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NOTE: This is a limited edition update to what I think is one of the most powerful reports I have ever published, and its in direct response to the requests my students have been sending me for years. Theyve essentially been pleading with me to show them how they can potentially profit in the Forex markets. Heres the deal: Just like any other market, most traders are losing their shirt when they trade Forex. Thats mainly because theyre going about it all wrong, and many have been mislead by unscrupulous individuals or questionable brokers promising seemingly overnight riches. Forex is still a little like the wild west, so theres naturally a lot of confusion and misinformation out there. In this special report, Power Forex Profit Principles, Im going to cover many tactics and strategies used by successful Forex traders all over the world. But unfortunately, only about 5 to 10 percent of all Forex traders are actually aware of this information. I would strongly suggest you print out this report and read it more than once. What you are about to read is more valuable to you than what you will find in many trading courses that youd have to pay for. This is a HUGE report. Take your time to read it all. Good Trading,
Bill Poulos
www.profitsrun.com
Page 1 of 44
Please
take
a
few
seconds
and
print
this
entire
report
right
now.
Heres
why:
When
you
print
this
report
out,
the
chances
that
youll
actually
read
it
and
learn
something
new
about
trading
the
Forex
markets
will
increase
dramatically.
I
have
a
collection
of
digital
reports
on
my
computer,
and
the
only
ones
Ive
read
all
the
way
through
are
the
ones
Ive
printed
out.
When
you
print
this
report
out,
you
can
read
it
anywhere
in
your
house
(or
on
the
road,
for
that
matter).
I
love
my
family,
but
my
office
is
smack
dab
in
the
middle
of
the
house,
so
its
a
high
traffic
area.
Sometimes
the
only
way
I
can
get
a
solid
chunk
of
time
to
read
something
I
find
online
is
if
I
print
it
out
and
take
it
somewhere
else
in
the
house.
There
is
an
activity
in
this
report
that
requires
you
to
answer
some
questions.
The
impact
of
this
activity
will
be
much
greater
if
you
actually
get
out
a
pencil
or
pen
and
actually
write
on
this
report.
I
highly
recommend
you
spend
some
quality
time
completing
this
activity.
Your
future
could
depend
on
it.
Copyright
Profits
Run,
Inc.
www.profitsrun.com
Page 2 of 44
DISCLAIMER: Forex (off-exchange foreign currency futures and options or FX) trading involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for every investor. The value of currencies may fluctuate and investors may lose all or more than their original investments. Risks also include, but are not limited to, the potential for changing political and/or economic conditions that may substantially affect the price and/or liquidity of a currency. The impact of seasonal and geopolitical events is already factored into market prices. The leveraged nature of FX trading means that any market movement will have an equally proportional effect on your deposited funds and such may work against you as well as for you. The use of leverage can lead to large losses as well as gains. Under certain conditions you may fins it impossible to liquidate a position. This can occur, for example, when a market becomes illiquid. The placement of contingent orders by you, such as stop-loss or stop-limit orders will not necessarily limit or prevent losses because market conditions may make it impossible to execute such orders. In no event should the content of this correspondence be construed as an express or implied promise or guarantee that you will profit or that losses can or will be limited in any manner whatsoever. Past results are no indication of future performance. Information contained in this correspondence is intended for informational purposes only and was obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Information is in no way guaranteed. No guarantee of any kind is implied or possible where projections of future conditions are attempted. Revision 05-20110516.
Free
Distribution
Rights:
As
long
as
this
report
remains
unchanged
and
in
Adobe
Reader
(PDF)
format,
you
have
my
permission
to
give
away
copies
of
it
for
free.
How
do
the
Forex
markets
operate
on
a
24
hour
basis?
.........................................
8
Can
you
take
me
through
a
typical
trade
scenario?
................................................
9
What
types
of
orders
do
I
use
with
Forex
trading?
...............................................
10
How
much
can
I
expect
to
make
with
Forex
trading?
...........................................
10
Forex
seems
to
be
quite
different
from
trading
stocks?
.......................................
11
How
do
I
find
a
reliable
Forex
broker?
..................................................................
11
What
are
the
best
Forex
pairs
to
trade?
...............................................................
13
What
is
the
best
trading
platform
and
charting
software?
...................................
14
Is
it
better
to
use
fundamental
or
technical
analysis
with
Forex
trading?
............
15
What
are
the
attributes
of
a
good
Forex
trading
method?
...................................
16
Copyright
Profits
Run,
Inc.
In This Report
www.profitsrun.com
Page 3 of 44
What are the best technical indicators to use? ..................................................... 17 What simple strategy can I use to find good entry points? ................................... 23 How can I determine the initial stop loss, trailing stops, and exit points? ............ 25 How can I find a Forex method that works almost all of the time? ...................... 28 How can I minimize downside risk while still capturing quality gains? ................. 29 What account size do I need to trade the Forex markets? ................................... 30
Dear Trader, The information you hold in your hands (or are viewing on your computer) has the potential to dramatically increase the pips you pull out of the Forex markets, and it does have the potential to change your life. Thats not hype, because the potential is real. Its up to you to make it happen, and my goal with this report is to help you discover in hours and days what took me decades to realize about success in the markets. Ive been trading the markets since 1974, and Ive been teaching thousands of students around the world what it takes to succeed in the markets since 2001. So some people think of me as a grizzled trading veteran because Ive seen so much over the past 3 decades. Sure, Ive scraped my knees and have been through
www.profitsrun.com
Page 4 of 44
a
few
bumps
and
bruises
over
the
years,
but
I
see
myself
as
a
filter
for
you,
or
someone
who
has
the
ability
to
sift
through
all
the
junk
and
noise
thats
out
there
and
tell
it
to
you
like
it
is.
So,
I
may
come
across
a
little
harsh
in
this
report,
but
I
dont
believe
in
sugar- coating
anything
or
giving
you
false
hopes
of
success.
There
are
enough
swindlers
doing
that
already.
I
want
to
give
you
the
facts,
like
em
or
not,
so
youre
empowered
to
take
action
and
make
positive
decisions
on
how
to
succeed
in
the
Forex
markets.
For
years
now,
my
students
and
readers
have
been
pleading
with
me
to
show
them
how
to
trade
the
Forex
markets.
And
many
of
them
actually
took
my
stock
trading
courses
and
started
telling
me
about
all
the
money
they
were
making
by
applying
those
courses
to
the
Forex
markets.
They
essentially
proved
to
me
what
I
knew
to
be
true
markets
are
markets.
Theres
nothing
magical
about
the
Forex
markets,
because
all
markets
are
ultimately
driven
by
human
psychology
fear
and
greed
and
supply
and
demand.
Sure,
every
market
has
its
own
peculiarities,
but
if
you
understand
how
the
basic
drivers
of
human
emotions
work,
you
can
potentially
succeed
big
in
any
market.
As
I
researched
the
answers
to
my
students
questions
about
Forex,
the
more
I
realized
that
too
many
traders
were
getting
suckered
and
taken
by
less-than- honest
Forex
brokers,
as
well
as
the
holy
grail
peddlers
who
were
preying
upon
the
wide-eyed
desperation
of
traders
who
think
they
can
get
rich
quick
trading
the
popular
Forex
markets.
Excuse
me,
but
what
I
found
was
disgusting.
I
found
more
misinformation,
lies,
and
hype
about
Forex
that
I
had
seen
in
some
time.
And
thats
when
I
decided
to
put
all
my
energy
into
dispelling
this
junk
so
I
could
give
my
students
and
readers
a
source
of
factual,
actual,
solid,
realistic
Forex
Profit
Principles
that
they
could
use
to
potentially
profit
in
the
Forex
markets
again
and
again.
So
to
make
sure
I
didnt
miss
any
big
questions
or
concerns,
I
surveyed
over
50,000
active
traders
recently
and
asked
them
one
question:
If
you
could
sit
down
and
have
lunch
with
me,
what
is
the
top
question
you
would
ask
me
about
Forex
trading?
Copyright
Profits
Run,
Inc.
www.profitsrun.com
Page 5 of 44
Thats
it.
Plain
and
simple.
Almost
immediately,
the
questions
began
to
pour
in.
You
know
what
its
like
Monday
morning
when
you
check
your
email
and
theres
a
ton
of
it
from
over
the
weekend?
Well,
it
was
like
that
multiplied
by
a
hundred,
or
a
thousand.
People
were
confused
more
than
I
realized
about
Forex.
Quite
honestly,
this
response
overwhelmed
me.
At
first
I
thought
to
myself,
How
can
I
possibly
address
all
these
questions?
Theres
just
not
enough
time
to
do
it!
But
then
I
noticed
something
amazing
I
started
seeing
the
same
questions
over
and
over.
So
I
began
to
put
them
into
categories,
and
after
a
long
12
hour
day,
I
was
shocked
and
excited.
Why?
Well,
I
was
shocked
to
find
that,
indeed,
most
of
the
questions
fell
neatly
into
a
handful
of
broad
categories.
But
I
was
excited
because
I
had
personally
experienced
what
all
these
questions
were
asking.
And
I
knew
without
a
shadow
of
a
doubt
that
I
could
help
these
traders.
But
it
gets
better,
because
I
realized
that
if
a
survey
of
50,000
traders
resulted
in
a
core,
common
set
of
questions,
then
millions
of
traders
all
around
the
world
probably
had
the
same
concerns.
So
this
report,
the
Power
Forex
Profit
Principles,
is
my
answer
to
the
top
questions
I
received
from
my
readers
and
students
about
Forex
trading.
Now
lets
get
right
into
the
nitty
gritty
and
clear
up
these
questions
once
and
for
all.
Are
you
ready?
Lets
begin.
Copyright
Profits
Run,
Inc.
www.profitsrun.com
Page 6 of 44
I
hear
a
lot
about
Forex
trading
and
am
very
interested
in
learning
more
about
it.
Can
you
give
me
a
brief
overview
of
the
basics
of
Forex?
Unlike
stocks
and
futures
that
trade
through
exchanges
or
the
NASDAQ,
Forex
trading
is
done
through
market
makers
that
include
major
banks
as
well
as
small
to
large
brokerage
firms
located
around
the
world
who
collectively
make
a
market
on
a
24/7
basis.
The
Forex
market
is
always
open
and
is
the
largest
financial
network
in
the
world
(daily
average
turnover
of
trillions
of
dollars).
Forex
trading
involves
trading
currency
pairs
such
as
the
EUR/USD
pair
(Euro/US
dollar
pair)
where
a
buyer
of
this
pair
would
actually
be
buying
the
Euro
and
simultaneously
selling
short
the
US
dollar.
The
format
of
a
Forex
pair
is
YYY/ZZZ,
where
the
first
currency
is
called
the
base
currency
and
the
second
currency
is
called
the
counter
currency.
The
price
for
a
Forex
pair
is
expressed
in
terms
of
the
counter
currency.
For
example,
the
price
of
the
EUR/USD
pair
is
expressed
in
US
dollars
(the
counter
currency)
as
1.3667.
This
means
that
the
base
currency,
the
Euro
in
this
case,
equals
US$
1.3667.
The
price
of
the
USD/JPY
pair
is
expressed
in
Japanese
Yen
as
108.02,
because
for
this
pair
the
Japanese
Yen
is
the
counter
currency.
This
means
that
the
base
currency,
the
US
dollar
in
this
case,
equals
108.02
Japanese
Yen.
Prices
are
expressed
in
pips,
which
are
nothing
more
than
the
minimum
increment
that
a
currency
pair
price
can
change.
For
example,
if
the
EUR/USD
price
changes
from
1.3790
to
1.3791,
the
price
is
said
to
have
gone
up
by
1
pip.
Most
major
pairs
are
priced
to
4
decimals
which
is
the
equivalent
of
1/100th
of
one
percent.
The
exception
would
be
the
Japanese
Yen
pair
that
only
trades
to
2
decimals.
This
is
because
there
are
usually
over
100
yen
to
the
dollar.
Forex
pair
quotes
are
on
a
bid-ask
basis.
The
bid
is
the
price
that
the
market
is
willing
to
pay
a
seller
at
a
point
in
time
for
a
specific
currency
pair.
The
ask
is
the
price
that
the
market
is
willing
to
sell
to
a
buyer
at
a
point
in
time
for
a
specific
currency
pair.
The
difference
between
the
bid
and
the
ask
is
called
the
bid/ask
spread.
For
example,
a
typical
EUR/USD
quote
could
be
1.3784
bid
1.3787
ask
which
is
a
spread
of
3
pips.
Since
the
spread
is
how
the
market
makers
are
compensated,
there
is
no
commission
when
placing
a
trade.
Copyright
Profits
Run,
Inc.
www.profitsrun.com
Page 7 of 44
Also, it is important to note that the spread will vary depending on market conditions. So the quote itself for any given Forex pair is the bid-ask combination at a point in time based on the market driven floating exchange rate. The quotation lists the bid price first, then the ask price. For the EUR/USD example above, the quote would be expressed simply as 1.3784/1.3787 or 1.3784/87. Trading is done in lots, either 100,000 unit standard or 10,000 unit mini lots. For example, for a standard lot purchase, if the EUR/USD quote was 1.3784/1.3787, then buying an EUR/USD pair means buying 100,000 Euro dollars and selling short $137,870 US dollars. Therefore, for a standard lot in which the USD is the counter currency, 1 pip will equal $10 ($1 for a mini lot). For other major counter currency pairs 1 pip will range from $8 to $10. Forex dealers offer leverage as high as 100:1 and sometimes higher. At 100:1 leverage, 1 standard lot pair in which the USD in the base currency would require $1,000 in margin ($100,000/100). On the other hand, a 1 mini lot pair would require only $100 in margin ($10,000/100). If the account value falls below the margin requirement, the dealer will close out the trade automatically.
To give you a visual representation of this, heres a figure showing the same business hours for the various regions. In this figure you can see the overlap between the London (and Europe) session and the New York session, between 8 am and 11 am EST. The currency markets experience the highest volatility and volume during that overlap, which also coincides with the releases of important US economic releases.
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Page 9 of 44
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Page 10 of 44
Forex
seems
to
be
quite
different
from
trading
stocks.
What
are
the
benefits
and
risks
in
comparison
and
would
a
much
bigger
account
be
needed?
In
addition
to
the
Forex
attributes
explained
in
the
basics
of
Forex
question
above,
the
Forex
markets
are
indeed
different
from
the
stock
markets
in
that
their
price
behavior
is
different
with
usually
more
abrupt
price
swings.
This
requires
different
trading
methods
than
those
typically
used
for
stocks
in
order
to
take
full
advantage
of
the
profit
potential
that
Forex
has
to
offer
while
at
the
same
time
designing
the
right
strategy
to
minimize
risk.
On
the
other
hand,
they
are
alike
in
that
both
Forex
and
stocks
are
markets
that
develop
repeatable
price
behavior
that
present
profit
opportunities
for
those
traders
with
good
trading
methods,
sound
money
management
principles
and
disciplined
trading.
Because
of
the
high
leverage
that
Forex
offers,
Forex
positions
require
a
much
smaller
account
size
than
do
stocks
trading
similar
sized
positions
as
Forex
margin
requirements
are
much
smaller
than
stock
margin
requirements.
And
so
the
reward
can
be
much
greater
with
Forex,
but
at
the
same
time,
the
risk
is
much
greater.
But
this
can
be
dealt
with
effectively
with
good
trading
tactics
and
good
money
management
rules
that
allow
for
maximizing
profit
potential
and
minimizing
risk.
www.profitsrun.com
Page 11 of 44
of the National Futures Association (NFA) and is regulated by the CFTC. For non- US broker/ bank entities, be sure that the broker or bank is registered with that countrys appropriate regulatory bodies. In addition to working with a regulated broker, you want a broker that has low spreads. These spreads are calculated in pips, which is the difference between the price at which a currency can be bought and the price at which it can be sold at any given point in time. This is how the forex brokers or banks make their money since they dont charge commissions. So, obviously, lower spreads will save you more money. Trading tools are also very important when choosing a Forex broker. Specifically, you want a broker that will give you good charting and trading software that has the ability to plot the indicators that your trading method uses. This brings up an important point. You should never go looking for charting software first and then try to use or develop a trading method. Instead, you should first get educated on a good trading method (or develop your own) and then find charting software that will let you implement this method. Ive seen too many traders stubbornly use inadequate charting software just because their broker gave it to them. Dont make this mistake. Thankfully, unlike stock brokers, many forex brokers do provide you with very adequate charting and trading software, all bundled together. Other aspects to watch for when selecting a broker are the leverage levels and account types (standard and mini accounts) offered. Most brokers offer at least 100:1 leverage which is more than adequate for most traders. Some brokers also offer greater leverage, up to 400:1. This type of leverage is completely unnecessary as the risk reward ratio can quickly go against you if you use
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Page 12 of 44
excessive leverage. (Ill cover this in more detail later in the report in the question about risk management.) Depending on your account size, you will want to be sure the broker you choose offers the appropriate account types. Standard and mini accounts are typical. The standard account typically requires minimum initial capital of $2,000 or more, while the mini account typically requires $300 or more. Leverage of 100:1 should be available for either a standard or a mini account.
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Page 13 of 44
What
is
the
best
trading
platform
and
charting
software
for
both
beginners
and
more
experienced
traders
alike
and
where
should
I
obtain
the
most
reliable
data?
The
answer
to
this
question
starts
with
your
broker.
First,
I
highly
recommend
that
you
only
open
an
account
with
a
registered
broker.
Having
said
that,
most
Forex
brokers
provide,
free
of
charge,
an
online
trading
platform
that
is
integral
with
decent
charting
software.
So
that
you
have
your
charting
software,
your
data
feed
and
your
trading
platform
(the
ability
to
place
trades
online)
all
in
one.
I
believe
you
can
consider
the
data
reliable
and
the
order
execution
proper
as
long
as
you
are
dealing
with
a
registered
broker.
However,
some
trading
platforms
and
charting
software
are
more
intuitive
and
easier
to
use
than
others,
so
in
selecting
a
broker,
you
want
to
open
a
demo
account
first
and
get
the
feel
for
that
brokers
platform
to
see
if
it
is
comfortable
for
you.
You
will
be
able
to
determine
this
with
a
little
paper
trading
over
a
few
days
and
weeks.
Also,
you
want
to
be
sure
that
your
brokers
charting
software
is
able
to
plot
the
indicators
that
your
trading
methods
call
for.
Most
will
be
able
to
do
this,
but
not
all.
In
addition,
some
traders
prefer
to
also
use
additional
upscale
charting
software
independent
from
the
dealer,
such
as
offered
by
MetaTrader.
MetaTrader
and
others
offer
additional
charting
capability
as
well
as
trade
alert
capability
that
some
traders
find
useful.
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should strike a balance between protecting open profits as much as possible and exiting a market too soon and missing favorable market moves.
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The tendency of amateur traders is to over-complicate things. They want to use (or misuse, really) too many indicators and patterns, and think that to be successful, there must be a bunch of complexity that is required in a good trading method. Nothing could be further from the truth. Simple is better, by far, for several reasons. 1. Using too many or the wrong indicators is counterproductive, as the information that those indicators provide is counterintuitive and just plain misleading. 2. Using a few simple indicators in a uniquely powerful way can provide the right information necessary to make good trading decisions. 3. With the right indicators and patterns, you will be far more likely to trade with discipline because you will be able to understand an objective set of rules that the right indicators and patterns can provide. Let me comment on a phenomenon that I see time and time again. Hopefully, you will not fall victim to this. Here it is: You research a new trading method and ultimately buy it. Then you quickly flip ahead to what you consider to be the meat of the method, and totally ignore the more-important aspects of risk management, discipline, and psychology. Then you examine the method, looking for a big, mysterious, jaw-dropping secret that will let you predict each and every market move like a modern-day Nostradamus. You look for a complicated formula, or you look for some cryptic combination of indicators that must be good, because theyre just so complicated looking! Wow! Then what happens is youll typically burn yourself out trying to apply it. Youll become frustrated when the method doesnt work. Or, youll blame yourself for not being smart enough to understand or apply the method. Then youll put the method on the shelf, only to occasionally glance at it in wonder from time to time. Wondering why you couldnt get what you still assume to be a great method to work.
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But heres what can also happen. In the example above, after you discover that the meat of the method is very simple, easy to understand, and only uses a few common indicators, you become perplexed. You may even become disappointed. After all, in your mind, you expected some labyrinthine skeleton key that would unlock the mysteries of the forex markets once and for all. You may even be tempted to throw in the towel, instantly give up the method and send it back just because its not complicated enough. What?! Thats just crazy. But I have to admit, I went through a period in my younger (and poorer) days when I thought a bit like that. Time and experience have finally taught me, and much to my relief, that complicated is usually not good, and simple is almost always better. If those traders that are still cursed with that complexity mindset would just try a simple trading method, they would be doing themselves a HUGE favor (not to mention, potentially, their trading accounts). This goes for both true beginners as well as traders who think of themselves as experts. Again, the key here is simple, but powerful. Use just a few indicators, applied in a manner that is not the usual textbook approach. That is what can give you an edge trading the markets. Incidentally, the unfortunate truth of the matter is that that the old 80/20 rule will come into play here (except in trading, its more like 90/10, or 95/5), and 80 to 95% of the traders that just read this section and nodded their heads in agreement will completely ignore this advice and fall right back into the trap described above. Its a near certainty, and thats too bad. So I really urge you to go back and read this section again, and hopefully you can escape the self- sabotaging patterns that are separating most traders from failure and success in the markets.
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Lets take a look now at some examples of a few indicators that can be used to form the basis of very powerful trading methods.
Figure 2 shows some typical and not so typical indicators applied to the USD/CHF pair using VT Trader. First, notice that two simple moving averages have been plotted on the chart (in blue and red). These are commonly used indicators. I have also plotted moving average envelopes which are a fixed percentage above and below the blue moving average. These are not so commonly used and can be very helpful supporting various quick hit, in and out trading strategies that only need attention once a day at the 5:00PM EST daily close.
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Figure 3 shows some additional indicators applied to the USD/JPY pair using VT Trader. On this chart, I am applying a longer term moving average in purple together with two very short term moving averages in brown. The long term moving average is based on the closing price while the short term moving averages are based on the high and close respectively. Also, included is the ADX at the bottom of the chart. This is what I mean when I say the key to developing an edge when trading the markets is to combine a few indicators in an uncommon way. Each of these configurations is designed to exploit a certain behavior in the market. But the indicators alone are insufficient; only when combined with powerful trading tactics does the power of a good trading method emerge.
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Figure 4 shows a configuration we reviewed in an earlier question applied this time to the USD/CAD pair using VT Trader. On this chart I am applying two simple moving averages plotted in blue and red and the ADX indicator plotted at the bottom in brown. This set of indicators when combined with different trading tactics is designed to capture longer term moves in the Forex markets such as occurred on this USD/CAD pair beginning at the left hand side of the chart and continuing for over 5 months. These mega trends can only be captured by trading the daily bar charts.
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Figure 5 shows another combination of indicators applied to the AUD/USD pair using VT Trader. On this chart, I am applying an intermediate term moving average in red together with slow stochastics and ADX in the two panels below the price chart. The intermediate term moving average is based on the closing price. This set of indicators when combined with different trading tactics is designed to capture sudden trend reversal waves such as occurred on this AUD/USD pair just to the right of the center of the chart and continuing for almost 3 months.
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infrequently in the market, but that when they do, a high probability opportunity may await. This is a very important concept, because one of the keys to successful Forex trading is to wait patiently for the prime opportunity to enter the market. Amateurs too often become impatient and want to trade just for the sake of trading and consequently enter the market under other than ideal conditions. This greatly reduces the chance of a successful trade.
Amateur
traders
that
do
this
are,
in
effect,
trying
to
force
the
market
to
come
to
them
on
their
terms.
Guess
what?
The
market
doesnt
care!
Its
going
to
do
what
its
going
to
do
and
there
is
nothing
you
can
do
about
it
except
for
one
thing.
And
that
is
to
wait
for
the
market
to
develop
according
to
predefined
setup
conditions
and
only
when
that
happens
is
it
appropriate
to
consider
a
trade.
In
that
way,
youre
not
forcing,
but
rather
waiting
for
the
market
to
come
to
you,
which
makes
a
world
of
difference.
Another
key
concept
to
find
entry
points
that
is
common
to
most
types
of
trend
trading
is
to
attempt
to
buy
into
support
levels
and
sell
into
resistance
levels.
The
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success or failure of this attempt lies in the robustness of the setup conditions defined in the trading method. Once the setup conditions are in place, specific entry rules need to be followed to trigger the actual trade. For example, one of the pairs that you are following may meet the setup conditions for a long trade. Now, depending on the trading method, the entry order could be a Stop order that says, Only buy if the market trades above a certain level which confirms the resumption of the uptrend. Or, it could be a Limit order which says, Buy only if the market trades down to a support level, defined by a moving average or Fibonacci level or old highs, etc. There is no one right way to do this. However, the precise entry trigger point has to be integral to the other features of the overall trading method, including planned risk in the trade. The entry point rules of the method, by necessity, will determine the stop loss point and consequently planned risk in the trade. The two go hand in hand.
How
can
I
determine
the
initial
stop
loss,
trailing
stops,
and
exit
points?
Besides
money/risk
management,
I
believe
this
is
one
of
the
most
important
questions
regarding
a
good
trading
method.
It
should
go
without
saying
that
as
soon
as
you
enter
the
market
with
a
new
position,
an
initial
stop
order
should
be
entered
to
protect
the
position
against
an
adverse
move
in
the
market
or
an
exit
strategy
should
be
employed
to
cover
the
trade
if
the
market
closes
adversely.
If
such
a
move
occurs,
as
is
often
the
case,
you
want
your
position
liquidated
and
out
of
the
market
with
a
minimal
loss.
The
consequences
of
failing
to
do
this
are
that
you
will
not
be
successful
at
trading
-
period.
In
fact,
every
trade
you
put
on,
you
should
plan
to
lose,
so
that
you
are
sure
to
place
your
stop
loss
order
or
cover
the
trade
on
an
adverse
close.
Otherwise,
what
would
have
been
a
small
loss
turns
into
a
big
loss,
throwing
the
entire
risk/reward
ratio
out
of
kilter
against
you.
That
being
said,
where
should
the
stop
be
placed?
The
short
answer
is,
Where
you
dont
expect
the
market
to
go;
or,
more
specifically,
where
the
assumption
in
putting
on
the
trade
is
no
longer
valid.
For
example,
if
a
long
position
was
entered
into
after
an
uptrend
or
breakout
market
traded
back
down
to
support,
an
initial
stop
could
be
entered
below
the
recent
low
because
if
the
market
does
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go there, support (as defined by that low) would have failed, and there is no longer any reason to be long the market so get out! Dont wait around for it to come back in your favor because the odds are against it. If the market goes in your favor once the initial stop is in place, then you need a set of rules that will allow you to exit the market profitably. This poses a real dilemma. If you exit too soon, you may secure a small profit, but miss out on all those big moves that occur (and the big profits that go with them). On the other hand, if you wait too long to exit, the market may reverse and take away all of your open profits and even put you into a loss position.
Figure 7 - GBP/USD Daily Chart Initial Stop, Trailing Stops, & Profit Target Examples
So
what
do
you
do?
Well,
the
first
thing
is
to
realize
that
there
is
no
method
that
can
forecast
whether
or
not
a
particular
move
will:
Go
against
you
immediately
Go
up
only
a
little
before
going
back
down
Go
up
a
lot
in
your
favor
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For example, after you enter a long trade in an uptrend, theres absolutely no way to predict what will happen next (contrary to what the so-called gurus tell you). Because of this, you absolutely need an exit strategy, because the risk of loss is significant no matter how carefully you plan your entries and exits. The following is the very best exit strategy that I believe possible when trading the Forex markets. I call it the Optimal Profit Exit Strategy. Its a strategy that scales out of a trade in two steps. This strategy is first and foremost about taking an initial profit as soon as appropriate, thereby taking some money off the table and reducing the risk in the trade at the same time. 1. Step one is to cover 1/2 of your position at a pre-determined profit target. The profit target is modest, but enough to make the trade worthwhile and the specific level is also dependent on the overall method being used. Once that initial profit target is hit, you should move the initial stop up for the remaining 1/2 of the position to the lowest low of the past 3 days for an uptrend trade or the highest high of the past 3 days for a downtrend trade. Youre now out of 1/2 of the trade with a very nice profit and at the same time you are prepared to ride the market as far as it wants to go in your favor for the remaining 1/2 of your position. 2. The remaining 1/2 position should remain protected by a trailing stop always based on the lowest low of the past 3 days (for an uptrend trade). And so as the market continues to move up, you should continuously move the stop up with it. This locks in a significant portion of the remaining open profit but also gives the market enough room to trade down a bit without shaking you out of the trade if it moves higher. With this strategy you should be prepared to take advantage of the market after entering a trade no matter what it does. And thats a big deal.
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How
can
I
find
a
Forex
method
that
works
almost
all
of
the
time
with
minimal
or
no
losses?
I
call
this
the
Holy
Grail
Syndrome
and,
of
course,
the
Holy
Grail
of
trading
simply
does
not
exist.
Ive
talked
about
this
concept
many
times
since
I
started
training
individuals
to
trade
the
markets
back
in
2001,
but
it
bears
repeating
here.
For
years,
I
refused
to
believe
in
this
concept
and
was
forever
looking
for
or
trying
to
develop
a
method
that
would
always
win
with
no
losses,
or
certainly
never
experience
two
losing
trades
in
a
row.
I
wasted
years
of
my
life
with
this
false
impression
about
what
it
would
take
to
trade
successfully.
Dont
fall
into
the
same
trap.
While
the
holy
grail
of
trading
does
not
exist,
nor
will
it
ever;
thankfully,
it
is
not
necessary
in
order
to
be
successful.
What
is
necessary
as
I
have
emphasized
repeatedly
in
this
report
is
a
trading
method
that
gives
you
an
edge
in
the
market,
the
discipline
to
trade
it
and
of
course
sound
money
management.
That
sounds
simple,
and
in
some
respects
it
is,
until
you
factor
us
humans
into
the
equation.
Consider
these
questions.
1. Do
you
have
an
edge
in
trading
the
markets?
What
is
it?
If
you
dont
know,
then
you
do
not
have
an
edge.
2. How
about
discipline
-
can
you
really
follow
your
trading
method
without
fail,
especially
after
two
successive
losing
trades?
What
about
three?
Or
will
you
drop
the
method
and
search
for
something
else?
When
that
happens
the
Holy
Grail
Syndrome
is
at
work.
3. Then
there
is
money
management.
Are
you
allocating
the
appropriate
level
of
funds
and
controlling
the
degree
of
risk
on
each
trade?
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The reason most traders lose is that they cannot answer Yes to all three questions listed above. And I believe that the key to mustering the discipline needed to be a winner is to have a method that does indeed provide a winning edge, that is relatively simple to apply, and that uses sound money management practices. Only then, in my opinion, can one muster the required discipline to trade effectively. So do yourself a favor and abandon the search for the Holy Grail. Instead, find a good trading method that fits with your personality, apply sound money management practices, and trade it with discipline.
How
can
I
minimize
downside
risk
while
still
capturing
quality
gains
in
the
Forex
markets?
First,
you
must
have
a
good
trading
method.
But
even
more
importantly,
you
must
have
strict
money
management
rules;
without
them,
even
a
good
trading
method
will
eventually
fail.
I
have
found
that
in
order
to
be
effective
with
risk
management,
you
must
have
rules
that
are
simple
or
else
you
simply
wont
follow
them.
For
example,
one
risk
management
method
is
called
Optimal-f.
While
Optimal-f
has
a
lot
going
it
for
it,
I
believe
it
is
too
complicated
to
be
of
practical
use.
Instead
I
believe
the
better
approach
is
as
follows:
Simply
risk
no
more
than
2%
of
your
account
size
on
any
one
position
and
no
more
than
8%
of
your
account
size
on
all
open
positions
at
a
point
in
time.
Risk
in
this
case
means
the
amount
you
plan
to
lose
if
the
trade(s)
goes
against
you.
So,
as
your
account
size
grows,
you
would
be
able
to
place
larger
and
larger
positions.
When
you
have
a
losing
trade
or
two,
you
would
be
reducing
the
amount
risked
and
therefore
the
position
size
on
the
next
trade.
So
this
is
a
very
simple
self
regulating
concept
that
keeps
your
positions
in
proper
alignment
with
your
account
size
at
all
times.
This
is
particularly
important
in
Forex
trading,
given
the
tremendous
leverage
offered
by
the
brokers.
The
last
thing
you
want
to
do
is
to
over
commit
to
a
trade
just
because
of
the
brokers
low
margin
requirements.
By
the
way,
I
believe
that
most
Forex
traders
that
end
up
on
the
losing
end
do
so
because
of
poor
risk
management
more
than
any
other
factor.
Lets
look
at
an
example.
Suppose
you
open
an
account
and
dont
understand
the
importance
of
risk
management.
You
elect
to
risk
30%
of
the
initial
account
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size on each trade (because the brokers margin requirements allow it) and then promptly lose three trades in a row. Your account would be almost completely wiped out after only three trades. On the other hand, lets say you understand the importance of risk management and risk only 2% of the account size on each trade. Now lets say once again you lose three trades in a row. This time you would have lost less than 6% of your initial account size and still have plenty of capital left for additional trades where one good trade could more than offset the three losers. You might say that this is an extreme example, but I think it makes the case; when you trade with proper risk management rules, you stay in the game.
Here is a typical daily bar chart; in this case it is for the AUD/USD pair. I will use this chart to demonstrate how to place a market order to buy this pair and then how to place a stop order protecting the position.
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In order to place an order to buy at the market, we right-click on the chart above the current market price and then a window pops up as shown on this chart. Next, select Buy in the pop up menu.
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Here you want to enter the number of lots you will be buying. In this example, we will place a market order to buy 1 standard lot. (The procedure for a mini lot account would be the same, except you would be buying 1 mini lot instead.) So you just type in 1 in the amount per account row and click OK.
This
window
is
requesting
confirmation
that
you
want
to
go
ahead
and
place
the
order.
Just
click
OK
and
your
market
order
will
be
immediately
placed
and
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because it is a market order, it will be filled immediately at the current ask price.
Once you click OK above, you are now long 1 AUD/USD pair and you are returned to the daily bar chart.
If
you
then
click
on
the
Open
Positions
tab,
a
window
will
open
that
shows
your
current
position;
in
this
case,
that
you
bought
1
AUD/USD
pair
at
0.8844
(under
the
open
column),
the
close
column
shows
the
current
price.
Other
columns
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include stop, limit, and open profit/loss. To enter a stop order, to protect the long position, you just right click on the stop box and a new menu opens.
Within
this
window
you
then
enter
your
stop
price;
in
this
case,
we
entered
0.8744,
meaning
we
want
to
sell
the
position
if
the
market
drops
to
that
price.
And
then
left-click
the
submit
button.
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Then another window will pop up called Request for Confirmation. After reviewing your order to confirm that it is correct, go ahead and left-click on the OK button and the order will be entered.
This will return you to the Open Positions window, showing again that you bought 1 AUD/USD pair at 0.8844, but now it also shows under the stop column that you have an open stop order to sell at 0.8744. If you wanted to also enter a limit order above the market at a profit target level, you would just click
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on the limit column and follow the same procedure as above to also enter a limit order. Thats all there is to it. And once you have practiced this procedure several times, it will become second nature to you.
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A mentor also provides encouragement and perspective on the real world of trading. This helps you overcome any learning challenges along the way. Realistic expectations are another thing a mentor can help with. So many beginners fall prone to the get rich quick hype and therefore expect to achieve double digit returns month in and month out. That is not the real world. There will be profits and losses and good months and bad months. As a diligent student, you need to understand this and stay disciplined as you await your next great profit opportunity. In summary, having access to a mentor while mastering a good trading method can greatly enhance your probability of success.
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These are some the events that drove me to discover trading methods that only required a few minutes here and there to apply. And when I began sharing them with the world in 2001, I found out I was not alone. There were thousands of traders out there who felt just like me. However, thats just my experience, and my story. You need to look at your story and decide whats right for you. You may love staring at charts for hours on end all day long. If thats you, I really hope it works out for you. All I know is thats not for me. But however you decide to trade the Forex markets (or any markets), you need to do one of two things to be successful based on my experience: 1. Dedicate years of your life to test, experiment, tweak, try, invent, etc. a good trading method on your own. 2. Invest in a good trading method developed by someone whos already gone through everything described in item 1 above. Way back in the 1970s, I didnt understand this, so I chose option one. It took me years to finally come up with the core trading concepts that I know to be true and effective. The funny thing is, I ran into a handful of great trading methods that, had I had the right mindset and understood the concepts I talk about in this report, I probably would have avoided years of losses and frustration. All I know is that if I had a time machine, Id go back in time to 1974 and slap my younger self in the face and say, Dont even think about it. Good methods already exist. Find them, and trade them. Id also give myself a copy of this report!
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So,
some
traders
whine
and
complain
about
spending
money
to
learn
how
to
trade.
Or
they
moan
about
having
to
subscribe
to
a
monthly
data
feed
service
for
good
trading
data.
I
just
dont
get
it!
Trading
is
a
serious
business.
In
the
broader
picture,
I
believe
spending
money
on
trading
education
or
on
charting
software
is
an
absolute
necessity
for
quickly
reaching
your
trading
goals
(and
thankfully,
with
Forex
trading,
most
brokers
will
give
you
great
software
for
free).
Sure,
you
can
go
to
the
library
or
read
every
free
article
you
can
find
online.
I
look
at
it
this
way.
Youre
going
to
spend
the
money
one
way
or
another
learning
how
to
trade;
either
in
losing
trades
over
time,
or
upfront
in
good
trading
education.
Let
me
be
clear.
This
report
is
not
a
trading
method.
Its
merely
a
collection
of
questions
and
answers.
Yes,
I
believe
it
contains
some
very
good
information
that
can
be
used
with
any
trading
method
on
the
market,
whether
its
your
own
or
someone
elses.
But
this
information
is
only
one
piece
of
the
larger
trading
puzzle.
Personally,
if
I
can
learn
just
one
new
insight
or
one
new
nugget
of
information
when
Im
evaluating
a
new
trading
method,
then
whatever
time
or
money
I
invested
in
it
was
totally
worth
it
to
me.
And
as
you
become
a
more
experienced
Forex
trader,
youll
see
some
of
the
same
concepts
covered
again
and
again
in
various
trading
methods
and
courses.
But
thats
OK!
Remember
what
I
said
about
simplicity.
You
dont
need
an
overly
complex
method
to
be
successful.
If
you
learn
just
one
new
technique,
or
if
you
see
a
familiar
concept
rephrased
in
a
way
that
creates
new
clarity
for
you,
then
your
time
and
investment
in
that
method
should
have
been
well
worth
it.
This
is
making
gradual
improvements
to
your
trading
success
over
time,
and
its
something
I
believe
all
of
us
as
traders
should
strive
for.
As
youre
digesting
and
assimilating
all
the
information
in
this
report,
I
want
you
to
think
about
the
underlying,
core
reasons
why
youre
actually
interested
in
trading
the
Forex
markets.
For
most
traders,
its
because
you
want
to
improve
or
change
something
thats
not
working
for
you.
So,
to
help
you
out,
please
take
a
few
minutes
and
complete
this
short
activity
that
I
learned
a
few
years
ago.
I
think
youll
find
that
it
will
help
you
clarify
where
you
are,
where
you
want
to
go,
and
what
its
going
to
take
to
get
there.
If
you
havent
already
done
so,
I
highly
recommend
you
print
this
entire
report
out
so
Copyright
Profits
Run,
Inc.
www.profitsrun.com
Page 40 of 44
you can actually write on it and fill in your answers to these questions. Ive found by doing it that way, this exercise will be much more effective for you. (By the way, if youre an analytical person like I am, you might find this activity a little weird or uncomfortable I know I did! But trust me, it forces you to think about what you really want in life, and the first time I did this activity, it was very profound for me. So if youre feeling a little resistance, go ahead and smash through it and commit to taking the first step to creating the future you want RIGHT NOW.)
www.profitsrun.com
Page 41 of 44
www.profitsrun.com
Page 42 of 44
Now,
save
these
pages
and
keep
them
somewhere
where
they
can
be
reviewed
every
day.
Even
though
I
did
this
a
few
years
ago,
I
still
keep
my
answers
next
to
my
trading
computer.
It
inspires
me
to
stay
focused
and
on
target,
and
I
hope
this
helps
you
do
the
same.
It
was
a
lot
of
fun
going
through
all
the
questions
I
got
from
conducting
this
survey
on
Forex
trading.
We
all
think
we
have
unique
problems
and
questions,
but
every
time
I
do
a
survey
Im
reminded
that
were
not
so
different
after
all.
Remember
to
go
back
and
re-read
these
questions
and
answers
at
least
a
few
times.
Something
that
you
missed
the
first
time
through
will
undoubtedly
jump
out
at
you
in
subsequent
readings.
Also
remember
that
the
Forex
markets
are
not
magical
or
mysterious.
Theyre
just
markets.
Period.
And
you
can
potentially
pull
profits
out
of
the
Forex
markets
just
like
with
any
other
market.
So
with
a
good
Forex
trading
method
in
hand,
you
should
be
well
positioned
to
add
Forex
trading
to
your
own
personal
trading
toolkit.
Id
like
to
thank
everyone
who
took
the
time
to
send
me
their
top
questions.
In
doing
so,
you
helped
a
lot
of
traders
who
will
read
this
report.
And
I
hope
you
got
at
least
one
useful
nugget
of
information
about
Forex
trading.
Remember,
you
are
not
alone
in
your
quest
to
successfully
trade
the
markets
as
always,
I
am
here
to
help
you.
Good
Trading,
www.profitsrun.com
Page
44
of
44
Bill
Poulos
Copyright
Profits
Run,
Inc.