Forex indicators – what they are and how to read them
Sunday, September 26th, 2010Forex indicators – If you are reading this article, chances are that you know what the Forex (foreign exchange) market is and are looking to get into buying and selling foreign currencies. However, if you do not know what Forex indicators are, you will not have much success in buying and selling foreign currencies owing to your inability to tell where the market is going.
Put simply, a Forex indicator is a series of calculations which may be used to predict fluctuations in the exchange rate for particular currencies. Using Forex indicators is a key way professional Forex dealers use to establish their next ‘move’ (whether to buy or sell), although if you are not a professional, you should seek advice from somebody qualified in this field before making any decision, as Forex trading incorporates significant risk, and there is no guarantee that you will make any money – in fact, it is possible to lose it!
There are several different Forex indicators you can use to predict currency movements. One of these is the Relative Strength Index, or RSI. This index is a measure of the ratio of appreciations to depreciations expressed between the values of 0 to 100. If you take a look at an RSI graph and notice that the value is high (greater than 70 or so), this suggests that prices have risen higher than the market expected them to, or the currency was ‘overbought’. A low RSI value (lower than 30) suggests that the rate did the opposite, or was ‘oversold’.
It is also possible to use Fibonacci numbers to make decisions on whether to buy or sell. Using a ‘Fibonacci retracement’ strategy, it is possible to decide whether a change in trend (a change from depreciation to appreciation, or vice-versa) is likely to occur, although the strategy involved in doing so is rather complex, and an explanation of the strategy is likely to be way beyond the scope of this article. If you are an experienced Forex trader, taking a look at the Fibonacci retracement strategy could be a great way to make buying and selling decisions.
Remember, the foreign exchange market is quite volatile, so if you are planning on getting into the market, consult with a qualified financial adviser to decide on the best plan of action. Forex trading involves significant risk, so it is possible to both gain money and lose money, so consider yourself warned about this fact!
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