Currency Trading Information

Forex Market Overview


"FX" is an abbreviation of "forex" or "foreign exchange." Foreign exchange is the largest and most liquid market in the world trading approximately $2 trillion every day (that's over 30 times the daily volume of NASDAQ and NYSE combined). The forex market is a cash interbank/interdealer market. In simplest terms, this means the foreign currencies traded in the forex market are traded directly between banks, foreign currency dealers and forex investors wishing either to diversify, speculate or to hedge foreign currency risk. The forex market is not a "market" in the traditional sense due to the fact that there is no centralized location for fx trading activity and, therefore, trades placed in the forex market are considered over-the-counter (OTC). Forex trading between parties occurs through computer terminals, exchanges and over telephones at thousands of locations worldwide. CFOS/FX clients can trade through online forex trading platforms and/or over the telephone directly with a forex broker on our trading desk.

Until recently the forex market has not been available to the small speculator. The large minimum foreign currency transaction sizes and financial requirements left this market in the hands of banks, major foreign currency dealers and the occasional large fx speculator. Now, with the ability to leverage large positions with a relatively small amount of capital (margin), the forex market is now more liquid than ever and available to most investors.

Five major currencies dominate trading in the foreign exchange markets: the U.S. Dollar, Eurocurrency, Japanese Yen, Swiss Franc and British Pound. The foreign currencies are traded in pairs, also known as crosses, in the forex spot market. For example, purchasing the EUR/USD in the forex spot market simply means the purchaser is buying the Eurocurrency and selling the U.S. Dollar in anticipation of the Eurocurrency gaining value in relation to the U.S. Dollar. Similarly, the seller of a EUR/USD contract would be selling the Eurocurrency against the U.S. Dollar. Official figures show the U.S. Dollar is on one side of 83% of all spot foreign exchange transactions. The "spot" market simply refers to a currency contract with a prompt valuation date requiring settlement within two business days.

Over the past several decades, an increase in international trade and foreign investment has made the economies of the world more interrelated. New opportunities for investors have also been created with the fall of communism and the dramatic growth of the Asian and Latin American economies. Today, supply and demand for a particular currency is the driving factor in determining exchange rates. Many factors such as regularly reported economic figures and unexpected news reports, such as disasters or political instabilities, could also alter the desirability of holding a particular currency, thus influencing international supply and demand for that currency. It should come as no surprise that many shrewd investors have already taken advantage of the fluctuation in exchange rates to profit handsomely.

John Nobile - Senior Account Executive
CFOS/FX - Online Forex Spot and Option Brokerage


MORE RESOURCES:

RTE.ie

Currency Trading Signals Catch a Powerful Japanese Yen Rally ...
Daily FX, NY - Oct 2, 2008
Our Forex Trading signals accurately forecasted that the Japanese Yen would gain aggressively against the Euro, US Dollar, Australian Dollar, ...
Dollar higher against euro, sharply lower against yen Xinhua
Australian, NZ Dollars Fall as Credit-Market Woes Increase Bloomberg
all 298 news articles


Sify

India Working on Relaxing Currency Trading Rules, Bhave Says
Bloomberg - Sep 30, 2008
... Securities and Exchange Board of India Chairman CB Bhave said the regulator and central bank are working on relaxing currency trading restrictions. ...
RBI, SEBI mull easing currency-trading norms India Infoline.com
Currency trading norms to be relaxed The Statesman
Norms for currency futures likely to be relaxed Thaindian.com
Hindu - Reuters India
all 151 news articles


GAIN Capital Group Selects KCSA as Agency of Record
MarketWatch - Oct 6, 2008
"We look forward to working with GAIN Capital to help educate the marketplace about how foreign currency trading can be a key component in a balanced ...


China Banks Cut Currency Trading With Foreign Lenders (Update1)
Bloomberg - Sep 26, 2008
By Judy Chen and Belinda Cao Sept. 26 (Bloomberg) -- China's banks are limiting foreign- exchange transactions with US and European financial companies on ...


Japanese Yen Likely to Gain as Currency Trading Crowds Buy USDJPY
Daily FX, NY - Oct 2, 2008
USDJPY – Our forex positioning indicator continues to forecast US dollar losses against the Japanese Yen, as we see that currency trading crowds continue to ...


Slow take-off for Zimbabwe’s foreign currency trading scheme
The Zimbabwean, Africa - Oct 2, 2008
After a slow take-off for the new foreign currency-trading scheme, a handful of shops started selling in US dollars or South African rands. ...


ASIA MARKETS: Sydney Rebounds On Rate Cut, Tokyo Moves Off Early Lows
CNNMoney.com - 22 hours ago
In currency trading, the US dollar rose to 103.22 yen , compared with 101.29 yen earlier in the session. The Australian dollar, meanwhile, jumped to $0.7293 ...
ASIA MARKETS: Rate Cut Lifts Sydney Stocks, Hopes Of Joint Action CNNMoney.com
all 61 news articles


Forex Market Volatility Remains Elevated, Breakout Currency ...
Daily FX, NY - Sep 29, 2008
Forex market conditions continue primed for breakouts, as pronounced market indecision surrounding the US Treasury’s bailout for credit markets leads to ...


BarCap integrates Lehman foreign exchange operations
Hedge Funds Review Magazine, UK - 10 hours ago
In foreign exchange, sales and trading have resumed in spot, forward and options products, now integrated with Barclays Capital's existing currency trading. ...
UPDATE 1-Barclays Capital absorbs Lehman forex, commods ops Forbes
all 20 news articles


Markets Crashing… Currency Trading the Way to Go?
PoliticalLore.com, Hampton Falls - Sep 17, 2008
I have very recently tried currency trading. Currency trading does need tender loving care but, it does seem like it’s an easy way to pull in a gain. ...

Currency-Trading - Google News

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