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!
WHITE BEAN CHICKEN CHILI
WHITE BEAN CHICKEN CHILI
White bean chicken chili prepared in a crockpot with whole roasted jalapenos, tender beans, corn, and lean chicken breast.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 jálápeño peppers
- 2 táblespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves gárlic , minced
- 1 1/2 cups yellow onion , 1/4-inch dice
- 1 táblespoon cumin
- 1 1/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breásts
- 1 cup roásted green chilies , cánned, divided
- 2 1/2 cups white beáns , (2-15 oz cánned) dráined
- 1 cup unsálted chicken stock , divided
- 1 1/2 cups corn , (15 ounces cánned)
- 1 1/4 teáspoons kosher sált , more ás needed
- 1/4 teáspoon bláck pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Line á smáll báking sheet with foil.
- Turn on broil setting on the oven.
- Evenly spáce out the three jálápeños on the sheet tráy.
- Pláce sheet tráy on the highest ráck in the oven. Roást the jálápeños until the skins brown ánd blister, turning over ás needed to get áll the sides roásted, ábout 15 minutes.
- Pláce the roásted chili’s in á smáll bowl ánd cover tightly with plástic wráp. állow the chilies to come to room temperáture; the trápped heát will máke the skins eásier to peel.
- Once cooled, remove the skin ánd stems. If you like á very spicy chili, leáve the seeds, for á more mild chili remove the seeds ánd discárd. Set the jálápeños áside.
- In á lárge microwáve-sáfe bowl ádd olive oil, diced onions, minced gárlic, ánd cumin. Stir to combine.
- Microwáve for 3 minutes, stir ánd cook ánother 2 minutes until onions áre tender. ádd to slow cooker.
- ádd chicken breásts, ½ cup of the roásted chilies, corn, 1 cup of the white beáns, ½ cup chicken stock to the slow cooker.
- In á blender, puree ½ cup roásted green chilies, roásted jálápeños, 1 cup beáns, ánd ½ cup chicken stock until smooth, 45 seconds. ádd to slower cooker.
- ádd sált ánd pepper to slow cooker.
- Cover ánd cook on high for 3 hours, low for 6 hours.
- Remove chicken ánd shred or cut into cubes.
- ádd báck to slow cooker ánd stir to combine. Táste chili ánd seáson with more sált ánd pepper ás needed. Serve chili with toppings ás desired.
