Donald Trump’s controversial presidency campaign has had an impact in the FX markets, most notably in the Mexican Peso and to a lesser extent on the Russian Ruble. While the RUB/MXN cross pair has been renamed by some as the ‘Trump Trade’, this is a very unusual cross which is hardly offered by the majority of brokers. However, those who wish to take advantage of the recent volatility in this lesser-offered currency pair can do so by creating a synthetic currency pair.
In essence, the process for doing this is to choose two pairs which contain a common currency (for example, the US dollar) against each of the two currencies which the trader seeks to trade. By taking opposing positions in the two markets the exposure to the common currency is cancelled out, leaving just the synthetic pair.
If we take the Trump Trade as an example, which has recently surged in popularity due to its sensitivity to US republican nominee Donald Trump’s performance in the polls, we explain how you could create a synthetic RUB/MXN using the far more liquid and widely-traded pairs of the USD/RUB and USD/MXN.
A long position in RUB/MXN would consist of a short in the USD/RUB, and a long in the USD/MXN:
Short position in: USD Short
RUB Long
You can short the USD and long the RUB:
Long position in: USD Long
MXN Short
In another trade, you can go long on the USD and short on the MXN, resulting in the two positions combining to give you the following setup:
Combined position: USD Short USD Long = RUB Long
RUB Long MXN Short MXN Short
The opposing positions (long and short) in each pair would cancel out the USD exposure (shown in red). Therefore, you are left with a long position in the RUB and short position in the MXN.
CFD’s, Options and Forex are leveraged products which can result in losses that exceed your initial deposit. These products may not be suitable for all investors and you should seek independent advice if necessary.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD: Bears retain control below 1.1780-1.1770 confluence breakpoint
The EUR/USD pair remains on the back foot through the Asian session on Friday and currently trades just above mid-1.1700s, well within striking distance of a nearly one-month low set the previous day.
GBP/USD seems vulnerable near one-month low as traders await US data
The GBP/USD pair prolongs its weekly downtrend for the fifth consecutive day on Friday and slides back closer to a nearly one-month low, touched the previous day. Spot prices trade below mid-1.3400s during the Asian session on Friday and seem vulnerable to slide further as traders now look to important US macro data for a fresh impetus.
USD/JPY remains strong after Japan’s National CPI cools down
The Japanese Yen shows weakness against the US Dollar during the Asian trading session on Friday. The USD/JPY pair holds onto gains near its weekly high of 155.20 posted on Thursday. The pair is under pressure as the US Dollar continues to outperform due to signals from Federal Open Market Committee Minutes of the January policy meeting that officials see no rush for interest rate cuts, with inflation remaining persistently above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.
Editors’ Picks
GBP/USD seems vulnerable near one-month low as traders await US data
The GBP/USD pair prolongs its weekly downtrend for the fifth consecutive day on Friday and slides back closer to a nearly one-month low, touched the previous day. Spot prices trade below mid-1.3400s during the Asian session on Friday and seem vulnerable to slide further as traders now look to important US macro data for a fresh impetus.
EUR/USD: Bears retain control below 1.1780-1.1770 confluence breakpoint
The EUR/USD pair remains on the back foot through the Asian session on Friday and currently trades just above mid-1.1700s, well within striking distance of a nearly one-month low set the previous day.
Gold eyes next breakout on US GDP, PCE inflation data
Gold sticks to recent gains around the $5,000-mark early Friday, biding time before the high-impact US macro events. The focus is now on the US fourth-quarter Gross Domestic Product, core Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index and the Supreme Court’s ruling on President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple remain range-bound as breakdown risks rise
Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple are trading sideways within consolidation ranges on Friday, signaling a lack of directional bias in the broader crypto market. BTC rebounded from key support, and ETH is nearing the lower consolidation boundary, while XRP is holding at its lower trendline boundary.
Hawkish Fed minutes and a market finding its footing
It was green across the board for US Stock market indexes at the close on Wednesday, with most S&P 500 names ending higher, adding 38 points (0.6%) to 6,881 overall. At the GICS sector level, energy led gains, followed by technology and consumer discretionary, while utilities and real estate posted the largest losses.
RECOMMENDED LESSONS
Making money in forex is easy if you know how the bankers trade!
I’m often mystified in my educational forex articles why so many traders struggle to make consistent money out of forex trading. The answer has more to do with what they don’t know than what they do know. After working in investment banks for 20 years many of which were as a Chief trader its second knowledge how to extract cash out of the market.
5 Forex News Events You Need To Know
In the fast moving world of currency markets where huge moves can seemingly come from nowhere, it is extremely important for new traders to learn about the various economic indicators and forex news events and releases that shape the markets. Indeed, quickly getting a handle on which data to look out for, what it means, and how to trade it can see new traders quickly become far more profitable and sets up the road to long term success.
Top 10 Chart Patterns Every Trader Should Know
Chart patterns are one of the most effective trading tools for a trader. They are pure price-action, and form on the basis of underlying buying and selling pressure. Chart patterns have a proven track-record, and traders use them to identify continuation or reversal signals, to open positions and identify price targets.
7 Ways to Avoid Forex Scams
The forex industry is recently seeing more and more scams. Here are 7 ways to avoid losing your money in such scams: Forex scams are becoming frequent. Michael Greenberg reports on luxurious expenses, including a submarine bought from the money taken from forex traders. Here’s another report of a forex fraud. So, how can we avoid falling in such forex scams?
What Are the 10 Fatal Mistakes Traders Make
Trading is exciting. Trading is hard. Trading is extremely hard. Some say that it takes more than 10,000 hours to master. Others believe that trading is the way to quick riches. They might be both wrong. What is important to know that no matter how experienced you are, mistakes will be part of the trading process.
The challenge: Timing the market and trader psychology
Successful trading often comes down to timing – entering and exiting trades at the right moments. Yet timing the market is notoriously difficult, largely because human psychology can derail even the best plans. Two powerful emotions in particular – fear and greed – tend to drive trading decisions off course.