The Black Box

No, I am not blogging about an aviation accident investigation.

I got a call from a friend of mine the other day and he asked me if I was still trading Forex?

Uh, yah!!!

After catching up for a little bit he came to the real reason for his call. He had gone to a free seminar in town last weekend about a company touting their automated forex trading platform. He described the event and I vaguely remember getting something in the mail about it. It ended up in the shredder with the rest of my junk mail.

He described how cool it was to see the green lights to trade and red lights to exit and that it was much easier than looking at charts and studying the market.

He asked me for my opinion and I gave it to him and now I am about to give it to you!

I am not a big fan of those ‘black box’ trading systems. Quite honestly I have never traded with them, but have spoken to plenty of people who have. I am not here to discourage anyone from using them in their investment plans; I just want to explain why I prefer discretionary trading systems.

From what I found out the big disadvantage to those black box systems is that you can experience large draw downs in your account balances. If I am going to take a draw down (and we all will at some point) I want to understand why and implement corrective actions!

So much for compounding!

I am sure these systems work and fit into someone’s investment plan. Just not mine!

Maybe it is my upbringing, but I like to be in a little more control than that! I want to make the decisions and understand why things worked and why they don’t. That way next time I can make a better decision.

Donald Trump lost billions of dollars only to have it all back and more just a few years later. Why? Because his ‘block box’ investment system was between his ears.

Education is King!!

Let’s stop looking for the easy way and focus! You will get through the learning curve and never look back.

But my most compelling reason to stay with the discretionary trading systems is that the market is controlled by humans and human emotions still rule. To round out your trading tool bag study Fibonacci and Elliott Wave trading techniques, and utilize these strategies and others in your discretionary trading systems which are based on naturally occurring instances in nature. The same process that controls human emotion.


Happy Trading!

Visit FX Trade Central’s Forex Courses for beginners and advanced course reviews including recommendations and more information on Fibonacci and Elliott Wave.

The Black Box

No, I am not blogging about an aviation accident investigation.

I got a call from a friend of mine the other day and he asked me if I was still trading Forex?

Uh, yah!!!

After catching up for a little bit he came to the real reason for his call. He had gone to a free seminar in town last weekend about a company touting their automated forex trading platform. He described the event and I vaguely remember getting something in the mail about it. It ended up in the shredder with the rest of my junk mail.

He described how cool it was to see the green lights to trade and red lights to exit and that it was much easier than looking at charts and studying the market.

He asked me for my opinion and I gave it to him and now I am about to give it to you!

I am not a big fan of those ‘black box’ trading systems. Quite honestly I have never traded with them, but have spoken to plenty of people who have. I am not here to discourage anyone from using them in their investment plans; I just want to explain why I prefer discretionary trading systems.

From what I found out the big disadvantage to those black box systems is that you can experience large draw downs in your account balances. If I am going to take a draw down (and we all will at some point) I want to understand why and implement corrective actions!

So much for compounding!

I am sure these systems work and fit into someone’s investment plan. Just not mine!

Maybe it is my upbringing, but I like to be in a little more control than that! I want to make the decisions and understand why things worked and why they don’t. That way next time I can make a better decision.

Donald Trump lost billions of dollars only to have it all back and more just a few years later. Why? Because his ‘block box’ investment system was between his ears.

Education is King!!

Let’s stop looking for the easy way and focus! You will get through the learning curve and never look back.

But my most compelling reason to stay with the discretionary trading systems is that the market is controlled by humans and human emotions still rule. To round out your trading tool bag study Fibonacci and Elliott Wave trading techniques, and utilize these strategies and others in your discretionary trading systems which are based on naturally occurring instances in nature. The same process that controls human emotion.


Happy Trading!

Visit FX Trade Central’s Forex Courses for beginners and advanced course reviews including recommendations and more information on Fibonacci and Elliott Wave.

New Forex Lenses

Hi Forex Nation!!

On my last posting I mentioned that I was working on setting up a series of Lenses.

What is a Lens?

Well, I have recently come across the concept of a Lens provided by Squidoo. The idea behind it is great as it is like a one stop shop for something that you are passionate about (Forex!!) giving useful information and links. Some examples of a lens could include:

Your hobby

Your business / industry

Favorite celebrity

Favorite recipes

I am a huge Sopranos fan and there was even a Lens dedicated to the show!
Back to business…

The list really is endless, you talk about what you want to and it is opportunity to educate people! And you know I am all about education! Well I have created two Forex related Lenses. The links are provided below (just clock on the icons) and on the sidebar of this blog. I also have two icons on the side bar and they are linked to the two different FX Lenses.

Forex Journey – The Lens

Success in FX

You can help my ranking by visiting my Lenses and giving them a 5-star ranking!! You have to register, but it is FREE! (Thanks in advance!!)

Keep this in your back pocket, because soon you will be hearing about this concept all over the Internet!!

Happy Trading!

New Forex Lenses

Hi Forex Nation!!

On my last posting I mentioned that I was working on setting up a series of Lenses.

What is a Lens?

Well, I have recently come across the concept of a Lens provided by Squidoo. The idea behind it is great as it is like a one stop shop for something that you are passionate about (Forex!!) giving useful information and links. Some examples of a lens could include:

Your hobby

Your business / industry

Favorite celebrity

Favorite recipes

I am a huge Sopranos fan and there was even a Lens dedicated to the show!
Back to business…

The list really is endless, you talk about what you want to and it is opportunity to educate people! And you know I am all about education! Well I have created two Forex related Lenses. The links are provided below (just clock on the icons) and on the sidebar of this blog. I also have two icons on the side bar and they are linked to the two different FX Lenses.

Forex Journey – The Lens

Success in FX

You can help my ranking by visiting my Lenses and giving them a 5-star ranking!! You have to register, but it is FREE! (Thanks in advance!!)

Keep this in your back pocket, because soon you will be hearing about this concept all over the Internet!!

Happy Trading!

Back to the Basics

Hello Forex Nation!!

Time to get back to basics!

One of the things I like to do on a weekly basis is review my notes when I first started trading the forex market. It serves to reinforce the foundation of my technical analysis, as well as ground me in the very basics of currency trading, no different than bridge builder anchoring their support structures in bedrock!

There is nothing stronger in technical analysis than support and resistance!

FX Traders have at their disposal a number of different technical indicators, but at the end of the day chart support and resistance it the biggest tell-tale sign of what price action truly means.

In Trading 101 we were all taught the virtues of plotting support and resistance. No matter what strategy I am evaluating (swing, intraday) my first actions is to plot support and resistance in the applicable time frames. I use Fibonacci lines confirm my analysis.

Another anchor point I use is trendlines.

Here are some general guidelines you may want to follow. First, look at the general trend of the market. The trend is your friend. For instance if the trend is down this means you have more down days than up -- and usually more pronounced movement to the downside on those down days. Same observations can be made for an uptrend.

I know traders that won’t even trade if the general and daily trends are not in synch.
Once these support and resistance lines are broken then price tend to move rapidly to the next area of support/resistance and the previous break becomes the new floor/ceiling.

Bottom line is to continually build your technical acumen by staying firmly planted in the basic principals of technical analysis.

You can find more FX education and course infromation of FX Trade Central!!

Happy Trading!

Side Notes:

- In addition to trading (always #1) I about working on a Lens. What is a Lens? Stay tuned for my next posting an I will explain.

Back to the Basics

Hello Forex Nation!!

Time to get back to basics!

One of the things I like to do on a weekly basis is review my notes when I first started trading the forex market. It serves to reinforce the foundation of my technical analysis, as well as ground me in the very basics of currency trading, no different than bridge builder anchoring their support structures in bedrock!

There is nothing stronger in technical analysis than support and resistance!

FX Traders have at their disposal a number of different technical indicators, but at the end of the day chart support and resistance it the biggest tell-tale sign of what price action truly means.

In Trading 101 we were all taught the virtues of plotting support and resistance. No matter what strategy I am evaluating (swing, intraday) my first actions is to plot support and resistance in the applicable time frames. I use Fibonacci lines confirm my analysis.

Another anchor point I use is trendlines.

Here are some general guidelines you may want to follow. First, look at the general trend of the market. The trend is your friend. For instance if the trend is down this means you have more down days than up -- and usually more pronounced movement to the downside on those down days. Same observations can be made for an uptrend.

I know traders that won’t even trade if the general and daily trends are not in synch.
Once these support and resistance lines are broken then price tend to move rapidly to the next area of support/resistance and the previous break becomes the new floor/ceiling.

Bottom line is to continually build your technical acumen by staying firmly planted in the basic principals of technical analysis.

You can find more FX education and course infromation of FX Trade Central!!

Happy Trading!

Side Notes:

- In addition to trading (always #1) I about working on a Lens. What is a Lens? Stay tuned for my next posting an I will explain.

Forex Trading Tools

Hi Forex Nation!

I was discussing with some friends about setting yourself up to begin trading currencies. I found this good article (a little general), but provides a good outline for what do if your are ready to dive in and start learning!

Forex Trading Tools - Trading Computers, Forex Charting Software, Trade Stations, Trading Platforms, Forex Advisories,, Forex News:

"This is a collection of Forex 'Tools of the Trade' -- products and services that we have found to be the best of all we have tried over many years, and additonally selected because the companies behind them have demonstrated reliable service, integrity and value. They are beginner-friendly, yet offering a growing trader lots of support. Look for the Forex-Trader discounts.
To trade Forex successfully you will need the basics:

1. A reliable, reasonably fast computer, preferably with high speed access to the internet (DSL or Cable Modem for example). An Internet dial-up account or the telephone becomes your back-up should your primary access fail.

2. Good foreign currencies 'charting software' with a reliable, accurate data feed so that you can track currency movements in real time and perform the technical analysis necessary to trade effectively.

3. An on-line Forex trading account with a brokerage firm which provides a reliable Trading Platform, fair 'spreads', quick execution of trades, good on-line reporting, and excellent customer service.

4. A subscription to at least one Forex Trading 'Advisory Service' which provides market overviews at least daily. This gives you the context and overall directions of the market and will greatly assist in your own analysis and decision making.

Most importantly, you will need effective training and/or mentoring to master the techniques and discipline which 90 percent of beginning traders lack. This can be home study via cd's or on-line lessons, classes you travel to, or trainer/mentors who come to you. "

My blog is dedicated to helping those on the journey that currency trading has become for me!

Click here to see my recommended currency training courses.

Also I have established a training curriculum to guide the "new" currency traders through their first year of trading the forex market.

Happy Trading!