Currency Trading Information


Mechanical or Discretionary Trading - Which is Best?


Discretionary Trading

Pure discretionary trading will rely solely on the traders judgement. For example a discretionary trader may spot a particular pattern developing on a chart and decide to enter a trade on that basis. It would be impossible to systemise their trading because it relies on subjective judgements and 'gut' feel.

Mechanical Trading

Pure mechanical trading involves the development of trading rules that cover every situation, from entry to exit and position sizing. The trader is executing a predefined plan. They must however take every trade that the system gives them which can be difficult if the trader begins to 'think' too much!

Both sets of trader are working hard at different times and at different things. The mechanical trader spends time developing a system and does not need to think whilst trading, merely executing a plan. The discretionary trader has to be thinking all the time that they are trading and can suffer from 'information overload'.

Which is best?

The answer is probably a combination of both approaches. Coming to the market with a proven strategy rather than relying on gut instinct is far less stressful and gives the trader more confidence. However the markets are always changing and one trading strategy will not work forever - i.e. the Turtle Traders. Strategies will always need updating.

Many traders will use a mechanical system to generate buy and sell signals but then use discretion, reading the market, to attempt to gain better fill prices.

All successful traders will use some sort of proven trading strategy to begin with but the level of discretion allowed by it will vary. A trader with no plan at all will fail.

Tim Wreford runs Online Futures Trading, a website that provides information and resources for traders. Tim also provides a free day trading system, the results of which are updated daily on the site.


MORE RESOURCES:

UK Currency Trading Fell 3% in October From April to $1.97 Trillion/Day
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Foreign-exchange trading in the UK fell 3 percent to $1.97 trillion a day in October compared with April, according to a semi-annual survey of trading published by the Foreign Exchange Joint Standing Committee. From a year earlier, average daily ...

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India Eases Currency Trading Limits for Some Banks
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By SUDEEP JAIN MUMBAI -- India's central bank has asked banks to approach it individually for relaxing some foreign currency trading limits and has already eased restrictions for some banks, a top official said Monday. "Some limits, based on their ...

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Two Principals of Foreign Currency Trading Firm Sentenced for $17 Million ...
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by Evan Bedard on February 3, 2012 in Scams (Source: FBI) – CHICAGO—Two principals of a foreign currency trading firm that collapsed in 2007 were sentenced to 17 years and 12.5 years in federal prison, respectively, after pleading guilty to fraud ...
2 sentenced for stealing millions in fraud schemeHarrisburg Daily Register
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Argentina Sends Tax Agents to Control Currency Trading
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Afip said that one well-known currency trading business, Banco Piano, refused to let inspectors do their job. As a result, Afip officials interviewed Banco Piano customers outside three of the company's branches. The government will fine Banco Piano ...

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FOCUS: Technology Buoys Retail Currency Trading, Reshapes Old Models
Wall Street Journal
By Eva Szalay Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES LONDON (Dow Jones)--Retail foreign-exchange trading is emerging as one of the biggest growth areas in the currencies space, and some of the trading firms that facilitate these flows are building up a whole new ...

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Morgan Stanley Currency-Trading Head Stephen Mettler Leaves Bank
BusinessWeek
By Michael J. Moore Jan. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Stephen Mettler, who oversaw Morgan Stanley's interest rates and foreign-exchange trading businesses, has left the bank. Mettler, who joined the firm in 1997, retired, according to an internal memo obtained by ...

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The Daily Star

Iran bans foreign currency trading on the street
CBS News
Ebrahim Darvishi said authorities were monitoring street vendors and currency trading operations, in what was the government's latest effort to shore up the currency which was being traded on the open market at rates differing from those set by the ...
Iran bans foreign currency tradingBusiness Recorder (blog)
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Daily Monitor

Weighing currency trading options
Daily Monitor
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PR Web (press release)
The currency pair has pulled back farther than expected, remarks Jason Fielder, a 10 year Forex currency trading veteran and contributor to the Absolute Wealth newsletter. If the pair breaks above the point of 1.3201 then a long breakout could be on ...
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CNBC.com

Euro Slips, Dollar Lifts on More Greek Drama
CNBC.com
[Reuters] -------------------- MULTI CURRENCIES VS THE DOLLAR Tune In: CNBC's "Money in Motion Currency Trading" airs on Fridays at 5:30pm and repeats on Saturdays at 7pm. Learn more: The essential vocabulary for currency trading is on Key Currency ...
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