Perceptions of Successful Traders by Foreign Exchange Professionals

This exploratory study examines which characteristics are perceived to be important for a successful foreign exchange trader. The findings are based on ratings by 291 professional traders at leading European banks. A factor analysis of ratings results in eight primary factors: disciplined cooperation, tackling decisions, market meaning making, emotional stability, information processing, interested integrity, autonomous organization, and handling information. Differing work location, type of foreign exchange instrument, and trading area resulted in significant differences regarding the perceived importance of these factors. Contributing to a differentiated understanding of market participants, results suggest the need for systematic job analyses of traders and may lead to more valid methods of hiring.