I can count with my fingers the posters here in ET that can scalp the ES intraday and bank consistently. Scalping an instrument like the ES with it's "tight- range rotational nature" will drain your time and money. ES
That's like asking is it possible to make a living playing golf or baseball. Of course it is possible if you have the skills required. A lot of people enjoy and play the sport but few make a living.
Hey I made a living playing BlackJack 35 years ago... until I didn't anymore...So now I go full circle and trade the ES. Never say Never. ES P.S. ES is evil, like me.
I tried that. (Blackjack that is) I guess if you consider free room and meals a living I did alright. Tough to do consistently with out getting barred. ES is a different story, Equity swings are more violent but on the bright side you won't get barred.
Ceasars Palace escorted me out after the dealer warned me about the eye in the sky...The mistake I made was to switch tables too often to get the positive count...pretty stupid eh? I was done in an instant (there went my weekend junkets)...I sat to the left of the dealer and did all the the tricks...I even dressed different, cut my hair....purposely lost by betting the opposite on the count... Not True...FXCM barred me from trading Forex with them (they did not like me arbing in a swap-free account...I am not Muslim)...They are finished now so I can post this. I guess the Futures industry does not even know who I am...and I could never game them with big enough size long enough to get caught, besides they have HFT's doing the dirty work....So I am not worried. But the ES is a thief.. you know that right? ES
More a con man; let you have a little then take a lot once you get confident. Just play the game and take what is given to you and always be prepared to run.
Intraday trading means you have to be at your best all the moments of the day to be profitable. It is a tough job. But it is possible.
There is nothing to fear about manipulated market actually. Look at it from opportunistic point of view and not fearfully. As long as we have done our homework and are smart, why not possible to earn money?