Trading GBP USD: An Overview of the Pound-Dollar Forex Pair

Well, if you look at the far right of the chart you will note that the USD CAD has a reading of -89, and USDCHF has a reading of -90. So this tells us that these two pairs have a strong inverse correlation with the GBP USD pair. Remember that this means that the price movements are correlated in the opposite direction.

  • For example, having a plan and including a schedule for your trading day will help you make more objective decisions.
  • The answer lies in the unique 24-hour, five-days-a-week operation of the Forex market.
  • You can trade CFDs on margin, borrowing from the broker to increase the size of your position relative to your initial capital investment.
  • The PPI measures inflation at the manufacturer or wholesale price level.
  • The Nigerian economy is strong and blossoming, so it provides plenty of opportunities for earning, investing, and making more money.

However, it does not mean that all the regions are open for the whole day. There are several major markets in Forex which operate at different times, according to their time zones. The main markets are in Europe (London), the US (New-York), Australia (Sydney), and Asia (Tokyo). Depending on what you would like review traders of the new era to trade, which currency pair, you will have to focus on the time slot that the needed markets operate in. Each market is open between 08 AM to 4 PM in their local times, so you would have to convert the market hours to your local time in order to determine when is the most suitable time for you to trade.

At this point, we would plot a 38% expansion of the range on both sides of the market. For the sake of clarity, we have only plotted the lower end of this measurement here, as can be seen by the olive colored line below the lower end of the opening range. Once the price breaks below and closes below this level, mercatox exchange reviews it would serve as our sell entry signal. This is why we aimed to provide instruction on the importance of the careful selection of trading time, and we hope that you will approach this part of trading responsibly. Lastly, it’s important to note that past performance does not indicate future results.

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For example, a trader may be bullish on GBP/USD, however, the trader can be at a loss of where to get into a trade, set a stop loss or where they will get out. Central Banks control monetary policy which has a significant impact on FX markets via altering the money supply and interest rates. The dashed black line above the sell entry illustrates where the stoploss placement should be set. Now that are trade is protected in case of an adverse price move, we need to shift our focus to the take profit exit point. The upper blue horizontal line represents the swing high or resistance within the range, while the lower blue horizontal line represents the swing low or support within the range. If you look at the price action closely within this created boxed area, you will note that the market was trading in a fairly range bound manner.

  • The rise in activity during overlaps creates high volatility, which can lead to an increase in trading opportunities.
  • To be successfully in Trading Currencies, especially with The Cable, the most important thing you need to do is to understand the two economies and how they work.
  • FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use.
  • Trading outside of these hours the pip movement may not be large enough to compensate for the spread and/or commissions.
  • The beauty of the Forex lies in its flexibility, one can trade whenever and wherever he wants.

For example, if you are long or buying GBP/USD, you are expecting the Pound to rise in value against the US Dollar and vice versa. Notice how after our opening range, prices continue to move sideways for the next 90 minutes or so. But shortly thereafter, selling pressure entered the market pushing prices lower, and eventually, we spotted a candle close below the lower 38% expansion level. The confirmed breakout to the downside is shown within the orange circled area. The left dotted line represents the Frankfurt open, and the right dotted line represents the London open. This is the time period we will be looking at for a potential breakout trade opportunity.

We have plotted the swing high and swing low during this opening range using the blue horizontal lines. Although they are both important, the most widely watched employment figures are those of the NFP understanding moving average indicators report, the Nonfarm Payrolls report for the United States. Any significant and unexpected deviation from analyst expectations can drive prices up or down in the GBP USD pair in a blink of an eye.

GBP/USD trading explained: How to trade GBP/USD

Well, s, during this time, both the London and New York markets are open simultaneously. The weeks around and past Christmas are as slow as August and the beginning of January is not that great as well. To be successfully in Trading Currencies, especially with The Cable, the most important thing you need to do is to understand the two economies and how they work. Without a detailed understanding of how the US and the UK economy work, you will not be able to make proper trading decisions. Below I have detailed a strategy for how to trade GBPUSD using a variation of the Big Ben set up.

New York Session: Another Window for GBP USD Trading

Many GBP traders’ schedules roughly follow exchange hours, with most of their activity occurring when Frankfurt and New York equity markets are open for business. This localization generates an increase in trading volume around midnight on the U.S. East Coast, continuing through the night and into the American lunch hour when forex trading activity can drop sharply. The GBP trades continuously from Sunday evening to Friday afternoon in the United States, offering significant opportunities for profit. However, volume and volatility vary greatly in each 24-hour cycle, with spreads widening in slow periods and narrowing during active periods. While the ability to open and close positions at any time marks a forex benefit, the majority of trading strategies work best in busy periods.

GBP-USD and EUR-USD

Even natural disasters have the power to generate this type of coordinated response, as evidenced by the 2011 Japanese tsunami. The 2020 bear market in stocks also led to dramatic swings in currency values as the carry trade collapsed. Research data from the S&P indicates that the summer months provide weak returns for most financial markets for many countries in Europe. The old adage traditionally used across London trading floors ‘Sell in May and go away’ still holds its own, according to an analysis by S&P Indices. It is the last four months of the year that contribute most to full year returns.

Currency traders must know the most active times of the trading day for liquidity and volatility purposes.Learn more about the importance of currency volatility. The first is the GDP report for both the United Kingdom and the United States. GDP is a quarterly report that measures the level of economic activity in a specific country over a specified period of time. Typically the preliminary GDP estimates affect the price of the currency pair the most, since it is the earliest to be released and provides a trader an early assessment of the country’s economic health. GBP USD is an excellent currency pair for both day trading and swing trading.

This can be particularly risky for stop orders as the execution price differs significantly from the stop level. Secondly, leverage, which allows traders to control large positions with a small amount of capital, can magnify profits and losses. It’s important to use leverage judiciously and understand its implications.

Activity During Trading Sessions Around the Globe

For instance, to trade GBP/USD using CFDs, you speculate on the direction of the underlying currency pair, without owning the underlying asset. If you think the pound will appreciate, you could take a long position by buying CFDs. If you think the pound will lose value versus the US dollar, you could take a short position by selling CFDs. It’s seen as a safe haven during times of economic and political uncertainty. For that reason, geopolitical events, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, drive investors to sell other currencies and buy the US dollar. The GBP/USD pair is often referred to as “Cable”, because information on trading the pound and dollar between London and New York was historically transmitted via telegram cables.

Understand the Two Economies

Currency traders can make an enormous amount of money by betting on the right direction. However, it is crucial to get out of the wrong side of these trades quickly. Forex allows us to trade 5.5 days a week, including Sunday, but that does not mean that every day gives an equal trading opportunity. So, the best days of the week to trade Forex are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, when the pairs receive the most action.

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