Summer trading is different. As traders are headed to the beach, or elsewhere they choose to disconnect and get some rest, markets slow down, lose volume and become a bit more unpredictable.
That does not mean summer trading is worthless, but as Blake Morrow, founder of ForexAnalytix, says, with “trading ranges shrinking about a 1/3 of what you would normally expect, little spurts of volatility often can catch you off guard chasing a move or breakout, only to watch it fail or reverse”. Morrow proposes trying scalping or practicing “target trading” in smaller amounts as a way to get through the lack of liquidity of markets during these months minimizing the risk of an undesired drawdown.
If you rather have a more laid back time, summers are also good for reading and reflecting on the good, the bad and the ugly. The latter two are what we are focusing on in these series of articles, having put together some interesting tales and lessons learned from our best contributors during their lengthy careers. Nobody can excel at any kind of activity, and less so in the trading world, without first busting a couple of times.
This is what our most dedicated contributors learned in the process:
Trading psychology: Don’t let your emotions dictate your trading - This is a classic topic of trading educational articles. And it’s like that for actual solid reasons. Read how to surf the emotional wave of trading without drowning.
Wrong forex strategies: Don’t average down losing trades - Trying to correct a losing trade by doubling down with a lower entry price is another popular mistake. Everybody knows it but it is hard to avoid going down that way when losing on a trade you judged well.
Follow your forex plan: Don’t engage in reckless trading - Setting up some internal rules for your trading looks like a must first-step before setting up your account and getting into your platform. There are some nasty outcomes for those who ignore their own trading plan.
Day trading mistakes: Tales of how big trades went wrong - One way to learn from your past mistakes is having to go through the painful and challenging experience of explaining them. Another way is to hear from others who might have lived through some disgruntling trades.
Trading psychology: Don’t underestimate the risk - Assessing the risk of a trade is one of the biggest challenges any trader faces when planning the operations. It’s much easier to focus on the potential profits of a big trading opportunity spotted than calculating the potential losses one wrong turn can trigger.
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Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD climbs to two-week high above 1.1700
EUR/USD gathers bullish momentum and trades at its highest level in two weeks above 1.1700 on Tuesday after closing in positive territory on Monday. In the absence of high-tier data releases, investors will remain focused on headlines surrounding the EU-US dispute over Greenland.
GBP/USD ignores UK jobs data, advances toward 1.3500
GBP/USD regains its traction and rises toward 1.3500 on Tuesday. Investors ignore the data from the UK, which showed that the ILO Unemployment Rate remained unchanged at 5.1% in the three months to November, and continue to pay close attention to the EU-US conflict.
Japanese Yen weakens as snap election stokes fiscal concerns; USD/JPY climbs above 158.50
The Japanese Yen turns lower for the second consecutive day following a modest intraday uptick on Tuesday and retreats further from a one-week high, touched against a broadly weaker US Dollar the previous day. Japan's long-dated yields shot to a record high a day after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced a snap election, fueling fiscal worries and weighing on the JPY.
Editors’ Picks
Gold extends rally, notches new record-high above $4,700
Gold builds on Monday's impressive gains and trades at a new record-high, well above $4,700 on Tuesday. Escalating geopolitical tensions and growing fears of deepening trade conflicts, alongside the broad-based selling pressure surrounding the US Dollar, fuel XAU/USD's rally.
GBP/USD ignores UK jobs data, advances toward 1.3500
GBP/USD regains its traction and rises toward 1.3500 on Tuesday. Investors ignore the data from the UK, which showed that the ILO Unemployment Rate remained unchanged at 5.1% in the three months to November, and continue to pay close attention to the EU-US conflict.
EUR/USD climbs to two-week high above 1.1700
EUR/USD gathers bullish momentum and trades at its highest level in two weeks above 1.1700 on Tuesday after closing in positive territory on Monday. In the absence of high-tier data releases, investors will remain focused on headlines surrounding the EU-US dispute over Greenland.
Bitcoin extends decline as tensions around Greenland mount
Bitcoin price extends losses, trading below $91,000 at the time of writing on Tuesday amid escalating geopolitical tensions over Greenland. Investors are moving toward safe-haven assets, with Gold hitting fresh all-time highs, while BTC continues to nosedive.
Greenland tariffs: What happened, and how to position for the new Europe risk premium
Over the weekend, President Trump threatened a new round of tariffs on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and the UK, with reporting flagging 10% from February 1 and a possible step-up later.
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.