The poll doesn't seem to be working so just write it out -- breakout/momentum trader? news/gappers? Resistance/support? use a ton of indicators, ma's to scalp? None of above (then which?)
A lousy one but getting better all the time. I hope In all seriousness, I think I'm a bit of everything. I take advantage of situations news, momentum, gaps or whatever opportunity I see.
Swing trader (Few days) Reversal to the mean - 2 long only systems Hedge long only systems by shorting ETFs when certain market conditions occur. No surprise , with current market up bias, long only systems work reasonably well. (System 1: YTD +30.5%, System 2 (IRA): YTD +10.5%, Hedge (Short) - 0.5%).
Couldn't get the poll to work? My guess is that the majority, population-wise, will be index futures day traders who trade small moves. Followed by retail traders and mechanical traders who use all types of TA, then prop traders and new guys hired into chop shops who pound on keys all day and scalp, then belligerent paper traders who try every style. I am in the prop group and mainly do technical setups with tape reading for entries on a set of stocks I play every day. Occasionally switch out for sector plays based on momentum setups in sector charts or rare news events I think I can read well (easier said than done). I just use emas, ADX, and some volume indicators. Nothing fancy. I have yet to get good at fading moves over and over, like the mean reversion strategy guys. Over time I am starting to get a feeling inside this will be the better way to go in the future, at least intraday. I branch out into directional swing strategies, although someday I'd like to work out a set of mean reversion, momentum, and trend mechanical systems that I could just switch on depending on market conditions. That'll take years of study though, and I haven't yet created a structure for pursuing that.
Some of us are forced into the way we trade. I daytrade futures for the simple reason that I dont have a large enough account (yet) to do anything else except forex which would be jumping from the frying pan into the fire, imo. I look for one or two classical patterns a day. A flag or a double top or bottom, primarily. I also like ascending and descending triangles. They all work but its hard to have the patience to wait for the obvious ones. The more patient I become the better I do.
s/r is an important part of trading no matter what "kind" of trader you are. How else would one judge entry/ exit? Me personally like #'s 1 and 2. I use indicators too, but i dont scalp.