Tag: forex

Capital Controls Won't Save the Yuan

Posted on by Lior Alkalay

Lior Alkalay - INO.com Contributor - Forex


China's financial markets are caught in what some are calling "the perfect storm." It's been roughly six months since the situation dramatically escalated. As of yet, there are no signs of a calming sea.

Thus, there are more and more very vocal voices calling for China to enforce capital controls to save the Yuan. The intent is to keep the Chinese dragon from losing its balance.

This move may not mesh well with China's plans to liberalize its economy, but it's really not a bad idea. While it might help stem the crisis in China's financial system, it's unlikely to save the Yuan from plunging lower. Continue reading "Capital Controls Won't Save the Yuan" →

USDJPY: "Diving" For Opportunity

Posted on by The INO.com Team

By: Elliott Wave International

On a recent vacation to the Yucatan, my friend decided to get certified in scuba diving.

I, on the other hand, prefer breathing my air above water! But I did tag along with her to one of the classes, anyway. She learned how to handle and interpret all the various diver gauges: gas pressure, submersive pressure, depth, and on.

The one feature all those indicators had in common was a bold, red line to indicate the level the diver must obey to stay out of danger.

That's when it hit me: Scuba-diving is a lot like financial markets. Investors and traders jump in -- and use an array of safety gauges to keep them on the right side of price action.

Well, at least those investors and traders who use technical market indicators. For them, those bold, red lines indicating the point of danger -- those are equivalent to the most critical component of market analysis: protective stops. The second prices cross this line, it's time to "swim back up to the surface" and safely re-adjust your position.

For any investor/trader, then, the ultimate goal is to clearly identify these life-"lines" ahead of time, before jumping in. That, dear friends, is where our newest, FREE report "How to Set and Manage Stops With the Wave Principle" comes in.

Here is an excerpt: Continue reading "USDJPY: "Diving" For Opportunity" →

Bank of Japan To Release More Stimulus?

Posted on by Lior Alkalay

Lior Alkalay - INO.com Contributor - Forex


Yep, it's the same old story; once again, Japan is just muddling through. Private consumption is weak and inflation is practically non-existent. And inflation could get worse with the latest plunge in oil prices. And with Japan barely slogging through, investors' call for the BoJ to amp its efforts are on the rise.

So what's the problem? In the eyes of the BoJ, the situation isn't really bad enough to require further intervention.

What The BoJ Sees

So why wouldn't the BoJ want to add any more gunpowder to an already aggressive stimulus plan? The answer comes in two parts.

The first part was covered extensively in my last article and thus needs little elaboration. That is the BoJ wants the Abe government to shoulder some of the burden. It needs to fulfill its own side of the bargain and push forward much needed financial reforms.

And the second part? The BoJ wants to hold some gunpowder in its arsenal... just in case things get worse. With the Chinese stock market meltdown radiating across the world, the BoJ wants to make sure it has enough "weapons" to unleash. But so far, in the eyes of the BoJ, it's not yet bad enough to risk the economy.

Graph of Japanese Annual Inflation
Chart courtesy of The Statistic Bureau of Japan

Let's take a quick look at the latest key data. November's inflation figure (annualized), albeit rather low, still wasn't the textbook definition of deflationary pressures. From a total of 10 various segments, from food to energy to housing, only transportation and energy fell on an annual basis while Housing prices were unchanged at 0%. Despite the dismal numbers, for deflation to be a risk, prices of most items need to fall. And as the chart below shows, that has yet to happen. Continue reading "Bank of Japan To Release More Stimulus?" →

Are Investors Secretly Turning Bearish On The Dollar?

Posted on by Lior Alkalay

Lior Alkalay - INO.com Contributor - Forex


Less than two weeks into 2016 and history has already been made. This January will go down in the record books as Wall Street’s worst in decades. China is losing control, the Middle East is boiling over and the Emerging Markets are in dire straits. All of which has led stocks to shed more than a trillion dollars in value.

It’s the classic boiling-to-the-brim pot which suggests we’re ready to push the dollar higher, right? Instead, dollar strength has really been rather tame which, on the face of it, is quite puzzling. That is unless investors have secretly been turning bearish on the greenback. The question is, are they? Continue reading "Are Investors Secretly Turning Bearish On The Dollar?" →

My Favorite Swing Trading Strategy

Posted on by The INO.com Team

By: Cory Mitchell, founder of VantagePointTrading.com

Whether I'm day trading or swing trading forex (and other markets as well), I frequently use the method described below. It's a price action trading method, with trendlines and trend channels used to help establish entry points and potential targets. Here's the basic strategy; adjust it to your liking or add your own indicators to help you implement it.

Before Placing Trades

Before placing a trade, calculate your proper position size. Position size is calibrated for the trade so you are risking 1% (or less) of your account capital on each trade. All trades taken must have at least a 2:1 reward:risk ratio, but often we'll end up with trades that have a 5:1 or 6:1 ratio (more on that in a bit). If risking 1% of your account, you stand to make at least 2%, but often 5% or more...that's 5% on your total account, not just traded capital (because our risk is also based on the total account). If you risk up to 2% per trade, your gains double.

Before commencing trade, note any significant economic data coming out over the next 24-hours. Avoid placing entries or stop loss orders close the current price right before a major news announcement, as this can cause slippage. Best to avoid those trades. Continue reading "My Favorite Swing Trading Strategy" →