Position - two weeks + Swing - few days to two weeks Intraday scalper - minutes to hours Are these correct, and are there more? I really just need a name in my journal to differentiate 1 hour plays and maybe 12 hour plays (forex), but this is a topic my definitions have always been a bit hazy on anyway. Short answers will do fine. Thanks for your help. -- Greg
I prefer this list... Intraday Scalper - seconds to several minutes Intraday Day Trader - minutes to several hours (no overnight holds) Swing Trader - overnight hold to several days Position Trader - several days to several months Long Term Trader (investor) - several months to years The above is based upon the initial goal prior to entry. However, what actually happens when the position is closed is a different story because the market dictates what happens and not us. Mark
I don't really have a single list. But: A. Trading Environment - Institutional Traders (Dealers, Sales Trader, Execution Traders, Prop. Traders, Hedge Fund Traders)... basically people who trade OPM. - Prop. Traders... traders who trade at firms under an arcade firm. - Independent traders. Who trade their own cash on their own. B. Type of products they trade. - Futures Traders - Equities Traders - Forex Traders - Interest Rate ... etc. etc. depending on what they trade C. The style they trade. - Outright - Stat. Arb. - Market Makers. - Floor - Scalping - Swing - Trend Follower - Rebate - Edge Manipulation (like SOES Bandits) etc. etc. etc. Honestly, there's no definition for what a trader is... If a person places an order in the market under any circumstances, they can be considered a trader...
I think the primary distinction that should be made before getting into the time frames or methods is whether or not the trader is a "discretionary trader who makes his own trading decisions and succeeds or fails based on his own level of expertise, drive, discipline and training." A "trader" at Goldman pretty much does as he's told, and is paid based on how well he executes orders per the alog's or other predetermined set of circumstances. An OTC "market maker" makes money for his firm from the order flow he receives. On the other side, independent traders who risk their own money on the Floor in the CBOT futures pit, or making markets on the CBOE are, in my mind, true traders who live or die by their skill set. As far as "screen traders" go (which, obviously our 400+ traders are in this category).....I think a good combination of strategies and techniques vs. pigeon holing a trader into one specific type of trading, better represents the overall successful trader. A good trader will adapt to the market(s) and use his skill set in various areas of trading. FWIW, Don