That's your opinion. But it's money to be made in intraday trading.. BTW if the long term chart is easier and reliable to predict how come everyone isn't rich yet? Something to think about.. You said it not me.
The long term vs short term thing is interesting. Look at the Dax, it's making all time highs at the moment, but how many traders rode it all the way up from 4000 in early 2009 ....? And did many day traders in the Dax outperform the longer term rally in terms of points ?
I met a trader recently who has ridden the dax from 6000 to where it is now! Unfortunately he is short, not long lol
We can all look at any historical chart and tell you where "someone" would've made beaucoup bucks if they bought that low or sold that high. You guys are silly. Since you long term swingers know how to do this, please tell me right now what I should with what instrument(s) as a swing trader that will net me at least $80K over the next 12 months. Keep in mind I have to pay those expenses monthly, so I'll need instructions that allow me to do that. Now we'll see how smart you anti-day-traders are...
"You're including all those who held on while the DAX dropped 2500pts two years ago, right?" I don't quite follow you. I was just asking a genuine question, have many regular short term traders outperformed the index during its huge rally. I don't trade the Dax these days, too stressful for me but for those who trade trade it it's a fantastic mover.
Unless you assume that somebody bought at the bottom and is still in and unless you know how many, if anyone, held on when the DAX plummeted 2500pts, the question is unanswerable. Even someone who applied Dow Theory principles -- which can be approximated using MAXOs -- would do better than buy-and-hold.