win/loss ratio is 17:13 with about 4-5 of the 13 losses stemming from shakeouts. Winners on average are about 1.2% while losers run 0.9% on average. The % returns are already commissions- reduced. Looking back at my record, I did notice that the % gain for winners has been coming down... I'm not letting winners run as well as I used to. I guess partially because I'm in a hurry to take the gains to make up for those shakeouts, which isnt right. It's a good thing I reviewed this. And now that we're here, what's a good exercise to develop so as not to get out of good winners. I used to have quite a bit of 3-4% gainers, but lately they're down to 1-2% tops, while others I let fall back into 0.2-0.5%.
Your ratios are pretty good. Where's the problem? Of course your not getting enough on your trades. Nobody does. As for your exits, that is a science in itself and there is lots of literature on the subject. I target the nearest s/r and try to get out a tick or two before it gets there. About half the time it continues on through the s/r and I frown, about half the time it reverses and I smile.
My time frame can vary anywhere from 5 min to almost all day depending on the type of stock. On my news plays if the volume is heavy enough I will often add to my position and try and survive the shakeouts as long as the trend continues. I have no hard rules, so it is hard to explain my time frames. I mostly just watch the momentum and if it stalls I will be prepared to exit, but I will give it a little room to avoid being taken out. On some of my larger NASDAQ stock trades I will normally exit as soon as the volume slows down and will be prepared to reenter the trade if it was just a short term consolidation. Again I would like to mention that their are some markets such as last week where playing breaks is very difficult. I would do best to avoid these type of days, but I usually end up trying to trade larger position sizes within the range. Like last week this usually ends up making me nothing and my broker rich.