Slang represents a unique set of words and expressions distinct from formal speech, often reflecting a group’s cultural or professional idiosyncrasies. Slang, deviating from standard language conventions, facilitates more accessible communication within the group. Traders, known for their wit and sense of humor, have evolved their own set of slang terms.
The following list outlines some popular slang terms used by forex traders. For newcomers, understanding these terms can ease their entry into the trading world:
Aussie
- The Australian Dollar, AUD.
Babysitting
- Refers to holding onto a losing position for an extended period, hoping the price will rebound to break even or turn a profit.
Bear market “bearish”
- A market in which prices are falling.
Beast
- Refers to the GBP/JPY currency pair. Due to its historic volatility, it has nicknames like Dragon, Geppy, Gopher, and Widowmaker.
Bucks
- Refers to the US dollar.
Bull market “bullish”
- A market characterized by rising prices.
Buy the Rumor, Sell the News
- Encourages traders to capitalize on short-term opportunities based on rumors and then sell when the actual news or event materializes. More relevant for day traders.
Cable
- Refers to the British Pound, GBP.
Don’t Fight the Fed
- Suggests that investors align their strategies with Federal Reserve policies rather than going against them.
Drawdown
- Represents the decline in an account’s value after a series of losing trades.
F-You Money
- Represents the amount of money required to leave their job and retire comfortably.
Flat (Square)
- Liquidating all open positions, resulting in no market exposure.
Frothy
- Indicates that prices are unsustainably high, drawing a comparison to bubbles.
Gap
- A stark difference exists between one trading period’s closing price and the subsequent period’s opening price.
Heat
- Refers to the high risk associated with specific trades.
Hedgistan
- Refers to the region between Manhattan and Westport, CT, known as the hedge fund hub.
Holy Grail
- An elusive, consistently profitable trading system.
Hunting Elephants
- Coined by Warren Buffett, it means searching for significant deals.
Kiwi
- The New Zealand Dollar, NZD.
Limit
- An order placed to buy or sell a currency at a specific or better rate.
Lock
- Two opposing positions for the same asset with identical specifications.
Long (position)
- A trade is made, expecting the asset’s price to rise.
Loonie
- The Canadian Dollar, CAD. Named due to the image of a loon bird on the Canadian one-dollar coins.
Majors
- Refers to the most heavily traded currency pairs.
Margin call
- A demand to deposit additional capital when a trader’s losses exceed their margin.
Ninja
- Another term for the USD/JPY currency pair.
Nut
- Represents the total commission amount for trades.
Old Lady
- Colloquial term for the Bank of England, referring to its location on Threadneedle Street.
Pip (Point)
- In forex, it represents the most minor price move in an exchange rate.
Profit (Gain)
- The positive return from a trade.
Rally
- A period of sustained upward price movement after a decline.
Range
- A period when the market remains stable without significant movement.
Rush for the Exits
- Describes panic-selling at the onset of a market decline.
Setup
- A particular market scenario favorable for trading.
Short (position)
- A trade was made, expecting the asset’s price to fall.
Slippages
- When a trade executes at a different price than expected due to volatility or broker liquidity issues.
Squeeze
- Actions by central banks to influence currency value.
Swissie
- The Swiss Franc, CHF.
Texas Tea
- Another term for oil referencing its abundance in Texas.
Tick, Item
- A minimal price movement in trading.
Unicorn
- Describes a startup company valued at $1 billion or more.
Wall of Worry
- Indicates that despite concerns, stock prices might rise.
Whipsaw
- A volatile market condition with sharp price movement followed by a quick reversal.
He is an expert in financial niche, long-term trading, and weekly technical levels.
The primary field of Igor's research is the application of machine learning in algorithmic trading.
Education: Computer Engineering and Ph.D. in machine learning.
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