Below, we compare the differences between stock trading and forex trading. In stock trading, you can normally trade with a maximum of two to one leveraging. There are also some qualifying requirements before you can do this. Not every investor is approved for a margin account, which is what you need in order to leverage in the stock market.

Forex trading is very different. There are no qualifying requirements. In the United States, you're limited to When you trade stocks, you are buying shares of companies that cost anywhere from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars.

Market price varies with supply and demand. Trading on the forex is a different world. Although the supply of a country's currency can fluctuate, there is always a large amount of currency available to trade. In consequence, all major world currencies are highly liquid. In currency trading , currencies are always quoted in pairs, so not only do you have to be concerned with the economic health of the country whose currency you are trading, but also with the economic health of the country you are trading against.

Your fundamental concerns also differ from one market to another. Does one country have more job growth than another, or better GDP, or political prospects?

Therefore a successful single trade on the Forex requires analyzing two financial entities, not one. Forex markets sometimes exhibit greater sensitivity to emerging political and economic situations in other countries; the U.

The two markets have very different price sensitivity to trade activity. A stock purchase of 10, shares may impact the stock price, particularly for smaller corporations with fewer shares outstanding than, for instance, giants like Apple. In sharp contrast, forex trades of several hundred million dollars in a major currency will most likely have little effect on the currency's market price and may have none. Currency markets have greater access than stock markets.

Although in the 21st century it's possible to trade stocks 24 hours a day, five days a week, it's not particularly easy. Most retail investors trade through a U. Forex trading, on the contrary, can be done six days a week, 24 hours a day, because there are many forex exchanges worldwide -- it's always trading time in one time zone or another.

When a stock market declines, you can make money by shorting, but this imposes additional risks, one of them being that at least in theory you may have unlimited losses. In reality, that's unlikely to happen -- at some point, your broker will end the short position. Nevertheless, most financial advisors caution against shorting for all but the most experienced investors, many of whom execute parallel stop-loss and limit orders to contain this risk.

No additional precautionary trades to limit losses are necessary. Stock trading on major exchanges has many regulations and limits; forex trading is less regulated.

In some ways, the regulatory environment of the major stock exchanges imposes limits you may not welcome; it also protects you and other investors to a degree the forex does not. The comparative freedom from regulation on the forex and its high degree of possible leveraging makes it easy to control large trades without special qualifications and with a limited amount of money.

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That's the upside of the forex market, but also the downside -- participation in the Forex increases both investment opportunities and risk. Search the site GO. Forex Trading Fundamental Analysis Basics Getting Started Technical Analysis Advanced Trading Forex FAQs.

Forex Vs. Stocks

Updated May 08, Leverage In stock trading, you can normally trade with a maximum of two to one leveraging. Greater Freedom From Regulation Stock trading on major exchanges has many regulations and limits; forex trading is less regulated. Get Daily Money Tips to Your Inbox Email Address Sign Up. There was an error. Please enter a valid email address. Personal Finance Money Hacks Your Career Small Business Investing About Us Advertise Terms of Use Privacy Policy Careers Contact.