Forex Software — Choosing The Best

When it comes to forex trading the forex software you choose is essential. There are so many forex trading companies all competing for your business that choosing the right forex software can be quite a difficult task. Most of the forex software products available offers live online forex trading platforms but what other components are vital when it comes to your forex software.

Key Elements For Your Forex Software

Before purchasing any forex software there are a few essential items that should be included. The most important is security and your online forex trading software should include a 128 bit SSL encryption which will prevent hackers from accessing any of your personal details and information such as your account balance, transaction history, etc.

Providing the best security for your forex trading will include a company that provides 24 hour technical server support for your forex software, 24 hour maintenance should anything go wrong, daily backups of all information, and a security system that has been designed to prevent any unauthorized access. Along with these security protocols there are also some forex trading companies that use smart cards and fingerprint scanners to ensure that only their employees can have access to their servers.

Another important factor when it comes to choosing your forex software is to check what the company's downtime is like. When it comes to trading forex and particularly your online forex trading you need to ensure that the forex software you choose is reliable and available 24 hours a day. The forex software you choose for your forex trading should also have technical support available at all times should your session be cut short.

Ensuring that all the above features are listed in the forex software you choose will help to ensure your forex trading success.Anyway, a forex software is a must have if you want to earn money.

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Are Forex Brokers The Antichrist or is Broker-Bashing one Gigantic Witch Hunt?

In this article we would like to address the flip side to the argument we put forward in our piece 'Choosing the Right Forex Broker'. That article focussed on broker malpractices, but do we have the right to place the blame on these firms or are our expectations of them unrealistic?

Is It Fashionable To Blame The Broker?

There are a few sites scattered throughout the Internet (ours included) that offer you the opportunity to review your broker and it seems that there is a growing trend towards the negative. What I mean is that there are a far larger number of negative reviews than positive ones. There are several reasons for this: There is a tendency to jump on the bandwagon of bad reviews if you have lost money to the market and you have negative feelings associated with this. It may also be prudent to consider the fact that human nature seems to be drawn toward the negative; when you turn on the news how many negative stories are reported compared to positive ones? Is this because more bad things happen or because we find these stories more 'entertaining'? I believe that a lot of this 'broker bashing' is due to the fact that there are currently a larger number of 'bad' brokers than 'good' ones but I also believe that some of these reviews are not entirely fair because our expectations are not realistic in the first place. Let us take a look at and evaluate some of our common complaints.

Slippage

Slippage is the difference between the price at which you set your order for execution (in the case of a stop order) or the price you attempt to have an order executed (in the case of a market order) and the price at which you are actually filled. It should be noted that stop-loss or stop entry orders actually become market orders once active i.e. once the specified price is hit, so they do not guard you against slippage. This is one of the most common complaints made against brokers by furious traders who see potential winners turn into losers and small losers turn into large ones.

A loss is an unpleasant experience at the best of times and if you feel that your broker is the reason for it, or the size of it, you are bound to direct your anger towards them (N.B. Trading Psychology and management of emotions comes into play here). This is where we need to check our expectations and put any complaints into context.

Slippage is generally associated with periods of either extremely high volatility or extremely low volatility. As an added ingredient the size of your order can also contribute. The most common times of high volatility in the forex market are at major news releases and it is no coincidence that this is also the time that traders experience the greatest amount of slippage. This is because economic announcements generate a large amount of interest and everyone is jostling for position at the same time.

Those traders that are active around these times will understand that a few pips here and a few pips there can make all the difference between closing the day with either a profit or a loss. A bad fill can be enough to make the difference and when you experience one it is natural to blame it on your broker for being too slow or for being dishonest and banking your money for themselves. However, the reality is that slippage at news times is very common and in some cases almost inevitable but rather than just blaming the broker there are steps that we can take to minimise or eliminate the bad fills, such as:

Be mindful of the times you trade: If you are not a news trader then you may wish to avoid the most highly anticipated news releases altogether. By doing so you will not be trading during times of massive volatility and your chances of experiencing slippage are greatly reduced. If you are a news trader then there are some precautionary steps that you can take (see below).

Enter with limit orders: A limit order will only be executed at the specified price or better thus eliminating slippage. However, traditional limit orders can only be placed above or below the market which requires you to enter on a retracement. This is an advanced trading technique and requires a good deal of experience. A limit order will only solve the problem of slippage on your entries and does not remove the threat of slippage on your exits if you want to cut your losses or take profit without the use of a fixed target.

Enter after the initial spike: The first move after a data release is oven extremely explosive creating what is known as a 'spike' in prices. If you wait for this move to play out then you are giving the market time to digest the news and you are avoiding the main body of volatility. This gives you time to plan your own trade based on the data released, possibly catching a retrace using a limit entry.

Choose your broker accordingly: If you use a broker with a dealing desk then you are more likely (in theory) to experience slippage than if you use an ECN style broker. It is likely that a human will actually be matching and filling orders on a dealing desk which leaves you open to an added delay, especially at busy times. An ECN broker doesn't have this limitation and that fraction of a second saved can make a huge difference. In conclusion, if you are actively trading at busy times then an ECN broker is probably most suited to your needs. On the other hand if you trade infrequently or you have a small account and cannot afford the commission fees that ECN brokers charge then a broker with a dealing desk may be adequate.

My Broker is Trading Against Me

This is an extremely common complaint that has lead to the conspiracy theory that most brokers actually want you to lose your money because they are on the other side of your trades. Let us step away from this theory for the moment and consider the fact that there is ALWAYS someone on the other side of your trades. For you to go short someone else must go long and vice versa so someone somewhere always wants you to lose! Now, some brokers claim that they match client orders at the dealing desk while others use their dealing desk to offset their clients' trades with their own overall position in the market, which is known as hedging. If a broker is perfectly hedged then they simply collect the spread that you pay them (which is greater than the spread they pay in the interbank market) and that is their profit. The conspiracy theory has come from the notion that most traders lose and so it would be more beneficial for brokers to trade in the opposite direction to their clients rather than go in the same direction and hedge themselves. Experiences of delayed orders, slippage and stop hunting have added fuel to this fire because they can be easily explained as brokers stealing your money rather than potentially legitimate problems incurred at busy trading times.

Conclusion

In this article we have attempted to point out to you alternatives to broker malpractice theories and a few ways in which you can minimise their effects. If you are a firm believer that your broker is trading against you and wants you to lose then you are developing a potentially self-destructive frame of mind. This belief may prevent you from identifying problems closer to home such as trading psychology and strategy inadequacies. But the fact remains that if you are unhappy with your broker or you are experiencing excessive slippage, multiple re-quotes, poor customer service, possible stop hunting, platform freezing and held orders then you should change brokers. At the end of the day the reasons for poor service are of secondary importance behind the effect it has on your trading. It may be that your broker is honest but technologically inept or it may be that you are the victim of a bucket shop but try to keep your complaints within the context of market dynamics. If none of the coping strategies listed above make any positive difference then it is definitely time to find a new broker.

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The Best Forex Broker: One for Everyone

Dishonest and illegitimate brokers who defraud their customers are a disgrace to the online Forex brokerage business. Many traders are rightfully scornful of those who lack the basic decency to allow them to withdraw their funds, even after losses. And sometimes traders can't help but feel that if they could just locate that best Forex broker hidden somewhere in the far reaches of the cyber-jungle, trading and profiting would give the taste of fine French wines, instead of the usual vinegar. But are Forex brokers really such a wicked lot that even the Evil One himself is put to shame by his incompetence in comparison? Is the oversight of multiple government agencies, newspapers and the trader community insufficient to convince them to behave like normal people? Most importantly, since retail Forex is like a shower of gold and silver for online brokers, do they really need to kill their Golden Goose by defrauding traders and destroying their Forex strategies through misquotes and stop-running?

The fact of the matter is that the number of fraudsters in the Forex market is a lot smaller than what many disgruntled traders believe. If you have the misfortune of being a victim of one of them, no doubt, our words will not do much to help you trust the brokers. But we invite you to recall the fact that there are a significant number of firms which have been in operation for many years in nations where regulation and oversight is strictest. Surely, a broker with a long history in Switzerland does not prove much about the reliability of Forex brokers, but others headquartered in New York, and monitored and authorized by the authorities for years cannot have had the skills to keep everyone blind for so many years. Forex is risky, and requires patient study, but it is no longer a shady corner of the internet world: it is regulated and monitored, and more and more a part of the mainstream of financial business.

And while we'd love to send you to the best broker in this article, the good news is that we don't even need to. There are a large number of firms operating online today which cater to different kinds of investors with different expectations and skills. If you're a professional, you will not be equally satisfied by the offer of a decent, legitimate broker which caters to beginners and average traders for the most part. As a beginner, you're unlikely to have all your needs expectations fulfilled by a well-established firm with excellent services and yet a significant minimum deposit requirement. It is this diversity of offers that makes online Forex the field of pioneers, and such an exciting place to be for traders. If you're one of those brave people who want to explore this brave new world, go check your Forex broker ratings now, and who knows, maybe you'll grow to become the next Martin Schwartz of the century. Anything is possible in Forex.

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Trading Currency Through Online Forex Brokers

Access to foreign exchange (forex), the most extensive market on the planet, is generally through an intermediary known as a forex broker. Similar to a stock broker, these agents can also provide advice on forex trading strategies. This advice to clients often extends to technical analysis and research approaches designed to improve client forex trading performance.

Financial institutions are generally the most influential in the forex market through high-volume, large-value forex currency transactions. Historically, banks enjoyed monopolistic access to the forex markets, but through the Internet, any forex speculator can also enjoy 24 hour access to the market via a forex broker.

Secure web connections today allow many forex traders to work from home, where ready access to news and other technical advice informs decisions on what forex positions to take. Similar moves are being made by stock brokers, who are also moving out of banks and other traditional institutions.

Your needs in the market will influence your choice of forex broker. Online forex brokerage firms, known as houses, provide those new to the forex market with detailed research, advice and simulators to learn how to use their forex trading tools. The experienced online forex trader is catered to by other broking houses, with in-depth advice, but less focus on forex trading instruction based on the assumption that you are familiar with the forex market. To make an informed choice, it is advisable to trial several differing online forex broking houses and their trading tools to find the best fit for your needs.

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Avoiding Forex-Related Frauds and Scams

A lot of people have been 'burnt' from scam operations on the Internet. Their sites may look so perfectly legitimate that you doubt whether they would have gone through all that trouble building a trading platform just to steal your money. Beware.

The first thing I look for is the geographical location of the broker. If I find that they are based in a country where the financial industry is, in my opinion, relatively unregulated and under-developed, I quickly forgo signing up. This is terrible news for honest brokers in those countries, but your job as a trader is to protect your capital. If you lose that, then you cannot trade. The onus is on them to convince you that they will do the right thing by you as an investor.

I started out with an Australian broker. Currently I am using an American one. I have not tried UK-based brokers but the British financial industry is one of the best. Companies that are based in countries such as Japan , Germany and France are probably just as good too, if their website speaks your language.

Notice any license numbers that they may have registered with regulatory bodies that act like government watchdogs who oversee the finance and investments industries. These are organisations that impose strict rules to safeguard your investment. Some of these rules may include the requirement that brokers segregate all customer funds from the operational funds of the business. Your money is required to be put in highly-reputable banks and the funds are only withdrawn from these accounts upon specific withdrawal requests.

Take note that there are some fake regulatory bodies being thrown around in cyber-space as well. Take a look at how long they have been operating for. Try and search out any reviews or comments made about them. See if you can find forums where traders have discussions about their brokers.

Below is a list of things to keep in mind to help you avoid being a victim of a scam:

Stay Away From Opportunities That Sound Too Good To Be True

There are people who may have just acquired a large amount of money just and recently are the same and are shopping around for safe investment vehicles. These may include retirees who have access to their retirement funds. It is understandable why retirees would be drawn to 'high-return, low-risk investments'. This is also what makes them very vulnerable. If you identify yourself to be one of these people, be careful. A lot of deceitful characters are after your money. Furthermore, only allocate a tiny amount of your money to trading until you can start growing it. Not all people can trade successfully, so it is a venture you should take on haphazardly. It is your life savings at risk.

Avoid Individuals Or Organizations Who Claim To Predict Or Guarantee Large Profits

Any form of trading is hard. Trading currencies is no different. Be wary of statements that make it sound easy. Statements like:

"Whether the market moves up or down, in the currency market you will make a profit";

"Make $1000 per week, every week";

"We are out-performing 90% of domestic investments";

"You'll make returns of 70% a year";

"Here is a no-risk strategy".

If they could make such returns, why would they even bother letting you know about it.

Be Wary Of Companies Who Downplay Investment Risks

Hold your wallet tight and zip up your purse when companies say that written risk disclosure agreements are routine formalities imposed by the government. Watch out for statements like:

"With a $10,000 deposit, the maximum you can lose is $200 to $250 per day";

" We promise to recover any losses you have ".

Be Wary Of Companies That Claim To Trade In The 'Interbank Market'

Do not believe it when some people say that they have access to the 'Interbank market' or that they can give you access to trade in that market because that's where bargain prices can be obtained. This is not true. The 'interbank market' is not a place, it is not a physical building. It is simply a loose network of currency transactions that are negotiated between big financial institutions and other large companies.

Ethnic Minorities Are Often Targeted

Ethnic newspapers and television 'infomercials' are sometimes used to attract Russian, Chinese and Indian minorities. Sometimes these ads offer so-called 'job opportunities for account executives to trade foreign currencies', whereby the recruited 'account executive' is expected to use his own money to trade currencies and would often times be encouraged to recruit members like their friends and family to do the same.

Seek Out The Company's Background

Check any information you receive to be sure that the company is who they claim to be. If at all possible, try and get the background of the people operating the company. Do not rely solely on oral statements and promises made by the company's employees.

If You Are In Doubt, It Is Not Worth Risking Your Money

If after trying to solicit information and at the end of it all, you are still in doubt about the credentials of a particular company, my suggestion is to start looking elsewhere.

You may find further information by contacting government 'watchdogs' because they keep up to date with trends and reports regarding scams and other fraudulent activities. Please check the resource section of this site for the information of organizations that regulate the securities industry, sorted by country. There is also a list of brokers that you may want to look at.

This is an excerpt, modified from the book: The Part-Time Currency Trader.

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