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 remains below 1.1750 ahead of ECB policy decision
EUR/USD remains on the back foot below 1.1750 in the European session on Thursday. Traders move to the sidelines and refrain from placing any fresh directional bets on the pair ahead of the ECB policy announcements and the US CPI inflation data.
GBP/USD stays defensive below 1.3400, awaits BoE and US CPI
GBP/USD oscillates in a narrow band below 1.3400 in European trading on Thursday. The pair trades with caution as markets eagerly await the BoE policy verdict and US consumer inflation data for fresh directional impetus.
Japanese Yen languishes near weekly low against USD; focus remains on BoJ policy update
The Japanese Yen trades with a negative bias against the recovering US Dollar for the second straight day, pushing the USD/JPY pair closer to the 156.00 mark or the weekly top. In the absence of any fundamental catalyst, the downtick could be attributed to some repositioning trade ahead of the crucial Bank of Japan policy update on Friday.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD remains below 1.1750 ahead of ECB policy decision
EUR/USD remains on the back foot below 1.1750 in the European session on Thursday. Traders move to the sidelines and refrain from placing any fresh directional bets on the pair ahead of the ECB policy announcements and the US CPI inflation data.
GBP/USD stays defensive below 1.3400, awaits BoE and US CPI
GBP/USD oscillates in a narrow band below 1.3400 in European trading on Thursday. The pair trades with caution as markets eagerly await the BoE policy verdict and US consumer inflation data for fresh directional impetus.
Gold holds losses below $4,350 ahead of US CPI report
Gold struggles to capitalize on the previous day's move higher and holds its pullback below $4,350 in the European session on Thursday. The downtick could be attributed to some profit-taking amid a US Dollar bounce. All eyes now remain on the US CPI inflation data.
BoE set to resume easing cycle, trimming interest rate to 3.75%
The Bank of England will announce its last monetary policy decision of 2025 on Thursday at 12:00 GMT. The market prices a 25-basis-point rate cut, which would leave the BoE’s Bank Rate at 3.75%.
US CPI data expected to show inflation rose slightly to 3.1%, cooling Fed rate cut bets for January
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics will publish the all-important Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for November on Thursday at 13:30 GMT. The CPI inflation in the US is expected to rise at an annual rate of 3.1% in November
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The challenge: Timing the market and trader psychology
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