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: US Dollar to remain pressured until uncertainty fog dissipates
Unimpressive European Central Bank left monetary policy unchanged for the fifth consecutive meeting. The United States first-tier employment and inflation data is scheduled for the second week of February. EUR/USD battles to remain afloat above 1.1800, sellers moving to the sidelines.
GBP/USD reclaims 1.3600 and above
GBP/USD reverses two straight days of losses, surpassing the key 1.3600 yardstick on Friday. Cable’s rebound comes as the Greenback slips away from two-week highs in response to some profit-taking mood and speculation of Fed rate cuts. In addition, hawkish comments from the BoE’s Pill are also collaborating with the quid’s improvement.
USD/JPY drops back below 157.00 on Japan's verbal intervention
USD/JPY has come under moderate selling pressure below 157.00 in the Asian session on Monday. The Japanese Yen lost ground to near 157.70 following Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party's outright majority win in Sunday’s lower house election, opening the door to more fiscal stimulus by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. However, JPY buyers jumped back and dragged the pair southward on FX verbal intervention by Japan’s Finance Minister Katayama.
Editors’ Picks
USD/JPY drops back below 157.00 on Japan's verbal intervention
USD/JPY has come under moderate selling pressure below 157.00 in the Asian session on Monday. The Japanese Yen lost ground to near 157.70 following Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party's outright majority win in Sunday’s lower house election, opening the door to more fiscal stimulus by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. However, JPY buyers jumped back and dragged the pair southward on FX verbal intervention by Japan’s Finance Minister Katayama.
Gold holds gains near $5,000 as China's gold buying drives demand
Gold price clings to the latest uptick near $5,000 in Asian trading on Monday. The precious metal holds its recovery amid a weaker US Dollar and rising demand from the Chinese central bank. The delayed release of the US employment report for January will be in the spotlight later this week.
AUD/USD: Buyers eyes 0.7050 amid upveat mood
AUD/USD builds on Friday's goodish rebound from sub-0.6900 levels and kicks off the new week on a positive note, with bulls awaiting a sustained move and acceptance above mid-0.7000s before placing fresh bets. The widening RBA-Fed divergence, along with the upbeat market mood, acts as a tailwind for the risk-sensitive Aussie amid some follow-through US Dollar selling for the second straight day.
Week ahead: US NFP and CPI data to shake Fed cut bets, Japan election looms
US NFP and CPI data awaited after Warsh’s nomination as Fed chief. Yen traders lock gaze on Sunday’s snap election. UK and Eurozone Q4 GDP data also on the agenda. China CPI and PPI could reveal more weakness in domestic demand.
Three scenarios for Japanese Yen ahead of snap election Premium
The latest polls point to a dominant win for the ruling bloc at the upcoming Japanese snap election. The larger Sanae Takaichi’s mandate, the more investors fear faster implementation of tax cuts and spending plans.
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