The financial markets have their own vocabulary, and mastering this language is essential for successful trading. Whether you're analyzing market reports, reading trading forums, or communicating with other investors, having a solid grasp of terminology helps you make informed decisions and avoid costly misunderstandings.
Our comprehensive glossary covers essential terms used in technical analysis, fundamental analysis, MetaTrader 4 platform, and general market concepts. Use this resource to build your knowledge and trade with confidence.
The chart above illustrates the relationship between key market structure concepts including support and resistance levels, trend lines, and price action patterns. Understanding these elements is fundamental to technical analysis and effective trading.
A financial market characterized by rising asset prices and investor optimism. During a bull market, securities generally rise in value over an extended period.
A financial market condition where prices are falling or expected to fall. Bear markets are typically accompanied by widespread pessimism and negative investor sentiment.
The degree to which an asset can be quickly bought or sold without affecting its price. High liquidity means assets can be traded easily with minimal price impact.
A statistical measure of the dispersion of returns for a given security or market index. Higher volatility indicates greater risk but also potential for higher returns.
The difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept (ask). A narrow spread indicates high liquidity.
An order to buy or sell a security immediately at the best available current price. Market orders guarantee execution but not price.
An order to buy or sell a security at a specified price or better. Limit orders guarantee price but not execution.
An order placed to sell a security when it reaches a certain price, designed to limit an investor's loss on a position.
A price level where buying interest is strong enough to overcome selling pressure, preventing the price from declining further.
A price level where selling pressure is strong enough to overcome buying pressure, preventing the price from rising further.
A line drawn on a chart connecting either a series of highs or lows to visualize the direction of price movement.
A calculation used to analyze data points by creating a series of averages of different subsets of the full data set, helping to identify trends.
A momentum oscillator that measures the speed and change of price movements, used to identify overbought or oversold conditions.
A trend-following momentum indicator that shows the relationship between two moving averages of a security's price.
A technical analysis tool that uses horizontal lines to indicate areas of support or resistance at key Fibonacci levels before the price continues in the original direction.
A type of price chart used in technical analysis that displays the high, low, open, and closing prices for a specific period, forming patterns that can indicate future price movement.
The total monetary or market value of all finished goods and services produced within a country's borders in a specific time period.
The rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services is rising, eroding purchasing power.
The amount a lender charges a borrower, expressed as a percentage of the principal. Central banks set base interest rates that influence broader economic activity.
A valuation ratio of a company's current share price compared to its per-share earnings, used to determine if a stock is overvalued or undervalued.
The portion of a company's profit allocated to each outstanding share of common stock, serving as an indicator of a company's profitability.
A financial ratio that shows how much a company pays out in dividends each year relative to its stock price.
A piece of economic data, usually of macroeconomic scale, that helps analyze economic performance and predict future performance.
A financial statement that reports a company's assets, liabilities, and shareholders' equity at a specific point in time.
A program that allows automation of analytical and trading processes in MetaTrader 4. EAs can analyze market data and execute trades based on predefined criteria.
A user-created technical indicator for the MetaTrader 4 platform, programmed using MQL4 language to perform specific analytical functions.
MetaQuotes Language 4, a built-in programming language for developing trading strategies, custom indicators, and scripts for the MetaTrader 4 platform.
The minimum price movement of a trading instrument. In MetaTrader 4, ticks represent the smallest possible change in the price of a currency pair or other asset.
The main interface of MetaTrader 4 where traders can view charts, place orders, and manage their trading account.
A tool in MetaTrader 4 that allows traders to test and optimize Expert Advisors on historical data before applying them to live trading.
A window in MetaTrader 4 that displays the list of available trading instruments and their current bid and ask prices.
A feature in MetaTrader 4 that allows traders to manage multiple orders and positions simultaneously with enhanced functionality.
A measure that compares the potential profit of a trade to its potential loss. A 1:3 risk-reward ratio means risking $1 to potentially gain $3.
The process of determining how many units of an asset to buy or sell based on the account size and risk tolerance.
The peak-to-trough decline during a specific period of an investment or trading account. Measured in percentage terms.
A demand from a broker to deposit additional funds when the value of securities in a margin account falls below the required level.
The use of borrowed capital to increase the potential return of an investment. While leverage can multiply gains, it can also multiply losses.
A risk management strategy used to offset potential losses in investments by taking an opposite position in a related asset.
The practice of spreading investments across various financial instruments, industries, or asset classes to reduce exposure to any single risk.
A real-time market index representing the market's expectations for volatility over the coming 30 days, often referred to as the "fear gauge."
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