Introduction to MetaTrader 5 Platform Interface

The following screen shot below shows the main MetaTrader 5 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 MT5 software software. This MT5 cfds platform is the software that you will connect to your cfd broker with and execute cfd trade transactions and monitor your cfd MT5 account balance from this MT5 platform.

The MT5 CFD Platform software is provided for free through the various cfd broker websites. This MetaTrader 5 cfd software looks like the cfd examples explained & illustrated below:

Main Areas of this MetaTrader 5 cfds platform as shown above are:

1. MetaTrader 5 Navigation Menus
2. Toolbars
3. MT5 CFDs Chart Window
4. MetaTrader 5 Navigator Window
5. MT5 Market Watch Window
6. MT5 Terminal
7. MetaTrader 5 Connection Bars

For this MT5 tutorial we shall look at a brief introduction for each of these learn cfd MetaTrader 5 CFD Platform:

1. Navigation Menus

The MT5 navigation menus are:

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

These are the main MT5 navigation menus that can be used to navigate the MetaTrader 5 cfd software. As a beginner trader you can start by just clicking any of these MT5 navigation menus to familiarize yourself with the various MT5 buttons that are arranged as MT5 sub menus within these MT5 navigation menus.

These MetaTrader 5 navigation menus will be discussed in details in the next MT5 guides about navigation menus.

2. Tool-Bars

The MetaTrader 5 tool-bars are used to manipulate MT5 cfd charts, either by placing MT5 indicators, MT5 line studies, change MT5 cfd chart timeframes and load MT5 chart template from a list of saved MT5 chart templates.

These MetaTrader 5 tool-bars will be discussed on other MT5 guides which will outline each MetaTrader 5 button on this MT5 tool-bar & how to add and customize these MT5 tool-bars.

3. Chart Panel

This MT5 cfd chart window is the main area where MT5 cfd charts are displayed & a trader can analyze the cfd trend direction of a MT5 cfd chart whether up or down, place MT5 cfd chart indicators for cfd technical analysis and even place orders from these MT5 cfd charts.

4. Navigator

MT5 Navigator will contain information about MT5 accounts, whether practice or real, this MT5 window will also have a list of all the MT5 indicators as well as MT5 Automated CFDs Expert Advisors & scripts.

A trader can select which MT5 account to login by expanding the Accounts menu, choose an MT5 indicator by expanding the MT5 indicator menu or choose an MT5 Automated CFDs Expert Advisor by expanding the Automated CFDs Expert Advisor menu.

5. Market Watch

MT5 Market watch is used to show streaming cfd quotes for MT5 cfd instruments. This can list as many quotes provided by your MT5 cfd broker or a few selected by a trader. To save inter net bandwidth, right-click inside the MT5 market watch window and select "Hide All", so as to hide the MT4 symbols that you are not transacting on this MT5 CFD Platform and save on internet band width.

6. Terminal

This is the MT5 window that is like the bank MT5 account transaction area for your MT5 cfd trade transactions, on this MT5 window you can view your MT5 account balance, profit & losses statement, equity, margin used also retrieve a copy of all your MT5 cfd trade transactions history.

This MT5 window will also list all open cfd trade transactions and calculate all the profit & loss in real-time as the cfds charts move up or down.

7. Connection Bar

MT5 connection bars - Red bars are for no connectivity, green bars show that there's connectivity to the servers and MT5 cfd trade orders can be placed. These MT5 connection bars should always be green when one logged into their MT5 demo MT5 account or MT5 live account.

These MT5 CFD Platform main areas form the MT5 CFD Platform interface & will be the main areas to be covered in detail in next learn MT5 tutorials. For now it is best to download MT5 CFD Platform software and familiarize yourself with the MT5 software interface.

Why CFD Software 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 that will connect to the trading servers of their cfd broker and this will allow them to open and 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 tools

To place a buy or sell cfd order one needs to first interpret 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 & various different chart timeframes from which trader can analyze cfd price moves using the cfds chart time frames of their choice.

From the above cfd platform interface, the summary of all data required by a trader is provided on this MetaTrader 5 CFD Platform interface

• Connection - connection to the broker servers
• Charts - price graphs which display cfd prices
• Toolbars - MT5 tool bars to add tools and cfd technical analysis indicators on cfds charts
• Market Watch - for displaying available financial instruments on MT5
• Data window - provides MT5 account information & other indicator data
• Exchange rates - shows current market cfd price on a cfd chart
• Menu bar - Shows all menu items on the MT5 Platform