************Fraudulent activities**************

• Now a days many websites are opened on the name of forex trading.
• Some of those are also intended to make others fool.
• Never make transaction in haste.
• Check whether it is a certified trader from government then make decision.
• Never reply any e-mail requesting for payment.
  

exciting times in china

Recruiter Hays Accountancy & Finance says the chinese jobs market is starting to bounce back from the rollercoaster ride of the past year. China has undergone immense economic and social development over the past 25 years and is one of the largest and fast growing economies.
said by Emma charnock, regional director of Hays in China and Hong Kong.

Stock Markets

The New York Stock Exchange
The largest public stock market is the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), also known as ‘the Big Board’. It is home to many
of the largest and most well-known American companies. It is an example of an auction market. Another example of such a
market is the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) which, whilst smaller, is still very prestigious. There is no main and
secondary tier system in these stock exchanges.
In the USA there are also lots of other regional stock markets. However, a big national competitor to NYSE is NASDAQ, which
is a dealer market. All trades for NASDAQ’s stocks are done via a computerised network of investment banks and brokerage
firms. NASDAQ has a main tier for its large companies, but it also has a second tier for its small capitalisation companies.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE)
The Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) is the second largest stock exchange in the world. Like, NASDAQ, there is no actual ‘floor’,
with all trading being done electronically. Stocks listed on the TSE are separated into the First Section (for large companies),
the Second Section (for mid-sized companies) and the ‘Mothers Section’ (for high-growth start-up companies).
The London Stock Exchange
In the UK, the stock market is known as the London Stock Exchange. There are actually two markets within this stock
exchange. The first of these is the Official List. This is the top tier of the market and is only available for large companies who
can meet the strict criteria of the listing requirements. The largest companies on the Official List are known as the FTSE 100
and their shares are traded through the Stock Exchange Electronic Trading Service (SETS).
The second Tier of the London Stock Exchange is the Alternative Investment Market (AIM). The listing requirements for this
market are much less onerous, hence it tends to be used by smaller, more recently established companies.

What is forex?

Q: What is forex?
A: Forex is the foreign exchange marketplace where currencies from different countries are valued and exchanged. Most people only know about forex to the extent that they have changed money going from one country to another. When they did so, they unwittingly played a role in the world’s biggest marketplace. Forex trades almost $2 trillion per day, a total that exceeds all of the world’s biggest – and better known – markets.
Since currencies are valued differently, there is a market in place to set those values. Where a market exists speculation inevitably follows. In this case, the market is hyper-active. Banks sending deposits around the world, corporations hedging their exposure to currency risk in different countries, government banks forwarding national economic goals through monetary policy, and massive investment funds playing the role of speculator. Not long ago, that was the extent of the market. It was the domain of the professional trader or banker.
The word “market” usually invokes the idea of a central market place like the New York or London exchanges. This is not the case in forex. Instead, forex functions through what is known as the “interbank” market. Interbank is a fancy way of saying that banks trade with each other, absent a central market place. This is one major reason why volume data is not available for forex. It’s also the reason why retail investors and smaller traders were left on the sideline for so long.
In the 90’s, a series of events unfolded that made forex available to retail investors. Deregulation led many companies to form pools of liquidity where retail investors could take advantage of the huge speculative opportunity in forex. These dealers offered high leverage, low minimums, and a new way to trade – 24/7.

Starting a Forex Fund

Starting a Forex Fund
By Hannah M. Terhune, Esquire 2008,
Capital Management Services Group
Market conditions have never been better for setting up a forex fund. The number of forex funds

and corresponding investors has grown as a result of expanding customer markets. Therefore,
traders interested in starting a forex fund (or managing customer accounts) should familiarize
themselves with the legal landscape as they consider earning a living in this profitable retail
industry. An experienced and disciplined forex fund manager can earn a substantial income.
Most forex funds to which we provide services are small. We often encounter people who have
been trading accounts for others "under the table" and now want to formalize their arrangements.
One key advantage to starting a forex fund is that the fund manager can legally accept
compensation for his or her trading and advisory services. In many cases, the fund manager can
legally advertise their services as well. This compensation can provide an excellent supplement
to an existing income or it may allow trader to work as a paid forex adviser on a full-time basis.
In our experience, many forex new fund managers also keep their "day jobs" for a while until
they are certain this is the business they want to be in. Market conditions have never been better
for setting up a forex fund.
Whether you want to set up a fund or just invest in one, it is a good idea to understand the basics.
Is Running a Fund Profitable? Forex fund managers typically demand management fees of 1%
to 2% of assets under management (AUM) as well as performance fees of 20% of net gains a
year. This income can be substantial. If you had a mere $2 million AUM and a 1% management
fee and a 20% performance fee, you would have management fee income of $140,000 ($2
million x 1%) and (assuming fund performance of 30%) performance fee income of $120,000
($2 million AUM x 30% performance = $600,000 x 20%). If you had $5 million under
management, you would have combined fee income of $350,000. If you had $1 billion AUM,
you would have $60 million in combined fees (assuming fund performance of 20%).
Forex Fund Risks. Funds are not for the thin skinned; there are many real risks. In this era of
global mood swings, all bets are off. Money invested in a forex fund must truly be discretionary.
A fund is only as good as its advisers, so the human risk is significant. Greed and ego often
trump integrity and ethics.
Due Diligence. In 2008, there is also a noticeable trend toward increased review of funds by
investors and counterparties (e.g., prime brokers, fund administrators, and auditors). Fiduciaries
have a duty to perform due diligence to ensure that a fund's investment decisions are sound and
compatible with their client's risk profiles. Prospects may submit a due diligence checklist to
management, requesting extensive information covering every major aspect of the fund's
organization, operation and management. Prospects may seek meetings with the officers of the
fund and other persons significantly involved in the fund's business.
How does a forex fund work? A forex fund requires infrastructure in the form of corporate
entities. In the United Sates, we use a limited partnership as the fund and use an S corporation (or
LLC) as the general partner (and forex adviser to) of the limited partnership. When set up outside
the United States, both the forex fund and its advisor are set up as corporations in a low or zero
tax country or other jurisdiction.
Managed Accounts. A CTA (commodity trading adviser) manages individual accounts, while a
CPO (commodity pool operator) manages a fund (also called a "pool"). In our experience, many
people lose interest in a managed account business when they experience the administrative
hassles of managing separate accounts. However, some choose to be both.
Advertising and Attracting Investors. Unless listed on a recognized securities exchange, a
forex fund cannot advertise to solicit new investors in the fund. A forex trader managing
accounts, however, can advertise his or her managed account services. A few countries have
rules similar to those of the United States in this regard. Prospective investors in the fund like to
see that you have invested your own capital in the fund. It is also a good idea to show prospects
that you take fees subject to a hurdle rate, which means that you earn fees only when trading
profits exceed a minimum percentage.
An investor in a forex fund should be sophisticated enough to understand the risks associated
with forex trading. Many investors would be interested in forex funds if they had the
opportunity. Because advertising of the fund and any other non-personal communications are
prohibited, and the media has touted the risks over the benefits, investors must be sought in more
direct and creative ways. A trader may find that in addition to family and close friends, many
colleagues and casual acquaintances may be potential investors. If you are interested in getting
investors for your fund, your selling efforts must be personally directed toward investors who are
known to you. Advertising and any other non-personal communications are prohibited. For the
forex trader who wants to trade for his family and friends, this is obviously no problem at all.
Since the forex fund is an ideal vehicle to pool the resources of a small group of investors, forex
funds can be especially appealing.
How do I set up a forex fund? In 2008, forex traders remain positioned to launch a forex fund
quickly without much red tape. In short, starting a forex fund means hiring a legal adviser with
the proper expertise to prepare the required documents and provide you with tax and regulatory
advice. You will have to work closely with your lawyer to prepare the private placement
memorandum (PPM), fund's limited partnership agreement, and subscription agreement. A forex
fund can be developed and launched within 2 weeks (on an expedited basis) but the normal
development time is about 4 weeks. Offshore funds, while they can be incorporated quickly, take
a little longer to establish due to the time required to open a bank and brokerage account for the
fund.
Favorable Tax Treatment. There are two ways to trade foreign currencies and they have
different tax rates. “Foreign currency contracts" are taxed by Internal Revenue Code Section 988.
Currency futures, otherwise known as “regulated futures contracts” are taxed under Section
1256. Forward contracts and over-the-counter options in other traded currencies for which there
is also trading in regulated futures qualify as "Section 1256 contracts." Gains from futures
trading are taxed at a blended rate of 60% long-term gains and 40% short-term gains (regardless
of how long a position is held). This 60/40 split gives futures traders an advantage over forex
traders. While the long-term rate is capped at 15%, the short-term (or “ordinary”) rate can go as
high as 35%. The maximum blended 60/40 rate is 23%.
Forex gains are taxed at the short-term (“ordinary”) rates. Forex traders do not necessarily have
to live with the higher "ordinary income" tax rates as they can “elect out” of ordinary income tax
rates. Traders who do this will have their currency positions treated as Section 1256 contracts,
and their gains will be taxed at the blended 60/40 rate. In addition, the fund will most likely
qualify as a "trader in commodities" so that investors are able to deduct the fund's expenses.
Securities Act of 1933. Forex funds are private and are not required to report returns, unlike
mutual funds that are publicly traded and post their net asset values daily. In the United States,
private (hedge) funds are unregistered securities offered as a private placement under the
Securities Act of 1933. Also, in the United States, a forex fund is a Regulation D (Rule 506)
offering in that it is an unregistered security offered as a private placement. Regulation D
provides a safe harbor that exempts the private offering from compliance with the registration
and prospectus delivery requirements of U.S. securities laws. However, Regulation D does not
exempt an offering from compliance with the anti-fraud provisions of the law. You must supply
all investors in your fund with offering documents (also called "disclosure documents")
disclosing comprehensive information about the fund.
Commodity Exchange Act. The Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) gives the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) limited anti-fraud and anti-manipulation jurisdiction over
off-exchange (also called over-the-counter or OTC) foreign currency futures and options
transactions. "Forex transactions" are leveraged off-exchange foreign currency transactions
where one party is a customer. The term does not include transactions that result in actual
delivery within two days or that create an enforceable obligation to deliver between parties who
are capable of making and taking delivery for business purposes.
Must I register with the CFTC? If you plan to trade currency futures contracts, currency
futures options, or forward contracts, your fund must be approved by the CFTC. In addition, you
must register with the National Futures Association (NFA) and become a CPO. The CEA defines
a commodity pool as an "investment trust, syndicate or similar form of enterprise operated for
the purpose of trading commodity interests."
CFTC Exempt. A person who operates a commodity pool must register as a CPO unless an
exemption applies. If you operate a pool that limits its trading solely to forex and only trades
with authorized counterparties, it is not required to register as a CPO, but may do so voluntarily.
Forex managed account managers are generally not required to register with the CFTC or
become Members of NFA. Understand that any NFA Member forex dealer that services your
customer accounts, or you introduce accounts to, is subject to NFA enforcement action for your
conduct should your conduct violate NFA requirements. Violations can mean disciplinary action
against your dealer even if it acts diligently and has no knowledge of your conduct. As a result,
there is a trend among forex dealers to require NFA registration of forex traders managing
customer accounts (including a fund). NFA compliance rules address the general issues of
following just and equitable principles of trade and avoiding fraudulent behaviors.
Commodity Pools. If your forex fund trades in commodity futures or interests, it is also a
commodity pool and you are a CPO. Any person who is involved with the commodity pool must
register as an associate of the CPO. A registered CPO is required to provide a detailed disclosure
statement (the prospectus) to prospective participants in the pool. Your Disclosure Document
must also be filed with the NFA at least 21 days prior to the delivery of the documents to a
prospective participant and updated often. There are exemptions from the CPO registration
requirements.
Investment Adviser Registration. If you plan to execute more than an occasional equity trade
in your forex fund, you might also have to register as an investment adviser. If you manage less
than $30 million, you are not eligible to register with the SEC (unless you are based outside the
United States or you are based in Wyoming) but are subject to applicable state law. Each state
has its own registration requirements.
Offering Documents. Investors in your fund must receive all material information about the
offering and the offering documents should be provided to all investors. Any investor who is not
an accredited investor must have sufficient knowledge and experience in financial and business
matters to be able to evaluate the merits and risks of your hedge fund. Since the PPM usually is
the starting point for those conducting due diligence, it remains a crucial document.
Accredited Investors. Regulation D limits the number of non-accredited investors to 35.
Generally, accredited investors includes persons whose net worth (or joint net worth with that
person's spouse) exceeds $1,000,000, or whose income was in excess of $200,000 in each of the
two preceding years (or, together with that person's spouse, in excess of $300,000 in each of the
two preceding years) and who reasonably expect to reach the same level of income in the current
year. There are numerous other categories of accredited investors.
Performance-based Compensation. Performance-based compensation for fund advisers are
paid as an allocation of profits, typically 20%, associated with the growth of the fund. There are
state regulations regarding performance based fees and these regulations vary considerably. In
some instances, the compensation agreement specifies that funds be only paid when the profits of
the fund exceed a hurdle rate.
Blue Sky. Within 15 days of the first sale of your offering, an SEC Form D Notice of Sale must
be filed with the SEC. Your fund must also comply with state blue-sky laws. In most states,
Form U-2 must be filed.
Conclusion. Forex funds are about making money and running a forex fund is a great way to do
so. The desire to pool assets in a way that is proper, both from a business and a legal standpoint,
has led many forex traders to start their own forex funds. For a successful forex trader, a forex
fund is an efficient, legal, and professional way to trade your own money along with the money
of those who want to benefit from your expertise. No longer just for the elite, forex funds will
continue to grow in varying financial conditions because of their complete market freedom. The
private investment fund industry has years of success ahead of it. Talented forex traders will find
profitable outlets for their skills, regardless of government regulation. Forex funds are about
making money and running a forex fund is a great way to do so.

Types of forex trading and strategies

Types of Forex Trading and Strategies

The foreign exchange market, or forex, being the largest financial market in the World has been the domain of government central banks as well as for
commercial and investment banks in a scandalous manner and it exists wherever one currency is traded for another. But recently more numbers of
individuals are handling the forex market as it offers trading 24-hours a day, five days a week, and the daily dollar volume of currencies traded in the
currency market that exceeds $1.9 trillion daily, making it the largest liquid market in the world. "Foreign Exchange" is the place where the money of
one nation is traded with the other nation. The most popular pair of exchange in the forex market is "Euro Dollar". You can view these pairs in all forex
display screens as "EUR/USD". Forex trading strategies are the key to triumphant forex trading or online currency trading. The management team of
One World Capital Group bid proficiency in both Forex trading and internet technologies and proven track records that deals with large, global trading
and brokerage operations as well. Forex made easy is as simple as you would want it to be. Forex trading is different from trading in stocks entirely
and it uses Forex trading strategies that will give you lot of advantages as well as help you to comprehend greater profits in the short term. There are
wide ranges of forex trading strategies that are available to investors. It is one of the most useful of these forex trading strategies called as leverage.
Knowledge of these Forex trading strategies can imply the difference between profits along with a loss and so it is essential that you fully grasp the
strategies that are being used in Forex trading. The world of Forex trading is highly complicated and success requires education and familiarity with
terms, charts, signals and indicators. As you can be able to access it from home or office from any parts of the country, Global Forex trading is the
most profitable and attractive internet income opportunity. And you do not need to do anything or there is no need of internet promotion for getting
succeeded. Forex Capital Markets are nothing but foreign exchange markets where the currencies are been bought and sold continuously for profits.
These capital markets of forex are present globally and their transactions are always non-stop in this forex cash market. A managed Forex account is
forex made easy. Many different companies offer these accounts to their clients. The foreign exchange market is a worldwide market and as per to
some estimates is almost as big as thirty times the turnover of the US Equity markets.

Salient featuers of Pakistan economy

SALIENT FEATURES OF PAKISTAN’S ECONOMY
Source: Pakistan Economic Survey 2007-08 issued on 10th June 2008

• GDP grew by 5.8 percent in 2007-08 as against 6.8 percent last year and growth
target of 7.2%. The economy has shown great resilience against internal and
external shocks of extraordinary nature during the out going fiscal year.
Pakistan’s economy has grown at an average rate of almost 6.6 percent per annum
during the last five years.
• Agriculture sector showed dismal performance and grew by 1.5 percent as
against 3.7 percent last year and target of 4.8 percent..
• Overall manufacturing, accounting for 18.9 percent of GDP registered a modest
growth of 5.4 percent against 8.2 percent last year.
• Pakistan’s per capita real GDP has risen at a faster pace in real terms during the
last six years (4.5% per annum on average in rupee terms). The per capita income
in dollar term has grown at an average rate of 13.5 percent per annum during the
last six years rising from $ 586 in 2002-03 to $ 1085 in 2007-08.
• The main factor responsible for the sharp rise in per capita income include four
fold increase in the inflows of workers’ remittances, acceleration in real GDP
growth, and stable exchange rate.
• Fixed investment has declined to 20.0 percent of GDP from 21.3 percent last
year.
• Overall Foreign Investment during the first ten months (July-April) of the
current fiscal year has declined by 32.2 percent and stood at $ 3.6 billion as
against $5.3 billion in the comparable period of last year.
• The agriculture growth this year is estimated at 1.5 percent as compared with
3.7 percent during 2006-07.
• The main contributors to manufacturing sector, the 4.8 percent growth during
July-March 2007-08 were beverages (30.5%), sugar (34.0%), beverages
(30.5%),upper leather (13.5%), cement (17.9%), refrigerators (10.7%) , electric
fans (18.3%), TV sets (19.3%), diesel engines (46.0%), buses (32.1%), motor
cycles (28.1%), and LCV’S (60.5%).
• Total revenues collected during the current year stood at Rs 1545.5 billion,
higher than the targeted level of Rs 1476 billion. However, there are expectations
that the FBR may fall short of its targeted level, and the year is most likely to end
with total tax collections amounting to Rs 1.0 trillion—Rs. 25 billion less than the
original target.

How to buy stock

How to buy stock

In this section i've listed some basics about how to buy stock online and
basics of stock picking:
How do you know what stocks to buy?
This is a good question, but there really isn't any one answer. The
reason there isn't any one answer is because different people use
different methods and criteria for finding and buying stocks.
Some people just look at the world around them, taking note of the
products and services they use in their lives on a daily basis. If they run
across one they like, they might decide to look closer at the company
and make an investment in it. And this is a great way to invest! If you
use a product and you like it and will buy it for yourself, chances are
other people will like it and buy it too.
Other people take a more scientific approach to investing, preferring to
find stocks using stock screeners. Using this approach a person will run
a query based on certain criteria, like earnings growth or size of
company for example, and the screener will return all stocks meeting
that criteria. They can then take that list and further research any of the
companies in the list they might find interesting investments.

Buying stock online a profitable option?

Buy Stocks Online Is A Profitable Option?

Every days, also when there's not trading, like a weekend or a vacation, there are folk that are talking about what they think individual stock are
intending to do and why you must or should not invest your money right now. But why? And what good does Stock Market provide to the economy?
Folks sometimes get simply attracted towards investing in stocks though they are just newbs. It is clearly the most profitable option available to the in
vestor. Folks are positive about investing in stocks as this is the most suitable option for securing their unknown future monetary needs. The stock
market is seen by many to be the engine that drives the economy. Companies and corporations use the stock market to make capital or wealth.
They create this wealth by offering stock, or shares, which are like tiny pieces of possession of the company or enterprise, and then they trade them.
The value of the stock relies on how well the company is doing. The company sells the stock to speculators who buy the stock based mostly on if they
believe the company is going to make lots of money or not. This brings in a big quantity of money into the corporation. An individual needs to learn the
fact that he can benefit, when financial stocks go up and even when they come down. You need to develop smart thinking and be more selective in
your approach for selecting stocks and their trading opportunities. A big company can make billions of dollars during their IPO. If the company
continues to do well and earn money, the stock price goes up, everyone which has shares makes money and more stock is sold to folk who need to
own a bit of that company. The same system works if the company is doing badly. The stock declines in value as the company does badly, and folk
then start to sell the stock and the price of it goes down. Each company, even the most successful ones, have their stocks go up and down on a
monthly basis based mostly on stuff like earning reports. There's no 100% safe stock, but there are stock that is called blue chip stocks, or ones that
are the most trustworthy. But it is not just stock that is traded on a stock exchange like the NYSE. Commodities, bonds and securities are also traded,
making wealth in numerous different sectors as well as helping the flow of goods and services over the world. The job of the NYSE and other stock
exchanges around the planet can't be overstated in their significance to the global economy. A steady learner can create great wealth in brief period
by investing in stocks. This implies you shouldn't stop learning though you are an expert.

Understand Forex

Understand Forex

Once you become somewhat familiar with how the forex market works, and you understand to a point what is involved in trading on the Foreign
Exchange Market, you would want to start to gauge market trends in order to profit from your business ventures on the open market.
The name of the game is statistics, and the first rule is that you must be aware there is no such thing as a sure thing on the forex market. While you
can never be 100% sure at any given time of the next move that will be made on the market as a whole, being able to read statistics and interpret
them will place you ahead of the pack in regards to "guessing" what will happen next.
Forex trading is a lot like gambling. If you can keep track of the cards that have already been played, you are more informed, statistically, regarding
what is likely to be dealt next, meaning you can place a bet with greater insight than someone who has no clue what has already been played. With
the forex market, if you have information as to what has already occurred over the past few days, months, or even years, you are again placed in a
better position to more logically conclude what will happen next. You simply learn the pattern and follow it to the end, reaping the financial rewards.
To complement your practice trading, you can also look for an online school that provides Forex training and education. Actually, you can request a list
of online Forex School from your Forex broker. You can use this list to refine your search for a suitable program to learn Forex trading. You can also
make an independent search for an online institution that can teach you how to trade at the Forex market. A formal education on Forex will
systematize your learning process which is advantageous for you.
The best part of this is that you have access to the same information as these VIP clients. Chartists, who are essentially market analysts that publish
their findings in easy to read charts, produce what is referred to as a candlestick charts. These charts are basically a combination of a line graph and a
bar graph that show the trend of various stocks, indexes, or other interests over a specified period of time. Therefore, you can easily determine if the
currency is on an uptrend or if it is taking a downturn, when the last major change occurred, and how long it is predicted that the currency pair will
continue on the current path.
The next best thing to do to learn forex is to look for different forex strategies. If you're a kind of trader who wants to put a limit to his trade, then you
better employ the stop loss strategy. Those who are open for supplementary funds and resources apart from the deposited amount can go for the
leverage strategy. And, those traders who are only into buying currencies when the market is at its favorable state can go for the automatic entry
strategy. All these and more should be a trader's way of dealing in this kind of market. You can also learn forex from forex brokers. However, you have
to ensure that you're dealing with a legitimate one and be wiser enough to outwit swindlers.
As a final point, you can learn forex and be rich only if you know how to appositely handle and maintain your status in the forex market. As the rule
implies, know when the best time to trade to create streams of income and the time not to trade to avoid profit losses. It is as simple as that.

9 rules for choosing good a broker

9 Rules For Choosing a Good Forex Broker

With currency trading becoming ever more popular, the number of brokers is growing at a rapid rate. Most traders are scratching their heads when it comes to choosing a reliable broker to trade with.
Unless you are a bank or large financial institution, you will need a broker to trade currencies. In fact, all individual traders need a broker to trade in the Forex market. This is a critical step to take before you can begin trading currencies. Thankfully, this is not difficult since there are so many brokers in the Forex market.
However, not all brokers are the same. You will need to find a broker that meets your specific needs as a trader. This could be where the difficulty lies since not all brokers offer the same services or have the same policies. This can affect your ability to trade effectively.
What should one look at when deciding which broker to open an account with?
Here are the 9 rules:
1.
Regulation
The regulated Forex brokers are accountable to the authorities. They have specific regulations to follow. With these brokers, most of the information is available online and you can easily find out their past performance. To find out if a Forex broker is regulated, you first need to find out which country the broker is registered in. Always choose a Forex broker that is conducting business in a country where their activities are monitored by a regulatory agency.
For example, US Forex brokers should be a member of the National Futures Association (NFA) and registered as a Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). In Switzerland, the regulatory body is the Swiss Federal Department of Finance.
If a broker is not regulated at all, it might be wise to choose another broker.
2.
Spread
In another words, low transaction cost. Because currencies, unlike futures and stocks, are not traded through a central exchange, the spread can be different depending on the broker you use, so it's well worth checking a few out before you open an account.
Most Forex brokers publish live or delayed prices on their websites so you can compare spreads, but check if the spread is fixed or variable. A fixed spread means exactly that - it will always be the same no matter what time of day or night it is.
Some brokers use a variable spread, which might appear to be nice and small when the market is quiet, but when things get busy they can widen the spread, which means the market must move more in your favour before you start to make a profit.
Fixed spreads are generally slightly wider than the variable spreads are when at their narrowest, but over the long term fixed spreads can be safer.
3.
Execution
Some brokers will show live prices on their trading platform, but will they honour them when it comes to pushing the Buy or Sell button?
The best way to find out is to open a demo account and give them a test drive. This will also give you the opportunity to see what the speed of execution is like - when you want to buy, you want to buy now, not sit around waiting for ten minutes whilst your order is confirmed!
4.
Support
Forex is a 24 hour market, so your broker should offer 24 hour support. You might not be trading at 3am, but that could be what time it is in your broker’s head office on the other side of the planet, so make sure there will be somebody there to pick up the phone if things go wrong.
You should also check if you can close positions over the phone - essential in case your PC or internet connection crashes at a critical moment (think Murphy’s Law).
5.
Trading Platform & Software
Good trading software will show live prices that you can actually trade at, not just indicative quotes. Trading software is very important for the online FOREX trader. Get a feel for the options that are available by trying out a demo account at a few online brokers. Above all, you are looking for reliability and the ability to perform well in fast-moving markets.
The software should offer automatic trading and may have special features such as trailing stops and trading from the chart. Some features may only be available at an extra cost, so be sure you understand what your trading needs are and how much the broker charges to provide them. It will be an added advantage if the trading software runs on your mobile device.
6.
Minimum Trading Size Requirement
Many brokers offer different types of accounts. The two basic types of accounts are standard and mini. In a standard account, the trader uses lots of 100,000 units. In the mini account, lots are usually ten percent of the standard account size (i.e. 10,000 units).
The two accounts carry different levels of risk and potential for profits. A mini account is appropriate for a beginning Forex trader because, while the profit potential is lower, the amount of risk is lower as well. In fact, a trader can open a mini account with $300 though $2,000 is recommended as the minimum amount. Standard accounts are usually for more experienced traders who will fund their accounts with $10,000 or more.
7.
Margin and Leverage Policy
Margin accounts are the lifeblood of FOREX trading, so be sure you understand the broker's margin terms before setting up an account. You need to know the margin requirements and how margin is calculated. Does margin change according to the currency traded? Is it the same every day of the week? Some brokers may offer different margins for mini and
Most brokers offer more than enough leverage and you can easily get 100:1 (which is way more than enough for most traders) but you can get up to 400:1. A word of caution - don't use to much leverage. It's the reason most novice Forex traders wipe themselves out.
8.
Broker's Rollover Policy
What is the minimum margin requirement to earn on overnight positions? Is it 0.5%, 1% or 2%? This is not very important for both scalpers and day traders but might be a good question if you are a swing, position or long term currency trader.
9.
Value-Added Services?
Most Forex brokers offer free technical tools, books, articles etc. Additionally, most of the brokers offer Forex charts and real-time economic news for free to their clients but this shouldn't be the most important thing to consider in your process to find a broker.

common questions about currency trading

Common Questions About Currency Trading
by Boris Schlossberg

Although forex is the largest financial market in the world, it is relatively unfamiliar terrain to retail
traders. Until the popularization of internet trading a few years ago, FX was primarily the domain of
large financial institutions, multinational corporations and secretive hedge funds. But times have
changed, and individual investors are hungry for information on this fascinating market. Whether
you are an FX novice or just need a refresher course on the basics of currency trading, read on to
find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the forex market.
How does this market differ from other markets?
Unlike the trading of stocks, futures or options, currency trading does not take place on a regulated
exchange. It is not controlled by any central governing body, there are no clearing houses to
guarantee the trades and there is no arbitration panel to adjudicate disputes. All members trade
with each other based upon credit agreements. Essentially, business in the largest, most liquid
market in the world depends on nothing more than a metaphorical handshake.
At first glance, this ad-hoc arrangement must seem bewildering to investors who are used to
structured exchanges such as the NYSE or CME. (To learn more, see Getting To Know Stock
Exchanges.) However, this arrangement works exceedingly well in practice: because participants in
FX must both compete and cooperate with each other, self regulation provides very effective control
over the market. Furthermore, reputable retail FX dealers in the United States become members of
the National Futures Association (NFA), and by doing so they agree to binding arbitration in the
event of any dispute. Therefore, it is critical that any retail customer who contemplates trading
currencies do so only through an NFA member firm.
The FX market is different from other markets in some other key ways that are sure to raise
eyebrows. Think that the EUR/USD is going to spiral downward? Feel free to short the pair at will.
There is no uptick rule in FX as there is in stocks. There are also no limits on the size of your position
(as there are in futures); so, in theory, you could sell $100 billion worth of currency if you had the
capital to do it. If your biggest Japanese client, who also happens to golf with Toshihiko Fukui, the
Governor of the Bank of Japan, told you on the golf course that BOJ is planning to raise rates at its
next meeting, you could go right ahead and buy as much yen as you like. No one will ever prosecute
you for insider trading should your bet pay off. There is no such thing as insider trading in FX; in fact,
European economic data, such as German employment figures, are often leaked days before they
are officially released.
Before we leave you with the impression that FX is the Wild West of finance, we should note that
this is the most liquid and fluid market in the world. It trades 24 hours a day, from 5pm EST Sunday
to 4pm EST Friday, and it rarely has any gaps in price. Its sheer size (it trades nearly US$2 trillion each
day) and scope (from Asia to Europe to North America) makes the currency market the most
accessible market in the world.
Where is the commission in FX?
Investors who trade stocks, futures or options typically use a broker, who acts as an agent in the
transaction. The broker takes the order to an exchange and attempts to execute it as per the
customer's instructions. For providing this service, the broker is paid a commission when the
customer buys and sells the tradable instrument. (For further reading, see our Brokers And Online
Trading tutorial.)
The FX market does not have commissions. Unlike exchange-based markets, FX is a principals-only
market. FX firms are dealers, not brokers. This is a critical distinction that all investors must
understand. Unlike brokers, dealers assume market risk by serving as a counterparty to the
investor's trade. They do not charge commission; instead, they make their money through the bidask
spread.
In FX, the investor cannot attempt to buy on the bid or sell at the offer like in exchange-based
markets. On the other hand, once the price clears the cost of the spread, there are no additional
fees or commissions. Every single penny gain is pure profit to the investor. Nevertheless, the fact
that traders must always overcome the bid/ask spread makes scalping much more difficult in FX. (To
learn more, see Scalping: Small Quick Profits Can Add Up.)
What is a pip?
Pip stands for "percentage in point" and is the smallest increment of trade in FX. In the FX market,
prices are quoted to the fourth decimal point. For example, if a bar of soap in the drugstore was
priced at $1.20, in the FX market the same bar of soap would be quoted at 1.2000. The change in
that fourth decimal point is called 1 pip and is typically equal to 1/100th of 1%. Among the major
currencies, the only exception to that rule is the Japanese yen. Because the Japanese yen has never
been revalued since the Second World War, 1 yen is now worth approximately US$0.08; so, in the
USD/JPY pair, the quotation is only taken out to two decimal points (i.e. to 1/100th of yen, as
opposed to 1/1000th with other major currencies).
What are you really selling or buying in the currency market?
The short answer is "nothing". The retail FX market is purely a speculative market. No physical
exchange of currencies ever takes place. All trades exist simply as computer entries and are netted
out depending on market price. For dollar-denominated accounts, all profits or losses are calculated
in dollars and recorded as such on the trader's account.
The primary reason the FX market exists is to facilitate the exchange of one currency into another
for multinational corporations who need to trade currencies continually (for example, for payroll,
payment for costs of goods and services from foreign vendors, and merger and acquisition activity).
However, these day-to-day corporate needs comprise only about 20% of the market volume. Fully
80% of trades in the currency market are speculative in nature, put on by large financial institutions,
multi-billion dollar hedge funds and even individuals who want to express their opinions on the
economic and geopolitical events of the day.
Because currencies always trade in pairs, when a trader makes a trade he or she is always long one
currency and short the other. For example, if a trader sells one standard lot (equivalent to 100,000
units) of EUR/USD, she would, in essence, have exchanged euros for dollars and would now be
"short" euro and "long" dollars. To better understand this dynamic, let's use a concrete example. If
you went into an electronics store and purchased a computer for $1,000, what would you be doing?
You would be exchanging your dollars for a computer. You would basically be "short" $1,000 and
"long" 1 computer. The store would be "long" $1,000 but now "short" 1 computer in its inventory.
The exact same principle applies to the FX market, except that no physical exchange takes place.
While all transactions are simply computer entries, the consequences are no less real.
Which currencies are traded?
Although some retail dealers trade exotic currencies such as the Thai baht or the Czech koruna, the
majority trade the seven most liquid currency pairs in the world, which are the four majors:
* EUR/USD (euro/dollar)
* USD/JPY (dollar/Japanese yen)
* GBP/USD (British pound/dollar)
* USD/CHF (dollar/Swiss franc)
and the three commodity pairs:
* AUD/USD (Australian dollar/dollar)
* USD/CAD (dollar/Canadian dollar)
* NZD/USD (New Zealand dollar/dollar)
These currency pairs, along with their various combinations (such as EUR/JPY, GBP/JPY and
EUR/GBP) account for more than 95% of all speculative trading in FX. Given the small number of
trading instruments - only 18 pairs and crosses are actively traded - the FX market is far more
concentrated than the stock market.
What is carry?
Carry is the most popular trade in the currency market, practiced by both the largest hedge funds
and the smallest retail speculators. The carry trade rests on the fact that every currency in the world
has an interest rate attached to it. These short-term interest rates are set by the central banks of
these countries: the Federal Reserve in the U.S., the Bank of Japan in Japan and the Bank of England
in the U.K. (To learn more, see What Are Central Banks?)
The idea behind the carry is quite straightforward. The trader goes long the currency with a high
interest rate and finances that purchase with a currency with a low interest rate. In 2005, one of the
best pairings was the NZD/JPY cross. The New Zealand economy, spurred by huge commodity
demand from China and a hot housing market, has seen its rates rise to 7.25% and stay there (at the
time of writing), while Japanese rates have remained at 0%. A trader going long the NZD/JPY could
have harvested 725 basis points in yield alone. On a 10:1 leverage basis, the carry trade in NZD/JPY
could have produced a 72.5% annual return from interest rate differentials alone without any
contribution from capital appreciation. Now you can understand why the carry trade is so popular!
But before you rush out and buy the next high-yield pair, be aware that when the carry trade is
unwound, the declines can be rapid and severe. This process is known as carry trade liquidation and
occurs when the majority of speculators decide that the carry trade may not have future potential.
With every trader seeking to exit his or her position at once, bids disappear and the profits from
interest rate differentials are not nearly enough to offset the capital losses. Anticipation is the key to
success: the best time to position in the carry is at the beginning of the rate-tightening cycle,
allowing the trader to ride the move as interest rate differentials increase.
FX Jargon
Every discipline has its own jargon, and the currency market is no different. Here are some terms to
know that will make you sound like a seasoned currency trader:
* Cable, sterling, pound - alternative names for the GBP
* Greenback, buck - nicknames for the U.S. dollar
* Swissie - nickname for the Swiss franc
* Aussie - nickname for the Australian dollar
* Kiwi - nickname for the New Zealand dollar
* Loonie, the little dollar - nicknames for the Canadian dollar
* Figure - FX term connoting a round number like 1.2000
* Yard - a billion units, as in "I sold a couple of yards of sterling."
To learn more about FX trading, see A Primer On The Forex Market, Getting Started In Forex and
Demo Before You Dive In.
Forex Feature Click Here
by Boris Schlossberg

10 Rules

The 10 Rules

1. Never Let a Winner Turn Into a Loser
2. Logic Wins, Impulse Kills
3. Never Risk More Than 2% per Trade
4. Trigger Fundamentally, Enter and Exit Technically
5. Always Pair Strong With Weak
6. Being Right but Being Early Simply Means That You Are Wrong
7. Know the Difference Between Scaling In and Adding to a Loser
8. What is Mathematically Optimal Is Psychologically Impossible
9. Risk Can Be Predetermined, but Reward Is Unpredictable
10. No Excuses, Ever Trading is an art rather than a science.

Therefore, no rule in trading is ever absolute (except the one about always using stops!) Nevertheless, these 10 rules work well across a variety of market environments, and will help to keep you grounded - and out of harm's way. (If you have questions about currency trading you might want to check out, Common Questions About Currency Trading.)

Economics and government

ECONOA'lICS AND GOVERNMENT
XLVIII. STABILITY OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE
A. B. Adams
From the Department of Economics of the University of Oklahoma.
The constant fluctuation in the exchange value of foreign cur~
rencies for the past three years has been a source of irritation to all
those who are engaged in foreign trade, both in America and in
Europe. This constant fluctuation has caused great losses to
both buyers and se~tcrs; it has degraded the foreign trade business
from the plane of .a conservative business undertaking to that of
\~ild speculation.
. The professional speculator has been much condemned bv
the public through the press for causing this violent foreign ex'.'
change fluctuation. and many have advocated the passage of national
laws prohibiting speculation in foreign exchange, while others
have sugKcstcd that some scheme be devised whereby foreign exchangl'
rates would te "pegged" or stabilized at definite points.
Whatever influence speculators might have had on the daily
fluctuation in foreign exchange rates, it is admitted that they are
not responsil.>le for the great depreciation of foreign currencies in
American markets. This depreciation is due primarily to the inflatiOM
of European currencies and to the excess of European imports
over exports. The accumulative process of inflation of their
currencies and the continued excessive buying by Europeans have
been the two major causes for the constant decline of their currencies
in the American markets.
Thert: is little doubt that daily speculation in foreign exchange
bills has produced many marked changes in daily foreign ex·
change rates. American speculators who in 1919 bought German
marks in great quaptities held the "Mark" exchange rate at a much
higher level than would have been 'maintained if there had been
no speculation in marks. But under present conditions if ,there
were no speculation in any of the foreign currencies the exchange
rates would nevertheless greatly fluctuate from ~ay to day; and it
is quite probable that the fluctuation in their ratios would be mUCh.
more violent than it has been· under the present condition of feverish
speculation in foreign exchange bills.

Two simple equations

Online Forex Trading - These Two Simple Equations Can Lead You to Huge Gains

Enclosed you will find two equations which most traders don't understand and that's why most traders lose however if you understand them and
incorporate them in your Forex trading strategy you could be on the road to huge gains...
Let's first of all start with the equation which relates to how and why markets really move and it's this:
Supply and Demand Fundamentals + Human Perception of them = Price
Simple?
Yes it is but most traders fail to see its signifcance which is:
It's not the facts that are important, its how humans perceive them that is; always remember humans are creatures of emotion and don't conform to
some scientific theory which means all the commonly perceived views below about trading Forex are wrong:
- You can predict market movements in advance
- You can trade breaking news and the facts
- Markets move to some mathematical theory
- You can make money from short term moves i.e. scalping or day trading.
Its clear that markets move to probabilities not certainties. So using complex theories or mathematical theories is doomed to failure; its also impossible
to work out what millions upon millions of traders will do within a day, as all short term moves are random and breaking news stories and facts cannot
be traded, as the facts by themselves not important, its how there perceived that determines what happens next.
So how do you trade online Forex markets and win?
In an odds based market, simple systems works best and you should simply trade the reality of price change on a Forex Chart. Most traders make
Forex trading more complicated than it really is. Having a successful trading system though is not enough next, you now need to understand another
simple equation to succeed.
A Simple Robust Forex Trading System + Disciplined Execution = Forex Profits
The key to winning long term at Forex is disciplined execution of a system. If you can't execute your trading system signals with discipline, you have no
system and don't be deceived, trading with discipline is very hard.
The reason discipline is so hard is you are going to have losing periods ( all traders have them) and you are going to have to keep going while the
market takes your money and wrong foots you and makes you feel a fool. When this is happening, you need to keep your losses small and stay on
course until you hit a home run and this is hard.
Most traders think they will never lose and believe the rubbish that vendors of "sure fire" systems tell them which is - losing periods don't occur or are
very short.
When they hit a period of losses, they simply cannot cope with them and throw in the towel. if you understand that you have to lose to win and can
trade with discipline, you can enjoy currency trading success.
Most traders don't really understand how markets really move and lack the mindset to win. Above we have shown you what it takes to win at online
Forex trading and the rest is now up to you - good luck!

Overtrading

Overtrading

It might seem odd that an online brokerage would single out overtrading as the first pitfall to
avoid. After all, like brokers in any market, we earn our money from volume, so why would
we try to discourage overtrading? The answer is simple enough: the more successful our
customers are, the longer they’ll be trading with us and the more volume they’ll trade in the
long run. In terms of pitfalls to avoid, overtrading ranks as one of the more easily avoided
risks, since it’s one the individual trader can control as opposed to an intrinsic market risk.
Overtrading typically comes in two main forms: trading too many positions at once
and trading too frequently in the market, or always having an open position. Trading
too many positions at once highlights several strategic errors as well as a very real
financial risk. The financial risk is that too many open positions uses up your available
margin collateral very quickly, which can lead to margin-based liquidations if prices move
Currency Pair Reference Rate (Base Currency) Margin Utilization sufficiently against your positions. When that happens, the
loss is primarily the result of overtrading relative to your
margin rather than simply being wrong in the market. It’s
hard enough to get it right in the market in the first place,
so don’t make it any harder by reducing your flexibility or
margin staying power with too many positions.

Trading Mistakes

Trading mistakes:
Avoid Online Forex Pitfalls

By Brian Dolan
Online currency trading has absolutely exploded in popularity over the last several
years. Hundreds of thousands of traders from around the world have flocked into the
forex markets. Some are experienced traders from other markets who are branching
out into forex while many others are entirely new to financial market trading. The appeal
of online forex trading is easy enough to understand: 24/7 market access, generous
leverage ratios, ease of execution, and a narrow universe of active currency pairs.
But just because it’s easy to get into a market does not mean it’s easy to be successful
trading in that market. To be sure, currency markets can be as rewarding or unforgiving
as any other trading market. Beyond that, there are the many self-imposed errors
that can lead to unfortunate trading consequences. From my vantage point at an online
currency brokerage (full disclosure) I’d like to review some of the more common trading
pitfalls so you can avoid them.

Online forex trading on rise

Online forex trading on the rise

By Jennifer Hughes in London
Published: 23:21, December 3 2003
FXall, the online foreign exchange platform, has reported record trading volume figures in a
sign investors are increasingly turning to online trading options.
The platform, owned by a consortium of investment banks, said it traded more than $22bn in
a single day in November and saw average daily volumes in the month of more than $13bn.
The volume of business conducted on online platforms has been steadily increasing, and FX
Connect, the platform owned by State Street, recently reported a record single day of trading
wort h in excess of $30bn.
Total daily trading volumes in the forex market are worth in excess of $1,200bn. But by
combining the volumes of the online platforms, proponents point out, they are taking a larger
segment of the market.
FXall said the rise in its volumes was driven by its institutional customers, which now account
for more than half of trading volumes compared with about 40 per cent earlier this year.
Phil Weisberg, chief executive of FXall, said the market for forex trading had changed over
the past year.
"The initial focus on click-and-deal functionality has matured into a need for solutions that
automate the entire FX [foreign exchange] process," he said. "We are now seeing our
volumes grow rapidly as the benefits of automation become apparent to the wider market."
Online trading platforms have benefited from the paper trails they generate, a service
increasingly demanded by market participants following trading scandals based on a lack of
back-office checks.
Last year, John Rusnak, a trader with AIB, admitted hiding $691m in trading losses by
inventing fictitious trades that initially went unnoticed by the back office.

Powerful Tips on Forex Trading

In order to become a successful Forex trader, you require a lot more than a few quick tips and tricks. You will need capital, experience, fortitude and, above all, a hearty trading system. However, if you are a beginner, the following tips will help you to get started successfully in Forex trading.

Tip 1: You should be fully aware of the power of a position. Never arrive at a market judgment while you have a position.

Tip 2: Ascertain a stop and a profit objective before you enter a trade. Place stops based on market info, and not your account balance. If a ‘proper“ stop is too costly, it isn‘t worth it to go ahead with the trade.

Tip 3 - Remember not to add to a position that is losing.

Tip 4 - Trading systems that work efficiently in an up market need not work in a down market. Always keep this, in mind.

Tip 5 - If you decide to exit a trade that means you are capable of perceiving changing circumstances. Never think you can pick a price, exit at the market.

Tip 6 - Sometimes, due to excessive volatility or lack of liquidity you should keep yourself away from trading.

Tip 7 - In a Bull market you should never sell a dull market and in a Bear market you should never buy a dull market.

Tip 8 - Always remember that news is only important when the market doesn‘t react in the direction of the news.

Tip 9 - Sell the factual news and buy the news that you hear.

Tip 10 - Superstition is good in the sense that you shouldn‘t trade if something bothers you.

Tip 11 - Up trending, range bound and down trading are three types of markets and you should have a different trading scheme for each of them.

Tip 12 - Risk managers commonly issue margin call position liquidation orders during the blowout stage of the market, up or down. They don‘t usually check the screen for overbought or oversold, They just issue liquidation orders. Make sure that you don‘t stand in the way.

Tip 13 - Up market and down market patterns always exist. lt is only that one is always more dominant than the other. In an up market, it is very easy to take sell signal after sell signal, only to be stopped time and again. Only select trades that move along with the trend.

Tip 14 - lt is very easy to enter a losing trade.

Tip 15 - A buy signal that fails is in fact just a sell signal and a seIl signal that fails is a buy signal.

Tip 16 - When everyone else is in, time is up for you to get out.

Tip 17 - Never enter a new trade in the direction of a gap and never let the market make you make a trade.

Tip 18 - lt helps for you to read the previous day‘s paper each day to get an idea of what the market already did. lt will definitely remind you that what happened yesterday has nothing to do with what will happen today.

Tip 19 - Always get in late and out early because the first and last ticks are always the most expensive.

Tip 20 - Scalpers bring down the number of variables effecting market risk by being in a position that lasts only a few seconds and day traders keep down market risk by being in trades for minutes.

Tip 21 - Try to measure yourself by profitable successive days and not by individual trades.

Tip 22 - Never trade while you are sick.

Tip 23 - You should not turn four losing trades in a row into eight in a row. Turn off the screen when you‘re off and do something else. Sticking in while you are loosing is a silly thing.

Tip 24 - Never change your unit of trading unless under a plan of attained goals. lt helps to have a plan for lessening size when your trading is cold or market volume is down.

Tip 25 - Sometimes, confidence is a very bad thing. Keep in mind that you really don‘t know anything unless you are a broker. Always expect the unexpected and know your position and exit your trade at once whenever you feel uneasy.

Tip 26 - The easiest way to break a streak of consecutive loses is keep away from trade for a day.

Tip 27 - Never stop trading when you‘re on a winning streak.

Tip 28 - Flexibility is an essential element of successful day trading. You should do your homework so as to understand the full potential for both sides of the market. This will enable you to make your trades on the basis of what the market is doing at the time of the trade.

Tip 29 - When the market goes up, you should say it aloud and when the market goes down, you want to say that aloud too. This way you will find how hard it is to say what is literally going on in front of you while your mind is full of preconceived notions.

Tip 30 - Never worry about a missed chance. There is always another one waiting for you.

Tip 31 - If you convert a scalp or day trade into a position trade that means you did not take in to account the risks involved in the trade properly.

Tip 32 - There is no meaning in looking for secrets in the market. You will only find matters that no one cares about.

Tip 33 - Asking for someone else‘s opinion is not advisable because they probably did not do as much homework as you did.

Tip 34 - Have you whined or got fidgety while reading this list? If your answer is “yes“, you have two apparent characteristics that you share with many other traders:

A. You have traded long enough to understand that it is YOU who make mistakes, and you try to overcome them.

B. You have become a part of the market and you can never leave lt. You will always check the market and always want to continue being a part of lt.

Choosing The Right Broker

Choosing the Right Broker

The first thing before getting started in Forex trading is to find and select the right broker to assist you in your venture. As in the case of any other market, there are so many brokers to choose frorn. Consider the following things in making your choice.
Always look for a broker who offers low spreads. The spread is the difference between the price at which a currency can be bought and the price at which it can be sold at any particular point of time. Brokers don‘t charge commission and this difference is how Forex brokers are going to earn money. The difference in spreads in Foreign Exchange is as large as the difference in commissions in the stock market. lt means that lower spreads will help you to save money and that is why it is better to choose a broker that offers low spreads.
Unlike stockbrokers, Forex brokers are attached to big money lending institutions or banks due to the large capital that is needed. Make sure that your broker has the backing of a dependable institution. See the cornpany‘s website for more information and statistics on Forex brokerage.
Usually, Forex brokers offer different trading platforms for clients as done by brokers in other markets. These trading platforms show technical analysis tools, real-time charts, real-time data and news etc. lt is important to test different trading platforms before you commit to any particular broker. For this purpose, you have to request free trials. As part of their service, brokers often provide you with economic calendars, fundamental as well as technical commentaries and other research. An ideal broker will give you everything that you want to succeed.