​ Is there anything we can believe when it comes to trading? Is it all lies and fakery? Trading is a challenge. Tens of thousands are drawn to trading, but few last more than a few months. Trading is presented in such a way that it appears to be easy, so it's difficult to face the truth that trading is difficult—at least until you can get the hang of it. Many beginning traders need to win. They ar...

This is what the CME says about their new product the Micro E-mini futures for the 4 major US indexes. The S&P 500, the Dow, the Nasdaq and the Russell 2000. https://www.cmegroup.com/cme-group-futures-exchange/micro-futures.html From what I can tell, this new products are really great especially with all the high volatility we see right now in the US indexes. While it was easy to trade in the ...

​ There are a number of reasons that many traders favor technical analysis over fundamental. For starters, fundamental traders tend to be commercial firms; that is, they are involved in the actual production or consumption of a commodity. The commercial firms have the information that most of us cannot afford to acquire. For example, are you able to go out and check global soil conditions in an ag...

​ Trading is a challenge. Tens of thousands are drawn to trading, but few last more than a few months. Trading is presented in such a way that it appears to be easy, so it's difficult to face the truth that trading is difficult—at least until you can get the hang of it. Many beginning traders need to win. They are hoping that the huge profits they make trading will solve many problems in their liv...

Careful risk management is a key component you being able to trade at your best. Comfort level is really important when it comes to risk. You need to be comfortable in three areas: Emotional, Mental, and Financial. We could even add Physical to that list without having to make too great a stretch. If there is a real danger that you will lose large amounts of capital, or money that you just can't a...

During ongoing activities, such as day trading, you have to learn how to pace yourself. This means alternating between times of intense activity with times of greatly decreased activity, times that require very little of your attention. These "rest periods" should take place when you do not have to quickly react to sudden market moves. This is hard advice to follow for some traders. They just won'...

​ Develop a relationship with that market, as though it was one of your best friends. Know the market's personality and feel its spirit to become one with it. Watch it carefully in various time frames. Watch it every day. One of the best experiences for a beginning trader, who may want to become a professional trader, is to sit in front of a monitor for a month and observe the market. Make price c...

It is critical to develop a well thought out and organized trading plan. It is then important to have the discipline needed to follow it. Diversify your trading into several unrelated markets, or focus on one market and time frame where you have seen you can make money. Trading, by its nature is not investing. Trading requires consistent monitoring on at least a daily basis because of the large im...

​ Once you get into a trade, you must eventually get out. Some argue that this is more important than where you get into a trade. My experience has been that any fool can get into the market, but it takes a successful trader to consistently get out with a win. As I follow the markets, I find there are four reasons to get out of a trade. Prices move significantly against my position. Prices stop mo...

Diversification is one of the crucial factors in the success of some, but not all trading plans, and may in fact make the difference between success and failure of the plan. Putting all your eggs in one basket is not a good idea for some traders. This approach takes the position that rather than trading ten contracts in one market, look to trade smaller amounts in several different markets. The ai...

A few years ago I had an interesting conversation with Joe about "what makes a trader a successful trader". We discussed this over several days because we wanted to find out how we can help struggling traders to enhance their trading. We finally came to the conclusion that "confidence" is what makes a huge difference. A trader can have a good system, good money and risk management in place, good u...

You will never be a perfect trader. However, as traders we have a strong need to want complete control over the outcome of a trade. We want to believe that if we analyze the markets long enough, we'll have perfect knowledge and we can trade to perfection. But such desire leads to wrong assumptions that can do us more harm than good. Assuming we must have control restricts our actions and reactions...

Much seasonally based information conforms to random probability generated data. Avoid trading seasonally based information without a fifteen year pattern, a minimum 80% win probability, profits twice losses, and a price action based entry. Price based trading information is superior to seasonal based information, because a trend or swing can be established before entry. Seasonal trades with less ...

​ Richard Wyckoff wrote: "My stop was moved down so there couldn't be a loss, and soon a slight rally and another break gave me a new stop, which insured a profit, come what might… I strongly advocate this method of profit insuring. The scientific elimination of loss is one of the most important factors in the art, and the operator who fails to properly protect his paper profits will find that man...

Every trader makes bad trades and faces regret, it is inevitable. And we all have the human tendency to be overtaken by emotions. When we screw up we have a feeling of loss, and even a sense of denial. We wish we could undo the mistake. Going through such a thought process is understandable. It is what you do about it that matters. Virtually from the time we were born we learn to use our emotions ...

​ If you had to describe the best trader in the world, who would that person be? What qualities would he have? Take a moment to envision him. This is important because this is the person you want to be, so you need to have an exact picture of him and what his qualities are. The answer is that he is someone whose trading is somehow "complete". Someone who is controlling his trading at all times; so...

​ Letting your emotions influence your trading decisions is virtually a guarantee that you will lose as a trader. If you are going to survive as a trader you have to bring your emotions under control. If you find that your emotions are swinging up and down as you trade, you have to confront the resulting feelings and deal with them. No one can do this but you. One way to keep emotions under contro...

No one enters a trade with the idea of breaking even as a goal. Rather, we set out with high hopes, excitement, and expectancy – the promise of big dreams. But then something odd happens with our trade – we break even. Our reaction is a feeling of annoyance, of let-down. Breaking even happens. It is one of the possible outcomes of a trade. We must not see it as an unwelcome event. Distaste for bre...

You will need a system or plan if you want to succeed in trading. The usual way of attaining such a system is many days of trading, hard-earned personal experience, analyzing trades you've made to learn from your mistakes, a knowledge of probability, observing other traders, trade simulation, book learning, seminars and mentoring, or any number of similar factors. Such a system will give you ...

​ There are any number of reasons why a trader hesitates before a trade. The main one is lack of planning. Without a plan, there is no degree of confidence a trade will be successful, it's all wishful thinking. Unless they are outright gamblers, traders usually have a strong need to protect their assets and avoid risk. This is especially true for beginning traders. It can take a long time to build...