1% a week

Discussion in 'Journals' started by tradestrong, Aug 26, 2007.

Are 1% gains per week realistic?

  1. Very much so

    90 vote(s)
    64.7%
  2. Not at all

    6 vote(s)
    4.3%
  3. Maybe

    28 vote(s)
    20.1%
  4. Unlikely

    15 vote(s)
    10.8%
  1. donnap

    donnap

    "I would personally shoot for 3% a week. Why not make more???"

    It's a risk management thing. You take on more risk to go from 1% to 3%.

    The thread starter stated that it would be a mechinical approach. That implies discipline or a fully automated system. If discipline is used - I'm hoping for a commentary on how that aspect goes.

    Discipline is what I work on and I'm getting good at it - except when I lose my mind.:eek:
     
    #11     Sep 3, 2007
  2. vectors101

    vectors101 Guest

    I can make 60% with ONE TRADE and still have a 40 hour week REAL JOB.




     
    #12     Sep 3, 2007
  3. cassidpp

    cassidpp

    "I can make 60% with ONE TRADE and still have a 40 hour week REAL JOB."



    what instruments do you trade?
     
    #13     Sep 3, 2007
  4. mde2004

    mde2004

    Not index funds dumb ass.

    Options and Futures for those kind of gains in one day.
     
    #14     Sep 3, 2007
  5. asap

    asap

    mostly valium to enter the trade and prozac after closing it.
    :D
     
    #15     Sep 3, 2007
  6. I think 1% a week is very possible, given the management and concerns listed previously.

    I personally shoot for 3-7% a month, trading options and the underlying. With enough BP and low enough fees, it can be done.

    NYCDT
     
    #16     Sep 3, 2007
  7. donnap

    donnap

    60% total return - wow - not bad.

    I sometimes make large percentage gains say 100% or greater on investment - but then I'm risking only a small portion of my account.

    To make 1% a week average total return on your account is a lofty goal IMHO.

    BTW, I also trade YM and ES. I wouldn't hazard a percentage return on those kinds of trades since the leverage is so great

    Total return - how much did my account go up this week?
     
    #17     Sep 3, 2007
  8. Thanks persistentTradr and thanks for your spreadsheet!

    Each trade actually has two different risk/reward ratios.

    One has a higher winning percentage with smaller gains and larger losses, while the other has a lower winning percentage with at least a 2-1 reward to risk ratio.

    So the 3% stop you see is on my lower percentage winner where is the smaller gain is on my higher percentage winner. So my trades will be scaled for each position.

    I actually plan on statistically defining my trades much better too, so right now, I have a very simple mechanical approach which I will fine-tune as I collect more data. So initially, my goal even will probably not be met, but hopefully in time, I will approach it.

    Thanks for your support!
     
    #18     Sep 3, 2007
  9. My Trades for the week:

    9/4
    Shorted BBY at 44.25
    Sold rest of Matk at 27.49 for 2.6% gain

    9/5
    Covered half of BSC at 112.50 for 3% loss
    Covered half of BBY at 43.14 for 2.57% gain

    9/6
    Covered rest of BSC at 106.55 for 2.49% gain

    9/7
    Long IHS at 50.99


    Percent gain on the week for positions held is 4.66%

    I've almost finished automating my system, so hopefully I will have that up and running next week.

    Goals for next week:
    Optimize statistical analysis of trades for better risk/reward ratios.
     
    #19     Sep 7, 2007
  10. cassidpp

    cassidpp

    hi tradestrong,


    Just wondering what brokerage your going to go with and what platform you're using. I was going to develop an ATS using JSystemTrader though now I am looking at OpenQuant.

    P.
     
    #20     Sep 8, 2007