FAP Turbo

Make Over 90% Winning Trades Now!

Saturday, January 2, 2010

7 Vital Tips For Finding A Profitable Forex Managed Fund

By Brendan Wilson

Investing in any market or asset class is a serious business and requires serious consideration and due diligence. Here are some vitally important points you need to take into account when deciding on where to invest in any managed forex fund.

The Managed Forex Company

If you are about to invest a significant sum of money you need to be confident that the company is who they say they are and is in fact a real company, with real people you can talk to on the phone. If you are about to invest $50,000 for example you want to make sure that you can talk to someone about any concerns you have or may have in the future. A company should be able to provide a point of contact to answer these concerns.

Initial Capital Requirements

The minimum starting balance for forex managed accounts varies greatly. Obviously this needs to be a consideration when choosing a managed forex account. Many high end forex accounts have a starting balance of $1 million. Find one that suits your budget and start with the minimum and get a feel for their trading and see if you are satisfied with the results.

Past Performance

Perhaps the first thing you are going to look at when considering a managed forex account is their results. People invariably are impressed by big numbers but don't let this fact alone blind you to the down side of impressive looking statistics. Much like physics, where reactions are equal and opposite so are profits. Big profits equal big risks. Look for consistent and sustainable profits, don't base your assessment on 2-3 months worth of performance. The market goes through cycles, sometimes these cycles can last sixth months and deliver unusually high returns. For this reason to be realistic you really need to look at 2 years worth of results. If a trader can only offer you 6 months worth of history it probably isn't enough.

Costs And Commissions

The commissions and performance fees for forex managed account providers varies greatly. There are basically 3 main areas where providers receive payment. Many providers charge an annual account management fee which ranges from .1% to 5%. This fee is usually charged according to the actually account balance. This may be the only fee charged but more typically it is combined with a monthly performance fee or a fee charged on the trade volume. Performance fees vary from 15 to 40 % of new monthly profits. Make sure that you thoroughly understand the type and amount of fees your provider charges and be wary of providers that charge fees on accounts even when no new profits are achieved. Also be wary of "churning" or over trading where a provider gets a rebate per trade simply by placing a trade, this form of compensation is open to abuse.

Control Of Your Own Funds

A key consideration when investing in managed forex is to have complete control over your funds at every stage of the process. Always deal directly with a registered and regulated broker who operates in a well recognized jurisdiction. Reputable managed account providers will always offer this type of functionality as well as providing you will an "LPOA", or Limited Power of Attorney", that effectively gives the money manager the power to effect trades on your brokerage account, but not give them any authority to deposit or withdrawal any funds. In other words you have absolute control over your own funds at all times.

Amount of Capital Under Management

By knowing exactly how much a particular money manager has in trade it gives you a fairly reasonable indication as to whether they have a well established business or not. If a fund manager has over $50 million in trade it is a good indication that they have been able to establish a level of trust with some astute investors. Of course this in itself gives no absolute guarantees it does indicate that the company is a serious investment company.

Trading Methodology and Money Management

Money managers can use any number of trading methodologies or strategies. Whatever their trading style you need to make sure that you are comfortable with it and it suits your risk profile. Long periods of holding negative trades and periods of draw down can make investors very nervous, so get a good idea of their methodology before you invest. If you are not completely comfortable with their trading style do not invest with them.

The Broker

Which broker you choose can be critical in determining whether or not your managed forex experience is a profitable and pleasant experience of a complete nightmare. From experience I can say that which broker you choose needs to be uppermost in your considerations. Do your homework on the broker and make sure they can deliver competitive spreads and commissions. - 23229

About the Author:

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home