Business

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is preparing to announce a landmark whistleblower reward scheme that will pay informants a share of the taxes recovered from exposing large-scale fraud — a first for the UK.

According to the Financial Times, the initiative will be unveiled in the Autumn Budget later this month as part of the government’s wider “Close the Tax Gap” strategy. The scheme, modelled on the successful US system, would allow HMRC to pay tipsters up to 30 per cent of any money recouped from tax evasion cases based on their information.

The move represents a major shift in Britain’s approach to whistleblowing, which has traditionally relied on moral duty rather than financial incentive.

“The new incentive programme will target higher-value tax fraud and supercharge enforcement,” a Treasury source said.

The Treasury estimates that tax evasion cost the UK £5.5 billion in 2022–23, though MPs on the Public Accounts Committee have warned that figure could be “just the tip of the iceberg.”

Across the 2023–24 financial year, the government lost £47 billion in unpaid taxes, underscoring the scale of the problem Reeves is seeking to address.

HMRC has already ramped up enforcement activity, conducting 648 raids in the past year — a 42 per cent increase from 2021–22 — and paying out nearly £1 million to informants in 2023–24, up 92 per cent from the year before.

The UK’s new whistleblower system is closely inspired by the US Department of Justice’s False Claims Act and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Whistleblower Program, which have recovered billions in unpaid taxes and fraud penalties.

Nick Ephgrave, then-director of the Serious Fraud Office, previously called for Britain to adopt a similar system.

“If you look at the US example, their system allows that — and I think 86 per cent of the $2.2 billion in civil settlements and judgments recovered by the US Department of Justice were based on whistleblower information,” Ephgrave said in February 2024.

The launch comes as the government faces growing pressure to tighten tax enforcement and close loopholes exploited by high-value individuals and corporations.

Fraud losses reached £629 million in the first half of 2025, according to UK Finance, with much of the surge driven by the use of AI-powered scams.

Reeves is expected to frame the whistleblower scheme as part of a broader campaign to make “those who owe tax pay their fair share,” while simultaneously plugging a multi-billion-pound fiscal gap.

The Treasury has not confirmed how rewards will be calculated, but sources suggested the system will be limited to serious cases of tax evasion and corporate fraud, with oversight mechanisms in place to prevent abuse.

If implemented, the plan would mark a significant cultural and operational shift for HMRC — aligning the UK with the US in recognising whistleblowers as key allies in the fight against economic crime.

Read more:
Reeves to unveil US-style whistleblower rewards to tackle tax fraud

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, integrity is “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.” In theory, it’s a simple word. But in the workplace, it can be one of the hardest qualities to sustain – especially in leadership.

Between urgent decisions, conflicting priorities and day-to-day pressures, how do leaders stay true to their values? How do they balance what’s easy with what’s right – and make integrity part of everyday operations?

At Chubb Fire & Security, integrity is one of our core values. In fact, it’s built into the way we lead. “Win with integrity, together” is one of five guiding principles that shape how we show up for our customers, our colleagues and our communities.

For SME leaders, leading with integrity is more than a personal virtue; it’s a business strategy. Done well, it builds trust, strengthens culture and creates the conditions where teams and businesses thrive.

Why Integrity Matters in Business

When we think of integrity, we often think of character. But in business, integrity has real commercial consequences – for performance, reputation, and resilience.

A 2023 Forbes article1 put it this way: “Integrity is not just a moral compass. It’s a business differentiator.” It fosters trust, credibility and long-term loyalty – all qualities that are essential in high-pressure leadership roles and entrepreneurial environments.

For SMEs in particular, trust is currency. With smaller teams and closer customer relationships, any lapse in integrity is felt more quickly – and often more personally – than in a larger organisation.

Integrity creates consistency. It sets the tone for how people interact, how decisions are made, and how conflict is handled. And when employees trust their leaders to be honest and fair, they’re more likely to stay, engage and give their best.

Chubb’s Approach: Leading with Values Every Day

At Chubb, integrity isn’t a leadership style. It’s part of our culture.

Our value “Win with integrity, together” is more than words on a wall. It shows up in how we collaborate, how we make decisions, and how we empower one another to perform at our best – together.

This is part of our wider philosophy of Building Great Leaders – a belief that everyone is a leader, and everyone deserves a great leader. That means creating an environment where people feel safe to speak up, take accountability and make decisions with confidence.

We don’t expect perfection. But we do expect people to own what they do, think steps ahead and lead with integrity at every level.

Four Ways SME Leaders Can Lead with Integrity

You don’t need a corporate handbook or a values committee to lead with integrity. In fact, the most powerful displays of integrity often happen in the small, everyday moments.

Here are four ways SME leaders can put integrity into practice:

Be Honest, Even When It’s Uncomfortable

Integrity starts with honesty, especially when delivering difficult news or admitting you don’t have all the answers. Avoid overpromising. Communicate with transparency and keep your commitments. If plans change, explain why.

Lead by Example, Not Just Instruction

People follow what leaders do, not just what they say. Your daily behaviour sets the tone for the team. If you expect accountability, model it. If you value collaboration, be seen doing it.

Apply Standards Consistently

One of the quickest ways to erode trust is by making exceptions, especially for senior leaders or long-standing employees. Ensure your rules, policies and recognition are applied fairly. Integrity is about doing the right thing, even when it’s inconvenient.

Welcome Challenge and Invite Feedback

Integrity isn’t about always being right. It’s about being open to feedback and willing to act on it. Create a culture where employees can raise concerns or offer ideas without fear. Then show that their voices lead to action.

How Integrity Strengthens Trust and Culture

Culture is shaped by what leaders reward, tolerate and ignore. If leaders cut corners, others will follow. But when leaders consistently act with integrity (owning mistakes, communicating honestly, and acting fairly) it creates psychological safety and strengthens team cohesion.

For SMEs, where people work closely and often wear multiple hats, this sense of trust is critical. It makes teams more resilient, more collaborative and more loyal.

At Chubb, we’ve seen this first-hand. Leaders who model our values create stronger teams – not just in output, but in how people feel about their work. When integrity is lived, not just talked about, it becomes part of the company’s DNA.

The Bottom Line

Integrity is one of the most powerful qualities a leader can have – and one of the most visible. People notice when leaders show up consistently, tell the truth, admit mistakes and make decisions based on shared values.

For SMEs, leading with integrity builds more than a good reputation. It builds trust, attracts talent and creates long-term cultural strength.

At Chubb, integrity is how we work together, with purpose and accountability. Because when leaders lead with integrity, they don’t just win. They bring others with them.

Read more:
How Leaders Build Trust by Leading with Integrity

From Moscow to Silicon Valley: A Journey of Grit and Growth

Roman Meydbray’s story begins far from the tech corridors of California. Born in Moscow, Russia, he immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1989, when he was just 11 years old. The journey took six long months, spanning Austria, Germany, and Italy before finally landing in San Jose, California.

“I remember waiting every Friday for the officials to call our family’s name,” Roman recalls. “When they finally did, it felt like winning the lottery.”

His parents, a piano teacher and an electrical engineer, had to start from scratch. His mother cleaned houses and worked at McDonald’s; his father took a job with ADT Security. Watching their perseverance became the foundation of Roman’s work ethic and outlook.

Early Lessons: Adapting and Overcoming

Arriving in America, Roman entered fifth grade without knowing a word of English. Within a year, he spoke fluently. “You learn quickly when you have to,” he says with a smile.

By high school, Roman Meydbray had discovered two passions that would define much of his life — cars and computers. He spent hours fixing, modifying, and trading cars while also exploring technology and software. “I could never keep a car longer than six months,” he laughs. “There was always another project waiting.”

That curiosity and hands-on mindset later shaped his approach to IT leadership — balancing precision, creativity, and a love for building systems that work.

A Career in Technology: From Tinkering to Transformation

Today, Roman Meydbray is Vice President of IT, with over a decade of experience leading global IT support and digital workplace organizations. He’s managed large, distributed teams across the U.S. and Europe, particularly in healthcare and med-tech industries, where technology must meet the highest standards of compliance.

His work involves navigating strict frameworks like HIPAA, HITRUST, GDPR, SOX, and ISO 27001 — and doing so while keeping employees empowered and connected.

“I believe great IT isn’t just about technology,” Roman says. “It’s about how people experience technology. My job is to make sure it works so smoothly that no one even thinks about it.”

That mindset has earned him a reputation for building customer-focused, metrics-driven IT organizations that elevate satisfaction, efficiency, and engagement.

Leadership in Motion: People First, Always

Colleagues describe Roman as calm under pressure and relentlessly collaborative. His leadership style — described as “people-first, performance-focused” — blends operational discipline with empathy.

“I don’t see IT as a service desk,” he explains. “It’s a partnership with the business. We’re here to enable growth, not just fix problems.”

Over the years, Roman has led several major merger and acquisition integrations, ensuring that technology transitions happen seamlessly without disrupting daily operations. “M&A work is high-stakes,” he admits. “You’re merging cultures, systems, and expectations all at once. The challenge is to make it feel invisible to the employees. If they don’t notice, we did our job right.”

A Measured Approach to Innovation

In an industry obsessed with speed, Roman emphasizes balance and clarity. He’s known for creating frameworks that measure performance not only through uptime and ticket resolution but also through employee satisfaction.

“Metrics should tell a story,” he says. “It’s not just about numbers — it’s about how those numbers reflect the human experience at work.”

His focus on the digital employee experience has led to smarter, more intuitive workflows and improved retention within IT organizations. “When people feel supported, they’re more creative and productive,” Roman adds. “That’s the real ROI.”

 

Lessons from the Shop and the Server Room

Roman’s lifelong love of cars still influences how he thinks about leadership. “Working on a car teaches you patience and attention to detail,” he says. “You learn that every part matters, no matter how small. IT is the same way — one overlooked process can bring everything to a stop.”

That mechanical mindset — understanding how systems connect and how to optimize them — shapes how he approaches infrastructure, security, and scalability. Whether managing a complex IT merger or troubleshooting a network issue, Roman approaches every challenge like an engineer fine-tuning a performance machine.

Looking Ahead: Humanizing the Future of IT

For Roman Meydbray, technology is ultimately about human connection. He believes the future of IT leadership lies in bridging technical mastery with emotional intelligence.

“Automation and AI are changing everything,” he reflects. “But empathy, communication, and trust will always be what make technology work for people.”

As businesses grow more digital and distributed, Roman’s approach — grounded in transparency, accountability, and collaboration — continues to set the tone for what modern IT leadership looks like.

“IT isn’t a back-office function anymore,” he concludes. “It’s at the heart of how companies grow, connect, and evolve. My role is to make sure we build systems — and teams — that keep that heart beating strong.”

Read more:
Roman Meydbray: Building the Future of IT, One Team at a Time

In the trading world, the term margin trading attracts attention among those who want to increase their market exposure without investing large amounts of money up front.

But while margin trading can amplify potential gains, it can also increase risks. To help beginners understand how it works, analysts from BIW Management explain the concept, its benefits, and what traders should consider before using it.

What is margin trading?

Margin trading allows traders to borrow funds from their broker to open larger positions than they could with their own capital alone. Essentially, it means trading with borrowed money.

Here’s how it works: suppose you have $1,000 in your trading account, and your broker offers a 1:10 leverage ratio. That means you can control a position worth up to $10,000. The $1,000 is your margin, the amount you must deposit to secure the borrowed funds.

Following BIW Management, this system gives traders greater flexibility and the ability to access more opportunities in the market. However, it’s also important to understand that leverage magnifies profits and losses.

The advantages of margin trading

When used wisely, margin trading can offer several benefits:

Increased buying power: Margin allows traders to open bigger positions with less capital. This is especially useful for those who want to take advantage of short-term price movements.
More opportunities: With additional funds, traders can diversify their trades across multiple assets instead of focusing on one market.
Flexible strategies: Margin trading enables long (buying) and short (selling) positions. This means traders can profit from rising and falling markets.

Experts note that these advantages make margin trading attractive for active traders who understand risk management and market behavior. However, they also stress that leverage should not be used carelessly, as it can turn a small mistake into a significant loss.

The risks you should understand

Although margin trading can open new opportunities, it also brings greater responsibility. The most obvious risk is amplified loss. If your trade moves in the wrong direction, your broker may issue what’s called a margin call.

A margin call happens when your account no longer has enough equity to maintain your open positions. When this occurs, you must either deposit more money or close some trades to reduce your exposure. If you don’t act quickly, the broker might automatically close your positions to prevent further losses. This is known as liquidation.

BIW Management analysts explain that many beginners underestimate how quickly a leveraged position can move. For example, if you trade with 10:1 leverage, a 10% price move against your position could completely erase your margin. That’s why experienced traders always set stop-loss orders and monitor their positions closely.

Another risk involves emotional pressure. The possibility of large gains or losses can cause traders to make impulsive decisions. Managing emotions is as important as managing capital when using leverage.

Margin trading can be a useful tool for expanding trading potential, but it also carries significant risks that shouldn’t be ignored. It rewards careful planning, strong emotional control, and strict risk management.

Read more:
BIW Management Experts Explain How Margin Trading Works

With the official release of the Apple iPhone 17, its powerful AI performance has been fully unleashed, triggering a new surge in global demand for high-performance computing power.

Riding this trend,Cryptominingfirm a cloud mining platform, has become a focal point in the technology and investment sectors thanks to its self-developed AI computing power scheduling and multi-chain mining technology. Platform data shows that users earn an average of $8,150 per day, sparking a new global revolution in “monetizing computing power” amidst the wave of AI and encryption convergence.

A Technology-Driven Wealth Revolution

The iPhone 17 features a new Neural Engine and an optimized AI chip, boosting performance by over 40%, making computing power true “digital gold.” The  CryptoMiningFirm app 3.0 perfectly leverages the iPhone 17’s powerful computing capabilities, intelligently allocating computing power through a self-developed AI system to efficiently distribute it across multiple cryptocurrencies, including BTC, XRP, and DOGE, enabling users to achieve stable and high daily returns.

“In the AI ​​era, computing power itself is a new form of productivity. bestcryptocurrencytrading.com empowers every user to participate in this intelligence-driven wealth revolution.” — CEO of Cryptominingfirm

What is cloud mining?

Cloud mining is a method of cryptocurrency mining that eliminates the need to purchase expensive mining rigs or master complex technologies. Users simply connect to a cloud mining platform via their smartphone or computer to remotely utilize the platform’s computing power to mine cryptocurrencies such as BTC, XRP, and DOGE. Earnings are automatically settled and credited to the user’s account, resulting in true passive income.

Cryptominingfirm APP 3.0 Five Core Highlights

Intelligent Computing Power Scheduling

A self-developed AI system monitors the entire network’s computing power in real time, automatically allocating the optimal mining path, improving efficiency by 35%.

Multi-Currency Collaborative Mining

Supports mainstream cryptocurrencies such as BTC, XRP, DOGE, and ETH. Multi-chain collaboration reduces risk and ensures more stable returns.

Green Energy Mining Farms

Global mining farms are located in Canada, Northern Europe, and Southeast Asia, utilizing wind and solar power for a green, low-carbon, and environmentally friendly experience.

Real-Time Profit Settlement

Daily profits are automatically credited to your account, allowing for free withdrawal or reinvestment, truly achieving “passive income with flexible funds.”

Exceptional User Experience

The APP interface is intuitive and easy to use, supporting multiple languages, multiple wallets, and fiat currency channels, with 24/7 online customer service.

Example of earnings

Contract Type
Cost ($)
Duration (days)
Daily Rate ($)
Total ($)

Antminer T21
100$
2
4$
108$

Iceriver KAS KS7
550$
5
7.15$
585.75$

ETCMiner E11
2500$
10
35$
2850$

MicroBTWhatsMiner M66S++
5000$
15
77.5$
6162.5$

Antminer S21 XPHYD
10000$
25
175$
14375$

ANTSPACE HW5
50000$
38
975$
87050$

ANTSPACE MD5
80000$
45
1640$
153800$

View more cost-effective contracts

Data from bestcryptocurrencytrading.com shows:

Over 68% of users earn an average of $1,000-$8,000 per day.

High-investment users earn over $8,000 per day.

The platform’s long-term users have an average total earnings growth rate of 320%.

Start your passive income journey in one minute!

Visit bestcryptocurrencytrading.com or download the app (iOS / Android ).

Register an account and claim your new user computing power bonus ($10-$100)

Select a contract to start cloud mining. The system automatically allocates computing power, and your daily earnings are credited to your account in real time.

In summary

powered by the iPhone 17 and the AI ​​era, CryptoMiningFirm Cloud Mining App 3.0 provides global investors with a secure, compliant, and high-yield channel for digital asset growth. No complex technical skills are required; easily embark on a journey to earn $8,000 daily and let AI computing power empower your asset growth!

For more details, please visit the official website: https://bestcryptocurrencytrading.com

Official email: info@cryptominingfirm.com

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From iPhone 17 to computing power wealth: CryptoMiningFirm cloud mining allows users to earn $8,150 per day!

Hip pain is one of the most frustrating bodily problems that a person can experience. It affects our mobility, puts a halt to our daily activities, and even makes the simplest of tasks overwhelming.

If you’re struggling with hip pain, it is important to know that it stems from treatable conditions, which respond well to appropriate care. But what are the specific treatment options that can help you through this annoying issue? Let’s find out as we explore the causes behind your discomfort and discuss the available treatment approaches for you.

Understanding your hip pain

Typically speaking, the discomfort we refer to as hip pain can have a lot of sources, from potential arthritis to referred pain. The discomfort itself can range from minor, acute or a significant instability in our daily lives. While such a pain often resolves with rest and some basic home care, if it persists for more than two weeks or worsens with time, you may require a professional checkup. Remembering that early intervention in such instances is really important – it helps catch problems before they worsen and puts you on the right treatment path from the get go.

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s walk through the most common causes of hip pain so you can start identifying the culprit behind yours.

What are the most common causes of hip pain?

We may not realise it, but many aspects of our everyday activities can unintentionally cause us to experience hip pain. Let’s take muscle strains as an example, which typically result from overuse of the hip joint, sudden movements, or unfamiliar physical activities. These affect the muscles surrounding our hip joint, causing pain that improves only with rest and gentle stretching. These strains can also lead to stress fractures, which are known to cause pain that worsens with weight-bearing activities. If you spend a lot of time sitting, hip flexor strain could be the real issue. These muscles at the front of your hip can often get tight and painful, especially if you sit at a desk for hours without moving around.

Apart from these issues, another pair of common causes worth mentioning are bursitis and tendinitis. Bursitis involves inflammation of the small fluid-filled sacs (bursae) that cushion our hip joint. When these become irritated through repetitive movements or intense pressure, they cause pain on the outside of your hip that characteristically worsens when lying on the affected side. On the other hand, tendinitis affects the tendons that connect our muscles to the bones around our hip joint. This condition often develops in people who engage in activities that demand repetitive movement or sports – the pain that accompanies this issue tends to intensify during movement and eases off with some rest.

While the causes above tend to develop quickly from specific activities or movements, osteoarthritis (OA) takes a different approach, building up slowly over time. This wear-and-tear condition is one of the most common sources of hip pain, especially as we age.

During OA, the cartilage protecting your hip joint slowly breaks down, leading to stiffness and discomfort that typically worsens over the years. When struggling with OA, you might notice morning stiffness that gets better once you start moving, or hip pain that tends to increase as the day goes on. Instead of simply resting, you’ll need to manage this condition by consulting a specialist and implementing an ongoing treatment plan to keep the pain at bay.

What are the lesser-known causes of hip pain?

While most hip pain stems from straightforward mechanical issues, some conditions require prompt diagnosis and treatment. Rheumatoid arthritis, for one, presents itself quite differently from osteoarthritis. It is an autoimmune condition that compels the immune system to attack your joint linings, causing a lot of pain. Interestingly, it often affects multiple joints of our body simultaneously and may cause symptoms beyond joint pain, including fatigue and morning stiffness that may last for over an hour.

In some cases, structural issues may be to blame as well – labral tears, for example, involve damage to the cartilage ring surrounding your hip socket. Caused by sports injuries, structural abnormalities like impingement, or degenerative changes, these tears often cause a catching sensation or deep groin pain during specific movements.

Another rare but worth-mentioning cause is avascular necrosis, which involves bone death due to inadequate blood supply. It can result from injury, prolonged corticosteroid use, or excessive alcohol consumption and is a serious condition requiring immediate medical attention.

How can you best support your hip joint?

When it comes to hip health, the first thing you need to do is engage in low-impact activities like swimming, cycling, and walking simultaneously to maintain mobility and build strength. You can also try targeted hip strengthening exercises that engage gluteal muscles, hip flexors, and core to further improve your joint’s stability. With regular exercise, you’ll need to focus on your flexibility as well. To this end, a bit of gentle stretching maintains your range of motion and prevents your muscles from becoming tight and restricted. So right after you exercise, try to hold stretches for at least thirty seconds and see the wonders it does to your body.

What is arguably even more important than exercising is weight management. Time and time again, studies have shown that maintaining a healthy weight can take a ton of stress away from your joints. For every pound of excess weight that you lose, you’ll remove nearly four times the pressure from your hip when walking.

Beyond all of that, your hip joint will thank you for a few more minor changes as well. Whether you’re sitting, standing, or moving around, keeping your spine in neutral alignment helps distribute forces evenly across your joints. Similarly, supportive footwear with good cushioning can absorb most of the shock that comes with any movement and keep your lower body properly aligned.

But here’s the thing – all these strategies only work if you’re actually paying attention to what your body tells you. After all, there is no clearer indication that your body needs something than the pain you feel at the moment. So rest when you need to, ease off on activities that cause pain, and don’t mistake stubbornness for strength.

When should you seek professional help for your hip pain?

Sometimes, even when you’ve tried everything we’ve discussed above, hip pain just won’t let up. Or maybe your pain is already severe enough that it’s taking over your daily life. If that sounds like you, it may be time to get professional eyes on the problem. As mentioned near the beginning, pain that hangs around for more than two weeks is your cue to book an appointment. A hip specialist in London can run a thorough evaluation – from physical exams, imaging, to other tests – to figure out what’s really going on and map out the right treatment plan for you.

There are also a few specific cases where you may need to get yourself checked right away. For instance, if you’re dealing with severe pain that makes it impossible to put weight on your leg, try not to tough it out and get help as soon as you can. The same goes if your hip has suddenly lost its range of motion, and you can’t move it like you usually would.

In a similar vein, in a situation where your hip pain follows significant trauma, such as a fall or accident, get it checked out anyway. Sometimes, fractures and tissue damage may not hurt a lot, but they will still require proper diagnosis and care. Lastly, pain that may be radiating down your leg could indicate nerve involvement or referred pain from your spine. Even though it may not be a hip specialist’s area of expertise, a diagnosis will at least help unearth the root of the problem.

Bottom line

In the end, there is no sugarcoating the fact that hip pain is difficult and frustrating. However, you don’t need to keep up with it. Most hip problems tend to respond really well to treatment, whether that’s simple self-care at home, working with a physical therapist, or getting medical help for the trickier issues – and your situation is no different.

It is important to reiterate that catching things early and staying consistent with healthy habits matter the most. Remember to reach out for help when needed and work with a good doctor to regain control over your life. If you keep your patience and follow the right approach for your specific problems, you will undoubtedly get back to moving freely and living without any pain holding you back.

Read more:
What Helps Hip Pain?

Avoid common pitfalls and trade with confidence. This handbook is your roadmap to forex trading success

You know the pattern. You win a trade, feel invincible, then lose two more. Your account balance swings wildly. One week you’re up 15%, the next you’ve given it all back.

This isn’t trading. This is reacting without a solid plan

The difference between traders who blow their accounts and those who build sustainable income comes down to one thing: treating forex like a business instead of a casino. Traders who follow a consistent plan with proper risk management are significantly more profitable than those who don’t.

This handbook gives you the system.

You’ll learn how to build a trading plan, manage risk like institutions do, and develop strategies you can actually trust.

No hype. No shortcuts. Just the professional approach that separates consistent winners from everyone else.

The Trader’s Mindset: Why Psychology is 80% of the Game

Your biggest enemy isn’t market volatility or unpredictable price action. It’s you.

Fear of missing out (FOMO) makes you chase breakouts that already happened. Greed keeps you in winning trades too long, watching profits evaporate. Revenge trading after a loss doubles your risk and destroys your account faster than bad analysis ever could.

“Why do I keep making the same mistakes?” – you’re probably asking..

It’s because emotions override logic every time you don’t have a system.

Discipline beats intelligence in forex trading. The smartest technical analyst in the world loses money if they can’t follow their own rules. You need a plan you trust enough to execute mechanically, regardless of how you feel.

Start a Trading Journal today. Record every trade with these details:

Entry and exit prices
Currency pair and lot size
The specific reason you entered (your setup)
Your emotional state before, during, and after
What you did right or wrong

Review it weekly. You’ll spot patterns in your behavior before they destroy your account. Research from the Journal of Behavioral Finance shows traders who maintain detailed journals improve their win rate by an average of 23% within six months.

The Blueprint for Success: How to Build a Trading Plan

Professional traders don’t improvise. They execute a documented plan that removes emotion from decision-making.

Your trading plan is your business plan. Without it, you’re running blind. Here’s what every effective plan needs:

Your Trading Goals

Set realistic monthly return targets. Professional traders aim for 2-5% monthly returns with controlled risk. Targeting 50% monthly returns = setting yourself up for account-destroying risk.

Your Risk Management Rules

Define your maximum risk per trade (usually 1-2% of account balance) and maximum drawdown before you stop trading (typically 10-20%). These aren’t suggestions. They’re circuit breakers that protect your capital.

Your Chosen Currency Pairs

Focus on 2-4 pairs initially.

Major pairs like EUR/USD, GBP/USD, and USD/JPY offer tight spreads and high liquidity, which reduces trading costs and slippage.

You can learn more about selecting pairs through resources on forex fundamentals – published by FXTM.

Your Entry and Exit Criteria

This is your “if-then” logic. Example: “IF price breaks above resistance with RSI below 70 and MACD crossing bullish, THEN I enter long with stop-loss 20 pips below support.”

No gray areas. No “it looks good.” Just objective criteria you can verify on any chart.

You can create a simple trading plan template using Google Sheets or download templates from trading education sites. The format matters less than following it consistently.

Core Analysis Techniques for a Market Edge

Markets move based on supply and demand. Your job is reading those shifts before other traders do.

Price Action Trading: Reading Market Psychology

Price action = how price moves on your charts, independent of indicators. You’re reading what buyers and sellers actually did, not what a lagging indicator says they might have done.

Trend Identification

Uptrends create higher highs and higher lows. Downtrends create lower highs and lower lows.

Sounds simple, but most traders fight trends instead of following them. According to this research paper trend-following strategies have a 43.90 – 50% win rate when properly executed.

Key Chart Patterns

Head and Shoulders: Signals trend reversals when a peak (head) forms between two lower peaks (shoulders)
Double Tops/Bottoms: Price tests a level twice and fails, indicating a reversal
Flags and Pennants: Brief consolidations during strong trends, often continuing in the original direction

Each pattern tells you what happened in the battle between buyers and sellers. Learn to read them, and you’re reading market sentiment.

Technical Indicators: Confirmation, Not Crystal Balls

Indicators lag price. They tell you what already happened. Use them to confirm what price action already shows you, not as standalone signals.

RSI (Relative Strength Index)

RSI measures momentum on a 0-100 scale. Above 70 = overbought conditions. Below 30 = oversold conditions. But here’s what beginners miss: overbought doesn’t mean “sell immediately.” Strong trends stay overbought for extended periods. Wait for price action confirmation before acting.

MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence)

MACD shows momentum shifts through two lines and a histogram. When the MACD line crosses above the signal line, momentum shifts bullish. Crosses below = bearish momentum.

Combine these. If EUR/USD breaks resistance while RSI rises from 50 and MACD crosses bullish, you have confluence = multiple signals confirming the same direction. Single indicators lie. Multiple indicators agreeing rarely do.

Fundamental Analysis: Following the Big Money

Central banks and economic data move markets more than any chart pattern. Interest rate decisions, GDP reports, and Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP) create volatility that either kills your trade or hands you 100-pip moves in hours.

Track these economic indicators:

Interest Rate Decisions: Higher rates strengthen currencies by attracting foreign investment
Inflation Data (CPI): High inflation often leads to rate hikes, strengthening currency
Employment Reports: Strong job growth supports currency strength
GDP: Economic growth attracts investment, strengthening currency

The Bank for International Settlements reports that $6.6 trillion in currency trades daily. The big money moves on fundamentals. You should at least know when they’re likely to move.

Use an economic calendar (free on sites like ForexFactory or Investing.com) to avoid trading before major releases. Spreads widen, liquidity drops, and your stop-loss gets hunted by erratic price spikes.

Advanced Risk and Money Management

Risk management isn’t about playing it safe. It’s about staying in the game long enough to let your edge work.

“But doesn’t limiting risk limit profits?” No. It limits losses. Your winners take care of profits when you let them run.

Risk-to-Reward Ratios: The Math Behind Profitability

You don’t need to win 90% of trades to profit. You need to win enough that your winners exceed your losers.

Example: If you risk $100 to make $200, you have a 1:2 risk-to-reward ratio (RR). You can lose 60% of trades and still profit if your winners are twice the size of your losers.

40 wins x $200 = $8,000
60 losses x $100 = $6,000
Net = $2,000 profit

Aim for minimum 1:2 RR on every trade. Better traders target 1:3 or higher. According to research, traders who maintain at least 1:2 RR are 2.5 times more likely to be profitable long-term.

Position Sizing: The Only Number That Actually Matters

Position sizing = how many lots you trade based on your risk tolerance and stop-loss distance.

Formula: (Account Risk in $ / Stop-Loss in Pips) / Pip Value = Lot Size

Example with $10,000 account:

You risk 1% = $100 per trade
Your stop-loss is 50 pips away
EUR/USD pip value = $10 per lot
($100 / 50) / $10 = 0.2 lots

Too complicated? Use a position size calculator (free tools available on MyFXBook, BabyPips, or most forex broker platforms). Enter your account size, risk percentage, and stop-loss distance. It does the math.

Never skip this step. Trading 1.0 lot when you should trade 0.2 lots = 5x your intended risk. One bad trade wipes out weeks of gains.

How to Develop and Backtest Your Strategy

A trading strategy without testing is a hypothesis. You need data proving it works before you risk real money.

Creating Your Hypothesis

Start with a clear statement: “I believe buying EUR/USD when price breaks above 50-period moving average with RSI above 50 and MACD crossing bullish produces profitable trades on the 4-hour chart.”

Be specific. Vague strategies produce vague results.

Backtesting: Proof Before Profit

Backtesting = applying your strategy to historical data to see if it would have been profitable.

Manual Backtesting

Open your charting platform (TradingView, MT4, etc.)
Scroll back 1-2 years on your chosen pair
Move forward candle by candle, recording every trade signal
Track wins, losses, total pips, and maximum drawdown
Calculate win rate and average RR

This takes hours but teaches you how your strategy behaves in different market conditions. You’ll spot when it works (trending markets) and when it fails (choppy ranges).

Automated Backtesting

Platforms like MT4/MT5 offer strategy testers that run your rules through years of data in minutes. More efficient but requires coding your strategy in MQL4/MQL5.

Some traders use third-party software like Forex Tester or TradingView’s Strategy Tester for visual backtesting without coding.

Aim for at least 100 trades in your backtest. Smaller samples don’t account for variance. According to trading communities on Reddit, 200+ trades provide statistical significance.

If your strategy shows consistent profitability over multiple years and market conditions, test it on a demo account for 1-3 months. Only then risk real capital.

Your Path to Consistent Profitability

You now have what 90% of forex traders never build: a systematic approach to trading that removes emotion and random chance from your decisions.

The components work together:

Mindset keeps you disciplined when trades go against you.
Your Trading Plan defines exactly what you do in every market situation.
Proven strategies give you an edge backed by data.
Risk management ensures you survive the inevitable losing streaks.

Professional trading isn’t exciting. It’s repetitive execution of tested processes. You’ll take the same setups hundreds of times. Most days will be boring. That’s when you know you’re doing it right.

Stop randomly trading based on feelings, tips, or what “looks good.” Start building your system today. Open your trading journal. Write your plan. Backtest a strategy. Do the work unsuccessful traders won’t do.

Your account balance will reflect the difference.

Read more:
Master the Market: The Ultimate Forex Trading Handbook for Consistent Profits

The effectiveness of US sanctions against Russia is now under intense scrutiny, with analysts debating whether they truly weaken Moscow or merely reroute its energy flows while inflicting collateral damage on Europe.

The recent escalation of US sanctions against the Russian oil sector, introduced in late October, is already producing tangible side effects. According to Bloomberg Russia’s seaborne crude shipments fell sharply, dropping by the most since January 2024. Four-week average volumes from the country’s ports were 3.58 million barrels a day to Nov. 2, according to vessel-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg, down by about 190,000 from the revised figure for the period to Oct. 26. This is the result of new US restrictions on Rosneft and Lukoil.

For Western oil giants, this has been a gift: refining margins rose by 20%, offsetting weak demand in China. Exxon Mobil reported a 15% increase in refining profits to $2.1 billion in the third quarter, while Chevron posted record margins of $8.50 per barrel. The sanctions are redirecting Russian barrels to Asia at a discount.

However, for Europe the consequences are devastating. The EU’s ban on fuel derived from Russian crude starting in January 2026, combined with US restrictions, is forcing refiners to seek alternatives at inflated prices. Germany’s diesel import costs have risen 25% since September (Argus Media), fueling inflation at a time when the ECB is preparing to ease policy.

U.S. Sanctions Strategy Backfires, Hurting Europe

As Forbes reports, while Russian gas became unpalatable to Europe after 2022, American policy has taken contradictory approaches to Russian energy companies. Sanctions have been lifted on Rosneft Germany while targeting alternative non-Russian gas sources in the Southern Caspian that Europe had cultivated – despite Russian companies like Lukoil being only minority stakeholders in these projects.

The inconsistency can even backfire to the US – Iraq’s state oil marketing company SOMO has canceled three crude loadings from Lukoil’s West Qurna-2 in Iraq this month. As SOMO exports oil both to the US and to the EU, this can bring the unwanted problems with oil supply.

Other major Lukoil enterprises in Europe, refineries, as well as projects supplying the European market with oil and gas are under threat – Shah Deniz in Azerbaijan, and Kazakh project Karachaganak that replaced Russian oil.

The case of Lukoil, according to Forbes, illustrates how these policies may be counterproductive. Lukoil’s European subsidiaries face sanctions while some of its projects with American partners remain exempt. European utility bills have already risen twice or more for some EU cities over the last several years and may rise even further.

This inconsistent approach leaves Europe caught between solidarity and survival – sanctioned when seeking non-Russian energy sources while watching as Russian companies potentially benefit from asset sales. The situation risks driving European partners toward alternative partnerships and undermines their energy safety.

Europe now faces a strategic dilemma: Washington’s sanctions, designed to isolate Russia, are eroding the EU’s energy security and industrial competitiveness and aimed more at market’s transformation instead of Russia’s isolation. Without urgent transatlantic coordination — including targeted exemptions for allied supply chains and a reevaluation of selective penalties — Brussels risks being pushed toward pragmatic deals with Beijing or other non-Western partners. Morality may guide policy, but it does not power factories or heat homes. The cost of incoherence is no longer theoretical; it is measured in rising diesel prices, stalled production lines, and a fracturing Western alliance.

Read more:
US Sanctions on Russia Deliver Windfall Profits to Oil Giants but Choke Europe

UK business leaders have urged the government not to increase employment costs in the upcoming Autumn Budget, warning that higher taxes could force small firms to raise prices and worsen inflation.

A new survey by Employment Hero found that 86 per cent of 1,000 business leaders are worried about what the Budget will mean for their companies, with 59 per cent saying they believe the government does not take the needs of small businesses into account when setting fiscal policy.

The concern comes after employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) rose from 13.8 per cent to 15.05 per cent in April — a move that many SMEs say has already strained their finances.

If Chancellor Rachel Reeves raises employment-related taxes again, business groups say it could “damage the government’s mission to drive economic growth and control inflation.”

Almost half of small and medium-sized businesses (49 per cent) said they would raise prices if employment costs increase, while 33 per cent said they would delay hiring and 24 per cent would consider redundancies, according to Employment Hero’s findings.

The report also noted that many small firms are still recovering from the effects of Reeves’s first Budget last year, which 72 per cent of leaders said negatively impacted their business.

Despite these concerns, Employment Hero’s data showed signs of resilience in the UK labour market, with employment rising 2.3 per cent month-on-month in October and up 1.9 per cent year-on-year.

Kevin Fitzgerald, UK managing director at Employment Hero, said the government must learn from past mistakes.

“When you tax small businesses, you tax everyone,” he said. “Higher costs lead to higher prices, fewer jobs, and less money in people’s pockets.”

Fitzgerald argued that SMEs — which employ the majority of the UK workforce — are key to reviving growth and tackling inflation.

“The Autumn Budget is an opportunity to show small firms that the government understands their role in the economy,” he said. “If ministers want to keep Britain working, they need to back small businesses — not burden them.”

Business leaders across the UK are pressing the Treasury to avoid further tax increases on employment and investment when Reeves delivers her Budget later this month.

Many fear that another round of tax hikes could fuel inflation, stunt job creation, and undermine confidence among smaller firms that are already contending with higher wage costs, energy prices, and borrowing rates.

With the Budget expected to focus heavily on fiscal tightening to fill a multi-billion-pound deficit, industry figures warn that punishing small firms could prove counterproductive — dampening growth at the very moment the government is seeking to reignite it.

Read more:
Business leaders warn Budget tax hikes could trigger higher prices

More than 100 jobs are at risk at Aston Martin’s St Athan plant in the Vale of Glamorgan, as the luxury carmaker grapples with US trade tariffs and falling demand from China.

The company, which began production at its Welsh site in 2019, confirmed that staff consultations are under way but said no final decision on redundancies has yet been made.

Aston Martin said the planned measures were part of efforts to “strengthen the business in response to continued challenges in the global macroeconomic environment.” The firm added that the proposals could affect “contractor, fixed-term and permanent roles.”

Union leaders described the situation as “devastating”. Andrew Pearson, regional officer for Unite, said the union would begin consultation talks with the company in an effort to mitigate job losses.

The company’s shares have tumbled over the past year as it struggles with weaker demand across key international markets. Aston Martin recently warned that it could lose £110 million this year due to the “global macroeconomic environment.”

The St Athan site has already seen job cuts this year. In February, Aston Martin confirmed that 170 roles were being axed as part of a broader cost-saving drive.

Production jobs are expected to be most affected in the latest round of potential cuts, along with a number of contractor positions, according to BBC Wales.

The Welsh government said it was in contact with Aston Martin and stood ready to support affected employees.

“We are prepared to work with the company to offer support to workers following the outcome of the consultation,” a spokesperson said.

The St Athan plant, built on the site of a former RAF base, was seen as a key pillar of Aston Martin’s expansion when it opened in 2019. It employs several hundred staff and was originally intended to produce the company’s first SUV, the DBX, and future electric models.

Now, as economic pressures mount and global trade tensions bite, the future of that investment — and the jobs it brought to south Wales — hangs in the balance.

Read more:
More than 100 Aston Martin jobs at risk in Wales amid global slowdown