The 3-minute forexmorning routine.
A good forex morning routine answers 3 questions before you look at a single chart: what happened overnight, which markets are worth your time today, and what could move them next. If you can answer those 3, you start the session prepared instead of reacting to the first candle.
This is the routine we use every morning in Prime Terminal. It takes about 3 minutes, and it works the same way whether you trade EURUSD, gold or indices.
Minute 1: get the context
Open the Macro Briefing. Our analysts write it before every session: what moved the dollar, what central banks said, what matters today. Then scan Realtime Headlines and look only at the headlines with a price reaction attached. Those are the ones the market actually cared about.
After minute 1 you should be able to say the story of the day in 1 sentence, for example: "Dollar softer after weak US data, US retail sales at 13:30 is the main event."
Minute 2: find your focus
Open the Overview List. Every market sits on 1 line with its performance, the fundamental view, the research view and the bias. You are looking for markets where the verdicts agree, and where retail positioning in DMX sits on the other side.
Pick 1 to 3 markets. Everything else is noise for today.
Minute 3: prepare your plan
Check the Economic Calendar for anything that can move your markets today. If there is a big release, open the Scenario Desk: it shows what the market is likely to do if the number comes in above, in line or below expectations.
Write your plan down before the release, not after. That is the whole point of the routine.
Use it in real trading
The tool informs the decision, it never makes it. Here is how it plays out on real trading days.
The briefing says the dollar is soft, the Overview List shows EURUSD with 3 bullish verdicts and retail short. No big release until the afternoon. You focus on EURUSD and look for your entry in the morning session.
US CPI is at 13:30. You still do minutes 1 and 2, but your plan for the morning is to wait. You note the 3 scenarios and only act after the number, if it confirms your bias.
The verdicts disagree everywhere and the headlines point in different directions. The routine did its job: it told you this is not a day to force a trade.
Mistakes to avoid
- Starting with the chart instead of the context.
- Looking at 20 markets instead of picking 1 to 3.
- Making the plan after the release instead of before it.
What makes it different
Most platforms give you the data and leave the story to you. In Prime Terminal the Macro Briefing is written by our analysts every session, and the market reactions are attached to the headlines, so the context is checked before it reaches you.
Questions
How long does the morning routine take?
About 3 minutes once you know the tools. The first few days take longer, which is normal.
Does it work for day trading and swing trading?
Yes. Day traders use it every morning, swing traders use it to check that nothing changed their weekly plan.
Which tools do I need?
Macro Briefing, Realtime Headlines, Overview List, Smart Bias, DMX, Economic Calendar and Scenario Desk. All of them are on every plan.