I’m often surprised when I get talking with new ( and usually short-term ) traders – how little they really know or understand of the fundamentals, or of some of the “general under currents” running through currency markets.
At times I really do shake my head, wondering “How on Earth could one expect to have any success at this without spending the time, and making the effort to better understand what’s “really behind” a given currency move? and “what role that currency plays” in the grand scheme of things.
Seeing these low volume / large price moves in a number of currencies over the past 24 hours “should” push a trader to really test his/her skills and knowledge – in learning to differentiate what’s moving, in which direction – and “why”?
A simple example. The Australian Dollar. A strong currency or a weak currency? And then – why the hell would it be moving higher in the current investment environment? Ask yourself these questions BEFORE you consider entering a trade.
Hmmm let’s see..how bout the Reserve Bank of Australia outright stating they WANT a lower Aussie? Further “rate cuts” expected in Q1 2014? How bout some weaker than expected numbers ( not to mention some pretty serious debt/banking concerns ) out of China? Let alone the “old standard” carry trade coming off “should” risk aversion appear ( yes people “risk aversion” remember that? – the opposite of “risk appetite”?), the normal market dynamic where things go “down for a while” instead of “up all the time”?
Point being…..there are no “strong currencies” as the race for the bottom is still very much in play, and will continue to remain the market driver in months to come. You’ll need to see reports of strong economic growth “globally” and countries “raising interest” rates to even consider a time to be looking for “strong currencies” – and I can assure you THAT won’t be happening any time soon.
I continue to marvel as people “see what they want to see”, but the newsflash here, is that we are moving towards a period of “slowing and contraction” not “growth and expansion” so…..I guess you can read your headlines….and I’ll “write” mine.