Trade Frequency
Although collectively called day trading, there are many styles within day trading. A day trader is actively searching for potential trading setups (that is, any stock or other financial instruments that, in the judgment of the day trader, is in a tension state, ready to accelerate in price in either direction, that when traded well has a potential for a substantial profit). Depending on whether one is trading with or without a consultant / coach, the trading system (game - old or new school), strategy, tactics, lot size traded, the number of trades you can make per day are unlimited, as well the profits, as well the losses.
Some day traders focus on very short-term trading within the trading day, in which a trade may last just a few minutes. Day traders may buy and sell many times in a trading day and may receive trading fee discounts from their broker for this trading volume.
Some day trader’s focus only on price momentum, others on technical patterns, and still others on an unlimited number of strategies they feel can be profitable.
Day traders exit positions before the market closes to avoid any and all unmanageable risks --- negative price gaps (differences between the previous day's close and the next day's open bull price) at the open --- overnight price movements against the position held. Day traders, like all traders, have their rules.
Other traders believe they should let the profits run, so it is acceptable to stay with a position after the market closes.
Day traders sometimes borrow money to trade. This is called margin trading. Since margin interests are typically only charged on overnight balances, there is no cost to the day trader for the margin benefit.
Profit and Risks
Because of the nature of financial leverage and the rapid returns that are possible, day trading can be either extremely profitable or extremely unprofitable, and high-risk profile traders can generate either huge percentage returns or huge percentage losses. Some day traders manage to earn millions per year solely by day trading.
Because of the high profits (and losses) that day trading makes possible, these traders are sometimes portrayed as "bandits" or "gamblers" by other investors. Some individuals, however, make a consistent living from day trading.
Nevertheless day trading can be very risky, especially if any of the following is present while trading:
• trading a loser's game/system rather than a game that's at least winnable,
• trading with poor discipline (ignoring your own day trading strategy, tactics, rules),
• inadequate risk capital with the accompanying excess stress of having to "survive",
• Incompetent money management (i.e. executing trades poorly).
The common use of buying on margin (using borrowed funds) amplifies gains and losses, such that substantial losses or gains can occur in a very short period of time. In addition, brokers usually allow bigger margins for day traders. Where overnight margins required to hold a stock position are normally 50% of the stock's value, many brokers allow pattern day trader accounts to use levels as low as 25% for intraday purchases. This means a day trader with the legal minimum Rs25,000 in his or her account can buy Rs100,000 worth of stock during the day, as long as half of those positions are exited before the market close. Because of the high risk of margin use, and of other day trading practices, a day trader will often have to exit a losing position very quickly, in order to prevent a greater, unacceptable loss, or even a disastrous loss, much larger than his or her original investment, or even larger than his or her total assets.
Monday, December 29, 2008
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