Friday 31 May 2013

5 Simple Criteria For Choosing The Best Forex Broker

By James Kupe


One of the first things you are going to need if you want to get started in forex trading is a solid, reliable broker. I guess it's obvious, because without a broker to act as an intermediary, you won't be able to trade the market. A good broker can either help your trading, and a bad one can hinder you. That's why it pays to do a bit of research so you can choose somebody who you feel is best for you.

Forex brokers by and large all offer a similar range of products and services. These include a trading platform, along with trading tools and indicators so you can trade the market effectively. But like any industry, some brokers are better than others, or at least, some people feel better working with one forex broker over another because of the experience of the people involved, the tools they supply, or the service you get as a customer.

However the broker you choose must meet certain minimum criteria. Let's go ahead and take a look at five of the main ones.

Criteria 1 - Consistently Low Pip Spreads: Spreads between the bid and ask are your main cost in trading the forex market. You'll want an account with a broker who charges very low spreads on transactions, regardless of the market's volatility. That will let you keep your trading costs down, which can make a big difference to your profitability.

Criteria 2 - Small Minimum Sized Lots: Forex trades are taken in what are called lots. Larger lot sizes mean the potential profit or loss on the trade is higher. New traders should start out using a broker who lets you trade micro or mini lots, which are a percentage of a full lot. This will let you get comfortable trading, and you can graduate to larger lot sizes in the future.

Criteria 3 - Error Free, Fast Trade Execution: Timing and trend are what trading the forex market is all about. You have to get this right, so it's important that you choose a broker who gives you instant order execution most of the time. That's because getting slow order fills can cost you a LOT of money every year if you aren't on top of them.

Criteria 4 - Technical Trading Tools And Indicators: There are a number of different forex trading styles you can choose from. Each one depends on analyzing trading indicators with tools that help you trade the way you want to. When you are first starting out, it's important that your broker gives you a full set of trading tools so you can use them as you develop your own style of trading.

Criteria 5 - They Offer Flexible Leverage: Leverage is critical when you are trading the forex market. It affects the amount of risk you are taking on each trade, which then affects the size of the profits or losses you make. As a new trader, you should be using low leverage so you don't go blowing up your account. For that reason, you should choose a broker who lets you use flexible leverage percentages so you can learn to trade the market safely.

If you keep these 5 criteria in mind when choosing your forex broker, you'll be well on your way to getting started in one of the most active, exciting, and profitable markets in the world. I wish you luck in your future forex trading efforts.




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