Today’s guide will teach you exactly what currency pairs are, including how and why they move.
I’ll also share my favorite pairs to trade, and which ones to avoid.
So if you’re trying to figure out which currency pairs you should be trading, this guide is for you.
Let’s begin!
Table of Contents
What is a Forex Currency Pair?
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, it’s important that you understand what a currency pair is and how it moves.
As you might have guessed from its name, each pair involves two currencies. In this way, the value of one currency is compared to and is thus relative to the currency it’s paired against.
If that sounds confusing don’t worry, it will be abundantly clear by the time you finish this section.
The first currency in the pair is the “base currency” and the second is the “quote currency.”
This naming convention is the same regardless of the currency pair you’re trading.
You get the idea. Now let’s explore the two terms in greater detail.
Base currency
The base currency is the one that is quoted first in a currency pair.
Using EURUSD as an example, the Euro would be the base currency. Similarly, the base currency of GBPUSD is the British pound (GBP).
Quote currency
By process of elimination, you know that the quote currency is the one that comes second in a pairing.
For both the EURUSD and the GBPUSD, the US dollar is the quote currency.
How to Make Money From Forex Pairs
There are essentially two ways in which any currency pair can move higher or lower.
- The base currency can strengthen or weaken
- The quote currency can strengthen or weaken
Because the Forex market never sleeps and thus currency values are always changing, both the base currency and quote currency are in a constant state of flux.
In our example, if the Euro (base currency) were to strengthen while the US dollar remained static, the EURUSD would rise. Conversely, if the Euro weakened the pair would fall, all things being equal.
If on the other hand, the US dollar (quote currency) were to strengthen, the EURUSD would fall. And if the USD weakened, the currency pair would rally as the Euro would gain relative strength against its US dollar pairing.
All of the hypotheticals above assume that nothing else has changed for the pair.
Here’s a visual of the relationship. In this instance, the Euro is strengthening against the US dollar.
Not surprisingly, the next example is the EURUSD in a bear market. Here the Euro is weakening against the US dollar.
Pretty simple, right?
If you’re already familiar with the content so far, don’t worry, we’ll be getting into more advanced territory shortly.
As you can imagine, the velocity of any move depends on the relationship between the two currencies. For instance, if one is strengthening while the other is weakening, the move will be more pronounced than if only one currency is on the move.
Last but not least, it’s important to remember that the relationship between the base and quote currency is always changing. So just because the EURUSD is rallying in the current session doesn’t mean it will be tomorrow or even one hour from now.
Do You Buy or Sell Currencies?
One area that often confuses traders is the idea of buying and selling currencies.
In the stock market, you can either buy (and sometimes sell) shares of stock. There are no pairings, and the value of one stock is not dependent on that of another.
However, in the Forex market, all currencies are paired together. So when you’re ready to place a trade, are you buying or selling?
The answer is both.
For example, if you sell the EURUSD (also referred to as going “short”), you are simultaneously selling the Euro and buying the US dollar.
Conversely, if you buy the EURUSD (also referred to as going “long”), you are buying the Euro and selling the US dollar.
Make sense?
If not, feel free to review this section as many times as necessary.
To clarify, this does not mean you have to place two orders if you want to buy or sell a currency pair.
As a retail trader, all you need to know is whether you want to go long or short. Your broker handles everything else behind the scenes.
There’s also only one price for each pair. Remember that a currency’s value depends on the currency sitting next to it.
Alright, so we’ve breezed through several terms and concepts when it comes to trading Forex currency pairs.
At this point, you should have a firm understanding of what a currency pair is as well as the dynamics of buying and selling.
If not, feel free to review the material above as many times as necessary before moving on.
Now it’s time for the meat and potatoes of the lesson.
Currency Pairs List
This is my favorite part because now we get to dig into the various classifications of currency pairs. And later, I’ll uncover the pairs that are affected by changing commodity prices as well as a few of the safe haven currencies.
Don’t know what those are?
No problem. By the time you finish this section, you’ll be a currency guru!
Major Currency Pairs
Major currency pairs are to the Forex market what Apple and Amazon are to the stock market.
They are by far the most popular and therefore the most liquid.
Currency Pair | Countries | Currency Name |
---|---|---|
EUR/USD | Eurozone / United States | Euro / US dollar |
USD/JPY | United States / Japan | US dollar / Japanese yen |
GBP/USD | United Kingdom / United States | British pound (sterling) / US dollar |
USD/CHF | United States / Switzerland | US dollar / Swiss franc |
USD/CAD | United States / Canada | US dollar / Canadian dollar |
AUD/USD | Australia / United States | Australia dollar / US dollar |
NZD/USD | New Zealand / United States | New Zealand dollar / US dollar |
Notice a trend?
Every major currency pair includes the US dollar. So if you ever see a pair that doesn’t involve the USD, it isn’t a major.
Everyone wants to trade the Forex majors listed above. Mostly because they’re the most popular, and who doesn’t want to put their money in the most traditional assets?
But here’s the thing…
The major pairs are not the end all be all when it comes to trading Forex.
It’s important to remember that there are dozens of pairs at your disposal.
While it is true that these are the most traded and are therefore the most liquid, popularity doesn’t pay the bills, favorable setups do. And unless your trading account is the size of Warren Buffett’s bank account, you don’t need the majors.
What in the heck am I talking about, you ask?
I’m referring to the well-known fact that everyone wants to trade the major currency pairs regardless of what the price action looks like at any given time.
For example, if the EURUSD has been choppy for weeks and isn’t producing anything favorable, you’re probably better off looking elsewhere.
But instead what I see quite often are folks trying to force trades on the EURUSD, GBPUSD, etc. simply because it’s what everyone else is doing.
This is one reason why I’m not an advocate of mastering one or two currency pairs at a time. In fact, making this mistake can quickly lead to forcing trades and overtrading.
I’ll expand on this idea shortly.
Minor Currency Pairs and Cross Currencies
So if the major pairs include the US dollar, we can infer that minor currency pairs are those that do not include the US dollar.
Pretty straight forward, right?
Now, here’s where some traders get confused. The truth is, there are far more currency crosses than there are minor pairs.
A lot of folks make the mistake of thinking that a minor to be any pair that doesn’t include the US dollar.
This is false.
A currency cross is any pair that doesn’t include the US dollar.
Minor currency pairs, on the other hand, make up a fraction of the crosses that are available for trading.
In other words, all minors are crosses, but not all crosses are minors.
Let’s define these two terms before we go on.
Currency Crosses
It’s time to clear up some confusion I see quite often around the web regarding minor pairs and currency crosses.
A currency cross is any pair that does not include the US dollar. As such, these pairings don’t offer nearly as much liquidity as the majors we discussed earlier.
A minor pair, on the other hand, is a major currency cross. As you now know, a cross doesn’t include the US dollar. Therefore, these minors are comprised of the Euro (EUR), British pound (GBP) and the Japanese yen (JPY).
Got it?
If it’s all a little fuzzy at the moment, don’t worry. The tables below should help to clear things up.
Euro Crosses
Currency Pair | Countries | Currency Name |
---|---|---|
EUR/GBP | Eurozone / United Kingdom | Euro / British pound (sterling) |
EUR/AUD | Eurozone / Australia | Euro / Australian dollar |
EUR/NZD | Eurozone / New Zealand | Euro / New Zealand dollar |
EUR/CAD | Eurozone / Canada | Euro / Canadian dollar |
EUR/CHF | Eurozone / Switzerland | Euro / Swiss franc |
Japanese Yen Crosses
Currency Pair | Countries | Currency Name |
---|---|---|
EUR/JPY | Eurozone / Japan | Euro / Japanese yen |
GBP/JPY | United Kingdom / Japan | British pound (sterling) / Japanese yen |
AUD/JPY | Australia / Japan | Australian dollar / Japanese yen |
NZD/JPY | New Zealand / Japan | New Zealand dollar / Japanese yen |
CAD/JPY | Canada / Japan | Canadian dollar / Japanese yen |
CHF/JPY | Switzerland / Japan | Swiss franc / Japanese yen |
British Pound Crosses
Currency Pair | Countries | Currency Name |
---|---|---|
GBP/AUD | United Kingdom / Australia | British pound (sterling) / Australian dollar |
GBP/NZD | United Kingdom / New Zealand | British pound (sterling) / New Zealand dollar |
GBP/CAD | United Kingdom / Canada | British pound (sterling) / Canadian dollar |
GBP/CHF | United Kingdom / Switzerland | British pound (sterling) / Swiss franc |
Other Crosses
Currency Pair | Countries | Currency Name |
---|---|---|
AUD/NZD | Australia / New Zealand | Australian dollar / New Zealand dollar |
AUD/CAD | Australia / Canada | Australian dollar / Canadian dollar |
AUD/CHF | Australia / Switzerland | Australian dollar / Swiss franc |
NZD/CAD | New Zealand / Canada | New Zealand dollar / Canadian dollar |
NZD/CHF | New Zealand / Switzerland | New Zealand dollar / Swiss franc |
CAD/CHF | Canada / Switzerland | Canadian dollar / Swiss franc |
But if the major currency pairs get most of the attention and carry the most liquidity, why would anyone want to trade minor currency pairs and especially crosses?
Make no mistake, while the daily volume for these crosses is less than the majors, they are certainly not illiquid by any means.
In fact, many of the major crosses average more daily volume than some stock exchanges.
Remember that the foreign exchange market is the most liquid financial market in the world, so even some of the less popular currencies are extremely liquid.
Exotic currency pairs
The exotic currency pairs are the least traded in the Forex market and are therefore less liquid than even the crosses we just discussed.
And while the liquidity of the exotic pairs is more than enough to absorb most orders, the “thin” order flow often leads to choppy price action.
Additionally, the technical analysis we like to use here at Daily Price Action is less reliable. As a general rule of thumb, the more liquid a market is, the more you can rely on the technicals.
So what are these exotic currency pairs, you ask?
Abbreviation | Country | Abbreviation | Country |
---|---|---|---|
AED | UAE Dirham | ARS | Argentinean Peso |
AFN | Afghanistan Afghani | GEL | Georgian Lari |
MYR | Malaysian Ringgit | AMD | Armenian Dram |
GYD | Guyanese Dollar | MZN | Mozambique new Metical |
AWG | Aruban Florin | IDR | Indonesian Rupiah |
OMR | Omani Rial | AZN | Azerbaijan New Manat |
IQD | Iraqi Dinar | QAR | Qatari Rial |
BHD | Bahraini Dinar | IRR | Iranian Rial |
SLL | Sierra Leone Leone | BWP | Botswana Pula |
JOD | Jordanian Dinar | TJS | Tajikistani Somoni |
BYR | Belarusian Ruble | KGS | Kyrgyzstanian Som |
TMT | Turkmenistan new Manat | CDF | Congolese Franc |
LBP | Lebanese Pound | TZS | Tanzanian Schilling |
DZD | Algerian Dinar | LRD | Liberian Dollar |
UZS | Uzbekistan Som | EGP | Egyptian Pound |
MAD | Moroccan Dirham | WST | Samoan Tala |
EEK | Estonian Kroon | MNT | Mongolian Tugrik |
MWK | Malawi Kwacha | ETB | Ethiopian Birr |
THB | Thai Baht | TRY | New Turkish Lira |
ZAR | South African Rand | ZWD | Zimbabwe Dollar |
BRL | Brazilian Real | CLP | Chilean Peso |
CNY | Chinese Yuan Renminbi | CZK | Czech Koruna |
HKD | Hong Kong Dollar | HUF | Hungarian Forint |
ILS | Israeli Shekel | INR | Indian Rupee |
ISK | Icelandic Krona | KRW | South Korean Won |
KWD | Kuwaiti Dinar | MXN | Mexican Peso |
PHP | Philippine Peso | PKR | Pakistani Rupee |
PLN | Polish Zloty | RUB | Russian Ruble |
SAR | Saudi Arabian Riyal | SGD | Singaporean Dollar |
TWD | Taiwanese Dollar |
While the table above is fairly comprehensive, it is by no means a complete listing of every exotic currency in the world. However, it does cover some of the most popular of the less popular exotics.
But before you rush off to add this basket of currencies to your trading platform, there are a few things you should know.
Liquidity Concerns When Trading Exotic Pairs
As I mentioned earlier, these Forex exotics are less liquid than their more standard counterparts. And while most of them can easily support the majority of retail orders, the lack of volume can adversely affect the spread between the bid and the ask.
Also, in my experience, the study of technical analysis works best in highly liquid markets. This is one reason why I made the transition from equities to Forex in 2007.
Because the exotic currency pairs lack sufficient liquidity, at least compared to that of other pairs, the accuracy of technical analysis can suffer. So even if you find a pair that has a favorable spread, the lower volume may adversely affect your trading performance.
Limited Historical Data
At least two or three times a week I scan back several years on a particular currency pair. This is especially true if I’m on the fence about a key support or resistance level.
For those who have always traded the majors and crosses, the ability to view historical data is something you’ve come to expect.
However, if you trade the exotics listed above, you may not have that luxury.
Some of these currencies simply haven’t been around long enough to establish a significant track record.
In other cases, your broker may not offer the data. Remember that these exotics are far less popular than even the crosses, so some brokers decide that storing and updating the data simply isn’t worth their resources.
Choppy Price Action
This is perhaps the number one reason I avoid most exotic currency pairs like the plague.
While you may be able to find a few that have favorable movement, for the most part, they are extremely choppy.
They’re also the most volatile currency pairs to trade.
Here’s an example of ZARJPY. As you know from the currency tables above, that’s the South African rand versus the Japanese yen.
As you can see, the price action above is less than ideal. And keep in mind that the ZARJPY is relatively “mild” in terms of the chop you might see on any given day.
Opportunity Cost
Last but certainly not least is the opportunity cost associated with trading exotic currency pairs.
What does this mean, exactly?
It means that if you were to take a trade on the EURTRY (Euro / Turkish Lira), you’re tying up a portion of your capital that could be used elsewhere. You now have a level of exposure that you didn’t have 5 minutes ago.
As such, you are now somewhat limited in what you can do should a favorable setup arise on a more liquid pair such as the EURUSD or the USDCAD.
Of course, you could make the same case about any position, but with dozens of other currency pairs at your disposal, you certainly have to weigh the opportunity cost associated with trading a less liquid market.
The Three Commodity Pairs (What You Need to Know)
As the name implies, commodity currencies are those that rely on their respective country’s export activities.
Developing countries such as Burundi and Tanzania are among them. However, it also applies to countries such as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Although there are several others on the list, the only commodity currency pairs that you need to know for this lesson are USDCAD, AUDUSD, and NZDUSD.
You should know that the Canadian, Australian and New Zealand dollar are also known as the commodity dollars, or “comdolls.”
Let’s take a look at each pair in detail.
USDCAD
The US dollar versus the Canadian dollar is one of the more sensitive commodity currency pairs. This sensitivity is due to the vast amount of natural resources that flow from Canada, much of which makes its way to the United States.
Among these natural resources is oil, which is a primary export for Canada and one that is vital to the health of the global economy.
In fact, Canada exports over 2 million barrels a day to the US alone. This high dependency on the commodity as an export makes the Canadian dollar vulnerable to fluctuations in the price of oil.
Although the correlation is never static, over the last ten to fifteen years, the Canadian dollar has held a positive correlation to oil of more than 75% on average.
Source: https://fred.stlouisfed.org
This relationship means that when oil rises the Canadian dollar strengthens. Conversely, when oil depreciates so too does the CAD.
Because the CAD is our quote currency in USDCAD (remember, it’s the second in the pairing), the currency pair has an inverse correlation to oil.
AUDUSD
Australia is one of the world’s largest exporters of gold. In fact, as of 2014 the country was the second largest gold producer only second to China.
Here’s a chart showing how the Aussie dollar has tracked gold prices over time.
Source: https://fred.stlouisfed.org
So as you might expect, just like oil exports heavily influence the Canadian dollar, the Australian dollar is at the mercy of the country’s gold exports.
Why does this matter?
It matters because investors tend to flock to gold during times of economic unrest. And if the Australian dollar tracks gold prices, then there’s a good chance that the Aussie will also capitulate during hard economic times.
But if this is true, why did the AUDUSD plummet during the 2008 global financial crisis?
That’s a great question, and we find the answer once we dig into the “safe haven” status that the US dollar often brings to the table.
During times of economic uncertainty or struggle, investors tend to favor the US dollar. So even though the Aussie was riding the gold wave at the time (which wasn’t very impressive as you’ll see below), the US dollar was strengthening at a faster pace.
The Australian dollar also tends to track equities, so when these markets began to capitulate back in 2008 so too did the AUD.
Remember, all value is relative in the currency market.
NZDUSD
Despite the small size of New Zealand, the small island nation has an abundance of natural resources. However, the country’s significant agricultural presence is what attracts the “commodity currency” label.
These resources combined with the massive international trade and it’s little wonder why the New Zealand dollar is affected by global commodity prices.
However, unlike the Canadian dollar or Australian dollar, the NZD isn’t typically tied to the fluctuations of one commodity.
Rather, the currency is affected by a basket of commodities and is one of the top exporters of milk, meat, and fruits.
Safe Haven Currencies
A safe haven is any asset that has a strong likelihood of retaining its value or even increasing in value during market downturns.
Gold
One of the most popular safe havens is in the form of a metal rather than a currency. But contrary to popular belief, gold isn’t a great performer during economic uncertainty or even recessionary periods.
During the 2008 global crisis, for example, gold was locked into a range and really only managed to move sideways with slight gains seen towards the end of the recession.
Note: The gray area represents the unofficial start and end of the 2008 crisis
Of course, as you can see from the chart above, the longer-term appreciation of gold as a safe haven can be quite considerable and should therefore not be underestimated.
Swiss Franc (CHF)
In the Forex market, the Swiss franc (CHF) is considered a safe haven currency, hence the reason the USDCHF experienced mixed results during the 2008 period.
Notice how although the US dollar gained against the franc in late 2008, the results weren’t nearly as substantial or lasting as something like the AUDUSD chart above or any one of the yen pairings below.
US Dollar (USD)
The US dollar often enjoys the same “safety net” status, however, when matched up against a more formidable safe haven, the currency tends to move lower during times of economic unrest. The USDJPY chart below is a perfect example.
Remember that if the quote currency experiences heavy appreciation, the pair is likely to move lower over time.
Japanese Yen (JPY)
Last but certainly not least is the Japanese yen, another currency that has a long history of safe haven status.
Notice how the yen crosses below fared during the 2008 meltdown.
USDJPY
GBPJPY
AUDJPY
As you can see, the Japanese yen appreciated massively against all three of its counterparts above.
Over the years the yen has been one of the more consistent safe haven currencies, which has made it my go-to currency when fear begins to grip global markets.
But just because an asset held its value or appreciated during the last market downturn does not mean it will behave in the same manner in the future.
The ever-changing nature of the financial markets doesn’t offer guarantees such as this. However, the assets mentioned above do have a history of retaining their value when things turn sour.
Forex Correlations
If you only remember one thing from this lesson, let this be it.
A currency pair’s correlation refers to the similarities shared by various pairings. These commonalities lead to both positive and negative associations.
For example, under normal circumstances, the EURUSD and the USDCHF are negatively correlated. In other words, if the EURUSD ends the day higher by 100 pips, chances are the USDCHF finished the day lower.
An example of two positively correlated pairs would be EURUSD and GBPUSD. In our previous example, if the EURUSD ends the session higher by 100 pips, it’s likely that GBPUSD also ended the day higher.
So you get the idea. Again, pretty basic stuff but yet essential knowledge if you wish you achieve consistent profits in the Forex market.
Why is it so important, you ask?
Because managing risk is your number one job as a trader. And if you aren’t familiar with these currency correlations, you can inadvertently double your risk.
For example, if you sell the EURUSD and buy the USDCHF, you have essentially doubled your risk.
At the same time, if you were to buy both currency pairs, you’ve contradicted yourself. For example, if you sell two negatively correlated pairs, chances are only one of the two trades will be successful.
So what is a Forex trader to do?
You should check the Forex correlations table before trading.
What’s nice about the chart above is that it’s divided into various time frames. This separation makes it easy to determine how one currency pair correlates to another and if you’re approach makes sense from a risk to reward perspective.
Most Popular Forex Currency Pairs
The most popular currency pairs are also the ones I trade the most.
And that’s by design, considering these pairs respect key levels the best and have the most liquidity.
The most popular Forex pairs are:
EUR/USD | GBP/USD | EUR/GBP | USD/CHF | AUD/USD | NZD/USD | USD/CAD | USD/JPY |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EUR/CAD | GBP/CAD | AUD/CAD | NZD/CAD | EUR/AUD | GBP/AUD | EUR/NZD | GBP/NZD |
AUD/NZD | EUR/JPY | GBP/JPY | AUD/JPY | NZD/JPY | CAD/JPY |
So which pair is my favorite to trade?
Honestly, I don’t have favorites. I’m an opportunist so rather than favoring particular currencies, I gravitate toward favorable technical patterns.
This is why you’ll often see me commenting on all of these pairs in the daily setups, including the occasional minor currency pair.
I enjoy trading the majors, but I certainly don’t discriminate should a compelling setup arise on something less liquid.
With that said, the pairs I started with back in 2007 are highlighted in the table above. These were my go-to currency pairs back then, and many still are today with a particular emphasis on the AUDUSD and the NZDUSD.
Final Words About Forex Currency Pairs
Wow, this lesson is now over 4,000 words. Who knew someone could write so much about Forex currency pairs?
But seriously, I’ve always said that the process of becoming a great Forex trader is more important than the destination. And if you want to become consistently profitable, it’s essential that you understand everything there is to know about the currency pairs you’re trading.
Many traders make the mistake of skipping these necessary steps before putting their hard-earned money at risk.
As they say, knowledge is power. And nothing is more powerful for a trader than understanding the currency pairs that make up the Forex market.
I sincerely hope this lesson has answered any question you may have had. As always, if I missed something, please let me know in the comments section below.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a currency pair in Forex?
A currency pair is a pairing of currencies where the value of one is relative to the other. For instance, EURUSD is the value of the euro relative to the U.S. dollar.
How many currency pairs exist?
There are hundreds of currency pairs in existence. The exact number is difficult to come by as some exotic pairs come and go each year.
What are the major currency pairs?
Major currency pairs (or just majors) are those that include the U.S. dollar. EURUSD, USDJPY, GBPUSD, USDCHF, USDCAD, AUDUSD, and NZDUSD are all majors.
What are the currency crosses?
Currency crosses (or cross currencies) are the more liquid currencies that do not include the U.S. dollar in their pairing. Note that these are NOT exotics like the Iraqi Dinar (IQD). Crosses include EURGBP, EURCAD, GBPJPY, CADJPY, GBPAUD, etc.
Your Turn
What currency pairs do you trade? Did I miss anything?
I’d love to hear from you so be sure to drop me a line in the comments section below. I always make it a point to respond.
Its nice and good explanation thanks dear
You’re welcome, Majid.
Very informative. Thank you so much.
You’re very welcome, Stephen. I’m pleased you enjoyed the lesson.
Thnx a lot so can u contact me on phone please
You’re welcome, Lekhetho. Please use the contact form (https://dailypriceaction.com/contact), and we can schedule a phone call that way.
Justin,
Emerging currencies are good if they are in trend and your broker has lower spread (ZAR, MXN, PLN, NOK/SEK). CADCHF is a good pair, Its tooooo slow sometimes but follow Price Action.
Shaon, yes, they can be traded, but there are important factors that should be considered before doing so.
Congratulations!!! Exellent explanation of the importance of the dynamics of pairs of forex currencies.
Much appreciated, Cesário. This one took a while to put together, but it looks like it was well worth it. 🙂 Let me know if you have any questions.
Great article, very informative. Thanks
Rachel, glad to hear you enjoyed it. Feel free to reach out with any questions. Cheers.
Superb explanation.. Thank you sir.. I hope I can be a good trader like you one day..
Thanks, Simo. And you’re very welcome. Let me know if you have any questions.
its a WOW from me and i’m so glad to have learned of some things i was not aware of in the markets. Specifically, the correlated pairs. I have about 2 months trading and i cannot say things are good but from the information you have shared, i would most definitely avoid making most of the mistakes. I have a question though, do you not trade the News at all, as far as your setups are concerned?
Veli, thanks for the kind words and the feedback. As for how I structure trade setups, I don’t pay attention to the results of fundamental events; only the technicals matter to me. Feel free to email me if you have any other questions.
This must be the most comprehensive piece of information on currency pairs i’ve come across. This article would probably make it into someone’e forex trading ebook in a paid course. So thanks you for taking the time to write it and then offering it free of charge. Personally i have struggled with correlations as it often brought more questions than answers. I understand with more clarity now. best regards Justin!
Ramesh, many thanks for the feedback and glad I could help. Let me know if you have any questions.
Do you use Forex Tester 3?
Guenter, no, I don’t, but then I’m also no longer backtesting (nor do I believe in it as a way to verify a strategy).
Fantastic lesson ,clear and very informative. You are a great teacher. Thanks
That’s what I like to hear. Thanks, Prakash. Let me know if you have any questions.
I love this write up,
Glad to hear that. Cheers.
Hi Justin
Great explanation, just one question, about the strength and the weakness of a currency, the strength meters indicators can help to get the right direction?
Thanks
Regards
Claudio
Pleased to hear that, Claudio. I’m not sure what you mean by “strength meter” but no tool or indicator will allow you to know the future direction of any market. It’s all based on probabilities.
Good write up, thanks.
Appreciate that, Otunuga, and you’re welcome.
Very informative. Thanks Justin
Great to hear, Makhosonke. You’re very welcome.
Im may too new in Forex. Amazing how you manage you time? To do analysis, write articles, post it and keep trading. But really good and looks there always to be to learn something new.
Thank you Justin
You’re welcome, Aigars. I pull a lot of 12 hour days between here and the member’s area, but it never feels like work because I love what I do. Also, because I trade from the higher time frames, trading for my account takes less than an hour a day.
Very nice article indeed about currency pairs. Keep up the good work. We can learn so many things.
Thanks for the kind words and thanks for commenting. Cheers.
I Like you emails it helps to have a second opinion on where I am thinking about trading. It makes me have a second look are even different angle before I place trade. Thank you for info
Gerard, that’s a good way to approach the content I put out. Thanks for sharing.
That was tremendously helpful and has definitely shed light on some grey areas I had.
Thank you very much.
My pleasure, Shaz. It’s one of those “basic” topics, but it never hurts to brush up on things.
You simply laid it bare. Readi it all up has really made me review my trading choice process.
Thank you for your time in putting this all together. God bless you.
You’re most welcome.
Very informative my brda. Is it possible to email me some useful information with regards to forex like the ebooks and stuff. Tank u
Sifiso, I don’t have any ebooks but you may want to sign up for the free pin bar course if you haven’t already.
Very nice post Bennett sir, Touch with us very frequently please. We want regular basis analysis for all Major pair. Thanks in advance.
Arun, thank you. As for the analysis, I usually post twice a day. 🙂
Awesome article. very informative. What are your thoughts on parallel channels. I see from your daily price action you use tend lines . Your thought on the market has a memory?
Much appreciated, Tim. There’s no doubt in my mind that the markets have a memory. As for equidistant channels, they’re one of my favorite patterns; I’ve written about it here: https://dailypriceaction.com/free-forex-trading-lessons/how-to-trade-equidistant-channels
Thanks Justin, for your high quality information and presentation.
You’re welcome, Peter.
I’m already a member of DPA, and the only difference between the pairs you trade and what I trade, are the USDCHF which I don’t trade, and the AUDNZD, which I do trade. Good information for newbies. Two thumbs up.
Thanks, Peter. I do trade the AUDNZD but apparently forgot to include it in the table. I’ll be updating it shortly. Thanks for commenting.
Well explained concept of Forex trading. Pls, how do you combine your technical analyses with the fundamentals analysis?
Rotimi, pleased you enjoyed the lesson. I don’t use fundamentals, only technicals.
Much of what you wrote I have learned by trial and error, mostly error. these are important things to know when you are trying to sort out a candlestick chart and discovering what the meanings are. great job. Can I print it?
Thanks, Dale. You’re free to print it for personal use, but it might not turn out great. However, I am working on a PDF “cheat sheet” that will list the currency pairs in this lesson. Stay tuned for that and thanks for sharing.
Very informative. Thank you so much.
You’re welcome, Sunil. It’s my pleasure.
Good basic information; it reminded me to re-visit a couple of topics I’d forgotten about. A couple of questions…I don’t see AUDNZD on your list, but you sent out a trade idea for that pair a couple of days ago….? Also, using the mataf.net correlation chart, what values do you want to see before you’re satisfied with the level of correlation? Thanks!
Laurie, yes, another reader pointed that out so I’ll be updating the table shortly. As for the correlation table, the instructions are at the top of the page.
Hi Justin, very informative – much appreciated. Thanks.
My pleasure, Rajesh. Let me know if you think of any questions. Cheers.
Thank u Justin very informative i learned a lot .YOU my guru Again it is what a forex trader must know
Piet, glad to hear you learned a lot from the lesson. Cheers.
This lesson taught me a lot that I did not know. I am a beginner and I need all this knowledge. They dont come this easy and less expensive. I appreciate your lesson.
Mduduzi, pleased to hear you enjoyed the lesson. Be sure to reach out if you have any questions.
GBP/JPY that is good lesson ………………..
Good and clear explanation, i appreciate it very well. Thanks
You’re very welcome. Let me know if you have questions.
Hi Justin,
Good article for beginners.
Another kind of correlation to be aware of is geographical correlation, like NZD & AUD, EUR & GBP and somewhat CHF.
Another thing to be aware of is Japan imports most of its oil need, so when Oil goes up (CAD too) the JPY goes down
Another thing maybe you forgot to mention is carry trades, where one currency has higher interest than another currency, so many traders trade these pairs, as it was the case of AUDUSD, when the oz was 4.5% and USD was near 0%.
Hope I added some value to your write up.
Thank you for your time.
Youness.
Thanks for sharing. Cheers.
Hi Justin, The simplicity you pack in all your explanations always amuses me. How I wish you had been my kindergarten teacher. Keep up the good work.
Justin,
The email mentioned you will list the 22 pairs you trade but the list only has 20; which is correct?
Thanks, John (DPA member)
John, it’s been updated to show 22 currency pairs. Thanks for catching that. 🙂
Since the mataf correlations chart doesn’t cover all the pairs you trade, how do you take correlations into consideration?
Laurie, it covers all of them and more. You have to “include” the ones you want and then refresh the list. It’s all at the top of the page. https://www.mataf.net/en/forex/tools/correlation
That’s great.It very helpful even from the way the currency pairs you trade are arranged.
Glad to hear it, Jeremiah. Feel free to reach out with any questions.
Hi Justin
Do you ever trade indices….Would you recommend a beginner to look at them especially during the High volatity times… I want to rade them as a supplement to my long term trades…to earn decent weekly wage
Sifiso, I don’t trade indices, but that doesn’t mean it’s ill-advised. Figuring out what to trade is sort of like deciding how to trade – it has to be something that sparks your interest and also fits your personality.
Hi Justin. Great and informative blog. As I am still new and learning the trading in the process, my favorites are major currency pairs. This blog has helped me to understand minor and crossover currency pairs and how one should trade them and risks involved therefore.
My trading knowledge is improving since I have started following your daily/weekly trade set ups.
Keep well.
Thanks
Vincent, I love hearing that. Thanks for the feedback. Let me know if you have any questions.
Though the article looked too basic in the beginning, in the end I learned a lot. It is really great refreshing the key points.
Thanks JB!
You’re welcome, Casey.
hi justin well written good content thankyou malcolm.
Pleased to hear that, Malcolm. Thanks for commenting.
very nice, thanks
Thanks and you’re welcome.
As a beginner in forex trading, i recently been following and reading your trade set ups which is insightful and knowledgeable as well. I really enjoy your price action and market analysis. Great effort and good job…Thanks for your indepth knowledge!!!
Ike, you’re very welcome. Thanks for the feedback and great to hear that the material is helping.
Thank you Justin, you have open up my mind on which currency is stronger than the other.
Siyabonga, that’s great! I’m glad I could be of assistance. Cheers.
Hi Justin
Great eye opening lesson.
Thanks a lot
My pleasure, Phil. Glad I could help.
thank u! as always, ur teachings ar always a big blessing to me. i admire ur ability to break things down and make them as simple as possible with great understanding.i love u.u ar a blessing to me!
I love hearing that, Kareem. That’s what this site is all about – teaching simple but effective techniques and strategies. 🙂
great!! thank u,u ar a blessing to me. simplicity!
You’re welcome, Kareem. Let me know if you have any questions.
Hi Justin,
Another great article.
I attached some of the article to mine trading plan.
Futher i do not complete understand why AUD at crisis is going down, when gold is up,
because aud is gold?
I am trading/looking only for the SGD and NOK as exotic pairs.
Best regards, Gerben
I just started my fire trading journey seriously a month ago. #Newbie. This information is very helpful and simple to understand.
Hi Francina, that’s great to hear. Feel free to send me an email with any questions. My door is always open.
Very informative .Thanks alot
You’re very welcome. Feel free to reach out with any questions.
hi Justin,
thank you very much for your effort. it is very informative to me especially the correlation of it’s currency pairs. however, i don’t know how to place a trade in forex. My experience is in binary option, so i don’t how to execute stop loss or take profit, but i understand a bit of the market direction. i don’t know about leverage, spread and other stuff because in binary option is very easy just click call if the price you think will go up and put if the price you think will go down, but the problem is there is an expiry time which sometimes doesn’t meet with my vacant time.
Teresita, be sure to check out the beginner’s section here https://dailypriceaction.com/forex-beginners.
Feel free to reach out with any questions. Cheers.
Is there a particular time you look st daily charts to analyze
Or particular platform of a broker?
Hi Dennis, sure, at the New York session close (5 pm EST).
hey I loved the article I’m not new to trading and I’ve seen short term success but I’m looking for that consistency to make a living. The one thing I would like if you don’t mind is more currency pair correlation and how to really understand that. I’ve learned the basics of forex but I still feel I don’t know some of the vital things that make a trader “great” and consistent. I believe currency pair correlation is one of the subjects you touched on that really hit home for me. Is there any kind of way you could explain that subject a little more for me?
Hi Cheston, pleased to hear you enjoyed the lesson. As for correlations, there isn’t a lot to say about it as the relationship between currencies is always changing so I try to stay away from making blanket statements on the subject. The link I offered above should help, though.
Here it is again: https://www.mataf.net/en/forex/tools/correlation.
NO COMMENTS,that the process of becoming a great Forex trader is more important than the destination. And if you want to become consistently profitable, it’s essential that you understand everything there is to know about the currency pairs you’re trading. And nothing is more powerful for a trader than understanding the currency pairs that make up the Forex market.
Thanks and best wishes
Re: Forex Currency Pairs: The Ultimate Guide and Cheat Sheet
Interesting – perhaps you could round it off by including some discussion of NOK, SEK and DKK USD pairs (and any other similar) – what category would you put them in? And some discussion on Emerging currencies.
John, thanks for the suggestion. Cheers.
Hello Justin. Thanks for sharing. What time frames do you find to work best for you? I;m a new Forex trader and I am starting with small capital, so I find that smaller time frames work out cheaper, but larger time frames are more reliable/ predictable according to my analysis. What are your thoughts?
Another thing: do you think Trump will affect the consistency of USD pairs drastically, or does this not really matter?
Khosi, you’re welcome. You may want to have a look at the following two lessons. They’ll help you decide which time frame is best as well as how much you really need to trade the daily charts.
https://dailypriceaction.com/free-forex-trading-lessons/what-time-frame-is-best-for-trading-forex
https://dailypriceaction.com/friday-qna/how-much-money-do-you-need-to-trade-the-daily-time-frame
great Justin, Thanx very much. as a learner, I am building myself up to trade better. Thanx very much
Pleased to hear that, Ray. You’re welcome.
Hi, I have just started traded about a month ago, I blew my account twice, but now I have improved a lot. I am busy doing my research on the internet, gathering as much information as i possible can. But thank you for the tips. I think they will help
Hi Raymond, it’s my pleasure. Let me know if you need any help along the way.
THANX VERY MUCH, much appreciated
You’re welcome, Ray.
Very informative. Thank you so much….
You’re welcome, Tinh.
Hello, in order not to almost duplicate one pair with another which pairs should not be traded at the same time ? I mean eur/usd behaves almost the same as gbp/usd .Instead of trading both at the same time what other pairs would be better to trade i that instant ?
Hi Peter, I discussed that above. Here is the correlation table I use: http://bit.ly/2oxTeDl.
I have been forex for almost a year ,but whiIeven I was going through the lessons felt like I am reading something new.Really Justin you are trading savour.
Pleased to hear that, Simon. Cheers.
Hey Justin. I’m from India and my government allows us to trade only in four pairs USD/INR, JPY/INR, GBP/INR, EUR/INR. Can you please suggest me something.
Very simple and short THANKS for this kind of a start….
Well this 1 will be 4 the TEAM 2 know more and more about
( nothing is more powerful for a trader than understanding the currency pairs that make up the Forex market.)
Thanks
Good day Justin. I really enjoyed the course and learnt so many new things. I want you to be my forex mentor and I wish to join the community soon, but I want to ask that in the community, do you recommend currency pairs to look out for each day based on your experience and knowledge? Thanks
Thanks for the information and the kindness of sharing it
Informative and educative. Thanks.
Thanks for the explanation… how about trading Gold… any good strategies for Gold?
u did an amazing job, I did not know about lot of things, u mentioned here, I will love to remain in contact with ur work
thank u very much boss
your information was very helpful, thank you!
Wonderfully lessons you have here. As regard currency correlation… How do l happy it to trading in other to make profit
Thanks for this great information am new in trading but ope one day I’ll become a successful currency trader
Thanks alot for the great insight on that but if you can pairs have a pathway they follow they move eg 200 pips up for a certain period then retraces any info on that.
Thank You Sir.
Sensei! Would be my mentor pls? 🙂
A great thanks for your detailed teaching ,I have not st
arted trading but just learning.I actually have my bias for Eur/USD ,GBP/JPY and USD /CAD. Please advice me , I want to be a professional trader like you.Best Regards.
You’re welcome.
Nice analysis, I now understand more about going long and going short. Thanks
You’re welcome. Pleased to hear that.
Great knowledge sharing bro..
This lesson is really useful and informative. I enjoyed and learned as well something which is base and vital to trading.
You have great knowledge and experience.
Thanks a lot whenever i read your post learn something.
Thank you for the lesson. I learn a lot from you
Well explained I have answered all questions I had
Sangat Jelas dan tambah memahami. Sungguh sangat membantu saya
Great post with detailed explanations.
I have been trading for almost 3 years now and to be honest I have gone through all the things you talked about.
Trading is a process and only now after 3 years I am learning how to trade profitably and sticking to one strategy.
Very informative 👏🏾👍🏾
Do you incorporate fundamentals in your trading decisions?
Thank You
Wow…thank you very much, Justin.
Very informative, thank you.
Thanks Justin
Been a member of DPA for 3 weeks now
In that short perioud of time i have learnt so much from you
Correlation i have learnt from other mentors have only scratched the surface compared to the indepth explenation you have supplied here
Cheers mate
Your website and your teaching method is just increbile . i am convinced enough that i will get something new from ur basic articles . so started reading ur whole website m thanks man
Thank you very much for the lesson…I have some question that i would like to know, I am learning fundamental analysis on my own and want to know that,if i use a news release on a cross pair, will it be more volatile than a major pair? and lastly are cross pairs also manipulated ?
the lesson was awesome and clear, thank u mr Bennett
This was a great lesson. Wish I’d come across it prior to the many mistakes I’ve made. Great lesson indeed. Thank you for sharing your knowledge Justin.
Thank you very much for the lesson. I’m so super excited to be here & have learnt a lot after I’ve blown all of my accounts.
When do u know what to do @ which currency and when ?
This information was an eye opener for me, I’m trading but was lacking this knowledge you shared with us.
As I buckle down and get more serious about trading, this article was just what I needed. Easy to follow and understand. ..thank you!
Thanx very much Justin for this comprehensive article on currency pairs. I’m just starting out on Forex and was wondering how I’m going to structure my pairs. You have just done the job easier for me. I have deduced that you don’t trade the CHF crossing except only when paired with the USD – any reason for that?
verry good. Ths
Would u mind adding time of market open and market close in your guide, as they play important factor.
Learn patiently with naked chart. Seem great and clearly picture.
What forex platform do you recommend? What technical analysis patterns do you use constantly? Is the spread where money is made?
Your write up is wonderful and very informative
Thank you. Clear thoughts and presentation. The examples are a bonus.
This is awesome….Understanding the ins and outs of trading, made very easy…Thank you Justin. God Bless you
I’m a relative newbie. 18 months of learning and going back to nuts and bolts again. Am in Australia. How many and what pairs would you advise me to focus on please. Thanks for your stuff it’s got a clarity rarely found anywhere else 🙂
since I am new in this fx I plan to trade euro/usd.. can u give me some advise about this? thanks
Hi sir I’m Armindo from South Africa I’m new on trading thanks for advice you’re the best
Great staff
Well done!
Nice one I love it
Justin, I just want to say big thank you for this lesson, in fact, all mistakes mentioned above perfectly matched my trading behavior, but this lesson will definitely change my perception. Once again, thank you, more grease to your elbow.
Thanks once again.Even though your article is free.I know at some point i am going to pay you for it because it is worth it
You’re welcome. Great to hear you found it helpful.
New to forex trading. Been fairing well soo far but sometimes I had a perfect setup but it went against me. Once I read this article and went back my previous trades. It was an epiphany. Thank YOU
You’re welcome. Pleased to know you found it helpful.
I’ve been trading for a couple of months, first time seriously read about the currency pairs. Thanks.
You’re welcome. Glad you found the article helpful.
Hello,
Thanks for the information, is really educative. I just wanted to ask is there an app I can use to determine currency strength and if there is one, how do I use it. Most of the apps I came across are confusing.
Thankyou Sir for the information .
very nice Superb explanation
awesome ….I have learnt
A very informative read
Nice to hear. Thanks for stopping by.
I have just begun to explore forex, tho I am very familiar with share trading. I enjoyed reading your article, but became very confused about your terminology after reading more info on other sites.
You refer to the first currency in a pair as “the base currency”. Other sites call this the “commodity” or “quote” currency.
You refer to the second currency in a pair as “the quote currency”. Other sites call this the “base” or “money” currency.
I hope you can clarify this for me.
The base currency is the first currency in a pair. The quote currency is the second currency.
I’ve just started trading and your explanation is going to help me a great deal. I’m soaking up all sorts of information from people around the world. It’s fantastic how people share the knowledge they worked hard to acquire.
Having no form of financial education myself as a teenager or as a young man, I’m catching up now. I’d like to give my children a better chance in life by passing on my trading skills once I’ve mastered it.
Thank you.
You’re most welcome. Glad you’re enjoying the material.
Very nice !
Cheers.
May God bless you the more for empowering others to succeed
this was awesome, not just a quick run through like many sites i’ve been on. but a hugely detailed breakdown, it puts sites like investopedia to shame, just brilliant i am so glad i came across your site, you and your site are just what i needed to break me out of the mental block i was in……awesome Justin !!!
Wow, thanks Martin. That’s one heck of a compliment.
Let me know if you have any questions.
it is a big help. thank you for sharing, hope to hear additional clip like this…
Thanks for a good, simple explanation.
Hi
I want to master forex trading if there is such a thing.
I want to learn from someone who has mastered it succesdfully, and i would want to copy that master.
Is there one ? Are you a master in forex trading.
I need solid concrete , concise knowledge and strategies based on that.
Can you guide and help on that.
My goal is to become financially independent ( mortgage paid off and other aspects ) etc in a structured realistic timeframe.
Hardwork is no problem, long hours of learning and practicing is no problem.
I need a real master teacher of the trade to learn from.
Very informative
Glad you found it useful.
So, in theory, if you buy each day a long on 2 non-correlated pairs, with both a save risk, 1 of them will fail on the stop and the other will move into the correct way. (Assuming there is volatility in both pairs). In stead of going long each day that can be short instaed of course.
Take profit on the other and do the same again (the same day or tomorrow).
Correct?
This is one of the most informative read on fx that i have ever READ kudos.
GBP/NZD and NZD/USD the pairs i traded that go against my position makes my account balance $5.59
very grateful to you
Great lesson .Honest
The forex currency pair and the valuable information that you have shared is really appreciated and valuable. Subscribed your blog.
I like the way I now understand this EXAMPLE: selling EURUSD and also buy USDCHF at the same time is a contradiction. don’t lough at me I’m novice in this space but man I’m getting started. I did not understand this before reading this informative article. thanks