Like any other trading system and method, Forex trading system boils down to risk versus reward. How much capital you are willing to put at risk for a given level of return should be your top consideration. Beyond that, one must consider costs, trading activity, and markets traded before investing. Indeed, Forex trading system is a good mix of art and science - art because it comes through practice, and science, because it has certain rules, regulations and principles to be followed. Knowledge as well as technology plays a very vital role in every decision you take.

In the field of Forex trading systems, mechanical trading systems are techniques that make trading decisions for you. You input the trading data, and the system generates a response that indicates the appropriate action. You buy, sell, or do nothing depending upon the formulas this system uses and operates upon. The latest computer versions of these mechanical systems are complete "black box" operations (you cannot have all the emotion involved when you follow a specific system). Perhaps, that is one of the reasons that these systems are called mechanical systems. But that doesn’t mean that they aren’t intelligent enough. Turn the computer on, start the system, and it updates your database, and generates trading recommendations, and places your orders directly to the brokers.

Unquestionably, in Forex trading systems, speed is of the essence in these hectic times. Every nanosecond counts when you are trading using five minute charts. The most basic Forex trading systems rely on moving averages. The more "sophisticated" systems use combinations of moving averages of both price and volume. The most "expensive" systems incorporate stochastics, which are the mathematical techniques for a non-linear science.

Most of these Forex trading systems are reactive (not proactive!!) by design. Like, if a stock or a commodity acts in a certain way, the system assumes that the stock or a commodity will continue to act that way. It generates this conclusion based on the formulas programmed into the system some “Black Boxes" also compute a large array of indicators in an attempt to increase confidence of an action recommendation. Most mechanical trading systems buy or sell breakouts. The stock market calls these traders momentum players. Their formulas assume a continuation of that movement. Should that movement fail to continue, the system will generate a loss, plus the commission cost.