Those beginning online Forex trading, especially beginners can find it daunting. The number one beginner mistake is to have unrealistic expectations. This is very common especially among Forex newcomers who see it as a get-rich-quick scheme. When starting Forex trading with currency, it is important to understand that rarely do Forex traders get wealthy overnight, a week or even a month. Having this mentality will save you from losing a lot of money. This is especially true when one considers that statistics show 90% of newcomers lose almost 90% of their investments in less than 90 days. To avoid being another statistic, here are a few guidelines you can start with to be a successful Forex trader.
Getting in the Forex trading can be overwhelming at first. However, you can try out using a risk-free demo account such as the CFD demo account from CMC Markets. This will at least assist you in getting acquainted with how trading is done. It is equally important to know the market you will be trading. This is because the market is shaped by the combination of all participants.
When first getting into the market, you should at least aim at preserving your capital rather than growing it. To do this, you need to minimise risk by using a long term trading stance. It is a common beginner mistake to expect to make money from short-term trends. The Forex market requires patience and modesty, and successful traders will attest to making money by mostly investing in long-term trends. By holding on to your open orders for a longer time, they act more of an investment rather than a lottery. In addition, this will be less stressful since you will not be spending a lot of time staring on the screen assessing how they are performing.
As a beginner, it is highly advisable to start simple. This will ensure that your trading strategy is manageable and easy to follow. Starting simple will also eliminate most of the frustrations associated with Forex trading. You may be confronted with a myriad of tools when trading online Forex. What you need to realize is that it is not the amount of tools that will enhance your chances of success, but how well you use the few tools you understand.
Forex trading software will come in handy both for seasoned and beginner traders. The fierce competition in the market between brokers means that there are free Forex trading software. However, you may find the free software limiting. Thus, it may be advisable to buy software if it will be of better assistance.
In the Forex trading market, analysis is a vital concept. This means that traders who learn their way through looking at charts and making decisions are at forefront. Charts can range from daily, weekly or monthly, depending on your trading. Analysis will be both be technical and fundamental. For example, the tools for technical analysis are trend lines, support and resistance lines and indicators based on these lines. Fundamental analysis will involve gaining an understanding of how events and policies shape the market.
The market can sometimes be volatile. While this can be to your advantage, it can also wipe clean your investment. Thus, it is advisable to be extremely careful in volatile markets. You should also incorporate volatility analysis into your strategy. Nonetheless, you should always be prepared for anything to happen in the Forex market. While you can depend on Forex news such as those from Bloomberg or CNN among others, the Forex market has a way of making them obsolete. The news you see has already been discounted by the industry and it comes too late. If you rely on news, you will be too late and this may backfire.
It is also important to realize that there are hundreds of available markets you can diversify your investments. Therefore, you should not limit yourself by focusing on major markets since this often leads to over-trading. When trading, you should consider both the opening of the trade as well as the closing of the trade. Giving them equal priority will help you avoid making heavy loses. In conclusion, since financial trading is legally regulated, make sure you are legally protected.
