Showing posts with label foreign exchange market. Show all posts
Showing posts with label foreign exchange market. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

A Quick History of the Stock Market

A stock could be a legal symbol of possession within the business. when you obtain stock, you can really shopping for part-ownership of one's business. in different words, you let yourself be a shareholder. A business can generally spread possession to actually hundreds or possibly a very large number shareholders. shares are sold whenever the company wishes for getting money.

Within the little business, it can be aforesaid that the owner has 100% of all shares. in spite of this, each time a business grows beyond a particular size, it's going to need capital for expansion and selling shares is that the easiest approach to actually try this. 

Most stock holders do not really have much say in how the business is run because their ownership proportion is negligible. In order to make a difference, you must own lots of shares or you must work with several smaller shareholders. Now days, buying stock has become more of an investment rather than trying to run the business. You simply buy stock and wait for the company to grow. This will appreciate the stock value and you make money by selling it. Or you could simply make do with the percentage of profits the company gives you based on your shares. 

The stock exchange is the place where people trade stocks. The three important share markets in the United States are the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, and Nasdaq. Stocks are bought and sold through stock brokers or Direct Investment and Dividend Reinvestment Plans. The plans allow you to purchase the stock directly from the companies instead of the market. 

Wall Street is a famous and important place when it comes to the American stock market. The street is named after the high fence built by the Dutch settlers in New York during the 17th century. Though the fence lasted till 1685, the street next to it was permanently named Wall Street. The history of the American stock exchange begins in Philadelphia. 

The first stock exchange was built here in 1770. Two years later, the first New York stock exchange was opened, though it was less successful. In 1817, New York stock exchange representatives traveled to Philadelphia to understand why it was more active. 

This created a more disciplined and formal New York Stock and Exchange Board. Another important point in this history is the crash of 1929. This crash triggered the Great Depression.

Saturday, July 1, 2006

“How To” Start Trading The Forex Market?

What Is FOREX or FOREX MARKET? PART I

The Foreign Exchange market (also referred to as the Forex or FX market) is the largest financial market in the world, with over $1.5 trillion changing hands every day.

That is larger than all US equity and Treasury markets combined!

Unlike other financial markets that operate at a centralized location (i.e. stock exchange), the worldwide Forex market has no central location. It is a global electronic network of banks, financial institutions and individual traders, all involved in the buying and selling of national currencies. Another major feature of the Forex market is that it operates 24 hours a day, corresponding to the opening and closing of financial centers in countries all across the world, starting each day in Sydney, then Tokyo, London and New York. At any time, in any location, there are buyers and sellers, making the Forex market the most liquid market in the world. 

Traditionally, access to the Forex market has been made available only to banks and other large financial institutions. With advances in technology over the years, however, the Forex market is now available to everybody, from banks to money managers to individual traders trading retail accounts. The time to get involved in this exciting, global market has never been better than now. Open an account and become an active player in the largest market on the planet. 

The Forex Market is very different than trading currencies on the futures market, and a lot easier, than trading stocks or commodities. 

Whether you are aware of it or not, you already play a role in the Forex market. The simple fact that you have money in your pocket makes you an investor in currency, particularly in the US Dollar. By holding US Dollars, you have elected not to hold the currencies of other nations. Your purchases of stocks, bonds or other investments, along with money deposited in your bank account, represent investments that rely heavily on the integrity of the value of their denominated currency ¨the US Dollar. Due to the changing value of the US Dollar and the resulting fluctuations in exchange rates, your investments may change in value, affecting your overall financial status. With this in mind, it should be no surprise that many investors have taken advantage of the fluctuation in Exchange Rates, using the volatility of the Foreign Exchange market as a way to increase their capital. 

Example: suppose you had $1000 and bought Euros when the exchange rate was 1.50 Euros to the dollar. You would then have 1500 Euros. If the value of Euros against the US dollar increased then you would sell (exchange) your Euros for dollars and have more dollars than you started with. 

Example:

You might see the following:

EUR/USD last trade 1.5000 means
One Euro is worth $1.50 US dollars.

The first currency (in this example, the EURO) is referred to as the base currency and the second (/USD) as the counter or quote currency.

The FOREX plays a vital role in the world economy and there will always be a tremendous need for the exchange of currencies. International trade increases as technology and communication increases. As long as there is international trade, there will be a FOREX market. The FX market has to exist so a country like Germany can sell products in the United States and be able to receive Euros in exchange for US Dollar.

RISK WARNING:

Risks of currency trading

Margined currency trading is an extremely risky form of investment and is only suitable for individuals and institutions capable of handling the potential losses it entails. An account with an broker allows you to trade foreign currencies on a highly leveraged basis (up to about 400 times your account equity).The funds in an account that is trading at maximum leverage may be completely lost if the position(s) held in the account experiences even a one percent swing in value. Given the possibility of losing one's entire investment, speculation in the foreign exchange market should only be conducted with risk capital funds that, if lost, will not significantly affect the investors financial well-being.