FXCM Research Team

The best time to trade equities, currencies and futures is unique to each product. Periods of enhanced market participation often create optimal liquidity and volatility.

Backed by the robust nature of the U.S. economy, the U.S. dollar is the global reserve currency. The U.S. dollar (USD), or "greenback," is the most widely accepted currency in the world, as it accounts for more than 60% of all known foreign exchange reserves held by central banks. The euro is the next-largest global currency and it accounts for 20% of these reserves, making it a distant second to…

Whether you are trading foreign currencies, futures or stocks, securing the services of a top-notch broker is an important first step. While brokerage firms are bound by extensive regulatory guidelines and required to preserve the integrity of the markets, not all brokers are created equal. Finding the one best suited to satisfy your unique trade-related needs is the name of the game. As of year-end 2018, the Financial Industry Regulatory…

The stock market offers investors the potential for significant returns, but it also comes with substantial risk. Historically, stocks have provided compelling gains by outperforming many other asset classes. However, they have also fallen into harsh bear markets and suffered notable losses. But what exactly is the stock market and how does it work? Let's explore these topics and others in this article. History Of Strong Returns Stocks are known…

The Glass-Steagall Act was a 1933 U.S. law signed by President Franklin Roosevelt shortly after he took office that effectively separated commercial banking from investment banking. The act is named for its sponsors, Sen. Carter Glass, D-Virginia, a former Treasury secretary, and Rep. Henry Steagall, D-Alabama, the chairman of what was then called the House Banking and Currency Committee. Glass-Steagall was largely repealed in 1999 by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, which…

Black Monday occurred on 19 October 1987. It represents the largest one day sell off in the history of the U.S. equities markets, led by losses in the DJIA and the S&P 500.

The stock market has offered investors compelling returns over the years, but those rewards are certainly not without risks. Investors can potentially benefit greatly from trading stocks, but you need to research this particular market thoroughly before getting started. No investment comes without risk, and the stock market is known for being volatile. Anyone who is not familiar with this volatility only needs to study famous market crashes, like those…

What Is Keynesian Economics? Keynesian economics is an economic theory that argues that governments should spend heavily on infrastructure projects and unemployment benefits during economic downturns in order to stimulate consumer and business spending, growth and job creation. The theory was developed by British economist John Maynard Keynes in his 1936 book, The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money. It was published during the Great Depression, when nothing seemed…

What Is A Master Limited Partnership? Master limited partnerships (MLPs) are exchange-traded vehicles that invest primarily in energy and other natural resource projects, particularly oil and gas storage, transportation, exploration, development and pipelines. MLPs are popular with some investors for their very high yields, but they tend to track the price of oil, which means they can be volatile. Also, their share prices have been depressed in recent years, reducing…

What Are Government Bonds? Bonds are debt instruments issued by governments to the public. Essentially, when a government sells bonds, it's borrowing money to finance its activities, including infrastructure projects, health and welfare benefits, defense expenditures and the like. It also sells bonds to pay off its previously issued debt—in other words, selling new debt to retire old debt. The United States government bond market is the largest debt market…