Coming off a whirlwind teaching tour, Master trader Russ Allen sits down with Merlin to talk about the new technology which allows him to teach traders online while watching each of their trading screens. This allows him to correct mistakes, and show proper trading techniques to traders who are in the comfort of their own homes, around the world. Later, Russ handles a couple listener questions about Implied volatility, and shows a couple tools to measure it. More importantly, he shares with listeners what IV means to a professional trader and why we should pay special attention to it. Merlin and Russ also discusses his upcoming Hour with the Pros, where he will be covering OCO and Bracket orders.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD edges above 1.1750 due to ECB-Fed policy divergence
EUR/USD has recovered its recent losses registered in the previous session, trading around 1.1760 during the Asian hours on Friday. Traders will likely observe Germany’s Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index data later in the day.
GBP/USD gathers strength above 1.3450 on Fed rate cut bets, BoE's gradual policy path
The GBP/USD pair gathers strength to around 1.3480 during the early Asian session on Friday. Expectations of the US Federal Reserve rate cuts this year weigh on the US Dollar against the Pound Sterling. Philadelphia Fed President Anna Paulson is set to speak later on the weekend.
USD/JPY strengthens above 156.50 as BoJ’s cautious tightening weighs on Japanese Yen
The USD/JPY pair gains ground to near 156.75 during the early Asian session on Monday. The Japanese Yen softens against the US Dollar as traders have been disappointed with the slow and cautious pace of the Bank of Japan’s monetary tightening.
Editors’ Picks
AUD/USD rises to near 0.6700 as RBA rate hike bets emerge
AUD/USD rises more than 0.25% after after remaining flat in the previous session, trading around 0.6690 during the Asian hours on Friday. The pair gains as the Australian Dollar finds support amid growing expectations of interest rate hikes from the Reserve Bank of Australia.
USD/JPY strengthens above 156.50 as BoJ’s cautious tightening weighs on Japanese Yen
The USD/JPY pair gains ground to near 156.75 during the early Asian session on Monday. The Japanese Yen softens against the US Dollar as traders have been disappointed with the slow and cautious pace of the Bank of Japan’s monetary tightening.
Gold climbs to near $4,350 on Fed rate cut bets, geopolitical risks
Gold price rises to near $4,345 during the early Asian session on Friday. Gold finished 2025 with a significant rally, achieving an annual gain of around 65%, its biggest annual gain since 1979. The rally of the precious metal is bolstered by the prospect of further US interest rate cuts in 2026 and safe-haven flows.
Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple enter the New Year with breakout hopes
Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple entered the new year trading at key technical levels on Friday, as traders seek fresh directional cues in January. With BTC locked in a tight range, ETH is approaching its 50-day Exponential Moving Average, while XRP is nearing resistance. A clear breakout across these top three cryptocurrencies could help define market momentum in the opening weeks of the year.
Top 10 crypto predictions for 2026: Institutional demand and big banks could lift Bitcoin
Bitcoin’s (BTC) adoption story is unraveling and the king crypto could see institutional demand return in 2026. Crypto asset managers like Grayscale are betting on Bitcoin’s rally to a new all-time high next year, and themes like Bitcoin as a reserve asset are emerging.
RECOMMENDED LESSONS
Making money in forex is easy if you know how the bankers trade!
I’m often mystified in my educational forex articles why so many traders struggle to make consistent money out of forex trading. The answer has more to do with what they don’t know than what they do know. After working in investment banks for 20 years many of which were as a Chief trader its second knowledge how to extract cash out of the market.
5 Forex News Events You Need To Know
In the fast moving world of currency markets where huge moves can seemingly come from nowhere, it is extremely important for new traders to learn about the various economic indicators and forex news events and releases that shape the markets. Indeed, quickly getting a handle on which data to look out for, what it means, and how to trade it can see new traders quickly become far more profitable and sets up the road to long term success.
Top 10 Chart Patterns Every Trader Should Know
Chart patterns are one of the most effective trading tools for a trader. They are pure price-action, and form on the basis of underlying buying and selling pressure. Chart patterns have a proven track-record, and traders use them to identify continuation or reversal signals, to open positions and identify price targets.
7 Ways to Avoid Forex Scams
The forex industry is recently seeing more and more scams. Here are 7 ways to avoid losing your money in such scams: Forex scams are becoming frequent. Michael Greenberg reports on luxurious expenses, including a submarine bought from the money taken from forex traders. Here’s another report of a forex fraud. So, how can we avoid falling in such forex scams?
What Are the 10 Fatal Mistakes Traders Make
Trading is exciting. Trading is hard. Trading is extremely hard. Some say that it takes more than 10,000 hours to master. Others believe that trading is the way to quick riches. They might be both wrong. What is important to know that no matter how experienced you are, mistakes will be part of the trading process.
The challenge: Timing the market and trader psychology
Successful trading often comes down to timing – entering and exiting trades at the right moments. Yet timing the market is notoriously difficult, largely because human psychology can derail even the best plans. Two powerful emotions in particular – fear and greed – tend to drive trading decisions off course.