Most forex traders analyze and predict the future direction of currencies using fundamental or technical analysis. The craftier among them use the combination of both to predict direction of forex markets.
Fundamental analysis depends on the study of underlying economic factors that affect currency markets. Technical analysis is based on the premise that past price action can be used to make predictions about the future price action in forex markets.
Most of you who have been trading stocks must be familiar with the term: The January Effect. The January Effect is based on an observation that during the last few days of December and the fifth trading day in January stocks tend to perform very well.
The explanation of the January Effect is simple. During the last few days of the year, many investors are concerned about their tax returns. They try to realize capital gains or losses to file their tax returns. Many corporations also use the end of the year to face lift their balance sheets favorably at the end of the year.
The interesting fact is that seasonality is not peculiar to the stock markets. Forex markets also tend to show seasonal effects. Seasonality is defined as a pattern that occurs at a particular time of the year.
The January Effect also takes place in forex markets due to the same reasons. Many investors who are adjusting their stock positions try to convert their local currencies into dollars at that time.
However, dollar shows stronger January Effect in some currency pairs as compared to others. There is a summer effect also. It has also been observed that dollar shows a summer seasonality when it tends to rise in USD/JPY pair and USD/CAD pair in the month of July and give back its gains by August.
There are other seasonal patterns that have been studied in other parts of the year. Now, it does not mean that these seasonal effects take place exactly the same way every year.
Seasonality only shows that there are strong chances that during a particular time of the year, the chances of a particular currency pair going up or down are more.
In some years, the effect may be pronounced. In others, not so pronounces. As a forex trader, you should keep these seasonal effects at the back of your minds while trading during that time of the years. You need to just understand these seasonal patterns.
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