Donald Trump’s controversial presidency campaign has had an impact in the FX markets, most notably in the Mexican Peso and to a lesser extent on the Russian Ruble. While the RUB/MXN cross pair has been renamed by some as the ‘Trump Trade’, this is a very unusual cross which is hardly offered by the majority of brokers. However, those who wish to take advantage of the recent volatility in this lesser-offered currency pair can do so by creating a synthetic currency pair.
In essence, the process for doing this is to choose two pairs which contain a common currency (for example, the US dollar) against each of the two currencies which the trader seeks to trade. By taking opposing positions in the two markets the exposure to the common currency is cancelled out, leaving just the synthetic pair.
If we take the Trump Trade as an example, which has recently surged in popularity due to its sensitivity to US republican nominee Donald Trump’s performance in the polls, we explain how you could create a synthetic RUB/MXN using the far more liquid and widely-traded pairs of the USD/RUB and USD/MXN.
A long position in RUB/MXN would consist of a short in the USD/RUB, and a long in the USD/MXN:
Short position in: USD Short
RUB Long
You can short the USD and long the RUB:
Long position in: USD Long
MXN Short
In another trade, you can go long on the USD and short on the MXN, resulting in the two positions combining to give you the following setup:
Combined position: USD Short USD Long = RUB Long
RUB Long MXN Short MXN Short
The opposing positions (long and short) in each pair would cancel out the USD exposure (shown in red). Therefore, you are left with a long position in the RUB and short position in the MXN.
CFD’s, Options and Forex are leveraged products which can result in losses that exceed your initial deposit. These products may not be suitable for all investors and you should seek independent advice if necessary.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD flatlines below 1.1800 ahead of Fed Minutes
EUR/USD struggles to find direction and continues to move sideways below 1.1800 for the second consecutive day on Tuesday as markets remain in holiday mood. Later in the American session, the Federal Reserve will publish the minutes of the December policy meeting.
GBP/USD retreats to 1.3500 area following earlier climb
GBP/USD loses its traction and trades flat on the day near 1.3500 after rising to the 1.3530 area early Tuesday. Trading conditions remain thin ahead of the New Year holiday, limiting the pair's volatility. The Fed will publish December meeting minutes in the late American session.
USD/JPY declines as BoJ tightening supports Yen, Fed Minutes awaited
USD/JPY trades slightly lower on Tuesday, hovering around 155.80 at the time of writing, down 0.15% on the day. The pair’s decline reflects a modest strengthening of the Japanese Yen (JPY) following the release of the Bank of Japan (BoJ) Summary of Opinions from its December policy meeting.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD flatlines below 1.1800 ahead of Fed Minutes
EUR/USD struggles to find direction and continues to move sideways below 1.1800 for the second consecutive day on Tuesday as markets remain in holiday mood. Later in the American session, the Federal Reserve will publish the minutes of the December policy meeting.
GBP/USD retreats to 1.3500 area following earlier climb
GBP/USD loses its traction and trades flat on the day near 1.3500 after rising to the 1.3530 area early Tuesday. Trading conditions remain thin ahead of the New Year holiday, limiting the pair's volatility. The Fed will publish December meeting minutes in the late American session.
Gold rebounds toward $4,400 following sharp correction
Gold gathers recovery momentum and advances toward $4,400 on Tuesday after losing more than 4% on Monday. Increased margin requirements on gold and silver futures by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group, one of the world’s largest trading floors for commodities, prompted widespread profit-taking and portfolio rebalancing.
Tron steadies as Justin Sun invests $18 million in Tron Inc.
Tron (TRX) trades above $0.2800 at press time on Monday, hovering below the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at $0.2859.
Bitcoin Price Annual Forecast: BTC holds long-term bullish structure heading into 2026
Bitcoin (BTC) is wrapping up 2025 as one of its most eventful years, defined by unprecedented institutional participation, major regulatory developments, and extreme price volatility.
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.