Currency Pair
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A currency pair depicts a quotation of two different currencies. The first currency in the pair is the base currency. The second currency in the pair is labeled counter currency. Such a quotation depict how many units of the counter currency are needed to buy one unit of the base currency.
For example the quotation EUR/USD 1.2500 means that one euro is exchanged for 1.25 US dollar. If the quote moves from EUR/USD 1.2500 to EUR/USD 1.2510, the euro is getting stronger and the dollar weaker. On the other had if the EUR/USD quote moves from 1.2500 to 1.2490 the euro is getting weaker while the dollar is getting stronger.
Majors
Majors are the most liquid and widely traded currency pairs in the world. Trades involving majors make up about 90% of total Forex trading.The Majors are: EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, USD/CHF, AUD/USD and USD/CAD.
GBP/USD is the only currency pair with its own name. It is known as "Cable", which has its origins from the days when a cable under the Atlantic synchronised the GBP/USD rate between the London and New York markets.
Cross Rates
Cross rate is a currency pair that does not include USD, such as GBP/JPY. Pairs that involve the EUR are called euro crosses, such as EUR/GBP. All other currency pairs (those that don't involve USD or EUR) are generally referred to as cross rates.Pips
A Pip is the smallest number in a quotation of a currency. For example if the quotation of EUR/USD is 1.2025, a pip is represented by EUR 0.0001. EUR/GBP has half pips, in that it is quoted to a fifth decimal place which can only be 0 or 5. This is because one pip in EUR/GBP is equal to four pips in its predecessor, GBP/DEM, and one pip in EUR/GBP would be too large an increment.Spread
The quotation of a currency pair usually consists of two prices. The lower price (bid) is the price at which a market maker is willing to buy the first currency of a pair. The higher price (offer) is the price at which a market maker is willing to sell the first currency of a pair. The spread is the difference between the two prices. For example if the quotation of EUR/USD is 1.2025/1.2028, then the spread is EUR 0.0003.
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