Hell no... IMHO, Playing individual equities (Not ETF's or indices) is the very best game of all. Why? Think about who the other market participants are. Long term money is good. Dumb money is better. Futures & options have a lower ratio of long term & dumb money flowing in and out. Forex? The very worst game of all.
These days , trading US futures is like trying to pick pennies infront of a speeding bulldozer. One false move and you're screwed. Thinking of getting back into equities. Btw, I notice ETFs tend to trend better than many other markets, probably because of the dumb herd mentality at work.
besides my other post, i also know 2 other individuals who traded with modest capital ~ 100k up to over 3 million... one of them to over 10 million, but this was during the late nineties. but, they did it quickly... within 3 years both. one of them is giving a lot back (personally saw >10 -100k days on his screen), started and lost his own prop firm, the other quit trading altogether so he really won!
http://www.robbinstrading.com/worldcup/standings.asp The most profitable traders in the competition all participate in futures. Futures can become very profitable only if you get the hang of it! Otherwise you will lose money like throwing water. Easy come! Easy go! In some countries' markets, you can't really daytrade stocks well. The volatility is the main issue. I don't know much about options. I rarely trade them. I also feel they are slow in money generation. Tell me if it's wrong.
they both traded tech stocks in the late 90s. one was a button junkie - which paid off huge during the giant bull. the other i traded with on the same floor with for 6 months and i saw him take positions on only 2 days during this time! it was easier back then. seriously, you could not do this in todays environment... we're talking 96-99... EVERYONE IS A HERO IN A BULL MARKET downgrade your expectations - these are tales of the past.
A raging bull market will never go away. Be prepared for the next ride. PS: In future market, it doesn't matter whether it's bull or bear.
Even though day trading takes a lot of time, it is easier to make real money with it (my opinion only). I am talking about 100% a year plus. What day trading allows you to do is go though a cycle of trades much faster than position trading, this allows you to react to market changing conditions much faster. If course if you re a gambler with no discipline, it is one of the easiest way to be toast. Paul Rotter is great, no questions about it!!!