the point is, now moves are much smaller- gone are the days of 25-50 cent bid/ask spreads and rapid multiple dollar moves in stocks. the big moves are harder to come by, therefore, it is necessary, trading shorter time frames, to use more size...... I understand that you can swing trade ok on 200-300 lots, but you've got to capture a damn big swing to make it worth your while....
Well not everyone scalps for 5-10 cents with 2000-5000 shares although the prop firms would love that. Some like to clip 50 cent plus moves that are kinda sorta still around, ehhhh. GS had one today but the slippage is rough with that asshole. Anyway, it was quite easy to make some great cash before Feb with under 500 share lots.
Once I sold short 200 shares of DNA on ISLD (somebody came bidding over there), had over 2 mil dol. profit on the trade, you do the math and tell me the price. We took the picture of my P&L on a dig. camera, but I can't find it right now. They broke the trade in half an hour or so, of course.
theres nothing wrong with trading 200 share lots. some stocks are so volitile and thin, you have to operate on small lots (CEPH, FAST) and others have so little price movement you need come in with 1000 share lots. it all depends on the stock and your strategy. i'll admit, there are times when i go to even 100 share lots. even then, scaling in and out works. -m.o.