فاریکس ٹریڈنگ کا مطلب ہے ایک کرنسی کو دوسری کرنسی کے مقابلے میں خریدنا یا بیچنا۔ اس مضمون میں ہم آسان الفاظ میں کرنسی پیئرز، پِپس، لاٹ سائز، لیوریج اور پاکستان کے وقت کے مطابق مارکیٹ ٹائمنگز سمجھائیں گے، اور بتائیں گے کہ ڈیمو اکاؤنٹ سے محفوظ طریقے سے کیسے شروع کریں۔
Forex trading looks complicated from the outside: charts, strange codes like EUR/USD, and people talking about pips and lots. The basic idea is simple, though. This guide explains everything a beginner needs to know, in plain words, so you can decide whether forex is for you and how to start without putting your money at risk on day one.
What is forex trading?
Forex (short for foreign exchange) is the market where currencies are exchanged. Banks, companies, governments and individual traders all buy one currency and sell another, and together they trade more than seven trillion dollars every day. That makes forex the largest financial market in the world.
As a trader you are not changing money for a holiday. You are trying to profit from the change in price between two currencies. If you think a currency will get stronger, you buy it. If you think it will get weaker, you sell it. You can make or lose money in both directions.
Currency pairs: how prices are quoted
Currencies are always traded in pairs. In EUR/USD = 1.0850, the first currency (EUR) is the base and the second (USD) is the quote. The price tells you that 1 euro costs 1.0850 US dollars.
- Buy (long) EUR/USD if you expect the euro to rise against the dollar.
- Sell (short) EUR/USD if you expect the euro to fall against the dollar.
The most traded pairs are called the majors: EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, USD/CHF, AUD/USD, USD/CAD and NZD/USD. Most brokers also offer gold (XAU/USD) on the same platform. Gold is not a currency, but it is traded the same way and is one of the most popular markets for traders in Pakistan.
Bid, ask and spread
Every pair has two prices. The ask is the price you buy at, and the bid is the price you sell at. The small gap between them is the spread, and it is the main cost of a trade. Spreads are usually lowest when the market is busy and widen at quiet times and around big news.
Pips: how price moves are measured
A pip is the standard unit of price movement. For most pairs it is the fourth decimal place, 0.0001. For pairs with the Japanese yen it is the second decimal place, 0.01.
Example: if EUR/USD moves from 1.0850 to 1.0880, it has moved 30 pips. Many brokers show one extra digit (1.08505); that last digit is a tenth of a pip, sometimes called a pipette.
Lots: how big your trade is
Trade size is measured in lots. The bigger the lot, the more money each pip is worth. For pairs where the US dollar is the second currency (like EUR/USD), the values are:
| Lot size | Units of currency | Value of 1 pip (EUR/USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 1.00 (standard) | 100,000 | about $10 |
| 0.10 (mini) | 10,000 | about $1 |
| 0.01 (micro) | 1,000 | about $0.10 |
So a 30-pip move with 0.10 lot is roughly a $30 profit or loss. Beginners should start with micro lots (0.01). Our guide on how to calculate lot size shows exactly how to size every trade from your stop loss.
Leverage and margin: the double-edged sword
Brokers let you control a large position with a small deposit. This is called leverage. With 1:100 leverage, $1,000 of your money (the margin) can open a position worth $100,000.
Leverage does not change how much a pip is worth; your lot size does. What high leverage does is make it easy to open a lot size far too big for your account. When losses eat into your margin, the broker can issue a margin call and then close your trades automatically (a stop out). Most accounts that are wiped out are wiped out by over-sized trades, not by bad analysis.
Forex market hours in Pakistan time
Forex is open 24 hours a day from Monday to Friday. It opens on Monday at about 2:00 to 3:00 AM Pakistan time and closes on Saturday at about 2:00 to 3:00 AM. Pakistan does not change its clocks, but the UK and US do, so the times below shift by one hour in winter.
| Session | Summer (PKT) | Winter (PKT) |
|---|---|---|
| Asian (Tokyo) | 5:00 AM to 2:00 PM | 5:00 AM to 2:00 PM |
| London | 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM | 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM |
| New York | 5:00 PM to 2:00 AM | 6:00 PM to 3:00 AM |
| London and New York overlap | 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM | 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM |
“Summer” runs from late March to late October (UK) and early November (US). The London and New York overlap in the evening, Pakistan time, is usually the busiest and most volatile part of the day. For gold in particular, see our guide to the best time to trade gold in Pakistan.
How to start forex trading safely
- Learn the basics first. Understand pips, lots, stop loss and risk before you risk real money.
- Open a demo account. Every good broker offers free practice money. Trade it seriously for at least one to two months.
- Choose a reputable, regulated broker. Check who regulates it, read withdrawal reviews and never send money to a person who says they will “manage” your account.
- Start small. Use micro lots and risk no more than 1% of your account on any single trade.
- Always use a stop loss, and keep a simple journal of every trade: why you entered, where your stop was and what happened.
Common beginner mistakes
- Trading lot sizes far too big for the account because leverage allows it.
- Trading without a stop loss, or moving the stop loss further away when the trade goes wrong.
- “Revenge trading”: jumping straight into another trade to win back a loss.
- Following tips blindly without understanding the entry, the stop and the risk.
- Trading right at big news releases without a plan.
Frequently asked questions
How much money do I need to start?
Many brokers accept small deposits, but the right amount is money you can afford to lose completely. Practise on a demo account first; when you go live, a small account traded with micro lots teaches you far more than a big account traded carelessly.
Can forex trading guarantee a monthly income?
No. Nobody can guarantee profits in trading, and anyone who promises a fixed monthly return is a warning sign. Trading is a skill with real risk, and losing trades are a normal part of it.
Can I learn forex in Urdu?
Yes. Our Forex Online Course teaches technical analysis, risk management and market strategies in simple Urdu over two months, and the Forex Physical Course offers hands-on classes in Lahore.
Next steps
Once the basics make sense, learn how to read market structure on a chart and the main chart patterns and practise on a demo account. If you want guidance, browse our Forex courses, or see how members follow live trades in VIP Signals.
This article is for education only and is not financial advice. Trading forex and gold carries a high level of risk and you can lose some or all of your money.