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Saturday, March 6, 2010

What is forex?

What is forex?

The foreign exchange (currency or forex or FX) market refers to the market for currencies. Transactions in this market typically involve one party purchasing a quantity of one currency in exchange for paying a quantity of another. The FX market is the largest and most liquid financial market in the world, and includes trading between large banks, central banks, currency speculators, corporations, governments, and other institutions. The average daily volume in the global forex and related markets is continously growing and was last reported to be over US$ 4 trillion in April 2007 by the Bank for International Settlement.

The Forex market is a non-stop cash market where currencies of nations are traded, typically via brokers. Foreign currencies are constantly and simultaneously bought and sold across local and global markets and traders' investments increase or decrease in value based upon currency movements. Foreign exchange market conditions can change at any time in response to real-time events.

The main enticements of currency dealing to private investors and attractions for short-term Forex trading are:

* 24-hour trading, 5 days a week with non-stop access to global Forex dealers.

* An enormous liquid market making it easy to trade most currencies.

* Volatile markets offering profit opportunities.

* Standard instruments for controlling risk exposure.

* The ability to profit in rising or falling markets.

* Leveraged trading with low margin requirements.

* Many options for zero commission trading.

Foreign Exchange (FOREX) is the arena where a nation's currency is exchanged for that of another. The foreign exchange market is the largest financial market in the world, with the equivalent of over $1.9 trillion changing hands daily; more than three times the aggregate amount of the US Equity and Treasury markets combined. Unlike other financial markets, the Forex market has no physical location and no central exchange (off-exchange). It operates through a global network of banks, corporations and individuals trading one currency for another. The lack of a physical exchange enables the Forex market to operate on a 24-hour basis, spanning from one zone to another in all the major financial centers.

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