Whether you're looking at currencies, stocks, commodities, or cryptocurrencies, the underlying principles of market movement remain consistent.
All markets reflect human decision-making, institutional capital flows, and the alignment of trends across different scales and ranges. Once you understand these universal principles, you can apply them to any market, in any time period, anywhere in the world.
The forex market - where currencies are traded - is often a beginner's introduction to trading. With over $6.6 trillion (and growing) in daily volume, it is larger than all other financial markets combined. This massive liquidity makes it an ideal starting point for understanding market dynamics.
What makes forex particularly interesting is that currency values are relative. Unlike stocks which can be valued based on company earnings, or commodities which have practical utility, currencies derive their value entirely from their relationship to other currencies.
When looking at the EUR/USD, the price doesn't tell you the absolute value of either currency - it only tells you their relationship to each other at this moment.
The first currency in a pair is called the Base Currency. (EUR).
The second position is called the Quote Currency. (USD).