Introduction to risk management

The Forex Market is the largest of all the financial markets.

With a daily trading volume of approximately $6.6 trillion and about 10 million active traders, the Forex Market attracts traders from all over the world looking to profit from the price movement of various currencies.

However, one trap many traders fall into is not applying adequate risk management. This can lead to substantial losses when trading.

By using a good risk management strategy, traders can significantly limit the potential of losses. This is fundamental to making consistent profits in the Forex Market.

Successful traders often tout their risk management strategies as a cornerstone of their success and longevity in trading.

What is risk management in trading?

Risk management refers to the use of specific tools, techniques, and pre-determined risk management techniques to minimize losses during trading while simultaneously increasing the trader's ability to remain consistently profitable.

Because of the large number of day traders who trade Forex, it is crucial to understand the risks associated with day trading, as opposed to investors who typically invest for the long haul.

Proper risk management ensures that traders ' accounts aren't wiped out by a single trade and is a vital component of a sustainable trading plan.

Why risk management is crucial for traders?

Because the Forex Market is so sensitive to any news, such as a country's economic performance and central bank policies, a single piece of news can cause substantial price action. Proper risk management protects the trader against downside risk.

Furthermore, the Forex Market offers significant leverage, allowing traders to control a large position with a small amount of capital. This amplifies the profit potential but also the risk of substantial trading losses.

One historical example where traders could have experienced massive losses without proper risk management is the 2016 Brexit vote.

In 2016, the UK voted on whether to remain in or leave the European Union. Contrary to market expectations, the majority voted to "leave" the EU.

This vote shocked the market and caused GBP/USD to drop roughly 1800 pips in several hours. This event highlights the significant risk of Forex Trading and how just one event can cause a significant market move.

Losing a large amount of money in a short period can be devastating to a trader. Not only can it wipe out a trading account very quickly, but it can also destroy a trader's confidence.

By managing trading risk effectively, traders can build up the confidence to trade without emotion while developing their own unique trading strategy.

Common risk management techniques

Now that we have established the importance of risk management, what are some common risk management strategies?

We will look at four ways to significantly minimize the risk of substantial capital loss.

Stop loss orders:

A stop loss order allows you to close a trade at a pre-determined level. This caps the loss on any trade that goes against you.

When you use a stop loss, you are locking in a loss; however, you are placing a 'stop' on the trade to prevent any further losses.

This technique should be a non-negotiable part of any successful trading strategy.

Take profit orders:

A take profit order is the opposite of a stop loss order. When using a take profit order, you lock in profits at a pre-determined level.

Although this limits your upside potential, it helps manage emotions and profit chasing, which can result in the trade reversing and going against you.

Both stop-loss and take-profit orders are effective ways to manage trades, lock in profits, and limit excessive losses.

Correct position sizing:

Position sizing refers to the amount of capital you allocate to each trade. A good rule of thumb is to risk about 1% of your trading capital on a single trade.

Depending on your personal risk tolerance, you may go slightly higher - up to 2% per trade. However, risking more than 2% of any trade is not advisable.

Diversification:

When developing your trading strategy, having more than one strategy is essential.

Furthermore, it is never advisable to risk all your capital on one currency pair, no matter how confident you feel about the trade.

One piece of news can cause the market to move against you significantly and cause you to experience a significant loss on your trading capital.

Mistakes to Avoid in Trade Risk Management

Emotional trading:

Not allowing emotions to dictate your trading style is one of the biggest challenges for a trader. This is a challenge for both winning and losing trades.

Traders sometimes hope a winning trade will become an even bigger winning trade rather than simply taking profits.

Likewise, traders often hope that a losing trade will reverse and turn into a winner—however, this usually only results in even bigger losses.

Overleveraging your account:

The allure of massive trading gains results in many traders using excessive leverage.

Overleveraging is the use of excessive funds relative to the trader's equity. While the use of leverage is common in Forex Trading, overleveraging can result in amplified losses when a trade doesn't go in your favour.

Instead, applying appropriate risk management rules is a more sustainable approach to consistent profits.

Not paying attention to the news:

While technical analysis, such as reading charts and analyzing trends in the market, can help predict price action, the Forex Market is heavily influenced by the news.

Decisions by central banks, political news, global relations, and trade policies can cause massive moves in a short space of time.

When traders fail to pay attention to the news, they are missing a significant component of what drives the market, thereby exposing themselves to unnecessary risk.

Conclusion

Risk Management in trading is probably the biggest key to remaining consistently profitable.

Massive losses can be devastating to a trader's account, as well as their confidence.

While the allure of big gains is tempting, applying the correct strategies to manage risk is a more consistent approach to long-term profitability in the Forex Market.