The last three days volatility aside: Do you trade the 12-2 pm timeframe? Do you skip any specific "lunchtime period" due to lower volume? Do you trade the last 15 minutes?
Yes lunch time trading can be tricky as well as end of the day trading. If you are a newer trader I would be very carefull around these times of day. I will only trade them if the adx is above 20 or there is a defined breakout of a trading range.
Thanks for that feedback - volume just shrinks during 12-1, sometimes 12-2. Then again, volume looks low after the first two hours each of the last three days
Sponge - I only trade the YM till 12:30pm at the latest. Most trading is done by Noon unless a trade is carrying over into the noon hour.
I'm starting to see the wisdom of ending the trading day at lunch - plenty of action in the first few hours lately!
Look for break outs.... Or as I call them Drifts....b/c the price drifts sloly then picks up steam into any particular direction.
>Do you trade the 12-2 pm timeframe? No this is what we refer to as the 'deadzone' Plus, isn't it nice to have a break? Take a walk. Clear your head! >Do you skip any specific "lunchtime period" due to lower volume? Also check out http://www.puretick.com/dzd.html I keep a journal of all my trades. My deadzone record doesn't have a high win rate. While it is not totally hanis, I still would rather take it off if im not going to make money. >Do you trade the last 15 minutes? The time frame from 9:45 to 11:30 tend to be the most prosperous. I stay out the last half hour usually unless something very juicy is setting up.
I have to agree with Spectra... 12 - 2 PM in YM can be very boring and generally non-productive. But like a good trader, I don't walk away (for the entire time). FWIW, it is during this time, and this time only, I use an indicator (a very fast ATR applied on a fast tf) in attempt to capture the mood AS the action returns. The last 15 - 30 minutes of the day, nope. Not unless, as Spectra says, something juicy. Osorico [not associated in any way with Spectra or Puretick]
Friday's lunchtime lull had a suddend cascade down - doesn't take much volume between 12-2 pm to make the market move
Volume has finally picked up again on the ym, after I switched to the es. If it is not doing 150,000/day on average I will not trade it at any time. It had drifted down to sub 100k in Jan.