Call me old school, I always go to where the volatility is, tracking just under 100 instruments. I would sure hate for my yearly performance to depend only on the lethargic S&P500. If your going to trade only 1 instrument and like stock indexes, I think your far better off with the NQ - its avg daily price range is two fold of the ES with trading costs less than half. NQ is traded by large financial institutions: hedge funds, banks, pension plans, and yea even the central bank at times. I think it can handle you trade size also. 1996 -2018 (27 years)
Comagnum, Why are trading costs less than half in the NQ? From what I can see the "all in" RT's are the same rates as the ES? ES is less volatile but $50/point vs NQ at $20/point seems the same. Perhaps scalping the NQ might be easier than the Es as it has more pronounced trends for less bang for the buck per point. Maybe the NQ is less manipulated than the ES? ES
YM is hot at the moment, really big strong Momo moves, jump on and ride for 50pts or more, downside if you get stuck on the wrong side it hurts you move, if you can't exit quickly. ES I've never liked, it's too rangey and choppy, newbies like it, cause it likely won't move to far against you, before chopping back to a profit point, but some times it'll still go off on a mission and wipe you, if that's how your playing it. YM might not be hot next week, might be all about Oil or Forex, adapt quickly to what is hot, or isn't if your a chop/range player. I'm a chop/range player, but adapting as I like the profit potential of YM, so I've moved from trading what is slow and safe, to what is hot and scarey!!
comagnum, After reading your post I think I am going to switch to NQ if your post is correct. But....I am struggling to understand your chart and your statement. I would sure hate for my yearly performance to depend only on the lethargic S&P500. If your going to trade only 1 instrument and like stock indexes, I think your far better off with the NQ - its avg daily price range is two fold of the ES with trading costs less than half. The NQ is $5.00 a tick so the price change is larger. The ES is $12.50/tick. The commish, exchange fees, NFA...etc for retail traders is the same cost. Can you help me understand? ES
Nobody is constistent, it's a good run then stuff changes then some losses then your realise adapt and get back to profiting again deal. 3 weeks on, 1 week off basically, trying for better.