Forex Market & Brokers
In the last years, the foreign exchange market has expanded from
one where banks would execute transactions between themselves
to one in which many other kinds of financial institutions like
brokers and market-makers participate including non-financial
corporations, investment firms, pension funds and hedge funds.
Its' focus has broadened from servicing importers and exporters
to handling the vast amounts of overseas investment and other
capital flows that currently take place. Lately foreign exchange
day trading has become increasingly popular and various firms
offer trading facilities to the small investor.
Foreign exchange is an 'over the counter' (OTC) market, that means
that there is no central exchange. Geographic trading 'centers'
exist around the world. Essentially foreign exchange deals are
made between participants on the basis of trust and reputation
to deliver on an agreement. In the case of banks trading with
one another, they do so solely on that basis. In the retail market,
customers demand a written legally accepted contract between themselves
and their broker in exchange of a deposit of funds on which basis
the customer may trade.
Some market participants may be involved in the 'goods' market,
conducting international transactions for the purchase or sale
of merchandise. Some may be engaged in 'direct investment' in
plant and equipment. The various investors, hedgers, and speculators
may be focused on any time period, from a few minutes to several
years. But, whether official or private, and whether their motive
be investing, hedging, speculating, arbitraging, paying for imports,
or seeking to influence the rate, they are all part of the aggregate
demand for and supply of the currencies involved.
Forex Recommended Brokers
GCI Financial Ltd
Goldman Sachs FX
Charter FX
Man Financial
Swiss Finance Corp
Forex
Market History
The history of the FOREX Market as it exists today begins before
1971 when the FOREX market departed from The Bretton Woods Accord
to reflect a radical change in Universal fixed exchange rates.
After World War Two, the Bretton Woods Accord was introduced
to the FOREX market to stabilize the devastated world economy.
The FOREX Market, often considered to be the playground of
governmental institutions operating under the agency of central
banks, expanded its horizons in recent years to include corporations,
hedge funds, and speculators and most recently with the dot
com boom and the expansion of the world wide web, now the private
investors have been afforded the lucrative opportunity to be
a part of the action.
The appeal of The FOREX Market is one of non-stop, twenty four
hour a day trading for the five business days of the week. The
first tentative steps towards a global economy have created
a fast moving liquid market facilitating a wide variety of transaction
options. Combine this with the ability to make money in both
winning and losing markets and you will see why The FOREX Market
is considered by some to be the fastest developing most lucrative
business opportunity open to the savvy investor who has the
skill, intelligence, acumen and backing to create substantial
profits.
The FOREX Market provides a number of ways for investors to
get in on the global high stakes action. From the spot market
to spread betting, options, contracts for difference and futures,
these are just some of the ways FOREX can turn a modest portfolio
with moderate potential, into a heavy hitting enterprise totaling
far in excess of what it once was. The BIS or Bank of International
Settlements estimated in a recent survey that over $1,200,000,000.00
is exchanged everyday on The FOREX Market. Currently industry
analysts think the market is not living up to its 1978 potential
of $1,490,000,000.00 and still view this as an attainable goal
for the FOREX Market of the future.