Forex tutorial for beginners

In the FX market, you buy or sell currencies. Placing a trade in the foreign exchange market is simple: the mechanics of a trade are very similar to those found in other markets (like the stock market), so if you have any experience in trading, you should be able to pick it up pretty quickly.

The object of Forex trading is to exchange one currency for another in the expectation that the price will change, so that the currency you bought will increase in value compared to the one you sold.

Exchange rate is simply the ratio of one currency valued against another currency. For example, the USD/CHF exchange rate indicates how many U.S. dollars can purchase one Swiss franc, or how many Swiss francs you need to buy one U.S. dollar.

Currencies are always quoted in pairs, such as EUR/USD or USD/CHF. The reason they are quoted in pairs is because in every foreign exchange transaction you are simultaneously buying one currency and selling another. Here is an example of a foreign exchange rate for the British pound versus the U.S. dollar:

GBP/USD = 1.7500

The first listed currency to the left of the slash ("/") is known as the base currency (in this example, the British pound), while the second one on the right is called the counter or quote currency (in this example, the U.S. dollar)..

When buying, the exchange rate tells you how much you have to pay in units of the quote currency to buy one unit of the base currency. In the example above, you have to pay 1.7500 U.S. dollar to buy 1 British pound.

When selling, the exchange rate tells you how many units of the quote currency you get for selling one of the base currency. In the example above, you will receive 1.7500 U.S. dollars when you sell 1 British pound.

The base currency is the “basis” for the buy or the sell. If you buy EUR/USD this simply means that you are buying the base currency and simultaneously selling the quote currency.

You would buy the pair if you believe the base currency will appreciate (go up) relative to the quote currency. You would sell the pair if you think the base currency will depreciate (go down) relative to the quote currency.

First, you should determine whether you want to buy or sell.

If you want to buy (which actually means buy the base currency and sell the quote currency), you want the base currency to rise in value and then you would sell it back at a higher price. In trader's talk, this is called "going long" or taking a "long position". Just remember: long = buy.

If you want to sell (which actually means sell the base currency and buy the quote currency), you want the base currency to fall in value and then you would buy it back at a lower price. This is called "going short" or taking a "short position". Short = sell.

Forex terminology

Ask: Price at which broker/dealer is willing to sell. Same as "Offer". For example, if EUR/USD is quoted at 1.1850/1.1854, the 1.1854 is the "Ask" or "Offered" price.

Bid: Price at which broker/dealer is willing to buy. For example, if EUR/USD is quoted at 1.1850/1.1854, the 1.1850 is the "Bid" price.

Bid/Ask Spread (or "Spread"): The distance, usually in pips, between the Bid and Ask price. A tighter spread is better for the trader. 

Cost of Carry (also "Interest" or "Premium"): The cost, often quoted in terms of dollars or pips per day, of holding an open position.

Currency Futures: Futures contracts traded on an exchange, most typically the Chicago Mercantile Exchange ("CME"). Always quoted in terms of the currency value with respect to the US Dollar. Parameters of the futures contract are standardized by the exchange.

Drawdown: The magnitude of a decline in account value, either in percentage or dollar terms, as measured from peak to subsequent trough. For example, if a trader's account increased in value from $10,000 to $20,000, then dropped to $15,000, then increased again to $25,000, that trader would have had a maximum drawdown of $5,000 (incurred when the account declined from $20,000 to $15,000) even though that trader's account was never in a loss position from inception.

EBS: "Electronic Brokerage System", the electronic system on which major banks trade with each other. This is considered to be the most definitive indicator of prices at which currencies are "really" trading, at least for EUR/USD and USD/JPY.

Fundamental Analysis: Macro or strategic assessments of where a currency should be trading based on any criteria but the price action itself. These criteria often include the economic condition of the country that the currency represents, monetary policy, and other "fundamental" elements.

Leverage: The relationship between the notional contract value and the margin required to trade. For example, if the notional amount traded (also referred to as "lot size" or "contract value") is $100,000 dollars and the required margin is $2,000, the trader can trade with 50 times leverage ($100,000/$2,000); or "50:1" leverage. Leverage is the inverse of the percentage margin requirement.

Limit: An order to buy at a specified price when the market moves down to that price, or to sell at a specified price when the market moves up to that price.

Liquidity: A function of volume and activity in a market. It is the efficiency and cost effectiveness with which positions can be traded and orders executed. A more liquid market will provide more frequent price quotes at a smaller bid/ask spread.

Long: A market position that has been bought. It will generate profits as the market moves up and losses as the market moves down. For example, if you bought Euros, you will be "long" Euros.

Margin: The amount of funds required in a clients account in order to open a position or to maintain an open position. The percentage of the contract value required as margin is inversely related to the leverage.

Margin Call: A requirement by the broker to deposit more funds in order to maintain an open position.

Market Order: An order to buy at the current Ask price.

Offer: Price at which broker/dealer is willing to sell. Same as "Ask".

Pip: The smallest price increment in a currency. Often referred to as "ticks" in the futures markets. For example, in EURUSD, a move from .9015 to .9016 is one pip. In USDJPY, a move from 128.51 to 128.52 is one pip.

Premium (also "Interest" or "Cost of Carry" or "Roll"): The cost, often quoted in terms of dollars or pips per day, of holding an open position.

Short: A market position that has been sold. It will generate losses as the market moves up and profits as the market moves down. For example, if you sold Euros, you will be "short" Euros.

Spot Foreign Exchange: Often referred to as the "interbank" market. Refers to currencies traded between two counterparties for "spot" or current delivery rather than future delivery. Generally more liquid and widely traded than currency futures, particularly by institutions and professional money managers.

Stop: An order to buy at the market only when the market moves up to a specific price, or to sell at the market only when the market moves down to a specific price. For example, if EUR/USD is trading at around 1.1850, you could place a stop order to buy at 1.1870. This order would be filled only if the market moved up to 1.1870 or higher.

Technical Analysis: Analysis applied to the price action of the market to develop trading decisions, irrespective of fundamental factors.