A Pip is the term for Percentage In Point or Price Interest Point. It is the smallest measurement for the smallest value (price) change of a currency. This term is one of the most important one among many in Forex currency trading, and should be properly understood by any new Forex trader.
Since Forex spreads are relatively very small, and Forex transactions involve mostly large amounts of currency, the currency pairs of majors are quoted accurately to the fourth decimal place, with the exception of the Japanese yen. For example, if the USD/EUR shifts from 1.2345 to 1.2346, the change is 1 Pip. If it shifts from 1.2345 to 1.2305, then it moved by 40 Pips. The 6 most liquid and widely traded currency pairs globally are the:
* EUR/USD, also called the ‘EURO” * GBP/USD, also called the “CABLE” * USD/CHF, also called the “SWISSIE” * USD/JPY, also called the “NINJA” * USD/CAD, also called the “LOONIE”, or “BEAVER” * AUD/USD, also called the “AUSSIE”
The EUR/USD is the most traded major by an average of 100 Pips a day.
Profits and losses are measured in Pips for any paired currency, though the Pip for a USD/JPY or US Dollar/Japanese Yen is not the same value as the Pip of a USD/EUR, or US Dollar/Euro, as it is quoted only at two decimal places; so the yen’s Pip value is .01.
If you trade the currency pair of USD/JPY at 110.95 and moves to 111.0, it gained 5 Pips. With a quote of 77.48 that changed to 77.53 would mean a 5 Pip increase. If it were the USD/CAD pair while at 1.0234, then changes to 1.0224, 10 Pips would have been lost. Trading with the AUD/USD with an exchange quote of 1.9876, the Pip equivalent is .0001, as it set by market makers at 4 decimal places.
Basically, when you hear someone say, “30 Pips”, it denotes thirty units of value in trading. Individual currencies are not similarly quoted in terms of Pips, so it’s best to review all the currencies you encounter during your trading. Dealing with large sums might seem daunting at times, but will get easier gradually as you begin to get acquainted with Forex trading as time passes.
Many other currencies besides the Yen have a four decimal place - those mainly paired with the USD at .0001. If you just keep in mind that a Forex Pip is one unit of the furthest listed decimal place, and that each currency pair is assigned a different value, then you’ll be well on your way to becoming a future, successful trader.