Margin is one of the key features that makes foreign exchange trading so exciting a prospect. Without a factor like margin, trading in this area would be completely out of reach for the ordinary man in the street who wants to invest in this area. However, what exactly does "Margin" mean?
Margin is a factor which allows foreign exchange traders to control large sums of currency while making relatively small deposits. This works by establishing a "margin Account". This has to be conducted through a forex broker and it will enable the new trader to control what they call currency lots. A currency lot is generally worth in the region of $100 000.
Your borrowing power in the margin account allows you leverage which is expressed in the form of a ratio. For example a leverage ratio of 100:1 allows the trader to control foreign exchange assets of 100 times the amount of their deposit. This means that with a 1% margin, a standard lot of $100 000 may be controlled with a deposit of $1 000.
The trader is able to access large profits when trading on a margin, but this also means that losses can also be incurred. Money likes speed so although the risk of losses exists, safeguards are generally put in place to limit these losses. A broker will generally terminate any transaction before it goes above the deposit margin, but in some instance more than the initial deposit may be lost.
Cash is traded in far larger units than foreign exchange. A good example of this is the USD, this currency trades down to 4 decimal places. In other words, what might be $1.35 in normal currency; in forex would be $1.3576. The smallest currency exchange unit is the pip. In a $100 000 lot the pip equals $10. and while $10 might have some meaning to a tourist from the US going on holiday, it has little meaning to an investor. So if the currency of exchange increases say to $1.457, it would either mean a loss or profit of $10. - 23309
Margin is a factor which allows foreign exchange traders to control large sums of currency while making relatively small deposits. This works by establishing a "margin Account". This has to be conducted through a forex broker and it will enable the new trader to control what they call currency lots. A currency lot is generally worth in the region of $100 000.
Your borrowing power in the margin account allows you leverage which is expressed in the form of a ratio. For example a leverage ratio of 100:1 allows the trader to control foreign exchange assets of 100 times the amount of their deposit. This means that with a 1% margin, a standard lot of $100 000 may be controlled with a deposit of $1 000.
The trader is able to access large profits when trading on a margin, but this also means that losses can also be incurred. Money likes speed so although the risk of losses exists, safeguards are generally put in place to limit these losses. A broker will generally terminate any transaction before it goes above the deposit margin, but in some instance more than the initial deposit may be lost.
Cash is traded in far larger units than foreign exchange. A good example of this is the USD, this currency trades down to 4 decimal places. In other words, what might be $1.35 in normal currency; in forex would be $1.3576. The smallest currency exchange unit is the pip. In a $100 000 lot the pip equals $10. and while $10 might have some meaning to a tourist from the US going on holiday, it has little meaning to an investor. So if the currency of exchange increases say to $1.457, it would either mean a loss or profit of $10. - 23309
About the Author:
Looking to find the best deal on foreign exchange trading, then visit www.MoneyMakingFxTrader.com to find the best advice on automated forex trading for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment