Day trading has come a long way since its inception. It was introduced in 1975 as an acceptable mode of trading stocks when the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ruled that fixed commission rates, which had been set till then at 1% of the trade, were illegal. This enabled brokers to offer their clients a much reduced commission rate. It also opened up a whole new concept wherein not only brokers could place trades but everyone had the capability to sit in front of a computer and buy and sell stocks all day. From here emerged a whole industry of day trading which subsequently branched out from stocks to other investment instruments, such as futures, options, Forex and commodities.
Day Trading Strategies
There are many day trading strategies. Some follow the same pattern as does broker driven trading while others are unique to day trading. The idea behind day trading is to gain profits by taking advantage of the small price movements in liquid stocks and indexes. One way of doing this is to leverage large amounts of capital which gives the trader additional funds to use for placing trades.
When considering day trading strategies, the first one to look at are the entry strategies. A day trader should first consider selecting stocks that seem ideal for day trading. The liquidity and volatility of the stock are the next things to consider. Liquidity offers the trader the opportunity to enter and exit a stock with a tight spread and at a good price. The volatility of the stock is the measurement of the daily price range within which the stock is expected to move. Greater volatility can lead to greater profit or loss.
There are several ways to identify entry points including technical analysis such as candlestick charts and trend lines. Staying current with financial news can provide important data for market movements. In addition, a day trader can be on the lookout for orders that are coming in from elsewhere and take note of the increasing or decreasing volume of the stock.
Stop Losses
Using stop losses is another important day trading strategy. Most day traders trade on margin this can be quite risky as steep price movements happen constantly. A stop-loss triggers the predetermined price where a trader will stop trading. This price should suit the risk tolerance of the trader. In addition, a day trader can make a mental stop-loss whereby he/she will exit a position if it takes an unexpected move. By predetermining a maximum loss for each trading day, the day trader will feel less tension and stress during the day secure in the knowledge that he will not find himself in a terrible situation at the end of the trading day. Experienced traders will use this day trading strategy; novice traders believe they must make up the loss and instead of ceasing to trade, they take unnecessary risks in order to break even.
Other day trading strategies have developed over time and have become very popular for day traders. Scalping, for example, involves selling immediately after a trade has become profitable, i.e. when the price has gone above or below the target price. When a price rapidly moves upward, a day trader can use Fading to short the stock. This may be risky but offers nice rewards. Daily pivots is a day trading strategy whereby the trader endeavors to buy at the low of the day and sell at the high of the day, taking advantage of the stock's daily volatility. Using momentum when day trading may involve the purchase of stocks based on ongoing news reports and riding out the trend until it begins to reverse. Other momentum traders will watch for a strong trend in either direction and an increased volume and then place a trade.
All of these day trading strategies have enabled traders to increase the volume of their day trading and have provided the ability for more and more day traders to create a full time business from the comfort of their home.
