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A Practical Manual From A Professional Day Trading Coach
Markus Heitkoetter
BookSurge, LLC North Charleston, SC
The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author represents and warrants that s/he either owns or has the legal right to publish all material in this book. The Complete Guide to Day Trading A Practical Manual From A Professional Day Trading Coach All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2008 Markus Heitkoetter V2.0 Edited by Nicole Quinlan This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. BookSurge, LLC http://www.booksurge.com ISBN: 978-1-4196-9563-6
To my family for supporting me even in my craziest moments.
Table of Contents
PREFACE ........................................................................................................ IX INTRODUCTION: WHY DAY TRADING? ....................................................... XIII HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THIS BOOK .............................................. XIX PART 1: DAY TRADING BASICS – WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW .......1 WHAT IS DAY TRADING?................................................................................. 3 WHO SHOULD BE DAY TRADING? ................................................................... 5 IS IT REALLY POSSIBLE TO MAKE A LIVING AS A DAY TRADER?.................... 9 HOW TO GET STARTED - DEFINE YOUR GOALS AND MAKE A PLAN .............. 17 1.) Define Your SMART Goal.................................................................. 18 2.) Make a Plan ....................................................................................... 19 3.) Execute the Plan ................................................................................ 20 HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU NEED TO GET STARTED? ................................ 23 DETERMINING YOUR RISK TOLERANCE ......................................................... 27 WHAT YOU NEED TO BEGIN TRADING .......................................................... 29 A Computer .............................................................................................. 29 An Internet Connection ............................................................................ 30 A Charting Software................................................................................. 30 A Broker ................................................................................................... 39 A Properly Funded Trading Account ....................................................... 42 A Trading Strategy ................................................................................... 43 PART 2: YOUR TRADING STRATEGY – THE CORNERSTONE TO YOUR TRADING SUCCESS ..........................47 HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR OWN PROFITABLE DAY TRADING STRATEGY ........ 49 STEP 1: SELECTING A MARKET ...................................................................... 51 Trading Stocks.......................................................................................... 52 Trading Forex .......................................................................................... 57 Trading Futures ....................................................................................... 65 Trading Stock Options.............................................................................. 80 STEP 2: SELECTING A TIMEFRAME ................................................................. 85 STEP 3: SELECTING A TRADING APPROACH ................................................... 87 Fundamental Analysis .............................................................................. 87 Technical Analysis ................................................................................... 90 Day Trading Charts ................................................................................. 93 Technical Indicators............................................................................... 103 Popular Trading Approaches................................................................. 135 STEP 4: DEFINING ENTRY POINTS ................................................................ 149 STEP 5: DEFINING EXIT POINTS ................................................................... 151 Stop Losses ............................................................................................. 152 Profit-Taking Exits ................................................................................. 160 Trailing Stops ......................................................................................... 167 Taking Partial Profits............................................................................. 169
......................... 197 Principle #8: Have a High Percentage of Winning Trades.......... 193 Principle #4: Maintain a Healthy Balance Between Risk and Reward ................ 192 Principle #2: Trade Electronic and Liquid Markets ..................................243 APPENDIX A – TRADING PLAN TEMPLATE ..................... 221 THE THREE "SECRETS" TO DAY TRADING SUCCESS ..... 249 APPENDIX C – ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ......................203 THERE'S MORE TO TRADING THAN JUST HAVING A STRATEGY.................. 214 Mistake #4: Trading the Wrong Market......................................................................................................................... 183 THE 10 POWER PRINCIPLES – MAKING SURE THAT YOUR TRADING PLAN WORKS ...... 212 Mistake #2: Not Taking Profits .................... 209 Mistake #1: Struggling To Identify the Direction of the Market ........................................................................................................... 171 How to Read and Understand a Performance Report........ 199 PART 3: THE SECRETS TO DAY TRADING SUCCESS...................................................................................241 APPENDICES..................................................................... 195 Principle #7: Automate Your Exits.................. 218 THE TRADER'S PSYCHE ................... 213 Mistake #3: Not Limiting Your Losses .................................................................................................. 194 Principle #5: Find a System That Produces at Least Five Trades per Week .............Time-Stops.......................................................................................................... 245 APPENDIX B – BROKER CHECKLIST ............................................................................ 231 HOW TO START TRADING WITHOUT RISKING A SINGLE PENNY ................................. 169 STEP 6: EVALUATING YOUR STRATEGY.............................................. 217 Mistake #7: Overtrading ... 191 Principle #1: Use Few Rules – Make It Easy to Understand .................... 251 APPENDIX D – READING RESOURCES ...................................................................... 195 Principle #6: Start Small .. 253 APPENDIX E – GLOSSARY ........................................................................ 273 .......................................................... 198 Principle #9: Test Your Strategy on at Least 200 Trades .................................................. 257 APPENDIX F – ABOUT MARKUS HEITKOETTER . 215 Mistake #5: Lack of a Trading Strategy .............. 227 THE TENETS OF DAY TRADING ............................................... 235 BONUS MATERIALS ......................................... 271 APPENDIX G – COACHING PROGRAMS ...................... 198 Principle #10: Choose a Valid Back-Testing Period ................. 216 Mistake #6: Not Controlling Your Emotions................................................................................................................................................ 176 STEP 7: IMPROVING YOUR STRATEGY ................................. 193 Principle #3: Have Realistic Expectations...............................Grow Big ......... 205 THE SEVEN MISTAKES OF TRADERS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM ...........................................................................................................................................
the answer is: it can't.Preface D ay trading can be simple. After all. blindly following his recommendations without knowing anything about the markets. most likely for free. IX . They make you think that you just have to read a few pages or attend an online class. They believe that they can buy a "magic system" or "XXX software" that will place their trades for them and make them rich while they sleep. Or they rely on the advice of some "guru" for their trading decisions. but many aspiring traders expect to learn everything they need to know from an eBook that they might get somewhere on the Internet. you'll become a successful trader. the goal is to make more money than a lawyer or a doctor. Don't be fooled. magically. I'm glad you're different. and then. Like in any other profession. And how could a small amount of free information teach you to make more money than people who have gone to school for years and years? Right. but don't make the mistake of thinking that it's easy. Some aspiring traders think they don't have to learn a single thing. I know that there are many websites and late-night infomercials that try to tell you differently. you need a solid education before you get started.
S." Source: Information Anxiety. by Richard Saul Wurman. What the heck? How big is an acre? Of course. An acre is 43. by reading this book. A friend of mine told me that an acre is about the size of an American football field without the end zones. you can just imagine my confusion when my realtor started describing lot sizes in quarter-acre. I had no frame of reference. right? Right – but where I come from. It should have been no problem – I mean. and one of my first "tasks" here was buying a house. So. that's exactly what you'll learn how to do. though. Now I knew the exact measurements. Great. but I still couldn't picture the exact size of "an acre" in my head. It's basically the same process. etc. And. half-acre. you'll have to adapt the ideas that you're about to learn to what you already KNOW. I have it now. we do have houses in Germany. we measure in meters and kilometers." And Richard Saul Wurman says: "Facts in themselves don't solve the problem. But. but in order to make the most out of this book and become the trader you want to be. X . Facts are only meaningful as they relate to a concept you can grasp … New ideas are not so much discovered as uncovered by moving from what you already understand into the realm of what you would like to understand. That didn't really help me. You'll learn a lot of facts and concepts about day trading.560 square feet. in 2001. Socrates said that "Learning is remembering.The Complete Guide to Day Trading You picked up this book because you're serious about becoming a successful day trader. WARNING: Be aware. that just reading this book will NOT automatically make you an instant millionaire. I didn't want to ask – no one likes to seem ignorant – but I looked it up. 1989 Let me give you an example: I moved from Germany to the U.
A frame of reference. Enjoy! Markus Heitkoetter January 2008 XI . you'll have it. And there might be some concepts that are new to you (e. But don't worry: I'll present all of these concepts in a very practical way. You might already know many of the concepts presented in this book (e. Remember Socrates: "Learning is remembering." My Objective: I am determined that this book will save you both money and time when it comes to your trading goals. And by the last page.g. The same is true in trading. You'll be getting a great deal of examples and scenarios to look at – this entire book is about you getting that "grasp" on trading that you'll need.Preface Poof. using a time-stop when exiting a trade).g. that you should use a stop loss). I'm convinced that it will help you become the trader you want to be. Understanding.
You want to be rich. Let me be a little more specific: you want to be wealthy. wait.) "Being rich" means that you have a lot of money. that motivation is money. is day trading really the ultimate solution to becoming wealthy? Let's see. 2. Here's one way to become rich: You work your way up to the position of an executive in a corporation and make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. So. XIII . Of course.) "Being wealthy" means that you actually have time to enjoy your money.Introduction: Why Day Trading? I f you're thinking about getting into day trading. time to do what you want to do when you want to do it. More often than not. Just to make sure that we're on the same page. No. then you've probably got a pretty strong motivation. you'll be working at least 10 hours per day and at least 6 days per week. let me touch on the key difference between being "rich" and being "wealthy:" 1.
you need to keep Murphy's Law in mind: "Whatever can go wrong. And believe me: there are always exceptions when dealing with people – your customers. Plus. and cash very fat checks on a regular basis.) Day Trading Option 1: Starting Your Own Company or Internet Business Having your own company means that you'll have to find or create a product. and collect the payments. the headache might be even bigger: employees. invoices. vendors. These days.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Here are three ways to become wealthy: 1. Sometimes the reward just isn't worth the stressful lifestyle. sell the product. you will constantly have to update your website and traffic generation methods. You can automate the routine. equipment. And since the Internet is evolving so quickly. etc." Nothing could be truer! Even if you could automate most of the delivery. deliver the product to your customers. XIV .) Starting Your Own Company or Internet Business 2. WILL go wrong. customers. but not the exceptions. sure. We both know that this is a dream. lawyers. as long as you have computers involved. office space. Okay. there are many "Internet Marketing Gurus" trying to sell you on the idea that you can automate everything. you still have to find or create a product. so what if you skipped the Internet part? If you have a "physical" business. nothing more. market the product. production problems. do nothing. set up a website. which will allow you to sleep late. put the automation in place. competitors.) Investing in Real Estate 3. and generate traffic. write salescopy. I've known a number of small business owners who have simply given up and gotten a regular 9-5 job.
But with the market slowing down and the current credit crunch. Because of these factors. it's not easy to quickly buy and sell houses. or with contractors (if you are "fixin' and flippin'") or with legal issues if you use those "creative techniques" that some of the late night infomercials are promoting. When it comes to hassle and problems. at best. And on top of that. it's not that easy anymore. last but not least. you always have the possibility of problems with renters (if you are renting out). and buyers that were pre-approved and pre-qualified might learn the day before closing that they won't receive the promised loan. what's left? XV . your buyer might have to obtain a mortgage. the mortgage industry has really become "interesting" in 2007 (to say the least). It basically boils down to one big pain in the neck! You need an appraisal. So. Most lenders these days require a down payment of 1020% for investment properties. As you know.Introduction: Why Day Trading? Option 2: Investing In Real Estate Our second option on the road to wealth is investing in real estate. Whenever you buy or sell a house. A transaction can last several days or several weeks. too. real estate investing is a flip of the coin. you need a home inspection and might be surprised when you learn of all the things that need to be fixed before you can sell. Another problem is the cost of a transaction. so you also need substantial capital to even get into the business. And all of these problems are just the tip of the iceberg. and you might have to argue with the appraiser about the value of the house. and. you will most likely have to pay a Realtor's commission and face closing costs.
Your sex doesn't matter. handling.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Option 3: Day Trading In my opinion. there are 10 others waiting in line for your business. or displays and promotions of goods. or employee performance. payroll. shipping. Your background and history don't matter.) No vendors. no invoices. Your language doesn't matter.) No inventory. 4. Your only "team member" is your broker. whether you're a Ph. which means you don't have to worry about job interviews. damaged goods. holidays.) It's the total "equal opportunity" job Your race doesn't matter. and if he doesn't perform. Your looks don't matter. which means you don't have to worry about expiration dates. and no accounts receivable You won't have to deal with any face-to-face contact. Your age doesn't matter. you don't need to satisfy any cusXVI . insurance.D. Even if you've been in jail for years.) No employees to hire You don't have to hire any employees. Your education doesn't matter. Here are ten reasons why: 1. sick days. it's the perfect way to become wealthy. Your skin color doesn't matter. no customers. And your social status doesn't matter. you could still make money with trading. or a college drop-out. or other equipment (besides your phone and your computer) You don't have to buy or rent expensive office space. 3. employee evaluations. You don't need any vendors. office space. 2. and you don't have to stock any products. as long as you have sufficient funds to trade. Your origin doesn't matter.
You can start trading for as little as one hour per week. you can start with as little as $1.000! (We'll talk about how a little later. bounced checks. You don't have to wait to see your profits. 6. This is not like buying property. and you don't need to worry about any invoices. where you're on the hook for a monthly mortgage and other cash-draining expenses. With day trading. the chances are that you're working at least 40 hours per week.) 7. fraudulent credit card charges.) Low transaction cost You pay less than $10 per transaction in trading. Try this with real estate or physical goods. not to mention a 3-6% commission to your realtor. or you can go for the maximum of 2 hours per day. 5.) Returns are almost instantaneous I'm talking "fast cash" in the sense that trading allows for quick liquidation. where you might have to wait weeks. In trading. Compare that to real estate transactions. You can convert trades for cash within seconds. returns.) The time required is minimal Whether you have a regular job or run your own business. Where else in the world can you make money this fast and comfortably? You can buy and sell and buy again in minutes. or even months. you can trade either part-time or full-time. in which you have to pay several thousand dollars in closing costs.Introduction: Why Day Trading? tomers. 8. for example. you don't need to provide any customer support. or charge-backs. XVII . It's your choice.) Low capital requirement You don't need a lot of money to get started.
) 5. I firmly believe that everybody can learn how to become a successful trader.) d. Throughout this book. Ready? XVIII . but I think you get the picture.) 2. After teaching hundreds of people how to make money with day trading.) You don't need much to get started In fact. we're going to cover a lot of material that will help you get started with trading successfully. years of experience are not necessary either.) b. Here are a few of the essentials: 1.) A computer An Internet connection A charting software A broker A properly funded trading account A good trading strategy I could go on and on.The Complete Guide to Day Trading 9.) f.) 6.) 4.) It's simple to learn how to make money with day trading You don't have to go to college for years.) c.) 8.) What exactly is day trading Who should be day trading Is it really possible to make a living as a day trader What you need to get started How much money you'll need to begin trading What markets are out there and which ones you should trade How to develop a profitable day trading strategy How to ensure that your day trading strategy actually works In short: you will learn everything you need to know to start making money with day trading. there are only six things that you DO need: a. And unlike most other professions.) e. 10.) 7.) 3.
but I'll need your help to do it. because it's what you base your trading decisions on.How to Get the Most Out of This Book his book will help you become the trader you want to be. One of my key goals in this book is to help you expand your trading knowledge so that you can make well-informed decisions. and commitment on your part. You will not instantly become successful the minute you finish reading. but it won't happen automatically. in most cases. Let me explain. effort. XIX T . be directly proportional to the effort and commitment you invest in creating them. Throughout the book. At the end of each chapter. you'll learn key concepts that you can apply to your trading right away. If you want to get the most out of this book. but it requires time. I'll provide you with lots of valuable resources to help you learn what you need to know. take a few minutes to complete these Action Items. discipline. The knowledge you accumulate is extremely important.' exercises relating to the topics recently covered. you'll find 'Action Items. Making money with day trading IS possible. It is my pledge to help you become the best trader that you can be. The results you achieve will. the decisions that will determine your ultimate success or failure.
Part 1: Day Trading Basics – What You Should Know .
3 . creating both the opportunity for gain and the possibility of loss.com's stocks just as the price begins to rise on good news.What Is Day Trading? D ay trading is the practice of buying and selling financial instruments throughout the day. a day trader might buy 1.000 shares of Amazon. As the day progresses. and then sell it at 10:25am. prices will rise and fall in value. when it's up by $1 per share. At 10:15am.
4 . Nor is day trading a sure road to immeasurable wealth and success (as some hyped-up websites would have you believe). but it isn't a get-rich-quick scheme (though many seminars convincingly sell it as such). Keep in mind. With perseverance and commitment. day trading is just like any other business venture: in order to be successful at it. you need to have a PLAN. you CAN find trading success. However. that day trading is specifically designed to result in smaller earnings on a regular basis.000. minus commission. it is NOT designed to result in huge fortunes through a single trade.The Complete Guide to Day Trading In this example. the day trader makes $1. With today's cheap commissions of $10 or less per trade. that's a quick $990 in just 10 minutes! When traded strategically. with the right tools – and with the knowledge to use those tools efficiently and effectively – the risks of day trading can be greatly reduced. Quite simply. Day trading can be very profitable. It would be very risky to dive in head-first without looking. the trends and fluctuations in the markets allow for quick profits to be made in brief periods of time. however.
One of them is that you WILL face losses. If you can't accept that fact. As a trader. A profitable strategy is useless without discipline. even with a tested. without hesitation. And you need a PLAN: Traders who enjoy the most success in day trading. proven trading strategy. because they know that only trades which are indicated by that system have the highest probability of resulting in a profit. Successful day traders must have the discipline to follow their system rigorously. Remember. 5 . you need to maintain focus on a set of strategies which you can implement immediately.Who Should Be Day Trading? D ay trading is not for everyone. but there are also some "negative" factors. Unfortunately. It takes discipline. Keep in mind that day trading is a very competitive field. generally have solid trading strategies and the discipline to stick to their trading plan. In order to succeed. strategic trading plan can give you an edge over the rest of the market. you are not guaranteed trading success. a proven. Yes. there are many advantages. regardless of whether they're in it for a living or for some extra income on the side. losses are part of our business. you simply shouldn't trade. It takes something else.
it's all too tempting to place the entirety of your trust in graphs. but they didn't have the knowledge they needed to succeed.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Whether you're new to trading or have been trading for years. You need to devise a solid strategy that produces consistent trading profits. and you need to learn and adapt as your experience with day trading grows and evolves. unsurprisingly. they've failed. As in all things. Successful traders know that trying to hit a lucrative home run on just one trade is a sure way to get burned. many traders use technical indicators which are instrumental to their success – a few examples of these are the MACD. education will do wonders for the aspiring – and experienced – trader. and the patience to wait for the "perfect trade. If you want to succeed with trading. However. They bought the tools. You will not get rich on just a single trade. If only trading was as easy as that! Simply purchasing trading templates and computer programs does not guarantee your success as a trader. this is not to say that software programs and markers are not helpful when it comes to day trading." You need the following mindset: 1. making excuses. Of course. though profitable day traders DO follow their indicators.) Play Above the Line Playing above the line means taking OWNERSHIP for everything that's happening in your trading. On the contrary. or denying that there's a problem. be AC- 6 . then you MUST invest both time and money to acquire the knowledge that you need. Rather than blaming. and software. and Stochastics. and. The key is consistency. Too many hobby traders have tried that. moving averages. charts. the discipline to follow your trading strategy. they are also aware that nothing is 100% foolproof.
2. nobody else. 4.) Exercise Honesty You overtraded this week? You let your emotions get the best of you? You didn't stick to the strategy? Fine – these things happen to the best of us." there's just a "bad trading approach to the market. you can change to another market. who think they don't have to learn anything. There are many things YOU can do. learn from it. It's extremely important that you ARE positive and that you STAY positive.) Have a Positive Attitude Trading can be simple. It requires commitment. they believe a "magic system" will place their trades for them and make them rich. time. Admit a mistake. and move on. your strategy. but it is not easy. YOU are responsible for your trading results. There is no "bad market. 3. you will face losses. 7 . If a market becomes un-tradable. Along the line. There are already too many "traders" in the market who think they know everything they need to. And the opposite applies too: if you focus on the negative – on losses – then you'll probably experience losses. and effort on your part.) Be Committed Trading success will not happen overnight. it states that in order to achieve success.Who Should Be Day Trading? COUNTABLE for your trading decisions and actions. and WINNING." Nobody forces you to trade a certain market. You and I know that this is a sure path to failure. you need to focus and concentrate on attaining that success. and take RESPONSIBILITY for doing something about it. And you can change your trading approach and adjust your trading plan. and don't make excuses. As a trader. Take responsibility for your actions and your decisions. but you need to get up every single morning believing in you. Have you ever heard of "The Law of Attraction?" Basically. But don't lie to yourself.
Get your hands on a nice notebook and begin to record your trading progress and your feelings every day. Start a trading journal. Action Items: Decide right now that you will have the discipline to follow your plan. However. If you're not willing to spend the time learning the techniques of trading. you gain experience and then you refine your trading. 8 . With the right knowledge. and that you are 100% committed to your trading success. you can radically reduce the risk. downloaded Internet eBooks. that you exercise honesty. The learning never stops. Circle it three times and read it frequently. and discipline. that you will play above the line in your trading. would you? There's no doubt about it: day trading can be a profitable and exciting way to earn money. Most successful traders have one. if you have the drive. reading about new and improved trading strategies.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Trading is like every other profession: you learn the basics. then day trading is probably not for you. and working wholeheartedly in a fast-paced trading environment. you will NOT use day trading to get rich quick. Do you really expect to make millions of dollars after only investing a few hours of time into your education? You wouldn't trust a doctor whose only education was from free. that you will maintain a positive attitude. day trading could seriously impact the shape and success of your financial future. Write down today's resolutions. dedication. which will create even more opportunities for achieving trading success. trust me. You can start now. you apply them. It will help.
The answer is: "Yes. but if you told Donald Trump that he had one million dollars in his bank account. better yet. he'd wonder what had happened to the rest of his money. it is possible!" And. Are you 'rich' if you have one million dollars? Maybe so. full-time day traders.' but they fail to quantify what 'rich' means to them. I need you to ask yourself one very important question: "How much is 'a living?'" Many people want to be 'rich. Sometimes people don't believe me when I say that they can become successful. many people.Is It Really Possible to Make a Living As a Day Trader? T his question is asked over and over and over again by many. you yourself can do it. but it's true. Trading for a Living Before we get started. And I'm going to prove it to you right now. He'd be furious! One million dollars to Donald Trump equals broke! 9 .
And I've taught business executives and successful business owners. holidays. "making a living" is a very broad term. like the Federal announcement regarding interest rates or the unemployment report. In order to make money. This is assuming that you are taking two weeks of vacation per year. and there will be days when the market is not ready to be traded (e.) YOU have to be ready to trade.000 allows you to live like a king in a 6. days before a major news release. IMPORTANT: Don't set daily targets when you trade. where they have to make at least $20. who needed at least $50.000 square foot mansion with a butler. and a cook. two conditions have to be met: 1. There will be days when YOU are not at your best (sickness. which is twice as much as they have made throughout their whole career.). Does that sound reasonable? Let's break it down: $150. I've taught hundreds of people how to make money with day trading.000 per month to maintain their current lifestyle. or.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Over the past couple of years. including the days before and after holidays. and let's say that you are making this money with your trading.). 2." let's just assume that you would be pretty happy if you were making $150. And I've taught people who live in California. I've taught musicians who wanted to make $5. Since I don't want to get into a deep discussion about "how much money is a decent living for you. a gardener.000 just to pay for their mortgage. and gas for their cars.g. 10 .) THE MARKET must be ready to be traded.000 per week.500 per month. etc. I've taught people in countries where $2.000 per month. As you can see. etc. no time because of an emergency. if you prefer.000 per year would be $12. their utility bills. $3.000 per year. emotional stress.
During these types of low-volume days. the volume was very thin. markets can be easily manipulated and might behave very erratic. very low. It's the same between the rest of the days after Christmas and through New Year's Day in 2008. so it would be best to stay away from trading. And another. 11 . The markets were open the day after Thanksgiving and on Dec 24th and 26th. This goal should be LOW. And another. And that's why you shouldn't set daily goals in your trading: those goals will force you to trade on days when both of the previously mentioned conditions – you AND the market being ready – are NOT met. which you can see reflected in the volume bars. but there was barely anybody trading. or 100 shares. Though the markets were open.Is It Really Possible to Make a Living As a Day Trader? Take a look at the following chart. It's important to start small and set a weekly goal for only ONE contract. so that it is easy for you to reach it. Then. you raise the bar another inch. once you manage three feet. Think about high-jumping: you train with a bar that's only three feet high. It's easy to jump.
you shouldn't raise the bar too high too fast. to achieve your weekly goal. but keep in mind that 90% of traders lose money in the markets. then you need to trade 1. then you can easily find a broker who will enable you to trade one contract of almost any futures instrument that's out there – E-mini S&P. When you can make $100 per contract consistently.The Complete Guide to Day Trading In order to trade successfully. E-mini Russell. After awhile. preferably even twice as high. you might raise the bar to $300 per contract per week. This might sound too easy for you.000 per week. The key element to trading success is having a sound trading strategy that produces consistent profits. So. once you've proven that you can meet your goal consistently. or forex. currency futures.000 shares of stock. Put it at a level that you can manage every single time. You can always increase it at a later date. If you can make money day trading one contract or 100 shares of stock. you might not have enough money in your trading account to trade in these increments. interest rates. The same applies to stock trading: if you can make $300 per week trading 100 shares. – on a $2. At this point. Example: In the first four weeks of your trading. etc." Try $150 per contract per week. The average profit should be at least 50% higher than your average loss. you can use leverage and trade multiple contracts on a rather small account.000 shares in order to make $3. If you're thinking about trading the futures market. you might set your weekly target at $100 per contract. then you need to trade ten contracts. 12 . but don't worry – we'll get there. you can start "raising the bar. Raise the bar again and again. Ideally. commodities.000 per week. When day trading futures. you'll have a high average profit per trade. if you want to make $3.000 account. options. but make sure that you're still comfortable in achieving your goals. then you can make money day trading ten contracts or 1.
You'll notice that the profit target is greater than the stop loss. you could achieve your weekly profit target on Monday morning with the first trade. and if your first trade was a loss of $200. Goal achieved. and you can't avoid them. there's a huge difference between losing big on a regular basis and losing small in a controlled trading plan. Now. Subtract the $600 you lost on the losing trades from the $900 you won on the winning trades. you're not always guaranteed a week with only one loss. That's the beauty of it: all you need is one net winning trade. Stop trading. So if you're lucky. You already know that you should keep your losses small. then you need to make two winning trades to achieve your weekly profit goal. Lock in your profits! Of course. Goal achieved. Let's go back to the scenario I mentioned before: you have a trading strategy that produces $300 in profits for every win and costs you $200 for every loss. Your net profit = $400. Let's look at a week that starts off with three losses. But what if you lose? As everyone in trading knows. then you shouldn't be trading. So you would need to have three wins that result in $900 ($300 each). losses are a part of the business. and you'll have achieved your weekly goal of making $300 per contract. you are now down $600 ($200 each). and then you make $600 on your two winning trades ($300 each). Now. you'll end up giving back the money you just made to the markets. if your weekly goal is $300. Let me take this a little farther and actually break it down for you: you've lost $200 on your one losing trade. If that's something you have trouble accepting. the key is to keep them smaller that your average wins. STOP TRADING. Otherwise.Is It Really Possible to Make a Living As a Day Trader? One of the strategies that I use and teach to my students calls for a profit target of $300 per contract and a stop loss of $200 per contract. and your resulting net profit is $300. "Wait a minute – you're saying that I will achieve my goals with a winning percentage of only 50%?" 13 . With three losses. However.
I will help you to get an even sharper edge in your trading. Overtrading and greediness are a trader's downfall. you need to stick to your trading plan and your weekly goal. when you start trading again on Monday morning. They define daily goals. and then they trade markets when they shouldn't. This means that you could pick a losing trade every other time and STILL achieve your weekly profit goals! I want to stress this point again. made $900 on three winning trades. which create an enormous psychological pressure. and came out with a net profit of $300. Throughout the course of this book. When you enter into a trade 14 . Next. the chance that your second trade may be a losing trade is too great. Now. straightforward trading strategy that will help you achieve your profit goal. because many traders neglect this important concept of setting weekly goals. what next? Stop trading for that week! Just enjoy life! It doesn't get any better than that. single trade! So if you DO achieve your weekly profit goal on the first trade Monday morning. A Quick Recap: The first step towards financial success is to define your weekly profit target. what are your chances of having a winning trade? 50%! You have a one in two chance of meeting your weekly profit goal in just one. Do NOT enter into another trade once you've already achieved your weekly goal. so resist them and stick to your strategies. and you would be giving your money and profits back to the market. creating a trading strategy with an even higher winning percentage. you need to find a reliable. So let's just assume for a minute that you do end up achieving an actual winning percentage of only 50%. and they lose. Remember. you know that you can achieve your weekly profit goal with a winning percentage of only 50%.The Complete Guide to Day Trading YES! That's exactly what I'm saying! Read the example above again: you lost $600 on three losing trades. Now.
then you would have to trade 15 contracts (or 1. Action Items: Start your trading plan now.000 per year with a weekly profit target of $300 per contract.500 shares).000 per year – assuming a 50-week year and two weeks of vacation – you'd need to make $3. Of course. You will find a trading plan template in the appendix on page 245. At a $300 profit per trade. be patient with your trading. If you wanted to make $225. this illustration can be applied to various amounts. and so on. be smart. Plan your trades and trade your plan. If you don't have a trading account that let's you trade the amount of contracts or shares that I'm talking about yet. in order to make $150. you can achieve profitable results in a much shorter time period than you may have thought possible. Remember. for example. be slow. Trading success doesn't happen overnight. exit that trade immediately. THAT'S how successful traders make money. If you'll think back to the case I gave at the beginning of this section.000 per week. and be steady. and so on. but with the right strategies and structure. this means that you would need to trade ten contracts (or 1. How much money do you want to make with trading? Break down your overall goals into monthly and weekly targets. Stick to your trading plans and strategies until you achieve your weekly profit goal.Is It Really Possible to Make a Living As a Day Trader? and your trade hits either your profit target OR your stop loss. and then give yourself a rest until next week. Define how much money is "making a living" for you.000 shares). then now is the perfect time to start building it. 15 .
000 a year / month / week? To finance a college education for your children? To make a full-time income to support your entire family? Freedom to choose what. exciting life full of extraordinary experiences? To work less and enjoy more time with your loved ones? Or are you just planning to make some extra cash on weekends? Before you trade a single penny.) 5. What do you hope to achieve with your trading activities? Why do you want to trade? W 1. very few of those traders are successful. you need to determine what your goals are.) 6. successful trading requires knowledge.) To buy a new sports car? To buy a bigger house? To make $100.) 9.) 7. when. many first time traders want to jump right in with both feet.) 2. Knowing what your goal is will help you 17 . really think about what you hope to achieve with that investment.How to Get Started Define Your Goals and Make a Plan hen it comes to trading. Unfortunately.) 4.) 8. and who you do things with? To have a fun.) 3. skill and experience. Before you dive in.
The Complete Guide to Day Trading stay motivated when you're facing a tough spell of trading. which can ultimately be used for retirement or a child's education.) 2. • Is this SPECIFIC? – Yes.) Define Your SMART Goal SMART is an acronym which stands for: 1.) 3. Here are the three important steps: 1.) 4. a dollar amount of $10. But be realistic: Too often. It's much safer to create a trading strategy that will allow your account to grow at a slower pace over time.000 is very specific. but let me remind you that it's also very rare. and it'll help you make smarter investment decisions along the way. Example: I want to make $10.) Specific Measurable Attractive Realistic Timeframe Fortunately. 18 . when it comes to day trading.000 per month with day trading. You simply specify exactly how much money you would like to make per month with your day trading. it's very easy to define a goal that meets all of these criteria.) 5. people start day trading with dreams of becoming rich overnight. So let's talk about how to define your goals and make a plan for your day trading endeavors. I'm not going to say that it is impossible (because it is possible).
"Your Trading Strategy – The Cornerstone to Your Trading Success. 19 .How to Get Started . • Is this ATTRACTIVE? – That depends on you. $10. and then you develop a trading plan.000 square foot home. your trading account may not be big enough for you to realistically trade enough shares or contracts to achieve your long-term trading goal." Just make sure you don't mix up the order: you first define your trading goals.000 is definitely attractive for someone who currently makes $4.Define Your Goals and Make a Plan • Is this MEASURABLE? – Absolutely! Just check the balance of your trading account at the beginning of the month and at the end of the month. We'll talk about your trading plan in detail in the second part of the book. 2. Right now. it's very possible that your long-term goal WILL become realistic in the near future. only unrealistic timeframes. but it wouldn't be attractive to someone who's already paying $10.000 just in mortgage payments for his 6. Your account balance is the easiest way to measure the achievement of your goal. Make sure that YOU are motivated by this goal.000 per month. • Is this REALISTIC? – We talked about this in the previous chapter. • Does it have a TIMEFRAME? – Of course it does: you want to make $10. but we're getting a little ahead of ourselves. Successful people believe that there are no unrealistic goals. the timeframe is 30 days.) Make a Plan Developing a plan is essential to your success. but if you follow the steps outlined in this book.000 per month.
and we have a plan ("eat less and exercise more").361 books for "Weight Loss" and another 28. 2. it's simple: we all know that we can lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks if we just follow those two rules. and then we do some aerobic exercises at least three times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes. And naturally. it would be a very.000 calories per day. Otherwise you might find out that you started climbing up the wrong ladder right at the very beginning. and then plan HOW to achieve that goal. Once you have your plan. If I wrote a book on weight loss. That's putting the cart in front of the horse.068 books on the popular topic "How to Lose Weight" (compared to only 4.463 books in the category "Stock Trading and Investing").The Complete Guide to Day Trading Many traders look for a trading strategy first and then hope that the trading strategy will help them achieve their goals. Let me give you an example: Amazon lists 18. so why do we keep buying these books and magazines that promise a new diet. We have a SMART goal ("lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks").707 books for "Exercising and Fitness. Come on. you'll need to actually execute it.) Eat less." That's a total of 47. very short: 1. 20 . a new way to lose weight? Because we fail to execute our plan. 3.) Execute the Plan This is where the rubber meets the road. Regardless of what you're doing.500 or 2. We reduce our calorie intake to 1. that's where most of us fail.) Exercise more. you should first define WHAT you want to accomplish.
and that's why sometimes we do nothing and just "hope" that we will achieve our goals. We didn't succeed because we were simply too lazy. answering the next question will help you to take action immediately. But instead of working on the true problem – the execution – we change the plan itself. human beings are great at procrastination. Ask yourself: "Why should you act NOW?" When you take the time to actually think about the answer. As you know. Once you've defined your SMART goal and the amount of money you want to make with trading." "it doesn't work. So. Successful people will realize that their problem doesn't lie in the plan. ask yourself this: "How would achieving this goal impact your family life?" and "how would it affect you personally?" Take your time to answer these questions and write down the answers. Here's what you can do in order to ensure your own motivation and discipline when it comes to executing your plan: It's important to focus on the big picture. the chances of achieving a goal by doing nothing are slim to none. which will help you to execute your plan. or we didn't have the discipline to execute our plan. It'll help you stay motivated when your learning reaches a plateau. but in the execution.Define Your Goals and Make a Plan And then we blame the plan: "it's too hard. All great accomplishments start with a great vision." This isn't true. As you can imagine. Little tricks like this will help you stay focused on your long-term goal. We don't like to be outside of our comfort zone.How to Get Started . or when you face a couple of losses. it will be a huge motivator. hoping that there's an easier way. 21 ." "it's impossible.
The Complete Guide to Day Trading Action Items: Continue your trading journal. This is an important step. Write down the reasons WHY you want to trade and what you are trying to accomplish with your trading. Write down the impact that your trading success will have on YOUR life and the life of your family. Dream big. 22 . because it'll help you get through the challenging times. which all traders experience. Be specific! Define your smart goals.
then you should have between $5. 2.000 and $5. Using a systematic approach. we'll determine the best market for you over the course of the next few chapters. 3.) If you're thinking about trading forex.How Much Money Do You Need to Get Started? T he answer to that question depends on the market you want to trade. 4. then you can start with as little as $500 in your trading account.) If you want to day trade stocks.000 and $10.) If you want to day trade futures. then you need at least $25. but don't make the common mistake of letting your current financial situation dictate which market you're going to trade.000 in your trading account. Financial considerations are always important.000 in your trading account. Remember: you first define your goal. you should have between $1. and then you plan how to achieve it. 23 . but the information below will give you a basic idea of your options: 1.) When trading options.000 in your trading account.
so make sure to consider what these savings were originally for. and what your financial goals are. and you can plan to use a portion of that income to build your investment portfolio over time. Next. and don't trade it! You should never trade money that you may need immediately. Unless you have funds from another source. Let's begin by determining how much of your savings should remain in your savings account. such as a recent inheritance. certain types of investments require an initial deposit amount to get started. This does not mean that you will be risking the whole amount (see the chapter "Determining Your Risk Tolerance" on page 27). 24 . Many traders are only willing to risk 10% of the initial deposit. If you are currently employed. Two more important things to remember: 1. There are a lot of ways to make a few more bucks. determine how much you can add to your trading activities in the future. "How much money SHOULD you trade?" Many first-time traders think they should trade all of their savings. let's talk about the question. This isn't true! To determine how much money you should trade. and it's better to wait for the funds you need than to begin trading in a market that isn't right for you and your goals.) As outlined above.The Complete Guide to Day Trading If you don't have sufficient funds to trade the markets you've outlined in your goals. so set that money aside. the remaining amount of money will probably be what you currently have to trade with. Take a good look at how much money you can currently afford to trade. You don't want other parts of your life to suffer when you tie your money up in a trade. then start doing something about it now – save more money or put in overtime hours. It's important to keep three to six months of living expenses in a readily accessible savings account. you must first determine how much you can actually afford to lose. you will continue to receive an income. For those of you who already have the right amount of money in your savings account.
Continue your trading plan on page 245 and fill in the amount under "My Account Size. If you don't have enough money to start trading yet. define how much money you have to trade with right now. make a plan of how you will save or earn the money that you still need.) Never borrow money to trade. and never use money that you can't afford to lose! Action Items: Take a financial inventory. Considering the points mentioned above." 25 .How Much Money Do You Need to Get Started? 2.
Realize. of course. there is a lot in determining your tolerance. if you plan on retiring in ten years. you need to know how much money you have to invest. On the other side of the coin. if you entered a trade. Again. (See the chapter "How to Get Started – Define Your Goals and Make a Plan. Determining one's risk tolerance involves several different things. First off.Determining Your Risk Tolerance E ach individual has a risk tolerance that should not be ignored. what would you do? 27 . you'll need to have a high risk tolerance. your risk tolerance can be low. and what your investment and financial goals are. if you're in your early twenties and you want to start investing for your retirement.) For instance. You can afford to watch your money grow slowly over time." on page 17. and you see that trade go against you. and you haven't saved a single penny yet. that your need for a high risk tolerance or your need for a low risk tolerance really have no bearing on how you feel about risk. and they can help you determine what your risk tolerance is and work with you to find investments that do not exceed that risk tolerance. For instance. Any good broker or financial educator knows this. because you'll need to do some aggressive trading in order to reach your financial goal.
This tolerance is based on how you feel about your money. Continue your trading plan on page 245 and fill in the amount under "I Am Willing to Risk…" 28 . If you're unsure about how to go about doing this. your account size plays a vital role in determining your risk tolerance. get in contact with my company. If you have a high tolerance.000.000 loss might make you nervous. This decision is not based on what your financial goals are. Talk to a professional if needed. and you are facing a $1. since it is only 1% of your account. And. or broker should be able to help you determine the level of risk that you are comfortable with.000 account. financial advisor.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Let's say you are facing a $100 loss. you would want to sell out. If you have a $2. you would wait and see what happens. therefore. Action Items: Determine your risk tolerance. then a $1. of course. it's important to take the time to determine your risk tolerance. or would you stay in the trade? If you have a low tolerance for risk. But if your trading account size is $100. since you are losing 50% of your capital. As you'll learn. emotions are a very important factor in trading. A good trading coach. Rockwell Trading®. then you might be more relaxed. and we'll provide you with a set of questions that will help you to determine your risk tolerance.000 loss. Would you sell out.
here are the minimum specifications: 1.) 2.) 4.) 3. too. any computer that you've purchased in the past two years will do the trick. Just as a guideline.) 5.What You Need to Begin Trading I n order to day trade. and you don't need the most expensive. Windows XP 256MB RAM (use 1GB of RAM when running Windows XP) CD-ROM drive Minimum of 3GB of hard disk space 29 . so if you're thinking about getting a MAC.) A computer An Internet connection A charting software A broker A properly funded trading account A good trading strategy A Computer You don't need the latest computer. Basically.) 3.) 6. Most charting software and trading platforms run on Windows. make sure that the software you are considering is MAC compatible. you'll need: 1.) 6.) 5.) 2.) 4.) IBM or IBM compatible Pentium IV-class computer 1 GHz or greater Windows 2000. Notebooks are fine.
so you can't afford a delay. No T1 connection needed. but you don't need one. Don't be cheap on monitors. The times when you drew your own charts in a notebook using quotes from the morning newspaper are long gone. this information is displayed in a variety of ways. A reliable Internet connection is essential for your trading success. After all. Over 19" is pretty much overkill. A 17" monitor will do the trick. the data you receive from the market is what you'll base ALL of your trading decisions upon. An Internet Connection Don't be cheap here. Invest in a DSL or cable connection.The Complete Guide to Day Trading You'll also need a second screen. 30 . You should have your charting software on ONE screen for the entry and exit signals. You can have a bigger monitor. What another trader chooses may be different from what you choose. and your trading platform on ANOTHER screen for entering the orders. powerful charting software packages allow you to access the market information in real-time. A Charting Software Online day trading has developed to the point where charting software is an indispensable tool of both professional and novice day traders alike. Don't ever try to trade using dial-up or a modem connected to your phone. A second monitor will cost you around $150-$250. These days. A 19" is even better. Choosing the "right" charting software is a very personal decision – it can be compared to choosing the right car. you need to make sure that you can see your charting software in crystal-clear clarity. and vice versa. all of which can help you in carrying out your trades. That's why it's important for you to carefully evaluate a list of features – with both advantages and disadvantages – before you make a decision on a data feed and charting package.
markets. RSI. Make your choice based on the results. In addition. Most packages include the major U. then you need to make sure that data is available in real-time. You 31 . you might be interested in a broad range of indicators and charting methods. Here are some examples of criteria you may want to use: • Real-Time Data You need a solid platform that can deliver real-time data instantly. like Asian or European markets. and you need to compare and contrast the available charting packages using that list. or Japanese candlesticks. but if you need other international markets. you can't afford to deal with a delay. If you're serious about technical analysis. You have to be careful on this one – the old saying "you get what you pay for" definitely applies when it comes to trading. finding a competitive rate does not mean that the provider's software is the cheapest. This feature alone will exclude many of the options available. • Competitive Rates & Money Back Guarantee You need trading software that will not cost you all of your money before you even enter your first trade.What You Need to Begin Trading The bottom line is that you need to have a list of criteria. such as bar charts. because a lot of web-based programs will have some sort of delay. It's important to shop around.S. check to see if the charting software can display basic indicators like MACD. make sure that you can program your own indicators or modify the existing ones to your needs without too much hassle. • Wide Variety of Indicators Depending on your individual needs. Weigh your options. and Moving Averages easily. even if that delay would be perfectly acceptable in long-term trading. When it comes to day trading and/or swing trading. point-and-figure charting. • Market Data Coverage Check out the markets that are covered by the charting software. However.
not one that requires a degree as a Computer Engineer. • User Friendly Platform & Complete Training Unless you're a skilled computer programmer. those types of platforms ARE out there! You'll need software that allows you to back-test strategies and program custom indicators and trading systems without a lot of trouble. And naturally. Keep in mind that you can add other criteria to this list based on your trading goals. you need to have a platform that you can use easily. such as the ability to quickly switch between different timeframes. but you probably don't need the most expensive package – with features you won't even use – either. And. choose a company that has excellent customer support service. And make sure that the provider you select will allow time for you to test how the software platform actually works. • Reputable Company Choose a reputable company that has an established presence on the Internet for its platform and data feed. If you're uncomfortable with using it. A guide will help you become familiar with the system and educate you at the same time. 32 . As I said previously: it's a very personal choice that only you can make.The Complete Guide to Day Trading don't want cheap trading software that offers you next to nothing. Trust me. you should be able to claim a refund within the first 30 days. then find a software platform that comes with a detailed user guide. if you just can't seem to find trading software out there that is EASY to use. The following section includes my own personal reviews of a few major software packages.
and once you get used to the various shortcuts. However. Now. and it's been around in the trading industry for more than 20 years. If you're an options trader.' and it's possible to switch between these pages swiftly and easily. according to your needs. As of February 2008. eSignal's user interface is not the most intuitive available on the market today. there will be no issues that the software provider can blame on the data feed.What You Need to Begin Trading eSignal (www. it was launched on the Internet.000 symbols through an options analysis package. However. the charts can be customized in many different ways. – you can save this format and apply it to other charts without delay. you'll have the capability to see 1. The sets of charts and quote lists can be saved as 'Pages. given that eSignal's charting and data feeds are coming from the same provider. after you set up a chart in a way that you're comfortable with – which is done by customizing sizes. colors. indicators. Each and every window in the platform can be popped out of the main eSignal window. In other words.com) eSignal is owned by Interactive Data Corporation. In my opinion. it's often necessary for users to refer to the help system over and over again. (This "blame game" is something that every professional trader has – or will – experience at some point while using trading software). the prices for eSignal range from $125/month (for eSignal Premier) to $195/month (for eSignal Premier Plus). In April 1999. the charting platform is actually pretty effective for fast decision-making. which makes this package slightly more expensive than a number of other trading platforms out there.esignal. When it comes to a tutorial system. etc. There's no need to fear being a newbie – you can familiarize yourself with the software in no time. or vice versa. you can expect to pay as much as $249 to $360 every month. which is a tremendous help when it comes to getting 33 . the company provides complete audio and video training to new users.
etc. The data feed itself is probably the best ingredient of the eSignal package. and data can be exported through a flat file for you to open in Excel or another spreadsheet application.. eSignal offers quote lists. If you really want to get into a more advanced customization. eSignal is without a doubt one of the best data feeds you can find on the Internet.com) Since its arrival in the online trading community in 1997. for back-testing. TradeStation (www. level 2 screens. and these supply raw access to the eSignal data feed. the company maintains fully redundant ticker plants. and if that's not enough. with EFS adding to its effectiveness. and there's also a program using JavaScript language called EFS (which is the foundation language for eSignal Formula Script) for writing your own series of procedures. It was also named Stocks and Commodities Magazine's Reader's Choice 34 . All of the standard technical indicators are available.tradestation. To guarantee a nonstop transmission and perfect accuracy of data. it's won various awards from industry publications. TradeStation has become the top choice for tens of thousands of high-rated traders around the world. A standard subscription will let you monitor up to 100 symbols. picking a symbol in a quote list will make all of the linked charts. A trustworthy global market data feed. of course. these procedures can be employed repeatedly all throughout the life of the programs. you can pay a little extra to get even more symbols to monitor. The charting product is powerful enough for most traders.The Complete Guide to Day Trading the best out of that multi-monitor systems of yours. the next level up being 250. there are a couple of levels of API offered at additional cost. EFS can also be used for communicating with broker interfaces. level 2 screens. For example. and. is available right in front of you. including Barron's and Technical Analysis of Stocks and Commodities. which eSignal has staked its well-known reputation in the active trader community on. and news tickers to keep you updated. change to the same symbol almost immediately. Besides the charts. All of these features can be connected to one another.
However.What You Need to Begin Trading Award for Best Trading Software five years in a row. and much more. it will back-test your strategy on up to 20 years of authentic. including multiple orders. When you first set up TradeStation. It is generally accepted as the industry standard when it comes to charting software. before you even risk one single penny from your real trading funds. TradeStation even created a programming language called EasyLanguage that is very user friendly once you get the hang of it. giving you the simulated results. It allows you to back-test.95 to $199. intra-day market data. protective stops. which allows you to utilize TradeStation's award-winning features. test. entries and exits. it may be a little overwhelming for you to use the software. or when to get out and sell. your simulated net profit or losses. such as when to enter the market and buy. It's also designed to help you discover some potential market opportunities and then perform your trades more professionally than you could ever do on your own. and fully automate your own rule-based trading strategies on a daily basis. for $99. and more. profit targets. trailing stops. from 1994 to 1999. When you're ready for your first trade. TradeStation is probably the first trading platform in the world that gives you the ability to create. it's designed to automatically generate your entry and exit orders and send them to the marketplace within fractions of a second of the market move. program custom indicators.95/month. in real-time on the Internet. The instant an opportunity arises based on your custom buy or sell rules. and seeks out all of the opportunities based on your trading plans. TradeStation can watch your trading rules and even carry out your trades 100% automatically. You can easily create your own trading rules. and modifies indicators to your needs. Then. You can automate practically all of the trading strategies you could ever think of. TradeStation will provide you with information on all of the trades you would have positioned. it is proba- 35 . with just a single click of your mouse. TradeStation essentially monitors the markets for you tick by tick.
395.com) If you love using the technical analysis strategy. but you've always wanted to apply this kind of approach when it comes to your investments. 36 . moving averages. by Equis International (Equis has been acquired by Reuters). trendlines. which receives real-time data directly from Reuters – the leading source of financial news to the world's media – and combine it with MetaStock Pro. The new version. MetaStock (www. MetaStock is available for a one-time fee of $1. news. The program is also fully compatible with Microsoft Office. You can also choose the Internet option to receive quotes. and it's quite easy to familiarize yourself with all of its functions. As of February 2008. both professionals and novices. support lines. It is definitely no coincidence that TradeStation has become one of the most desirable trading platforms for active traders. The main program itself is very user friendly. and option symbols straight from Reuters. even if you're a beginner. You can use QuoteCenter.The Complete Guide to Day Trading bly worth your time to become skilled and get acquainted with this trading platform. resistance lines. if you don't know anything about technical analysis. which means you can cut and paste data directly into Excel or Word.metastock. and various other tools of the trade are accessible by simply clicking and dragging your mouse. through its dependability and the power of automation. MetaStock Professional 8. includes all of the previous version's capabilities – such as extensive charting and analysis – and it's designed to work with a real-time data feed such as BMI or Signal Online from the Data Broadcasting Corporation. And. without any charge. MetaStock. then you might be interested in using this software as a learning tool. Equis has provided all types of chart forms and features. might be your #1 tool to trade.
Functions such as Single-Click Trading. Not to mention that the 'HELP' menu even includes an interactive visual tutorial. The results will give you detailed information.What You Need to Begin Trading Many traders say that one of the best features in Metastock is the search facility. no matter what kind of display options you want to employ. Equis will also give you a CD full of historical data from which you can create charts. Panes can hold any single Indicator or Study. OHLC. move. along with the online connection you need to upgrade the database anytime you want. or expand the trendlines. Genesis Trade Navigator (www. Histograms. or even a mixture of the two. HL. Trade Navigator can turn into a perfect. which will make even the novice trader able to master the software and technical analysis methods in no time. and analyzing for your trading strategies utilizing Tradesense. and execution platform.genesisft. You'll receive a 550-page manual of Technical Analysis. such as when to buy and sell at what price. is a sophisticated charting. ADX. Line. the trading platform designed by Genesis Financial Technologies. and Points are also included in the platform.. Trade Navigator is the ideal tool for you. Calendar. Candlestick. Indicator. The Trade Navigator Platinum can do all of the back-testing. Bracketing. technical analysis. Trailing Stop. and how much was made or lost from each trade. Seasonal. and more are available right at your fingertips. support and resistance lines. The program will then calculate how much money you could make using a particular trading strategy. Therefore. Used in conjunction with many trading strategies. from A to Z. and other objects. using indicators like Moving Averages. The search facility will let you search your entire database of stocks and shares based on your specified criteria.com) Trade Navigator. allowing you to customize the way each chart looks by simply clicking and dragging your mouse to draw. Mountain. so you won't get bored. resize. and the charts can be separated into panes. developing. and Stochastics. real-time automated trading instrument. a simple 37 . Inc. HLC. The plan is to uncover any stocks that display according to your trading strategy.
To help you run the software immediately. and then automatically fill in the values for you. indexes. and some options. Precision Tick is also another unique feature from the Genesis testing system. Trade Navigator is available in three different versions: Silver. watching the way it moves on the days that the bars were created. It's like having your own time machine. which does not require you to be an expert in computer science to use it. With Tradesense. Speaking of which. you can go back to a certain date in the past and observe the data as it fills in. you can take any strategy idea – whether it's from a trading book. You also have the ability to create your next bar orders. a seminar. Any strategy you put into the program can be completed with an "Action. free training. which allows you to travel back in time and then move forward to the present time as you watch the chart changing in front of your eyes. With Trade Navigator.The Complete Guide to Day Trading input language." Once certain criteria are met. and you can learn it pretty fast. Genesis allows you to use hundreds of pre-programmed indicators and parameters so that you'll be able to quickly identify the best strategy based on your approach. and it ensures that every rule is executed precisely based on real-time market conditions. It comes with a complete training video series. it will let you place a given order. Instant Replay mode is the perfect tool for any type of trader to plan for real-time trading without any risk at all. 38 . Prices start at $99 plus data updating fees of $25 per month for stocks. you can trade direct from the chart. and Platinum. and a manual. Tradesense will spot the indicators you're looking for. or you can pick the package of $65 per month for stocks. with Instant Replay. it allows you to back-test any strategy. and you can use the Instant Replay mode if you want to practice your trading. or even from your friend – and test it using a variety of order types (such as limit orders and stop orders) to develop and analyze its performance. whether Long or Short. Tradesense is the core feature of the Platinum system. It combines common English and simple math symbols for powerful analytics and crucial input. you can create your own custom indicators and strategies. futures. Gold.
Stock-. you can always utilize the company's customer support.What You Need to Begin Trading Genesis also has a variety of training videos available and offers free webinars on a regular basis. Charting Software Conclusion Hopefully you now have a better idea of what type of trading software will best fulfill your needs. Remember. These tests ensure that the broker knows his business and will be able to support you if needed. don't purchase trading software before you compare all of the packages available. In time. 39 . A Broker You may wonder if you really need a broker. futures-. you may get suckered into expensive software which has many features that you'll never use. or have any other questions. If you need any help setting up your trading platform. you might want to move on to more sophisticated software as you become more experienced in the trading world. Take advantage of free trials and money-back guarantees. and you won't know if it's right for you until you test-drive it. If you intend to day trade. you won't be able to place your orders without a broker. powerful charting software is what gives you the velocity and ability to carry out nearly instantaneous trades in response to breaking news. Remember. forex. and options-brokers are required to pass different tests in order to obtain their licenses. futures. If you don't take the time to compare and contrast. you may get sucked into cheap software that doesn't have the functions you need. or options: unless you are a member of the exchange. And it doesn't matter whether you are trading stocks. Remember. to help you get the most out of their software package. selecting the right software for you is a very personal choice. The answer is yes. OR. then you must have a broker.
However. So. they earn a set percentage of the transaction. When you instruct your broker to buy or sell. or how specific stocks or commodities might perform. Discount brokers typically do not offer any advice or research. There are two types of brokers: full-service brokers and discount brokers. is all about providing you with some necessary tips for picking an ideal trading broker. and are usually paid in commissions. the biggest decision you must make when it come to brokers is whether you want a full-service broker or a discount broker. though. without all of the bells and whistles. they just do as you ask them to do. They can offer you the skills that you lack at this point. 40 . then all you really need is a discount broker to make your trades for you. In most cases. if you are already knowledgeable about the market you want to trade. Full-service brokers can usually offer more types of investments. predicting what it will or will not do. brokers earn their money from commissions on sales. An analyst literally analyzes the stock or futures market. not to analyze the markets.The Complete Guide to Day Trading It's very important to understand the difference between a broker and a market analyst. you may need to go with a full-service broker in order to ensure that you are making wise investments. Many brokers charge a flat 'per transaction' fee. The challenge lies with too many choices – it isn't easy to choose which broker is best for you amongst all of the many options out there. This section. Selecting the right broker can be a tedious battle for most novice traders. may provide you with investment advice. There are more than a hundred online brokers today and additional choices are becoming available all the time. A broker is there to follow your instructions to either buy or sell. If you are new to investing.
and registered with the National Futures Association (NFA). leverage. Just making sense of the charts and currency prices can be a challenge. For U. Since the foreign exchange market is worth trillions of dollars. So. but in actual fact. 41 .What You Need to Begin Trading First off. This is to ensure that you do not incur hidden costs. Your chances of finding an honest and reliable forex trading broker will dramatically increase if you follow the guidelines below: • • Always request references that you can actually speak with. this broker or brokerage is going to be your teammate when it comes to making you a wealthy person. Many traders. lot fees. The trading platform needs to be user-friendly. find it challenging to navigate trading software. try them. Remember. And since the foreign exchange market is decentralized. it can be hard to identify quality brokers amongst all of the unscrupulous brokers with fraudulent practices. such as the minimum deposit required. see if they are registered as Futures Commission Merchants (FCM) with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Ask them specifically if commissions are chargeable. it offers lucrative opportunities for brokers to set up their firms online. Do a check with the local regulatory agencies and make sure that the forex trading broker is registered. you'll need to double your diligence if you're looking for a forex trading broker. spreads.-based brokers. and so on. So be picky and be cautious. they'll hit you where it hurts when it comes to hidden charges. especially first-timers. etc. Compare the account details. • • I've also included a list of questions for you to ask your broker in the appendices. Some sneaky brokers will deliberately give you an impression that they are the cheapest to use. if there are demo accounts.S.
Now. there's more to trading than just having a strategy. He MUST be profitable every single week for the next four weeks.' I'm not saying that this trader's wife didn't have ground to stand on. Let me give you an example: A few weeks ago. You might have heard that a trader's two biggest enemies are fear and greed. but. Don't you think it's pretty likely that he'll start making bad decisions and begin. But you've also heard this warning several times: "Don't trade with money that you can't afford to lose.The Complete Guide to Day Trading A Properly Funded Trading Account Obviously. which means having to give up what he LOVES to do? It will probably be hard to stick to a plan or strategy if he's getting hit with more and more losses. and your profits should be almost predictable. you probably shouldn't quit your day job just yet. Give yourself some time to prove that you have what it takes to trade for a living. That's why controlling your emotions is extremely important to your trading. Before becoming a professional day trader. in essence. imagine this trader's situation for me. And in order to keep the pressure to a minimum." You might think that this is just the typical disclaimer that every professional in the trading industry has to use. he would have to stop trading altogether and get a 'real job. do you think he'll stick to his trading strategy and plan? Or do you think he'll be afraid of losing money. It's much more. you need money to trade. This is very often the case. But it's not. to gamble his money in the markets. 42 . I received an email from a trader who told me that his wife had given him a deadline: if he was not trading profitably within the next four weeks. your trading must be consistent. hoping for wins? I can't stress enough how important it is not to put too much pressure on yourself or your trading performance. as you'll learn in the third part of this book. Do you think he will be cool and relaxed when he enters a trade? Do you think he will be in control of his emotions? If he loses a few trades.
you'll learn how to develop a profitable trading strategy that works for you. You can have the latest computer. the best broker in the world. Having too much money in your trading account can be just as dangerous as having too little. If you have $100. As with everything. and a well-funded trading account. And be prepared for a period of time where you may not make a lot of money with it. You have to find it. but none of these will produce trading profits for you. In the next part of this book. fund your account appropriately – not too much and not too little.000 in your trading account and only risk $100 per trade. For more information on the right amount of money to get started with.' Even though we must learn to accept losses as a part of the business. there is a learning process when it comes to trading.What You Need to Begin Trading As to the amount of money you actually need. 43 . that depends on you. we should still never think of them as 'peanuts!' There is a balance. So. see the chapter "How Much Money Do You Need to Get Started?" on page 23. a T1-Internet connection. A Trading Strategy Last. six screens. but definitely not least: you need a trading strategy. in order to avoid situations like the afore-mentioned trader got himself into. NEVER start trading without a trading strategy. you might think of your losses as 'peanuts.
you don't want to spend a lot of time learning the software. After a few calls you will get the feeling of a "good" broker. so it's important to choose one that fits YOU best. but you'll want to know the cost once you start your trading business. You'll work with this software almost every day. Start calling several brokers to obtain quotes. and you want to have a team member who you trust and who knows you. Most of them offer a free 30-day trial. If not. The brokerage business is highly competitive. Same as with the other trading elements: there's no need to upgrade now.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Action Items: Check your computer to see if it fulfills the minimum requirements outlined in this chapter. You do not have to upgrade your computer – or buy a new one – now. When you start your trading career. Try to find a "personal broker" who has a direct line and doesn't "hide" in a call center. Your broker is your only team member. but you should know the cost if you're getting ready to trade. Get familiar with the software and make a decision based on the "ease of use" of the software. Check your current Internet connection and determine the cost for an upgrade if needed. as outlined above: do NOT base your decision purely on commissions. Ask him what he can offer you. so you need to shop around for the best commission. 44 . determine how much it will cost to upgrade your computer. It should be intuitive and easy-to-use. But. Take a look at different charting software packages. NOT on the price.
Part 2: Your Trading Strategy – The Cornerstone to Your Trading Success .
but very important. but it's actually pretty straightforward.How to Develop Your Own Profitable Day Trading Strategy eveloping a profitable trading strategy is not as complicated as you might be led to believe. The next part of this book will show you how to develop your own trading strategy in seven simple. Step 1: Selecting a Market Step 2: Selecting a Timeframe Step 3: Selecting a Trading Style Step 4: Defining Entry Points Step 5: Defining Exit Points Step 6: Evaluating Your Trading Strategy Step 7: Improving Your Trading Strategy D 49 . steps. Many people will tell you that it's extremely difficult to build your own trading system.
These futures contracts have become very popular amongst day traders. We'll examine each of these markets according to the following criteria: 1. and futures. and the volume of the mini and electronic contracts quickly surpassed the volume of the pit-traded commodities. or even Real Estate Futures of a particular area. forex. like Chicago or Denver (traded at the CME). options. Exchanges started introducing electronic contracts and mini contracts of popular commodities like gold.Step 1: Selecting a Market ith the fame of online trading. In this chapter. if you want to participate in the real estate market without owning properties. not just stocks. and grains. It's always better to trade 51 W . For example.) Low Initial Capital Requirements Low initial capital means that you can start your day trading activities with a low initial deposit. and stock options. These days. you can basically trade ANYTHING. futures. the existing financial instruments have been enhanced. silver. You have a variety of choices. financial instruments like Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). natural gas. you can invest in Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). crude oil. and the Foreign Exchange Market (forex) have become available for the private investor. more and more financial instruments are available to trade. we'll focus on the four main markets: stocks. In recent years. In addition. Single Stock Futures (SSF).
Throughout the course of this book. This will enable us to build up a small account quickly. 2. we'll include a brief description of markets and participants in the beginning of each of the following sections. you'll learn how to trade any market. We'll focus on liquid markets to avoid problems caused by market manipulation and slippage. When trading a market. You can make money in any market. It's easier to trade a market that's either going up or going down. we want to ensure that we receive quick and accurate fills for our orders. So. A market that's just going sideways and doesn't move in any direction is extremely difficult to trade.) Leverage Leverage is the second key. Companies are given a value by investors.) Liquidity The third factor is liquidity. 4. as long as it's moving. and also that a large order placed by a market-maker or broker does not move the market in an erratic way. 3.) Volatility The fourth factor is volatility. highly leveraged markets allow us to place a small amount of capital into the market and realize larger profit potentials. but it certainly helps to know something about the market you're trading. Trading Stocks The stock market is a private or public market for the trading of company stock at an agreed price. The value of the company is divided into many shares. These shares can be bought or sold (raising or lowering the value of the company).The Complete Guide to Day Trading with small capital and then move up to larger capital when you're comfortable enough with the market. 52 . With sound risk management in place.
in case of bankruptcy. unlike the dividend of a common stock. the profit is shared amongst all the people who own the stock. the value of your shares rises. However. before common stock holders. the larger the portion of the company you own. A preferred stock typically pays a fixed dividend that does not fluctuate. 2. you really don't have to worry about the different kinds of stocks or dividend yields." If you were to follow these tips. the value of your shares decreases. There are two main types of stocks – preferred stock and common stock – and there are many advantages to owning preferred stock over common stock. as a day trader. Owners of preferred stocks have a greater claim on the company's assets.Step 1: Selecting a Market When you buy stocks. then the dividend is paid to you before any dividends are paid to common stock holders. When the company makes a profit. You'll become a shareholder. 3. the more shares you buy. you'd probably end up getting caught in a so-called "pump-and-dump" scheme. If the value of the company rises. you essentially own a little piece of that company whose shares you just bought. So. Avoiding Stock Trading Scams If you have an email account. When you're holding a preferred stock. If the value of the company decreases. somebody recommends a "hot stock. then you've probably received a great deal of emails with Free Stock Trading Tips. you may receive some of that profit in the form of dividends. Ownership of shares is normally called equity. In these emails. 53 . Here are the main ones: 1. since you're just holding a stock for a few minutes or hours. For example. preferred stock holders are paid first.
02-$0.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Here's how it works: These so-called stock picking services buy a certain stock that's usually trading at $0.12. More and more investors panic and sell their stocks. You'll find that it's not easy to buy these stocks since they're not listed on regular stock exchanges." That would be a whopping 600% increase! Since stock traders are greedy by nature. Many times. it'll be much lower. After these stock picking services buy tens of thousands of these shares. these stocks are not even listed on the exchanges. and prices start falling. you might end up paying 4-5 times more than normal in commissions." 54 . in some cases. many will probably start buying this stock. there's suddenly an enormous supply available again. before the stock hits the predicted exit price. After a massive sell-off. "It's trading now at $0. and the only winner is the stock picking service. the stock is generally trading at the same level it was BEFORE the stock picking service started recommending it. if you ask your broker to buy this stock for you. which drives the stock prices even further down. resulting in a loss for whoever was drawn into the trap. Since they bought such a large amount of this stock. and since there is a sudden demand. And. They typically say. the stock picking service starts selling (or dumping) the shares that they bought BEFORE they recommended it to you. Here's an example of a "pump-and-dump" scheme: The following image is a screenshot from an online service that is offering "Free Stock Tips. and the volume is typically only a few thousand shares per day.30. the stock prices will go up – initially. So. they start recommending it to their subscribers. And. investors are losing their money. The stock picking service is now hoping that many of their subscribers will start buying this stock. But.02 and it should go up to $0.
the "hot stock pick" is trading at $0. and you would have lost between 25-75% of your capital. at the point of the arrow.Step 1: Selecting a Market As you can see. as recommended by this service.35 per share. If you were to buy MOSH on Dec 18th. stock prices start moving two days before the "hot tip" at unusually high volume.25 and $0. they're recommending that you buy MOSH on 12/18/2007. 55 .20. Let's take a look at the chart for this stock: (Dates are displayed along the bottom of the chart) As you can see. Note that a few days later. 2007. you would have bought it at a price between $0.
Then.000 if you want to day trade stocks. 2.000 is required for a margin account. Example: Let's say that you deposit $10.000 in buying power remaining. you still have $15. This deposit is known as the minimum margin. though some brokerages require more.) Capital Requirements In August and September of 2001. he might even allow you to borrow up to 80% of your initial deposit.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Let's check the stock market against our criteria: 1." When you open a cash account.000 in his margin account at all times. You can think of it as a loan from your brokerage.000 worth of buying power. giving you a leverage of 1:8. Because you put up 50% of the purchase price. you can either open a "cash account" or a "margin account. this means you have $20. 56 .000 worth of stock.e. Once the account is opened and operational. In this case your leverage is 1:2. An initial investment of at least $2. the NYSE and NASD established the Pattern Day Trading Rule. you can trade stocks on margin. Buying on margin is borrowing money from a broker to purchase stock. you can buy or sell stock for exactly the amount you have in your account – i.000 in your margin account. When you open a margin account. This rule dictates that "if a trader executes four or more day trades within a five-business-day period then he must maintain a minimum equity of $25. If you have developed a good relationship with your broker." This means that you need at least $28.000-$30.) Leverage When trading stocks. you can borrow up to 50% of the purchase price of a stock. because you need a "cushion" if you experience losses. your leverage is 1:1. if you buy $5. Margin trading allows you to buy more stock than you'd be able to normally.
Just like any other type of trading. If you focus on these stocks then you won't have a problem with market manipulation or slippage. but the initial capital requirements are high ($25. the average daily movement of the stocks in the Dow Jones Index was between 1% and 2%. stock exchanges. (AA) moved between 2% and 5% per day American Intl. it's not.000. Trading Forex This market may sound really complicated and frightening to tackle. 57 .000. and many of these stocks moved even more dramatically than that: Alcoa.000 shares per day. Inc.S. Around 900 stocks have an average daily volume of more than 2. Group (AIG) moved between 2% and 8% per day American Express (AXP) moved between 2% and 6% per day - And that's just naming the first three stocks of the Dow Jones. and more than 600 of them are traded with over 3.000) and the maximum leverage is only 1:8.Step 1: Selecting a Market 3.000 shares traded.000 stocks available on U. 4. Volatility has NOT been a problem in the stock markets. Conclusion: Stock markets have good liquidity and volatility.) Liquidity Currently there are more than 10.) Volatility In 2007. the basic rule in the forex market is that you have to buy when the market is going up and sell when the market is going down. but trust me. especially in 2007.
) 3. but all you really need to know are the major currencies.) 2. All the currency of the world is involved in the forex market.The Complete Guide to Day Trading The word "forex" comes from Foreign Exchange. In simpler terms.) 7. and forex is often abbreviated to FX. which are the most frequently traded. you have a good idea of how forex trading works. Trading currency pairs means you're buying one currency while simultaneously selling another currency.) 5. Here are the major currencies: 1.S. Forex trading involves the buying and selling of currencies. chances are you've traded your currency against the local country's currency. 58 . It may be confusing to choose which one to trade.) 4. If you've done this. it's the exchange of one currency for another at an agreed upon rate. Dollar (USD) Japanese Yen (JPY) British Pound (GBP) Swiss Franc (CHF) European Union Euro (EUR) Australian Dollar (AUD) New Zealand Dollar (NZD) Canadian Dollar (CAD) The next thing you need to know is that forex is traded in currency pairs.) 8. If you've ever traveled to another country.) U.) 6.
depending on the currency pair you're trading.Step 1: Selecting a Market Examples: The most heavily traded products in the forex market are typically: • • • EUR/USD USD/JPY GBP/USD It's very important for you to know that the forex markets are extremely volatile. You are paying a spread – i. but when you change the 80 Euro back into dollars. you only receive $96. It's like at the exchange booths when you're on vacation: you might exchange $100 into 80 Euro. you CANNOT buy a currency and immediately sell it for the same amount." This amounts to approximately $20. 59 .e." but keep in mind that nothing is for free. Many forex brokers offer "free quotes and charts" and "no commissions. You can easily make (or lose) thousands of dollars in a single day. The same concept applies when trading forex: you're paying at least 2 "pips.
since there are no regulations. 2007. at 3:00pm U. Easter Time.S. and vice versa." You're trading against your broker: if you're selling.The Complete Guide to Day Trading The forex markets can be tricky – they shouldn't be taken lightly. Example: Take a look at these forex quotes. All three of the following screenshots were taken on Tuesday. Note: The time in the first two charts is displayed at GMT (+6 hours) I used three different websites to obtain these quotes: 60 . Another disadvantage of forex trading is that you're NOT trading at an exchange: there is no "Foreign Exchange. January 1st. then your broker is buying from you. And that's why your broker is giving you the quotes for free: he can basically give you *any* quote he chooses.
Step 1: Selecting a Market 61 .
) The third data source reports a high of 1. "Mini-Forex Trading" has become very popular recently.000 units. A few other benefits include state-of-the art trading software. charts.4748. Example: On a regular account.4611. which equals $1.000 units. you still get to enjoy benefits such as a free trading platform – just like regular forex traders. Mini-forex trading is good for people who have just started in the forex market and who don't have enough funds to open a regular account. On this account.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Take a look at this day's high of the USD/EUR currency pair: 1. Mini-Forex Trading Although the capital requirements for trading the forex markets are already low.4640. It requires a smaller amount of capital compared to regular forex accounts – a minimum of $250. A mini lot is only 1/10th the size of a standard forex account. you can build up your confidence in your trading skills while slowly increasing your profits and trading position in the market. In this way. and resources. You get to manage your money on a small scale before going for the higher stakes in regular forex trading.) The first data source reports it at 1. you can trade up to 5 mini lots. What are the perks of mini-forex trading? Even with just a small stake involved. Since a mini-forex account is just 1/10th of the standard forex account. a 25-pip stop loss is equal to a loss of $250. this stop loss amounts to only $25.) The second data source shows 1. Instead of trading in 100. you are trading in 10. 3. 2. That's a difference of 137 ticks.370! Do you see the problem? Forex prices are completely subjective. 62 .
and there's no official exchange. they can start small with mini-forex trading.Step 1: Selecting a Market You can also develop a sound trading strategy without getting too emotionally involved in possible profits or losses. newbies can start with paper trading. For practice. 3. 2.e.) Capital Requirements Many forex brokers let you start with as little as $1. Unfortunately. Conclusion: Mini-forex trading requires a smaller amount of capital and less emotional investment. In a way. But. Let's check forex trading against our criteria: 1. and it's still growing. for every $1. you can't get real-time volume data.000 for every $500 in your trading account. forex brokers started offering leverage of 1:200. allowing you to trade $100. it prepares you for the higher stakes of the more advanced world of foreign exchange trading. the average turnover in the traditional foreign exchange market is around $3.21 trillion daily.000 in your trading account. Recently. in the real market.000. you can trade $100.) Liquidity This is certainly not a problem in the forex market. 63 . according to the Triennial Central Bank Survey of 2007. and it provides the perfect opportunity for you to slowly build up your skills and confidence as a trader.000 in your trading account.) Leverage The typical leverage in the forex market is 1:100 – i. since the forex market is decentralized.
) Volatility You will find decent volatility in the forex market.97 trillion (April of 2004) $3. www.between 0. Overall.5% per day Keep in mind that these moves represent approximately $750 .between 0.between 0. too.42 trillion (April of 2001) $1.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Here are the daily averages of turnover on the forex market over the last 15 years: $880 billion (April of 1992) $1.000 traded. as mentioned earlier in this section. It's not as great as in the stock market.500 per day for each $100.5% and 1. but because of the extremely high leverage. Here are the average daily movements for three different currency pairs: EUR/USD . even small movements can yield substantial profits.$1.5% and 1% per day USD/JPY . forex seems to be a good market to trade.65 trillion (April of 1998) $1.000.org 4.21 trillion (April of 2007) Source: Triennial Central Bank Survey – December 2007. but keep in mind that there are some disadvantages.5% per day GBP/USD .bis.5% and 1. 64 . The leverage is at least 100:1 and there's decent volatility. Conclusion: Forex markets are extremely liquid and the capital requirements are as low as $1.15 trillion (April of 1995) $1.
simply called futures. that's true. and many traders are jumping into this type of investing. There's a lot of misunderstanding when it comes to futures. etc. futures trading IS more risky than stock trading. especially if you're new to trading. So what are futures? Futures contracts. People often think that futures are extremely risky and difficult to trade. the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX). However. including natural gas. and the delivery location. like the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT).) Interest Rates – Interest rates are traded in two ways on this market: long-term interest rates are represented by T-Bonds. Futures trading offers many advantages. dealing in the British Pound. futures trading – BECAUSE of the high leverage – also provides an excellent opportunity for the private trader. 65 . heating oil. They are standardized contracts among buyers and sellers of commodities that specify the amount of a commodity. Yet many traders shy away from futures trading because they're not familiar it. Below is a list of different types of futures contracts: 1. and others. the grade/quality. the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME).) Energies – A variety of fuel commodities are traded on this market. the European Euro. These futures contracts are typically traded at futures exchanges. the American Dollar. are exchange-traded derivatives.Step 1: Selecting a Market Trading Futures Futures trading continues to grow in popularity. Thanks to high leverage. 3. 2. while T-Bills are used for short-term interest rates. To some extent. and crude oil futures.) Currencies – The currency market is probably the best-known commodity available.
The Complete Guide to Day Trading 4. including the nature of the underlying asset.S. equities. when central grain markets were established. and similarly in Holland.) Metals – Commodities in this market are fairly well-known. such as copper. and silver. currencies. 5. began in the mid-19th century. All futures transactions in the United States are regulated by the Commodities Future Trading Commissions (CFTC). government interest rates. meat. and livestock. equity indices.) Food Sector – Sugar. A Little Bit of History Trading on commodities began in early 18th century Japan. when it must be delivered. currency indices. Trading in the U. and at what date the contract stops trading. with tulip bulbs. Futures are not borrowed like stock. All contract trading began with traditional commodities such as grains. with the trading of rice and silk. an independent agency of the United States government. coffee.) Agricultural – Futures in this market include wheat. and therefore initiating a short position is just as common and easy as buying the futures. These instruments became hugely successful and quickly overtook commodities futures in terms of trading volume and global accessibility in the markets. coffee. Exchange trading these days has expanded to include metals. energy. and also private interest rates. or minimum legal change in price. and a marketplace was created for farmers to bring their commodities and sell them either for immediate delivery (called the spot or cash market). Contracts on the financial instruments were introduced in the 1970s by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. and orange juice are just a few of the regular goods traded in this sector. and soybeans. Each futures contract is characterized by a number of factors. gold. the currency of the transaction. 6. 66 . corn. or for forward delivery. as well as the tick size.
economy for gold.S. but the cost of investment is much lower. 5. known as initial margin. Since that time. and gold investments are frequently used in hedge funds. Every time you hear about "the price of oil" in the paper or on the news. It's become exceptionally popular in the futures markets. The gold futures contract follows the changes in price per ounce of gold. it tracks the movement of the NASDAQ 100. 2. is required to 67 .) Gold – The gold futures contract is also popular. and those changes are usually in the opposite direction of the U. The margin amount required to trade is significantly smaller than a standard contract.) S&P 500 E-mini – This contract has all of the advantages of the S&P 500. creating an important place in the U. which means that this contract presents a fantastic opportunity for traders who don't have accounts large enough to trade the regular contracts. and since not all traders have the funds to trade on the regular NASDAQ 100.Step 1: Selecting a Market Here's a list of the five most popular futures contracts: 1.S. the margin amounts required to trade the Euro FX are much lower than the regular contract amounts.) E-mini NASDAQ 100 – As with the S&P 500.S. 3. dollar. As with the rest of the E-mini contracts.) Light Sweet Crude Oil – Oil futures are one of the most well-known commodities out there. It can be traded electronically five days a week. this E-mini is the perfect solution. The growing popularity of futures trading stems from the fact that only a relatively small amount of money. In the 1970s. almost 24 hours a day. this contract is electronically traded. the gold price has gone through regular. dollar. 4. this is the contract they're talking about. the United States adopted the Gold Standard.) E-mini Euro FX – The E-mini Euro FX contract moves with the exchange rate between the European Euro and the U. dramatic changes.
The Complete Guide to Day Trading buy or sell a futures contract. The advantage is that the initial margin on a stock future is much less than the cost of buying the actual stock outright. 68 . Example: The following graphic shows an actual stock index. By definition. Some people think it's less risky to trade the whole market index rather than an individual stock. As of October 12th. these futures margins are a good faith deposit to ensure that the market participants are legitimate. you will pay a small initial margin. Therefore. it is trading at around 1561. Whenever you open a position by buying or selling futures. the stock exchanges have introduced an artificial stock named the SPY (also called the SPYDER contract). the S&P 500.80. This index could rise from 1560 to 1570. 2007.
Step 1: Selecting a Market The SPY stock actually mirrors the S&P 500 Index. If the SPX (the index) moves from 1560 to 1570. And how much capital is needed in order to trade one share? 156 dollars. then the SPY will move from 156 to 157. you will make or lose one dollar. you can't do this. If you wanted to trade the whole S&P 500 index. and the artificial stock is reduced by a factor of 10 – it's trading at 156. you would literally have to buy all 500 stocks in the index. So. the SPY is divided by ten. we're tracking the index. because traditionally. In order to make it affordable for private traders. Obviously. 69 . If you're trading one share of SPY. you cannot trade the whole index.
The thing to look at here is your return on investment. the capital needed for 500 shares is much higher than for one share. which is what most traders use to measure their success.000 dollars is quite a lot. 78. if you were trading 500 shares of the SPY. The total amount of capital needed to trade 500 shares would be 78. Obviously.000 dollars. the return on that investment would be 0. then you would make 500 dollars on a move of 10 points. If you make five hundred dollars after investing 78.The Complete Guide to Day Trading So.000 dollars. The capital needed is actually 156 dollars per share times the 500 shares that you would want to trade.6%. 70 . That's a very small amount for a 10-point move in the underlying index. for 156 dollars. you will be rewarded with a one dollar profit if the whole index moves by 10 points. And.
The important thing to know is that if the E-mini S&P – which is also abbreviated as ES – moves from 1560 to 1570. the so-called Emini S&P: You'll see that the E-mini is tracking the index much closer – here we're looking at a current value of 1574. There's enormous leverage in the futures markets because you only have to deposit a relatively small amount of money (initial margin). 71 . you would actually make 500 dollars per contract. Now.50.Step 1: Selecting a Market This is exactly why we have the futures markets. the following chart shows the futures contracts.
That's more than twenty times the return you would have gotten using the SPY contract. Instead of 0. you even get a discount. you would lose 500 dollars. Of course. You can easily make 500 dollars.5%. it's even as little as $1. you can deposit 4.6%.000 dollars and participate in a 10-point move for a profit of 500 dollars. And if you're day trading it. The margin requirement for the E-mini S&P is approximately 4. this can be a double-sided sword. which means you'll only have to pay 2.000. Sometimes.The Complete Guide to Day Trading And how much of an investment is required to make 500 dollars off one contract in this move? About 4. 72 . but if the trade goes against you. So basically.000 dollars. Let's calculate our return on that initial investment. we are looking at 12.000 dollars. trading one contract of the E-mini S&P is no different than actually trading 500 shares of the SPY.000 dollars. So.
if you are trading the grains – corn." Rollovers are when one contract expires. Options also have an expiration date. A futures contract is only valid for a certain period of time. Make sure that he has a number where you can be reached so that he can inform you of what's going on. your broker will get in contact with you and send you some information. 73 . You might know this concept from options. in a couple of days. Believe me. Just be accessible to your broker. so you don't have to do anything on your end. After the expiration date. you don't have any interest in getting a physical delivery of corn. for example – and the contract expires. and you shouldn't have any problems. No! That will not happen! Basically. We should get rid of this position or roll it over. according to these tales.Step 1: Selecting a Market The Futures Trading Myth As you can see at the bottom of the previous chart. So. a new futures contract starts trading and the old contract expires. In the case of the E-mini S&P. These Rs indicate expiration dates. don't believe these horror stories. This is something your broker will take care of. this futures contract will expire. your broker doesn't have any interest in you getting a physical delivery of corn. there are small Rs. a futures contract is valid for 3 months. and it's unlikely that anyone else has any interest in you getting a physical delivery of corn either. what will happen is this: before the futures contract expires. then you will have to take delivery. and the other contract actually starts trading. It will probably be something to the effect of. you will get the corn delivered to your doorstep. So. You might have heard horror stories that if you are holding a position and the futures contract expires. "Alright.
it's trading in quarter increments. If you look at the following example. As you can see by the decimals in the following graph. then a 1 point move is worth $50. it's trading at one-cent increments. on the very right side.The Complete Guide to Day Trading A Little More On Futures Let's go back to the S&P 500 Index. If the E-mini S&P futures contract moves from 1560 to 1570. it's been simplified even further. 74 . depending on what kind of position you took. In order to make futures trading a little easier. And if a 10 point move translates into a $500 gain or loss. you'll make or lose 500 dollars.
So.50 (one quarter of $50). If the minimum movement is a quarter. you can make a return of 50 dollars per point. Keep in mind that you can also LOSE 50 dollars per point. 1550 and three quarters.000 dollars. then every tick move totals $12. why is that important? Well. 75 . Very easy. so you just have to divide the 50 dollars by four. it's not really – all you need to know is that when trading one futures contract with anywhere between 2. and then up to 1551. you can see that it goes from 1550 to 1550 and a quarter.Step 1: Selecting a Market When trading the e-mini S&P. the minimum tick movement (or minimum movement) is a quarter.000 to 4. So. There are four quarters in one point. 1550 and a half.
If you choose to trade the 20 futures contracts instead of the 500 SPY stock shares. you'll only make 500 dollars per 10-point move. you could buy 500 shares of the SPY stock. which is the sum of money that a customer like you must deposit with the brokerage firm for each futures contract that you buy or sell. and a higher leverage is exactly what will help you grow your account (as long as you know what you're doing).000 to 4.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Remember.000 dollars we're talking about is the initial margin. Now.000 dollar account – what can you do with it? Well. you'll make 10.000 dollars! If you stick with the SPY shares. You get a much bigger leverage on your account with futures trading. The initial margin (sometimes called the original margin) is the sum of money that the customer must deposit 76 . just think about this for a minute: let's assume that you have an 80. Margins and Accounts There are two types of margins. the 2. You can see the difference. Or you could trade 20 futures contracts in the ES.
the maintenance margin is smaller than the initial margin. Another important thing to be aware of when dealing with margins is something called a margin call. Initial margin is paid by both buyer and seller. Due to the low margin requirement. for example. Basically.Step 1: Selecting a Market with the brokerage firm for each futures contract to be bought or sold. It allows traders to build up their accounts 77 . they will be added to the balance of your margin account. the losses will be deducted from the balance of your margin account.500. Any day that profits accrue on your open positions. futures trading offers everyone an equal opportunity to make a fortune even with a small bank account. not just when you close the position. Another difference in trading futures vs. the profits will be added to the balance in your margin account automatically. that the initial margin needed to buy or sell a particular futures contract is $2.000.500 in your account for your open contracts. Again. this is called a margin call. and on any day losses accrue. stocks is that your account is settled daily. and you don't. then you can expect a margin call. Pros and Cons of Futures Trading Futures trading is amongst today's most highly leveraged. Assume. Typically. Keep in mind. a margin call will be issued to bring the account back up to the required level. if you need to have $1. potentially profitable financial pursuits. If the margin drops below the margin maintenance requirement established by the exchange listing the futures. So. when profits occur on your futures contracts. your broker will require that you deposit additional funds to bring the account back to the level of the required margin. the maintenance margin is the minimum amount which an investor must keep on deposit in a margin account at all times for each open contract. Additionally. A likely maintenance margin requirement might be $1. all the money that you make or lose will be either added or subtracted to your account only when you close the position. When you are buying stocks. if the funds remaining in your margin account dip below the maintenance margin requirement.
000. though I have seen some brokers who are willing to open an account with as little as $2. Let's check futures trading against our criteria: 1. Therefore. and trade only with a proven and solid trading strategy. it's crucial to your trading success that you diligently educate yourself in futures trading. as stated before. Here are some examples for the most popular contracts (as of January 2008): E-mini S&P – as low as $500 to trade a $75. the better your chances of trading success. Each contract requires an initial margin. until you have a better idea of which contracts most fit you and your trading. most futures brokers require a minimum of $5.000 contract (Leverage 1:67. it can be especially difficult to decide WHICH contracts to actually trade. The more you know about the basics of futures contracts and commodities like this.) Capital Requirements In order to trade a futures contract.The Complete Guide to Day Trading fast.000 contract (Leverage 1:90) E-mini Gold – as low as $400 to trade a $27.5) 78 .) Leverage The leverage depends on the futures contract you're trading and the contract value. you need to deposit an initial investment into your futures trading account. But. you could also wipe out your trading account in a matter of days. 2.000 contract (Leverage 1:150) E-mini NQ – as low as $500 to trade a $45. As of the writing of this book. if you take futures trading lightly. If you're new to futures trading. There are a lot of options! The best approach would probably be to start with the more popular commodities.000.
5% and 1. even if the markets move just a few points. 79 .5% per day between 1% and 2.5% per day between 0.5% per day Keep in mind that these moves represent approximately $500-$1.000 contract/day As you can see. Like in the forex markets. Here are some numbers: E-mini S&P: E-mini NQ: Euro Currency: around 2. Futures markets are regulated and the spread is typically 1 tick (minimum movement of the contract).500. Commissions are usually below $5 per transaction.000 contracts/day around 200. It's no surprise that many day traders choose the futures market for their trading endeavors. Conclusion: Futures markets can be very liquid. the high leverage will allow you to make decent profits.) Volatility You will find decent volatility in the futures markets. Here are some average daily moves: E-mini S&P: E-mini NQ: E-mini Gold: Euro Currency: between 1% and 3% per day between 1% and 2.500 per day for each contract traded.Step 1: Selecting a Market 3. the liquidity depends on the futures contract you are trading.000 contracts/day around 500. Make sure to check the volume and liquidity of the market you want to trade. 4. since there are huge differences between the markets. and there's decent volatility. and therefore you MUST check the volume of the futures market you are planning to trade.000. and the capital requirements are as low as $2. The leverage is at least 1:50. the liquidity varies.) Liquidity Again.
in effect. worth $10. $40 – and the price at which it is actually trading – $50. on an agreed date in March of 2008 (expiration date).The Complete Guide to Day Trading Trading Stock Options Stock options trading is quite similar to futures trading – they both involve the process of buying stocks at a pre-determined price and then selling them when the price rises above its original amount. But. and you want to buy a put (right to sell) option. is trading at less than $40 per share. ACME Holding Inc. You might feel that the market is overheated at the present time. and you pay $5 for the option. This is the difference between the price your option to buy ACME Holding. 80 . your option is. When you buy an option you have the right – but not the obligation – to buy (call) or sell (put) a specific underlying asset at a prearranged price on or before a given date. This will give the individual who bought the put option the right to sell that option at an agreed upon price (strike price) on or before a specific date (expiration date). Inc. is set at – in this case. The reverse of this is a put (right to sell) option on an underlying asset. Example: Let's assume that you buy a call – a right to buy – 100 shares of ACME Holding Inc. Inc. is trading at $50 per share on or before the expiration date. if ACME Holding. then you would not exercise your option and you would have lost the price you paid on that option – $5. If on – or before – the expiration date. at an agreed price of $40 per share (strike price).
the price for the option depends on the time until expiration. Without going into too much detail.) Capital Requirements Like stock trading. day trading stock options is subject to the Pattern Day Trading Rule introduced by the NYSE and NASD in August and September of 2001. you will notice that options offer high leverage. IBM was trading at $110. This rule dictates that "if a trader executes four or more day trades within a five-business-day period. Example: On December 27.16 per share. Thales used the stars to predict that there would be a bumper olive harvest. 2. at a strike price of $110. 81 . the volatility of the underlying stock. then you would have had to invest $11. Thales was able to rent the presses out at a significant profit.." This means that you need at least $28. In this example the leverage is approximately 1:30. Around 600 B. Let's check stock options trading against our criteria: 1." Nevertheless. If you wanted to buy 100 shares of IBM. 2007. When the harvest did in fact prove to be a great one. then he must maintain a minimum equity of $25. since you need some money to buy options.30. if the option is already "in the money. The January Call.Step 1: Selecting a Market A Little Bit of History Options are one of the oldest trading vehicles which man has ever used.e. and the "inner value" – i. only cost $3.) Leverage The leverage depends on the option you choose.000 in his margin account at all times. and he bought options on the use of olive presses. and you could buy the right to purchase 100 IBM shares within the next 23 days for only $330.C.000-$30. with 23 days left to expiration.016.000 if you want to day trade stock options.
30. but much lower than trading futures or forex. it was trading as high as $3. In our example. Even if you trade options on the Dow 30 stocks.95. Therefore. we chose an IBM "at the money" option with 23 days to expiration. 82 . option prices are NOT subject to market manipulation since the value of an option is not determined by supply and demand. and the volatility is scary. and throughout the day. $0. you will notice that only a few thousand options are traded per day.10 or 3% of the option price.The Complete Guide to Day Trading 3. Considering the previous day's close.30.) Volatility Options that are traded "at the money" or "in the money" typically have a very high volatility. the intraday volatility for this option was almost 20%. and not for the novice trader. But you do have a significant spread between the bid and the ask. The leverage is higher than when you're trading stocks. Conclusion Stock option trading offers similar advantages and disadvantages to stock trading – you need a minimum of $25. in our IBM example. Fortunately.000 in your trading account if you want to day trade stock options. Day trading stock options is extremely risky and difficult.) Liquidity Options are typically not very liquid. Stock options are a fantastic instrument to trade when traded on daily or weekly charts. 4. The previous day's close was $4. the overall volatility was close to 30%. The reason for the low volume is the broad choice of options: at any given time you have several strike prices and multiple expiration dates available. but by a mathematical formula created by Black and Scholes. The liquidity is very low compared to the other markets. The current price was $3.
Try to find out as much as you can about your preferred market without being overloaded with information. Spend four more hours learning about the market you choose. Continue your trading plan on page 245 and fill in the market you selected under "Selecting a Market. Surf the Internet and read articles." 83 .Step 1: Selecting a Market Action Items: Decide which market you want to trade.
Step 2: Selecting a Timeframe
hen day trading, you'll obviously select a timeframe that is less than one day.
Popular intraday timeframes are 60-minute, 30-minute, 15-minute, 10minute, 5-minute, 3-minute, and 1-minute. When you select a smaller timeframe (less than 60 minutes), usually your average profit per trade is relatively low. On the other hand, you get more trading opportunities. When trading on a larger timeframe, your average profit per trade will be bigger, but you'll have fewer trading opportunities. Smaller timeframes mean smaller profits, but usually smaller risk, too. When you're starting with a small trading account, you might want to select a small timeframe to make sure that you're not over-leveraging your account. However, when selecting a very small timeframe like 1-minute, 3minute, or 5-minute, you might experience a lot of "noise" that is cause by hedge funds, by scalpers, and by automated trading. You might think that you see an emerging trend just to realize that it was only a short manipulated move and that the trend is over as soon as you enter the market.
The Complete Guide to Day Trading Therefore I recommend using 15-minute charts. This timeframe is small enough for you to capture the nice intraday moves, but it's big enough to eliminate the noise in the market and correctly displays the "true trends." When developing a trading strategy, you should always experiment with different timeframes. A trading strategy that doesn't work on a small timeframe might work on a larger timeframe and vice versa. Start developing your trading strategy using 15-minute charts, and if you're unhappy with the results, change the timeframe first before changing the entry or exit rules.
Action Items: Continue your trading plan on page 245 and select an initial timeframe for yourself under "Selecting a Timeframe."
Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach
fter selecting a market, you need to decide which trading approach you would like to use.
The main question is whether you'll use fundamental or technical analysis to decide which instrument to trade and when to enter and exit.
Fundamental Analysis Let's take a look at the definition of fundamental analysis: "Fundamental stock analysis requires, among other things, a close examination of the financial statements for the company to determine its current financial strength, future growth and profitability prospects, and current management skills, in order to estimate whether the stock's price is undervalued or overvalued. A good deal of reliance is placed on annual and quarterly earnings reports, the economic, political and competitive environment facing the company, as well as any current news items or rumors relating to the company's operations."
Source: www.daytrading.about.com
In other words, fundamental analysis is the study of basic, underlying factors that affect the supply and demand of the contracts which are be87
The Complete Guide to Day Trading ing traded. Fundamental analysis looks at the CAUSE of market movement. In the following graph, you'll find a snapshot of some "key statistics" for IBM. In addition to this company-specific data, you need to take the overall economic environment into consideration and start looking at various macroeconomic indicators, such as economic growth rates, interest rates, inflation rates, and unemployment rates. As an example, interest rate hikes are seldom good news for stock markets. This is due to the fact that many investors will withdraw money from a country's stock market when there is a hike of interest rates, causing the country's currency to weaken. Knowing which effect prevails can be tricky. When the Fed announced an interest rate cut in December of 2007, the Dow Jones Index dropped 300 points. When the Fed cut interest rates in January of 2008, the Dow Jones Index jumped 200 points up. In addition, economic reports with key data like the PPI, CPI, PMI, GDP, and, recently, even housing statistics, have proven to have a significant impact on the stock market. Confused? If the abbreviations and the "key statistics" on the following graph don't make sense to you, or if they confuse you, then you are not alone. Fundamental analysis is not easy. That's why most market analysts have some background in economics, both macro- and microeconomics. Big trading companies like Goldman Sachs are employing analysts with Ph.D.s in economics, and you shouldn't try to compete with them. Even if you decide NOT to trade stocks and want to focus on futures or the forex market, then you still need to take a look at crop and weather reports (if you are trading grain futures), interest rates and the country's economic data (if you are trading forex), or follow developments in the Middle East and the status of the pipelines and refineries all over the world (if you are trading energy futures).
Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach 89 .
90 . but the first is the most critical. Therefore technical analysis involves the study of a stock's trading patterns through the use of charts. that price movements are not random. It's vital that you understand this point.) Market action discounts everything. the price you see is the price you get.com In summary. trendlines.about. in very many cases." Source: www. you believe that it's the true value of the instrument as the market sees it. I believe in technical analysis for a couple of reasons.) The price of a given security moves in trends. When you look at the price of any financial instrument as a technical analyst. in order to predict future movements in a stock's price. and to help identify trading opportunities. and many other mathematical analysis tools. support and resistance levels. 3.) The historical trading patterns of a security will tend to repeat. All three of the points above are important. there are three main points that a technical analyst applies: 1. because it's the basis of our approach to trading. Regardless of what the fundamentals are saying.daytrading. tend to repeat themselves or trend in some direction. 2. and that patterns in price movements.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Technical Analysis Here is how technical analysis is defined: "The basic foundations or premises of technical analysis are that a stock's current price discounts all information available in the market.
but support levels are support levels. DELL announces that they will meet their targets. Another day. and not by supply and demand. right? WRONG! On that day the E-mini S&P dropped 20 points. it was the Treasury market's reaction to it that set the stage for stocks." 2.8%.) It's easier (and therefore faster) to learn technical analysis. Price data is more "objective. More specifically. because traders hoped that IBM would exceed its goals. because traders didn't believe that DELL would make it due to the "difficult economic environment. isn't it? The market should move up. here are some comments from a news service: "Not surprisingly. the unemployment rate for March was published. Why? Well.7%. That's good news. and the shares drop like a rock. and the numbers came in better than expected. The market expected an unemployment rate of 4. 2006. It's easier to interpret hard facts more than financial statements.and macro-economics to master fundamental analysis. April 7th. And even then. An Example Of How Fundamental Analysis Can Fool You On Friday. whereas you need to study micro.) The markets are driven by greed and fear. and a weekly high is a weekly high. Example: IBM announces that it will meet the projected sales targets." 91 . because many times these statements might be misleading.Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach 1. Only 4. Friday's equity trade was dictated by the March employment report. You can learn the basics by reading a couple of books. An economic report itself is meaningless: it is traders' reactions to the report that moves the market." You can interpret financial data and economic reports any way you want. and the shares jump up. you might be fooled by the market.
and it took the stock market down with it. So treasury instruments were rallying. it's not the news that moves the market – it's the reaction of the traders to the news that makes the prices jump up and down. As you can see. but the treasury trader in the other room thought the unemployment data was bad news. So the stock traders thought there was good news and the market was moving up. Or will traders fear that there's an economic slowdown which might result in lower company earnings? This would move the market down. But don't stocks lead the treasuries? Or do treasuries lead stocks? The next day. the debate over what it all really means will begin again." Oops. causing the stock market to drop like a rock. For Treasury traders. 92 .The Complete Guide to Day Trading "A lack of negative surprise caused the stock market to breathe a sigh of relief. The question that will be batted back & forth: "Are sky-high oil prices indicative of a coming economic slowdown or looming inflation?" And more important: how will the Fed react? Will they cease increasing interest rates or even lower the rates again? This would provide a boost for the stock market. another news item hit the ticker: "Oil Prices Trading Above $69 per Barrel!" But what does it mean? Should the stock market move up or down? Here's a discussion I heard the next morning: "As crude oil prices continue to plug higher. the in-line data essentially provided no evidence that the Fed will be inclined to soon end its monetary tightening cycle." "The Treasury market had a very divergent reaction to the data.
Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach Using a technical approach. the closing price will normally be representative of decisions made by reason and research – not gut feel. All of these points appear on the charts. Individual traders tend to place orders when the market opens. The opening price (O) is the first trade of the day. "A picture speaks a thousand words. absolute high price of the day (H). and the absolute low price of the day (L). Any market has four different trading points throughout one day. 93 . Charting is the graphical expression of a financial market's behavior over a period in time. The closing price (C) is the last trade of the day.D. This means that anything which can affect the price of a financial instrument has already been factored into the current price by the market participants. in reaction to the previous day's close. Technical analysts look at charts the same way a doctor would look at x-rays: they examine the charts for information on the future direction of the markets. The most basic charts are bar and line charts. political. This price will normally be based on emotional decisions and could well indicate how the first half – or the whole day's trading – is going to pan out. You simply believe that the factors which affect price – including fundamental. Day Trading Charts If you're new to the trading game. and you're not a Ph. in Economics. Unlike the opening price. These charts are simply indispensable. It is generally institutional investors that place orders towards the day's close. In fact. and psychological factors – have all been built into the price you see. They are: opening price (O). then charts are the way to go." This proverb holds just as true for charts. bar and line charts probably still have a special place in your daily trading life. you don't have to twist your mind to come up with an explanation for why the market behaves as it does. even if you're an experienced trader. closing price (C).
In addition. Bar charts are used for comparing two or more values. we'll discuss the three most popular types of trading charts. Day traders use trading charts to watch the markets that they trade. A bar chart indicates a single bar that extends from the high to the low of the trading period it is meant to depict. Bar Charts A bar chart. specifying the number of shares. the opening and closing price levels could be displayed as small branches coming away from the main bar at the appropriate level. The difference between the high and low on the charts is referred to as the Range. such as the past and current prices. but they all show essentially the same trading information. Purely looking at these five points on the charts will not be enough to plan future trades. Closing prices are put on the right side of the bar. also known as a bar graph. 94 . You need to look at them over a series of time in order to evaluate trends in the market. There are several different types of trading charts. and decide when to make their trades. lots. In the following section. The fifth variable displayed on a chart is typically the volume (V). or contracts traded during the time period between the open of the market and the close.The Complete Guide to Day Trading The day's low (L) and the day's high (H) are pretty self-explanatory. Opening prices are put on the left side. is a chart with rectangular bars whose lengths are proportional to the value they represent. The bar chart is one of the most common charting methods.
95 .) Close – The close is the last price traded during the bar. you can read the bar chart like this: 1.) High – The high is the highest price traded during the bar. 4. and the range of the timeframe.) Low – The low is the lowest price traded during the bar. 3. a vertical line.) Open – The open is the first price traded during the bar. and is indicated by the bottom of the vertical bar. high. and is indicated by the horizontal foot on the left side of the bar. and close of the timeframe. 2. and is indicated by the horizontal foot on the right side of the bar. and a closing foot. During live trading. low.Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach How to Read Bar Charts Bar charts consist of an opening foot. Each bar includes the open. and is indicated by the top of the vertical bar. and also shows the direction (upward or downward).
and if the closing foot is below the opening foot.The Complete Guide to Day Trading 5. 96 . the bar is a downward bar. If the closing foot is above the opening foot. Sometimes a charting software allows you to color these bars.low). and the downward bars are colored red. in which case the upward bars are typically colored green. the bar is an upward bar.) Range – The range of the bar is indicated by the locations of the top and bottom of the bar. The range is calculated by subtracting the low from the high (range = high . 6.) Direction – The direction of the bar is indicated by the locations of the opening and closing feet.
If you look at candlestick charting. it has remained constant over time – candlestick charting is just as useful today as it was hundreds of years ago. the human psychology of the move literally jumps out of the page at you. In the 1700s. 3.Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach Candlestick Charts Candlestick charts are not new – they've been used for hundreds of years by Japanese traders to predict and act on market movements. Homma. noticed how the price of rice was influenced by human psychology as much as by the supply and demand situation. there are some great reasons to use candlestick charts. filter. 2. it was rumored that he never had a single losing trade! Human psychology has never changed. high. and close data 97 .) Straightforward to Use Candlestick charts use the same open. Even though they may look a little complicated. In fact. Here are the main ones: 1. and time trades with other indicators. Homma used candlestick charts to trade rice and amassed a huge fortune in the markets. Candlestick charts are a great way to spot opportunities. and you can combine them with traditional market indicators. low.) Spotting Trend Changes Because of the way candlestick charts are viewed. they can give you visual warnings of market reversals much more clearly than traditional bar charts. Candlestick charting gives greater insight into human psychology.) Complement Other Technical Tools You can use candlestick charts as you would use the common bar chart. a Japanese trader in rice.
) Close – The close is the last price traded during the candlestick. and are easy to draw. but also the momentum behind the move. 2. 3. the candlestick is an upward 98 .) High – The high is the highest price traded during the candlestick.) Low – The low is the lowest price traded during the candlestick. 4. and is indicated by the bottom of the thin vertical bar (the upside down wick of the candlestick). Each candlestick includes the open. and the bottom for a downward candlestick). high. low.The Complete Guide to Day Trading that traditional bar charts use. How to Read Candlestick Charts Candlestick charts consist of a wide vertical line. and a narrow vertical line.) Define Market Momentums The way the candlestick chart is drawn not only gives the direction of price. you can read the candlestick chart like this: 1. if the candlestick is green.) Open – The open is the first price traded during the candlestick. During live trading. and is indicated by the top of the thin vertical bar (the wick of the candlestick). and is indicated by either the top or bottom of the wide vertical line (the bottom for an upward candlestick. and is indicated by either the top or bottom of the wide vertical line (the top for an upward candlestick. Usually. and the range of the timeframe. and the top for a downward candlestick). 5. the direction (upward or downward) of the timeframe.) Direction – The direction of the candlestick is indicated by the color of the candlestick (specifically the wide vertical line). and close of the timeframe. 4. The different candle names are also easy to remember.
) Range – The range of the candlestick is indicated by the locations of the top and bottom of the thin vertical lines (the wicks). low. If the real body is filled with red. the upward candlesticks are colored black. and the downward candlesticks are colored white. 99 . and this adds an extra visual edge. and close. it means the close was lower than the open. 6. and if the candlestick is red. high.low). the candlestick is a downward candlestick. In the following chart. The candlestick chart body graphically illustrates the relationship behind the open. If the real body is green. The candlestick has a wide part. The range is calculated by subtracting the low from the high (range = high .Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach candlestick. due to the way they're drawn." This real body represents the range between the open and close of that day's trading. but these colors can be customized. it means the opposite – the close was higher than the open. called the "real body.
If the upper shadow on the green filled-in body is short. They're easy.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Above and below the real body we see the "shadows. or a trader who likes to make your own trades. along with the versatility to be used in any type of trading. a system trader. 100 . of whether you're a day trader." We see these as the wicks of the candle (which give them their name). it indicates that the open that day was closer to the high of the day. then it's time to start. a short upper shadow on a red or unfilled body shows the close was near the high. If you aren't already using candlestick charting. On the other hand. Regardless. and they're fun to use. there's really nothing to dislike about candlestick charts. they provide greater insight into market moves. a position trader. The shadows actually show the high and the low of the day's trading. Plus.
Line charts also show the direction (upward or downward) of the timeframe. Sometimes only the closing data is available for certain indices. and low data points are not available. each point shows the close of the timeframe. or low. intraday swings can be ignored. or low. high. By paying attention to only the close. but this can be modified to show any info – open. high. Line charts are also used when open. 101 . How to Read Line Charts Line charts consist of individual points that are connected with straight lines. Usually. Some investors and traders consider the closing level to be more important than the open. high. thinly traded stocks. and intraday prices. Line charts show the general price movement over a period of time.Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach Line Charts A simple line chart draws a line from one closing price to the next closing price.
You can use any reliable online charting service you want. and line charts. Just make sure they provide the basic analytical tools (e.g. candlestick. the capability to draw trendlines. They offer you a concise and accurate history of the price movements of a particular market. Let's just put it this way: charts are not the crystal ball of trading. you can customize the display and colors according to your wish. There are so many charting services out there that it would be hard to mention any one in particular. Charts do not foretell future market behaviors or predict market prices. Normally. That's the greatest value that you'll get when it comes to using charts.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Using Charts In Your Trading Most charting software supports bar. 102 . and the option to add moving averages). In that history lays a trend. and it is from this trend that you can extrapolate data on which to base your future projections of probable market behaviors and price changes.
prices are said to be trading sideways in a range. 103 . but this is not so. Once a trend is discernible. a security will be in a definite trend. When prices move without such a discernible series. It is essential that trendlines be drawn correctly. as they emerge from non-trends. Our job is to recognize trends early. That's why technical analysts hold to the motto "the trend is your friend. then trendlines can be drawn to define the lower limits of an uptrend or the upper limits of a downtrend. is the most important task we have as traders. About 30% of the time. or as reversals of prior trends. Trends The price chart of a security may appear like a random distribution. It is the recognition of the trendline and the violation of this trendline that is your key to successful trading and fortune building. This identification of trend. prices will trade more or less in a sideways range. An uptrend is present when prices make a series of higher highs and higher lows. or trading trend-less.Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach Technical Indicators Let's keep it simple: money is made if you buy when the market is going up and sell when the market is going down. exiting the trade profitably when the trend ends. A simple definition of trend is basically the general direction of price movements." Finding the prevailing trend will help you become aware of the overall market direction and offer you better visibility – especially when shortterm movements tend to clutter the picture. Our goal is to buy or sell our security early in these new trends. A downtrend is present when prices make a series of lower highs and lower lows. The rest of the time. both its beginning and end.
Don't make this mistake.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Does All of This Sound Too Simple? I know that these simple definitions sound mundane. then you'll never have to worry about indicators again. The easiest way to do so is using trendlines. But if you don't know HOW to recognize when the market is going up. Indicators are another way to determine the direction of the market. and that many traders would like to jump right into complicated indicators and complex trading strategies. That's how money is made. The only two questions that remain are: * When should I enter? * When should I exit? Just keep reading for the answers. then you'll lose money very quickly. but if you learn how to identify the trend using simple trendlines. Trading can be simple: you buy when the market is going up and you sell when the market is going down. and when it's going down. So you MUST find an easy way to identify the direction of the market. 104 .
prices have been moving down all morning. The trading day is December 20th. The following chart is a 5-minute bar chart of the E-mini S&P. At 11:50pm (Central Standard Time) we see the low of the day. 105 .Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach Uptrend Let me show you exactly how to draw a trendline. As you can see. 2007. and then they started moving sideways during the lunch break.
The Complete Guide to Day Trading Prices have found resistance at 1462. 106 . trendlines are drawn below the prices. prices break resistance on high volume. and at 12:25pm. trendlines are drawn above the prices. while in a downtrend. prices are now in an uptrend.50. and it's time to draw our trendline. Obviously. In an uptrend.
Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach In order to draw a line. when prices are no longer making higher lows. and we can draw our trendline. The dark part of the line is the confirmed trend and the light part of the line is the projected trend. The first time prices are not making a higher low occurs at the 12:15pm bar. 107 . The first point is the low of the day and the second point is the first retracement. we need two points.
trendlines can only become flatter. Adjusting the trendline to the second lower low would make a steeper trendline. therefore. not steeper. we see a lower low in an upward trend for the second time.The Complete Guide to Day Trading At 12:35pm. As a rule. but we do NOT adjust the trendline. 108 . no change is made.
Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach At 12:45pm and 12:50pm. It's only a slight adjustment and the trendline becomes a little bit flatter. All previous prices are above the trendline. 109 . and this time we adjust the trendline. a lower low is made again. so the trend is still intact.
The Complete Guide to Day Trading The next lower low occurs at 1:05pm. and we see that the uptrend has now been in place for 40 minutes.50 at 12:25pm. It's a simple extension: no adjustment is needed. and we can extend our trendline. since the breakout through the resistance level at 1462. 110 .
111 . we get the next lower low. See how beautifully the previous lower lows are almost touching the trendline? A perfect trend. and we adjust the trendline accordingly.Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach Ten minutes later.
112 . we can't make it steeper. Remember the rule: we can only flatten the line. but we don't adjust the trendline since it would make the line steeper.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Again we see a lower low.
113 . but we don't adjust the trendline.Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach Another lower low occurs at 1:50pm.
we see a series of lower lows. 114 . but only the lower low at 2:05pm allows us to adjust the trendline.The Complete Guide to Day Trading In this next chart. The series of lower lows indicates that the trend is coming to an end.
we have another lower low. 115 .Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach Fifteen minutes later. we are experiencing a higher high after a series of lower highs. Lower highs are indicating a possible downtrend. it's time to start drawing a downtrend line. but at the same time. and when we see the first higher high.
116 . The uptrend line is broken.The Complete Guide to Day Trading It seems that our uptrend has come to an end. and we have another higher high that confirms our downtrend line.
117 .Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach The uptrend was in place from 12:25pm until 2:25pm. During this time. The uptrend was broken at 1467.50 (a break through the resistance level) to a high of 1472.75. prices moved from 1462. for a full two hours.
An uptrend line is always below the price bars.) Never adjust a trendline so that it becomes steeper. 118 . Don't run a trendline through price bars.The Complete Guide to Day Trading There are two key things to remember about trendlines: 1.
119 .Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach 2. you risk missing a change in the trend.) Keep a trendline close to the lower lows and don't move it too far away. If there's too much distance between your line and the lower lows.
we have the first higher high. So we can draw our downtrend line. and you draw the trendline ABOVE the price bars. 120 . The opening price is also the highest price. The main difference is that you're looking for a higher high.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Downtrend A downtrend line is constructed in a similar way to that of the uptrend line. at 8:45am. 2007. Here we have a 5-minute chart of the E-mini S&P on December 20th. and 15 minutes after the opening.
However. 121 . and at 9:10am.Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach The market keeps falling. we see the next higher high. we don't adjust the trendline since it would mean making the line steeper.
The Complete Guide to Day Trading We see another higher high at 9:35am. 122 . but we still don't adjust the trendline. The 9:40am bar marks another higher high and confirms our previous trendline.
Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach Ten minutes and two bars later. we have another higher high. 123 . and we can adjust our line. so the adjustment is valid. Note that it's still very close to the previous higher highs.
See how beautifully our trendline captures this downtrend? 124 .The Complete Guide to Day Trading The market makes another higher high. but we don't adjust the trendline since it would make the line steeper.
The trendline is still very close to the previous higher highs.Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach The trend continues. we can adjust the trendline again. almost three hours after the opening. 125 . and at 11:15am.
it will move it too far away from the previous higher highs. 126 . we get the next higher high.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Fifteen minutes later. the downtrend is broken. but if we adjust the trendline.
Consequently. when a trendline of long duration – which has been successfully tested many times – is violated. the more important the trendline becomes. The longer the trendline has been in effect and the more times it has been successfully tested. Trendline Validity The validity of a trendline is dependent on its duration and the number of times it's been successfully tested. then an important reversal of trend is likely to have occurred. and we risk missing a change in the trend. 127 .Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach Adjusting the trendline would move it too far away from previous higher highs.
or annually). every time the price rises to the downtrend line and then resumes its decline. the downtrend line has acted as resistance to the upward move of market prices. where the price stays relatively constant. It points to equilibrium in supply and demand. the bulls (the buyers) take control and prevent prices from falling lower. Support & Resistance Support and resistance levels are points where a chart experiences recurring upward or downward pressure. These points are identified as support and resistance when they show a tendency to reappear. it's critical that you understand them. Similar to support. It's best to buy near support or sell near resistance levels that are unlikely to be broken. A support level is usually the low point in any chart pattern (hourly. every time the price drops to the uptrend line and then resumes its advance. whereas a resistance level is the high or the peak point of the pattern. Support can also be found at prices of previous support or resistance. weekly. the trendline has acted as support to the price uptrend. Once these levels are broken. In uptrends.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Trading Range This is a trading pattern that occurs in between an uptrend and a downtrend. Support and resistance levels are very important to your trading. Previous support becomes resistance and previous resistance becomes support. Trading patterns are also used in order to set support and resistance levels. a resistance level is the point at which bears (the sellers) take control of prices and prevent them from rising higher. Consider the following: when price action drops to a certain level. which are very useful for the technical analysis of charts. they invariably reverse their roles. Sideways trends follow a horizontal direction. 128 . In downtrends.
Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach The price at which a trade takes place is the price at which a bull and bear agree to do business. On the same bar that broke the downtrend. For the next 2 hours and 30 minutes. prices never go above the resistance level of 1464. they went 2 ticks above the resistance level. prices went to the resistance level at 1464. Example: As you can see from the following chart. but closed AT the resistance level. The bulls think prices will move higher and the bears think prices will move lower. prices have been in a downtrend. but they repeatedly test this level. eventually breaking out. It represents the consensus of their expectations. 129 . and resistance levels indicate the price at which a majority of investors feel prices will move lower. 10 minutes later. The development of support and resistance levels is probably the most noticeable and reoccurring event on price charts. Support levels indicate the price at which a majority of investors believe that prices will move higher.00 and retraced.
the break isn't significant. you can typically draw a corresponding support line. even though it's broken later. However. as shown in the following chart. As you can see. the support line holds very well.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Whenever you can draw a resistance line. since prices close above the support line. 130 .
The logic dictates that as the price declines towards support and gets cheaper. Resistance is the price level at which selling is thought to be strong enough to prevent the price from rising further.Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach A Little More on Support and Resistance Support is the price level at which demand is thought to be strong enough to prevent the price from declining further. sellers become more inclined to sell and buyers become less inclined to buy. By the time the price reaches the support level. buyers become more inclined to buy and sellers become less inclined to sell. The logic dictates that as the price advances towards resistance. 131 . By the time the price reaches the resistance level. it's believed that supply will overcome demand and prevent the price from rising above resistance. it's believed that demand will overcome supply and prevent the price from falling below support.
Yet it's worth mentioning that points must not be too close together. the second point must be higher than the first. An upward trend is a concrete method to identify support lines/levels. yet helpful.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Trendlines & Trend Channels Trendlines are simple. The continuation of the line helps determine the path along which the market will move. The validity of a trading line is partly related to the number of connection points. downward lines are charted by connecting two points or more. An upward straight line is drawn by connecting at least two successive lows. 132 . tools in confirming the direction of market trends. Naturally. Conversely.
or straight corridor for the price. The lines serve as an upward. 133 .Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach A channel is defined as the price path drawn by two parallel trendlines. Trend channels are typically constructed to derive entry and exit points in an uptrend or downtrend. Note that when drawing trend channels. downward. you first draw the trendline and then construct the "channel line" as a parallel line to the primary trendline.
you'd sell at the primary downtrend line and buy back at the secondary channel line.The Complete Guide to Day Trading In a downtrend. as shown in the following example: 134 .
) Moving Averages Crossover of Moving Averages Turtle Trading Moving Average Convergence-Divergence (MACD) Trend-fading: 1. you buy.) Trend-following – when prices are moving up. you sell. 2. you sell. Here are some examples of popular trading approaches: Trend-following: 1.) Williams %R 2. you know that any market is either trending or moving sideways. Just make sure that you understand WHY you're using a certain indicator and WHAT that indicator is measuring. moving averages).) Bollinger Bands and Channels 135 .) 2.) Relative Strength Index (RSI) 3. and when prices are going down. Therefore you'll apply one of the following two trading strategies: 1. upper band of a channel).) Trend-fading – when prices are trading at an extreme (e. and then you try to catch the small move while prices are shifting back into "normalcy. Most indicators that you'll find in your charting software belong to one of these two categories: indicators for identifying trends (e." The same applies for buying.Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach Popular Trading Approaches By now.) 4. Don't become confused by all the possibilities of entering a trade.g. which offer you a trade setup for a short-term swing trade. or indicators that define overbought or oversold situations.) 3.g.
use a shorter period. which will be more reflective of the recent price action than the 40. typically the closing price. The concept is simple: • • A buy signal is generated when the closing price moves above the moving average. To address this issue. A weakness of moving averages is that they lag the market. Moving averages tell the average price in a given point of time over a defined period of time.or 10-day moving average. A sell signal is generated when the closing price dips below the moving average.or 200-day moving averages. Here's an example using the 10-minute chart of Amazon (AMZN): 136 .The Complete Guide to Day Trading Simple Moving Averages If you believe in the "trend-is-your-friend" tenet of technical analysis. while adhering to the same time measure. so they do not necessarily signal a change in trends. They're called 'moving' because they reflect the latest average. moving averages (MA) are very helpful. such as a 5.
Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach You can see that this strategy works very well in trending markets (see first buy signal). 137 . a great deal of traders attempt to use strategies based on moving averages. but in sideways moving markets. The Right Concept for the Right Market Every day. and then use moving averages to get your specific entry signals. you're getting whipsawed (see second buy signal). Keep in mind that this is a trend-following strategy – you should only apply it in trending markets. You might want to use trendlines or other indicators to ensure that the market you're watching is actually trending. And then they complain that these strategies don't work.
Here's an example of this strategy: The upper line is the slow-moving average (20 bars). 14 bars) and a "slow" moving average (e. The amount of days used for the slow-moving average needs to be larger than the amount of days used for the fast moving average. 138 .g.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Crossover of Moving Averages Another very popular approach is to use two moving averages: a "fast" moving average (e. 20 bars). A sell signal is generated when the fast moving average crosses the slow moving average from below.g. and the lower line is the fast moving average (14 bars). • • A buy signal is generated when the fast-moving average crosses the slow moving average from above.
A sell signal is generated when the current prices move lower than the low of the previous 20 bars. Please note that we just defined an entry signal. 139 .Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach Turtle Trading You'll find plenty of articles on the Internet that will explain the turtle trading rules in detail. You still need to apply profit targets and stop losses (see the next two chapters). Prices moved below the 20-bar low at 1.4324 (= 48 pips or $480) before retracing.4372 and generated a short signal. the turtles look at the high and the low through the past 20 days and generate the following signals: • • A buy signal is generated when the current prices move higher than the high of the previous 20 bars. Basically. Prices moved as low as 1.
called the "signal line.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) Another trend-following indicator is the Moving Average Convergence/Divergence (MACD). The most popular parameter for the MACD is the difference between a 26-bar exponential moving average (EMA) and the 12-bar. functioning as a trigger for buy and sell signals (dark gray line). developed by Gerald Apple. This indicator shows the relationship between two moving averages of prices." is then plotted on top of the MACD. 140 . This difference is then plotted on the chart and oscillates above and below zero. A 9-bar EMA of the MACD.
141 . but the most popular is to use the signal line for entry signals: • • A buy signal is generated when the signal line (dark grey line) crosses the MACD (light grey line) from below.Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach Traders utilize the MACD in different ways. A sell signal is generated when the signal line (dark grey line) crosses the MACD (light grey line) from above.
sometimes referred to as %R. The formula is quite simple: it subtracts the current day's close from the lowest intraday low of the last 'X' number of days. The basic idea is that if prices are trading at the high of the high-low range (indicator reading close to 100). then the market is overbought. it would be in the 20% or lower area. If it's high in the range it will be in the high percentiles. Williams %R. then the market is oversold. today's close is located. and then divides this distance by the highest high minus the lowest low of the last 'X' number of days. and if the current prices are trading close to the low of the specified range (indicator reading close to 0). 142 . The index has many uses. A buy signal is generated when the indicator has a value below 20. compares a stock's close to the high-low range over a certain period of time. but the simplest one is just allowing it to identify or suggest an overbought. This indicator was developed in 1966 by Larry Williams to help traders identify overbought and oversold positions in the market. The index can be used in all markets and in all timeframes. The result is plotted on a chart and oscillates between 0 and 100. say over 80%. This computation tells us where. within the next day range. • • A sell signal is generated when the indicator has a value above 80. typically 14 bars. the indicator shows the relationship of the closing price to a high-low range over a specific period of time.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Williams %R One of the most popular overbought/oversold indicators is Williams %R. Most traders use it successfully on intraday bar charts with a parameter of 14 bars. oversold zone. As stated above. If we're closing low in the range of the last 'X' number of days.
Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach In this example chart. indicating that Google (GOOG) is "oversold." and a sell signal is generated. Williams %R works best in sideways-moving markets. 143 . the %R moves above 80.
• • A sell signal is generated when the RSI crosses the 70-line (overbought-zone) from above. In his book. the RSI indicator works best in sideways-moving markets.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Relative Strength Index (RSI) Another popular overbought/oversold indicator is the Relative Strength Index (RSI). profits could be realized quite quickly. A buy signal is generated when the RSI crosses the 30-line (oversold-zone) from below. By applying stop loss and profit exit strategies (see next chapter). Wilder recommends using 14 periods. developed by Welles Wilder. The RSI compares the magnitude of a stock's recent gains to the magnitude of its recent losses and turns that information into a number which ranges from 0 to 100. The RSI dips below 30 and a buy signal is generated. coincidentally at the low of the day. It takes a single parameter – the number of time periods – to use in the calculation. 144 . As with the %R.
Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach Bollinger Bands and Channels Many traders are familiar with the concept of "Bollinger Bands." Bollinger Bands consist of a moving average and two standard deviations, one above the moving average and one below. The important thing to know about Bollinger Bands is that they contain up to 95% of the closing prices, depending on the settings. The most popular setting is a 21-bar moving average (solid dark grey line) and 2 standard deviations for the upper and lower band (dotted grey line). • • A buy signal is generated when prices move below the lower Bollinger Band. A sell signal is generated when prices move above the upper Bollinger Band.
The Complete Guide to Day Trading This is a 10-minute chart of the E-mini S&P. After lackluster trading in the morning, prices move above the upper Bollinger Band and generate a sell signal.
Two hours later, prices move below the lower Bollinger Band and create a buy signal. This indicator works best in sideways-moving markets.
Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach
Trading Approaches Before deciding on a trading approach, you need to identify whether the market is trending or moving sideways. Don't fall prey to the common mistakes. Many traders simply decide on one trading approach and trade it all the time, whether the market is trending or not. That's a sure way to failure. Successful traders use multiple trading approaches: they have at least one approach for a trending market and another approach for a sidewaysmoving market. Using the basic principles outlined on page 103, you can determine the direction of the market and use the right trading approach. Don't make the mistake of using only one trading approach. Learn to identify whether a market is trending or not and adjust your trading strategy accordingly.
Action Items: Pick any chart in any timeframe and practice drawing trendlines. One of the most important skills of a trader is being able to identify the direction of the market. Practice on as many charts as you can, until you can spot a trend within a couple of seconds. Select a trading approach that YOU are comfortable with. Make sure that you understand what the indicator you are using is measuring: WHY should you sell when it goes above 80? What EXACTLY does it mean? Select a second trading approach. As you know you should have one for a trending market and one for a market that is going sideways. Which approach will you use when? Continue your trading plan on page 245 under "Selecting a Trading Style."
Step 4: Defining Entry Points
s you saw in the previous examples, most of the trading approaches or indicators already provide you with entry rules. When defining entry points, you want to keep it simple and specific. You can't freeze the market. A market is constantly moving, and you have to make your trading decisions fast. Most trading approaches and indicators require a decision at the end of the bar. Even when you're watching 60 minute bars, and you've spent the past hour doing nothing except waiting for your signal, now – at the end of the bar – you only have a split second to make your decision. Use as few entry rules as possible and be as specific as you can. The best trading strategies have entry rules that you can specify in only two lines.
Action Items: Practice identifying the entry rules of the two approaches you selected. Identify the underlying market condition (trending/ sideways) and apply the strategy you've selected. When should you enter? Only mark the entry points. Don't worry about exit points yet. Continue your trading plan on page 245 and write down your specific entry points under "Entry Signals." 149
3." This couldn't be truer. 151 . Most traders are right about the direction of the market when they enter a trade. There are three different exit rules you should apply: 1. I once heard the saying: "A monkey can enter a trade. Read this chapter again and again until you understand ALL of the concepts outlined here. but money is made (and lost) when you EXIT it.) Profit-taking exits to realize your gains.) Time-stops to get you out of a trade and free your capital if the market is not moving at all. but they end up taking a loss because they fail to capture profits at the right time.Step 5: Defining Exit Points T his chapter is probably the most important chapter in the entire book.) Stop loss rules to protect your capital. 2. Knowing HOW and WHEN to exit a trade will ultimately determine your success or failure as a trader.
immediately place a stop. Stop Losses A stop loss is used to limit the potential loss if the trade goes against you. I can't stress this enough: even the most experienced traders have a stop loss order in the market. It can be too easy for a $300 loss to become a $5. you won't be trading for long – you'll end up wiping out your trading balance in no time.g. futures.) A fixed dollar amount (e.g. A good trader will know when to take a small loss and go on to the next trade. or even stocks. 152 .000) 2. You're done. It's the level at which you'll close a trade on the basis that it has gone too far in the 'wrong' direction. whether they're trading forex. support and resistance levels) In the following we'll discuss these exit strategies in detail. Once you've entered a trade.) A percentage of the current price (e.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Stop loss and profit-taking exit rules can be expressed in four ways: 1.) A percentage of the volatility (e. negated the reason for you being in that trade.g.g.000 loss. $1. therefore. Remember that your trading capital is your business – if you burn it. and. Always use stop losses! If you don't apply stop losses in your trading.) Based on technical analysis (e. there's no insurance. 50% of the average daily movement) 4. 1% of the entry price) 3. This safeguards you from losing your entire account. options.
his stop losses were very small and his profit target was rather large. and then continued to go up. The stop loss order was a sell order. Your broker can explain these terms to you in detail. he would make up for all the losses of the past couple of days PLUS bring in a small profit on top of it. He was so happy that he jumped up from his chair. so if this trade reached the profit target. he was quite happy to see that a trade finally moved in his direction. He couldn't believe it! How had this happened? After a few minutes. or use so-called "bracket orders. And when he returned to his computer an hour later. The moral of the story: Make SURE to cancel your orders. naturally. All of his profits were gone. According to his strategy. who always enters a stop loss and a profit target order once he has established a trade. While he was celebrating his win. They enjoyed a happy cup of coffee together. and told his wife all about the fantastic trade. he found himself in a losing position. ran into the kitchen. I mention this because I happen to know a trader who is very disciplined. FINALLY he had made some money. 153 . and how it paid off. So. this trader suffered a number of losses over the course of several days. and he couldn't stop talking about his strategy. it dawned on him: he had forgotten to cancel his stop loss. the market retraced and filled his order. the trade. A few years back.Step 5: Defining Exit Points Don't Forget Your Stop Losses! It's important to ensure that your stop is canceled if you close your position. and now the trader had a short position in a rising market." or "one-cancel-other (OCO) orders" for your profit target and stop loss. And it happened: the market continued to move in his favor and he realized a profit.
154 . Set the rules and ALWAYS follow them. Fixed Dollar Amount Easy. regardless of how you approach the decision. and simple.4575. You entered the market at 1. With this in mind. Example: Let's say you're trading the EUR/USD currency pair. subtract it from your entry price.0001) equals $10. and place a stop loss order. you place your stop loss at 10 pips (= 0. Since 1 pip (= 0. How to Use This Strategy: Simply subtract the dollar amount you specified from your entry price.0010) below your entry price at 1.The Complete Guide to Day Trading The most important thing.4585 and you want to risk $100. fast. Just specify a dollar amount that you're willing to risk. let's talk about stop loss strategies. is to know where you'll cut a losing position BEFORE entering the trade.
you'll sell it in order to close the position.Step 5: Defining Exit Points Just as a reminder: If you're long a security. If you're short a security. and if the security doesn't fluctuate too much. and a 'BUY' post-it if you went short. they will add to their position. 155 . It's easy to make mistakes when the market starts moving fast and you get nervous. but you wouldn't believe how many traders get confused. you ensure that you'll ALWAYS exit the position as planned. Many traders use post-its after they've entered a trade: you stick a 'SELL' post-it on your screen if you went long. since you don't have to perform complex calculations. I know this sounds obvious. It works best if you're trading only one stock or one market. instead of closing their position. When to Use This Strategy: This strategy is perfect for beginners. This way. You simply add or subtract your stop loss to or from your entry price and that's it. you'll buy it in order to close the position.
then you would multiply your entry price of 2151. When to Use This Strategy: You should apply this exit strategy if you're trading multiple markets or different stocks.75 by 0. Example: If you're trading the E-mini NASDAQ. You'll find a more detailed explanation in the next section: "Profit-Taking Exits.5% stop loss. and you've defined a 0." 156 .5%) for an exit point of 2141.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Percentage of the Current Price How to Use This Strategy: When applying this stop loss strategy.your stop loss (in percent form)) to get your exit point. simply multiply the entry price by (1 .995 (1 0.
e. and arrive at a profit target of $8. multiple this number by the percentage you specified. subtract $8 from your entry point amount. How to Use This Strategy: Using this profit exit strategy requires two steps: • • First.g. Example: The average daily range in corn is $16. you determine the average volatility of a market. Then. You can use the Average True Range (ATR) function of your charting software to determine this number. 50%. 157 . Second. The underlying idea is to adjust your stop loss based on the volatility of the market: you apply a larger stop loss in volatile markets and a smaller stop loss in quiet markets. Multiply it by the percentage you specified.Step 5: Defining Exit Points Percentage of the Volatility This exit strategy is another way to specify stop losses in volatile markets.
The Complete Guide to Day Trading When to Use This Strategy: This strategy is perfect for markets with high changes in volatility.80. or Bollinger Bands. The following chart is a 15 minute chart of Apple Computer (AAPL). As you can see in the chart below. How to Use This Strategy: Simply use technical analysis to determine a potential stop loss. we sell short at $184. Instead of support and resistance levels. we're using a simple trendline to determine our stop loss. We wait for the first bar of the day. We draw a trendline from the previous day's high to the high of this morning's bar and set our stop loss at the trendline. and as soon as we realize that the stock is moving down over the first 15 minutes. 158 .50. like the grain markets. you could use Pivot Points. just to name a few. corn prices are more volatile in summer months than in the winter. upper or lower levels of trend channels. at $187. Fibonacci Levels. Using Technical Analysis Many traders like to use major support or resistance points on the chart to determine their exits. Example: In this example.
or support and resistance lines. indicators. 159 . placing your stop at these levels will seem very natural.Step 5: Defining Exit Points When to Use This Strategy: This strategy is perfect for traders who use technical analysis for their entry points. If you're using trendlines.
And we want to make it fast. consistently. Therefore you MUST know when to exit with a profit.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Profit-Taking Exits Once you're in a profitable trade. Here are some different types of exit strategies for profitable trades. then you can simply use leverage to trade size. we want to make money. Good traders use a stop loss. Consistency is the key. by our very nature." right? This is a definite problem. And that's when they lose. Here's the key to trading success: small profits. and many traders are way too greedy. because if your profits are consistent and predictable. The main problem with taking profits is that. After all. A lot of money. the next challenge becomes when to take that profit. we humans (and especially traders) are greedy. great traders use a profit target. "Get rich quick. 160 . They want to get rich on just one trade.
to $111. Example: Let's say you're trading 100 shares of IBM and enter at $110. and place a profit target order in the market. add it to your entry point. How to Use This Strategy: Simply add the dollar amount you specified to your entry price. Your profit target is $100.13. Simply specify a dollar amount that you would be happy with. and if the security doesn't fluctuate too much.Step 5: Defining Exit Points Fixed Dollar Amount This is the easiest way to exit a trade. When to Use This Strategy: This strategy works best if you are just trading one stock or one market. so you would exit the trade as soon as prices move up $1. 161 .13.
162 . As in the previous example. The reason is simple: let's say you're trading IBM and Ford. let's assume that you're trading 100 shares each and you want to make $100 per trade. When to Use This Strategy: You should apply this exit strategy if you are trading multiple markets or different stocks. IBM would only have to move 0.72. simply multiply the entry price by (1 + your profit target (in percent)) to get your exit point.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Percentage of the Current Price How to Use This Strategy: When applying this profit exit strategy. IBM is trading at $110.23. The following charts illustrate how easy it will be for IBM shares to reach the target price. and you've defined a 1% profit target.9% to reach your profit target. but Ford shares would have to move almost 15% in order to reach your profit target.01 (1 + 1%) for an exit point of $111. Example: If you're trading IBM.13 and Ford is trading at $6. you would multiply your entry price of $110.13 by 1. and how difficult it might be for Ford shares to do so. As I write this.
Step 5: Defining Exit Points 163 .
gold was trading at $650. at $850. The same applies to markets with a high volatility. In the beginning of 2007.The Complete Guide to Day Trading It would make more sense to specify your profit target as a percentage of the price – e.3% in November of 2007. A $20 move in gold would have been 3% in January of 2007. In November of 2007.1 and Ford only $0. but only 2.g. In this case. like gold or energy futures.07 to reach the profit target. 1%. IBM would have to move $1. gold was trading 30% higher. 164 .
you determine the average volatility of a market. like the grain and energy markets. Second. 165 . When to Use This Strategy: This strategy is perfect for commodity markets with high changes in volatility. How to Use This Strategy: Using this profit exit strategy requires two steps: • • First. Instead of support and resistance levels. Fibonacci Levels. The underlying idea is to adjust your profit target based on the volatility of the market: you apply a higher profit target in volatile markets and a lower profit target in quiet markets. Using Technical Analysis Many traders like to use major support or resistance points on the chart to determine their exits. or Bollinger Bands. How to Use This Strategy: Use the process of technical analysis to determine a potential profit target. just to name a few.Step 5: Defining Exit Points Percentage of the Volatility This exit strategy is another way to specify profit targets in volatile markets. Please see the comments in the section on "Stop Losses" as an example. multiply this number by the percentage you specified. you could use Pivot Points. upper or lower levels of trend channels.
we enter at 1452.087. We wait for the first bar of the day. Now we can use the previous day low as a profit target and realize another profit of 21. The following chart is a 15 minute chart of the E-mini S&P. and we could reverse the position by going short. We set our profit target at the previous day's high – 1465. 166 .25 – for a total profit of 13.50. When to Use This Strategy: This strategy is perfect for markets that are moving sideways between major support and resistance lines.75 points = $1. we reach our profit target. as soon as we realize that the market has been moving up in the first 15 minutes.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Example: In this example.25 points = $662. Later that day. and. we're using the previous day's high and low as potential profit targets.50.
167 . the trailing stop is typically a stop loss. you could change your stop to only $300 behind the price and lock in $700 of profit. How to Use This Strategy: This strategy can be used in conjunction with technical analysis by placing the stop at support and resistance lines or – more simply – at the previous bar's high or low. The main difference between the exit strategies mentioned previously and trailing stops is that you constantly adjust your stop while you're in a trade. and the security moved in your favor by $1. Some traders prefer using a fixed dollar amount. Another popular use of this strategy is placing the stops at trend-following indicators like Moving Averages or Parabolics. When entering a position. Example 1: Fixed Dollar Amount: If you were to set a straightforward $300 trailing stop." in which you define stop loss and profit exit points the moment you enter the trade. the trailing stop becomes a profit exit. and as the trade moves in your favor.000.Step 5: Defining Exit Points Trailing Stops Trailing stops are "hybrid" stops. and then leave them alone until you close the trade. All other exit strategies are "set-it-and-forget-it-strategies.
You would place your trailing stop at the high of the current bar at 1504. You should use this strategy to take advantage of longer-lasting trends. One hour later. and now your stop loss becomes a profit exit. you move your stop to the high of this bar to 1502.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Example 2: Technical Analysis: Below is a 60-minute chart of the E-mini S&P.5 points (= $375). you move your stop to 1494. since you MUST move your trailing stops according to your rules. So.50. When to Use This Strategy: This strategy is perfect for trending markets. Once the next bar is completed. Keep in mind that this strategy requires your constant attention. you're stopped out at 1494. Whatever happens to the trade now. you move your stop to 1499. when prices retrace. Let's say you went short at 1502. 168 .50 for a profit of 7. you'll make at least 3 points (= $150).50. 60 minutes later.
In contrast. Don't make the same mistake. You probably have a good reason for entering a trade. you could close half of your position once you've achieved a fixed dollar amount in profits. test different exit strategies to optimize your profits. 169 . Or you could take 1/3 of your profits at a predefined profit target. If prices do not move at all.Step 5: Defining Exit Points Taking Partial Profits Nobody ever lost money taking profits. you apply your stop loss and your profit target and wait. As an example. regardless of whether you reached your stop loss or profit target. get out. How to Use This Strategy: Simply specify a "time-out. take another 1/3 at the next support or resistance level. and let the other half continue to trade to the next support or resistance level. The possibilities are endless. And wait. and then apply a trailing stop to the remaining 1/3. You can combine the strategies outlined above for more sophisticated exit strategies. immediately after entering. many amateur traders and beginners tend to focus on entry strategies. So. And wait. That's why many professional traders focus on perfecting their exit strategy. Time to bail out. Then set a timer and exit the trade after the specified time. Time-Stops A time-stop gets you out of a trade if it's not moving in any direction. Once you've defined sound entry rules. And nothing happens." after which you will exit the market.
As traders.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Example: A good time-stop is three times the timeframe you're using. If nothing happens after a certain amount of time. The longer you have your money in the market. If you stay in the trade. apply your stop loss rule and your profit-taking rule to determine your exit points. Don't gamble! Action Items: Practice your exit rules: by now you should already be able to spot your entry points. you want to see something happen. Continue your trading plan on page 245 and write down your specific exit points under "Exit Signals." 170 . You can dramatically reduce the risk by applying a time-stop and exiting the market if it doesn't move. then you're gambling not trading. the underlying assumption of your entry may be wrong. we want to make money fast. Once you've determined your entry point on a chart. the longer it's at risk. Free your capital and take the next trading opportunity. you might want to abandon the trade if neither your profit nor your stop loss is hit after 45 minutes. When to Use This Strategy: Always! Whatever the reason behind your entry signal. If you're using 15-minute charts. get out after 3 hours. If you're using 60 minute charts.
) Back-Testing Back-testing is a method of testing which will run your strategy against prior time periods. keep in mind that your backtesting results are quite dependent on the moves that occurred in the tested time period. if you tried to test your strategy by applying it to the time periods yet to come. 171 . Basically. selected a timeframe. It's important to remember that this increases the potential of risk for your strategy. Also. it's time to test and evaluate your trading strategy. There are three ways to test your trading strategy: O 1. you're performing a simulation: you use your strategy with relevant past data to test its effectiveness. Back-testing is used for a variety of strategies. By using the historical data. it might take you years. you're saving a ton of time.Step 6: Evaluating Your Strategy nce you've determined which markets you want to trade. The effectiveness of back-testing relies on the theory that what has happened in the past WILL happen again in the future. and defined your entry and exit rules. including those based on technical analysis.
or you can open an account online. the sequence of trades. First off. the basic idea is to take a sequence of trades generated by a trading system. In Monte Carlo simulations. commodities. 3. There are two methods to this: you can either pretend to buy and sell stocks. You can then pose a question such as "If 5% of the account is risked on each trade.000). The process is repeated several hundred times.The Complete Guide to Day Trading 2.000 random sequences of trades are simulated with 5% risk.. you'll be able to gain some much-needed confidence when it comes to maneu172 . bonds. etc. therefore.) The Monte-Carlo Simulation The Monte-Carlo Simulation is a problem-solving technique used to approximate the probability of certain outcomes by running multiple trial runs – called simulations – using random variables. Basically. assuming that x% of the account is risked on each trade. you'll learn the tricks of the trade without putting your own money at risk. usually through your broker (and usually for free).) Paper Trading Paper trading is a method of "risk-free" trading. one could say that this simulation is a more sophisticated way of back-testing. you set up a dummy account. and keep track of your profits and losses on paper. then you could say the probability of achieving a maximum drawdown of less than 25% is 94% (940/1. through which you can test your trading strategy with paper money. Second. each time using a different random sequence of the same trades. what is the probability that the maximum drawdown will be less than 25%?" If 1. and calculate the rate of return and the maximum drawdown. for example. randomize the order of trades. and 940 of them have a maximum drawdown of less than 25%. This is a fantastic way for new traders to kill a whole tree full of birds with one stone. It is a way to account for the randomness in a trading parameter – typically. Keep in mind that the data used in Monte Carlo Simulations is still historical data.
e. This is probably the best way to test a trading strategy. Somebody with a Ph.e. then you might get decent results after three weeks of testing. And third. since it might take weeks or months until you have enough data for a statistically relevant performance report. 15 trades per week). When testing a strategy. How long should you back-test a trading strategy? The more trades you use in your back-testing.Step 6: Evaluating Your Strategy vering in the markets. On the other hand. since it doesn't rely on historical data. keep in mind that markets change. the question "How long should you test your trading strategy?" depends on the trade frequency. But if your trading strategy generates only three trades per month (i. in statistics once told me that you need at least 40 trades in order to produce statistically relevant results. the higher the probability that your trading strategy will succeed in the future. 36 trades per year). So.D. resulting in a higher predictability of future performance. you'll be able to test out your trading strategy in real-time simulation. it's the most time-consuming strategy. Look at the following table: Number of Trades <>Margin of Error 50 14% 100 10% 200 300 500 7% 6% 4% More trades mean a smaller margin of error. How many trades per day does your trading strategy generate? If your strategy generates three trades per day (i. 173 . then you should test your strategy for at least one year to receive reliable data results.
In 2000. Another reason for the dramatic change of the market was the introduction of the automated strategy execution in TradeStation. these scalping methods kill an intraday trend almost instantly. In 2002. traders stopped day trading equities and started trading the E-mini S&P futures instead. Using the E-mini S&P. these strategies immediately established a contrary position. the TradeStation customers who were using this feature increased by 268%. the average daily range was 100-150 ticks per day. Because of this rule. by the NYSE and NASD. What happened? There are a couple of plausible explanations. it fell apart. they suddenly had a much higher leverage and paid fewer commissions. Look at this graph showing the sudden increase in volume in the E-mini S&P in the beginning of 2001. That's not surprising as the daily range of the E-mini S&P decreased by more than 50%. Many of these stock day traders used methods to scalp the market for a few pennies. making almost every trend-following approach fail. it was only 40-60 ticks per day. It seems that there were no more intraday trends. in 2004. 174 . Probably the best and most important one is the introduction of the Pattern Day Trading Rule in August and September of 2001. and when the market made an attempt to trend. suddenly. you'll see that it worked perfectly until 2002.000 in his margin account at all times. Unfortunately.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Let me use the E-mini S&P as an example. If a trader executes four or more day trades within a five-business-day period then he must maintain a minimum equity of $25. and then. Overbought/oversold strategies became very popular. If you back-test any trend-following day trading system in the E-mini S&P. and their methods were extremely profitable.
It's not enough to just run a strategy on as much data as possible. 2004. then you should not use this strategy right now. there are definitely things you need to be aware of. If your back-testing tells you that a trend-following method worked in 2000-2002. 175 . and 2005. then trade it. As outlined in previous chapters: in non-trending markets.Step 6: Evaluating Your Strategy Conclusion When back-testing. and. And vice versa: when you see that a trend-fading method produced nice profits in 2003. you need to use trend-fading systems. in trending markets. you should use trendfollowing methods. but doesn't work in 2003 and 2004. That's when clever back-testing helps you. it's important to know the underlying market conditions.
If you get in contact with us here at Rockwell Trading®.The Complete Guide to Day Trading How to Read and Understand a Performance Report While testing your trading strategy. try to reverse your entry signals. profit. but don't be frustrated when. your trading system shows a loss. 176 . during the development stage. or net. but a simple excel sheet will do the trick just as well. Many software packages can help you with that. you should keep detailed records of the wins and losses in order to produce a performance report. Obviously you want your system to generate profits. Here's an example of a performance report: Total (Net) Profit The first figure to look for is the total. we can send you an excel sheet that will automatically produce a performance report for you after you've entered several trades.
What exactly does that mean? 177 . money is not "generated. and that it makes your trading worthwhile. These systems follow the principle: "Cut your losses short and let your profits run. sometimes even below 30%. And. and you lose. and you want to make sure you get a decent reward for your risk. YOU need to decide whether you can stand 7 losers and only 3 winners in 10 trades. then the other trader is losing money. So. then somebody else needs to sell it to you. Many times this is the easiest way to turn a losing system into a winning one. And vice versa: if you're making money on a trade. Average Profit per Trade The next figure you want to look at is the average profit per trade. Make sure this number is greater than slippage and commissions. In the markets. then you should pick a system with a high winning percentage.g. Understanding Winning Percentage Let's say you purchased or developed a system that has a winning percentage of 70%." It just changes hands. Trading is all about risk and reward. then the person who took the other side of the trade is MAKING money. If you want to be "right" most of the time. This means that if you lose money on a trade." However. you can only sell a position if somebody else is willing to buy from you at the price you're asking. a certain stock or futures contract). if you're going long at a certain price level. If you want to buy something (e. Winning Percentage Many profitable trading systems achieve a nice net profit with a rather small winning percentage.Step 6: Evaluating Your Strategy You might have heard that trading is a zero sum game. then try to go short instead.
But many traders think that the probability of tails is higher now because the three previous coin tosses resulted in heads. when you toss the coin 4 times. No more and no less. this assumption is nonsense. But what if you tossed the coin 3 times and you got heads 3 times? What is the probability of heads on the fourth coin toss? 50%.' than you fell for a common misconception. The probability of getting heads again is still 50%.e. Does that mean that when you trade 10 times you will have 7 winners? No! It means that if you trade long enough (i. or less? If you answered 'less.e. Example: If you toss a coin then you have 2 possible outcomes: heads or tails. at least 40 trades) then you will have more winners than losers. you'll have a winner. 178 . what's the probability of having a winner now? It's still 70% (and therefore there's still a 30% chance of a loser). then you should get 2 heads and 2 tails.The Complete Guide to Day Trading It means that the probability of having a winning trade is 70% – i. it is more likely that the trade you are currently in turns out to be a winner rather than a loser. The probability for each is 50% – i. Let's get back to our trading example: if you have a winning percentage of 70%. But it doesn't guarantee that after 3 losers in a row. it's a dangerous – and many times costly – misconception. Some traders might even increase their bet because they are convinced that now "tails is overdue." Statistically. and you had 9 losers in a row.e.
Your drawdown would be 20%. If you can keep your wins larger than your losses. 179 . and. Your drawdown would be 16.000. A system should have a profit factor of 1.000). The $12. If you started your account with $10. because it might be that the system is over-optimized.000.0. If you can't.000 = $12. that was the highest point in the period we looked at. after a few trades.7% ($12. Let me explain: Imagine that you start your trading account with $10.000 $2.000.000 + $4. you lose $2. And after this. the better the system. let's say you make more trades and gain $4.5 or more. The higher the profit factor. And every trader should be able to achieve that.000. on the next trade. then you'll make money even if you just have a 50% winning percentage. This will tell you how many dollars you're likely to win for every dollar you lose.Step 6: Evaluating Your Strategy Average Winning Trade and Average Losing Trade The average winning trade should be bigger than the average losing trade. reverse your entry signals as described previously.000 ($8. then you had a 50% drawdown. but watch out when you see profit factors above 3. Maximum Drawdown The maximum drawdown is the lowest point your account reaches between peaks. Now. which brings you to $12. Profit Factor Take a look at the Profit Factor (Gross Profit / Gross Loss).000.000 was your equity peak.000 and the lowest amount you had in your account over a six-month period was $5.000). . you lose $2.
you should expect a drawdown of up to 30% on your way to trading riches." Not every trader can stand a 30% drawdown. YOU'RE the one trading the strategy.000 (20%). If you calculate the $2. It's best to plan for it now. and YOU'RE the one who has to feel comfortable with the expected results of your strategy.000 as a percentage of $8. Conclusion The above examples provide you with some guidelines. If a trader loses 20% of his account. he thinks he needs to make 20% in order to get back to even. A famous trader once said: "If you want your system to double or triple your account.000 from the lowest point in order to recoup your losses.000 is $2. Ultimately. then you've found the right strategy. This isn't true. Even though you lost 50% from your high of $10.000 and lost $2.000. 180 . Look at the maximum drawdown that your strategy has produced so far. but it's up to you to decide whether the numbers in the strategy's performance report work for you or don't. Measuring Drawdown Recovery: Drawdown recovery can confuse many traders.000) it works out to 25%. you would need to make 25% in order to get back to even.000.000 (not the original $10. The difference between $8. you would need to make 100% on the $5.000 to get back to your original amount. Why double it? Remember: your worst drawdown is always ahead of you.The Complete Guide to Day Trading You would need to make $5.000 and $10. and double it. If you can stand this drawdown. If you started with $10.
com Analyze the performance report and decide if YOU feel comfortable with the statistics. 181 . You can download an excel sheet to record your trades from our website: www. The more trades the better.Step 6: Evaluating Your Strategy Action Items: Start back-testing your trading plan on at least 40 trades.thecompleteguidetodaytrading. Continue your trading plan on page 245 and write down your expectations for your trading strategy based on the results of your back-testing.
look also at the profit factor. T 183 . try a trailing stop instead.Step 7: Improving Your Strategy here is a difference between "improving" and "curve-fitting" a system. If you're using a fixed stop. but your resulting strategy will be almost worthless. the average profit per trade. You can improve your system by testing different exit methods. and the maximum drawdown. but the other figures might improve dramatically. Don't look only at the net profit. you'll see that the net profit slightly decreases when you add different stops. Don't fall into the trap of over-optimizing: you can eliminate almost all losers by adding enough rules. Add a time-stop and evaluate the results again. Many times.
70 * 100 < .. 70) / Close.70 * 100 > -.003 And Not Tuesday And Not Day Of Month = 12 and not Month = August and Time > 9:30 . 12 .35 And Regression Slope (Close .170 * 100 > . you find that in January. you have more losers than on the other weekdays. 70) / Close.35 * 100 > -. Determine the "Best" Parameter Without Curve-Fitting a Strategy The underlying strategy in this example is a simple breakout strategy.2 And MACD Diff (Close . it's very unlikely that it will continue to do so when it hits reality. The strategy contains a parameter called TF_Param..genesisft. 170) / Close. I used Genesis Financial Trade Navigator (www. which I just saw recently: IF FVE > -1 And Regression Slope (Close . so you add a filter that enters trades only between February and December.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Example: If you see that on Tuesdays. 26 . You add more and more filters to avoid losses.35 * 100 < .4 And Regression Slope (Close . you might be tempted to add a "filter" that prevents your system from entering trades on Tuesdays. 35) / Close.com) to produce the test results and the following graphics.4 And Regression Slope (Close . 9) > -. I'll explain how we optimized the parameter. 35) / Close. Next. and why we selected 0. you have much worse results than in other months. and eventually you end up with a trading rule like this. 184 .3 as the current value for the parameter. Though you've eliminated all possibilities of losing (in the past) and this trading system is now producing fantastic profits in your testing.4 And Regression Slope (Close .
since that's one of the most important figures: As you can see.25 and 0.Step 7: Improving Your Strategy First.7 produces robust results. I run the optimization and look at the net profit. a parameter between 0. 185 .
186 . I would pick a TF_Param between 0.25 and 0.25 and 0. Any parameter between 0.5.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Next I am looking at the max drawdown.5 produces a rather low drawdown. so using the combined information.
7 produces a decent average profit per trade. I'm looking at the average profit per trade: A parameter between 0. so the current selection of TF_Param between 0.25 and 0. 187 .25 and 0.Step 7: Improving Your Strategy Now.5 is still a good choice.
the better: Again a value of 0.25 and 0.25 to 0.5 188 . I'm looking at the winning percentage. The higher.7 for the variable TF_Param produces the best results.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Now. We leave our range for TF_Param between 0.
Conclusion By combining all the previous findings. we see that a TF_Param between 0.Step 7: Improving Your Strategy As a last test. the system would still produce excellent results.45 leads to the highest amount of trades. A parameter value below 0. Even if the market changes slightly. we look at the number of trades. That's why 0. 189 .4 produces the best results.25 and 0.3 is definitely a good choice. the higher. No surprises here: the lower the parameter. the more trades we get. the better. Again.
once it's done correctly. you won't have to do it again for a very long time.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Action Items: Try to improve your trading strategy by varying the parameters. but the good news is. Example: use a volatility stop instead of a fixed stop loss. 190 . Do the same with your profit targets. and 20 bars. 18. I have been using the same trading strategy for four years now. As an example: if you used 14 bars in the RSI. 14. Try to improve your strategy by modifying the stops. try 10. 16. 12. I know that this is timeconsuming.
You already know that a professional trader won't survive in the markets without a good trading plan. How to select the right market for your trading goals. In the previous step. In this chapter. Different trading styles and how to find the right one for you.The 10 Power Principles – Making Sure That Your Trading Plan Works H • • • • • aving a trading plan is like having a solid blueprint to build your home. but how can you be sure that the system works when you start trading it with real money? Evaluating a trading strategy is easier than you think. How to create a basic trading plan. you'll find 10 Principles of Successful Trading Strategies that we've developed and refined over the last couple of years. everything might look great. Thus far. What timeframe you should trade in. you learned: How to define your financial and trading goals. or having a map when traveling to a new location. Now that you've defined your goals and created your trading plan. 191 . you need to make sure it really works.
The Complete Guide to Day Trading You should use these Power Principles to evaluate your trading strategy. The more rules you have. It's important that your rules are easy to understand and execute. Example: Take a look at the trading approaches presented in the section "Popular Trading Approaches." The easy rules are: buy when the RSI drops below a reading of 20. Avoid a trading strategy that has an entry rule like this: Buy when the RSI is below 20. and the 7-bar moving average is pointing up more than 45 degrees. and you won't have time to calculate complicated formulas in order to make a trading decision. Principle #1: Use Few Rules – Make It Easy to Understand It may surprise you that the best trading systems have less than ten rules. or. and such an over-optimized system is very unlikely to produce profits in real markets. The markets can behave very wildly and move very fast. and there is a convergence between the price bars and the MACD. and they make thousands of dollars every day. Think about successful floor traders: the only tool they use is a calculator. sell when prices move above the upper Bollinger Band. you can dramatically increase your chances of success. By checking a strategy against these principles. and… Do you really think that you could follow this strategy while you're watching the markets LIVE? 192 . and. whether you developed it on your own or are thinking about purchasing one. and. the more likely that you've "curve-fitted" your trading strategy to past data. and the ADX is between 7 and 12.
In December of 2007. The recent addition of the grain futures markets in the summer of 2006 was a huge success: in January of 2007. the pit-traded corn contract traded with 621. you might have to wait awhile before you receive your fill. So why would you even want to trade Pork Bellies or Lumber? Principle #3: Have Realistic Expectations Losses are part of our business. You should never place an exit order before you know that your entry order is filled. Fortunately.400 contracts.S. Trading liquid markets means you can avoid slippage." Recently. all forex currency pairs. while the electronic corn contract had a trading volume of 2.444.800 contracts. and the major U. I ran into a trading system with a whopping winning percentage of 91% and a drawdown of less than $500. When you trade open outcry markets (non-electronic). stock markets are trading electronically. because you plan your exit based on this information. A trading system that doesn't have losses is "too good to be true. which will save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. By that time._The 10 Power Principles – Making Sure That Your Trading Plan Works Principle #2: Trade Electronic and Liquid Markets I strongly recommend that you trade electronic markets. because commissions are lower and you receive instant fills. WOW! 193 . Most futures markets. the market might have already turned and your profitable trade has turned into a loss! When trading electronic markets. You need to know as fast as possible if your order was filled and at what price. the volume traded in the electronic contracts surpassed the volume traded in the pit markets. more and more markets are now traded electronically. you receive your fills in less than one second and can immediately place your exit orders.
Usually you can expect the following from a robust trading system: 1. and you'll easily identify curvefitted systems.000.The Complete Guide to Day Trading When I looked at the details. In other words. Principle #4: Maintain a Healthy Balance Between Risk and Reward Let me give you an example: if you go to a casino and bet everything you have on "red.3-2. Sure.50. for every dollar you risk you should be able to make at least $1. If you run across a trading system with numbers too good to be true. 194 . but if you do.e. though. You need to find a healthy balance between risk and reward. then it's probably exactly THAT: too good to be true. the risk of ruin is also high.5 3. but 2-3 losses in a row can wipe out your trading account. it turned out that the system was only tested on 87 trades and – of course – it was curve-fitted.5 or more – i. The same applies to trading: you can make a lot of money if you're risking a lot. if you apply a stop loss of $100. your profit target should be at least $150. the winning percentage will be fantastic. Stay away from strategies that have a small profit target of only $100 and a stop loss of $2." then you have a 49% chance of doubling your money and a 51% chance of losing everything.) A maximum drawdown of 10-20% of the yearly profit Use these numbers as a rough guideline.) A winning percentage of 60-80% 2. The perfect balance between risk and reward is 1:1.) A profit factor of 1. Make sure your trading strategy is using small stop losses and that your profit targets are bigger than your stop losses.
You've probably heard about this strategy: double your contracts every time you lose. but only produces one trade per month. then you have on average 20 trades per month. And that's the goal of all traders: having as many winning months as possible! Principle #6: Start Small – Grow Big Your trading system should allow you to start small and grow big. If you have a winning percentage of 70%._The 10 Power Principles – Making Sure That Your Trading Plan Works Principle #5: Find a System That Produces at Least Five Trades per Week The higher your trading frequency. the smaller your chances of having a losing month. 195 . you could have several losing months in a row before you finally start making profits. If you have a trading strategy that has a winning percentage of 70%. which require increasing position sizes when you are in a losing streak. increasing your position as your trading account grows. then your chances of a winning month are extremely high. In this example. In the meantime. This is in contrast to many "martingale" trading systems. how do you pay your bills? If your trading strategy produces five trades per week. and one winner will win back all the money you previously lost. then one loser is enough to have a losing month. A good trading system allows you to start with one or two contracts.
200 $6.200 $102. then you would need $160. the main problem is the amount of contracts or shares that you're trading. It assumes that you are risking $100 per trade and then doubling up after each losing trade.800 shares 256 contracts or 25. And.300 1 contract or 100 shares 2 contracts or 200 shares 4 contracts or 400 shares 8 contracts or 800 shares 16 contracts or 1. IBM or Apple). or 1. of a stock after just 4 losses! If you're trading the E-mini S&P.400 shares 128 contracts or 12.600 shares 512 contracts or 51. the losses are not really the problem. and this strategy would already require you to trade 16 contracts.200. It's not unusual to have 4-5 losing trades in a row.000 in your account.600 shares.600 shares 32 contracts or 3. if we assume that you're trading stocks around $100 (e.400 $12.400 shares As you can see from the chart. just to meet the margin requirements.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Let's take a look at the following table. you would need an account size of at least $63.200 shares 1. Your First Trade Second Trade Third Trade Fourth Trade Fifth Trade Sixth Trade Seventh Trade Eighth Trade Ninth Trade Tenth Trade Your Total Loss $100 $200 $400 $800 $1.200 shares 64 contracts or 6.600 $3.600 $51.g.024 contracts or 102. 196 .800 $25.
and it's where effective money management comes into play. this assumes that you have easy exit rules. When these occur. This way. Principle #7: Automate Your Exits Emotions and human errors are the most common mistakes that traders make. systematic manner. there will be occasions when you have losses. The answer: very likely. You have to avoid these mistakes by any means necessary. Of course. you can put your trade on autopilot. Regardless of the strategy or method you use to trade._The 10 Power Principles – Making Sure That Your Trading Plan Works Now. This is to be expected. The best solution for your exit points is the use of "bracket orders. A stop loss of $100. especially when the market starts to move fast. Just think back to the example with the coins: an atypical negative trading run CAN and WILL happen. don't try to double up your trades to "catch up" on your wins. then when our atypical run DOES occur. but if you give in to those emotions. or even a string of losses." Most trading platforms offer bracket orders. and the trading system will close your position at the specified levels. If we trade in a disciplined. You might experience panic and indecision. This is why I do not recommend doubling up after each loss. Your exit points should be easy to determine. which allow you to attach a profit target and a stop loss to your entry. we will still be in the game at the end of it. That was the entire point of the previous few pages. of the entry price can easily be specified in today's trading platforms. The main point I want to make here is that every trading system you find will go through times when it has more losses than wins. it's important to have faith in your trading plan. or 1%. you'll suffer a much greater loss than you had originally planned for. you may ask how likely this type of situation actually is. 197 .
and not doubting that system. the smaller the margin of error. you should keep your trading as simple as possible. you won't be able to make money with more complex trading rules. or stop trading it completely.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Exit rules like "2/3 of the average true range of the past 5 trading days" are more complex to automate. Look at the following table: Number of Trades <>Margin of Error 50 14% 100 10% 200 300 500 7% 6% 4% The more trades you have in your back-testing. If you can't make money with simple entry and exit points. and the higher the probability of producing profits in the future. and if your strategy gives you a high winning percentage. let's say more than 65%. takes a great deal of discipline. 198 . Principle #8: Have a High Percentage of Winning Trades Your trading strategy should produce more winners than 50%. but the psychological pressure is enormous. In the beginning. After the sixth loser. Taking 7 losers out of 10 trades. Think about driving a car: if you can't drive a Ford. your confidence will definitely be on the rise. It's very helpful for beginning or novice traders to gain confidence in their trading. There's no doubt that trading strategies with smaller winning percentages can be profitable. they'll start "improving" the strategy. you definitely won't be able to drive a Ferrari. too. Principle #9: Test Your Strategy on at Least 200 Trades The more trades you use in your back-testing (without curve-fitting). the higher the probability that your trading strategy will succeed in the future. and many traders can't stand the pressure.
200 trades are optimal._The 10 Power Principles – Making Sure That Your Trading Plan Works You need at least 40 trades for a valid performance report. the margin of error decreases at a slower rate. though. then you should only back-test it for the past 3-4 years anyway. since the margin of error decreases fast from 14% to 7% with only an addition 150 trades. As you can see from the table above. Regardless. The next 100 trades only increase the confidence by 2%. If you test your system on more than 200 trades. NONE of these contracts existed before 1997. therefore. 199 . and the E-mini NASDAQ was introduced in June of 1999. I've taught thousands of traders worldwide a simple and reliable E-mini trading methodology. And. if you develop an E-mini S&P trading strategy. we only have to worry about the age of the contracts for back-testing purposes." That's a very interesting claim… The E-mini S&P was introduced in September of 1997. Principle #10: Choose a Valid Back-Testing Period I recently saw the following ad: "Since 1994.
therefore. When futures contracts start trading electronically. the characteristics of the two markets can be very. 200 .The Complete Guide to Day Trading This is because. It would be foolish to think that the markets remain the same once they can be electronically traded. Do not make the mistake of back-testing your trading strategy on the pit contract. they attract a different kind of trader than their pit-traded counterparts. and the markets WILL behave differently than during the times when only pit traders traded them. very different. Faster fills and lower commissions allow a different kind of trading strategy. there was practically nobody trading it (see the following chart): The same applies to strategies for the grain futures: they were introduced in August of 2006. even though the contract has existed since 1997.
is there any area in which you can improve it? 201 . How many principles apply? If your trading strategy doesn't fulfill all 10 Principles._The 10 Power Principles – Making Sure That Your Trading Plan Works Action Items: Take a look at your trading strategy and run it against these 10 Power Principles.
Part 3: The Secrets to Day Trading Success .
You've learned about the basics of day trading and you know how to develop a profitable trading strategy. without a clue as to what they're getting themselves into. In fact. Believe me. You understand that a good trading strategy is one of the single most important factors when it comes to your trading. C 205 . According to a report from the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA): "Only 11. and because of that. many of them fail. you'll have a map for your trading future and a guideline for your success. That's just slightly over 1 in 10. Only a few of them have a trading strategy. the vast majority of them fail.5% of traders will actually succeed. You'll have a plan. At least 70% of traders lose money in the markets…70% of public traders will not only lose. And only 11. Not great odds. You made it to the third part of the book. reliable strategy. most traders out there just open a trading account and start trading.5% [of traders] might profitably trade [the markets].There's More To Trading Than Just Having a Strategy ongratulations." At least 70% will lose everything they invest. but will almost certainly lose everything they invest. With a proven.
So. experience.5% of successful traders out there who are actually making money.The Complete Guide to Day Trading But. In addition. if you've followed the action items outlined throughout the previous chapters. if you do. why do only 11. But here's the thing about trading strategies: they're a dime a dozen. And. knowledge. you'll find "the trading strategy of the month" every couple of weeks in nearly every trading industry magazine out there. then you should have a trading strategy mapped out. 206 . you can find hundreds of books with different trading strategies. There's more to trading that just having a strategy. Only time. if there are so many trading strategies available.5% of traders make money? The problem is that strategies do NOT make a good trader. along with countless websites that offer trading strategies for free. and guidance can make you the trader you want to be. These days. then that small step has dramatically increased your chances of belonging to the 11.
Vince made sure that none of their doctorates involved any sort of background in statistics or trading. Did they have a profitable trading strategy? Of course! Remember. gambler's fallacy. Vince gave them a profitable trading strategy to use. As you can see. ALL of them had a profitable trading strategy. but they still couldn't succeed. and experience. 207 . they won the amount of money they risked. March 1992 Those are pretty convincing statistics. And why? Because they fell into the age-old traps: poor money management. and he also performed a very famous experiment known as the Ralph Vince Experiment. When they won. and lack of discipline. Vince took 40 Ph. Simple. after all 40 had completed their 100 trades. but Mr. each of them were given $1.There's More To Trading Than Just Having a Strategy The Ralph Vince Experiment Ralph Vince is a well-respected and well-known financial investor and educator. The other 38 failed to succeed. He's published a number of books on trading and the trading industry. Source: CSI News Journal.D. how many do you think made money? 2. Now.000 and 100 trades. When they lost. So. 95% of the candidates lost out. they lost the amount of money they risked. these 40 people all had doctorates. In the game.s and set them up to trade with a computer game. with a 60% winning percentage. Mr. guidance. Mr. Only 2 doctorates out of 40 were able to make money. each one of the traders took 100 trades with a 60% winning percentage.
208 . it seems that there is definitely more to trading than just having a strategy.The Complete Guide to Day Trading So. And that's exactly what you'll learn about in this section of the book: The OTHER factors that are involved when it comes to your trading success.
The Seven Mistakes of Traders and How to Avoid Them S • • o. you might even be able to profit from them. there are big mistakes that you absolutely MUST avoid if you're going to be a successful trader. you'll definitely make small mistakes along the way – I guarantee it. just because there's a typo when you enter the symbol. Another possibility is placing the wrong order because you enter a buy order at $213. simply because you pushed the wrong button. Or maybe you'll buy the wrong stock. let's examine why traders fail. we'll talk about the mistakes that traders make and how you can avoid them. First off.5 instead of $21. there are two types of mistakes that a trader can make: The small ones The big ones Yes. then it becomes easier to avoid them. and they're "forgivable. These types of things have happened to all of us.35. In this chapter. They're small mistakes." With a little bit of luck. You might buy a security when you intended to sell it. 209 . If you know the pitfalls of trading. However.
The Complete Guide to Day Trading For instance, one of the biggest trading mistakes that you could ever make is to try to learn and understand everything about trading…and then never actually START to trade. I know many aspiring traders who have read countless books, have developed dozens of trading strategies, and who have analyzed a number of markets; but they've failed to pull the trigger when it comes to real trading. As you know, part of your education is your knowledge and your experience. If you want to make money with trading, then eventually you have to take the plunge and get started. Yes, I know: there's a chance of losing some money. That's true. When you trade, you're taking a risk. (If you want to know how to start trading without risking any of your own money, please read the chapter "How to Start Trading Without Risking a Single Penny," on page 235).
What Exactly Is "Risk?" Risk means "not having control." Example: If you're driving a car on the highway, then you're at risk. It's as simple as that. But, thankfully, there are certain things we can do to control that risk: All motorists are required to have a formal education and successfully test their driving skills before they are allowed to drive a car. This qualification process is called getting a driver's license. Cars are equipped with certain security features, such as seat belts, airbags, anti-brake systems, and – let's not forget – a steering wheel, which enables you to navigate around obstacles in your path. When you're new to driving, you usually practice with another person (e.g. your parent) in an empty parking lot BEFORE hitting the road. You start driving at 10 mph, and then, as you grow more comfortable, you can slowly increase the speed. When you're confident in your abilities, you'll most likely leave the parking lot for the open road (but let's not move too fast – probably a country road, with no traffic!) 210
The Seven Mistakes of Traders and How to Avoid Them All of these things help you control the risk when it comes to driving. You'll never be able to eliminate the risk completely, but you can take appropriate action to reduce it. The same principles apply in trading: You should have a formal education and prove your skills before you start to trade. Unfortunately, there are no tests required before you can open a brokerage account, but you should take the time to learn about the markets and develop a strategy before you "hit the open road." When trading, you can also apply certain "security features." Two of the most important are having a trading strategy and using stop losses. When you're new to trading, you should paper trade first (see page 235). Then, after you've built up some confidence, you can start trading with one lot/contract, or 100 shares. If you're comfortable and you achieve acceptable results, then you can increase the contract or share size. And never trade with money you can't afford to lose. Get your current financial situation in order first, and THEN start trading. Get your credit cleaned up, pay off high interest loans and credit cards, and put at least three months of living expenses in savings. Once this is done, you're ready to start letting your money work for you. Don't trade to get rich quick. That's the number one principle when it comes to controlling your risk.
If day trading was easy, everyone in the world would be doing the same thing: trading like crazy every day and becoming insanely rich by nightfall!
The Complete Guide to Day Trading We both know it's NOT easy. So let's take a look at the seven "deadly" trading mistakes. These are the challenges that every trader faces, and they're the ones which usually cost traders a whole lot of money. Being aware of these challenges is the first step in avoiding them. Think about the car driving example again: if you know that driving on icy roads is dangerous, you can try to avoid traveling in that particular weather condition. But, if you don't know about ice and the hazard it poses, you might just get into your car and drive like normal. You won't even realize the danger until you feel your vehicle slipping right off the road. The same principle applies in trading: being aware of the possible mistakes and pitfalls will help you to avoid them.
Mistake #1: Struggling To Identify the Direction of the Market Traders use very complicated formulas, indicators, and systems to identify a trend. They'll plot so many indicators on the screen that they can't even see the prices anymore. They think that the more complicated a system is, the better it should "predict" the trends. As a result, they completely lose sight of the basic principle: buy when the market is going up and sell when the market is going down.
About Indicators These days, there are more than 150 indicators available, and you can even get indicators for indicators. Keep in mind that indicators are based on five variables: the open, the high, the low, the close, and the volume of a certain timeframe. Indicators are simply collecting this data and displaying it differently, and they do this by setting certain variables up in relation to others, or in relation to previous data.
The Seven Mistakes of Traders and How to Avoid Them Examples: - Williams %R displays the high and the low to the close. - Moving Averages display the relationship between a series of closing prices over a period of time.
Remember, keep it simple: One of the easiest ways to identify a trend is to use trendlines. In the section "Technical Indicators," you've been shown exactly how to construct and use trendlines.
Mistake #2: Not Taking Profits By their very nature, traders are greedy. After all, you want to make money. A lot of money. And you want to make it fast. "Get rich quick," right? Every trader wants to get rich, and they want to do it in one trade. And that's when they lose. Trading success comes from consistency, not from a trading "grand slam." There are a lot of newbie traders out there who believe that their fortune will be made in just one amazing trade, and then they'll never have to work again for their entire life. This is a dream, a dangerous one. Successful traders will realize that right away. The best, and usually only, way to make a fortune in trading is consistency. And this fortune will probably be made in small amounts. Unfortunately, most traders go for the big wins, which result in big losses. It makes sense that traders are more interested in larger profits per trade. What would you rather have – a fifty dollar bill or a five dollar bill? Well, that's obvious! But when it comes to trading, it's not that simple. If 213
The Complete Guide to Day Trading you DON'T take the five dollar bill, you may lose fifty dollars of your OWN money, or more. The main thing to keep in mind is this: even though you can't take the fifty dollar bill right away, you can take ten five dollar bills over a longer period of time. And the end result is the same – fifty dollars. And that's the main point here: small, steady profits add up. This is not to say you'll never have a big winner. In options trading for example, it's pretty common to have profits of 100%, 200%, or even 1,000% in just one trade. So, it's not impossible to snag the big profits – it's just not something you should count on. If you expect numbers like this all the time and accept nothing less, you're setting yourself up for guaranteed disappointment. The key to trading success: small but consistent profits. Consistency is the key, because if your profits are consistent and predictable, then you can simply use leverage to trade size. Therefore, you MUST know when to exit with a profit. Resist the temptation to stay in "just a little longer, for just a little more."
Mistake #3: Not Limiting Your Losses The only way you can make a fortune with trading is to actually stay in the game, and it's hard to stay in the game when you've already lost all of your dough. Losses are a part of our business. The key to trading success is to limit your losses. Too many traders are giving a trade way too much "room," and they're taking big hits, which can shrink an account down by 20%, 30%, and sometimes even 40%. Set small losses. As outlined in the chapter "Is It Really Possible to Make a Living As a Day Trader?", your average loss should be smaller than your average win, because then you'll be making profits even if your winning percentage is only 50%. Always know when to exit a trade. 214
So stay away from a market that is choppy or just moving sideways. etc. Here's another key to trading success: trade a market that is MOVING. Take a look at the following examples: Example 1: Choppy Market Choppy Market 215 . or just certain stocks. or the E-mini Russell. and start trading a market with nice trends. they trade ONLY the forex USD/EUR.The Seven Mistakes of Traders and How to Avoid Them Mistake #4: Trading the Wrong Market Too many traders are fixed on only one market. either up or down. or the E-mini DOW. You know you should buy when the market goes up and sell when the market goes down.
Too many people start off day trading without a strategy. Mistake #5: Lack of a Trading Strategy You MUST have a solid trading strategy. and you've dramatically increased your chances of making money with trading. Having a trading strategy is probably the single most important thing you can do in order to succeed with trading. It means knowing what you're doing instead of just gambling. which means that they're completely unprepared. you're way ahead of the crowd.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Example 2: Trending Market: Trending Market Stick with the trending market and you'll find the profits you're after. 216 . Having a trading strategy means having a pre-defined set of rules that you have developed for your day trading. With a day trading strategy.
217 . The best strategies and tools are useless if you lose your head while you're in a trade." with Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher. the victim grabs the swimmer and holds him tight. they have a simple exercise in the pool: one of the instructors simulates a victim and one of the cadets has to rescue him. When the rescue swimmer approaches the drowning victim. One day. and I'll make millions!" Fear – "Please…. the trade goes against me: should I get out now. I don't want to experience another loss. The Best Tools Are Useless I recently saw the movie "The Guardian. now I'm in a trade: should I take profits? Or not yet? Hmm. the market is moving fast.S.The Seven Mistakes of Traders and How to Avoid Them Mistake #6: Not Controlling Your Emotions What are the main emotions of traders? There are many! Here's just a few: • • • • Greed – "I'm sure the market will continue rising. I made money!" • How many negative emotions are on this list? Too many! In order to become a successful trader. Coast Guard." Panic – "Oh no. Kevin Costner plays an instructor who trains young recruits to become rescue swimmers. It's about the U. trying not to drown. or should I give it a little bit more room?" Excitement (hopefully!) – "Hey. Why? What should I do? The sky is falling…!" Indecision – "Should I enter this trade? Or should I wait? Ok. you have to have control over your emotions.
several 21" monitors. But the market keeps going up. one will eventually hit. And then you realize that YOU were the one who just bought the high of the day. and an office with the most stunning view." They believe that if you just throw enough punches. the fastest computer. And both of them almost drown. and relaxed. They trade like maniacs and make their broker rich. But all of the tools and equipment that they have are absolutely useless if they panic. and none of them are good: 1." so you jump right back in. Remain calm. superior software. 218 . Mistake #7: Overtrading Many traders think that "quantity" is better than "quality.The Complete Guide to Day Trading The rescue swimmer panics and can't escape the victim's grip. You followed your plan and made the profits that you were looking for. The same is true in trading: you can have the best trading strategy. Kevin Costner's character explains this to the cadets. You think.) Greed You just closed a winning trade. After the exercise. but all of these things are absolutely useless if you're in a trade and you panic. "I should have stayed in this trade. They need to remain calm and execute their strategy. the only difference between THEM and the drowning victim out there in the ocean is that THEY have a strategy to rescue the victim and deal with the situation. or have no idea what to do.500 ergonomic chair. Traders are overtrading for the following three reasons. a $1. Control your emotions – don't let them control you. cool.
and you end up with a loss. and that will hurt them. You're watching the markets and it's like watching paint dry: nothing moves. I won't make any money!" and you jump into a trade immediately. then you must understand the concept of taking only the "high-probability trades. "They" just took out your stop and now the market keeps moving in your direction. I haves some news for you: if you don't trade when there's nothing to trade." Believe me: the market is ALWAYS stronger. the trade isn't according to your plan.) Revenge You lost money. and it will be YOU who gets the bloody nose. You think. then you won't lose any money – guaranteed! If you want to succeed in trading. So you want to get back at them.The Seven Mistakes of Traders and How to Avoid Them 2. You wait…and wait…and wait…and suddenly you just get that "itch" to trade." Less is more. 3. "If I don't trade. The market has been mean to you.) Boredom There are some days when the ducks simply don't line up. Of course. Follow your plan! 219 . "The next trade will make back all the money I lost so far. You keep trading. thinking.
Day trading means playing a numbers game. You already know that you need to place at least 40 trades before you can look at the performance of 221 . But you already know that losses are a part of our business as traders. you need to know what to expect when day trading. or market makers. or your broker – it's YOU. In the previous chapter.The Trader's Psyche Y ou know that you need a strategy. you'll learn about the mindset and psyche of successful traders. you learned about the major mistakes that traders make. In order to develop the right mindset. There will be some days and weeks when your trading exceeds your expectations. In this chapter. And you know that there's more to trading than just having a strategy. Having a profitable trading strategy AND the right mindset will catapult you right into the 11.5% of successful traders we talked about earlier. Many traders mistakenly believe that trading will result in a consistentlyrising account balance. and you learned that your biggest enemy is not another trader. and there will be periods when your trading results are far worse than you expected. like having an ATM in their front yard. And YOU are your biggest enemy because of your emotions. It's essential that you maintain a long-term perspective.
Market Wizards: Interviews With Top Traders. but if you look at your trading results daily. In an interview with Jack D. and do not go overboard when trading the market. because he didn't catch a single thing. he's totally exhausted and he has absolutely nothing to show for it. I avoid that because I have always felt that it is misleading to focus on short-term results. Schwager for his book. the famous Richard Dennis said: "It is totally counterproductive to get wrapped up in the results. It's like a dog chasing too many rabbits: at the end of the day. wise. That's why we define weekly goals. Hedge funds evaluate their performances quarterly or yearly. Sure. You have to maintain your perspective. trying to have as many profitable months as possible. so again. and patient trading methods." And way too many traders focus on short-term results and lose their perspective. Most traders only evaluate their performance once a month. Day trading necessitates selective. 222 . nobody likes going through a drawdown. it's inevitable. it will drive you crazy. But when you're trading. they start looking for another. Successful day traders are practical. not the quantity. They focus on the quality of each trade. The key is in how you deal with it. Long-term evaluations have their place. and so they start trading a different strategy. the new trading strategy may result in yet more losses. And while the trading strategy they just abandoned is recovering from the drawdown.The Complete Guide to Day Trading the strategy. That's why they fail: they experience a loss or a bad week. Being emotionally deflated would mean lacking confidence in what I am doing.
Successful traders stick to a successful strategy.) 7. and they do not hold their position in the hopes that the market will eventually "go their way. and they use them over. Successful traders have the ability to adapt. and they are picky about which trades to jump on.) Successful traders do not blame. They take their time while selecting trades. They trust in their indicators. and they know that not every day is a day for trading. Successful traders have a system. They learn from their mistakes and move on with their trading. and over again. 2.) 223 . and over.) 5. Successful traders have patience. They adjust their trading methods and decisions to changing market conditions.) 9.) 4. Successful traders do not stay in a losing trade. They wait for high probability opportunities. They don't place orders just for the sake of having a position in the market every second. They know that most positions will not be profitable the minute they are opened.) 8. They realize that overtrading puts their account at risk.) 6.The Trader's Psyche Here are some important characteristics of successful traders: 1. and they don't dwell on them." Successful traders do not rush into trades. They have one to three techniques that really work. Successful traders do not overtrade. but they are aware of other factors that may influence their trades. or blame other people or conditions. They honor the stop losses that they set.) 3. Successful traders realize that nothing is 100% foolproof. They accept the losses they have. They stick to their system of trading religiously.
Even if they DID lose money. They realize the importance of taking breaks from trading and the markets to clear their heads. sound money management.) Successful traders know what type of trader they are. it is a "good" trade. keeping their strategies free of curve-fitting. They don't base their evaluation on profits or losses. as long as they stuck to their plan. If you can adopt the right psychological mindset. Their trading methods and indicators focus on high probability trades. they base it on whether or not they followed their trading plan to the letter.) Successful traders take time off. and working their system into their business plans for successful implementation. They realize that losses are a part of their business. 14.The Complete Guide to Day Trading 10. 15. 13. then you'll gain a significant edge in the market. 11. They don't let their fear control their decisions or interfere with their trading. They know that ignoring the small-profit trades and angling for a "grand slam" is a sure way to lose money. 16. They don't force themselves to trade with methods or strategies that do not fit their personality. 224 . and they expect them. I can't stress this enough: The right mindset is one of the keys to investment success. 12.) Successful traders recognize a "good" trade.) Successful traders bank on consistent profits.) Successful traders use successful systems.) Successful traders take action.) Successful traders do not fear losses. and most traders fail to understand this.
If a market moves sharply. fear will torture you. stocks. But. try and work out why it did. And if your trade goes wrong. Don't chase the market. and all traders are influenced by them. Practice patience and discipline. Do not allow yourself to get caught up in positive or negative emotions – understand the psychology behind trading and know that no trade is guaranteed. Executing a trading method with discipline is the only way to overcome destructive emotions. even when you suffer losses – remember. Keep your head up and continue to apply a sound trading strategy. they're a natural part of every trader's psychology. you will have a fantastic chance of success. and whether you trade in commodities. or currencies. and learn from it. when you trade well. opening yourself up to significant loss. You should never trade without a solid reason. but don't dwell on them. they are just a part of the business. Work on your mental state. the fact is that your trading psychology WILL influence your results. two emotions are constantly present: greed and fear. in accordance with your trading plan. another one will be just around the corner. Whether you're a day trader or an investor. Fear of loss or fear of a further loss makes traders scared. but they simply can't do it. Greed and fear are destructive emotions. If a trade goes wrong. If your trade goes well. your natural inclination will be to trade even more. don't worry about it. Greed and fear can make traders act irrationally: they may know what they should do. If you miss a trade. and you can't control your emotions when day trading. then you'll have a very difficult time being profitable.The Trader's Psyche Greed and Fear When day trading. 225 . but you don't participate in this move because your entry criteria weren't met. Feel proud of yourself for good trades and decisions. The bottom line: if you're scared or greedy. or allow arrogance to set in.
I am in control of my emotions. Do it for two weeks." Here's how to avoid negative emotions and to have a positive attitude: Write down 10 "I Am" statements. 226 . The more you are prepared mentally for trading. I am a profitable trader. Note my emphasis on better trading. A good day in day trading is not defined by profits. not necessarily who you are now. These statements should reflect who you WANT to be. not better winning. Action Items: The "Law of Attraction" says that "you get what you think about. Here are some examples of "I Am" statements: o o o o I am a disciplined trader who follows his trading plan. and I promise. Successful day traders define a good day as one that is researched and planned and follows their overall trading strategy. you WILL notice a difference. Read them aloud and read them like you mean it. I am cool and relaxed when I am trading. Having the correct trading psychology is just as important as having a reliable trading strategy. Read these "I Am" statements every morning before you start trading.The Complete Guide to Day Trading You need to control your emotions by having a specific plan to follow. the better you will trade.
That's how money is made. but it's not easy.The Three "Secrets" to Day Trading Success T rading can be simple. you must avoid confusion. Very simple.) Secret 2: Always Know When To Exit A Trade It is essential that you know when it's the right time to exit with a profit AND when it's the right time to exit with a loss. 3.) Secret 3: Trade the Right Market The right market is a trending market. you MUST take action. therefore. So keep it simple." As a trader.) Secret 1: Trading In the Right Direction You must buy when the market is going up and sell when the market is going down. And trading is definitely more difficult if you complicate it. 2. As you know. 227 . every single day. Here are the three "Secrets" to Day Trading Success 1. money is made in trends – either up or down – so you dramatically increase your chances of making money if you trade a trending market. Remember the saying: "A Confused Mind Takes No Action.
though. Losing traders focus on finding a "magic method" of trading.) Learn how to determine whether the market is going up or going down.) Learn when to exit a trade. Unfortunately.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Now you know why I put the word "secrets" in quotation marks. Focus on the "secrets:" 1. most traders don't realize the importance of these facts and tend to forget them. They apply to every market. As you already know. 2. Remember. 3. Don't make the same mistake. when to take a profit. whether you're trading stocks. These are not "secrets" at all. Remember Power Principle #1: Use Few Rules – Make It Easy to Understand (page 192).) And learn how to find the right market. you shouldn't try to drive it at 80mph. if you can't drive a Ford. options. Keep your trading simple. Stick to the basics. which is why they're so powerful. futures. the "secrets" to day trading success are universal. 228 . or forex. you won't be able to drive a Ferrari. And if you can't drive a car at 10mph. and software packages. Don't make your trading overly complicated. And they apply to every timeframe. visiting countless websites and spending hundreds and thousands of dollars on books. and when to bail if the market is not moving in your favor. courses. That's how your trading plan should be.
The Three "Secrets" to Day Trading Success Action Items: Take a look at your trading plan right now and answer the following questions: o Have you found an easy way to identify the direction of the market? What tools or indicators are you using? Are you using more than two indicators? Are they complementing each other or contradicting each other? Can you describe your entry rules in two lines or less? Do you know exactly when to exit a trade? Do you know when to exit a trade even before you enter it? Are you sure you're trading the right market? Did you select a market based on your goals or based on a "friend's" recommendation? Did you evaluate other markets to see if there's an alternative market which may support your goals and your trading strategy BETTER than the one you're trading now? o o o o o o o 229 .
That's your business plan. Most people approach the markets and they don't have a clue what they're trying to do. and statements by government officials. you'll find a summary of the most important tenets of trading success. Take a look at the following – my list of basic tenets for day trading. quality over quantity! There are many factors that play a vital role in online trading. To be successful. In this chapter. The first rule is to decide what you're trying to accomplish. 1. T 231 . To be successful.) Understand the Risk The online trading market can be volatile. such as economic releases. you've learned a lot. which creates risk. people don't begin with specific objectives. you must be aware of factors that can influence prices. and you should be well on your way to becoming a successful day trader. you need to focus on your trading technique. not the frequency of your trades. Online day trading requires both patience and practicality. First. earning reports.The Tenets of Day Trading hroughout the course of this book. Remember.
) Be Open to Learning If you're a first-time day trader in the market. There is no point in trying to trade if you can't find a suitable time to do it.) Choose a Trading Time Before entering the online trading market. you can practice your order execution and trading systems to check their viability before putting your actual money at stake. Some are ideal for intraday trading while others are favorable for long-term action. trading timeframe. including guidelines for signals.) Develop a Strategy For Your Day Trading Every online day trader should have an online trading strategy which he follows religiously. personal knowledge.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Staying updated with new developments will allow you to make sounder trading decisions. with a demo account.) Trade the Right Market Different markets have different trading profiles. indicators. 232 . 3. 2. which vary in volatility (the online currency market is considered the most volatile of them all). Everyone has commitments in their lives which cannot be ignored. For example. there are a number of risk-free ways for you to gain experience. and risk tolerance. Most of these strategies will have common elements. so you have to decide for yourself which regularly scheduled block of time you are most comfortable with. Determine the market you want to invest in based on factors such as your account size. 4. be sure to choose a block of time that suits your lifestyle. It's important to determine your strategy before you begin to trade. and rules regarding entry and exit. 5.
if you trade big.The Tenets of Day Trading Take advantage of the ample resources available to learn and practice the craft of online day trading. This will be good for your health – and it'll also help prevent overtrading. 7. When you get a successful trade and achieve the weekly target of $250 or more.) Don't Trade Too Often Overtrading is one of the most common mistakes of traders. when the discipline you have practiced with a small weekly goal is applied to a larger weekly goal (where you will be trading 10-20 • • 233 . you have successfully explored all of its trading options. consider a few of these effective day trading strategies to stick to: • Believe in the day trading system you follow.' Wise traders will allow themselves a pause from trading activity after a loss. Being conservative in your trading decisions will help protect you from possible mistakes and failures. and until. 6. you're risking big money and setting yourself up for big failure. you should switch off your trading screen and take a break until the following Monday. Make a weekly goal of $250 or $300 profit per contract.) Start Small Starting small is a wise choice. Remember. Continue trading this way for at least the first 2 to 3 months. Do not question the effectiveness of its rules and methods unless. especially if you're fairly new to online day trading. A conservative schedule will save you from the temptation of overtrading. instead of trading frantically in an attempt to recoup their money. Also. Trust me. Trade only twice a day – once in the morning and once in the afternoon. It occurs mainly when traders try to compensate for their previous losses with 'just a few more trades.
you'll be very glad that you took the time to focus on the smaller goal first. Just focus on consistency in your trading results and you WILL find success. If. you're not able to meet your set profit goal in a particular week.The Complete Guide to Day Trading contracts). for some reason. don't worry. It's happened to everyone. 234 .
even after having read this book and completing the action items. right? After all. You have tested it against the power principles. Of course. The next step is putting it into practice. you might still be pretty new to trading. If you completed the action items at the end of each chapter. In short: you are ready. but you'll never make any money if you don't take action and actually start. It's time for the rubber to meet the road! You can have the best trading plan ever. You don't want to lose thousands of dollars because you made a small mistake in your trading plan. You have prepared yourself for the mental challenges of trading. do you? 235 . You back-tested it. and everything looks good. it always helps to have a little risk-free practice first.How to Start Trading Without Risking a Single Penny T hat's it! Now you KNOW what to do. you NEED to begin trading. Now. you now have a trading strategy.
and we'll get you set up with a free paper trading account ourselves. prices move up to 1190. the system missed the profit target by one tick. An Example for Trading the E-mini S&P: Your system establishes a long position at 1190. Should you change the strategy? 236 . Prices move up to 1192. Your trading plan might be excellent. Or. and you can enter the trades according to your plan. Keep in mind that we're talking about "virtual money.00. you MUST trade your strategy on a paper trading account first. Two times. and you can see LIVE how much money you are making or losing.00. One hour later.50 profit per contract).00 and then reverse.The Complete Guide to Day Trading But how can you get started without risking a single penny of your own money? The best thing you can do is to get a "paper trading account.25 ($112. and you'll find yourself in a trading position. So what is a paper trading account? A paper trading account let's you trade your strategy with "virtual money. The system will simulate fills." And the best news you'll hear today: you can get a paper trading account for FREE from your broker. then you're doomed. Traders lose money because of a lack of discipline. the system tries to reverse at 1191. just contact Rockwell Trading®. Trading your strategy on a paper trading account will help you to gain confidence in your strategy AND develop the much-needed discipline to actually make money with it.75 and reverse. Paper trading accounts show the profit and loss in realtime. and the profit target order was placed at 1192. but if you don't have the discipline to follow it." You will get live quotes. Here's why: The biggest enemy of a trader is discipline." so you are not actually making money yet. If you're serious about your trading success. Again.
but then the market turns and takes off and you are missing a nice winner. because the number of winners would increase. you should ask yourself: "Does the logic of the system still apply?" If you have a trend-following strategy and markets are trading sideways. and the market is just not right for your strategy. Let's say you start by lowering your profit goal one tick. though. then you shouldn't "fine-tune" it after just 5 trades. you would be instantly rewarded.000 trades. Of course. I've seen it so many times: a trader will back-test his system with over 700 or maybe even 1. but instead of curvefitting your system's parameters. you might experience the following situation: your stop is hit and you are taken out of the trade. and again. It doesn't NEED fine-tuning. and you have sound logic. then "optimizing" the strategy parameters won't even help – it's the wrong market condition. you're instantly rewarded: the number of losses decrease. then you should not override the plan or "fine-tune" it after only a few trades! 237 . and you haven't curve-fitted the strategy. you start moving your stop a little bit further away. So. Next week.000 trades.How to Start Trading Without Risking a Single Penny Or should you manually override the strategy when something like this happens? Doing any of this is like opening Pandora's Box. And very soon. One week later. the winning system that you once had turns into a losing one. again. you experience a similar situation and you continue "fine-tuning" your system by slightly moving down your profit goal and minimally increasing your stop loss. You should evaluate your system periodically. and then he "fine-tunes" it after the first 5 trades. because your losses are much bigger than your profits. This doesn't make sense! If you have a sound logic to why your system should work. exercise discipline: if your strategy worked well for over 1. What now? Well.
All the best in your trading! 238 . Stick to the successful things you know. you'll learn a lot about yourself and how to deal with emotions. follow your plan.) Develop the discipline you need to become a successful trader.The Complete Guide to Day Trading By watching your trades on a paper trading account.) How do you feel when you see the trade moving against you? Do you feel the urge to move your stop loss? 3.) How do you feel when the trade makes a profit? Do you want to get out? Or do you want to stay in a little bit longer? 4. you will gain confidence in your strategy and your decisions as a trader. And confidence is your most important characteristic. Trade your strategy for at least 40 trades on a paper trading account before you even think about putting real money on the line.) Do you have the discipline to trade your system according to your rules? Trading a system on a paper trading account will also help you: 1. 2. it'll help you test your trading system under "realistic" market conditions.) Can you "pull the trigger" when your entry signal appears? 2. By utilizing a paper trading account to test your strategy BEFORE you begin live trading. of course. 1.) Deal with your feelings. And. 3.) Watch yourself and your feelings. and control your emotions.
239 .How to Start Trading Without Risking a Single Penny Action Items: Get a paper trading account for the markets you've selected NOW. and get familiar with the trading platform.
Bonus Materials
here's so much more info that I wanted to include in this book, but unfortunately, I've got to stop here. However, I would like to give you a few more materials to help with your trading. These include: • • • • • An electronic downloadable version of the Trading Plan Template which you can use for your trading right away. A downloadable Trading Log Template that will automatically calculate your performance report based on your trades. A downloadable PDF version of the Broker Checklist in Appendix B, which you can print and use at your convenience. An electronic downloadable eBook entitled 'The Practical Guide to Swing Trading.' An eBook containing a fully disclosed trading strategy.
All of these resources, along with much more reader-only content, are available to you today. Just visit our website at: www.thecompleteguidetodaytrading.com. 241
Appendix A – Trading Plan Template
Financial Goal
(see the chapter "Is It Really Possible to Make a Living As a Day Trader?" page 9)
I Want to Make:
$ $ $
per year per month per week
My Account Size: I am Willing to Risk: Selecting a Market
$ $
(see the chapter "How Much Money Do You Need to Get Started?" page 23)
(see the chapter "Determining Your Risk Tolerance," page 27)
(see the chapter "Step 1: Selecting a Market," page 51)
I will trade the following market(s): Selecting a Timeframe
(see the chapter "Step 2: Selecting a Timeframe," page 85)
I will trade the following timeframe(s):
The Complete Guide to Day Trading Selecting a Trading Style (see the chapter "Step 3: Selecting a Trading Approach." page 151) Profit Target: Stop Loss: 246 ." page 149) Long Entry: Short Entry: Exit Signals (see the chapter "Step 5: Defining Exit Points." page 87) I will use the following approach: trend-following trend-fading other: The underlying assumption / idea is: Entry Signals (see the chapter "Step 4: Defining Entry Points.
" page 171) Expected # of Trades per Day Winning Percentage Average Winning Trade Average Losing Trade Total Profit Average Profit per Trade Realized (after 40 Trades) 247 .Appendix A – Trading Plan Template Other Rules (see the chapter "Step 7: Improving Your Strategy." page 183) Expectations (see the chapter "Step 6: Evaluating Your Strategy.
It will help you tremendously when it comes to finding the right broker." on page 39) Below is a list of questions that you can use when interviewing a broker. or do I have the chance to send additional funds? What kind of leverage do you offer for intraday trading? 249 . and are there any other monthly costs? Do you have a 24-hour trading desk? Can I contact you directly during market hours if I have an emergency? What happens if I get a margin call: do you automatically close my position. • • • • • • • • • How long has your firm been registered with the NFA? (Only applicable to futures and forex brokers) How long have you been a broker? Do you charge any account maintenance or inactivity fees? Does your online platform have a cost? What is my total cost per transaction.Appendix B – Broker Checklist (see the chapter "What You Need to Begin Trading.
http://www.com/ • Larry Williams' official website – commodities and futures trading courses.com/ • Official website of the charting software "Genesis Financial Trade Navigator.com • Coaching programs for stock traders and day traders alike – includes a success guarantee. seminars and newsletters for short.Appendix C – Additional Resources Useful Websites: http://www. Free coaching sessions available.ireallytrade. books.com/ • Steve Nison's official website – CDs." http://www.and long-term traders. DVDs.rockwelltrading. 251 . http://www. and courses about candlestick charts.genesisft.candlecharts.
market timing information through newsletters. 252 . http://www. futures. and forex traders.stockweblog.superstockpicker.com • Daily market commentary for stock and options traders through blog writing.com/ • An excellent online resource for stock. Hundreds of free articles from trading experts.traderslog. http://www. and an extensive glossary of trading terms and technical indicators.com • Innovative stock market research software which picks the best Canadian stocks from the Toronto Stock Exchange to build highperformance stock profiles for those investing in the Canadian markets.The Complete Guide to Day Trading http://www.
Learn about gap-trading. commodities. key tax forms and how to use them. Use these strategies as idea generators when developing your own trading strategy. C. and currencies. this book discusses the best ways to set up a trading business. Written in a clear concise style that appeals to traders as opposed to accountants. The Tax Guide for Traders by Robert A. along with how to get immediate refunds from losses.P. intraday trading using the NYSE tick indicator (an interesting short-term trading idea using Bollinger Bands) and much more.Appendix D – Reading Resources Trade Like a Hedge Fund: 20 Successful Uncorrelated Strategies & Techniques to Winning Profits (Wiley Trading) by James Altucher Hedge Fund Manager James Altucher reveals 20 trading strategies. 253 . Green In this hands-on book.A. Robert Green provides traders with practical material on how to minimize the impact that taxes have on hard-won profits. and more. what to do in case of an audit. how to deal with the IRS. or incorporate them into your own trading. ways to lower your taxes legally. futures. tax treatment for specific types of securities. Use these strategies as they're described here.
a pseudonym for Jesse Livermore. Originally written in the early 1920s. and then presents you with his own solution for money management. and futures options. McMillan THE options bible.The Complete Guide to Day Trading The Trading Game: Playing by the Numbers to Make Millions by Ryan Jones This book contains virtually all information on money management methods. and other call option strategies. Options as a Strategic Investment by Lawrence G." "No stock is too high to buy or too low to sell. and naked call writing. and concludes the book with advanced option strategies like volatility trading. You have probably heard many of the famous rules that are introduced in this book. He then introduces bull and bear spreads. He starts with the basic strategies like buying calls. A must-have for options traders. exposes their flaws. The next chapters explain put option strategies in detail. He explains index options." "History repeats itself. Ryan Jones details the various methods of money management. In 896 pages. Money management can make or break a trader. futures." and "Let your winners run and cut your losses quickly. calendar and butterfly spreads. like: "The trend is your friend. one of history's most famous traders. Lawrence McMillan describes dozens of strategies in detail for option traders. this novel tells the story of Larry Livingston. covered call writing. 254 . and this book is a must-read." This book is a must-read for beginners and a must re-read for all others. Reminiscences of a Stock Operator (Illustrated Marketplace Book) by Edwin Lefèvre A classic. This book is the most complete book on options I have ever seen.
Trade Your Way to Financial Freedom by Van K. you'll know what ingredients enable these top traders to consistently work their financial magic in the markets while so many others walk away losers. Van Tharp describes how the trader himself is a major factor in successful trading. Ed Seykota. allowing you to perfect your charting abilities before moving on to the next phase. Jack Schwager interviewed 17 superstar money-makers including Richard Dennis. each of whom contributes his own expertise. Tharp While Reminiscences of a Stock Operator will teach you the basic rules. Market Wizards: Interviews with Top Traders by Jack D. Each chapter gives you specific learning objectives. Plus. Tom Baldwin and others to answer the question "How do the world's top traders make millions of dollars in the markets?" After reading this best-selling book. each chapter ends with a review quiz.Appendix D – Reading Resources The Candlestick Course By Steve Nison The Candlestick Course is a hands-on course book that will help you master Steve Nison's landmark techniques for Japanese Candlestick Charting. One of the top-selling trading books of all-time. Tharp brings in several outstanding traders. In covering these topics. 255 . Tharp demonstrates in this book exactly how to "let your winners run and cut your losses quickly. The second part conceptualizes the creation of one's trading system. Schwager This book is another classic. Van K. Paul Tudor Jones. Marty Schwartz. and real-world applications of the concepts. and the third part helps you to understand the key parts of a trading system. key terms. clear instruction." In the first part of the book.
of knowing that which cannot be known. yet potentially dangerous venture.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Long-Term Secrets to Short-Term Trading By Larry Williams The public thinks speculation is a game of knowing the future. and then working those odds. of getting the odds on your side. Short-term trading is how most traders and would-be traders play the markets. it also presents the greatest challenge. While it offers the greatest financial payoffs. 256 . as well as a very strict plan. highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of what can be a fruitful. It's a game of developing strategies with winning advantages. requiring constant attention and vigilance. They're wrong. This book provides the blueprint necessary for sound and profitable short-term trading.
' A bear market is the opposite of a bull market. It is then applied to current data to determine predictive value.The absolute value of the current low minus the previous close Back-Testing – A method commonly used in developing a trading system. Back-testing is based on the notion that a strategy that worked in the past will continue to work in the future. A trading strategy is tested and optimized based on historical data. True Range is defined as the largest difference of: .The absolute value of the current high minus the previous close . one above the moving average and one below.Appendix E – Glossary (Thanks to www. Sellers are often referred to as 'bears. Bollinger Bands – An indicator developed by John Bollinger which consists of a moving average and two standard deviations. Broker – An individual paid a fee or commission for executing buy and sell orders for a customer.The current high minus the current low . Bear Market – A market in which prices generally decline over a period of months or years. 257 .com for glossary definitions) Average True Range (ATR) – A volatility measurement indicator developed by Welles Wilder.traderslog.
Line Charts – charts that consist of closing prices connected with straight lines. and the range of the timeframe. and a narrow vertical line. Each bar includes the open. the direction (upward or downward) of the timeframe. without all of the bells and whistles.' A bull market is the opposite of a bear market.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Full-service brokers – usually offer more types of investments. Bar charts are used for comparing two or more values – they consist of an opening foot. low. Some analysts require a market to rise 20% from a major low for a sustained period of time before using the term 'bull market. they just execute the trades that you request. low. support and resistance levels.' Buyers are often referred to as 'bulls. and close of the timeframe. and close of the timeframe. Typically. Bar Charts – charts that consist of rectangular bars whose lengths are proportional to the value they represent. Candlestick Charts – charts that consist of a wide vertical line. Discount brokers – do not usually offer any advice or research. and a closing foot. a vertical line. and also shows the direction (upward or downward). high. and the range of the timeframe. high. - Bull Market – A market in which prices generally rise faster than their historical average over a period of months or years. Each "candlestick" graphically illustrates the open. may provide you with investment advice. - - Charting Software – A software or package that takes the market data and displays that data in a variety of charts. 258 . trendlines. and are typically paid in commissions. the user can modify the appearance and layout of the charts and add features such as indicators. etc. Chart – The graphical expression of a financial market's behavior over a period of time.
GBP/USD. provides for the federal regulation of commodity futures and options trading. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) – The Federal regulatory agency established by the Commodity Futures Trading Act of 1974 to administer the Commodity Exchange Act. et seq.C. The CBOT was established in 1848.Appendix E – Glossary Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) – A leading futures and options exchange. Commission – The set percentage of a trading transaction or the flat fee per trading transaction that is paid to a broker. 7 U. commodity futures. which creates both the opportunity for gain and the possibility of loss for day traders. USD/JPY.) Closing Price (C) – The last trade of the day. Commodity Exchange Act – The Commodity Exchange Act. The contract specifies which commodity is being traded. foreign currency futures. it's the world's oldest derivatives exchange. as expressed in charts. Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) – A marketplace for financial futures.) Day Trader – See 'Day Trading. prices will rise and fall in value. Contract – The term used to reference a unit of trading for a future or options commodity.S. and it's the largest exchange in the United States. 259 . and futures options. The CME is the world's second-largest exchange for futures and options on futures. § 1. detailing the amount and grade of the product and the date on which the contract will mature and become deliverable. (Examples: EUR/USD. (Sometimes called the Merc. As the day progresses..' Day Trading – The buying and selling of financial instruments throughout the day. Currency Pairs – Two currencies which are simultaneously bought and sold in Forex trading.
or SPYDER Contract. E-mini contracts are traded on the CME and represent a small measure of normal futures contracts. or Qubes Contract. (Examples: SPDR. subject to confirmation by the Senate. and they have lower expense ratios than the average mutual fund. but trades like a stock on an exchange. Entry/Exit Signals – Signals that define when to open and close trading positions. The exponentially smoothed moving average gives greater weight to recent price data and also includes all the data in the life of the security. They're available on several indices. with daily price fluctuations. Federal Reserve Board (FRB) – The governing body of the Federal Reserve System. The commissions on ETFs are the same as for regular stocks.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Dow Jones Industrial Average – An index of 30 "blue chip" stocks (Dow 30 Stocks) of U. these signals are derived from a trading strategy's entry and exit rules.S. ETFs provide the diversification of an index fund as well as the ability to sell short and buy on margin. like an index fund. 260 . including the Russell 2000. QQQ. and the NASDAQ 100. can also refer to the residual dollar value of a futures or option trading account. The board sets Fed policy regarding the discount rate and reserve requirements (among other key economic decisions). too. Equity – Ownership of a share in a company. the S&P 500. Exchange – A central marketplace with established rules and regulations where buyers and sellers meet to trade futures and options contracts or securities. E-Mini – An electronically traded futures contract. The user is able to adjust the weighting for the most recent price data by assigning a percentage value to the last day's price. companies. Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) – A security that tracks an index and represents a basket of stocks.) Exponential Moving Average – The most popular of all versions of the moving average. The Index includes substantial industrial companies with a history of successful growth and wide investor interest. The seven members of the board of governors are appointed by the president.
initial margin is paid by both buyer and seller.) 261 . partnerships. Foreign Exchange (Forex) – The trading market which deals in the buying and selling of foreign currencies. Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) – Individuals. Fundamental Analysis – The study of basic. corporations. associations. Futures Trading – The buying and selling of exchange-traded derivatives. The word "forex" comes from Foreign Exchange. initial capital is the total sum of money available for investment before any losses are accrued or profits are gained. Forex Trading – The buying and selling of currencies. It is important to note that there is not actually a central marketplace for Foreign Exchange. Formerly known as the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD). and forex is often abbreviated to FX (see the chapter 'Trading Forex'). underlying factors that affect the supply and demand of the markets which are being traded. or trusts that solicit or accept orders for the purchase or sale of any commodity for future delivery. Initial Margin – The sum of money that the customer must deposit with the brokerage firm for each futures contract to be bought or sold. The FCM also accepts payment from or extends credit to those whose orders are accepted. (Sometimes called original margin or initial deposit. it is also the most liquid. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) – An industry organization representing persons and companies involved in the securities industry in the United States. encompassing all of the world's currencies. Fundamental analysis looks at the cause of market movement. or futures contracts (see the chapter 'Trading Futures'). Trading is done over the counter. Initial Capital – The amount of financial resources or money that a trader starts trading with. Forex is the largest of the trading markets.Appendix E – Glossary Fill – The execution of an order.
It can be thought of it as a loan from the brokerage. plus win a profit equal to the original stake. and other items of value. predicting what it will or will not do and how specific stocks or commodities might perform based on past data. the margin call is issued to bring the customer's equity back up to the required level. When customers open a margin account. Market Analyst – An individual who specializes in investment research and analyzes the stock or futures market. they can trade stocks on margin. (See 'Margin Trading. margin trading is borrowing money from a broker to purchase stock. There are always two roles in markets – buyers and sellers. Mini Contract – Refers to a futures contract that has a smaller contract size than an otherwise identical futures contract. commodities (such as precious metals or agricultural goods). basically. 262 . (See 'E-Mini. the theory of this system is that the first win will recover all previous losses.') Minimum Margin – The amount of money that traders are required to place in their margin account before they are allowed to trade on margin or sell short.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Leverage – The ability to control large dollar amounts of a commodity or security with a comparatively small amount of capital. Margin Trading – The buying and selling of goods on collateral. Martingale Trading System – A trading strategy which requires traders to double their position after every loss. Margin Account – A type of customer account through a broker. Market – A system which allows people to easily buy and sell (trade) financial securities (such as stocks and bonds). Maintenance Margin – The minimum amount which an investor must keep on deposit in a margin account at all times for each open contract.') Margin Call – A call issued by a broker if the equity in a customer's account drops to or below the level of the maintenance margin.
National Futures Association (NFA) – A self-regulatory organization whose members include Futures Commission Merchants. Unlike the New York Stock Exchange. The index was launched in 1971. They're called 'moving' averages because they reflect the latest average. and their Associated Persons. NASDAQ Composite Index – A market capitalization-weighted index of over 3. focusing primarily on the qualifications and proficiency. and also banks. while adhering to the same time measure. NASDAQ – An acronym for the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. and it includes many leading technology stocks. commodity exchanges. such as Dell. CPOs. and business conduct of these futures professionals. 263 . Commodity Pool Operators. retail sales practices. CTAs. Introducing Brokers. IBs. financial condition. The NFA also performs arbitration and dispute resolution functions for industry participants.000 securities. Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) – A trendfollowing indicator developed by Gerald Apple which shows the relationship between two moving averages of prices.Appendix E – Glossary Minimum Tick Movement – The smallest increment of price movement possible when trading a given contract. and Microsoft. where trades take place on an exchange. Commodity Trading Advisors. NASDAQ is an electronic stock market that uses a computerized system to provide brokers and dealers with price quotes. commercial firms. Currently known as the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). This indicator works very well in trending markets. Intel. Moving Averages – A trend-following indicator which shows the average price in a given point of time over a defined period of time. The NFA is responsible—under CFTC oversight—for certain aspects of the regulation of FCMs. National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) – An industry organization representing persons and companies involved in the securities industry in the United States.
and its jurisdiction extends to a variety of issuers and intermediaries who offer and sell securities to the public. the NYMEX Division – home to the energy.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Net Profit – A trader's total earnings (or profit).) New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) – The world's largest physical commodity futures exchange. More than 1. North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) – The oldest international investor protection organization (founded in 1919). Often referred to as the bottom line. to buy or sell a specified quantity of a commodity or other instrument at a specific price within a specified period of time. but not the obligation. and palladium markets – and the COMEX Division. The NASAA was created to protect consumers who purchase securities or investment advice. Trading is conducted through two divisions. Opening Price (O) – The first trade of the day. Options Trading – The buying and selling of contracts which give the buyers the right. showing what that trader has earned (or lost) in a given period of time. regardless of the market price of that instrument (see the chapter 'Trading Stock Options'). (Sometimes called net earnings or net income. New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) – The world's oldest and largest stock exchange. net profit is calculated by subtracting a trader's total expenses from his total revenue. the other order will automatically be cancelled. representing some 60% of the total shares traded in the United States. One-Cancel-Other Order (OCO) – A pair of orders. the preeminent trading forum for energies and precious metals. the NYSE is operated as an unincorporated association with a governing board of directors and a full-time chairman. Transactions executed on the Exchange avoid the risk of counterparty default because the Exchange clearinghouse acts as the counterparty to every trade. 264 . if one order is filled. as expressed in charts.600 companies are listed. platinum. on which all other metals trade.
etc. performance reports generally include such information as records of wins. if the contract price reaches the profit target. total profit.000 in his margin account at all times. Parabolics – A trend-following indicator developed by Welles Wilder which is designed to create a trailing stop. Over-optimized trading strategies are usually ineffective in real-time trading. A profit target is the opposite of a stop loss. This figure will tell you how many dollars you will win for every dollar you lose. then he must maintain a minimum equity of $25. and closing prices of a given security. maximum drawdown." Performance Report – A report which details the effectiveness of a trading strategy. losses. Pivot Points – Technical levels calculated using the high. average winning percentage. 265 . where prices are quoted to the fourth decimal point. Pattern Day Trading Rule – A rule established by the NYSE and NASD in August and September of 2001. Profit Target – The amount of money that traders hope to achieve in a particular trade. low. traders place an order at that price. Once a profit target is determined. Pip – The smallest price change that a given exchange rate can make. The rule states: "If a trader executes four or more day trades within a five-day period. average losing percentage. Profit Factor – A percentage amount often included in a performance report which shows a strategy's gross profit divided by the gross loss.Appendix E – Glossary Over-Optimizing – A term which refers to the optimization of a trading strategy to the extent that the rules of the strategy only produce positive results for the historical data that was used during the design of the strategy.5 or higher. a trading strategy should have a profit factor of 1. Typically. The term 'pip' is most common in the Forex market. the order will automatically take the profits and remove the trader from his position in the market.
Risk tolerance is not based on how traders feel about risk. Many mutual funds contain REIT in their portfolios and there are also several Exchange Traded Funds that include multiple REITs. measurable. emotions. Share – See 'Stock. account size. realistic. REIT companies hold portfolios of properties. Risk Tolerance – The amount of uncertainty that a trader feels comfortable with in situations where there is a possibility of loss. desire for financial security. attractive.' Single Stock Futures (SSF) – A futures contract on a single stock. Rate of Return – The profit or loss on an investment over a certain period of time. This indicator works best in sidewaysmoving markets. or real estate-related assets. Resistance Level – Usually the high or the peak point in any charting pattern (hourly. SMART Goal – A goal that meets all of the criteria referenced in the acronym SMART: specific. 266 . There are about 200 publicly traded REITs. It's an agreement to deliver 100 shares of a specific stock at a set date in the future (the expiration date). or annually). There are a number of factors in determining risk tolerance. etc. weekly. Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) – A security which is bought and sold on major exchanges .much like stocks. the rate of return is expressed as a percentage increase over the initial investment. Resistance is the opposite of support. as expressed in charts. In technical analysis.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Range – The difference between the high price of the day and the low price of the day. resistance is defined as a price area where new selling will emerge to dampen a continued rise. timeframe. including financial goals. Relative Strength Index (RSI) – A trend-fading indicator developed by Welles Wilder which compares the magnitude of a stock's recent gains to the magnitude of its recent losses and turns that information into a number which ranges from 0 to 100.
) Stock – An instrument that signifies ownership (equity) in a corporation and represents a claim on part of the corporation's assets and earnings. if the contract price falls to the level of the stop loss. The value of the company is divided into many shares. The bidding price is the amount at which a market participant is willing to buy a security. Swing traders attempt to exploit short-term price momentum. Stock Trading – The buying and selling of instruments which signify ownership (equity) in a corporation and represent a claim on part of the corporation's assets and earnings (see the chapter 'Trading Stocks'). These shares can be bought or sold (raising or lowering the value of the company).) Stochastics – A momentum indicator developed by Dr. used in technical analysis. support is defined as a price area where new buying is likely to come in and stem any decline. A stop loss is the opposite of a profit target. (Sometimes called the SPY Contract or SPDR. Stock Market – A private or public market for the trading of company stock at an agreed price. the stop order will automatically remove the trader from his position in the market so that he does not lose more money. the asking price is the amount at which a market participant is willing to sell a security. Support Level – Usually the low point in any chart pattern (hourly. weekly.Appendix E – Glossary Spread – The difference between the bidding price and the asking price of a financial instrument. traders set a stop order at that price. 267 . In technical analysis. Companies are given a value by investors. Swing Trading – Buying and selling financial securities in a timeframe of one to four days. Once a stop loss is determined. Stop Loss – The amount of money that traders are willing to lose in a trade. George Lane in the 1950s which compares the closing price of a commodity to its price range over a given time span. (Sometimes called the Stochastics Oscillator. Support is the opposite of resistance. SPYDER Contract – An artificial stock that mirrors the S&P 500 Index. or annually).
trendlines. 30-. typically used in conjunction with stop loss exits and profit-taking exits. and 60-minute. and many other mathematical analysis tools. Confirmed Trend – a price trend that is already confirmed by past market movement. and to help identify trading opportunities. money management. support and resistance levels. 15-. Time Stop – An exit strategy that closes a position after a predefined time if there has not been sufficient movement or direction towards achieving a profit target. Trading platforms can also be webbased. stop losses. 5-. modify. entry/exit signals. profit targets. A trading plan should encompass trading strategies. Trading Plan – The complete outline of a trader's approach to trading. Charts are constructed with the opening. in order to predict future movements in a stock's price. Timeframe – A predefined time interval which is used to draw trading charts. along with how much money should be risked. it's the interface between a trader and his broker. The most commonly used intervals are 1-. Trends – The general direction. Trading Strategy – A predefined set of trading rules that a trader develops prior to trading. high.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Technical Analysis – The study of a stock's trading patterns through the use of charts. Trading Platform – A software package that traders use to place. account size. allowing them to be accessed from any computer without installing software. 10-. A trading strategy is a subset of a trading plan and specifies when to enter and exit a trade. along with daily and weekly. and low prices of the interval. Tick Size – The minimum legal change in the price of a contract. either up or down. indicators. markets. and much more. 3-. in which prices have been moving. 268 . methods. cancel. closing. rules. and monitor orders to buy and sell a security. either upward or downward.
- - - o - Trend Reversal – a change of direction in the price of a contract. Trendline – in charting. (Sometimes called a reversal.) Uptrend – present when prices make a series of higher highs and higher lows. If a trend points down. Uptrend Line – a straight line on the chart of a contract drawn below successive price troughs. Projected Trend – a price trend that is predicted based on past market movement. it is called 'bullish. o Downtrend Line – a straight line on the chart of a contract drawn above successive price peaks.' An uptrend is the opposite of a downtrend. illustrating a downtrend. If a trend points up. Trend Channel – the price path drawn by two parallel trendlines. A violation of the downtrend line can signal a trend reversal. or correction. the more important it becomes. rally. illustrating an uptrend.Appendix E – Glossary Downtrend – present when prices make a series of lower highs and lower lows. A violation of the uptrend line can signal a trend reversal. the more important it becomes. it is called 'bearish. A downtrend line is the opposite of an uptrend line. - 269 . a line drawn across the top or bottom of a price chart indicating the direction or trend of price movement. An uptrend line is the opposite of a downtrend line.' A downtrend is the opposite of an uptrend. The longer the downtrend line has held without violation and the more times it has been tested. The longer the uptrend line has held without violation and the more times it has been tested.
The Complete Guide to Day Trading Trend-Fading – A trading approach which requires traders to sell when prices are trading at an extreme (e. buying the high or selling the low of the last twenty bars. RSI. or other instruments. Williams %R. Williams %R shows the relationship of the close relative to the high-low range over a set period of time. upper band of a channel). (Sometimes called %R. as expressed in charts.) Turtle Trading – A trend-following method developed by Richard Dennis to prove that anybody can learn how to trade. lots. It's a simple breakout system. (Examples: Bollinger Bands. and then try to catch the small move while prices are shifting back into "normalcy. Volatility – A statistical measurement of the rate of price change in futures contracts." The same applies for buying.) Trend-Following – A trading approach which requires traders to buy when prices are going up and sell when prices are going down. Winning percentage is calculated by dividing the number of winning trades by the total number of trades. or contracts traded during the time period between the open of the market and the close of the market.) Winning Percentage – The percentage of a trader's wins. (Examples: Moving Averages. Turtle Trading. 270 . Zero Sum Game – A situation in which one participant can gain only at the expense of another participant's equivalent loss. Williams%R – A trend-fading indicator developed in 1966 by Larry Williams which helps traders identify overbought and oversold positions in the market. securities. MACD. This indicator works best in sideways-moving markets. Volume – A measurement specifying the number of shares.g.
In 2005. and other software. spreads. In 1996. In addition. he's traded on a wide variety of different timeframes: ticks. he's probably traded it. and 5-minute. He moved from Germany to the United States to get started. etc. and European markets. Markus decided to quit his regular day job as a director at IBM to become a professional trader. and weekly.Appendix F – About Markus Heitkoetter As CEO of Rockwell Trading®. 271 . using point and figure charts from published numbers in the morning newspaper. options. OmniTrader. 1-. interest rates. futures. If it's out there. Markus started trading 19 years ago. hourly. Throughout his career. Markus launched Rockwell Trading® to fill the void of quality education that he saw in the trading industry. In 2002. he began developing a number of trading systems by using SuperCharts (which is now TradeStation). daily. MetaStock. foreign markets. forex. Markus Heitkoetter has taught hundreds of investors how to make consistent profits in the U. Markus has traded EVERYTHING: stocks. 3-. commodities. mainly with stocks. He has since coached hundreds of traders and investors to success through his strategies and methods.S.
com.The Complete Guide to Day Trading Markus regularly offers educational webinars for the CME (Chicago Mercantile Exchange). and he's become an expert contributor on ezinearticles. Texas. Eurex. Markus currently resides with his wife and two children in Austin. and FAQTs. FXstreet.com. 272 . Yahoo Answers. he's also written articles on over 500 websites. and other financial companies. Strategy Runner.
we offer education programs for both day traders and investors. Think about it. Trading is no different. or unskilled. practice. Rest assured that when you sign up with Rockwell. Everyone needs guidance and constructive criticism to be successful. a real natural. But he's still got a coach.Appendix G – Coaching Programs Success in anything is based on instruction. regardless of their innate talents. The same applies for all of us traders. and superstars. Our personalized coaching is what sets us apart from our competitors. And do you remember what happened to Tiger Woods when he fired his coaches? It wasn't pretty. 273 . And it's not smart to dive in head-first without practice either. and guidance. of a trader you are . and our courses are based on the three key principles above. At Rockwell Trading®. It's important to take the time and make sure your education covers all the essentials. You're getting something special. Simply learning something from a seminar or a textbook is not enough. He's a phenomenal golfer. Even the athletes. Look at Tiger Woods. All of the best professionals out there have coaches.a coach is essential to your success. geniuses. It doesn't matter how skilled. you're not getting a run-of-the-mill trading course.
then this is the right program for you. If you can spend at least two hours per day following the markets. Rockwell's Day Trading Coach™ Our Day Trading Coach program is perfect for active day traders who are interested in trading the futures and currency markets. We TRAIN our students IN success. too – they are about the constructive guidance. We COACH our students TO success. and the handson application of your new trading habits.though these are important factors. input. and feedback from your coach. Simply put. Practical experience is the most valuable thing you can gain in this industry. Our Day Trading Coach Consists Of: • • • • • • • Four-Week Intensive Training (Coaching Sessions & Practical Application) Easy-To-Use Trading Software (Genesis Trade Navigator) Lifelong Trading Software Updates Unlimited Lifelong Customer Support Five Proven Trading Strategies That Work In Any Market Unlimited MasterMind Forum Access The Strongest Performance Guarantee In The Industry 274 .The Complete Guide to Day Trading Rockwell's coaching programs are not just about listening and notetaking . there is no better way to learn. We TEACH our students ABOUT success. and that's exactly what we provide you with here at Rockwell.
com 275 . then this is the right program for you.rockwelltrading. please visit our website at: www.Appendix G – Coaching Programs Rockwell's Stock Trading Coach™ Our Stock Trading Coach program is perfect for busy professionals who can't follow the markets during regular trading hours. If you're looking to start trading part-time. you will develop and streamline your trading skills and approaches at your own pace through one-on-one coaching sessions and hands-on practice in the markets. For more information. As a Rockwell student. You'll be using end-of-day data and weekly charts to make your trading decisions in the evenings or on the weekend. Our Stock Trading Coach Consists Of: • • • • • • • • Four-Week Intensive Training (Coaching Sessions & Practical Application) Easy-To-Use Trading Software (Genesis Trade Navigator) Lifelong Trading Software Updates Unlimited Lifelong Customer Support Proven Stock Lists Automatically Updated Weekly Up To 100 Demo Accounts For Use Throughout The Program Unlimited MasterMind Forum Access The Strongest Performance Guarantee In The Industry Our Day Trading Coach and Stock Trading Coach programs cater to both novice and experienced traders alike.