Letting profits run and cutting losses is an oft-repeated mantra among traders, and with good reason. For beginner traders, it can be hard to put into action – when you see a trade in the green, it can be tempting to close it immediately and realise the profit. Similarly, accepting a loss can a tricky skill to master.
If you can stick to your plan in the heat of the moment, however, chances are you’ll find your success rate starts to climb.
There are four main styles of forex trading, categorised by how long you keep your positions open: Finally, position traders keep their trades open for weeks or months at a time, looking to take advantage of major trends In general, shorter-term styles are more favoured by FX traders, but all are valid if you have the right conditions….
With a plan in place, a style in mind and some practice under your belt, you can begin thinking about placing your first live trades. With dozens of FX pairs to choose from, though, deciding where to start can be tricky. Often, it’s a good idea to choose one or two pairs to begin with,…
While you’re still setting out, you don’t want to risk blowing your entire account on a single bad trade. You can avoid this eventuality easily enough by limiting the capital you allocate to your positions. The standard FX trade size is one lot, which will give you a large exposure and can see losses mount up quickly….
Another key consideration when you’re still in the early days of trading is not to take on too much too soon. Opportunities abound in the FX markets, but successful traders know which ones to seize and which ones to let go. It’s best to begin by only having one trade open at a time, giving…
Another key factor in controlling risk is to manage the money you’re allocating to any given position. Many successful traders stick to the 1% rule, which involves only ever risking 1% of your total funds on any given trade. If, for example, you have £5,000 in your account, your total risk on any position would…
Speaking of trying things out, we’d always recommend that beginner traders start with a forex trading demo account before they commit real capital. That way, you can ensure that any early mistakes are made in a simulated environment that won’t end up costing you money. Most trading demos use real market pricing, so they’re as close as…
