Forex glossary
Trading Journal
A record of plans, decisions, execution, results and costs. It can also record skipped opportunities and deviations, rather than only selected winning trades.
Illustrative example
How does it work in practice?
In a hypothetical exercise, the plan calls for entry after a candle closes, but the buy is filled two minutes earlier. The journal records the plan, actual decision time, fill prices and costs even if the trade ends in profit.
A case to work through
Result and process
A fictional trade has +30 USD price P&L, 4 USD fees and −2 USD funding; entry preceded confirmation.
- Calculate net 30 − 4 − 2 = 24 USD.
- Separately mark the early entry as a rule departure.
What follows? Keep both fields even with a positive result.
Example boundary: One journal entry does not prove strategy advantage.
Plan, execution, result
Text description of the diagram
- Plan: Record the condition and permitted risk.
- Execution: Keep timing, prices and deviations.
- Review: Include costs and assess process separately.
A useful distinction
Trading Journal / Trading Discipline
Discipline concerns rule execution; a journal records plans and events.
Check your understanding
Calculate net result and record a deviation separately.
Show the answer and explanation
+16 USD
20 − 3 − 1 equals 16.
Recording and assessing decisions
Step 1 / 10 · 0 / 10 reviewed
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Read the fuller explanation
Related terms
Sources and documentation
- Step 5. Keep a Trade Log – CME Group
Describes recording reasoning, plans and execution and reviewing trades.
Document read: - MetaTrader 5: Trading Report
The report distinguishes results before and after swaps and commissions and reports drawdown of the selected balance or equity measure from a local peak.
Document read:
The example illustrates the mechanism. Check current account conditions and instrument specifications with the provider.