Why Day trading is Tough and only 2-3% are successful

#21
day trading is what they called trading " noise" , swing trader/positional trader/investor filter out noise from their system , and a daytrader trades that noise , odds are heavily against , its like snatching meat from Lion's jaws :lol:
In terms of the retail participant, successful day traders are the most elite group in the markets.They are highly skilled, disciplined traders, who use risk based methodologies. it is a level of financial mastery that most will never achieve, but millions desire.Actually there is a small number of day traders - maybe 1% - who make money day trading.
Nice Write up Teacher G..........TR I have Seen one psychological factor in my early trading life.........When I was jobless I took 10k from my father for trading, I was wipe out in 10 days ...again I took 10k again I wipe out.........5 times I was wipe out in a two month.....then my father refuse me to give money............So I decided I will sell my property ........I sold and go to bank did a FD of 5 lacs for monthly income.......(FD monthly income advice given by My Guru) then I started day tarding with the amount of 50k....with same method same TA............and I sirvived and recover 50k with in six month.....I belive if you don't have back up earnigs.....your wipe out chances in day trading is so high.....:thumb:
 

TraderRavi

low risk profile
#22
Nice Write up Teacher G..........TR I have Seen one psychological factor in my early trading life.........When I was jobless I took 10k from my father for trading, I was wipe out in 10 days ...again I took 10k again I wipe out.........5 times I was wipe out in a two month.....then my father refuse me to give money............So I decided I will sell my property ........I sold and go to bank did a FD of 5 lacs for monthly income.......(FD monthly income advice given by My Guru) then I started day tarding with the amount of 50k....with same method same TA............and I sirvived and recover 50k with in six month.....I belive if you don't have back up earnigs.....your wipe out chances in day trading is so high.....:thumb:
2nd para hum nahi likha hun , from a daytraders blog.
 

jagankris

Well-Known Member
#24
Some gems to me from great Traders in 2011
-----------------------------------------------------
Futures First Prop trading Manager - A good trader should be able to make money in any day any market conditions irrespective of trending or range bound with 1 lot given and no additional capital given to add positions in the trending markets.
YOUR MISTAKE IS MY MONEY. :D
Master one Just NIFTY or CRUDE.

Smart Trade:- Wait for right opportunities.
A good trader will adapt himself to changing market conditions.
Have trading plan for at least 6 strategies and know when to use which strategy.

AW10:- Money for living could be made in trading patterns or candle stick patterns, pullbacks,retracements,or breakouts patiently waiting for the same in higher time frames.
Trade when the momentum in multiple time frames favors a direction.
i.e wait for high probability low risk higher time frame trades and enter in high volumes,Instead of trying to trade continuously irrespective of the market conditions.
I have clear rules to differentiate trend and Non trending zones and follow religiously.

TRADE THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CHART
ALWAYS LOOK FOR LOW RISK ENTRIES

Raunak Agarwal - Position yourself as swing trader and trade only high probability low risk opportunities and Higher time frames. Have sufficient capital and have risk and MM rules.
Use P&F charts which will help to avoid trading the non trending zone.

Veluri:- Trade higher time frames and position yourself as swing trader. Trade price action - the flow method by Saint.

Anurag Munjal:-
Never bother about the capital - Money could be made in jobbing.

Linkon:- Wait for trending phase and trade in volumes. Avoid trading in the range bound market.
 

narangji

Well-Known Member
#25
Reposting one images posted in my thread.
Why do Average Day traders make losses?


You just ended up describing me.

Steps taken by me so far to overcome this problem

1 learning TA from various online sources
2 preparing a system for trading
3 reading various books to understand phycology
4 developed money management system
5 barred myself from trading until my guru gives me a green light
6 currently reading ytc to decide trade area and entry point

Hopefully iam on right track
Wish me luck
 
#26
great post from some unsung TJ members


1. Get Your Mind Right

2. Always cut your losses and let your profits run. Take small losses and large wins.

3. Trail stop loss. Don't let a profitable trade turn to a looser.

4. Trade as per plan. Don't trade unless you know where you should get in and where you should get out.

5. Always use protective stop to limit your losses.

6. Learn to be patient. Don't trade impulsively. Wait for the right opportunities and setup.

7. If the reason you entered the trade is no longer valid, get out.

8. Do your own homework. Keep ready long/short levels to enter trade. Make use of system to inform you when the target entry/exit price is there for the taking.

9. Be open to research.

10. Give time to your sytem to work. If your method of trading is working, don't keep changing it.

11. Remember the market is never too high or low to buy or sell.

12. Be disciplined. A trader has periods of profit or losses. Don't let the losses get to you psychologically.

13. No indicator that is a 100% right all the time. Use common sense along with your method of trading. If your indicators are telling you one thing but the market is obviously doing something else, listen to the market.

14. Remember the golden rule - The market is always right.

15. Never risk all in a trade/trades. Max. loss on open positions should never be more than 5% of capital. Close all loosing positions immediately if this loss level is reached.

16. Don't overstrech your capital. Trade markets you are sufficiently capitalized for.

17. Never trade with money you cannot afford to lose.

18. If you hit your target profit, take it, or atleast protect with trailing stop loss.

19. Don't revenge trade and try to make up for all your losses in one trade.

20. Don't blindly follow someone else's recommendations or tips.

21. If there are few consecutive days of losses or there are a row of loosing trades, take a break for a few days or weeks. Trade only when you are in the right psychological frame of mind.

22. Don't trade to many markets. It's better to be an expert in one market than a novice in many.

23. If there is a margin call, it means something went wrong with your trade, and exit the trade.

24. Don't take losses personally.

25. Most important, have a life besides trading. If you are not happy with life in general, you will not be in the right frame of mind to be trading.
 
#27
Take a challenge. Buy when price closes above 5 SMA, set your stop at 2 ATR on your trading Timeframe. If you are trading on 5 min TF, put ATR indicator on chart below with 15 periods. Your exit point is SL. If Stop Loss is hit, and the price already crossed down 5 SMA reverse your trade then and there. Remember a twist to the challenge. If your trade moves 6 ATRs in favour, you should exit the trade with a profit. The rule here is - You MUST loose on every single trade continuously 100 times. Fix in advance, how much you want to loose on each trade. You MUST book your losses exactly at fixed level. Remember that you should not book profit even in a single trade...but only losses. In case, if you happened to exit at 6 ATRs favourable move and booked profit, you MUST restart from trade one. Trading secret will be revealed.:)

Challenge Accepted and lost :lol:


PHP:
Sr.		Trade				Date									Date	
 1	Short @	7,985	01 October 2014		Exit @	7,830	13 October 2014
 2	Long @	7,864	13 October 2014		Exit @	7,837	16 October 2014
 3	Short @	7,837	16 October 2014		Exit @	7,778	17 October 2014
 4	Long @	7,816	17 October 2014		Exit @	8,078	29 October 2014
 5	Short @	8,357	03 November 2014		Exit @	8,376	05 November 2014
 6	Long @	8,376	05 November 2014		Exit @	8,336	07 November 2014
 7	Short @	8,336	07 November 2014		Exit @	8,363	07 November 2014
 8	Long @	8,363	07 November 2014		Exit @	8,529	24 November 2014
 9	Short @	8,522	25 November 2014		Exit @	8,550	28 November 2014
10	Long @	8,550	28 November 2014		Exit @	8,526	08 December 2014
11	Short @	8,526	08 December 2014		Exit @	8,381	10 December 2014
12	Long @	8,404	10 December 2014		Exit @	8,359	11 December 2014
13	Short @	8,359	11 December 2014		Exit @	8,145	16 December 2014
14	Long @	8,179	16 December 2014		Exit @	8,125	16 December 2014
15	Short @	8,125	16 December 2014		Exit @	8,172	18 December 2014
16	Long @	8,172	18 December 2014		Exit @	8,416	02 January 2015
17	Short @	8,435	02 January 2015		Exit @	8,468	02 January 2015
18	Long @	8,468	02 January 2015		Exit @	8,448	05 January 2015
19	Short @	8,448	05 January 2015		Exit @	8,300	06 January 2015
20	Long @	8,151	07 January 2015		Exit @	8,450	15 January 2015
21	Short @	8,490	15 January 2015		Exit @	8,547	16 January 2015
22	Long @	8,547	16 January 2015		Exit @	8,754	21 January 2015
23	Short @	8,730	21 January 2015		Exit @	8,757	22 January 2015
24	Long @	8,757	22 January 2015		Exit @	8,927	27 January 2015
25	Short @	8,926	28 January 2015		Exit @	8,998	30 January 2015
26	Long @	8,998	30 January 2015		Exit @	8,958	30 January 2015
27	Short @	8,922	30 January 2015		Exit @	8,627	09 February 2015
28	Long @	8,620	10 February 2015		Exit @	8,567	10 February 2015
29	Short @	8,567	10 February 2015		Exit @	8,593	10 February 2015
30	Long @	8,625	10 February 2015		Exit @	9,015	02 March 2015
31	Short @	8,958	02 March 2015		Exit @	9,017	03 March 2015
32	Long @	9,017	03 March 2015		Exit @	8,959	04 March 2015
33	Short @	8,959	04 March 2015		Exit @	8,635	19 March 2015
34	Long @	8,623	20 March 2015		Exit @	8,610	20 March 2015
35	Short @	8,610	20 March 2015		Exit @	8,340	26 March 2015
36	Long @	8,471	27 March 2015		Exit @	8,414	27 March 2015
37	Short @	8,414	27 March 2015		Exit @	8,444	27 March 2015
38	Long @	8,444	27 March 2015		Exit @	8,763	08 April 2015
39	Short @	8,734	09 April 2015		Exit @	8,781	09 April 2015
40	Long @	8,781	09 April 2015		Exit @	8,757	09 April 2015
41	Short @	8,757	09 April 2015		Exit @	8,786	09 April 2015
42	Long @	8,786	09 April 2015		Exit @	8,739	16 April 2015
43	Short @	8,739	16 April 2015		Exit @	8,502	20 April 2015
44	Long @	8,476	21 April 2015		Exit @	8,414	21 April 2015
45	Short @	8,414	21 April 2015		Exit @	8,474	22 April 2015
46	Long @	8,474	22 April 2015		Exit @	8,423	23 April 2015
47	Short @	8,423	23 April 2015		Exit @	8,183	30 April 2015

Dear Suri,

Thanks for sharing a interesting exercise.
Sorry for being Noob.
Can you please explain the strategy part with simple chart the atr part ? 2ATR and 6ATR ?
Should I use ATR stop indicator ?
How to decide upon if 6ATR is reached ?

After entry say long and the signal reverses to short before reaching the 6ATR but still a profitable trade what one should do ?

or After a long entry the signal reverses to short but stop is not hit ? should one wait for stops to hit ?
TIA.
What I did was used 2 horizontal Lines on chart one for SL and one for TGT . . .

Adjusted them manually on the entry bar . . .

As we wait for the SL to hit quite a few whipsaws are avoided . . .

Experimented with different values of Factor for Stop/Profit the above one is with NF on 15 Minutes with Stop = 2 * ATR and Profit Stop = 12 * ATR :D


Total 47 Trades, Was successful to Lose some points on 30 of them :)

But even with only 17 Winners, total gain was about 2900+ points :mad:

cost or slippage not considered



Thanks
 
Last edited:

amandeep86

Well-Known Member
#28
Challenge Accepted and lost :lol:


PHP:
Sr.		Trade				Date									Date	
 1	Short @	7,985	01 October 2014		Exit @	7,830	13 October 2014
 2	Long @	7,864	13 October 2014		Exit @	7,837	16 October 2014
 3	Short @	7,837	16 October 2014		Exit @	7,778	17 October 2014
 4	Long @	7,816	17 October 2014		Exit @	8,078	29 October 2014
 5	Short @	8,357	03 November 2014		Exit @	8,376	05 November 2014
 6	Long @	8,376	05 November 2014		Exit @	8,336	07 November 2014
 7	Short @	8,336	07 November 2014		Exit @	8,363	07 November 2014
 8	Long @	8,363	07 November 2014		Exit @	8,529	24 November 2014
 9	Short @	8,522	25 November 2014		Exit @	8,550	28 November 2014
10	Long @	8,550	28 November 2014		Exit @	8,526	08 December 2014
11	Short @	8,526	08 December 2014		Exit @	8,381	10 December 2014
12	Long @	8,404	10 December 2014		Exit @	8,359	11 December 2014
13	Short @	8,359	11 December 2014		Exit @	8,145	16 December 2014
14	Long @	8,179	16 December 2014		Exit @	8,125	16 December 2014
15	Short @	8,125	16 December 2014		Exit @	8,172	18 December 2014
16	Long @	8,172	18 December 2014		Exit @	8,416	02 January 2015
17	Short @	8,435	02 January 2015		Exit @	8,468	02 January 2015
18	Long @	8,468	02 January 2015		Exit @	8,448	05 January 2015
19	Short @	8,448	05 January 2015		Exit @	8,300	06 January 2015
20	Long @	8,151	07 January 2015		Exit @	8,450	15 January 2015
21	Short @	8,490	15 January 2015		Exit @	8,547	16 January 2015
22	Long @	8,547	16 January 2015		Exit @	8,754	21 January 2015
23	Short @	8,730	21 January 2015		Exit @	8,757	22 January 2015
24	Long @	8,757	22 January 2015		Exit @	8,927	27 January 2015
25	Short @	8,926	28 January 2015		Exit @	8,998	30 January 2015
26	Long @	8,998	30 January 2015		Exit @	8,958	30 January 2015
27	Short @	8,922	30 January 2015		Exit @	8,627	09 February 2015
28	Long @	8,620	10 February 2015		Exit @	8,567	10 February 2015
29	Short @	8,567	10 February 2015		Exit @	8,593	10 February 2015
30	Long @	8,625	10 February 2015		Exit @	9,015	02 March 2015
31	Short @	8,958	02 March 2015		Exit @	9,017	03 March 2015
32	Long @	9,017	03 March 2015		Exit @	8,959	04 March 2015
33	Short @	8,959	04 March 2015		Exit @	8,635	19 March 2015
34	Long @	8,623	20 March 2015		Exit @	8,610	20 March 2015
35	Short @	8,610	20 March 2015		Exit @	8,340	26 March 2015
36	Long @	8,471	27 March 2015		Exit @	8,414	27 March 2015
37	Short @	8,414	27 March 2015		Exit @	8,444	27 March 2015
38	Long @	8,444	27 March 2015		Exit @	8,763	08 April 2015
39	Short @	8,734	09 April 2015		Exit @	8,781	09 April 2015
40	Long @	8,781	09 April 2015		Exit @	8,757	09 April 2015
41	Short @	8,757	09 April 2015		Exit @	8,786	09 April 2015
42	Long @	8,786	09 April 2015		Exit @	8,739	16 April 2015
43	Short @	8,739	16 April 2015		Exit @	8,502	20 April 2015
44	Long @	8,476	21 April 2015		Exit @	8,414	21 April 2015
45	Short @	8,414	21 April 2015		Exit @	8,474	22 April 2015
46	Long @	8,474	22 April 2015		Exit @	8,423	23 April 2015
47	Short @	8,423	23 April 2015		Exit @	8,183	30 April 2015



What I did was used 2 horizontal Lines on chart one for SL and one for TGT . . .

Adjusted them manually on the entry bar . . .

As we wait for the SL to hit quite a few whipsaws are avoided . . .

Experimented with different values of Factor for Stop/Profit the above one is with NF on 15 Minutes with Stop = 2 * ATR and Profit Stop = 12 * ATR :D


Total 47 Trades, Was successful to Lose some points on 30 of them :)

But even with only 17 Winners, total gain was about 2900+ points :mad:

cost or slippage not considered



Thanks
This is Because your Profit Factor /Risk Reward is 1:6 and system accuracy is just 36%.........:clapping::clapping::clapping:
 

Tlahuicole

Well-Known Member
#29
Lessons I learnt the hard way in day trading.

1) Think of how much you can lose before considering and imagining about raining profits each month. I initially used a trading system with win percentage of 33% and R:R of 1:4. It was a good system but the drawdowns made me doubt myself, so I had to move to a system with winning percentage of minimum 50% so that drawdowns were less painful even though R:R of 1:2 was only possible.

It is better to have a system with minimum 50% win from back testing as the severity in a loosing streak is reduced in this case.

probability of one loosing trade is 1/2 or 0.5 or 50%

probability of consecutive 6 loosing trade is 0.5*0.5*0.5*0.5*0.5*05 or 1.5625%

and the chance of seventh consecutive loosing trading is less than 1% so I can trade in a peaceful manner risking 1% each trade.

2) Any strategy that works in a trending market does not work in a ranging market and vice versa. This I had to learn the hard way. It is better to have two strategies, it is easy to have two strategies one for trending market and one for trading market. It is easy for anyone to have two strategies one for trending and one for trading, but the toughest part is having a method to gauge the market whether it is in trending mode or trading mode.

This was one of the toughest phases for me, once this is figured out loosing trades reduced considerably and I reached break even stage of trader. This is not even enough to profit each month from market. You will loose one day win another day and this goes on till you are ready to accept whatever market teaches you.

3) Next stage was distinguishing between sub sections of trending and trading market and equipping yourself to find what is the type of market currently.

Currently I use 4 strategies one for each type of market scenario.

trending:
1.Normal trend.
2.Fast trend.
trading:
3.Normal sideways.
4.Channel sideways.
5.Not tradable.

4) Higher time frame analysis.

This always helps, but I had difficulty in watching 30 min charts 5 and 1 as well in the same time, so I do not check higher time frame but use a method where I get a signal only when 30 min is trending, using bollinger bands. However, have noticed that most of the reversals happen at higher time frame support and resistance or higher time frame decision points. Currently, I use SMA(21) to take trades in the direction of higher time frame. This is one thing I need to learn and make sure to implement in my trading strategy.

5) Scaling in and out:

This is the one I still need to learn, but I guess will make a huge difference in my min monthly returns and max monthly drawdown. Once the things I am trying to implement in my trading strategy.
 

oilman5

Well-Known Member
#30
I personally believe consistent successful day traders r less than 1%.
no greed driven traders can make day trade , in my past i am luckily shown enough time about 2-3% return possible daily . But with age , little risk i plan only 4% selective return per month.
u reqd atleast 3-4 yr of price observation,action plan where to take then actual trade journal entry, psychological feel what may happen , a good read on leading indicator to be become a day trader. For me i learnt also from speedchess , quickly to act on market and getting out from potential danger.
I used extensively EOD + hr chart bias , plus guessing right side in omnitrader, to create a system and taken trade .
Later on different market condition ,like range bound - i take trade as scanned by another system .
Idea from OTA ,confidently allow me to counter trend intraday ,as well as defined loss limit.
SO FOR MARKET DIRECTION I USE SOME BIAS, but intraday execution as per system analysed before market, position size/stop r mechanical
 

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