Luckier Than God

Discussion in 'Trading' started by lawrence-lugar, Apr 14, 2017.

  1. How you could have turned $1,000 into billions of dollars by perfectly trading the S&P 500 this year" December 16, 2013
    https://qz.com/157404/how-you-could...rs-by-perfectly-trading-the-sp-500-this-year/

    "there would be only a one-in-3.53 trevigintillion (3.53 x 1072) chance of matching these results."

    a fun, hypothetical, perfect storm scenario;

    [​IMG] :sneaky: o_O
    These percentages are kind of small compared to potential options returns
     
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2017
    vanzandt likes this.
  2. soulfire

    soulfire

    Interesting, but in reality, the trades would no longer be possible once the amount of funds in play becomes large enough to start moving the market/stock traded, making one essentially the market. You then become the "fat whale" that others can front run and trade against.
     
    Simples likes this.
  3. d08

    d08

    It doesn't get any more pointless than this. Be on the right side of SP every day and trade ES with maximum leverage, you'd outperform these results. Not even touching options territory here.
     
    Chubbly and OddTrader like this.
  4. If you double a penny every day........
     
  5. Mtrader

    Mtrader

    What is the result if he takes the worst return every day?

    I think the probability to hit this loss is more favorable than the probability to hit the profits.

    But one thing is clearly the key if you see this unrealistic performance: use compounding, as compounding makes the whole difference between small returns and big returns.
    I know somebody who got rich in producing shoe laces. He had almost no profit in selling 1 pair, but he sold millions every month. So profit multiplied by frequency is the profit you should focus on. if you receive 1 cent but 1 million times every month, you receive $10,000. Much better than make $1,000 profit but only once every month.

    That explains why daytraders (if they are consistently profitable) can make huge returns and buy and hold investors not.
     
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2017
  6. dealmaker

    dealmaker


    In stock traders almanac there are pages that give you market probability calendar....
     
  7. comagnum

    comagnum

    Many of these stocks were in well established up tends and showing stronger retaliative strength than the SP500. Trend & swing traders would have been long on some of these stocks. This is why I trade stocks and not just derivatives, it is much easier to stay involved in a trend when the stocks are much stronger than the market, as is taking smaller positions carefully layering onto winners. Maxing out leverage via futures each day on the index and hoping to be on the right side is why 95% fail (pure greed + hope) - it is very wreckless and goes completely counter to using sound risk mgmt.

    "The longer I trade the more I am convinced that size and risk exposure will determine your trading success in the long term."
     
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2017
    dealmaker likes this.
  8. The almanac is a great book. Every investor should have a copy.
     
    dealmaker likes this.
  9. dealmaker

    dealmaker

    and traders....
     
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2017
    marketsurfer likes this.
  10. No doubt! I have had several great conversations with Yale about god & life-- very articulate and wise man. Despite our differing opinions!
     
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2017
    #10     Apr 15, 2017
    dealmaker likes this.