Forex software security

n overview of the security needs of Forex software

Foreign exchange software should be designed for the utmost security, privacy, integrity and if necessary, recovery of data. Clearly, any security holes can mean millions of dollars in losses.

Secured data exchange

The common method for securing the exchange of data is to encrypt it. Encryption means that the data transferred over the communication line is encoded in a special way at the sending end, and decoded using the same algorithm in reverse at the receiving end. The data that goes through the communication channel is meaningless to an eavesdropper, even if he does succeed in intercepting the data. Unless the eavesdropper can decode the data, he cannot read it. The encryption strength is dependent upon the length of the encryption key. The key that is used to encrypt/decrypt the data is a very long number. The longer the number, the harder it is, exponentially, to decode the data. Lengths of keys vary between 32, 64, 128, 256 bit and so on. The minimum length for good security is 64-bit. The problem with selecting a very long key is the computing power that is required to encode/decode the message. So selecting a very long key can mean slow processing time. Privacy and data integrity have their own software protocols but are generally handled in the same way as described above.

Data recovery

Important data should be backed up in more than one location. Physical disasters such as the 9/11 attacks or software/hardware failures should be able to be managed by backing up the data in more than one physical location.

Easy-Forex security

Easy-Forex treats the issues of data security, privacy, integrity and backup with the utmost attention and care. This is achieved through:

• Ensuring authorized access only, Easy-Forex uses two layers of top class firewall protection: one at the server level and one at the application level.
• For user authentication and data transfer, Easy-Forex uses an advanced SSL by Verisign.
• Separating the application servers (the servers that handle our clients' online activity) from the transaction information, which is stored on a different data server.
• For data recovery, integrity and replication, Easy-Forex uses two different server farms, physically located away from each other. Data must be synchronized in both locations, and thus cannot be tampered with. All of the information on the servers is encrypted.
• Each server farm has very high physical security. Armed guards are on-site 24 hours a day, and access to the premises is strictly forbidden except for authorized personnel.

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Forex software systems

An overview into modern Forex software systems and the Easy-Forex Trading Platform

Foreign Exchange (Forex) software is designed to allow end users to trade currencies online in a real time, secure, private and efficient manner.

The major issues that a foreign exchange software platform should address are:

• Real-time- providing constantly up-to-date exchange rates in increments of a few seconds. These rates, in contrast to traditional bank rates, are actual, tradable Forex quotes. Once you decide to trade on a currency you can "lock" in a rate and this will be the actual rate at which the transaction will take place.
• Security, privacy and data integrity- for any user performing financial transactions over the Internet, this is a main issue. This point is further emphasized with Forex trading software, where the amounts traded may be significant. Forex trading software must be designed with the highest level of data security, integrity and privacy. Most systems use at least one layer of at least 64-bit SSL encryption, as well as various data backup and recovery methods and procedures.
• 24x7 availability - providing updated Forex quotes 24x7 and allowing a trade any time of the week.

Web-based versus downloaded Forex software

Forex software comes in two main forms - web-based and client-side Forex software:

Web-based Forex software system

Web-based Forex software means that all the operations are performed on the vendor's website, pending user verification. That means that users are offered a familiar, web-based interface, to perform their desired operations. The advantages of such a system are:

• No need to download and install proprietary software
• Log in anywhere, anytime. A web-based system allows instant access to a user account, from any Internet connected computer.
• Familiar and friendly, web-based user interface.

Client side Forex software system

Client-side Forex software is a program that a user downloads and installs to gain access to the Forex markets. The software communicates with the vendor's server offering Forex services.

Easy-Forex Trading Platform

Easy-Forex offers a web-based Forex trading system. We believe in making foreign exchange easy, thus we offer a friendly, fast, secure, no-download, web-based Forex system to allow even the novice Forex investor easy access to the Forex markets.

With regard to our backend, Easy-Forex has two different server farms in different locations to ensure backup and recovery. Each server farm uses load-balancing software to balance the load handled by each node and to ensure an immediate, real time response to any user operation.

We accept credit cards, pending approval by the credit card company. Please read more about the robustness of our system in the sections describing the security and real-time aspects of our Forex software.

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Forex risk management strategies

Learn about the basic strategies for controlling risks while trading Forex

The Forex market behaves differently from other markets! The speed, volatility, and enormous size of the Forex market are unlike anything else in the financial world. Beware: the Forex market is uncontrollable - no single event, individual, or factor rules it. Enjoy trading in the perfect market! Just like any other speculative business, increased risk entails chances for a higher profit/loss.

Currency markets are highly speculative and volatile in nature. Any currency can become very expensive or very cheap in relation to any or all other currencies in a matter of days, hours, or sometimes, in minutes. This unpredictable nature of the currencies is what attracts an investor to trade and invest in the currency market.

But ask yourself, "How much am I ready to lose?" When you terminated, closed or exited your position, had you had understood the risks and taken steps to avoid them? Let's look at some foreign exchange risk management issues that may come up in your day-to-day foreign exchange transactions.

• Unexpected corrections in currency exchange rates
• Wild variations in foreign exchange rates
• Volatile markets offering profit opportunities
• Lost payments
• Delayed confirmation of payments and receivables
• Divergence between bank drafts received and the contract price

There are areas that every trader should cover both BEFORE and DURING a trade.

Exit the Forex market at profit targets

Limit orders, also known as profit take orders, allow Forex traders to exit the Forex market at pre-determined profit targets. If you are short (sold) a currency pair, the system will only allow you to place a limit order below the current market price because this is the profit zone. Similarly, if you are long (bought) the currency pair, the system will only allow you to place a limit order above the current market price. Limit orders help create a disciplined trading methodology and make it possible for traders to walk away from the computer without continuously monitoring the market.

Control risk by capping losses

Stop/loss orders allow traders to set an exit point for a losing trade. If you are short a currency pair, the stop/loss order should be placed above the current market price. If you are long the currency pair, the stop/loss order should be placed below the current market price. Stop/loss orders help traders control risk by capping losses. Stop/loss orders are counter-intuitive because you do not want them to be hit; however, you will be happy that you placed them! When logic dictates, you can control greed.

Where should I place my stop and limit orders?

As a general rule of thumb, traders should set stop/loss orders closer to the opening price than limit orders. If this rule is followed, a trader needs to be right less than 50% of the time to be profitable. For example, a trader that uses a 30 pip stop/loss and 100-pip limit orders, needs only to be right 1/3 of the time to make a profit. Where the trader places the stop and limit will depend on how risk-adverse he is. Stop/loss orders should not be so tight that normal market volatility triggers the order. Similarly, limit orders should reflect a realistic expectation of gains based on the market's trading activity and the length of time one wants to hold the position. In initially setting up and establishing the trade, the trader should look to change the stop loss and set it at a rate in the 'middle ground' where they are not overexposed to the trade, and at the same time, not too close to the market.

Trading foreign currencies is a demanding and potentially profitable opportunity for trained and experienced investors. However, before deciding to participate in the Forex market, you should soberly reflect on the desired result of your investment and your level of experience. Warning! Do not invest money you cannot afford to lose.

So, there is significant risk in any foreign exchange deal. Any transaction involving currencies involves risks including, but not limited to, the potential for changing political and/or economic conditions, that may substantially affect the price or liquidity of a currency.

Moreover, the leveraged nature of FX trading means that any market movement will have an equally proportional effect on your deposited funds. This may work against you as well as for you. The possibility exists that you could sustain a total loss of your initial margin funds and be required to deposit additional funds to maintain your position. If you fail to meet any margin call within the time prescribed, your position will be liquidated and you will be responsible for any resulting losses. 'Stop-loss' or 'limit' order strategies may lower an investor's exposure to risk.

Easy-Forex foreign exchange technology links around-the-clock to the world's foreign currency exchange trading floors to get the lowest foreign currency rates and to take every opportunity to make or settle a transaction.

Avoiding/lowering risk when trading Forex:

Trade like a technical analyst. Understanding the fundamentals behind an investment also requires understanding the technical analysis method. When your fundamental and technical signals point to the same direction, you have a good chance to have a successful trade, especially with good money management skills. Use simple support and resistance technical analysis, Fibonacci Retracement and reversal days. Be disciplined. Create a position and understand your reasons for having that position, and establish stop loss and profit taking levels. Discipline includes hitting your stops and not following the temptation to stay with a losing position that has gone through your stop/loss level. When you buy, buy high. When you sell, sell higher. Similarly, when you sell, sell low. When you buy, buy lower. Rule of thumb: In a bull market, be long or neutral - in a bear market, be short or neutral. If you forget this rule and trade against the trend, you will usually cause yourself to suffer psychological worries, and frequently, losses. And never add to a losing position. On Easy-Forex the trader can change their trade orders as many times as they wish free of charge, either as a stop loss or as a take profit. The trader can also close the trade manually without a stop loss or profit take order being hit. Many successful traders set their stop loss price beyond the rate at which they made the trade so that the worst that can happen is that they get stopped out and make a profit.

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Dollar-euro currency exchange

This article provides an overview of the factors affecting the leading currency pair: euro-dollar exchange, commonly expressed as EUR/USD.

The euro to dollar exchange rate is the price at which the world demand for US dollars equals the world supply of euros. Regardless of geographical origin, a rise in the world demand for euros leads to an appreciation of the euro.

Factors affecting exchange rates

Four factors are identified as fundamental determinants of the real euro to dollar exchange rate:

• The international real interest rate differential
• Relative prices in the traded and non-traded goods sectors
• The real oil price
• The relative fiscal position

The nominal bilateral dollar to euro exchange is the exchange rate that attracts the most attention. Notwithstanding the comparative importance of euro to US dollar bilateral trade links, trade with the UK is, to some extent, more important for the Euro zone than is trade with the US. The dollar and the euro have a strong predisposition to run together in the very short run, but sometimes there can be significant discrepancies. The very strong appreciation of the dollar against the euro in 2003 is one example of these discrepancies.

In the long run, the correlation between the bilateral dollar to euro exchange rate, and different measures of the effective exchange rate of Euroland, have been rather high, especially if one looks at the effective real exchange rate. As inflation is at very similar levels in the US and the Euro area, there is no need to adjust the dollar to euro rate for inflation differentials, but because the Euro zone also trades intensively with countries that have relatively high inflation rates (e.g. some countries in Central and Eastern Europe, Turkey, etc.), it is more important to downplay nominal exchange rate measures by looking at relative price and cost developments.

The fall of the dollar

The steady and orderly decline of the dollar from early 2002 to early 2004 against the euro, Australian dollar, Canadian dollar and a few other currencies (i.e., its trade-weighted average, which is what counts for purposes of trade adjustment), while significant, has still only amounted to about 10 percent.

There are two reasons why concerns about a free fall of the dollar should not be worth consideration. The first is that the US external deficit will stay high only if US growth remains vigorous. But if the US continues to grow strongly, it will also retain a strong attraction for foreign capital, which should support the dollar. The second reason is that the attempts by the monetary authorities in Asia to keep their currencies weak will probably not work.

The basic theories underlying the dollar to euro exchange rate:

Law of One Price: In competitive markets free of transportation cost barriers to trade, identical products sold in different countries must sell at the same price when the prices are stated in terms of the same currency.

Interest rate effects: If capital is allowed to flow freely, exchange rates become stable at a point where equality of interest is established.

The dual forces of supply and demand determine euro vs. dollar exchange rates. Various factors affect these two forces, which in turn affect the exchange rates:

The business environment: Positive indications (in terms of government policy, competitive advantages, market size, etc.) increase the demand for the currency, as more and more enterprises want to invest there.

Stock market: The major stock indices also have a correlation with the currency rates.

Political factors: All exchange rates are susceptible to political instability and anticipations about the new government. For example, political or financial instability in Russia is also a flag for the euro to US dollar exchange because of the substantial amount of German investments directed to Russia.

Economic data: Economic data such as labor reports (payrolls, unemployment rate and average hourly earnings), consumer price indices (CPI), producer price indices (PPI), gross domestic product (GDP), international trade, productivity, industrial production, consumer confidence etc., also affect fluctuations in currency exchange rates.

Confidence in a currency is the greatest determinant of the real euro-dollar exchange rate. Decisions are made based on expected future developments that may affect the currency. A EUR/USD exchange can operate under one of four main types of exchange rate systems:

Fully fixed exchange rates

In a fixed exchange rate system, the government (or the central bank acting on its behalf) intervenes in the currency market in order to keep the exchange rate close to a fixed target. It is committed to a single fixed exchange rate and does not allow major fluctuations from this central rate.

Semi-fixed exchange rates

Currency can move inside permitted ranges of fluctuation. The exchange rate is the dominant target of economic policy-making, interest rates are set to meet the target and the exchange rate is given a specific target.

Free floating

The value of the currency is determined solely by market supply and demand forces in the foreign exchange market. Trade flows and capital flows are the main factors affecting the exchange rate. A floating exchange rate system: Monetary system in which exchange rates are allowed to move due to market forces without intervention by national governments. For example, the Bank of England does not actively intervene in the currency markets to achieve a desired exchange rate level. With floating exchange rates, changes in market demand and supply cause a currency to change in value. Pure free floating exchange rates are rare - most governments at one time or another seek to "manage" the value of their currency through changes in interest rates and other controls.

Managed floating exchange rates

Governments normally engage in managed floating if not part of a fixed exchange rate system.

The advantages of fixed exchange rates are the disadvantages of floating rates:

Fixed rates provide greater certainty for exporters and importers and, under normal circumstances, there is less speculative activity - although this depends on whether the dealers in the foreign exchange markets regard a given fixed exchange rate as appropriate and credible.

Advantages of floating exchange rates

Fluctuations in the exchange rate can provide an automatic adjustment for countries with a large balance of payments deficit. A second key advantage of floating exchange rates is that it gives the government/monetary authorities flexibility in determining interest rates.

Trading forex can be financially rewarding when you know how to do it. Educate yourself before you start to trade.

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Forex training

An overview of suggested Forex training for the experienced and novice Forex investor

An overview of our suggestions and approach towards making you, our valued customer, far-better informed and prepared for trading.

Getting a background in the Forex market is very important so you can understand how the system works. In fact, Forex education is as important for experienced day traders as it is for beginner Forex traders. The foreign currency exchange is a massive market, and the key to success in this market is your knowledge. Forex training brings the knowledge of professionals into your personal trading maneuvers. You can learn how to understand where the Forex market is going and what controls that direction in order to make wise investing decisions. As you trade, your Forex training can truly help you become the master of your money.

To place your investment in the right currencies at the right times in a large, nonstop and worldwide trading field, there is a lot to know. Forex markets move quickly and take new directions all the time. Forex training helps you know where to enter a currency based on the direction it is taking and how to forecast that direction.

Easy-Forex training

Easy-Forex offers the best form of Forex training - a hands-on experience. For as little as USD 50 at risk per trade, start trading while learning in real-time. Easy-Forex strongly recommends starting low, and depositing an amount to cover a series of trades. Learn the basics of the foreign exchange market, trading terminology, advanced technical analysis, and how to develop successful trading strategies. Learn how the Forex market offers more opportunity for fast financial gains than almost any other market.

Clearly, in this market, it is better to be more professional and better trained. Schools, books, online seminars and the Easy-Forex guided tour, as well as the company's demo and this section of our website, are tools for the successful trader.

Training, no downloads

Use the resources on our site in your daily practice to learn how to better predict Forex market movements.

Easy-Forex is dedicated to educating our customers. Customers are trained for free. And no downloads. The training goal is to teach people specific strategies for trading currencies over the Internet. Both novice investors and expert day traders alike have benefited from our training.

Easy-Forex believes: Proper training is essential to achieve trading success. Without the proper preparation and expertise, a trader's chances of succeeding are reduced. Our free Forex training was created to teach our clients a strategy to day trade currencies. Traders that use a strategy or system to trade tremendously increase their probability of success as Forex traders. Easy-Forex offers the following Forex Training resources:

• This knowledge base that you are currently browsing
• Guided Tour on the Web site
• Information on the Web site
• Technical analysis
• Fundamental analysis
• Access to charts, news and research once you register with our system
• Last but foremost, we provide you with the knowledge and tools, and allow you to start trading Forex for as little as USD 50. This is your best actual training, and we recommend you view it as such and "play small" while you learn the market.

Easy-Forex not only advises you to start with a small amount of money, but also makes this first step easy.
- We advise you to read the Terms and Conditions - Be careful, be cautious- Read the Disclaimers and Conditions
- It's a risky business!

It should not take more that a few trades to understand the Easy-Forex Trading Platform. Ideally a new user will initially make some smaller trades to become familiar with the market and the platform. Then look to make some larger trades.

Learn at your own pace

Learn at your own pace and learn from the experiences of others who can provide insight, analyses, and information, and can help you steer clear of the pitfalls and traps awaiting new participants.

Now is the time to expand your trading knowledge! Currency markets differ from other trading markets due to time zone liquidity, specific currency-related issues, central bank activity, real and nominal interest rate differentials, and more. NOW is the time to learn and understand these factors as you enter the Forex market.

Let's learn Forex trading

• Evaluate currency trades
• Develop a market view
• Use trend analysis indicators
• Read and understand Forex charts
• Pinpoint advanced support and resistance levels
• Assess trading signals
• Identify market tops and bottoms
• Set price objectives for winning trades
• Stop losses

Hands-on Forex training

For all Forex traders, our hands-on trading means immediate access to proven trading techniques that are immediately put to use to increase profits. Whether you are a short-term, breakout, range or position trader, learn trading techniques to maximize your ability to identify low-risk/high probability trades. Our training is appropriate for a wide range of Forex traders, ranging from individuals just starting in the spot currency market to experienced professionals.

Like anything in life, you don't really get it until you jump in the water. Use the Easy-Forex Trading Margins for as little as USD 50 at risk per trade to get started. Then take the Guided Tour through the training material while you're entering and watching your first trades - because there's nothing quite like trading while you learn. This is practical, visual, hands-on training. Plus, this allows the novice to develop an understanding of basic trading techniques, risk control, and finally, opening and managing a live trading account.

Whether you are an investor who wants to learn day trading for the first time, or a day trader with stock market or futures trading experience who wants to give Forex trading a try, take the first steps here. Go through the basics of the Forex market, experience real time training with real time trading, take the Guided Tour and then trade. Our training gives new and experienced traders alike all the necessary tools to start buying and selling currencies in the foreign exchange market.

Easy-Forex offers:

• 24-hr commission-free trading in 14+ currency pairs.
• Web-based trading platform requires no download or installation.
• Guaranteed fills on stops and limits up to USD 2,000,000.
• Free access to charting, news, and research.
• 24-hour customer support via phone and web site
• Deposits accepted in multiple currencies.
• Credit card deposit facilities.
• Straightforward withdrawal procedures.

Don't attempt to trade until you are receive the education and training to become a successful trader. There are substantial earnings to be made in the foreign currency market, but trading in Forex is for the well informed.

Easy-Forex offers you a first-rate Forex trading platform and an unmatched degree of service.

Real-time dealers available 24/7

Finally, trading foreign exchange is exciting and potentially very profitable, but there are also significant risk factors. It is crucially important that you fully understand the implications of margin trading and the particular pitfalls and opportunities that foreign exchange trading offers. However, if you are ever in doubt about any aspects of a trade, you can always discuss the matter in-depth with one of our dealers. They are available 24 hours a day.

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What is Forex trading??

An overview of the foreign exchange (Forex) market

The Forex market is a nonstop cash market where currencies of nations are traded, typically via brokers. Foreign currencies are constantly and simultaneously bought and sold across local and global markets and traders' investments increase or decrease in value based upon currency movements. Foreign exchange market conditions can change at any time in response to real-time events.

The main enticements of currency dealing to private investors and attractions for short-term Forex trading are:

• 24-hour trading, 5 days a week with nonstop access to global Forex dealers.
• An enormous liquid market making it easy to trade most currencies.
• Volatile markets offering profit opportunities.
• Standard instruments for controlling risk exposure.
• The ability to profit in rising or falling markets.
• Leveraged trading with low margin requirements.
• Many options for zero commission trading.

Forex trading

The investor's goal in Forex trading is to profit from foreign currency movements. Forex trading or currency trading is always done in currency pairs. For example, the exchange rate of EUR/USD on Aug 26th, 2003 was 1.0857. This number is also referred to as a "Forex rate" or just "rate" for short. If the investor had bought 1000 euros on that date, he would have paid 1085.70 U.S. dollars. One year later, the Forex rate was 1.2083, which means that the value of the euro (the numerator of the EUR/USD ratio) increased in relation to the U.S. dollar. The investor could now sell the 1000 euros in order to receive 1208.30 dollars. Therefore, the investor would have USD 122.60 more than what he had started one year earlier. However, to know if the investor made a good investment, one needs to compare this investment option to alternative investments. At the very minimum, the return on investment (ROI) should be compared to the return on a "risk-free" investment. One example of a risk-free investment is long-term U.S. government bonds since there is practically no chance for a default, i.e. the U.S. government going bankrupt or being unable or unwilling to pay its debt obligation.

When trading currencies, trade only when you expect the currency you are buying to increase in value relative to the currency you are selling. If the currency you are buying does increase in value, you must sell back the other currency in order to lock in a profit. An open trade (also called an open position) is a trade in which a trader has bought or sold a particular currency pair and has not yet sold or bought back the equivalent amount to close the position.

However, it is estimated that anywhere from 70%-90% of the FX market is speculative. In other words, the person or institution that bought or sold the currency has no plan to actually take delivery of the currency in the end; rather, they were solely speculating on the movement of that particular currency.

Exchange rate

Because currencies are traded in pairs and exchanged one against the other when traded, the rate at which they are exchanged is called the exchange rate. The majority of the currencies are traded against the US dollar (USD). The four next-most traded currencies are the euro (EUR), the Japanese yen (JPY), the British pound sterling (GBP) and the Swiss franc (CHF). These five currencies make up the majority of the market and are called the major currencies or "the Majors". Some sources also include the Australian dollar (AUD) within the group of major currencies.

The first currency in the exchange pair is referred to as the base currency and the second currency as the counter or quote currency. The counter or quote currency is thus the numerator in the ratio, and the base currency is the denominator. The value of the base currency (denominator) is always 1. Therefore, the exchange rate tells a buyer how much of the counter or quote currency must be paid to obtain one unit of the base currency. The exchange rate also tells a seller how much is received in the counter or quote currency when selling one unit of the base currency. For example, an exchange rate for EUR/USD of 1.2083 specifies to the buyer of euros that 1.2083 USD must be paid to obtain 1 euro.

At any given point, time and place, if an investor buys any currency and immediately sells it - and no change in the exchange rate has occurred - the investor will lose money. The reason for this is that the bid price, which represents how much will be received in the counter or quote currency when selling one unit of the base currency, is always lower than the ask price, which represents how much must be paid in the counter or quote currency when buying one unit of the base currency. For instance, the EUR/USD bid/ask currency rates at your bank may be 1.2015/1.3015, representing a spread of 1000 pips (also called points, one pip = 0.0001), which is very high in comparison to the bid/ask currency rates that online Forex investors commonly encounter, such as 1.2015/1.2020, with a spread of 5 pips. In general, smaller spreads are better for Forex investors since even they require a smaller movement in exchange rates in order to profit from a trade.

Margin

Banks and/or online trading providers need collateral to ensure that the investor can pay in case of a loss. The collateral is called the margin and is also known as minimum security in Forex markets. In practice, it is a deposit to the trader's account that is intended to cover any currency trading losses in the future.

Margin enables private investors to trade in markets that have high minimum units of trading by allowing traders to hold a much larger position than their account value. Margin trading also enhances the rate of profit, but has the tendency to inflate rates of loss, on top of systemic risk.

Leveraged financing

Leveraged financing, i.e., the use of credit, such as a trade purchased on a margin, is very common in Forex. The loan/leveraged in the margined account is collateralized by your initial deposit. This may result in being able to control USD 100,000 for as little as USD 1,000.

Five ways private investors can trade in Forex directly or indirectly:

• The spot market
• Forwards and futures
• Options
• Contracts for difference
• Spread betting

A spot transaction

A spot transaction is a straightforward exchange of one currency for another. The spot rate is the current market price, also called the benchmark price. Spot transactions do not require immediate settlement, or payment "on the spot." The settlement date, or "value date," is the second business day after the "deal date" (or "trade date") on which the transaction is agreed to by the two traders. The two-day period provides time to confirm the agreement and arrange the clearing and necessary debiting and crediting of bank accounts in various international locations.

Risks

Although Forex trading can lead to very profitable results, there are risks involved: exchange rate risks, interest rate risks, credit risks, and country risks. Approximately 80% of all currency transactions last a period of seven days or less, while more than 40% last fewer than two days. Given the extremely short lifespan of the typical trade, technical indicators heavily influence entry, exit and order placement decisions.

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Day trading with gold and silver

New at Easy-Forex™:
Day trading with gold and silver
Easy-Forex™ enables its clients to perform DAY-TRADING in gold and silver rates against the US dollar.

The gold symbol is XAU, the silver symbol is XAG.

The price of gold refers to its price per ounce in USD. For example, if the price is 612.97, it means that an ounce of gold is traded for USD 612.97. Similarly, the price of silver as well refers to its price per ounce in USD. For example, if the price is 11.853, it means that an ounce of silver is traded for USD 11.853.

There are several weighing methods in the precious metals and stones markets, where the most common is TROY (a TROY ounce equals approximately 31.10 grams; where an AV ounce equals approximately 28.35 grams).

The trading with gold and silver rates is performed as it is done with foreign currencies, by the OTC method (over the counter). That means that the trading is performed directly between the two involved parties, and not via a third party which consolidates the trade (such as an exchange market).

Trading with gold or silver rates, as with foreign currency rates, is non-delivery trading, which does not require the "physical" purchase or sale of the "commodity".

Easy-Forex™ clients and traders, who wish to perform Day-Trading with gold or silver rates, will regard the gold (XAU) and silver (XAG) just as they treat any other foreign currency, however – the trade is done only against the US dollar (USD).
Please note that gold and silver rates are traded worldwide between 01:00-17:30 GMT, Monday through Friday, and that spreads are usually higher during after-hours.

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