How To Choose Wisely A FOREX Broker
Most traders use a FOREX broker to handle their transactions. What exactly are brokers? Strictly speaking, brokers are individuals or companies that buy and sell orders according the investor's decisions. Brokers earn money by charging a commission or a fee for their services.
FOREX brokers need to be associated with a large financial institution such as a bank in order to provide the funds necessary for margin trading. In the United States a broker should be registered as a Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) as protection against fraud and abusive trade practices.
Before trading FOREX you need to set up an account with a FOREX broker. You may feel overwhelmed by the number of brokers who offer their services online. Deciding on a broker requires a little bit of research on your part, but the time spent will give you insight into the services that are available and fees charged by various brokers.
The best advertising is word-of-mouth advertising, and this is just as valid in FOREX trading as it is for any other type of business. Talk to friends and associates to see who they are dealing with and find if they have any complaints or difficulties in dealing with a particular broker.
You could try selecting a few online brokers and contact their Internet help desks to see how quickly they respond to enquiries and whether or not they answer questions to your satisfaction. Keep in mind, however, that pre-sales service may be better than after sales service. This can be true for any online business, not just FOREX brokers.
Customer satisfaction and safety are just part of the story. You want to find a broker who executes orders quickly and with minimum slippage. All online brokers should offer automatic execution and have clear policies regarding slippage. They should be able to tell you how much slippage can be expected in both normal and fast-moving markets.
Next you want to know the fees involved. What is the spread? Is spread fixed or variable according to the type of account? Are mini accounts subject to wider spreads? Are there any other charges? Smaller spreads mean more profit for the trader, but there may be a trade-off between spread and service. Look at the overall picture before deciding to go with a particular broker.
Margin accounts are the lifeblood of FOREX trading, so be sure you understand the broker's margin terms before setting up an account. You need to know the margin requirements and how margin is calculated. Does margin change according to the currency traded? Is it the same every day of the week? Some brokers may offer different margins for mini and standard accounts.
Trading software is very important for the online FOREX trader. Get a feel for the options that are available by trying out a demo account at a few online brokers. Above all, you are looking for reliability and the ability to perform well in fast-moving markets. The software should offer automatic trading and may have special features such as trailing stops and trading from the chart. Some features may only be available at an extra cost, so be sure you understand what your trading needs are and how much the broker charges to provide them.
Other information to find out about includes the broker's policy regarding minimum account balances, interest payments on account balances, which currencies can be traded and whether or not non-standard sized lots can be traded. You should also find out whether clients' funds are insured and the extent of that insurance.
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Latest News
Currency Trading Market Conditions Remain Challenging: Breakout ... Daily FX, NY - Sharp US Dollar gains have produced profits in several of our currency trading strategies on the week, and a continuation of US Dollar strength would make ... US Dollar Forecast to Rally Against Euro, British Pound, Fall ... |
 Voice of America | Treasury’s Lead Role in China in Flux New York Times, United States - Besides, some noted, China’s currency, by maintaining its peg to the dollar, has risen in relation to the currencies of other trading partners because the ... Yuan's Fall Watched Ahead of US-China Summit China hopes talks with US boost coordination Paulson Seeks to Broaden Access to China |
Stocks drubbed at open CNNMoney.com - US crude for January delivery tumbled $3.46 to $50.99 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. In currency trading, the dollar fell against the yen and ... |
 AFP | Yen Strengthens as Manufacturing Slump Weakens Yuan, Ruble Bloomberg - Bank Rossii, which manages the currency against a basket of dollars and euros to mitigate the effect of currency swings, widened the ruble’s trading band to ... Dollar Rises as Global Manufacturing and Stock Markets Plunge Down Is Dollar's December Direction Yen Extends Gains as Signs of Global Recession Sap Carry Trade |
UK Pound Plunges, Gilts Rise as Data Add to Signs of Slump Bloomberg - The British currency declined against all of its 16 major counterparts tracked by Bloomberg after property Web site Hometrack Ltd. said house values in ... |
Yuan Falls to One-Month Low as China Seeks to Shore Up Economy Bloomberg - “The central bank may want to test the market’s response to the possibility of a weaker yuan, but most likely it will keep the currency stable till the end ... Yuan tumbles to end at bottom of band vs dollar Yuan posts record low against dollar Rate cut sees yuan decline |
 New York Times | Some Nations That Spurned the Euro Reconsider New York Times, United States - After turmoil in the currency markets nearly destroyed the currencies of Iceland and Poland, the two countries are rethinking their opposition to the euro. ... |
GLOBAL MARKETS-Grim economic outlook pummels stocks, oil slides guardian.co.uk, UK - ... also lifting the dollar, so it's possible the dollar will get a bit of a bid out of this, but currency trading is going to be choppy," Reid added. ... |
AU Preview: Q3 GDP Should be Bo... ForexTV.com, NY - Forex (or FX or off-exchange foreign currency futures and options) trading involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for every investor. ... |
Ruble Plunge Prompts Doubling of Reserve Spending, Survey Shows Bloomberg - Bank Rossii buys and sells foreign currency to keep the ruble within a trading band against a basket comprised 55 percent of dollars and rest in euros. ... Russian Stocks, Ruble Drop as Production Falls More Than in ’98 |
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