In forex trading, most traders are familiar with technical and fundamental analysis. However, there is another type of analysis that is also important and interesting to explore, known as intermarket analysis. This type of analysis helps traders understand the relationships between various financial markets, such as currency, commodities, bonds, and stocks, in order to predict price movements. This article will explain some key facts about intermarket analysis in forex.
1. Currency Market
As the main component of forex trading, currency movements are essential to monitor. In forex, there are several types of currency pairs: major pairs, cross currency pairs, and exotic pairs. Major currency pairs, such as EUR/USD and GBP/USD, are the most commonly traded due to their high liquidity and low spreads.
2. Commodity Market
Commodities like oil and gold have a significant impact on the forex market. Oil, particularly crude oil, is an important commodity used to gauge inflation levels and global demand. Oil price movements affect the value of currencies of oil-producing countries, such as Canada. Additionally, gold acts as a safe-haven asset during times of economic instability. One currency pair sensitive to gold price movements is AUD/USD.
3. Bond Market
The bond market provides information about a country’s interest rates. When bond yields rise, the currency of that country often strengthens as investors seek higher returns. Government bonds, such as U.S. Treasury Bonds, are frequently used as benchmarks when analyzing currency movements in the forex market.
4. Stock Market
A country’s stock index often reflects the state of its economy. When a stock index rises, the country's currency typically strengthens, and vice versa. Therefore, forex traders should also keep an eye on major stock indices, such as the S&P 500 in the U.S. or the Nikkei 225 in Japan, to anticipate currency movements.
Differences Between Intermarket Analysis and Technical Analysis
The main difference between intermarket analysis and technical analysis lies in the market scope. Technical analysis focuses on a single market, such as forex, and uses indicators and charts to analyze price movements. In contrast, intermarket analysis involves observing multiple markets, including stocks, commodities, and bonds. As a result, intermarket analysis provides a more comprehensive view of capital flows across various instruments.
Differences Between Intermarket Analysis and Fundamental Analysis
Although both types of analysis utilize economic data, fundamental analysis is more limited to a single market. Fundamental analysis tends to focus on a country's economic data or central bank policies, whereas intermarket analysis examines the relationships between different markets. Therefore, traders using intermarket analysis are better equipped to predict broad price movements by considering various factors from different markets.
Using intermarket analysis gives forex traders an advantage, as it involves various financial instruments that interact with each other. Understanding the connections between the forex, commodities, bonds, and stock markets helps improve prediction accuracy and provides a more comprehensive insight into market conditions. Alongside technical and fundamental analysis, intermarket analysis offers a broader perspective for understanding the dynamics of financial markets.
