Knowing when not to trade.

Discussion in 'Trading' started by Runningbear, Mar 7, 2003.

  1. I personally think that everyday is a good day to trade. You might have to look harder, set your stops tighter, and trade with smaller size, but if you look hard enough, I think you can always find something to trade.
     
    #31     Mar 11, 2003
  2. Ken_DTU

    Ken_DTU

    exactly, Brandon - good points.

    my first few years, too -- "seeing myself as a trader" meant I should look for trades every day, all day long. self image of "hey you're a trader so you're supposed to try and trade all day every day" a la typical 9-to-5 mentality work ethic. that's wrong.

    In time, I also realized, it's more a matter of shifting much of your workload to premarket each day, and trading hard during the isolated strong volatility times each week (maybe a total of 2-3 hours of time out of every 32.5 hrs/week the market's open) and sitting out the rest.

    that was very hard for me to learn. the simple concept of matching your trading style to the isolated 20-minute high-volatility times that exist each week and not trying to trade the rest of the time... very much a 'hit and run' type of approach.

    That, and "it's ok" to keep your technicals simple and strong, looking for volume open range breakouts in strong sectors, using the trin more closely.



    ken
     
    #32     Mar 11, 2003