If you don’t recognize the name Mario Draghi or can’t name the current head of the US Federal Reserve, better read what we’ve prepared for you below! Every publicly stated word from such important people can dramatically impact currency markets. Hear them, profit from them.
1. Central Banks and Heads of Government
Central bankers are capable of influencing Forex markets with just a few well placed words. They are manipulating interest rates and other factors to affect the value of the currency for their own interests – but the free markets will prevail! Along with the heads of central banks, goes governmental figures, such as prime ministers. Here are few notable mentions:
- Jerome Powell (The Chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve)
- Christine Lagarde (Head of the European Central Bank)
- Donald Trump (President of the United States of America)
Even just a sentence from people listed above can have a big impact on the EUR/USD pair. For example, president Trump famously hurt the US dollar’s value after he tweeted it was “too strong” – causing USD to fall markedly. Be aware that events in the world’s largest economies (otherwise known as the G-7 group of nations (the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Japan, Canada and Italy) will likely have knock on effects in the Forex markets which reverberate outside of their own currency.
2. For-Profit Banks
Banks of all sizes across the world trade billions of dollars worth of currency every day. They trade with each other, or on behalf of their customers to make monetary profit for themselves and to execute trades for clients. Banks are speculators just like you only on a much bigger scale! A big difference from most best individual traders is that banks can move the price strongly with their orders, given the large size of the positions they can afford to trade.
3. Large Corporations
In a globalised world, large corporations operate in many nations, and collectively turn over tens of billions of dollars every year. As a result, they constantly need to use the Forex markets to purchase and sell different currencies for their business needs. If many corporations decide to move their assets for a common reason, currency rates are likely to be influenced.
4. Individual Traders/Funds
Individual traders and “Hedge Funds” are the most aggressive large participants in the Forex markets as they operate solely to make profit through their trading. Of all individual Forex traders George Soros is possibly the most celebrated. He earned the nickname “the man who broke the Bank of England” due to a brilliant short British Pound (GBP) trade that earned him $1 billion in a just a single day.
Traders like George Soros operate through multi-billion dollar hedge funds with huge financial resources. Their actions can often upset Central banks and politicians, as they can influence the value of a currency hugely. Government Officials sometimes have to make very expensive interventions in the markets to keep the exchange rate steady as sharp swings in the Forex markets can have very negative effects on the economy of a country.
Conclusion
Knowing who you are dealing with is essential in any competition. The currency Markets are no different. Understanding how biggest Forex market players use the markets can help you find that all important niche and trading edge.
Remember, you are all looking at the same charts!
What is the market with the highest daily trading volume?
Which of the following people is NOT a head of a Central Bank?
Which brilliant individual trader earned the title “the man who broke the Bank of England?
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