1. Introduction to Forex (The Foundation)

1. What is Forex?

Definition of Forex

Forex, also known as the Foreign Exchange Market or FX, is the global marketplace where currencies are exchanged. It is a decentralized, over-the-counter (OTC) network where banks, financial institutions, corporations, and individual traders buy and sell currencies at real-time prices.

In simple terms:

Forex is the world’s currency exchange market where you trade one currency for another.

Every international payment, travel exchange, import, export, and investment transaction relies on the Forex market.

Global Market Size & Daily Trading Volume

The Forex market is the largest financial market in the world, with over $7.5 trillion traded every single day. This enormous size offers key advantages:

  • High liquidity → trades fill instantly
  • Low entry cost → small capital is enough to start
  • 24/5 global operation → trade anytime during weekdays
  • Tight spreads → low transaction costs

No stock market, crypto exchange, or commodity market comes close to this scale, making Forex ideal for automated systems like The Easy Pip.

Why Currencies Fluctuate

Currency prices change every second because of shifting demand and supply. A currency strengthens when more buyers enter the market and weakens when sellers take over.

Key reasons currencies fluctuate include:

  • Economic stability or weakness
  • Government policies
  • Interest rate decisions
  • International trade flows
  • Global events and sentiment

These continuous fluctuations create profitable opportunities for traders and automated systems.

2. What Is Traded in Forex?

Currencies Explained

In Forex, you trade currencies in pairs—one currency is bought while the other is sold. Each pair represents the comparison of one economy against another.

Example: EUR/USD (Euro vs U.S. Dollar)

You trade based on whether you believe one currency will strengthen or weaken against the other.

Major, Minor & Exotic Pairs
Major Pairs

These pairs involve the U.S. Dollar and are the most traded worldwide:

  • EUR/USD
  • GBP/USD
  • USD/JPY
  • USD/CHF
  • USD/CAD
  • AUD/USD
  • NZD/USD

Majors typically have tight spreads and high liquidity.

Minor (Cross) Pairs

Major currencies that do not include the U.S. Dollar:

  • EUR/GBP
  • EUR/JPY
  • GBP/JPY
  • AUD/JPY

These pairs often show strong price movements.

Exotic Pairs

One major currency paired with a developing economy:

  • USD/TRY (U.S. Dollar / Turkish Lira)
  • USD/ZAR (U.S. Dollar / South African Rand)
  • EUR/SEK (Euro / Swedish Krona)

Exotics can be highly volatile and carry higher transaction costs.

Base & Quote Currency Explained

Every Forex pair is written as BASE / QUOTE:

Example:
GBP/USD = 1.2500

  • GBP (British Pound) → Base currency
  • USD (U.S. Dollar) → Quote currency

This means:
1 GBP is worth 1.2500 USD

If the number rises, GBP strengthens.
If the number falls, USD strengthens.

3. How Currency Pairs Work (Buying & Selling)

How to Buy a Currency Pair (Going Long)

You buy a pair when you expect the base currency to rise in value.

Example:
Buy EUR/USD if you think EUR will rise against USD.

If EUR/USD goes up → You profit
If EUR/USD goes down → You lose

How to Sell a Currency Pair (Going Short)

You sell a pair when you expect the base currency to fall.

Example:
Sell GBP/USD if you think GBP will weaken against USD.

If GBP/USD drops → You profit
If GBP/USD rises → You lose

How Exchange Rates Move

Exchange rates change based on:

  • Market demand
  • Global economic conditions
  • Interest rate expectations
  • Political stability
  • Business confidence

Even small price movements (1 pip) can generate significant profits with proper strategy and risk management.

Bid Price, Ask Price & Mid-Price
Bid Price

→ The price at which you can sell the currency pair.

Ask Price

→ The price at which you can buy the currency pair.

Mid-Price

→ The midpoint between the Bid and Ask.
Used mainly for chart analysis.

Example:

  • Bid: 1.2000
  • Ask: 1.2002
  • Mid-price: 1.2001

The difference between the bid and ask is called the spread, which is your trading cost.

4. Factors That Move Currency Prices

Understanding what moves the market is the foundation of successful Forex trading. Prices react instantly to global economic conditions, policies, and emotions.

Economic Events

Major news releases can cause sharp movements:

  • GDP reports
  • Employment numbers (NFP)
  • Manufacturing & services PMI
  • Retail and consumer spending
  • Trade balance data

Forex traders closely monitor economic calendars for these events.

Interest Rates

Interest rate changes made by central banks have a massive impact on Forex.

  • Higher interest rates → currency strengthens
  • Lower interest rates → currency weakens

This is because global investors move their capital to economies offering higher returns.

Inflation

Inflation affects currency value by reducing purchasing power.

  • High inflation → currency becomes weaker
  • Low inflation → currency becomes stable or stronger

Traders often track CPI (Consumer Price Index) to gauge inflation levels.

Geopolitics

Political events influence market confidence:

  • Elections
  • Wars or conflicts
  • Trade agreements
  • Government policy changes

Stable political environments generally support stronger currencies.

Market Sentiment

Sometimes, price moves because traders collectively feel a certain way—optimistic or fearful.

Examples:

  • “Risk-on” sentiment → traders buy risky currencies
  • “Risk-off” sentiment → traders run to safe-haven currencies like USD, JPY, CHF

Sentiment drives short-term volatility and can override economic data.