Using Stop Loss Orders in Forex Trading

The stop loss is one of the few tools traders have to guard against oversized losses in the forex market because market moves can be unpredictable. Forex stop losses can be applied in a variety of ways and take many different forms. In addition to describing these numerous types, such as static stops and trailing stops, this article will also stress the significance of stop losses in forex trading.

 

WHAT IS A STOP LOSS?

Forex stop losses are a feature provided by brokers to control losses in erratic markets travelling the other way from the initial trade. Setting a stop loss level a certain number of pip's away from the entry price is how this function is put into action. Any forex trading strategy can benefit from a stop loss because it can be applied to both long and short bets.

 

WHY IS A STOP LOSS ORDER IMPORTANT?

Stops are important for a variety of reasons, but ultimately it comes down to the fact that we can never predict the future. No matter how solid the setup may be or how much data may be going in the same direction, each transaction involves risk because the market does not know what the price of the underlying currency will be in the future.

 

FOREX STOP LOSS STRATEGIES

The five tactics listed below can be used when putting stop loss orders in your forex trading:

1- Setting Static Stops

Forex stops can be set by traders at a fixed price with the intention of allocating the stop-loss and keeping them there until the trade reaches the stop price or the limit price. The simplicity of this stop mechanism makes it easy for traders to make sure they are seeking a risk-to-reward ratio that is at least one-to-one.

Consider a swing trader in California who opens positions in the Asian session with the expectation that volatility in the US or European sessions will have the greatest impact on their trades.

This trader sets a static stop of 50 pip on every position they initiate because they want to allow their trades enough room to work without giving up too much equity in the event that they are incorrect. Every limit order is placed for a minimum of 50 pip because they want to set a profit target that is at least as big as the stop distance. The trader can simply set a static stop at 50 pips and a static limit at 100 pips for each trade they open if they wanted to set a one-to-two risk-to-reward ratio on each entry.

2-Static Stops based on Indicators

A step further is taken by certain traders who base the static stop distance on an indicator like average true range. The main advantage of this is that traders can set that stop using current market information.

What does that 50 pip stop mean in a volatile market, and what does that 50 pip stop mean in a placid market, if a trader sets a static 50 pip stop loss with a static 100 pip limit like in the prior example?

In a calm market, a move of 50 pip can be seen to be substantial, but in a tumultuous market, the same 50 pip move may be considered to be modest. Traders can more precisely assess their risk management alternatives by using current market data by using an indicator like average true range, pivot points, or price swings.

 

3-Manual Trailing Stops

Forex stops can be manually moved by the trader as the position shifts in their favour for traders who desire the maximum control.

The movement of stops on a short position is seen in the chart below. The trader then lowers the stop level when the situation moves more in the trade's favour (lower). The position is stopped out when the trend eventually changes (and fresh highs are recorded).

4-Trailing Stops

It's crucial to remember that some countries let brokers to use the trailing stop feature.

A beginner trader's strategy can be much improved by static stop losses, but other traders employ stops in other ways to maximise their money management.In an effort to further reduce the danger of being wrong in a trade, trailing stops are stops that are modified when the deal moves in the trader's favour.

Consider a trader who opened a long account on the EUR/USD pair at 1.1720 and set a 167 pip stop at 1.1553. The trader may consider raising their stop from the first stop value of 1.1553 to 1.1720 if the transaction moves up to that level (see illustration below).

The trader benefits in several ways from this: As a result, if EUR/USD reverses and swings against the trader, at least they won't suffer a loss because the stop is set to their initial entry price, commonly known as "break-even."

The trader can eliminate their original risk in the deal by using this break-even stop.The trader can then consider transferring that risk to another trading opportunity, or they can choose to keep it off the table and benefit from a protected position in their long EUR/USD trade.

5-Fixed Trailing Stops

Traders can also use trailing stops to have the stop progressively adapt. Trading participants can, for instance, establish stop losses to adjust after every 10 pip movement in their favour.

Using the trader who buys EUR/USD at 1.3100 and places a stop at 1.3050 as an example, the stop goes up 10 pip to 1.3060 when EUR/USD moves up to 1.3110. The stop will again be adjusted by 10 pip increments to 1.3070 after another 10 pip increase on the EUR/USD to 1.3120. Until the stop level is reached or the trader manually closes the position, this process will continue.

Fixed Trailing Stops adjust in the trader-specified intervals.

The trader is stopped out at 1.3070 rather than the initial stop of 1.3050 if the transaction reverses from that point; this results in a savings of 20 pip had the stop not been modified.