Using Graph Features
The currency rate graphs used in the FXTrade and FXGame windows show how currency exchange rates change over a period of time ranging from minutes to months. All charts are updated in real time as OANDA sends out the latest currency rates.
In addition to the standard chart types, there are also a number of overlays and indicators available through the Platform. For detailed information on each of the FXTrade trendlines, overlays, and indicators, go to the FXTrade Graphing Features web pages.
FXTrade Graph
Use the top left drop-down menu to choose the currency pair (for example, EUR/USD or USD/CAD):
Notes:
To find out about the 3-letter acronyms used for currency codes, go to FXLookUp.
To choose which pairs are available in this list, go to Tools > User Preferences > Quotes.
The purpose of using different granularities is to focus on short-term vs. long-term trends. To set the granularity, use the second drop-down menu at the top left:
Choose from a granularity ranging from 5 seconds (the finest granularity, which graphs prices for roughly the last 40 minutes), to 1 day (the largest granularity, which graphs prices for roughly the last year).
Use the third drop-down menu from the left to choose the type of line that's plotted on the graph. For information on these graph types, go to the FXTrade web site.
Click the Chart Options 
button (located near the top-right corner
above the graph) to add horizontal lines
on the chart so you can track the current ask price, average price, or
bid price. Select Show Average Position
to add a horizontal line showing the average position of your current
trades for the currency pair shown in the graph. (Your average position
is shown in the Positions table.)
Seeing these lines may help you track the status of your trades, because you will see when the current price is approaching trading activity symbols or your average position.
Scroll: The scroll bars are located on the right and at the bottom of the graph. Use them to see information that is hidden from view.
Zoom In/Out:
Zoom to change the level of detail displayed and use different perspectives
to better understand short-term and long-term trends. Zooming does not
change the granularity of the graph, only your view of it. The price (vertical)
and time (horizontal) zoom controls are located at the bottom right corner,
next to the scroll bars. Click the 
or 
buttons to zoom in
or out respectively. Or, use the slider bar to manipulate the zoom level.
Reset: The 
button on the bottom-right corner resets
the graph view to default scroll and zoom settings.
Click on any empty part of the graph. Place your trade from the menu that appears:
Note: The limit order quote field is filled with the value of the current cursor position.
Open the current chart in a new window:
Click the 
button in the upper right corner of the chart.
Open a new chart for a different currency pair: Click on the currency pair codes in the Quotes List.
To hide the chart, de-select the check box at Tools > View > Graph.
For
a basic chart view where scroll
bars and other controls are hidden, click the Chart Options
button located at the top-right corner of the graph
and select Basic Chart View from
the menu that appears. (The menu choice changes to Advanced Chart View;
select it to return to the default chart view.)
To change the colour of the graph, click directly over the exchange rates being plotted on the chart. A menu appears with a list of colours.
To customize the colours used in the interface (including the colours used in this menu), select Tools > Colour Scheme > Edit Custom Theme.
A set of crosshair lines follows your mouse to indicate the price and time. (You can turn off either the horizontal or vertical crosshair lines in the Graph tab of the User Preferences.)
The Graph Information Box in the lower left corner of
the graph shows precise exchange rate
information for the current cursor location. This information varies
by chart type.
To print
the chart, click the Chart
Options button located at the top-right corner above
the graph and select Print
from the menu that appears.
FXTrade uses distinct symbols to indicate particular trading activities and highlight when they occur (for example, when a limit order was placed or when a take profit was executed).
Note: This table shows the default platform colours. (To change these colours, select Tools > Colour Scheme > Edit Custom Theme.)
|
Icon |
Action |
Example |
|
|
|
Buy Market |
|
A market buy immediately closed. |
|
|
Buy Limit Order |
|
A limit buy order later closed. |
|
|
Buy Limit Order (Original) |
|
A limit buy order modified with a new take profit. |
|
|
Sell Market |
|
A sell market trade (immediately closed). |
|
|
Sell Limit Order |
|
A sell limit order (later filled). |
|
|
Sell Limit Order (Original) |
|
A sell limit order, modified with a new take profit value. |
|
|
Intervening modification (Used when there's more than one modification to an order.) |
|
A buy limit order modified twice. |
|
|
Limit Order, Cancelled or Expired (Sell or Buy) |
|
A buy limit order expired (without the take profit being reached).
A sell limit order immediately canceled. |
|
|
Take Profit order limit (green line) and Stop Loss order limit (red line). (To change your take profit or stop loss order limits, click on these lines and drag them up and down the graph.) |
|
A buy market with take profit (top, green) and stop loss (bottom, red).
A sell market with take profit (bottom, green) and stop loss (top, red). |
|
|
|
|
A stop loss triggered on a buy market trade. |
|
|
|
|
A take profit triggered on a market buy. |
|
|
Margin Call |
|
A market buy is closed by a margin call during an unexpected market change. |
Hold the cursor over the symbol to see its information in the upper left corner of the graph.
For active orders or trades, click on their symbol and choose from the options in the submenu:
For completed orders or trades, click on their symbol and choose view details from the submenu:
Click the Chart Options button located on the top-right corner above
the graph to:
Show (or hide) indicators for all activity (including historical activity)
Show only those indicators for active trades and orders
Control the display of trading activity symbols
Trendlines are lines you can add to the chart to mark times or prices, or to help identify trends in the movement of currency prices.
Trendlines can be used for many different purposes:
Directional indicators: Peaks or troughs over a particular period may be joined with a trendline to identify the general direction. For example, if the trendline is a downward sloping line and the curve breaks the trend by rising above the line, this might be seen as a buying opportunity. Conversely, if the trendline is an upward sloping line and the curve breaks the trend by dropping below the line, this might be seen as a selling opportunity.
Support and resistance lines: When the price goes below trendlines horizontally drawn across previous lows, it may be a selling opportunity. Conversely, when the price goes above trendlines horizontally drawn across previous highs, it may be a buying opportunity.
Channels: If the currency price line stays between two parallel lines connecting peaks and troughs, this is a "channel" where fluctuations are "range-bound." If the currency price breaks out of this channel, it could be considered a signal of a change in direction.
To work with trendlines, click the 
button located in the top right corner above
the graph. A menu appears for you to choose from available trendlines
and choose trendline options:
To draw horizontal or vertical trendlines, choose their menu item, move the cursor to the place on the graph where you want to place the trendline, and then click once.
To draw other types of trendlines, choose their menu item, move the cursor to the place on the graph where you want to start the trendline, and then click once. Then move the cursor to the place where you want the trendline to end, and click again.
For detailed information on every type of trendline, go to the Using Trendlines web page.
Basic trendlines are straight lines that you can draw on the graph to mark times, values, or trends. The following basic trendlines are available from the Trendlines menu:
Vertical Trendline: Used to mark a time period.
Horizontal Trendline: Used to mark a price.
Trendline: A diagonal line to mark trends or movement on the graph. (You can set trendlines to "auto-extend" left or right from the User Preferences Chart tab.)
Advanced trendlines include the following:
Fibonacci Arc
Fibonacci Fan
Fibonacci Retracement
Fibonacci Time Zone
Pivot Points
Speed Lines
For information on these more sophisticated trendlines, go to the Trendlines web pages.
To include a numbered label on advanced trendlines (so you can distinguish them from each other), select the Show Trendline Labels check box in the Trendlines menu.
Click the button located in the top right corner above the graph. Use
the bottom menu items to:
Show or hide trendlines
Show or hide trendline labels (available for advanced trendlines)
Turn on magnetic trendlines (so trendlines stick to the graph when you plot them)
Remove all trendlines for the currently viewed currency pair
Click over an existing trendline to modify it. A menu will appear:
Use this menu to:
Remove the trendline.
Move or duplicate the trendline. (Then click on the corresponding area on the chart where the trendline is to be moved or duplicated. Move the cursor outside of the graph area to cancel the action.)
Move the trendline's endpoints.
Add a Fibonacci study or Speed Lines to the trendline, or remove them.
Change the line's colour or style.
There are a number of overlays and indicators to help you interpret the chart.
Overlays are positioned directly over the price curve. You can see their value at the cursor in the upper left hand corner.
Indicators are separate curves appearing under the price curve.
For full descriptions, including interpretations and formulas, go to the web pages for Overlays and Indicators.
Click
the drop-down arrow for the menu located in the bottom-left corner of
the graph.
Note: If you can't see this menu, you may need to switch to
the advanced chart view. Click the Chart Options
button located in the top-right corner above the graph, and select Advanced
Chart View from its menu.
Select
the overlay or indicator type from the menu that appears. (For full descriptions
of all the choices, go to the Overlays and Indicators web pages.)
A
set of parameters appears to the right of the menu. These parameters are
unique for each study.
Default values are provided for your convenience. You can change these
parameters if you want.
Click
to add the study to the chart area.
To remove an overlay or indicator from the graph, click over it and select Remove from the pop-up menu that appears:
Use this same menu to modify the values used to plot the overlay or indicator, or to change the colours it uses.
(To change the default colours used by the charting interface, select Tools > Colour Scheme > Edit Custom Theme.)
