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Market Cycles: What They Are and the Psychology Behind Them All markets go through cycles of expansion and contraction. 📈When a market is in an expansion phase (an uptrend), there is a sentiment of optimism, belief, and greed. Typically, these are the main emotions that lead to a strong buying activity. Sometimes, a strong sense of greed and belief overtakes the market in such a way that a financial bubble can form. In such a scenario, many investors become irrational, losing sight of the actual value and buying an asset only because they believe the market will continue to rise. They get greedy and irrational by the impressive bullish movement, expecting to make huge profits. As the market gets heavily overbought, the local top is created. In general, this is considered to be the point of the highest risk. In some cases, the market will start a sideways movement while smart money steadily sells the asset. This is also called the distribution stage. However, some markets don't present a clear distribution stage, and the downtrend starts sharply after the top is reached. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 📉 When the market starts reversing, the euphoric mood can quickly turn into complacency, as many traders refuse to admit that the uptrend came to an end. As prices continue to fall, the market sentiment quickly moves to the bearish side. It often includes feelings of anxiety, denial, and panic. In this context, by the anxiety we mean the moment when bullish biased market participants start to question why the price is falling, which soon leads to the denial stage. The denial period is marked by a sense of unacceptance. Many investors keep holding their losing positions, either because "it's too late to sell" or because they want still believe that "the market will come back soon." But as the prices drop even lower, the selling wave gets stronger. At this point, fear and panic often lead to what is called a market capitulation (when holders give up and sell their assets close to the local bottom). Eventually, the downtrend stops as the volatility decreases and the market stabilizes. Typically, the market experiences sideways movements before feelings of hope and optimism start arising again. Such a sideways period is called the accumulation stage. Let me know, traders, what do you want to learn in the next educational post?
Education
by VasilyTrader
6
Change your mindset - Dont Trade Forex.... Invest in Currencies I had been looking to do a market breakdown this weekend but to be honest, all the opportunities in the market have already been shared in my previous ideas posted. So instead I am going to share a topic I have spoken to a lot of my followers about recently. The mindset of trading, or should I say investing... because that is really how you need to see it if you want to be able to trade consistently with confidence and conviction in your ideas. Lots of people, especially newcomers to trading and FOREX simply see a chart and make a decision if the line is going up or down. A guess, a gamble. Even though I know we ave all done this at some stage, its not a strategy that will mean you are still successful in 5, 10. 20 years. If you want to make money in this industry you need to have the mindset that you will still be doing this in 5, 10, 20 years. Once you start doing that it gives you a calmness to think though each trade like an investment. So, before we get into this - I will explain the difference between a trade and an investment. - A trade is something you are typically taking a position on leverage and for the short term, a few minutes / hours / days. Typically you are only looking at one only that chart and have a clearly defined exit if the trade goes into loss. - An investment is something you decide to take a position in based on the underlying facts/fundamentals of what you are buying, the price is secondary. You consider more than just that one chart you are placing the position on and are willing to hold it indefinitely whether its in drawdown or not because you know the underlying fundamentals are right for you investment to come good in time. So once you see the difference, which mindset and process is likely to play out successfully in 5, 10, 20 years time? Which mindset is likely to give you less stress while in positions? Which mindset will give you confidence and conviction in your positions? All of this confidence and conviction in your positions is based in knowledge - In this industry, knowledge truly is power! So when I say dont trade forex .... invest in currencies its because the mindset of trading forex is based in looking for quick wins, get rich quick stories and rented Lamborghinis. Whereas investing in currencies is based on the mindset to still be doing the same thing in many years time. Its the difference between aiming to be rich or to be wealthy. The process of trading forex is looking at EURUSD and wanting to go short because of a chart pattern or something you have seen in the chart. The process of investing in currencies is to be looking at the Dollar and seeing strength across a number of different charts involving the dollar such as DXY, USDJPY, GBPUSD. And then also having a separate opinion of weakness in the Euro by doing the same thing and considering the Euro across a number of different charts. - Once you have identified both strength in the Dollar and weakness in the Euro you are able to confidently invest in shorting EURUSD. At this point you have conviction in your position. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments and for more posts like this follow me.
Education
by JoelWarby
12