Forex charts are an essential tool for Australian traders when analysing the market. There are different charts, each providing different information about the forex market. By understanding how to read a forex chart, you can make better decisions about when to buy and sell currencies.
Table of Contents
Identify the time frame
The time frame will determine how much data is shown on the chart. For example, a 1-minute chart will show each minute of price action, while a daily chart will show the past day’s worth of action. Choose a time frame that is appropriate for your trading strategy.
Find the currency pair
The currency pair is the two currencies that are being traded. The first in the pair is called the base currency, and the second is called the quote currency. For example, in the AUD/USD pair, AUD is the base currency, and USD is the quote currency.
Choose your chart type
There are different charts, each providing different information about the market. Some common chart types include line charts, bar charts, and candlestick charts. Line charts show the price over time, while bar charts show the price, open, high, low, and close for a specific period. In contrast, candlestick charts provide more information than bar charts, such as the market’s direction.
Look at the price action
The price action is the price movement over time and can be displayed on a line chart or a candlestick chart. The line chart shows the closing price for each period, while the candlestick chart shows the opening, closing, high, and low prices.
Identify support and resistance
Support and resistance are critical levels to watch for in the market. These levels indicate where the market has trouble moving past or finding buyers /sellers. Once these levels are broken, the market may move in that direction.
Look for trend lines
Trend lines show the general direction of the market. They are created by connecting two or more highs (for an uptrend) or lows (for a downtrend). Uptrends are typically seen as bullish, while downtrends are bearish.
Read price quotes
Price quotes show the bid and ask prices for a currency pair. The bid price is how much you can sell the base currency for, and the asking price is the price you pay when buying the base currency. The spread is the difference between the bid and asking prices.
For example, if the AUD/USD pair is trading at 1.1500/1.1502, you can sell Australian dollars at 1.1500 and buy US dollars at 1.1502. The spread in this instance would be two pips.
Pips are the smallest unit of price movement in the market. Currencies are typically quoted to four decimal places, so a move from 1.1500 to 1.1502 would be considered two pips.
Use technical indicators
Technical indicators are calculations that traders can use to predict future market movements. These indicators include moving averages, Bollinger Bands, and Fibonacci retracement levels.
Traders can use these indicators to find trends, identify support and resistance levels, and predict future market movements.
Put it all together
Now that you know how to read a forex chart, you can start making better-informed trading decisions. By understanding the various components of a chart, you can more easily identify opportunities and potential risks in the market. Always use stop-losses and take-profits when trading, and never risk more than you can afford to lose.
Benefits of using forex charts
Here is a look at the benefits of using forex charts.
Charts can help you identify potential trading opportunities
By understanding how to read a forex chart, you can more easily identify potential trading opportunities. By looking at the price action, you can see whether the market is in an uptrend or downtrend. You can also look for patterns, like head and shoulders or double tops/bottoms, which can indicate a reversal.
Charts can help determine the best time to enter or exit a trade
Not only can charts help you identify potential trading opportunities, but they can also help you determine the best entry or exit times. By looking at the price action and identifying support and resistance levels, you can better time your entries and exits.
