Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Bank Survey of Foreign Exchange

In April 2007, central banks and monetary authorities from 54 countries and jurisdictions collected data on turnover in traditional foreign exchange markets (those for spot, outright forwards and swaps) and in the OTC currency and interest rate derivatives markets. Preliminary results on daily turnover were published in September 2007, and an analysis of the results for the traditional foreign exchange markets was included in the December 2007 issue of the BIS Quarterly Review.

The 2007 survey also covered data on amounts outstanding and gross market values of OTC foreign exchange, interest rate, equity, commodity and credit derivatives (including credit default swaps) at the end of June 2007 whose preliminary results were released in November 2007. The full report on the Triennial Central Bank Survey was published by the BIS in December 2007.

Intra-day volatility

FX trading is centered around a handful of currency pairs referred to colloquially as the big seven. The high volume and liquidity combined with fewer active instruments generates greater intra-day volatility than the equity markets where hundreds of stocks are actively traded. It is this volatility that can be profitability exploited by forex traders.

Low spreads
Currency trading offers spreads that are much lower than what can be obtained when buying or selling equities, especially during after-hours trading. Although exceptionally tight currency spreads were previously reserved for transactions involving $1 million or more, a shift towards tighter spreads for smaller transactions is gaining traction. Again, OANDA's FXTrade is an industry leader in offering tight spreads regardless of the size of the trade.

Margin-based leverage
Leverage—or margin based trading—makes it possible for FX market participants to submit trades valued considerably higher than the deposits in their trading accounts. Typically, margin ratios for trading currencies are higher than those permitted for equities, and this is primarily attributable to the higher level of liquidity within the currency markets.
To illustrate the power of leverage provided through the use of margin, consider a margin ratio of 20:1 coupled with a trading account containing $10,000. This means that you could trade amounts up to $200,000! Trading in larger volumes allows you to take better advantage of even small price movements (but can also dramatically increases your risk). Read about OANDA's margin policy.

High liquidity and greater efficiency

Key to any efficient market is high liquidity. After all, as a trader, you want to know that you have an active market with plenty of buyers and sellers looking to participate. Trading volumes in the currency market can be one hundred times larger than that of the New York Stock Exchange, and daily dollar amounts traded in foreign currency approaches $3 trillion compared to less than $100 billion for the NYSE. High volumes and “round-the-clock” trading ensures an active market for currency traders and greater liquidity.

The incredible volumes traded in the FX market also contribute to the integrity of the market—it is virtually impossible for an individual or group to manipulate prices. Compare this to the equity markets, where large price movements can be triggered with no warning should a major holder of a stock suddenly decide to reduce their holdings.

Mistakes When trading currencies


When trading currencies online, there seems to be no end to the mistakes a beginning forex trader can make. Beginning traders are always the most susceptible, but experienced traders can often revert back into bad practices as well. Here are some of the most common trading mistakes listed in no particular order, and how to avoid them.

Predicting instead of reacting.
Otherwise known as overconfidence. This usually happens after a winning trade or two. The trader starts to think that if he can enter a trade sooner, he will get more pips. He begins to believe he can pick the top or bottom before the market reveals it to him. So instead of reacting to what the market is telling him, he starts to predict what the market will do. He enters a trade and the market continues its move, which is against him. Now, does he admit he was wrong and close his position, or does he add to it?

Fundamental Tradings

Fundamental traders analyze key economic data, including news and government reports, to evaluate trading opportunities. They believe that currency exchange rates are affected primarily by economic and political conditions, and occasionally by central banks intervening in the currency markets in an attempt to influence the value of their currencies.

Some of the key figures tracked by fundamental traders include interest rates, inflation, trade balance, GDP (Gross Domestic Product), CPI (Consumer Price Index), PPI (Producer Price Index), capacity utilization, factory orders, durable goods orders, inventories, and employment statistics. They are also constantly evaluating the potential impact of military conflicts, natural disasters, and changes in political leadership.