Now you're being obnoxious. LOL What, you want me to say its "skill". Puhleez. Maybe after your 10,000 posts.
Notice the part where firms place their computers next to the market computers!! This story is over nine years old...Speed is SO MUCH FASTER now. Let ALL new traders beware... https://theweek.com/articles/493238/wall-streets-secret-advantage-highspeed-trading
First, HFTs are mainly competing against themselves. So even if HFT is front running your orders, it shouldn't matter much as long as you use limit orders. Second, front running is totally different issue from what the OP brought to the table, which is more about gunning stops and reversing.
Not so fast, sez one who you're calling a noob. He, on the other hand, sez he's got skills. So be a man and give the dude the benefit of the doubt.
I tend to agree with you. In day trading, I stare at price action enough to actually able to detect such action.
It seem like (from his post) high-speed trading—also called HFT, was not know to him... I could be wrong...Just taking the post for face value.
It doesn't matter if you are a day trader or a swing trader. Make sure you trade high liquidity products. For HFT, you have to adjust your programs as and when necessary. Finally, if you have an irrational fear of HFT, better to back off from trading totally. HFT, day traders, swing traders, investors, small traders, big traders .... are all here to earn money. So you have have knowledge skills ability, 3Ms .... to earn $$$$. If not, you will lose $$$$. And if you lose $$$$, blame yourself, & don't blame HFT.
Hey! "Smart money" refers to big players like banks who manipulate prices to trigger stop-loss orders and access liquidity. I just say my opinion.