It's possible to trade profitably on the Forex, the nearly $2 trillion worldwide currency exchange market. But the odds are against you, even more so if you don't prepare and plan your trades. According to a 2014 Bloomberg report, several analyses of retail Forex trading, including one by the National Futures Association (NFA), the industry's regulatory body, concluded that more than two out of three Forex traders lose money.
This suggests that self-education and caution are recommended. Here are some approaches that may improve your odds of taking a profit.
Prepare Before You Begin Trading
Because the Forex market is highly leveraged -- as much as 50 to 1 -- it can have the same appeal as buying a lottery ticket: some small chance of making a killing. This, however, isn't trading; it's gambling, with the odds long against you.
A better way of entering the Forex market is to carefully prepare. Beginning with a practice account is helpful and risk-free. While you're trading in your practice account, read the most frequently recommended Forex trading books, among them
Currency Forecasting: A Guide to Fundamental and Technical Models of Exchange Rate Determination, by Michael R. Rosenberg is short, not too sweet and highly admired introduction to the Forex market.
Forex Strategies: Best Forex Strategies for High Profits and Reduced Risk, by Matthew Maybury is an excellent introduction to Forex trading.
The Little Book of Currency Trading: How to Make Big Profits in the World of Forex, by Kathy Lien is another concise introduction that has stood the test of time.
All three are available on Amazon. Rosenberg's book, unfortunately, is pricey, but it's widely available in public libraries. "Trading in the Zone: Master the Market with Confidence, Discipline and a Winning Attitude," by Mark Douglas is another good book that's available on Amazon, and, again, somewhat pricey, although the Kindle edition is not.
Use the information gained from your reading to plan your trades before plunging in. The more you change your plan, the more you end up in trouble and the less likely that elusive forex profit will end up in your pocket.
Diversify and Limit Your Risks
Two strategies that belong in every trader's arsenal are:
Diversification: Traders who execute many small traders, particularly in different markets where the correlation between markets is low, have a better chance of making a profit. Putting all your money in one big trade is always a bad idea.
Familiarize yourself with ways guaranteeing a profit on an already profitable order, such as a trailing stop, and of limiting losses using stop and limit orders. These strategies and more are covered in the recommended books. Novice traders often make the mistake of concentrating on how to win; it's even more important to understand how to limit your losses.
Be Patient
Forex traders, particularly beginners, are prone to getting nervous if a trade does not go their way immediately, or if the trade goes into a little profit they get itchy to pull the plug and walk away with a small profit that could have been a significant profit with little downside risk using appropriate risk reduction strategies.
In "On Any Given Sunday," Al Pacino reminds us that "football is a game of inches." That's a winning attitude in the Forex market as well. Remember that you are going to win some trades and lose others. Take satisfaction in the accumulation of a few more wins than losses. Over time, that could make you rich!
STRAW AND HAY (PAGLIA E FIENO)
STRAW AND HAY (PAGLIA E FIENO)
Back when I was in college, my dorm was a few blocks away from a great little Italian restaurant called Cappucino’s, located in the Coolidge Corner section of Brookline, Massachusetts. On Sunday evenings, my roommate and I would skip eating in our dorm’s cafeteria, and instead, we’d take the “T” (Boston’s nickname for its public transportation system) up to Cappucinio’s for dinner!
In addition to enjoying their fantastic white sangria, it was at Capuccino’s that I first ate a classic, old-world Italian dish called Straw and Hay – or in Italian, Paglia e Fieno. Straw and Hay gets its name from yellow and green fettuccine that the dish is traditionally made from, and the pasta is tossed with peas and crispy bits of prosciutto in a simple Parmesan cream sauce.
Note: This recipe comes together very quickly so make sure you have all ingredients prepared and ready before starting to cook.
INGREDIENTS
- 12 ounces egg noodles or pasta such as fettuccine, linguini or spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 ounces salt pork, diced very small (see here)
- ½ pound prosciutto diced into small pieces (stack slices and slice the long way into strips, then slice the opposite way into pieces)
- 1 cup light cream, heated in microwave but not to a boil
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add noodles and cook to al dente. Drain and toss with melted butter.
- At the same time, in a large sauté pan over medium high, heat oil and salt pork and cook until crisp. Add prosciutto and cook until meat is crisp. Drain off fat and discard.
- Place cooked meat, cream, peas, pepper and half the cheese back into the pan and cook just to hot. Add buttered noodles and remaining cheese. Toss and serve.
