5 Mistakes Every New Forex Trader Makes
Overleveraging, ignoring the spread, trading the news without context — and how to avoid each one.
Vera explains market-moving events and economic context with clarity, restraint, and a learner-first perspective.
President Donald Trump warned that Iran must reach a deal, face continued economic deterioration or risk its leadership being destroyed, Reuters reported from remarks relayed by a Fox News reporter. Trump also said he was open to meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during the United Nations General Assembly. The statements materially advance Iran’s earlier warning of sustained retaliation, but they combine escalation with a possible diplomatic opening. No meeting, new U.S. strike or Iranian concession had been confirmed at the review cutoff.
A Moscow refinery facility was confirmed damaged after a drone attack, but no unit-level impact, output loss or restart guidance was disclosed.
China kept its benchmark lending rates unchanged in September for a 16th consecutive month, Reuters reported. The one-year loan prime rate remained at 3.00%, while the five-year LPR, which influences mortgage pricing, stayed at 3.50%. The decision extends Beijing's prolonged pause in benchmark lending-rate adjustments as policymakers balance domestic growth support against banking-sector constraints and the external rate environment. The unchanged settings represent a fresh September monetary-policy decision rather than a new easing step.
Qatar has launched Doha Investment, a new Qatar Investment Authority division dedicated to domestic investments as the economy faces pressure from disrupted LNG exports through the Strait of Hormuz. Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said the unit will support companies, deepen capital markets and attract international capital and expertise. Commerce Minister Sheikh Faisal bin Thani Al Thani said it will initially oversee 45 state-owned enterprises representing roughly one-third of QIA's assets, while also supporting privatisation and greater private-sector participation.
China kept its benchmark lending rates unchanged in September for a 16th consecutive month, Reuters reported. The one-year loan prime rate remained at 3.00%, while the five-year LPR, which influences mortgage pricing, stayed at 3.50%. The decision extends Beijing's prolonged pause in benchmark lending-rate adjustments as policymakers balance domestic growth support against banking-sector constraints and the external rate environment. The unchanged settings represent a fresh September monetary-policy decision rather than a new easing step.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to meet in New York during UN General Assembly week, describing renewed diplomacy as Ukraine's top priority. Zelenskiy said the sides were working on potential de-escalation steps and broader security issues involving energy, food supplies and protection of civilians. The announcement follows September talks in Kyiv involving U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. No peace agreement, ceasefire terms or specific concessions were announced with the planned presidential meeting.
Indian equities completed a sixth consecutive weekly decline on September 18, their longest losing streak since 2020, as elevated crude prices and tighter global monetary conditions pressured sentiment. Reuters reported the Nifty 50 closing 0.33% higher at 25,818.55 on Friday while the Sensex slipped 0.03% to 83,730.19. For the week, the indices lost 0.22% and 0.65%, respectively. Friday's selective rebound included insurance stocks, while several Tata Group companies fell amid uncertainty surrounding governance and a possible Tata Sons listing.
Russia and China blocked a UN Security Council resolution that would have extended the mandate of the independent Panel of Experts monitoring sanctions on Iran, Reuters reported. The panel's current mandate expires on September 26. UN records show the experts are tasked with examining sanctions implementation and possible violations involving Iran's nuclear and missile-related restrictions. The vote does not itself remove the underlying UN sanctions, which were re-applied in September 2025. Instead, it removes a key independent monitoring mechanism unless the Security Council reaches a new agreement.
The European Commission said it would disburse €3.3 billion to Ukraine on September 18 for defence procurement, including drones and missiles, under the €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan. The payment is the fourth under the loan's defence component and brings Commission disbursements to Ukraine this year to nearly €15 billion across defence and broader support. Ukrainian Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi separately confirmed receipt of the €3.3 billion tranche, according to Reuters. The funding comes as Russia's war continues to drive European defence and security spending.
The yen weakened to a two-week low after the Bank of Japan raised its policy rate by 25 basis points to 1.25%, the highest level in 31 years. Reuters reported the dollar up 1.2% at ¥157.84, with the move on course to be its largest daily rise against the yen since December. Two policymakers dissented from the 7–2 decision, while traders saw limited hawkish guidance on further increases. Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama reiterated that Japan would not hesitate to conduct further coordinated currency intervention if necessary.
The FTSE 100 fell 0.6% to 10,751.57 by 09:53 UTC on September 18, retreating from a more than one-week high as banking and energy shares weighed on the index. Despite Friday's decline, the UK blue-chip benchmark remained on course for its strongest weekly gain since late July. The FTSE 250 was broadly flat but was heading for its best week since early August. The pullback came after a busy week of UK economic data and the Bank of England's decision to keep Bank Rate at 3.75%.
European Central Bank Vice-President Boris Vujčić said markets are focusing heavily on higher energy prices when pricing the ECB's interest-rate path, but policymakers will assess a broader set of data before deciding further moves. In an ECB-published Reuters interview released September 18, Vujčić said energy prices had risen beyond assumptions used in the latest projections and could stay elevated for longer. He also warned that persistent energy costs can weaken household purchasing power and consumption, creating a growth drag alongside the inflation pressure.