, including new indicators and systems A step-by-step guide to risk control and money management Exact instructions for keeping records and organizing your time A visit to Dr. Elder's private trading room, reviewing several of his recent trades Be sure to work through the companion volume to this book Study Guide for Come Into My Trading Room before you risk a dollar in the markets. The Study Guide features 100 questions and answers and almost 50 charts to test your knowledge. Grade yourself to make sure you know enough about the nine key areas of trading. Work through eight case histories, select entry and exit points, and find out how well you understand what needs to be done in every trade. Use Dr. Elder's Study Guide to make sure that you can measure up to your competitors and surpass them. Come Into My Trading Room will help you master a new way of trading stocks, futures, options, and currencies. Unparalleled depth and a wide range of coverage give you the best chance to become the trader you've always wanted to be.

The Disciplined Trader: Developing Winning Attitudes

The Disciplined Trader: Developing Winning Attitudes

by Mark Douglas


With rare insight based on his first-hand commodity trading experience, Mark Douglas demonstrates why the beliefs learned to function effectively in society are often formidable psychological barriers in trading. "The Disciplined Trader" helps you join the elite few who have learned how to control their trading behavior by developing a systematic, step-by-step approach. Mark Douglas is President of Trading Behavior Dynamics, Inc. A successful commodities trader himself, Mark has drawn on his own experiences - as well as observations of countless other traders in his consulting business to identify and develop methods for overcoming counterproductive trading behaviors. He conducts his own seminars and workshops for leading commodities and brokerage organizations as well as being an invited speaker at numerous investment conferences around the world.

Currency Strategy

Currency Strategy

by Callum Henderson


Currency Strategy develops new techniques and explains classic tools available for predicting, managing, and optimizing fluctuations in the currency markets. Author Callum Henderson shows readers how traditional macroeconomic theory has repeatedly failed in the face of practical experience in these markets and develops a new approach based on experience. He draws on the technical expertise of his bank to develop mathematical models to assist in the prediction of crises and gives practical advice on how to use these and other tools successfully.



Technical Analysis

SFO Personal Investor Series: Technical Analysis
SFO Personal Investor Series: Technical Analysis

by Laura Sether


SFO Personal Investor Series: Technical Analysis is a must-have addition to your technical trading library. This book, a collection of the top technical articles from SFO, The Official Journal for Personal Investing, will take you from the Dow theory origins of technical analysis to the cutting-edge synthesis of Eastern and Western technical methods. It is perfect for the up-and-coming technician or as a refresher course for more experienced hands. Learn basic technical tools and more advanced strategies from 25 of SFO's top authors.

This book features Brian Dolan, FOREX.com's Chief Currency Strategist, on which technical indicators work best in trading different currency pairs.

Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets : A Comprehensive Guide to Trading Methods and Applications
Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets : A Comprehensive Guide to Trading Methods and Applications

by John Murphy


John J. Murphy has now updated his landmark bestseller Technical Analysis of the Futures Markets, to include all of the financial markets. "If one could read only one book on technical analysis, this should be the one." --Knight-Ridder Financial Products and News (on the first edition, Technical Analysis of the Futures Markets, 0-13-898008-X)

This outstanding reference has already taught thousands of traders the concepts of technical analysis and their application in the futures and stock markets. Covering the latest developments in computer technology, technical tools, and indicators, the second edition features new material on candlestick charting, intermarket relationships, stocks and stock rotation, plus state-of-the-art examples and figures. From how to read charts to understanding indicators and the crucial role technical analysis plays in investing, readers gain a thorough and accessible overview of the field of technical analysis, with a special emphasis on futures markets. Revised and expanded for the demands of today's financial world, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in tracking and analyzing market behavior.

"One way to get started in technical analysis is to read a good book on the subject. One of my favorites is Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets: A Comprehensive Guide to Trading Methods and Applications by John J. Murphy. It's an easy read." Ralph J. Acampora, CMT, Managing Director, Prudential Securities Inc.

A Complete Guide to Technical Trading Tactics
A Complete Guide to Technical Trading Tactics

by John L. Person


The Complete Guide to Technical Trading Tactics can help the new individual investor understand the mechanics of the markets. Filled with in-depth insights and practical advice, this book details what it takes to trade and shows readers how they can broaden their horizons by investing in the futures and options markets. The Complete Guide to Technical Trading Tactics outlines a variety of proven methodologies-pivot points, candlesticks, and other top indicators-so readers may use those that work best for them as well as make their own trading decisions without a second thought. Author John Person also shares his insights on a variety of trading technologies that will allow readers to gain a competitive edge in the market.

Japanese Candlestick Charting - Second Edition

Japanese Candlestick Charting - Second Edition

by Steve Nison


Japanese Candlestick Charting Techniques, 2nd Edition, provides an in-depth explanation of candlestick plotting and analysis, conveying to the reader, in easy-to-understand language, the author's years of practical experience in this increasingly popular and dynamic approach to market analysis. It includes hundreds of examples that span the equity, futures, fixed-income, and foreign exchange markets and shows how candlestick charting techniques can be used in almost any market. It includes everything from the basics, such as constructing the candlesticks and learning the patterns, to advanced topics, such as the rules of multiple technical techniques. Whether you are new to candlestick charts or a seasoned pro-the reward will be immediate and long lasting.

Technical Analysis from A to Z, 2nd Edition

Technical Analysis from A to Z, 2nd Edition

by Steven B. Achelis


Millions of traders participating in today's financial markets have shot interest and involvement in technical analysis to an all-time high. This updated edition of Technical Analysis from A to Z combines a detailed explanation of what technical analysis is and how it works with overviews, interpretations, calculations, and examples of over 135 technical indicators--and how they perform under actual market conditions. Enhanced with more details to make it easier to use and understand, this book reflects the latest research findings and advances.

Technical Analysis for Dummies
Technical Analysis for Dummies

by Barbara Rockefeller


For active traders and investors who don't understand the complicated art of technical analysis, this commonsense resource covers all the bases. Explaining the basic principles of analysis

Forex Links

Forex Market Information

Federal Reserve Banks' "All About the Foreign Exchange Markets in the United States"


Economic Calendars

Bloomberg Economic Calendar
Briefing.com Economic Calendar
Yahoo U.S. Economic Calendar


Central Banks & Regulatory Agencies

Bank of Canada
Bank of England
Bank of International Settlements
Bank of Japan
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
European Central Bank
Federal Reserve Bank
Reserve Bank of Australia
Swiss National Bank


News

Bloomberg
CNNfn
Reuters
FX Week

Forex Economic Indicators

What are Economic Indicators?

Economic indicators are snippets of financial and economic data published regularly by governmental agencies and the private sector. These statistics help market observers monitor the economy's pulse - so it's no surprise that they're religiously followed by almost everyone in the financial markets.

With so many people poised to react to the same information, economic indicators have tremendous potential to generate volume and to move prices. It might seem like you need an advanced economics degree to parse all this data accurately - but in fact traders need only keep a few simple guidelines in mind to making trading decisions based on this data.

Mark your economic calendars

Know exactly when each economic indicator will be released. You can find these calendars at the New York Federal Reserve Bank's site; FOREX.com clients can simply login to MyAccount and click on Economic Calendars.

Watching the economic calendar not only helps you consider trades around these events, it helps explain otherwise unanticipated price actions during those periods. Consider this scenario: it's Monday morning and the USD has been in a tailspin for 3 weeks, with many traders short USD positions as a result. On Friday, however, U.S. employment data is scheduled to be released. If that report looks promising, traders may start unwinding their short positions before Friday, leading to a short-term rally in USD through the week.

What does this data mean for the economy?

You need not understand every nuance of each data release, but you should try to grasp key, large-scale relationships between reports and what they measure in the economy. For example, you should know which indicators measure the economy's growth (gross domestic product, or GDP) versus those that measure inflation (PPI, CPI) or employment strength (non-farm payrolls).

Not all economic indicators can move markets

The market often pays more attention to certain indicators under certain conditions - and that focus can change over time. For example, if prices (inflation) are not a crucial issue for a given country, but its economic growth is problematic, traders may pay less attention to inflation data and focus on employment data or GDP reports.

Watch for the unexpected

Often the data itself may not be as important as whether or not it falls within market expectations. If a given report differs widely and unexpectedly from what economists and market pundits were anticipating, market volatility and potential trading opportunities may result.

At the same time, be careful of pulling the trigger too quickly when an indicator falls outside expectations. Each new economic indicator release contains revisions to previously released data. Here's an example:

Don't get caught up in details

While your macroeconomics professor may appreciate all the nuances of an economic report, traders need to filter data judiciously for their own purposes: making intelligent trading decisions.

For example, many new traders watch the headlineNew line of the employment report, for example, assuming that new jobs are key to economic growth. That may be true generally, but in trading terms non-farm payrolls is the figure traders watch most closely and therefore has the biggest impact on markets.

Similarly, PPI measures changes in producer prices generally - but traders tend to watch PPI excluding food and energy as a market driver. Food and energy data tend to be much too volatilve and subject to revisions to provide an accurate reading on producer price changes.

There are two sides to every trade

Hopefully this has helped you realize the importance of watching economic indicators - and knowing which data are most likely to move markets and impact currency traders.

Just remember that no trader's knowledge can be complete all the time. You might have a great handle on economic data published in the U.S. - but there are times when data published in Europe or Australia might have surprising impact on your currency market. Doing your homework before trading any currency will help you stay on guard.

Economic indicators: a currency's vital signs

Traders can measure the economic health of a given country (and its currency) through its economic indicators - but, just like a doctor monitoring a patient's vital signs, not all stats count equally. Here's a primer of the key economic indicators that often impact currency traders.

Economic indicators divide into leading and lagging indicators:

• Leading indicators are economic factors that change BEFORE the economy starts to follow a particular trend. They're used to predict changes in the economy.
• Lagging indicators are economic factors that change AFTER the economy has already begun to follow a particular trend. They're used to confirm changes in the economy.

Major economic indicators

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

The sum of all goods and services produced either by domestic or foreign companies. GDP indicates the pace at which a country's economy is growing (or shrinking) and is considered the broadest indicator of economic output and growth.

Industrial Production

A chain-weighted measure of the change in the production of the nation's factories, mines and utilities, industrial production also measures the country's industrial capacity and how fully it's being used (capacity utilization).

The manufacturing sector accounts for one-quarter of the major currencies' economies, so it's critical to watch the health of factories and whether their capacity is being maximized.
Purchasing Managers Index (PMI)

The National Association of Purchasing Managers (NAPM), now called the Institute for Supply Management, releases a monthly composite index of national manufacturing conditions. The index includes data on new orders, production, supplier delivery times, backlogs, inventories, prices, employment, export and import orders. It is divided into manufacturing and non-manufacturing sub-indices.

Producer Price Index (PPI)

Measures average changes in selling prices received by domestic producers in the manufacturing, mining, agriculture, and electric utility industries.

The PPIs most often used for economic analysis are those for finished goods, intermediate goods, and crude goods.

Consumer Price Index (CPI)

Measures the average price level paid by urban consumers (80% of the population in major currency countries) for a fixed basket of goods and services. It reports price changes in over 200 categories.

The CPI also includes various user fees and taxes directly associated with the prices of specific goods and services.

Durable Goods

Durable Goods Orders measures new orders placed with domestic manufacturers for immediate and future delivery of factory hard goods. A durable good is a product that lasts over three years, during which its services are extended.

Companies and consumers sometimes put off purchases of durable goods during tough economic times - so this figure is a useful measure of certain kinds of customer demand.
Employment Cost Index (ECI)

Payroll employment is a measure of the number of jobs at larger companies in more than 500 industries in all 50 U.S. states and 255 metropolitan areas. ECI counts the number of paid employees working part-time or full-time in the nation's business and government establishments.

Retail Sales

Measures total receipts of retail stores from samples representing all sizes and kinds of business in retail trade throughout the nation. It is the timeliest indicator of broad consumer spending patterns and is adjusted for normal seasonal variation, holidays, and trading-day differences.

Retail sales include durable and nondurable merchandise sold, and services and excise taxes incidental to the sale of merchandise. It doesn't include sales taxes collected directly from the customer.

Housing Starts

Measures the number of residential units on which construction is begun each month. A "start" refers to excavation of the foundation of a residential home.

Housing is usually one of the first sectors to react to interest rate changes. Significant reaction of start/permits to changing interest rates signals interest rates are nearing trough or peak. To analyze, focus on the percentage change in levels from the previous month. Report is released around the middle of the following month.

Forex Market Drivers

Rising interest rates strength that country's currency

A common way to think about interest rates is how much it's going to cost to borrow money, whether for our mortgages or how much we'll earn on our bond and money market investments. Interest rate policy is a key driver of currency prices and typically a strategy for new currency traders.

Fundamentally, if a country raises its interest rates, its currency prices will strengthen because the higher interest rates attract more foreign investors.

For example, higher rates in the Eurozone may prompt U.S. investors to sell U.S. dollars and buy bonds in Euros. Similarly, if interest rates increase in Switzerland, those investors may decide to sell their Euro-bonds and move into bonds in Swiss francs (CHF), driving Euros down and Swiss francs up.

When gold goes up, the USD goes down (and vice versa)

Historically, gold is a "safe haven", a country-neutral investment and an alternative to the world's other reserve currency, the U.S. dollar. That means gold prices have an inverse relationship to the USD, offering several ways for currency traders to take advantage of that relationship.

For example, if gold breaks an important price level, you'd expect gold to move higher. With this in mind, you might sell dollars and buy Euros, for example, as a proxy for higher gold prices.

Rising gold prices help major gold producers

Australia is the world's third largest exporter of gold, and Canada is the third largest producer worldwide. These two major currencies tend to strengthen as gold prices rise. You might consider going long these currencies when gold is increasing in value, or trade your GBP or JPY for these currencies when gold is on the rise.

Oil-dependent countries weaken as oil prices rise

Just as airlines and other oil-dependent industries are hurt by rising oil prices, so are the currencies of oil-dependent countries like the U.S. or Japan, both of which are massively dependent on foreign oil.

If you believe oil prices will continue to rise, you can consider buying commodity-based economies like Australia or Canada or selling oil-dependent currencies.

Fundamental Analysis

Introduction to Fundamental Analysis

Fundamental analysis studies the core underlying elements that influence the economy of a particular entity, like a stock or currency. It attempts to predict price action and trends by analyzing economic indicators, government policy, societal and other factors within a business cycle framework.

If you think of the markets as a big clock, fundamentals are the gears and springs that move the hands around the face. Anyone can tell you what time it is now, but the fundamentalist knows about the inner workings that move the clock's hands towards times (or prices) in the future.

Are you a technician or fundamentalist?

There's a tendency to pigeonhole traders into two distinct schools: fundamental or technical. In fact, most smart traders favor a blended approach versus being a purist of either type.

Fundamentalists need to keep an eye on signals derived from price charts, while few technicians can afford to completely ignore impending economic data, critical political decisions or pressing societal issues that influence price action.

Forecasting economic conditions using models

Fundamental analysis is very effective at forecasting economic conditions, but not necessarily exact market prices. Studying GDP forecasts or employment reports can give you a fairly clear picture of an economy's health and the forces at work behind it. But you still need a method to translate that into specific trade entry and exit points.

The bridge between fundamental data and a specific trading strategy usually comes from a trader model. These models use current and historical empirical data to estimate future prices and translate those into specific trades.

Beware of "analysis paralysis"

Forecasting models are both art and science, with so many different approaches that traders can get overloaded. It can be tough to decide when you know enough to pull the trigger on a trade with confidence.

Many traders switch to technical analysis at this point to test their hunches and see when price patterns suggest an entry.

Look for fundamental drivers first

The fundamentals include everything that makes a country and its currency tick. From interest rates and central bank policy to natural disasters, the fundamentals are a dynamic mix of distinct plans, erratic behaviors and unforeseen events.

That said, not every development will move a country's currency. Try to start by identifying the most influential contributors to this mix versus following every fundamental out there.

Technical Analysis

What is Technical Analysis?

Technical analysis attempts to forecast future price movements by examining past market data.

Most traders use technical analysis to get a "big picture" on an investment's price history. Even fundamental traders will glance at a chart to see if they're buying at a fair price, selling at a cyclical top or entering a choppy, sideways market.

Technical analysts make a few key assumptions:

• All market fundamentals are reflected in price data. Moods, differing opinions, and other market fundamentals need not be studied.
  
  
• History repeats itself in regular, fairly predictable patterns. These patterns, generated by price movements, are called signals. A technical analyst's goal is to uncover a current market's signals by examining past market signals.
  
  
• Prices move in trends. Technical analysts believe price fluctuations are not random and unpredictable. Once an up, down or sideways trend has been established, it usually will continue for a period.

Get in and get out - at the right time

Traders rely on price charts, volume charts and other mathematical representations of market data (called studies) to find the ideal entry and exit points for a trade. Some studies help identify a trend, while others help determine the strength and sustainability of that trend over time.

Technical analysis can add discipline and minimize emotion in your trading plan. It can be hard to screen out fundamental impressions and stick with your entry and exit points as planned. While no system is perfect, technical analysis helps you see your trading plan through more objectively and dispassionately.

Price chart types

Bar charts
The most common type of chart showing price action. Each bar represents a period of time - a "period" as short as 1 minute or as long as several years. Over time, bar charts show distinct price patterns.

Candlestick charts
Instead of a simple bar, each candlestick shows the high, low, opening and closing price for that period of time it represents. Candlestick patterns provide greater visual detail as they develop.

Point & figure charts
Point & figure patterns resemble bar chart patterns, except Xs and Os are used to mark changes in price direction. Point & figure charts make no use of time scale to associate a certain day with a certain price action.

Technical indicator types

Trend
Trend indicators smooth price data out, so that a persistent up, down or sideways trend can be easily seen. (Examples: moving averages, trend lines)

Strength
Strength indicators describe the intensity of market opinion on a certain price by examining the market positions taken by various market participants. Volume or open interest are the basic ingredients of strength indicators.

Volatility
"Volatility" refers to the magnitude of day-to-day price fluctuations, whatever their directional trend. Changes in volatility tend to anticipate changes in prices. (Example: Bollinger Bands)

Cycle
Cycle indicators indicate repeating market patterns from recurrent events such as seasons or elections. Cycle indicators determine the timing of a particular market pattern. (Example: Elliott Wave)

Support/resistance
Support and resistance describes the price levels where markets repeatedly rise or fall and then reverse. This phenomenon is attributed to basic supply and demand. (Example: Trend Lines)

Momentum
Momentum indicators determine the strength or weakness of a trend as it progresses over time. Momentum is highest when a trend starts and lowest when the trend changes.

When price and momentum diverge, it suggests weakness. If price extremes occur with weak momentum, it signals an end of movement in that direction. If momentum is trending strongly and prices are flat, it signals a potential change in price direction. (Example: Stochastic, MACD, RSI)

Forex Basics

What's Forex?

"Forex" stands for foreign exchange; it's also known as FX. In a forex trade, you buy one currency while simultaneously selling another - that is, you're exchanging the sold currency for the one you're buying. The foreign exchange market is an over-the-counter market.

Currencies trade in pairs, like the Euro-US Dollar (EUR/USD) or US Dollar / Japanese Yen (USD/JPY). Unlike stocks or futures, there's no centralized exchange for forex. All transactions happen via phone or electronic network.

Who trades currencies, and why?

Daily turnover in the world's currencies comes from two sources:

• Foreign trade (5%). Companies buy and sell products in foreign countries, plus convert profits from foreign sales into domestic currency.
  
  
• Speculation for profit (95%).

Most traders focus on the biggest, most liquid currency pairs. "The Majors" include US Dollar, Japanese Yen, Euro, British Pound, Swiss Franc, Canadian Dollar and Australian Dollar. In fact, more than 85% of daily forex trading happens in the major currency pairs.

The world's most traded market, trading 24 hours a day

With average daily turnover of US$3.2 trillion, forex is the most traded market in the world.
A true 24-hour market from Sunday 5 PM ET to Friday 5 PM ET, forex trading begins in Sydney, and moves around the globe as the business day begins, first to Tokyo, London, and New York.

Unlike other financial markets, investors can respond immediately to currency fluctuations, whenever they occur - day or night.

More Info

"All About the Foreign Exchange Markets in the United States", from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Forex Trader Charts

Traders seeking a robust, yet easy-to use charting tool will find FOREXTrader Charts to be a comprehensive technical analysis package. Powered by a third-party composite rate feed, FOREXTrader Charts is fully integrated into both FOREXTrader and FOREXTrader.web.
Some features include:
Ability to overlay multiple indicators for advanced technical analysis
Auto trend line & indicator continuation on charts
Easily save, export, print or email charts
Customize your charts to your individual preferences, including chart type, colors, intervals and more
FOREX Trader Charts' unique modal candlestick and modal bar, which show the price most heavily transacted for the current bar's time interval.
FOREXTrader Charts' impressive array of over 18 technical indicators includes simple and exponential Moving Averages, Bollinger Bands, Relative Strength Index (RSI), Parabolic SAR, Stochastics, MACD, GANN Lines, Keltner Channels and Fibonacci studies. Choose from 11 intervals, including 8 intra-day charts. Intra-day chart types include candlestick, line and bar. Daily, weekly and monthly charts also include additional chart types, such as FOREXTrader Charts' unique modal candlestick and modal bar, which show the price most heavily transacted for the current bar's time interval.