Forex, markets and crypto, explained.
Plain-English guides on how trading actually works and what it costs, a weekly recap of what moved each market — written after the close, with hindsight on purpose — and the day’s headlines.
Three markets, one rule: no tips
latest headlines →Forex
How the currency market works, what it costs to trade, how to manage risk, and what moved the majors this week.
/instruments · 12 guidesInstruments
Shares, stock indices, commodities, bonds and ETFs: how each market works, how CFDs on them differ, and what moves them.
/crypto · 8 guidesCrypto
What crypto-assets are, how buying them differs from trading crypto CFDs, why they are so volatile, and how to avoid the scams. No hype.
Headlines
all news →- 1inch lawyer sees agencies driving US crypto regulation as midterms unfold
- The internet is ‘dying’: AI is eating it and obliterating these business models
- US midterms election 2026 live: Mark Warner retains Virginia Senate seat
- Canva announces major job cuts after 'our hardest year yet'
- Graduates are managing AI - but are they learning much else?
- Poundland supplier 'will lose millions' if retailer collapses
- RUNE rallies 15% as THORChain restarts most swaps after halt
- OpenAI Wants to Rebrand AI Data Centers, Use Them to 'Protect the Grid'
- Tether Holds 150,000 Bitcoin, CEO Says—About 50,000 More Than Its Reserve Report Shows
- Here’s what happened in crypto today
Forex: after the close
all recaps →Forex week in review 44/2026: three central bank holds, two Fed dissents and a gold sell-off
The Fed, ECB and Bank of Japan all left rates unchanged, but two Fed officials voted for a hike and the BoJ said underlying inflation had reached 2%. US GDP grew 3.4% and PCE inflation rose to 3.6%. The dollar index edged up 0.07%, EUR/USD fell 0.38% and gold dropped 3.7% to its lowest since October 2025.
What a "hawkish hold" is
A hawkish hold is a central bank decision to leave rates unchanged while signalling that tighter policy may follow. On 28 October 2026 the Fed held at 3.75–4.00%, but two of the twelve voters wanted an immediate hike, which markets read as a sign that the next move was more likely up than down.
Forex: start here
all 55 lessons · learn hub →How the forex market works: who trades, where prices come from, and where you fit in
There is no forex exchange and no closing bell. Here is how a decentralised market of banks, funds and brokers actually sets the price on your screen.
Currency pairs explained: base, quote, majors, minors and exotics
Every forex trade is two trades at once. Learn how to read a pair, why some cost far more to trade than others, and how cross rates are built.
Forex market hours and sessions: Sydney, Tokyo, London and New York
Forex trades 24 hours a day, but not every hour is worth trading. Here is when each session runs, where the overlaps fall, and what daylight saving does to the clock.
How to read a forex quote: bid, ask, spread and pipettes
Two prices, five decimals and a gap between them that costs you money on every trade. Here is how to read a forex quote properly.
What is a CFD? How contracts for difference work, what they cost and the risks
Most retail forex is traded as CFDs. Here is what you actually own when you open one, how going long and short works, what it costs, and why most retail accounts lose money.
Forex vs stocks vs crypto: how the three markets really differ
Currencies, shares and crypto all flash prices on a screen, but they trade at different hours, under different rules, with different costs and different things moving them. Here is how they compare.
What moves currency prices? Rates, inflation, growth, risk and flows
Exchange rates move when the balance of buyers and sellers shifts. Here are the forces behind that shift, from interest rates and inflation to risk sentiment, flows and politics, and why they work differently over a day and over a decade.
From demo account to live trading: what a demo teaches, what it hides, and how to start small
A demo account is a good place to learn the buttons and a poor place to learn about yourself. Here is what practice money can and cannot show you, how to tell when you are ready for real money, and how to make the switch without large losses.
What is a pip, and why does everyone count in them?
The smallest unit forex traders talk in — and how to turn pips into money before you place a trade.
More forex recaps
all recaps →Forex week in review 43/2026: Houthi attacks lift oil, the Aussie and sterling lead, gold breaks $4,000
Houthi attacks on Saudi airports and oil sites pushed Brent up 6.2% to $116.72, and markets sorted currencies by which central bank looked most likely to hike. AUD/USD jumped 1.28% on hawkish RBA comments, sterling gained after hot UK inflation, the yen rallied on a tech selloff, and gold had its worst week since June.
Forex week in review 42/2026: hot US inflation, and the dollar still ends lower
US CPI rose to 3.7% in September, above forecasts, and the dollar index briefly hit an 18-month high. Within a day the move had reversed as Fed officials played down an October hike and Treasury yields fell, leaving the dollar 0.36% lower on the week and sterling the standout gainer.
Forex week in review 41/2026: euro hits a 17-month low on France and Spain, Fed minutes stay hawkish
Political and fiscal worries in France and Spain dragged EUR/USD to its weakest level since May 2025 on Monday, while US 10-year yields touched 5.35% and the Fed minutes signalled another hike by year end. The dollar index added 0.27% on the week and gold bounced from a two-month low.