How to build a carry trade: yield, swap and unwind risk
A carry trade earns the interest difference between two currencies — and survives on risk rules, because the unwind is violent. Here is how to construct one properly.
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Japanese yen guides
Central bank decisions, economic data, gold and oil, and plain-English guides to how currency trading works. Every article links to its primary sources.
The 2026 yen intervention: what happened and what's next
Japan and the US intervened jointly in July to support the yen — a rare coordination that still shapes every yen trade. Here is what happened, why it worked, and what the authorities do next.
Why trade crosses? The case for dropping the dollar
Crosses like EUR/GBP and EUR/JPY remove the dollar and trade two economies directly. Here is what changes without the dollar, and when the crosses are the cleaner trade.
Why the Japanese yen is a safe haven
When fear rises, the yen strengthens — sometimes. The haven behaviour is real, structural and full of exceptions. Here is where it comes from and when it actually works.
How to read risk sentiment in five minutes
Risk sentiment decides which pairs trend and which reverse before any data lands. Here is a five-minute morning read — the instruments that show the mood and what they mean for your pairs.
When currency intervention works — and when it fails
Central banks sometimes buy or sell their own currency to move it — and the results range from decisive to futile. Here is what intervention is, when it succeeds, and the tell-tale signs to watch.
What moves USD/JPY? Yields, the BoJ and intervention
USD/JPY is the pair where US yields meet the Bank of Japan — with the threat of intervention sitting over both. Here is the three-force driver map and how they take turns leading.
Why carry trades unwind so violently
Carry trades earn steady yield for months and then collapse in days — and the collapse is structural, not accidental. Here is the mechanics of the unwind and why it hits every market at once.
How to trade the Asian session: the range that sets the day
The Asian session is quiet, range-bound and dismissed by most traders — which is exactly why its range matters so much. Here is how to trade it, and how to use it even if you don't.
How to trade EUR/JPY: risk appetite in one pair
EUR/JPY bundles the euro's policy story with the yen's haven status into the market's favourite sentiment cross. Here is what drives it and how to trade it.
How to trade GBP/JPY: the wildest major cross
GBP/JPY combines sterling's energy with the yen's sensitivity to rates and risk, producing the widest ranges in the majors. Here is how the cross works and how to trade it without being shaken out.
How to trade central bank decisions: the rate-day playbook
Rate decisions move currencies through the vote, the statement and the press conference — not just the rate itself. Here is how to read all four parts and trade the day with the risk controlled.
How to trade USD/JPY: BoJ, carry and intervention risk
USD/JPY pays you for the rate gap and threatens you with intervention. Here is how the Bank of Japan, US yields and the threat of sudden yen-buying operations all fit into one trading plan.
More articles
How to trade the news: a step-by-step strategy guide
News moves currency pairs faster than anything else in the market. Here is how to trade news releases with a plan, not a prayer — including the releases that matter, the risks around the release minute, and three strategies that respect both.
What is a pip? How to calculate pip value, with examples
A pip is the smallest standard price step in a currency pair. Here is how pips, pipettes and pip values work on EUR/USD, USD/JPY, crosses and gold.
Forex market hours: the Sydney, Tokyo, London and New York sessions
Currencies trade around the clock on weekdays, but not with the same liquidity. Session times in UTC, the overlaps that matter and the daylight-saving trap.
How interest rate decisions move currencies
Central bank decisions are the biggest scheduled events in forex. Why rates matter, why a hike can weaken a currency, and what to read beyond the decision.
Safe-haven currencies: why the yen and Swiss franc rise in a crisis
When markets panic, money flows into a few currencies seen as safe. Why the yen, franc and dollar play that role, and when it breaks down.
Position sizing: how to risk a fixed percentage per trade
How much you trade matters more than where you enter. A step-by-step method for sizing positions from your stop-loss and the amount you are willing to lose.
Major, minor and exotic currency pairs explained
How to read a currency quote, which pairs count as majors, crosses and exotics, and why spreads and risks differ so much between them.
The carry trade explained, and why it can unwind so quickly
Borrowing in a low-interest currency to hold a high-interest one can earn steady income, until the exchange rate turns. How carry works and where the risk hides.
Weekend gaps: why prices jump when the forex market reopens
Currencies stop trading on Friday evening, but the news doesn't. What happens to your positions and stops when the market reopens at a different price.
Leverage limits for retail traders in the EU, UK, Australia, Japan and the US
Regulators cap how much leverage brokers can give retail clients. The limits by market and region, and what professional status changes.
Currency intervention explained: how and why governments step in
When a currency moves too far, too fast, authorities can buy or sell it directly. How intervention works, Japan's record operations and what it means for traders.
The Plaza Accord of 1985: when five nations agreed to push the dollar down
On 22 September 1985 the finance ministers and central bank governors of five major economies agreed the dollar should fall. How the Plaza Accord worked, what followed and why traders still mention it.
