The simple Forex strategy I outline below is a medium term (1 or more days) one that should work for you, or at least provide a solid foundation for you to build your own strategy upon. Medium term is the most suitable for the average retail Forex trader, as it requires the least amount of capital.
The reasons why I follow each step are explained elsewhere on the website, so you won't see any explanations here. This is a simple summary from many different articles.
If you have questions, concerns or are just unclear on any aspects of this simple Forex strategy, send me a brief note via the Contact Us page, and I'll get back to you with an answer quickly.
Even though this is a simple Forex strategy, you still need to do some homework. If you don't know the basic support and resistance levels you are up against, you are likely to get clobbered!
The Entry
1) Decide which pair you are going to trade (stick to a major pair)
2) Determine the major trend by checking the 1 hour, 4 hour and daily charts (be sure they are all going the same direction)
3) Draw trend lines through the lows if in an uptrend, or through the highs if in a down trend (the daily chart is the important one here and make sure you can see at least 2 months of data... more is better)
4) Note the support and resistance levels (obvious previous turning points over the past few weeks)
5) If the price is approaching the trend line you have drawn, or nearing a support/resistance level, wait until it has obviously bounced off or moved through that level before proceeding
6) Check the MACD, Stochastic and RSI indicators to see if they favor your pending move - if they're giving you a warning, you would best wait for a more favorable setup (and they come often, so be patient!)
7) Be sure there are no major data releases for the next day or two for either country
8) A pullback in price on the hourly chart is a good place to get in (make sure the trend has resumed before you jump). Candlestick reversal patterns are also great signals!
9) Get in, but use no more than 3% of your capital! Doing this will allow you to place your stop far enough away from the current price action, without a high risk to your capital.
10) Place your "Stop Loss", but as I show you, put it far enough away from the entry price so you won't be "stopped out" of a good trade. Set it about 10 pips beyond the nearest major support or resistance level.
The Exit
1) Place your "take profits" limit order. There is nothing wrong with a 30 to 50 pips target. Try to place it just ahead of a major support or resistance level. A good target for your limit order is between 10 and 15 pips before the next S/R level.
2) Monitor the trade and once the price is a safe distance from your stop, move the stop ever closer to your entry price until your profits are locked in. You may want to then convert the stop to a trailing stop which will follow the market.
3) Turn off your trading software and review this website, or go read a good book about trading (you'll drive yourself nuts watching the prices tick up and down - avoid the pain)
Anything can happen in trading, and this simple Forex strategy is not immune from any of it. The "stop loss" will ensure that if you happen to get hit by a bus, your position can't get away on you. As long as you are staying within the 3% guideline, the price can move against you, even several hundred points, without any real effect on your account.
Be sure to review the more detailed explanation of "stop losses" in the main Forex Strategy section.
No comments:
Post a Comment