Introduction to MetaTrader 4 Platform Interface

The following screen-shot below shows the main MT4 cfds platform inter-face. As a beginner trader trying to learn how to execute cfd orders in the online cfd market, the main tool for trading the cfd market is the MT4 platform software. This MT4 cfds platform is the software that you will connect to your cfd broker with and execute cfd trade transactions & monitor your cfd account balance from this MetaTrader 4 platform.

The CFD MetaTrader 4 cfds platform software is provided for free through the various cfd broker sites. This MT4 cfd software looks like the cfd examples explained and illustrated below:

Main Areas of this MT4 cfds platform as shown above are:

1. MT4 Navigation Menus
2. Toolbars
3. MT4 CFDs Chart Window
4. MetaTrader 4 Navigator Window
5. MT4 Market Watch Window
6. MetaTrader 4 Terminal
7. MetaTrader 4 Connection Bars

For this MetaTrader 4 tutorial we shall look at a brief introduction for each of these learn MetaTrader 4 software:

1. Navigation Menus

The MT4 navigation menus are:

1. File
2. View
3. Insert
4. Charts
5. Tools
6. Window
7. Help

These are the main MT4 navigation menus that can be used to navigate the MetaTrader 4 cfd software. As a beginner trader you can start by just clicking any of these MT4 navigation menus to familiarize yourself with various MT4 buttons that are arranged as MT4 sub menus within these MT4 navigation menus.

These MetaTrader 4 navigation menus will be discussed and covered in details in the next MetaTrader 4 tutorials about navigation menus.

2. Tool-Bars

The MT4 tool bars are used to manipulate MT4 cfd charts, either by placing MT4 indicators, MT4 line studies, change MT4 cfd chart timeframes and load MT4 template from a list of saved MT4 templates.

These MetaTrader 4 tool-bars will be discussed on other MetaTrader 4 tutorials which will outline each MT4 button key on this MetaTrader 4 tool-bar & how to add and customize these MetaTrader 4 tool-bars.

3. Chart Panel

This MT4 cfd chart window is the main area where MT4 cfd charts are displayed & a trader can analyze the cfd trend direction of a MT4 cfd chart whether up or down, place MT4 cfd chart indicators for technical analysis and even place orders from these MT4 cfd charts.

4. Navigator

MT4 Navigator will contain information about MT4 accounts, whether practice or real, this MT4 window will also have a list of all the MT4 indicators as well as MT4 CFDs Expert Advisors & scripts.

A trader can select which MT4 cfd account to login by expanding the Accounts menu, choose an MT4 indicator by expanding the MT4 indicator menu or choose an MT4 CFDs Expert Advisor by expanding the Expert Advisor menu.

5. Market Watch

MT4 Market watch is used to show streaming cfd price quotes for MT4 cfd instruments. This can list as many quotes provided by your MT4 cfd broker or a few selected by a trader. To save inter net band width, right-click inside the MT4 market watch window and select 'Hide All', so as to hide the MT4 symbols that you are not transacting on this MT4 cfds platform and save on internet bandwidth.

6. Terminal

This is MetaTrader 4 window panel that's like the bank account trade area for your MetaTrader 4 cfd trade transactions, on this MetaTrader 4 window panel you can view your account balance, profit & losses statement, equity, margin used also retrieve a copy of all your MetaTrader 4 cfd trade transactions history.

This MT4 window panel will also list all open cfd trade transactions & calculate all the profit & loss in real-time as the cfds charts move up or down.

7. Connection Bar

MT4 connection bars - Red bars are for no connection, green bars show that there is connectivity to the servers & MT4 cfd trade orders can be set. These MetaTrader 4 connection bars should always be green when one logged into their MetaTrader 4 demo cfd account or MT4 live account.

These MT4 cfds platform main areas form the MetaTrader 4 platform interface & will be the main areas to be covered in detail in the next learn MetaTrader 4 tutorials. For now it's best to download MT4 cfds platform software and familiarize yourself with MetaTrader 4 software interface.

Why CFD Platform is Required for Placing CFD Transactions with CFD Brokers

Cfds trading platform is software that is used to access the cfd market & analyze these cfd price movements using cfd charts and cfd technical analysis tools. There are various reasons why a trader requires to use a good cfd platform. A good cfd platform can determine if a as a trader you make a profit or not.

So why does a trader need a good CFDs platform:

To connect to the CFD Broker Trading Server:

To place a cfd trade order a trader needs to use a cfd platform which will connect to the trading servers of their cfd broker & this will allow them to open & close cfd trade orders. Good cfd platforms will connect with ease to the brokers' servers & allow cfds traders to place cfd orders at any time from their desktop computer.

To analyze cfd charts using technical analysis trading tools

To place a buy or sell cfd order a trader needs to first analyze the direction of a cfd instrument using cfd charts. This is why all good cfd platforms provide cfd technical tools such as cfd price charts, cfd indicators and various different chart time-frames from which one-can analyze cfd price moves using the cfds chart timeframes of their choice.

From the above cfd platform interface, the summary of all information required by a trader is provided on this MetaTrader 4 cfds platform interface

• Connection - connection to the broker servers
• Charts - price graphs which display cfd prices
• Toolbars - tool-bars to add tools & technical analysis indicators on cfds charts
• Market Watch - for displaying available instruments on MT4 software
• Data panel - provides MetaTrader 4 cfd account data & other indicator data
• Exchange rates - shows current market cfd price on a cfd chart
• Menu bar - Shows all menu items in MetaTrader 4 platform