FXCM Research Team

In the aftermath of the June 2016 vote for Brexit, several issues became points of contention regarding the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union. Monetary settlements, immigration policies and the future of trade relations spearheaded negotiations during an extended transition period. In addition to these concerns was the Irish border, what it was to become and how it was going to impact the U.K.-EU relationship moving forward. Throughout the…

The Futures Industry Association (FIA) is a leading authority on the global derivatives industry. Headquartered in Singapore, Brussels, London and Washington D.C., the FIA is an advisory body to the world's futures and options market participants. Operating as a network of clearinghouses, exchanges and trading firms, the FIA aims to satisfy its self-stated, multifaceted mission: Support market transparency, competition and open accessibility Preserve the integrity of the financial system Promote…

What Is Contribution Margin? Contribution margin is a business accounting term that measures the difference between sales revenue and the variable costs to produce or sell a product. It shows the amount of profitability a company would achieve once it covers its fixed costs, i.e., its breakeven point. A company's fixed costs remain basically the same whether it makes or sells one unit or thousands. The most common fixed costs…

What Is A Credit Default Swap? A credit default swap (CDS) is a financial derivatives contract that acts as an insurance policy that an investor takes out in order to protect against a bond issuer defaulting on its obligations to pay interest and repay principal. The investor "swaps" their risk with an insurance company, a bank, or a hedge fund. The institution accepts the risk against the bond, defaulting in…

Knowledgeable investors can generate returns regardless of whether the markets are trending upwards, downwards or sideways. Making money during bullish conditions may be one of the the easiest method, as a rising tide lifts all boats. Downward trending markets also provide potential opportunities. Producing returns during sideways or "flat" markets may be the most challenging option, but there are several strategies investors can use to achieve this objective. This article…

For active currency traders, market volatility presents a vast array of opportunities and challenges. Fluctuations in the exchange rates of forex pairs can occur rapidly and seemingly out of nowhere. If not consistently put into a manageable context, turbulent price action can prove detrimental to a trader's chances of sustaining long-run profitability. Standard deviation is one mechanism used by forex market participants to identify normal and abnormal moves in pricing.…

The Sterling ratio is an risk-adjusted investment performance measure. Similar to the Sharpe and Sortino ratios, the Sterling ratio is used to define how efficiently risk capital is being allocated. It is frequently implemented by individual investors and hedge funds in the arena of portfolio management. What Is The Sterling Ratio? In practice, the Sterling ratio quantifies investment performance by comparing periodic returns to periodic drawdowns. The unique aspect of…

What Is Crypto Custody? Digital currency traders can benefit from knowing the options they have for custodying cryptocurrencies. While many assets can only be held indirectly, investors can have direct custody of their cryptocurrencies. This feature sets them apart from other asset classes like stocks and bonds. This article provides a breakdown of the different custody methods in addition to their individual costs and benefits. Indirect Ownership Indirect ownership takes…

At a time when the broader digital currency industry has been struggling with numerous headwinds, cryptocurrency traders have significant opportunities to learn from these changes. There are many valuable takeaways that can be gleaned from the difficulties this particular sector has faced following the sharp decline in asset values that took place in 2018. Crypto Bear Market One of the easiest data points to cite when making the case that…

The U.S. Department of the Treasury is the largest issuer of bonds in the world. It issues debt securities in order to fund the activities of the U.S. government, which generally runs high budget deficits. As of 31 December 2018, the U.S. federal debt totaled slightly below US$22 trillion. Of that amount, $16.1 trillion was held by the public and $5.9 trillion was held by other entities of the federal…

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) is an official provider of energy-related data and analytics. Initially created by the Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974, the EIA specializes in the collection, analysis and dissemination of energy industry data at the federal level. Producers, traders and government officials view the EIA as a leading authority on the current state of global energy. Mission And Products Dating back to the oil crises…