Forex Terminology

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52 Week HighAs we are all aware of the fact that there are 52 weeks in a year. During an year price reaches a maximum level.This maximum level or price is called 52 week high.
52 Week LowIn a given year the lowest price at which the security is traded is called 52 week low.

A

Affiliate ProgramA promotional scheme in which the person who promotes the broker is compensated.In return, the affiliate is paid either a fixed amount or a share of the revenue generated by the referred traders.
ArbitrageArbitrage is a system that includes exploiting value inconsistencies of a similar security, being exchanged at various exchanges
AskThe cost at which the seller is happy to sell the security.It is also known as offer cost .
AUDThe ISO naming convention for Australian Dollar.
Available MarginThe amount of funds available in an account to execute a new transaction or to increase the position in the existing trades.
Average PriceIt is a price based on average of high,low and close.

B

Back testingBack testing is the process of testing one’s trading strategy using historical data. Back testing shows how your trading system would have performed historically.
Bar chartA bar chart is a type of chart that shows the open, close, high and low in the price in a single bar.
Base currencyThe first currency in a currency pair. This is the base value.
Base rateThe interest rate that a central bank charges for lending to commercial banks.
Basis pointA basis point is a unit of measurement of change expressed differently instead of a percentage.
It is also called bps.
A 50 bps simply means 0.50%.
Basis point is widely used in central bank interest rate setting.
BearAn investor or a trader who believes that the price of the security will fall.
BearishBearish is a market sentiment is used to describe the pessimistic view of the traders.
BidThe price at which the buyer is willing to buy the security or the asset.
The bid price is usually lower than the ask price
Binary OptionsBinary option is a type of option that pays a fixed amount or nothing at all.
They are sometimes referred to as all or nothing options. With binary options, the risk is always fixed.
BOCThe Bank of Canada is the central monetary policy and rate setting institution for Canada
BOJThe Bank of Japan is the central monetary policy and rate setting institution for Japan
Bollinger BandsBollinger bands are volatility bands created by John Bollinger. Bollinger bands expand when prices are volatile and contract when prices trade in a flat range
BondA bond is a debt instrument issued by sovereign governments and corporates. When a bond is issued the issuer pays interest at fixed intervals and after the tenure of the bond, the principle is returned to the lender
Break evenBreakeven is the price level at which you do not have any risk left from the trade. When you reach break even level, you are trading without leaving any risk on the table.
BreakoutA breakout occurs when price has been moving in a sideways range or has been flat. Following this consolidation, price breaks out strongly from the range
BrentBrent crude oil is the crude oil that is sold internationally.
BubaNickname of the German central bank, the Bundesbank
BullAn investor or a trader who believes that the price of the security will rise
BullishBullish is a market sentiment that is used to describe the optimistic view of the traders. When traders are bullish, the price of the security appreciates, or rises in value
Buy LimitIt is a pending order that is set at a price that lower than the current market price in anticipation that price will continue to rise
Buy StopIt is a pending order that is set at a price that is higher than the current market price in anticipation that price will continue to rise

C

CableThe nickname given to the GBPUSD currency pair. The name derives from the old days when an undersea cable connected New York and London
CADThe ISO naming convention for the Canadian dollar
CALLA CALL option is a contract where the option buyer expects the price of the security to rise before maturity
Candlestick chartCandlestick charts are visual charts that represent the open and close in a hollow cylinder while the highs and lows are plotted as a wick. Candlestick charts were initially conceived in Japan and therefore are known as Japanese candlestick charts
Capital marketsCapital markets are those markes where the maturity of the issued security is longer than a year
Carry tradeCarry trade is a strategy where the trader borrows currency that has a lower interest rate and invests the proceeds in another currency which has a higher interest rate. Thus, using carry trade, investors are able to make a profit due to the differential interest rates
CBOEThe Chicago board of options exchange, the CBOE is an options and a futures trading exchange
CFDContract for Difference is a derivative of the underlying security. With CFD you only speculate on the price difference and do not own the underlying security
CFTCCommodities and Futures Trading Commission is the regulatory authority for overseeing the futures market in the U.S.
CHFThe ISO naming convention for the Swiss franc
ChunnelThe nickname given to the EURGBP currency pair. The name is derived from the English Channel that connects mainland Europe to the UK
CMEChicago Mercantile Group, is a futures trading trading exchange based in the U.S.
CommoditiesCommodities are those securities that have an actual underlying delivery. Examples of commodities include Gold, Silver, Oil, Natural Gas, to name a few. Commodities are mostly traded as futures or CFD’s
ConsolidationConsolidation is a period where price tends to trade flat. It is also known as a sideways trend or a range
CorrectionA correction occurs within a trend. It usually moves in the opposite direction to the trend. A correction allows prices to retrace part of the previous trend before resuming the direction of the original trend
CoT ReportCommitment of Traders report. It is released weekly by the CFTC and shows the holdings in various assets and securities of large institutions and commercials
CPACost per acquisition or CPA is a type of compensation model where the forex affiliate is given a pre-determined fixed amount in compensation for referring a depositing client
CPIConsumer price index. It is a measurement of the value of a basket of goods. Also known as inflation, CPI shows whether prices of commonly used goods are rising or falling
CPLCost per lead is a compensation model where the forex affiliate gets paid a pre-determined amount for refering a forex trader who opens an account
Cross rateCross rate is the exchange rate between two currencies that do not include the U.S. dollar
cTradercTrader is the trading platform from Spotware. It is a free to use trading platform which allows traders to analyze the charts and to execte trades
Currency pairIn forex, currency pairs are a combination of two currencies. The value is determined based on the exchange rate of one currency, relative to the other

D

DAX30A list of top 30 market weighted stocks trading in Germany.
Day tradingDay trading is a concept where the trader trades the markets during the intraday sessions.
All positions are closed before the close of business.
Dealing DeskA dealing desk is where the forex broker acts as a counterparty to the trader.
With a dealing desk, the forex broker acts as market maker
Death CrossWhen a short term moving average cuts below its long term moving average, it is known as a death cross.
A death cross signals a bearish market.
Depth of marketDepth of market or DOM is a measure of the total number of open buy and sell orders at different price levels.
DerivativeA financial contract whose value is derived from the underlying security or the asset.
Examples of derivatives include CFD’s, options, futures. Derivatives are used primarily for hedging and also for speculative purposes.
DiscountDiscount is when the price of a security is said to be undervalued
DJIADow Jones Industrial Average, also known as the US30 or DJ30 is a market weighted index of the top 30 blue-chip companies in the United States.
DMADirect Market Access refers to the direct access to the exchange or broker’s order books that facilitate the daily transactions.
DovishDovish is a term given to central bank monetary policy decisions. When a central bank is dovish, it is pessimistic about the economy and expects interest rates to fall.
DowntrendA downtrend is formed when traders are bearish and expect price of the security to fall.
Price makes lower Highs and Lower Lows.

E

ECBThe European Central Bank, based in Frankfurt is the official central bank for the Eurozone.
It is made up of the governing council who are regional central bank heads in the Eurozone.
ECNElectronics communication network or ECN for a short connect smaller brokers to a larger liquidity pool.
An ECN allows for better liquidity in the markets
Economic calendarA calendar that lists the day’s or the week’s economic events. It includes various economic indicators such as GDP, Inflation, unemployment, trade deficit etc.
EIAEnergy Information Administration. The U.S. leading authority on oil and gas.
The EIA relases the weekly crude oil inventory report on the total crude oil stockpiles for commercial use in the United States
EMAAbbreviation for the Exponential moving average, EMA is a type of moving average that gives more weight-age to the recent price thus making it more responsive.
EquityEquity is used to raise cash by companies.
Equity is issued in shares.
When investors buy the shares, they give money to the corporate and in return own a small piece of the company.
ETFExchange Traded Funds are funds that are traded at an exchange.
The ETF’s are managed by a fund manager and comprises of a selective pool of securities in the fund.
EURThe ISO naming convention for the Euro currency.
EURIBOREuropean Interbank Offered Rate.
Banks that are domiciled in the Euro area use EURIBOR rates as a the base for lending in EUR.
Euro Stoxx50A list of top 50 blue chip stocks across various major economies in the Eurozone.
Exotic Currency PairsExotic currency pairs are those from emerging markets. Exotic currencies always include the USD. Examples include USD/TRY, USD/ZAR, USD/BRL.
Expert AdvisorExpert Advisor or an EA for short is a program that can automatically trade when certain conditions are met.
EA’s are also known as trading bots or algorithms.

F

FakeoutA fakeout is failed breakout.
A fakeout usually traps traders tricking them into believing that price will continue to move in the direction of the breakout only to reverse direction.
FedFed is the short for the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank.
It is the central bank for the United States which is the only official institution that can print money legally.
The Fed also sets the interest rates for the United States
Fed funds rateThe 30-day Fed funds rate is the rate set by the Federal Reserve Bank in the United States.
The central bank influences the markets by setting the short term rates
FIFOFirst in, first out is a policy that requires traders to close the oldest or the first trade made when there are several open positions.
Fixed Exchange rateFixed exchange rate is where the value of one currency is fixed to another currency, usually the USD
Flash estimatesInitial or preliminary estimates for an economic report.
Floating Exchange rateFloating exchange rate is where the value of the currency pair is determined by the open markets.
FOMCThe Federal Open Markets Committee is the rate setting committee for the Federal Reserve.
It meets 8 times a year to determine interest rates and monetary policy
FOMCFederal Open Markets Committee is the policy setting committee of the U.S. Federal Reserve.
ForexThe forex or the foreign exchange market is one of the largest markets in the world, traded over the counter.
In forex, one currency is traded against the other, which is determined by the exchange rate.
Fractional pricingFractional pricing is when a forex broker offers quotes in the 5th decimal.
Fractional pricing is 1/10th of a pip and is used for better price execution
Fundamental AnalysisFundamental analysis is the study of the economic and financial factors in an effort to predict whether the price of the security is undervalued or overvalued.
FuturesFutures markets are those where a contract is agreed upon where the buyer receives the delivery of the underlying security or asset at a pre-determined date while the seller receives a pre-determined amount.
Futures exchangeAn exchange where futures contracts are traded.

G

GapA market phenomenon where price opens above or below the closing price of the previous session.
Gaps occur where there is extreme buying or selling pressure.
This leads price to leave a gap from the previous session’s closing price
GBPThe ISO naming convention for the British pound.
GDPAbbreviation for Gross domestic product.
It is a measurement of the total value of goods and services bought and sold within an economy.
GFDAlso known as Good for the day, this is a type of a pending order that will remain as a pending order only until the end of the day unless it is automatically executed during the day.
Golden CrossWhen a short term moving average cuts above its long term moving average, it is known as a golden cross.
A golden cross signals a bullish market.
GreenbackThe nickname for the U.S. dollar.
GTCAlso known as Good till Cancelled, this is a type of a pending order that will remain as a pending order until it is cancelled or automatically executed.

H

HawkishHawkish is a term given to central bank monetary policy decisions.
When a central bank is hawkish, it is optimistic about the economy and expects interest rates to rise.
HedgingHedging is a strategy that is used to offset a potential loss on one investment by transferring the risk into another investment.
Heikin Ashi chartA Japanese candlestick chart which depicts trends based on its unique way of calculation.

I

Ichimoku CloudA Japanese trading indicator and trading system, the Ichimoku cloud is a dynamic support and resistance plotted in the form of a cloud.
IndexAn index is a group of securities or assets.
It measures the total value of the section of the assets in the index.
IndicatorAn indicator is derived from a mathematical formula from the price of the security.
It is plotted on the chart and can show various aspects of price such as trends, momentum, volatility
IndicesIndices is the plural for Index.
It is a collection of various indexes where in, each index tracks a select group of assets or securities.

J

JPYThe ISO naming convention for the Japanese yen.

K

KiwiNickname for the New Zealand dollar.

L

LeverageLeverage is a strategy where the investor borrows money in order to increase the returns on their investments.
LIBORLondon Interbank Offered Rate.
Banks use the LIBOR rates as a base rate for lending in USD, GBP, JPY.
Limit OrderA limit order is an order that is set a few points above or below the markets.
You can set both a stop loss or a take profit order as a limit order
Line chartA line chart, as the name suggests is merely a line that plots only the closing price continously.
Liquidate/LiquidationThe process of closing an existing position by using an offsetting transaction.
For example, to liquidate a long position, you would go short, or vice-versa.
LongLong or long position is when you hold a Buy position or want to hold a buy position.
LoonieThe nickname given to the USDCAD currency pair.
The name is derived from the picture of the Loonie bird on the Canadian dollar coin
LotA lot is the minimum amount of units that you can trade in forex.

M

Major Currency pairsMajor currency pairs are those which includes the USD. Ex. EURUSD, USDJPY, GBPUSD, USDCHF, etc.
MarginMargin trading is a way to trade by using borrowed funds. This is similar to trading with leverage.
Margin callA margin call is a broker’s demand to the trader who is using margin or trading on leverage to deposit additional funds.
A trader is always required to maintain a certain percentage of the margin amount on their account. When this amount falls below the threshold, it results in a margin call.
Mark-to-MarketAlso known as MTM, it is the process of marking up the current prices (especially in derivatives) to the current market price.
Market makerA market maker is a specialist who makes the market. They act as a liquidity provider for the traders.
A market maker usually charges a spread
Market OrderA market order is when the trade is executed at the current market price.
Median LineMedian line is another name for Pitchfork tool.
Median priceThe median price is the mid-point in price that is the average of the high, and Low.
Micro LotA micro-lot is 1000 units of a currency pair
Mini LotA mini-lot is 10,000 units of a currency pair.
Minor Currency PairsMinor currency pairs are those which does not include the USD, but has some of the major currencies. Ex: EURGBP, EURAUD, GBPJPY.
MomentumMomentum is the measure of the strength of the price. Momentum in trading is similar to that in physics which states when an object is moving in a direction it continues to move unless it is acted upon by an external force.
Monetary policy statement (MPS)Monetary policy statement is a summary from a central bank on the decision it has taken.
MPS is usually released after a central bank interest rate meeting
Money marketsMoney markets are those markets where the maturity of the issued security is shorter than a year.
Moving AverageAn indicator that constantly plots the average price of the security based on the number of periods it is being calculated for.
MPCMonetary policy committee is the rate setting committee of a central bank.
MT4Metatrader version 4 is a popular forex trading platform that is available for free for the user.
Using the MT4 platform, traders can conduct their chart analysis and also execute trades
MT5Metatrader version 5 is the latest forex trading platform.
It is similar to the MT4 but offers more advanced features and larger markets for trading

N

Net DepositsNet deposits is the difference between the total deposits and the total withdrawals.
It is one of the ways used in a forex affiliate program as a qualifying criteria for forex affiliates
Non-dealing deskA non-dealing desk is another name for STP.
In a non-dealing desk, the trades are executed directly and matched with the liquidity pool.
NYSENew York Stock Exchange is one of the leading stock exchanges in the United States.
NZDThe ISO naming convention for the New Zealand dollar.

O

OCOOne-cancels-other is a type of order where two orders are placed.
However, if one of the orders are executed, the other order is cancelled automatically
OfferThe price that the seller is offering to sell the security or the asset. This is also known as the ask price
Open interestThe total number of outstanding positions that are currently open on a particular day.
Open interest is widely used in options and futures trading.
Open tradesThe number of trades that are currently opened.
Option ContractA contract that gives the buyer the right but not the obligation to take delivery of the underlying security.
The seller or underwriter of the option is compensated by means of a premium that is paid by the buyer.
Order bookA book, usually maintained by the exchange or a broker that shows the volume of trades at which traders want to buy or sell.
OscillatorAn oscillator is an indicator.
The only difference is that an oscillator moves between fixed values and it is plotted on the sub-window of the chart.
OTCShort for Over the Counter, this is where securities are traded away from an exchange.
The Forex markets are traded over-the-counter, while stocks are traded at an exchange.

P

ParityParity in forex is defined as where the exchange rate is equal to 1. For example, if the EURUSD exchange rate is 1, the euro is said to be at parity with the U.S. dollar.
Pending OrderA pending order is another name for a limit order.
It is a pending order until price reaches the pending order order.
Once this happens, the pending order is executed
PipsIt is the unit of measure in a currency pair which determines the change in value.
A pip is the fourth decimal in a forex pricing. If for example, the EURUSD moves from 1.1001 to 1.1002, that is a 1 pip move
PitchforkPitchfork is the same as median line.
It is a technical analysis tool that is made up of three parallel trend lines to identify support and resistance levels
PMIPurchasing Managers Index.
PMI’s are a leading economic indicator that foretells the business conditions.
PnLShort for Profit and Loss.
PremiumPremium is when the price of a security is said to be overvalued.
PUTA PUT option is a contract where the option buyer expects the price of the security to fall before maturity.

Q

Quote currencyThe second currency in a currency pair. This is the quoted value. Example if 1 EURUSD =1.10, that means that the value of 1 euro is equal to $1.10

R

RBAThe Reserve Bank of Australia is the central monetary policy and rate setting institution for Australia.
RBNZThe Reserve Bank of New Zealand is the central monetary policy and rate setting institution for the New Zealand.
Realized PnLRealized PnL is the total profit or loss incurred after the trade is closed.
Renko chartA renko chart is a type of chart that is unique from other chart types.
Renko charts are not time dependent and use only price as the variable.
Depending on the chart setting, a new renko brick or box is plotted when price moves x ticks or pips as specified in the Renko chart settings.
A reversal Renko appears when price moves two times the x amount in pip or tick value.
ResistanceIn technical analysis, resistance is the area where there are more sellers in the markets.
Thus, due to the increased supply or selling interest, price hits resistance and fails to rise further.
RetracementRetracement is similar to correction. It occurs within a trend and moves in the opposite direction of the trend.
Revenue ShareRevenue share is a type of a compensation model where the forex affiliate gets a share of the revenue generated by the forex traders that they refer to a forex broker.
Round tripAn open trade when closed equally is considered a round trip.

S

S&P500An index of top 500 blue chip stocks traded in the United States.
Safe HavenSecurities or assets that are known to be more safer.
They generally have lower returns.
Safe haven assets perform well during risk off conditions. Examples include bonds, the Japanese Yen, Gold and the Swiss franc.
ScalpingScalping is a trading strategy where the trader makes use of the intraday volatility to capture small profits.
SECSecurities and Exchange Commission is the regulatory authority that oversees the equity markets in the U.S. and regulates stock exchanges
Sell LimitIt is a pending order that is set at a price that is higher than the current market price in anticipation that price will continue to decline
Sell StopIt is a pending order that is set at a price lower than the current market price in expectation that price will continue to decline.
ShortShort or short position is when you hold a Sell position or want to hold a sell position.
SlippageThe difference between the price that was requested and the actual price at which an order was filled.
SMAAlso known as the Simple moving average, the SMA is a type of moving average that gives equal weight-age to all the price points.
SNBAbbreviation for the Swiss National Bank.
Spot marketThe market at which the goods or the security is exchanged for the prevailing or the current price.
SpreadThe difference between the Bid and the Ask price of a security.
Standard LotA standard lot is 100,000 units of a currency pair.
It is also known as 1 lot.
STIBORStockholm Inter bank Offered Rate.
Banks based in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries use the STIBOR as the base rate for lending in SEK.
Stock exchangeAn exchange where stocks are traded.
Stop LossA stop loss is a price level where your trade will be automatically closed if your trade is in the loss.
A stop loss is used to protect the trader from taking on further losses.
A stop loss is a pending order
STPStraight through processing is a type of a execution used by the forex broker.
Here, the forex broker does not interfere in the trade execution but simply passes them as STP to their liquidity pool.
Strike PriceUsed in options trading, it is the price at which the option contract can be exercised.
SupportIn technical analysis, support is the area where there are more buyers in the markets.
Thus, due to increased demand, price is supported at the level
SwapSwap or an overnight swap is the financing fee for an asset or a security.
In forex, when you hold a position overnight, you will be charged the overnight swap rate.
Swing tradingSwing trading is a trading strategy where the trader keeps a position open for a few days to a few weeks.
Swing trading is a medium to long term trading strategy

T

Take profitA take profit is the price where your trade will be automatically closed if it is in profit.
A take profit level allows you to determine the profits before hand and once executed, your trade is closed automatically.
Technical AnalysisTechnical analysis is the study of past price history to predict future price movements.
TickThe minimum price change in the security.
Trend lineA trend line in technical analysis is drawn by connecting the highs or the lows in price.
It is usually an inclined line and it acts as a dynamic support or a resistance level.

U

Unrealized PnLUnrealized PnL is the total profit or loss incurred on the trade which is currently open.
UptrendAn uptrend is formed when traders are bullish and expect price of the security to rise.
USDThe ISO naming convention for the U.S. dollar.

V

VolatilityVolatility is a statistical measure of the dispersion of the returns for the given security in question.
Volatility is usually measured in standard deviation
VolumeVolume is the quantity of shares or contracts that have exchanged hands during a trading day.
It is also known as trading volume.

W

WTIWest Texas Instrument is a type of crude oil that is widely used in the United States.