Forex Trading Guide - Forex Signals Chart Section

Forex Signals Chart Navigation



Active Forex Trade
Cb
Forex Trading Alerts
Online Forex Trading
Forex Platform
Forex Trendlines
Forex Software
Forex Trading Made Easy
Forex Pool
Online Forex School
Forex Rss
Forex Mentor Peter Bain
Weekend Effect Forex
Bay Area Forex Group
Forex Trade Signals
Forex Book
Forex Trade Signal
Brian Campbell Forex
Forex Mentor
Forex Chart
Easy Forex
Forex Trading Course
Forex News
Forex Software
Forex Trading Strategy


2005 Best Seller!

forex strategy explained
Buy it now


Best Forex Signals Chart products

Main Forex Signals Chart sponsors

Forex Signals Chart

 

 

Welcome to Forex Trading Guide

Article

Forex Trading Systems: Mechanical Vs. Discretionary Systems.
Raul Lopez

There are basically two types of Forex trading systems, mechanical and discretionary systems. The trading signals that come out of mechanical systems are mainly based off technical analysis applied in a systematic way. On the other hand, discretionary systems use experience, intuition or judgment on entries and exits. But which one produces better results? Or more importantly, which one fits better your trading style? These are the answers we will try to answer on this article.



We will first analyze the pros and cons about each system approach.


Mechanical systems


Advantages

This kind of system can be automated and backtested efficiently.

It has very rigid rules. Either, there is a trade or there isn’t.

Mechanical traders are less susceptible to emotions than discretionary traders.


Disadvantages

Most traders backtest Forex trading systems incorrectly. In order to produce accurate results you need tick data.

The Forex market is always changing. The Forex market (and all markets) has a random component. The market conditions may look similar, but they are never the same.

A system that worked successfully the past year doesn’t necessary mean it will work this year.


Discretionary systems


Advantages

Discretionary systems are easily adaptable to new market conditions.

Trading decisions are based on experience. Traders learn to see which trading signals have higher probability of success.


Disadvantages

They cannot be backtested or automated, since there is always a thought decision to be made.

It takes time to develop the experience required to trade successfully and track trades in a discretionary way. At early stages this can be dangerous.


Now, which approach is better for Forex traders? The one that fits better your personality. For instance, if you are a trader that finds it hard to follow your trading signals, then you are better off using a mechanical system, where your judgment won’t play an important role in your system. You only take the trades that your system signals.


If the psychological barriers that affect every trader (fear, greed, anger, etc.) puts you in unwanted scenarios, you are also better off trading mechanical systems, because you only need to follow what your system is telling you, go short, go long, close a trade. No other decision has to be made.


On the other hand, if you are a disciplined trader, then you are better off using a discretionary system, because discretionary systems adapt to the market conditions and you are able to change your trading conditions as the market changes. For instance, you have a target of 60 pips on a long trade. But the market suddenly starts trending up pretty strongly, then you could move your target to say 100 pips.


Does it mean that trading a discretionary system has no rules? This is absolutely incorrect. Trading discretionary systems means that once a trader finds his/her setup, the trader then decides what to do. But every trader still needs certain rules that need to be followed, such as the size of the position, conditions that have to be met before thinking to get in the market, and so on.


I am a discretionary trader. The main reason I chose a discretionary system is that my trades are based on price behavior, and as you already know, the price behaves similar to the past, but it is never identical, therefore the outcome of every trade is unknown. However, I do have rigid rules on my system, certain conditions have to be met before I even think in getting in a trade. This keeps me out of trouble, once my setup is present and in accordance with the rules I have set, then I closely watch the price behavior and finally decide whether it is a good opportunity or not.


Whether you choose to be a discretionary or a mechanical trader there are some important points you should take in consideration:


1. You need to make sure the Forex trading system you are using totally fits your personality. Otherwise you will find yourself outguessing your system.


2. You also need to have some rules and most importantly have the discipline to follow them.


3. Take your time to build the perfect system for you. It’s not easy and requires time and hard work, but at the end, if done correctly, it will give you consistent profitable results.


4. Before going live, try it on a demo account or even on a small account (I will go for the second option, since psychological barriers will be present.)


About the Author: Raul Lopez is a full time Forex trader, his trades are based on a price behavior approach. Raul is also founder of http://www.straightforex.com a high quality Forex training company.

Source: www.isnare.com




Forex Signals Chart News

forex signals chart

Go to the new RSS page and renew your subscription.]]>

Read more


IMPORTANT: Bing News RSS feed has moved!

Copyright and other intellectual property rights in the material in this report belong to FXMarketAlerts, 4Cast Limited, 4Cast Inc and/or Forecast pte ("4Cast"). The material shall not, under any circumstances, be reproduced or distributed in ...

Read more


Forex - Chart USD/PHP Updates: Bearish signal appearing on opening

Therefore, a break above that should signal bullish continuation ... at IBTRADE and a major contributor for FXTimes - provider of Forex News, Analysis, Education, Videos, Charts, and other trading resources.

Read more


EUR/USD Testing Projected Consolidation Channel Resistance

Commenting on USD/JPY, Valeria Bednarik, Chief Analyst at FXstreet.com notes: “In the 4 hours chart price tests at current levels a still bearish 20 SMA while momentum head south below the 100 level, not giving much of a buying signal: pair needs to ...

Read more


Forex: USD/JPY holds above 76.00

Regardless, for those of you who trade the forex markets ... for bearish divergences to occur as potential signals for a reversal in trend in the other asset classes. I’m sharing the chart above to remind everyone how far rates may still ...

Read more


Australia Bucks Global Easing Trend, Bond Markets Signal More Short-Term Upside for Risk Assets

As in, the signal that was generated does not agree with the longer-term trend of the currency pair. The chart below will further illustrate the difference between strong and weak signals via Ichimoku. Strong and Weak Signal: Produced with ...

Read more


A Walk Through Ichimoku

which may arise directly or indirectly from use of or reliance contained in the trading signals, or in any accompanying chart analyses. DailyFX provides forex news on the economic reports and political events that influence the currency market.

Read more


US Dollar Eyes Further Lows as Forex Volatility Tumbles

Lloyds "reexamined the long and short-term charts to consider if the charts indicate if investors ... of last year's 1.0074 low however," says McCullough. "trend exhaustion signals may now occur closer to 1.13 and we note in particular that some form ...

Read more


Forex Flash: EUR/CHF to retest 1.1311 - Lloyds Bank

On the MACD chart, a nine-day EMA of the MACD itself is plotted as well, and it acts as a trigger for buy and sell decisions. The MACD generates a bullish signal when it moves ... once the price reverses - and in Forex (FX), you can implement this strategy ...

Read more


MACD - A must for forex traders

The euro was well supported, bobbing around the $1.3150 area against the dollar, reflecting positive signals from French ... A summary of key levels for chart-watching technical strategists is below: Forex spot: EUR/USD USD/JPY GBP/USD USD ...

Read more