Oil & Forex Trading

By Ahmad Hassam

Wall Street always watches crude oil prices. During the early part of 2008, oil prices jumped skyward from near $75 to almost $140 within the span of a few short months. It was more than a 100% increase. All over the world, consumers started feeling huge pressures on their monthly bills. People started using bicycles. Many hedge fund managers heavily speculated on crude oil futures. Some made a windfall, other lost when the oil prices suddenly collapsed in a few months.

Most of the increase in the oil prices was due to speculation by the hedge funds. When the stock markets crashed in the middle of 2008, most of the hedge funds had to liquidate their investments in oil futures to cover their stock portfolio losses. The prices came down just as they had gone up. The prices are down now due to low consumer demand in a global recession. But it is being predicted by the analyst that with a recovery in the global economy, the oil prices will go up again.

As oil prices go up, consumers are forced to spend more on oil. The more they spend on oil, the less they can spend on other products. The less they spend on other products, the less profit companies make. Declining profits made by these companies mean declining stock prices.

The opposite is also true. The less the oil prices become, the more Wall Street becomes optimistic about the profit potential of companies. This increased optimism leads to increase in stock prices. Two large futures exchanges are used to determine the prices of oil. They are the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYME) and the International Petroleum Exchange (IPE).

Historically, rising oil prices have been associated with falling stock markets. NYME is where most of the crude oil futures are traded. By monitoring the movement of the crude oil futures in NYME, you can develop a feel of the future economic situation of the United States. Since oil is heavily traded in US Dollar, this affects the US Dollar. The net effect is however a bit complicated.

Lets take a look at it more closely. When oil prices increase, the demand for US Dollar also increases as most of the countries need US Dollar to pay for their oil imports. Increased demand for US Dollar means that it should appreciate.

But this is not the whole picture. We have to take another aspect into account. Increased oil prices also hurt the US economy. Now, which effect is more important for the currency markets?

The effect varies from one currency pair to another currency pair. If you are watching a currency that involves the USD and a currency representing a country that does well during the times of high oil prices like Canada that has huge oil reserves after Saudi Arabia, the effect would be drop in the value of USD/CAD pair. US imports more oil from Canada than any other country. If you are watching a currency pair that involves USD and a currency whose economy is hampered by the rising oil prices, the demand for USD will rise.

So some currencies have positive correlation with oil prices and other currencies have negative correlation with rising oil prices. The currency pair CAD/JPY shows the strongest reaction to rising oil prices. Japan imports almost 100% oil.

When oil prices are going to rise again, watch for CAD/JPY currency pair. CAD is positively correlated with oil prices and JPY is negatively correlated. So CAD/JPY has the strongest reaction to rise in oil prices. It can be a very good currency pair to trade during times of rising oil prices. - 23217

About the Author:

Mr. Ahmad Hassam has done Masters from Harvard University. He is interested in day trading and swing trading stocks and currencies. Learn Forex Nitty Gritty. Discover Forex Magic Machine. Try Netpicks Forex Signal Service.

Managed Forex Accounts - Makes Forex Trading Simple and Safe

By Bart Icles

Before you commit your valued financial resources in a managed Forex account, it's best for you to do some basic research first about the Foreign exchange market. Taking time to orient yourself to some of its basic principles and strategies will not guarantee you a sure fire way of making profits, but will instead teach how to make better and wiser trade transactions that will greatly influence your money making success in the market industry.

Foreign exchange or FOREX, is currently the world's most liquid financial market, but also the most volatile. It has a daily turnout of about 1 -3 trillions of dollars a day in a worldwide scale. The business of FOREX revolves in the buying and selling of foreign currencies with another party in exchange for another one. It has its origins way back in the 70's with trading limited only to banks and large financial institutions. As technology rapidly progressed through the years, so did the evolution of the FOREX market paving the way for online trading to be possible. Today, ordinary investors can gain access to the FOREX through managed FOREX accounts.

A FOREX managed account in simple terms is Foreign exchange made easy. Managed FOREX accounts is one viable and often practiced option preferred by potential investors to the market who are either new or experienced, who want to get most out of its high liquidity and profitability but don't have the necessary time or patience to commit to it in a full capacity.

The process of investing in managed foreign accounts starts with a valid assessment of how much resources should be put in. Once this is arrived at, the task of searching for a FOREX manager to suit the range of the chosen investment. Looking for such entities shouldn't be a problem to ponder on considering the current listings available on the Internet. With a managed FOREX account, trade deals, transactions, and other FOREX datas, news and relevant updates will be in their able hands wherein any trade transactions are done in a professional manner to protect the investments of clients.

The investments being handled in a FOREX managed fund are quite safe in the hands of these legitimate and professional companies, and can be checked and withdrawn should the investor choose to do so without any questions being asked. Its a more profitable way of doing business in the Foreign exchange market that has been done by numerous individuals.

Trading in the currency market might not be as successful without the aid of an expert money manager. Do the smart thing - invest in a FOREX managed account if you are seriously contemplating investing your time and resources to the market. - 23217

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Is automated forex trading misleading? What is forex trading? Come visit our blog to find out the answers to these questions and more.

Futures commodity trading basics

By Mark Andrews

It's a common sight on the nightly news- a wild crowd of people standing or running about, tightly grouped, who are shouting and waving fistfuls of paper. If you've never had any experience with the futures market, a day on the trading floor can seem confusing.

In this article, you'll learn a bit about the trading of futures, so that you will know exactly what's going on when you see it depicted somewhere.

Today's futures trading floor is much different than it was when it first began quite a long time ago. Back before there was an actual futures market, those who grew fruit, grain and vegetables would cart their crops to a major town or city and try to sell them.

They'd set up a stall on the roadside, and sit and wait for someone to buy something. Often, crops would spoil because the farmers had no way to preserve or store them.

Initially, the first organized and central marketplaces were created to provide spot prices for immediate delivery. Shortly thereafter, forward contracts were also established. These 'forwards' were forerunners to the present day futures contract.

Futures prices and the bid and asked price are continuously transmitted throughout the world electronically. Regardless of what geographic location the speculator or hedger is located in, he has the same access to price information as everyone else.

Farmers, bankers, manufacturers, corporations, all have equal access. All they have to do is call their broker and arrange for the purchase or sale of a futures contract. The person who takes the opposite side of your trade may be a competitor who has a different outlook on the future price, it may be a floor broker, or it could be a speculator. - 23217

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Become Financially Successful By Being Wise.

By John Eather

Making money and finding more of it through whatever methods is a natural trend for people who has the will to become financially successful. One can never have enough money. There are a zillion ways to spend money and only limited ways to getting rich. As our society has progressed, merely having sufficient means to afford decent shelter and paying for your daily bread is not enough. One needs money to enjoy a decent standard of living and to accommodate the umpteen erstwhile luxuries that are now basic requirements of living in the modern world.

Pursuing traditional methods of accruing wealth: One could become financially successful by imbibing superior education and equipping themselves with such qualifications and degrees that lets them find a high paying job. It is no secret that lawyers, doctors, engineers and such professionals earn bucket loads of money, and continue doing so into a ripe old age. If you are unemployed and have sufficient educational qualifications, then it is high time that you shook of that lethargy and started looking for a job.

Since there is a slump in the economy right now, it is advisable to stick on to whatever you are doing instead of experimenting with career moves. Try to make the best of the opportunities that are available to you. Learning to save is also important. If you spend everything you earn and then use some extra credit you would always find yourself in debt.

The way to gain a better financial footing is to start saving money each month. Reduce your expenditure and pay only for those things that are absolutely essential. Once you start building up a saving, you would naturally have an urge to nurture it and see it grow. Do not let your money just lie around in the bank. Ensure that your you gain maximum returns on your savings.

Avoid speculative investments like mutual funds and beware of stepping into the stocks and shares territory which could be highly risky. Look for savings options that give you higher interest rates than what banks usually offer and are reliable at the same time. Real estate is one assured avenue of investment that gives you profits over a long period of time.

With enough experience you can market your skills and talent for a price. Taking up additional jobs or working from home in your free time to gain some money on the side which allows you to meet your monthly utility payments helps you free some money that can be invested prudently. - 23217

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Don't miss out on John Eather's Free eCourse on Forex Trading and discover how to Become Financially Successful. Click on http://www.moneymakingfxtrader.com and find out more details regarding Automated Trading.

Important Information For When Investing Financially

By Mr Christopher Latter

Are you not so sure of your future financial needs? Are you not so sure if the income you would get from the social security benefits is sufficient? Investing financially is the best possible way to over come these types of insecurities. It is very much necessary to begin financial investment in order to be independent financially. Now a question arises in your mind "How do I get started?" You would have the doubts like "What are the various steps that I should follow in order to succeed in?" The basic and the foremost step to keep in mind are about having the appropriate basic education in investing. This would enable you with deeper perception skills and greater ability in coping up with the challenges of investment. The second important step is to accumulate the required wealth. Prioritizing your investments based on the desired goals is the next step.

How does having an education on investment would help in Investing Financially? For an example consider the mode of online education. There are a lot of websites that offer investing education. This type of education helps you to gain the necessary insight and the adequate mental ability for effectiveness in decision making in various types of market trends, volatilities and tricky scenarios. Are you a full time worker? Are you a busy person and have very little time in the day to spare? Then the best possible way for you to learn is Online Investing Education.

Do you want to get the necessary insight for investment? Do you want to have the ability to deal with volatile scenarios, ever changing market trends? Don't worry. You will be able to master the art of investing financially with online learning. Do you think you have more time to spend? Do you need the extra edge over others? There are lot of other ways such as Television channels, News papers etc to help you. You can also try out the training sessions conducted by various financial organizations and institutions.

What is the next step after getting the education? For any investment you require capital. If you have the money then you can begin Investing financially. If you do not have it then you have to find ways to accumulate the capital. Are you unemployed? It is the right time to get a job and start proceedings by saving money. Are you already an employee? It is time to cut back on the spending and save more. The more you save the more you can invest. If you are already investing in the IRA's (Individual Retirement Account) and you have this wonderful option of directing your invested money to further invest in the areas of your interest then just start proceedings. Do you feel like "Am I very young to start investing?" You are wrong. Even if you are just in school you can divert the money you earn from part time jobs in to investments.

The next step would be prioritizing your investments. There is lot of info available on the web to help you. You can start investing financially in traditional modes like mutual funds, dividend bonds or the non traditional modes like the field of real estate.

Small businesses are often neglected. If concentrated on some of the better ones then they can bring you good fortune. It is advisable to invest financially in them. You have to be sure which business would have higher growth rates and larger profit margins.

Do you want to achieve the so called ultimate financial freedom? Then what are you waiting for? It is time to make merry by investing financially and getting the desired results. - 23217

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Learn more about investing financially, be directed to an archive of articles to assist in helping you invest financially, as effectively as you can.