Risks of Trading in Forex Market

As stated in the introduction to this booklet, off-exchange foreign currency trading carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all customers. The only funds that should ever be used to speculate in foreign currency trading, or any type of highly speculative investment, are funds that represent risk capital i.e., funds you can afford to lose without affecting your financial situation. There are other reasons why forex trading may or may not be an appropriate investment for you, and they are highlighted below.

The market could move against you

No one can predict with certainty which way exchange rates will go, and the forex market is volatile. Fluctuations in the foreign exchange rate between the time you place the trade and the time you close it out will affect the price of your forex contract and the potential profit and losses relating to it.

You could lose your entire investment

You will be required to deposit an amount of money (often referred to as a security deposit or margin) with your forex dealer in order to buy or sell an off-exchange forex contract. As discussed earlier, a relatively small amount of money can enable you to hold a forex position worth many times the account value. This is referred to as leverage or gearing. The smaller the deposits in relation to the underlying value of the contract, the greater the leverage. If the price moves in an unfavorable direction, high leverage can produce large losses in relation to your initial deposit. In fact, even a small move against your position may result in a large loss, including the loss of your entire deposit. Depending on your agreement with your dealer, you may also be required to pay additional losses.