I go back and fourth on this all the time.. SPY and QQQ for day trading,,, or stocks with catalyst? It appears to me that stocks with a catalyst, like earnings or an upgrade do better. any opinions? oh, and I do options for clarification.
You’re wider-ranged than me: I only go back and third. And you’re really thinking of going full-time?!
I dont trade the indexes but trying to trade individual stocks during a catalyst is tricky and can cause you to pull your hair out. Perfect example is MU today. Spiked up 7% last night when the ER was released then dropped 14% before today was over. It's always a crapshoot.
It depends on what fits your personality. If you like gambling, trade stocks with catalysts. If you like sitting in front of a slot machine, daytrade SPY and QQQ. If you enjoy watching ice cubes melt, trade options. If you want to lose all your savings, become a full-time trader.
Personally I find it very hard to deal with the large price gaps in stock trading between the last close and the current open.