ALPARI Academy has launched a series of seminars in Saudi Arabia in response to a growing wave of investor interest in foreign exchange (forex) trading in the country. Led by Joe Hawa, TV celebrity and Chief Market Analyst at Alpari Middle East, the initiative is part of Alpari’s efforts to create a generation of trading specialists in Saudi Arabia.



The series of educational seminars are being held in Riyadh and Jeddah under the banner of Alpari Academy, an initiative of Alpari Group of Companies, a global online currency and commodity broker. The seminars aim to familiarize Arabic speakers with the expertise required in managing online trading portfolios profitably.



Joe Hawa, former TV host of ‘Joe’s Briefcase’, a financial program that aired on CNBC Arabiya, said: “Dozens of enthusiastic investors have shown interest in attending these educational sessions. We have had a steady stream of questions following each module, leading to a lively and interactive learning environment. It is truly gratifying to see such remarkable thirst for knowledge.



“Many of the participants are already aware that online trading can grow to become a rewarding experience with the right set of skills for identifying opportunities and avoiding pitfalls. To ensure an easier integration into the dynamics of online trading, we keep the audience engaged through connecting complicated concepts to relevant, real-life situations.”



Building on the initiative’s early success, Alpari plans to broaden the scope of the educational drive in 2014 to cover more regions in Saudi Arabia, particularly in the cities of the Eastern Province.



Alpari conducts similar training sessions in select other markets too, offering customized instruction in virtual trading that is in line with the regulations and market dynamics of the respective geographies.



Participation at the seminars is free and requires prior registration on www.alpari.ae/alpari-academy.



In the past few years, investor trends in the forex and commodities markets have undergone a radical shift. This has created a significant demand for education in the field which is currently dominated by retail investors rather than institutional investors. In the region, a substantial part of the investors are Arabic speakers keen to access material in their native language for an enhanced trading experience. Alpari Academy is working to bridge this gap through stepping up academic offerings that translate into enhanced forex content in Arabic. — SG