This article written by Simon Betschinger was originally published in the August 2013 issue of Traders' Magazine.
- Mr Simon Betschinger holds a master's degree in economics and has been trading since 1998. Hes is a partner and founfer of Trader-Fox GmbH, a real-time stock-market software program for the systematic trading by chart patterns. In addition, he trades with a real-money portfolio on the trading portal Master Traders.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD edges lower below 1.1650 as Middle East tensions fuel US Dollar strength
The EUR/USD pair trades in negative territory around 1.1635 during the early Asian session on Thursday. The US Dollar strengthens against the Euro as escalating Middle East conflict boosts safe-haven flows. Traders brace for the Eurozone Retail Sales and US weekly Initial Jobless Claims reports, which will be released later on Thursday.
GBP/USD tests key moving averages as growth downgrade weighs
GBP/USD was nearly flat on Wednesday, edging up 0.08% to settle around 1.3370 in a quiet session. The pair has fallen sharply from its late-January high near 1.3870 and is now testing the 200-day Exponential Moving Average, with this week's one-week forex heatmap showing Pound Sterling as one of the worst performers against the US Dollar, down about 1.4% on the week.
USD/JPY holds pullback below 157.00 amid Japanese intervention risks
USD/JPY holds the pullback from the year-to-date high in the Asian session on Thursday, keeping the red below 157.00. Fears of intervention, along with expectations that the BoJ will stick to its policy normalization path, support the Japanese Yen and weigh on the pair amid a subdued US Dollar. However, geopolitical tensions could benefit the USD's reserve currency status amid reduced bets for more aggressive easing by the Fed and cushion the currency pair.
Editors’ Picks
AUD/USD eases below 0.7100 after Aussie trade data, China growth woes
AUD/USD meets fresh supply and eases below 0.7100 following the release of dismal Australian Trade Balance data on Thursday. A record-low growth target set by China for 2026 also weighs on the Chinese proxy, the Australian Dollar, while the US Dollar finds fresh bids amid the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
USD/JPY holds pullback below 157.00 amid Japanese intervention risks
USD/JPY holds the pullback from the year-to-date high in the Asian session on Thursday, keeping the red below 157.00. Fears of intervention, along with expectations that the BoJ will stick to its policy normalization path, support the Japanese Yen and weigh on the pair amid a subdued US Dollar. However, geopolitical tensions could benefit the USD's reserve currency status amid reduced bets for more aggressive easing by the Fed and cushion the currency pair.
Gold re-attempts $5,200 amid a softer USD; reduced Fed rate cut bets cap gains
Gold bounces toward $5,200 for the second consecutive day on Thursday amid a modest US Dollar weakness. Wednesday's upbeat US macro data further tempered hopes for three rate cuts by the Fed in 2026. Furthermore, escalating Middle East tensions might continue to benefit the USD's status as the global reserve currency and contribute to capping the bullion.
Ethereum jumps alongside a spike in open interest, realized price could limit upside
Ethereum has jumped above $2,100 on Wednesday, following a general recovery across the crypto market. The move was accompanied by a spike in Ethereum's open interest, which has increased to 13.43M ETH — its highest level since January 31.
First Venezuela, now Iran: The US-China energy war escalates Premium
At first glance, the latest escalation involving the United States with both Iran and Venezuela looks like another chapter in a long-running geopolitical story. But viewed through a broader strategic lens, something else may be unfolding: Energy.
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.