The Forex Trading Course: A Self-Study Guide to Becoming a Successful Currency Trader, 2nd Edition

Part IWhat Drives the Forex Market?

Part I of this book offers a look at the “big picture” in foreign exchange (forex) trading, that is, what forces influence currency price movements. These forces are accepted by economists and traders around the world as responsible catalysts for changes in the value of currencies. Readers learning to trade forex or trying to improve their trading will benefit from a gain of knowledge of these fundamentals. In fact, as you will see, fundamental forces act as leading indicators of currency movement future direction.

US and global interest rates, economic growth, and market sentiment toward the dollar are the key ingredients that shape trading opportunities. Part I provides basic knowledge on how these factors impact forex prices and how they can be used in selecting trading opportunities.

In getting acquainted with the forex market, most people start by looking only at price charts. This is called technical analysis. Those who focus on technical analysis are often called chartists. But the study and analysis of what moves those charts is called fundamental analysis. The goal of Part I is to identify the components of fundamental analysis in regard to forex and then provide a recipe for developing your own fundamental analysis of a currency pair.