I have no past experience to relate to when it comes to trading stock index futures. I am sure there are many here with >5 years of experience trading index futures. Looking back at your past records, do you mind sharing if you made more money in short or long positions trading stock index futures? How about when it comes to losing money (more in short or long)?
A good trader should be able to profitly trade on both sides. Also what happened in the past doesn't mean it will project into the future
Many traders I know trade only one side. Stock traders that I know are mostly long only. I don't know enough futures traders to comment. I guess many futures traders will trade both sides since it is as easy to short as it is to long with futures. However, bear market characteristics are different from bull market characteristics. I would expect some traders to specialise on one side. I do notice one characteristics of futures traders that I find peculiar. CTAs performed very well in the bear market of 2008. I wonder why that is so given the catastrophic damage on global stock markets.
The trend on the way down is usually much choppier than trend on the way up. Looks to me much harder to make money.
well,,, studies show that stock based assets (common stock, etfs, index products, etc..) go down 3 times faster then they go up....and boy do we see that now with this mondo extended bull run. I make money on both sides. Although, I love the short side, maybe that is my dark side??... but really I don't care... it is all good short or long