To TA or not to TA: The Pros and Cons of Technical AnalysisTechnical analysis is one of the most popular trading strategies used by traders worldwide. It involves analyzing past market data, primarily price, market structure, and volume, to identify trends and forecast future price movements. While technical analysis has several benefits, it also has some drawbacks that traders must consider before incorporating it into their trading strategy. Today we will explore the benefits and drawbacks of using technical analysis in trading.
Benefits of Technical Analysis:
Identifying Trends: Technical analysis helps traders identify trends in the market, which is crucial for making profitable trades. There are several ways a trader can follow the trend of their desired asset using technical analysis. Be it moving averages, supertrends, or channels we really have many options.
Entry and Exit Points: Technical analysis helps traders determine the best entry and exit points for their trades. There are countless strategy options to utilize when considering the sheer number of indicators that exist. In our opinion finding a system that makes sense, is robust, and simple usually proves to be the most successful when proper discipline is used.
Risk Management: Proper technical analysis can help traders mitigate risk and protect their accounts. Stop losses are one method that we covered in a previous post. There are countless ways to set up stop losses using TA, but there are other techniques that can be used as well.
Hedging is a risk management strategy used to offset potential losses from adverse price movements in an asset. In trading, hedging involves opening a position in the opposite direction of an existing position. This position is usually in the same or a related asset to reduce the overall risk exposure. As an example, if a trader holds a long contract in a stock, they may hedge their position by opening a short contract in the same stock or a related asset such as an ETF or index. Technical analysis can be used to identify favorable conditions for hedging between assets. Hedging can help traders manage risk and protect profits, but it can also limit potential gains.
Confirmation of Fundamental Analysis: Technical analysis can confirm fundamental analysis by providing traders with an objective view of the market. For instance, if a trader believes that a company's stock is undervalued based on its financial statements, technical analysis can confirm this by showing that the stock is oversold.
Drawbacks of Technical Analysis:
Subjectivity: Technical analysis is subjective as different traders can interpret the same chart differently. This can lead to conflicting signals and confusion, especially for novice traders who aren’t as familiar with chart patterns. A prime example would be Bitcoin right now.
Or
False Signals: In technical analysis, false signals can be a significant issue in trading because they can lead to poor investment decisions and potential losses. For example, technical indicators may provide a false signal that a stock is oversold or overbought, causing a trader to make a trade that is not profitable. False signals can also occur due to market volatility or unexpected news events.
To reduce the risk of false signals, traders can use a variety of technical indicators and combine them with fundamental analysis to confirm trading decisions. Additionally, risk management strategies such as stop-loss orders can help limit potential losses from false signals.
Lagging Indicators: Technical analysis relies on lagging indicators, which means that traders are reacting to past price movements. This can result in missed opportunities, or poorly timed entries, especially in fast-moving markets. A very good example of a lagging indicator that is widely used is moving averages of any type.
Leading Indicators: There are some indicators that classify as leading indicators, but there are dangers to them with look-ahead bias. Look-ahead bias in indicators is a common issue in technical analysis. It occurs when historical data is used to construct an indicator that would not have been available at the time of the trade. This can lead to inaccurate signals, as the indicator may appear to predict future market movements, when in fact it is simply based on hindsight. An example of this would be the Ichimoku Cloud, specifically the cloud itself.
Over-use and Over-Reliance: This can mean a few things in trading. One of which is where traders will rely heavily on many indicators all at once. This can cause confusion as some indicators can have contrarian signals to one another.
Traders who rely solely on technical analysis may miss out on important fundamental factors that could affect the market. It is important to look at multiple objective vantage points of your desired asset. For instance, a sudden change in interest rates or economic policies could have a significant impact on the market, which technical analysis may not account for. In cryptocurrency
Conclusion:
In conclusion, technical analysis has several benefits, including identifying trends, entry and exit points, risk management, and confirmation of fundamental analysis. However, it also has drawbacks, including subjectivity, false signals, leading/lagging indicators, and over-reliance. Therefore, traders must use technical analysis in conjunction with other trading strategies, such as fundamental analysis, to make informed trading decisions. Being mindful of the pitfalls of common market analysis techniques can make you a better trader over time as you grasp a more comprehensive view of the market, and in turn, make more informed decisions when trading.
Eurusd-3
What is Price Action Analysis?Price action analysis is a trading methodology that involves analyzing the price movement of a financial instrument, such as a stock, currency pair, or commodity, to make trading decisions. It relies on the observation of price charts and the interpretation of price patterns, trends, and support and resistance levels.
Price action traders believe that all the necessary information about a market is reflected in its price movement, and that by focusing solely on price, they can avoid the noise and confusion caused by other indicators and trading strategies.
Some common techniques used in price action analysis include chart patterns such as triangles, head and shoulders, and double tops and bottoms, trend lines, candlestick charts, and moving averages. Price action traders also pay attention to key levels of support and resistance, as these levels can indicate where buying or selling pressure may be concentrated.
Overall, price action analysis is a popular approach among traders who value simplicity, clarity, and flexibility in their trading strategies.
What are the types of price action analysis?
There are several types of price action analysis that traders use to analyze market movements and make trading decisions. Here are some of the most common types:
Candlestick chart analysis: This involves analyzing the patterns formed by candlesticks on a price chart. Candlesticks provide information on price movements, including the opening price, closing price, high price, and low price, and can help traders identify potential trends and patterns.
Support and resistance analysis: This involves identifying key levels of support and resistance on a price chart, which represent areas where buyers and sellers have previously entered or exited the market. Traders can use these levels to make trading decisions, such as setting stop-loss orders or placing trades at key levels.
Trendline analysis: This involves drawing trendlines on a price chart to identify trends in the market. Trendlines can help traders identify potential trading opportunities, such as buying when the price is in an uptrend or selling when the price is in a downtrend.
Breakout analysis: This involves looking for patterns where the price breaks through a key level of support or resistance. Traders can use breakouts to identify potential trading opportunities and set stop-loss orders to limit their risk.
Price pattern analysis: This involves analyzing patterns such as head and shoulders, double tops, and triangles, to identify potential trading opportunities. Traders can use these patterns to enter trades with a higher probability of success.
These are just a few examples of the types of price action analysis that traders use. Ultimately, the key is to use a combination of different techniques to gain a more complete understanding of the market and make more informed trading decisions
Catalytic effects of NFP DaysAs you see NFP release days often generate reversals, minor pullbacks on daily or are at the beginning of big moves, acting as catalysts.
Though I dont believe in big NFP reversal starting on low volume trading days, as we are in Easter Holidays. Hence today´s NFP day may go unnoticed as most of traders are gone for Easter holidays.
But otherwise we could see a catalytic move.
FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.
How FED / ECB Interest rates set trendsWatch how interest rates decisions set trends in EURUSD and Dollar Index impacting the entire forex market.
I marked all the previous interest hike decisions by FED and ECB.
2023 EURUSD bullish reversal was triggerred by ECB starting to raise iterest rates (after EUR hit the alarming 1.00 level). EUR might continue bullish until next tow hikes. From what I read ECB does not plan to hike rates for the rest of the year after May meeting (rates will stay at 4), so it is likely to trigger bearish reversal from May.
Likelwise, 2020 EUR bullish ride (and dollar weakness) was triggerred by FED lowering interest rates (in March 2020) after COVID hit.
FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.
Good luck in your trading! God bless!
The three magic weapons of successful investmentWhen it comes to investing, many individuals who are not actively investing tend to ponder over what lucrative projects are available when seeing others making profits. However, once they start investing, they all hold a belief that they will profit, which can lead to a problematic attitude when facing losses that differ from their original expectations. Investing is a business, and just like any business, there are winners and losers. Personal mindset, attitude, and perspective play a significant role in one's ability to succeed in any venture, including financial markets. In essence, those who possess these traits are more likely to emerge as winners.
First and foremost, having a clear direction is fundamental. It is crucial to understand the following three phrases:
1.Your responsibility lies in your chosen direction.
2.Your experience serves as your capital.
3.Your character ultimately determines your destiny.
II. The Key is in the Selection
The key to successful investing lies in choosing the right person, investing in the right projects, and acquiring the right skills. Some people may claim that they do not understand the investment process, and may express concerns about potential risks and losses. However, it is important to understand that similar to managing stock portfolios, managing life involves minimizing losses and risks, while maximizing returns.
Spot trading investments function in a similar manner, where risk and benefit coexist, and controlling the risk factor is critical. Investing is a process of personal growth, a way of life, a pleasurable experience, an active approach to managing life, and a positive lifestyle habit. The success of an individual's investment strategy depends on the people around them.
III. Belief is the Starting Point, Learning is the Process, and Persistence is the Destination
Once a decision has been made, it is important to have faith in one's ability to choose the right investments and make sound judgments. Confidence is key, as it enables one to establish goals and a clear direction. Self-assurance is essential as success begins with one's own belief in themselves.
In addition to confidence, continuous learning is crucial. Growth comes from a constant willingness to learn and to embrace new ideas with an open mind.
Lastly, persistence is essential for success. The path to success is never easy, and it is filled with challenges and setbacks. One must persevere and continue to push through obstacles to achieve their goals. Success comes from consistent hard work and determination.
Investors who have been paying attention to the crude oil market recently have likely noticed that despite positive EIA data, prices have sharply dropped within seconds. Many investors have become confused and uncertain, and some even fear the market. In response to these situations, I would like to emphasize several principles for trading:
1.Greed: Often, it is not that a trade is not profitable, but that investors want to make even more money before exiting, which causes profitable trades to instantly become losing trades.
2.Gambling: Before important data is released, I often advise investors to close all positions and wait for the data to be released before entering again. However, many investors still try to gamble on the data and enter positions early, resulting in instant margin calls and irrecoverable losses.
3.Fear: Many investors who have suffered significant losses on other platforms express fear and hesitation to trade. However, it is important to never be afraid of the market, and to seek help from professionals to turn losses into gains.
4.Integrity: Some investors seek my help to experience "calls," and I usually provide a few free calls to help them recover losses. Honest investors who have experienced my accurate calls will promptly switch to my platform to trade and earn steady profits. However, there are also some dishonest investors who only seek short-term gains and will ignore me once they make money, only to come back when they suffer losses. I will not comment further on such investors and leave it to them to measure their own character.
In this market, the most fair thing is the market itself. All investors face the same market conditions. However, faced with the same market conditions, investors will inevitably make different choices. When the market comes in waves like splashing waves, some people face the opportunities, prepare well, face them head-on, and make a profit; others are afraid and unprepared, and are caught off guard by the market. The market is fair to everyone, it just depends on how you face it. If you are the former, I can help you achieve even greater success; if you are the latter, I can lend you a helping hand.
Five Demons that lead to Trading Losses
The greatest adversary of a trader is not the market, nor the constantly changing market trends, but rather ourselves.
Therefore, today I will share my trading experience and explain the five most difficult demons to overcome in our trading journey.
1.The first demon is greed.
Greed is the biggest demon in trading. Where there is greed, there is an abyss. It can be said that 90% of psychological problems in trading stem from greed.
What are the manifestations of greed?
Not wanting to miss out on market movements and trying to buy at the lowest point and sell at the highest point is greed.
Not wanting to miss out on any market movements of any kind is greed.
Pursuing the perfect trading system is greed.
Even not willing to accept losses is greed.
Pursuing high-risk trading for quick profits is even more greedy.
Childishly pursuing financial freedom through trading is the greediest of greed.
There are too many examples like this.
2.Heart demon 2: Fear
Many people have poor execution in trading, mainly due to fear.
What are the manifestations of fear in trading?
Being bullish on a market but not daring to open a position due to fear of loss. Even when the trading plan is clearly defined, entry and exit rules are obvious, and position sizing is appropriate, when the conditions for opening a position are met, the button for opening the position cannot be clicked and the opportunity is missed.
Having the correct position and being profitable but not daring to hold the position, afraid of losing profit due to the fluctuation of the market, resulting in hasty liquidation.
The inability to set a stop loss is also a manifestation of fear, afraid of not being able to recover losses.
Using smaller and smaller position sizes, finally opening a position of 0.01 lots, but still feeling conflicted.
3.Heart demon 3: Short-sightedness
Traders must have a perspective. I often say that we should examine trading from an aerial perspective.
Trading is like a maze. Only when we stand at a high point and overlook the maze can we find the correct way out. We must not plunge into the maze.
What are the manifestations of short-sightedness?
When a trading system is initially profitable, you think it's great; when losses occur, you immediately want to give up or change the trading system's settings.
Unbeknownst to many, profits and losses come from the same source. Trading systems are bound to have matching and non-matching market conditions. Dismissing a trading system due to short-term gains or losses is a manifestation of short-sightedness.
On the other hand, a trading system making money for a period of time does not necessarily mean that the system will continue to be profitable. Profitability is only a result of matching market conditions. Overvaluing a trading system due to temporary profits is also a manifestation of short-sightedness.
Therefore, many people eagerly show me their profitable trading systems of one or three months, but I maintain a conservative attitude and suggest we discuss the issue again after one year.
4.Heart Demon Four: Anger
When it comes to anger, everyone can easily understand that it is a significant issue not only in trading but also in work and daily life. Under the influence of anger, a person's IQ is reduced to only 30% of its normal level. Our judgment of trading results and risk perception will be greatly biased.
Specifically, anger manifests as frequent trading after losses, heavy positions, and expecting to make a profit to recover previous losses. However, the heavy position trading profits cannot be sustained, and when the market does not follow expectations, the trader may be reluctant to cut losses, resulting in margin call and a vicious cycle.
5.Heart Demon Five: Arrogance
The trends we trade are the future, and humans are powerless in predicting the future. Even a successful trader may not be able to judge the direction more accurately than a primary school student based on a single chart. This is due to the randomness of market trends, which no one can change.
Here's the problem: some people always spot market trends and get good returns during a certain period, which causes them to become arrogant. It is like some novice traders who, after a few short-term profits, begin to have great confidence in their trading ability. This is what we call the "beginner's luck," which is followed by losses due to luck.
These are the five heart demons that lead to trading losses. Many of us have experienced these errors. If you are also troubled by these heart demons, we hope you can face your problems and slowly change.
Trading EUR/USD with Moving Averages and Price ActionA simple way to trade EUR/USD is by taking advantage of its tendency to retest the 200-period moving average on the hourly chart. To do this, wait for the currency pair to move away significantly from the 200-period moving average and show signs of overbought or oversold conditions with two peaks or troughs, along with divergence. This presents an opportunity to enter a trade in the direction of the moving average.
To execute this strategy, first, identify the 200-period moving average on the hourly chart of the EUR/USD pair. Next, monitor the price action to look for significant deviations from the moving average with clear signs of overbought or oversold conditions. This may include the formation of two peaks or troughs with divergence in the price action.
Once you have identified these conditions, consider entering a trade in the direction of the moving average. For instance, if the price is significantly above the moving average and shows signs of overbought conditions, consider entering a short trade. On the other hand, if the price is significantly below the moving average and shows signs of oversold conditions, consider entering a long trade.
In summary, this strategy involves identifying overbought or oversold conditions in the EUR/USD pair, along with divergence and two peaks or troughs, as it moves away from the 200-period moving average. This can help you identify trading opportunities in the direction of the moving average.
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Recap of my trade for todayGood evening and good afternoon for American traders, I shared an idea where I said to buy NATURALGAS and I want to give a quick recap in order to encourage new traders to hold their trades for long time.
I have drawn on the chart all the points I added contracts after the pullback on the vwap which plays a strong support and resistance role in my trading system.
After seeing the configuration I follow to close, I kept waiting for several candles and added on more contract just for fun since I sat the SL right below the last contract I opened and kept watching for a while what will happen, then I noticed low volumes and I closed at the end of the small candle.
See you tomorrow in a new trade !
Watch big round numbers and their halvesSee how price reacts at 1000 pips increments (1, 1.10, 1.20, 1.30) and their quarters (1.25, 1.05, 1.075 and so on).
The reaction at those levels is nearly guaranteed. Once price hit 1.10 recently, we saw a pullback of 350 pips to the downside.
Those psychological levels will be highly useful to any trader. They work well on majors (USD baed pairs), less so on crosses.
For educational purposes only.
👊 Support And Resistance Levels Explained 👊The fundamental concepts of technical analysis are support and resistance levels. Technical analysis strategies are based on psychological and mathematical patterns from previous periods. One such pattern is resistance and support levels, which determine the most likely price direction change or confirmation of trend continuation.
They can be used by both new and experienced traders.
In this article, we will learn what support and resistance lines are, how to draw them correctly, and how to apply this knowledge to real-world trading.
Fundamental Concepts
You must first understand what support and resistance levels are before you can begin adding them to the chart. They are critical indicators of a collision between upwardly and downwardly oriented players, known as bulls and bears. Traders pushing prices up or down will eventually reach a point where the opposing group is equally opposed.
Support is the price level that "defends," or prevents, the price from falling lower. Resistance is the line that prevents the price from rising and thus resists its rise.
A resistance line can become a support line as a result of price fluctuations, and vice versa.
Support is defined as two or more lows, and resistance is defined as two or more highs.
Once the price reaches a point of extremum on the chart, you can begin outlining the line, and the second extremum allows you to completely draw the support or resistance line. Because extremes are rarely repeated, the line is roughly drawn in the middle of them if the difference between them is insignificant. If the price spread between the marked extrema is large, the price range between these points is marked for the line, and traders are guided by it when drawing lines.
In a sideways trend, determining resistance and support levels is easier. With large price changes, the possibility of defining support and resistance lines incorrectly is very high.
There can be both strong and weak opposition and support. The time frame and number of price touches on the line define the line's strength. The higher the time frame, the more touches there are, as well as the strength of the resistance or support line. The length of the time frame is more important than the number of touches.
In general, the support and resistance lines indicate areas where the probability of a price correction increases.
The Notion Of A Trend
One of the indicators used to calculate support and resistance levels is trend strength. A trend is a price movement up or down over a long time period. The price of an asset can fluctuate, but if its minimums are consistently going up, the trend is upward, if the maximums are going lower, the trend is downward. On the stock market, a visually identifiable trend is used to assess long-term investments and the likelihood of success of short-term speculation.
How to trade using trend? The following algorithm is used for this purpose.
The trend line is determined by the price of the asset.
The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide To Trend Trading
How the trend line behaves when it contacts the support and resistance lines is examined. If the uptrend line breaks out a strong resistance line at the second or third try, then there is a considerable probability of further price growth. Conversely, the price of an asset is more likely to move down if it breaks out a strong support level.
What Factors Affect Support and Resistance Levels
You should consider psychological and fundamental factors when drawing support and resistance lines. In general, the price cannot constantly rise or fall. After breaking out at significant levels of support and resistance, the likelihood of a psychological phenomenon known as "traders' remorse" increases as many players reconsider the future trend of asset price development. This happens as a result of the following factors:
Fundamental: market or security indicators do not provide a basis for further price movement;
Psychological: as prices rise and fall, people begin to doubt the validity of future moves.
Profit fixing: achieving certain price points gives players a reason to fix their profits by monitoring the situation's evolution.
If a large enough number of traders "repent" and close their positions, the price will return to the support or resistance level, and the trend will reverse.
Correct Levels of Support and Resistance
Surprisingly, there is no widely held consensus on how support and resistance lines should be named, nor are there any clear, specific descriptions of the relationship between extremums and lines. Nonetheless, the majority of traders believe that resistance and support levels are horizontal lines drawn at the highest and lowest price levels.
Resistance lines are drawn on the maximums of impulse movements during an uptrend, and supports are formed on the minimums of corrective movements. The next low overlaps the next maximum, converting the resistance level to a support level. On the downside, the previous high coincides with the previous low, and the support level becomes a resistance level.
Some traders believe that oblique support and resistance lines drawn through highs and lows are trend lines.
Support and resistance lines can also be drawn through supply-price pivot points, also known as TD-points, which are upper extrema surrounded by lower extrema. The maximum point is the one above which prices have not moved in a specific time period, and the minimum point is the one below which prices have not moved in a specific time period.
Over time, each trader determines for themselves the best way to draw support and resistance lines for their specific purposes. Some traders are limited to identifying lines that are close to circular values, that is, lines that end in zero.
Based on previously formed reversal levels, it is also used to determine resistance and support levels.It is expected that if the price has previously bounced from a certain level, it will do so again. In this case, the trader must carefully analyze price dynamics and draw the lines by hand.
Each method can correctly determine support and resistance levels or it can lead to errors; it all depends on the trader's skills.
How to Draw Levels of Support and Resistance:
Consider the fundamental principles of drawing support and resistance lines.
Finding at least two minimum (maximum) points for the support (resistance) line These points are frequently close to the significant round number of the traded asset. Such closeness can be explained by the work of trading algorithm authors and traders, who prefer to be guided by visual values.
The drawing of lines from these points into the future They can be horizontal, with a positive or negative slope, or both. There may be several such lines on a single chart.
an examination of the significance of the obtained lines of support and opposition.
The third step is the most important. It considers the received charts from the following positions:
The hourly line is more important than the minutely line, but it has less value when compared to the weekly line.
Length: the longer the resistance and support lines on the chart, the more important they are as a signal of a trend reversal or trend development for the trader.
A few finishing touches As the number of lows and highs on which the support and resistance lines are based grows, so does their credibility.
Trading volume: If asset price areas of contact with support or resistance lines are accompanied by increased trading activity, it indicates that the lines are viewed as indicators by many traders.
Only after analyzing the lines' significance in relation to the aforementioned points can you begin using them in trading strategies.
How to Use Resistance and Support Levels in Live Trading
There are numerous approaches to working with support and resistance lines. Even though there is a wealth of educational material available on the Internet, learning how to use support and resistance lines requires practice.
To begin with, it is trading on a pullback and a breakout. This method assumes that if the price encounters significant support or resistance, it will most likely reverse. If the trend is strong, the price can cross any level and continue to rise. This strategy entails only placing orders in the direction of the current trend.
Trading on support and resistance levels is possible in a horizontal price channel. In this case, trades are opened when the price approaches the upper boundary of the channel, with the expectation of a resistance line crossing or a price rebound and fall. Price support and resistance lines, rather than price points, are taken into account to a greater extent. Which trend will prevail must be determined by auxiliary tools on the chart, such as bar and candlestick behavior.
Not all levels of opposition and support are equally strong. A level's "strength" refers to the accuracy of its signal: a breakout indicates the continuation of a strong trend, whereas a reversal indicates the start of a new movement in the opposite direction. In the market, false breakouts are common. Use the recommendations below to avoid them.
Step 1: Keep an eye on the time frames.
Look for extremes on a daily and weekly basis. They can be considered strong if they at least partially coincide with extrema in lower time frames. Market makers are frequently active in the M5-M15 time frame. The approximate accumulation zone for stop orders can be determined using the depth of the market and the logic of private traders. With large volumes and trigger stops, market makers pull the price to the required zone, obtaining an asset at the best price.
Step 2: Count the number of touches.
The finer the level touches, the better. Note that the line must be drawn on exact touches without "pulling wishful thinking."
Support And Resistance Levels In Forex Trading
In the forex market, strategies based on support and resistance lines may be considered basic. In particular, trading within the price corridor is applied in case of price bounces - buying on a bounce from the upper boundary and buying on the approach to the lower one. In this case, stop orders are set either above or below the boundaries.
Trading along the lines is useful in distinctly determined trends. For instance, if you are in a downtrend, you should monitor the upward correction to the previous support level and the new resistance level. If we talk about uptrend, the correction to the previous resistance and the new support should be monitored.
Still, breakout trading is one of the most popular strategies in the forex market. It requires defining support and resistance levels as precisely as possible. In this strategy pending orders are placed just above or just below resistance levels.
Summary
Support and resistance levels are essential when analyzing any chart, either currency pair or cryptocurrencies. The major problem in doing so is knowing how to identify levels and place lines correctly. This is a practical skill, as there is no unambiguous definition of how to determine the support and resistance lines accurately. The task of defining them can become easier due to the fact that there are numerous auxiliary tools on trading platforms to determine them. Many trading strategies are based on support and resistance lines, and their effectiveness, by the way, also depends on the trader's practical skills.
By understanding the principles of levels application, you can not only improve your trading system but also learn to understand the market better and assess its prospects.
My Backtesting Results on NZDCHFHolding trades is what I want to get better at and backtesting is going to help me do it.
I've backtested NZDCHF today and found that it was a remarkable session.
I was able to enter 4 trades in the span of 3 months gaining over what would have been 15% from the trades, but one trade hit my break even point so I gained around 12% from my trades.
I used the monthly, weekly, and daily timeframes with most of my entries coming from the daily timeframe.
I used my own strategy known as TMP. It stands for Trend, Market Structure, Price Action(or, pending orders).
I identify the trend first, then set my estimation zone, then place my pending order. In that order, thats it.
I don't use support and resistance, trend lines, or indicators for the most part. I like using price action. Its my preference that has changed throughout my trading career.
I've noticed I a few reasons why I don't enter my best setups are due it
1) Money trauma( family had poor money management)
2) Time limit( pressure from showing results)
To get over those, I have set parameters to take partials, move my trades to break even, and set pending orders to eliminate myself not entering my own trades.
This helps in the long run and has helped since collecting data on myself since the start of me using prop firms.
I can only pray that through my backtesting and trading journey, this can help you too.
Please let me know if you have questions regarding my backtesting or found something unique that helped you.
Safe trading❤️
Trading idea for NFP news on 06-01-2023It's a trading opportunity I observed I could take on NFP news released at 06-01-2023. It's important to note that trading just prior to or spot on a news release is very risky and may sometimes lead to loss of a great deal of balance. Nevertheless, We can see a higher timeframe uptrend on the EURUSD chart. Considering the taken out liquidities we could've make very profitable long trades targeting the unmitigated liquidities.
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS is the new KING ok here me out.
i'll go straight to point
this message is for the newbies (oldies gonna hate)
what is pure Minimalist Technical Analysis Trader ( MTAT : i just made this up)
-it is when u leave out all so-called indicators and focus on the chart
-some of these indis are: MACD, RSI, ATR, STOCHT....
-it's when u leave out the FUNDAMENTAL analysis and focus on the chart pattern
- i'm talking here about financial news and garbage flash news
- didn't u sometimes realize that a news come out, but the dollar act contrary to the news it-self?
HOW TO APPLY this MTAT ?
let's be practical, but first u need to watch so many charts until ur eyes pops out (it's a prerequisite).
1- always pick a 4h-time frame chart
2- always brush ur teeth before bed time
3- always look for a bullish pair to trade (this is essential for the plan to succeed)
4- after identifying the bullish pair, start looking for SUpport & Resistance...but never make the chart too complicated, u really need like 2-4 lines drawn only
5- after u draw the S&R lines, look for retracements (the pair is going down slightly)
6- use the FIBONACCI drawing tool and draw from the lowest to highest point (before the retracement)
7- it's best to focus on the 61.8% line
8- look for a confirmation candle:
a- a red Bar, which the low point of it touched (crossed) the 61.8% Fib line
b- followed by a green bar which closed ABOVE THE fib 61.8% line
c- place ur buy trade when the green candle closes
9- how to set your target:
a- use the (-61.8% or -100%) FIb levels
or
b- use the Resistance line u drawn previously
now the question is, do u really need MACD or RSI or STOCH?
of course NO, if you google it, u'll know that these reflects previous price actions? so why use it for FUTURE price actions?
what to do when big news are coming out?
IT WILL ACT ACCORDINGLY THE PREVIOUSLY SET CHART PATTERN...this will never fail you
DO YOU PLACE STOP ORDERS?
NEVER, never put pre-set stop orders,
you should be active on ur screen and wait for the price to fall to the price u set as a stoploss, AND CLOSE TRADE MANUALLY
WHY?, because when we have big news, we have volatility the pair will go up and down so hard to close all stoploss orders
then it will continue to obey the technical chart pattern as a fukn slave!
let's practice:
use the FIB Ret tool:
identify the red and green candle:
place your buy order:
et voila....
#STOP_BEING_POOR
How To Find Trend Trading OpportunitiesTrend trading is a style of trading. It specifies what you are looking for when trading a specific market.
Style
Trend trading sets you on a path to looking for a clear and defined uptrend and downtrend. Anything outside of that realm is no longer considered trending.
A clear uptrend defines price forming a path of repetitive high prices called higher highs (last highest price to buy an asset before price declined) and higher lows(last discounted price to buy an asset before the price increased).
While a clear downtrend defines price forming a path of repetitive lower prices called lower highs
(last highest to buy an asset before price declines to a new discounted price) and lower lows(last highest(cheapest) price to buy an asset before price increased.)
If you desire to be a trend trader you want to see the market creating a clear and defined uptrend or downtrend to call it an opportunity.
Ignore the drama
The next best thing to do is to avoid assets that are not trending. I prefer to trade the forex market. So, if I see any currency pairs absent of a clear trend, I immediately move on to the next pair.
It's better on my mind to wait for my opportunity than to create one out of thin air.
The more pairs that are not trending the better. This way, I have a small group of currency pairs to watch and trade.
Limit the small mindset
I have no idea what trades will win or lose. When I'm in my right frame of mind I don't think about the opportunity not working instantly. Which is why I swing trade. I like to lose my money slowly vs. fast as a day trader.
It helps me stay clear of telling myself I'm wrong on a daily basis.
I found I focus better on the outcome of the trade when I remind myself the market will tell me that I'm wrong.
This way, as every outcome plays out I can handle each winning trade and losing with little emotion as possible.
Is this always easy to do? Nope! I'd dare not fool you.
But it does make it easier to setup for the next series of trades when I only focus on my "trend trading" opportunities.
Quick recap
You'll do better to find trend trading opportunities by focusing solely on currency pairs that are trending and ignoring the ones that are not.
Its wise to limit your mindset by believing you're wrong choosing to trend trade. Let the market tell you when your setup is wrong vs. you telling yourself you're wrong before the trade plays out.
This allows you to focus on the outcome of the trade to being overly emotional.
I really hope this helps and that you were able to find a gentle takeaway.
If you enjoyed this read, please like the post and comment on what your takeaway was.
Happy trading 🧡
Shaquan
👉 THE TRUTH ABOUT DISCRETIONARY TRADING ✅According to statistics, 2/3 of those who try their hand at forex trading or another type of financial product trading ultimately quit up. Scientists have been researching financial industry failure rates for decades and have come to the conclusion that a beginner trader has a 10% probability of success.
Only the most dedicated and persistent people in the market are rewarded with longevity.
Financial markets can give you the opportunity to receive above-average compensation for your work. To help with achieving this goal, a variety of ideologies and tactics are available. Discretionary trading is one of the most intriguing.
What Is Discretionary Trading?
Trading that is exclusively done at the discretion of the trader is referred to as discretionary (intuitive) trading. Technical indicators and fundamental analysis are minor considerations in this case. First and foremost, trading decisions are based on the trader's instinct and feel of the market.
Simply said, systematic trading is based on rigorous rules and algorithms, whereas intuitive trading is based on making judgements (a trading strategy describes in detail the interpretation of technical indicators and indicates how to open and close positions).
Discretionary Trading: Pros And Cons
There are a lot of misconceptions regarding discretionary trading, just like there are in every aspect of financial activities. Because of this, the idea and definition of discretionary trading are frequently misunderstood. Some people think it's enjoyable for beginners but unworthy of true specialists' attention. Others hold the secret to their swift success and wealth.
Only novice traders or experienced pros with a deep understanding of the market may afford discretionary trading.
However, traders who possess sufficient intelligence and common sense will be able to benefit from intuitive trading in the following ways:
Financial gain If statistics are to be believed, discretionary traders do the best (in terms of total performance). After all, an intuitive trader employs their intuition and hits the target right away, as opposed to a conventional trader who rigorously follows the plan, follows invariably lagging indicators, or waits for significant news. In light of this, if the first trader typically obtains 20% of the profit from a trade, the second trader may receive 200% or 2000%. Six out of ten of the top 10 most successful stock market traders would be regarded as practitioners of intuitive trading.
Personal development According to evolutionary psychology, intuitive trading has a significantly greater impact on a person's personal development. After all, it suggests the most logical application of cognitive abilities. In this instance, the trader learns to avoid piling on layers of pointless data while attempting to extract valuable information.
Efficiency. Traders run the danger of missing the ideal opportunity to place an order by obsessively reviewing and double-checking analytical data. In discretionary trading, there is no such issue because the blow is delivered accurately and at the appropriate time.
Relevance. Ordinary traders run the risk of being unable to keep up with the volatility of the market when using pre-made methods based on the interpretation of technical and fundamental analysis.The major advantage of the discretionary trading system is that the trader adapts their trading to the current market conditions in real-time mode. Of course, if their intuition is so developed that they can assess the market soberly while maintaining calmness and discipline so that emotions do not mislead them.
However, as always, there is a downside. There are negative sides to discretionary trading. The main ones are:
Process subjectivity is too great. Unfortunately, the way the brain is wired makes people more likely to believe information that supports their preconceptions. A trader, for instance, will typically notice the information that confirms their goal for the markets to rise first if they are passionate about that outcome. This strategy carries significant risks.
the impact of observation and expectation. The unconscious impact of the expectation process on how the outcome is perceived is another uniqueness. Can show up as making hasty, rash decisions or, on the other hand, as spending too much time thinking things out and skipping out on having fun.
indulgent in one's prejudices Discretionary traders are frequently the victims of cruel tricks by those who fail to understand their own prejudices. Whether one realizes it or not, cognitive biases (and many others) directly influence one's decisions (consciously or unconsciously). Few people have a truly disciplined mind, which is why discretionary trading is a failure for most.
Can A Beginner Reach The Level Of A Good Discretionary Trader?
Of course! There are chances. Although it's a fallacy to think that everyone who wants it will make it. And to be frank, not everyone needs it. Many traders really find it easier to act according to classical schemes and be satisfied with the profit that can be squeezed out of them. You have to realize that intuitive traders who place orders regularly are world-class players, pocketing millions and billions of dollars. They have learned to distinguish real intuitive impulses from vague hints and impulses arising chaotically in the brain and therefore have achieved success.
How exactly did they achieve this? In this case, we are talking about conscious brain training to develop and improve such qualities as:
emotional stability;
patience;
self-confidence;
the ability to feel comfortable in stressful situations.
Only by having developed them to the fullest, one can talk about any success in this type of trading.
It is important to understand: intuition is not some magical characteristic with which fate blesses a person. It is obtained through practice, defeats, successes, new failures, and overcoming them.
There are no easy ways. And if someone is sure of the contrary, it's easier for them to make coffee grounds' divination, since the result will be just in accordance with such beliefs.
What Is The Catch?
One of the worst things a trader can do is rely on intuition without much experience. Intuitive trading is the ultimate in trading, actually elevating it to an art form. Only those traders who have the necessary personal qualities and many years of successful experience can afford to make decisions based solely on intuition. Ordinary traders who do not have enough knowledge and experience are likely to find themselves in a losing position.
The statistics are inexorable - 95% of beginning traders who try to trade intuitively (it seems easier to them than following the movements of candlesticks and meticulously analyzing indicator indicators) tend to lose their deposits on their very first trades.
For this reason, beginners should use reliable approaches, based on price analysis. After all, indicators and technical analysis are the tools that give a more or less reliable basis for building truly working trading strategies.
Simply put, the "intuition" of a beginner is banal guessing, and with such an approach you will not earn much anyway on stock and currency markets.
Summary
The key aspect of discretionary trading is the effectiveness of the trader as a person. Decisions are made solely based on inner feelings, often in opposition to the current market sentiment.
Taking a discretionary approach to trading is not for every trader. Only those who have mastered the standard methods of analysis flawlessly can step on the shaky ground of guesses and assumptions, and most importantly, can feel the psychology and sentiment of other market participants. After all, it is people who ultimately shape the market, and their actions are far from always logical and rational.
🔻 How To Swing Trade In A Bear Market 🔻Forex traders that decide to trade in a bear market are looking for a strategy or a way to make a profit when markets are falling. But, is it possible to swing trade in a bear market? It is. The most used strategy in bear market trading is the swing strategy. Traders that want to swing trade must first understand the swing trade meaning. Swing trade is a trading path that comes with challenges. While many traders prefer to stay profitable in a continuing bull market, many traders will choose to earn their profit by swing trading in the following bear market. Swing trading is challenging but can also be profitable in short-term intervals. A trader must know how to use the given signals from the market before starting to swing trade in a bear market.
How To Do Swing Trading
Traders often wonder how to swing trade forex, and the first thing to know is the swing trade definition first:
Swing trading is a type of trading style that focuses on profiting from changing trends in price action in short-term intervals. Swing trading is a trading strategy that involves holding a position long or short for more than one session. It can be from one day up, but not longer than several weeks.
Traders that use this strategy look to technical and fundamental analysis. They try to explore trading opportunities and analyze price trends and patterns. Considering the volatile conditions in the forex market, a swing trader tries to catch a potential price movement and make a small profit out of it. Generally, swing trading is a good strategy for beginners because they can trade with much less capital than the other trading strategies.
Is It Possible To Swing Trade In A Bear Market?
A bear market in forex means that prices fall 20% or more from recent highs, which gives the traders a negative outlook and hopelessness. A bear market is always caused by a group of developments or events such as monetary conditions, monetary policy, shifts in yield curves, and many others. The forex market is very volatile and changes very fast. It creates many opportunities to catch the momentum of price action and make a profit out of it. Swing trading is one of the trading options in a bear market.
Implementing a swing trading strategy for the bear market is one way for a forex trader to trade successfully. To swing trade profitably in a bear market, traders need to have a strategy likely to survive the changing market conditions. Swing trading in a bear market does work but usually can give the trader a tough time. Traders need to do a market analysis, research all historical data, and create a safe trading plan before going live.
What Is Swing Trading And Its Advantages?
Swing trading is a short-term trading strategy where you hold your trades for one day up to a few weeks at most. Swing traders use technical analysis, to make a trading plan, and a strategy for an entry and exit from the market. Swing trading can be divided into discretionary swing trading and systematic swing trading. From experience, traders have found systematic swing trading more efficient, as it has shown better results.
Advantages Of Swing Trading
Traders know their results quickly, from one day up to one month. They give time to work on the swing strategy and make changes on the next entry. The trader has a clear boundary because there is a specific area to observe, knowing exactly when the trade isn't working. Traders can easily limit the damage of a losing position. By entering and leaving the market in short periods, traders can identify a lot of opportunities. It allows the trader to spread the risk and minimize losses. It is important to mention that swing trading is a very good trading strategy for forex beginners and traders that are short on time.
Swing Trade Strategy For A Bear Market
Swing trading can make a trader's way much easier if they use one of the trading indicators and stick to it. The most are moving averages, Relative Strength Index (RSI), Stochastic Oscillator, and Volume. A trader has many options to create a swing trading strategy for bear market conditions. Traders also use mean reversion as the most common strategy type. In mean reversion, traders assume that the market will make some extreme moves to either side, and those moves are later corrected through a reversion to the mean. It means that the market tends to swing around its average. This strategy type, a mean reversion, is used to identify if the market is overbought or oversold. It is expected to give traders an entry signal.
A different swing trade strategy is trend following, which is the opposite of the mean reversion type. This strategy suggests following the trend of direction, which is harder to succeed with than the mean reversion type. The breakout strategy is another type of swing strategy that traders use. This strategy is similar to the trend following, and it works with a breakout level. When the currency pair breaks a level and continues above that level, it is a signal that the market is solid enough and will likely continue in the direction of the breakout. This strategy is functioning the same way as the trend-following strategy. Traders do not always buy on a breakout of a certain level. Often, traders try to include other conditions that are important in deciding whether to buy or sell.
Can Swing Traders Make Money In A Bear Market?
Not many traders choose to trade in a bear market because it signals pessimism, and it is hard to know how long it will last. In a bear market, the primary trend is to the downside, and different rules apply. Knowing the bear market trading rules can position traders to benefit from them. That gives light on the pessimism of a bear market. There are many opportunities to make money for traders that know how to use the given signals. Taking a bear short swing trade, also called short-selling, will help you to gain profit using a swing strategy during a bear market. Traders need to do pre-market research, then work up to potential trades before they make an entry position.
TURTLE TRADING - STRATEGY EXPLAINED ✅Currently, the forex market offers numerous different tools to improve trading. Experts in financial markets develop both simple trading strategies, which will be convenient for novice traders, and complex systems, combining several strategies. Besides, experienced participants in the market develop their own strategies for their trading. They base their systems on the elements of technical analysis, trend lines as well as support and resistance indicators.
At the same time, the quality and efficiency of a trading strategy are not measured by its complexity and the presence of a large number of elements. One such example is the Turtle trading strategy developed by trader Richard Dennis in the 1980s.
As an experiment, Dennis decided to form a trading strategy that would help beginner traders to become professionals. That being said, financial markets are full of risks and no strategy guarantees a market participant a 100% achievement of profit. The only commitment that can lead a trader to success is to follow the rules of money management. In addition, traders must accurately use their trading strategy.
The market shows that even in the same market positions and quotes of trading assets, traders act differently and the result of the trade is often different. That is, it depends on the actions and decisions of a market participant whether a trading strategy will work to achieve profit or not. One unsuccessful trade can make a trader slacken, and someone, after making a loss, is sure to win and get a good profit.
Richard Denis's Legendary Experiment
Richard Denis once argued with his friend William Eckhardt. The latter assured him that trading is a talent. To be a successful trader a person must have certain qualities: an analytical mind and intuition. Denis proved that to be a successful trader it is enough to follow the strategy rules. As a result, an experiment was conducted.
Denis recruited a group of 23 volunteers who came to him by advertisement. There were 21 men and two women who had never dealt with trading. Among the volunteers were ordinary people.
The training lasted 14 days. After that, the generous teacher allocated his students a million dollars of initial capital each and sent them on a consolidated exchange voyage. The further experiment lasted for 5 years.
After it was over, it turned out that 23 million dollars invested brought a total income of 175 million, i.e. the initial capital was increased 7.5 times.
Some became successful traders and made a lot of money. Others went bust. Who was right? Most likely both. To be successful, it is necessary not only to have a good strategy but also to have certain qualities. Subsequently, one of the first students of Richard Denis, Curtis Faith, wrote a book about this method, "The Turtle Way. From Amateurs to Legendary Traders", which became a bestseller.
The Essence Of The Turtle Trading
It involves a time interval of 20 and 55 days. The trend is monitored at a given time interval. The entry is carried out at the moment of breakout. If the price exceeds the limits, it is the entry signal. The exit signal is a price break out in the opposite trend direction of the same time interval. This strategy allows for insignificant losses, but as a result, the trader still makes a profit.
Turtle strategy requires careful monitoring of the trend because with the time interval of 55 days for a year can be placed from 3 to 5 positions. Things are a bit easier with the 20-day interval, but it also has its own peculiarities. Denis has developed the following rule: at the breakout of the price on 10-day intervals the previous entrance is considered. It may not have been performed, but the analysis is mandatory. If that entry has brought profit, the current breakout is ignored. This rule is not valid when working with the 55th extremum.
Particular attention is paid to the volatility of the trade at the moment. If volatility is low, placing a trade is not recommended because a multimillion-turtle entry could change the situation on the market.
Of course, there is risk in every trade. According to Richard Denis, the risk should not exceed 1% of the deposit. In the process, if there was a steady trend, orders could be added. The risk on additional orders should not exceed a quarter of a percent of the deposit. The deposit should withstand losses and wait for a steady trend, which would invariably bring profit. To control the deposit the notion of the unit - the minimum transaction amount was introduced.
Indicators And Tools For Turtle Trading
The work according to this trading strategy can be done on a clean chart, but it is somewhat inconvenient. You will have to count candles and rebuild levels on your own daily. Indicators solve this problem and do not distort the essence of the Turtle strategy.
Among the indicators, we will need the Donchian channel, the standard ATR, and The Classic Turtle Trader, which will be described below. The last tool is used to exit the market.
Market Entry And Stop Loss
Three Donchian channels with periods of 10, 20, and 55 are set in the chart. There are 2 types of entries:
Breakout of the 20-day Donchian Channel. There are no special filters to identify the breakout, it is enough to exceed the High or Low by at least one point. If the first signal of this type has already been closed with a profit and a second one is formed, it is not considered;
Breakout of the 55-day Donchian channel. A slower variant of work. If the filter on the previous rule is triggered and the entry point on the 20-day Donchian Channel is not taken, you can enter by the slower indicator. When working with a slower Donchian Channel, there is no such filter as in the previous case.
The Turtle strategy in the stock market did not involve physical Stop Losses, they were rather virtual. Traders worked with too much volume; if they placed stops, other speculators would have seen them and adjusted their work. Instead, a level was calculated at which the position was manually closed at a loss.
For forex, it could be taken as 2 x ATR with a period of 20. Since the work is done on daily charts, the stop value will be higher in pips.
Manual loss fixing was not a problem for the Turtles. Volatility was relatively low at the time. It is not advisable to trade forex without stops, there is a risk of getting caught in an impulse movement, and without SL the loss may be too big.
Turtles agreed that the win rate will not be in their favor. The strategy is based on breakouts of levels and is trend-following, but not every breakout turns into a trend. The point is that a profit on one trade that has worked in the positive direction will make up 2-3 losing trades and bring the total result in the positive direction.
Market Exit
In this strategy, some of the profits will inevitably be missed. No trend-following strategy allows you to take all of the trend movement at 100%, the Turtle system - is no exception to this rule. It is necessary to make sure that the trend is over, because of this the profit is somewhat reduced.
The basic rules do not provide a fixed Take Profit. The trade is either closed by a Stop Loss or manually.
At the beginning of each trade, the Stop Loss is placed 2N below the entry price in case of a long position or 2N above the entry price in case of a short position. This helped to reduce losses if the price did not change favorably after entry.
If new positions are added (on every 1/2N favorable move), the last Stop Loss was also moved by 1/2N. This usually meant that the Stop Loss would always be 2N away from the most recent entry (although it could vary slightly depending on the slippage).
There is another Stop Loss method called Whipsaw. With this method, the Stop Loss is placed 1/2N away from the entry point.
If the price did not reach the Stop Loss, then System 1 and System 2 exit methods were used.
If there is a breakout of the 20-day channel, the position is closed if the chart crosses the 10-day Donchian channel in the opposite direction.
If the market entry was upon the breakout of the 55-day High/Low, the position is closed if the chart crosses the 20-day channel in the opposite direction.
It is psychologically difficult to hold a profitable position and watch profits decline, but it is a must. If one fixes a profit before these rules are met, there is a great chance of not making a profit.
Short-Term And Long-Term Turtle Trading
When short-term trading, an interval of 20 days is considered. A maximum and minimum are determined. If the price breaks out the maximum by at least 1 point, it is a signal for buying. If the price breaks out the minimum over the same period, it is a signal to sell. If the previous trade in this system is profitable (it does not matter if it is executed or not), then it is not recommended to place an order. If the trend reverses on the 10-day extrema in the opposite direction from the position opening, it is a closing signal.
The long-term system involves the use of daily candlesticks for a period of 55 days. The principle is the same: when the price breaks out the maximum - is bought, and when it breaks out the minimum - is sold. But it is recommended to place an order only with one unit (minimum amount). Then if the trend is steady the orders can be added, but no more than one unit each time. The signal for closing is considered to be a trend moving in the opposite direction to the opening at the 20-day extremums.
What Are The Best Assets For Turtle Trading?
The Turtles traded in large liquid markets. They had to do this because of the size of the positions they entered. They basically traded in all of these liquid markets except meat and grain.
Grains were banned because Dennis himself reached the maximum amount in his trading account. The trader was limited to the number of options or futures he could have, which meant that there were no Turtles left to trade under his name.
Here's an example of what the Turtles used to trade:
10- and 30-year U.S. Treasury bonds and 90-day U.S. Treasury bills;
Commodities such as coffee, cocoa, sugar, cotton, crude oil, heating oil, and unleaded gas;
Currencies such as the Swiss franc, British pound, Japanese yen, and Canadian dollar;
Precious metals such as gold, silver, and copper.
They also traded futures on indices such as the S&P 500.
One interesting thing to note is that if a trader decided not to trade a commodity in the market, he had to give up that market entirely. So, if one of the Turtles didn't want to trade crude oil, they had to stay away from everything else in that market, such as heating oil or unleaded gas.
How To Apply The Turtle Strategy To Forex Market
Let's consider the work of the Turtle method on forex. Let's take a short-term period of 20 days. Let's select the pair with high volatility. If you remember, this indicator has not played the last role in the application of the method. With low volatility, the Turtles could "make the market" and the strategy would be powerless. The indicator ATR (Average True Range) is used to determine volatility.
Using the Donchian Channels, we identify the trends for 10 and 20 days. The last candle is selected on the chart. Count backward from it 20 candles. The maximum and minimum are identified on these 20 candles. Horizontal lines are drawn through these points. If the price goes beyond one of the lines, it is a signal. The price breaks out the maximum - the currency should be bought The price breaks out the minimum - we should sell.
The order is placed on an amount, which does not exceed 10% of the deposit. During the process, it is possible to make "additions". It is made only if there is a profit of 0.5% of the deposit. It may look like this. We have a deposit of $1000. Let us assume that the price has broken out the upper border for 3 points and a trade was opened for $100. The trend has steadily gone upwards. "Addition" can be made only when the profit from the invested $100 reaches at least $5. At that point, another $100 is added. The next addition can be made when the profit of $15, that is when the first trade will bring 10% profit, and the second 5%.
The stop order is set at the minimum of the last three days. Count back three candles from the time of your entry, and find the minimum - this will be the stop order. If among the last three candles, a specific minimum is not traceable, then find the point corresponding to 1% of the deposit, and the stop order is set on it. For example, 1% of a deposit of $1000 is equal to $10. We analyze the price of one pip, i.e. one pip of currency movement. We divide $10 by the price of a pip. We obtain the number of pips that should be subtracted in the opposite direction from the trend direction since the trade was opened. We set the Stop Loss there. It is the same for the main trade, as well as for the ones we add.
Exit from the market occurs when the price will fall to a 10-day minimum. For a short position, the exit point is the price of the 10-day high.
For a long-term 55-day trade, 20-day candles are considered for determining the stop order and exit point.
Conclusion
In the Turtle experiment, the strategy itself is secondary. What is more important is that the real example proves that no talent is needed in trading. It is a profession, and everyone can master it. It is impossible to get the results demonstrated by the Turtles in casual trading.
As for the strategy itself, even the basic rules still work. The best result is achieved in equities trading, on forex, it is necessary to optimize, and probably revise the rules to look for entry points in the H4 time frame. Long-term trends are formed less often here, so work in D1 shows no best result.
In general, the Turtle strategy is considered quite profitable. But it is necessary to be mentally prepared for expectation and the correct arrangement of trading positions. Adhere to the conditions of entry into the market and exit from trading positions, and then you will achieve a positive result.
What is a Spread in Forex?Hello hello! In this post, we'll take a look at the basic principles behind the spread in forex market and why it is important.
In the foreign exchange market, the spread is the difference between the bid price and the ask price for a particular currency pair. The bid price is the highest price that a market maker is willing to pay for a currency, while the ask price is the lowest price at which a market maker is willing to sell the same currency. The spread, therefore, represents the cost of trading a particular currency pair.
When trading in the forex market, traders usually buy a currency at the ask price and then sell it at a higher bid price, hoping to make a profit. The spread is the difference between the two prices and it represents the trader's cost of trading that currency pair.
The spread is usually expressed in pips, which is the smallest unit of price change in the forex market. For example, if the bid price for EUR/USD is 1.0735 and the ask price is 1.0740, the spread would be 5 pips.
The size of the spread can vary depending on the currency pair being traded and the market conditions. Some currency pairs, such as the major pairs like EUR/USD, USD/JPY, and GBP/USD, tend to have relatively tight spreads, while others, such as the exotic pairs, can have wider spreads. Also, the spread can vary depending on the trading conditions, for instance, during high volatility period, such as economic news release, the spread tend to widen.
In forex trading, traders should always be aware of the spread as it represents a cost of trading and it affects the trader's potential profits and losses. Spreads are usually factored into a trader's profit and loss calculations and it is important to consider the spread before opening a trade. Some brokers also offer variable spreads and fixed spreads, it is important to be aware of the difference between the two.
Many online forex brokers now offer variable spreads, which means that the spread will change depending on the market conditions, but some brokers also offer fixed spreads, which means that the spread will remain the same regardless of market conditions.
📈 What Are the 10 Fatal Mistakes Traders Make 📉Trading is exciting. Trading is hard. Trading is extremely hard. Some say that it takes more than 10,000 hours to master. Others believe that trading is the way to quick riches. They might be both wrong. It is important to know that no matter how experienced you are, mistakes will be part of the trading process. That’s why you should be prepared to expect them and if possible not make them. Easier said than done you would say and you will be completely right. That is why I have compiled a list of trading mistakes that you should be trying to avoid. Real-life trading will show you how “easy” that could be.
1) Trading without having a predefined trading plan
The first fatal trading mistake that traders make is trading with no plan. Having a written predefined trading plan will help you for two reasons. Trading depends on several aspects, which include the situation in the markets around the world, the status of overseas markets, the status of index futures such as Nasdaq 100 exchange-traded funds. Considering index futures is a wise option for evaluating the overall market conditions.
Make a to-do list and build a habit of researching the market before calling your shots. This will not only keep you from taking unnecessary risks, but it will also minimize your chances of losing money.
2) Over-leveraging
Over-leveraging is the second mistake of “what are the 10 fatal mistakes traders make”. Over-leveraging is a two-edged sword. In a winning streak, it could be your best friend, but when the trend changes, it becomes the greatest enemy. Recent talks about banning leverage higher than 1:50 for experienced and 1:25 for new traders in the UK have been a result of a lot of traders losing their money too fast. Whether it will happen next year or not is a matter of time for us to see. This is good news for most inexperienced traders because it will somehow limit their exposure. It will allow them to follow their money management rules easier. For greedier and more impatient traders, this is terrible news. Fortunately, this might lead to a better result in their performance in the long term, as well.
Over-leveraging is a dangerous way to believe you can make more money quicker. A lot of traders are misled into this way of thinking and end up losing all their money in a short period of time. Some brokers are offering insane amounts of leverage (like 1:2000) that can lead to nothing more than oblivion. Therefore, one needs to be extremely careful when selecting those levels and the brokers that represent them. That’s why diversification among different brokers is probably the best strategy.
3) Staying glued to the screen
a) Set entry rules
Computer systems are more effective for the purpose of trading because they don’t have feelings about the things that go into the trading environment and they are neither emotionally attached to the factors that are in one way or the other related to trading. Moreover, computers are capable of doing more at a time as compared to mechanical traders. This is one of the several reasons that more than 50% of all trades that occur on the New York Stock Exchange are computer-program generated.
A typical entry rule could be put in a sentence like this: “If signal A fires and there is a minimum target at least three times as great as my stop loss and we are at support, then buy X contracts or shares here.” Computers are more rational when it comes to taking quick decisions following a set of rules. No matter how experienced traders are, sometimes they tend to be hesitating in taking a decision no matter what their rules state.
b) Set exit rules
Normally, traders put 90% of their efforts into looking for buy signals, but they never pay attention to when to exit. At times, it is difficult to close a losing trade, but it is definitely wiser to take a small loss and continue looking for a new opportunity.
Professional traders lose a lot of trades each day, but they manage their money and limit their losses, which leads to a profitable trading statement for them.
Prior to entering a trade, you should be aware of your exits. There are at least two for every trade. First, where is your stop loss if the trade goes against you? This level must be written down. Mental stops don’t count. The second level is your profit target. Once you reach there, sell a portion of your trade and you can move your stop loss on the rest of your position to break even if you wish. As discussed above, never risk more than a set percentage of your portfolio on any trade.
4) Trying to get even or being too impatient
What are the 10 fatal mistakes traders make? Rule number 4 is patience. Patience in FOREX trading eventually pays off as it allows you to sit back a bit and wait for the right trading setup. Most traders are too eager to jump in and trade whenever any opportunity arises. This is probably due to our human nature and the eagerness to make a “quick buck”. But if there is one thing that ensures a high probability of winning, it is having the patience to grasp all the necessary information before you trade. This apparently will take time as there are many factors involved in it, such as the forming of trends, trend corrections, highs, and lows. Impatience to look at these matters could result in loss of money. It could be helpful sometimes to take a break and allow oneself to have the time to look at the bigger picture, instead of focusing too much on one aspect. Remember that a single transaction might resonate in a series of future losses if executed at the wrong moment. It takes time and patience to wait for the market correction before you commit to a trade.
BUT IT TAKES TIME…Some traders fail to realize that being successful will take time. They often fall prey to their own impatience in the hope of earning fast money. It could be a rough environment, and charts might be hard to read, so it is wise at times to step back in order to avoid costly mistakes. Don’t rush things out, or try to enter a trade at all costs by just following your gut. The market could be quite tricky and often does send out the wrong signals. Wait patiently for the best opportunities to align themselves and then act mercilessly.
5) Ignoring the trend
“The trend is my friend“- another cliche sentence, which has helped me stay on the right side of the market for as long as I am a trader. If you think about trading the way I do, it could be a boring business, but at least one that makes money. I am not really interested in quick returns. I am not interested in penny stocks. I am not interested in the most popular trades that everyone is talking about. I like to do my own analysis. The more boring a trade looks, the better for me the trade is. Always consider the trend before placing the trade!
6) Having a bullish/bearish bias
Folk wisdom says that if you throw a frog in boiling water, it will promptly jump out of it. But if you put the frog in lukewarm water and then slowly heat the water, by the time the frog realizes that the water has become boiling, it will already be too late. Studies of decision-making have proven that people are more likely to accept ethical lapses when they occur in several small steps than when they occur in one large leap. This statement also explains nicely the unfortunate process of unprofitable trading. Once you are in a losing position, you don’t realize if it slowly accumulates into a big loss. You have your own bias and it might lead you into obscurity. That is why one of the most important elements of successful trading is objectivity. It is also one of the hardest elements of mastering the field of trading. Inattentional blindness is definitely not helpful to human psychology and when it comes to trading, it could be detrimental.
7) Little preparation or lack of strategy
Make sure that you close any unnecessary programs on your computer and reboot your computer before the day begins, this refreshes the cache and resident memory (RAM). Several trading systems allow you to set up the environment according to your needs, set it up in a way that allows for minimal distractions and helps you keep an eye on each in and out, alongside.
Keep in mind that a flaw in the trading system can be costly. Make sure you have valid proof that your trading strategy does return positive results on a consistent basis. Do not rush into trading before that.
8) Being too emotional
Trading the markets is like stepping into a battlefield- you need to be emotionally and psychologically prepared before entering the field, otherwise, you are stepping into a war zone without a sword in your hand. Make sure you have checked three things before you start trading: 1)you are calm, 2)you had a good night’s sleep, and 3) you are up for a challenge.
Having a positive attitude towards trading is extremely crucial. If you are angry, preoccupied, or hung over then you are at a bigger risk of losing. Make sure you are completely relaxed before you step into the market, even if you have to take yoga classes, it is totally worth it.
9) Lacking money management skills
Rule number 9 of the “What are the 10 fatal mistakes traders make” list is money management. Risking between 1% to 2% of your portfolio on a single trade is the best way to go. Even if you lose while betting on that amount you will be capable enough to trade some other day and make up for your losses.
The amount of risk a trader can take is the amount he thinks he will be able to get back the next day. It is a wise option to start with a smaller amount and slowly and gradually increase the percentage. You can come back to point number 2 “Over-leveraging” and read it again. Having the right money management skills is probably one of the most important traits of a profitable trader. And of course- it is one of the most common mistakes among the losing traders.
10) Lack of record keeping
Keeping records is key to being successful at trading. If you win a trade, you should note down the efforts and the reasons that pulled you towards the trade. If you lose a trade, you should keep a record of why that happened in order to avoid making the same mistakes in the future.
Note down details such as targets, the exit, and entry of each trade, the time, support and resistance levels, daily opening range, market open and close for the day, and record comments about why you made the trade and lessons learned.
You should save your trading records so that you can go back and analyze the profit or loss for a particular system, draw-downs (which are amounts lost per trade using a trading system), average time per trade (in order to calculate trade efficiency), and other important factors. Remember, this is a serious business and you are the accountant.
CONCLUSION:
What are the 10 fatal mistakes traders make?? Successful paper trading does not ensure that you will have success when you start trading real money and emotions come into play. Successful paper trading does give the trader confidence that the system they are going to use actually works. Deciding on a system is less important than gaining enough skills so that you are able to make trades without second-guessing or doubting the decision.
There is no way to guarantee that a trade will return profits. This is the actual beauty of trading and being consistent is based on a trader’s skill set and his/her eagerness to improve. Keep in mind winning without losing does not exist in the world of trading. Professional traders know that the odds are in their favor before entering a trade. It is a continuous process of making more profits and cutting down losses which might not ensure a win every time, but it wins the war. Traders or investors who don’t believe in this adage are more viable to making losses.
Traders who win consistently treat trading as a business. While it’s not a guarantee that you will make money, having a plan is crucial if you want to become consistently successful and survive in the trading battle.
Focus on market structures and avoid trapsHello traders
- Here you can see how risky it is to trade without sufficient knowledge, because you can encounter a trap at every step, which will end up costing you a lot.
- There are a lot of traps for traders left by big boys in the markets to take your money. That's why it's important to be careful, and don't swim with fish but swim with sharks if you don't want to be eaten.
Example:
- Specifically in this example, we clearly see that the price is in an uptrend, we see an excellent bullish structure, but the other traders in this situation were manipulated and chose the wrong side of the market.
- Other traders focused on the retail head and shoulders pattern, and thats the retail flag, but we actually waited for the price to fill Imbalance and liquidity and then continued with the bullish trend.
- We see an excellent reaction from the demand zone, the price reached it in the des PA, and after the reaction, we have an excellent reversal setup.
- The price has filled the Imbalance, collected all the liquidity and since our entry continues with the bullish structure. Eventually the other traders fell into the trap, and the price hit their SL.
I hope you learned an important lesson from this post, if you liked it leave a like and write a comment if you have any questions.
HEAD AND SHOULDERS PATTERN - TRADING GUIDE Head and Shoulders pattern
This lesson will cover the following
What is a “Head and Shoulders” formation?
How can it be confirmed?
How can it be traded?
The Head and Shoulders pattern forms after an uptrend, and if confirmed, marks a trend reversal. The opposite pattern, the Inverse Head and Shoulders, therefore forms after a downtrend and marks the end of the downward price movement.
As you can guess by its name, the Head and Shoulders pattern consists of three peaks – a left shoulder, a head, and a right shoulder. The head should be the highest and the two shoulders should be at least relatively of equal height. As the price corrects from each peak, the lows retreat to form the so-called neckline, which is later used for confirming the pattern. Here is what an H&S pattern looks like.
Other key elements of this pattern and its trade process are the breakouts, protective stops, profit target, and volume, which is used as an additional tool to confirm the trend reversal. So here is how you identify the Head and Shoulders pattern and how its individual components are characterized.
Formation and confirmation
In order to have a trend reversal pattern, you definitely need a trending market. Let's talk about the first model of H&S, the Inverse or Reversal will have the same methodology but exactly in the opposite way.
While prices are trending up, our future patterns left shoulder forms as a peak, which marks the high of the current trend. For the shoulder to be formed, the price then needs to correct down, retreating to a low, which is usually above or at the trend line, thus, keeping the uptrend still in force. This low marks the first point used to determine where the neckline stands.
Afterward, a new higher peak begins to form, stemming from the left shoulder low, which is our pattern head. As the market makes a higher high (the head), it then corrects back and usually, this is the point where the upward trend is penetrated, thus signaling a shift in momentum and a possible Head and Shoulders pattern.
The second low that is touched after the retreat from the heads peak is the other point used to build the neckline, which is basically a line drawn through the two lows.
The subsequent rebound from the second low forms the third peak – the right shoulder. It should be lower than the head and overall match the height of the left shoulder (keep in mind that exact matches rarely occur). It is also preferable that the two shoulders have required relatively the same amount of time to form as this would make the pattern stronger.
In order for the Head and Shoulders pattern to be confirmed, the retreat from the third peak (the right shoulder) should penetrate the neckline and a candle should close below it.
The neckline itself should be horizontal in the perfect case scenario, but that rarely happens. Instead, most often it is sloping up or down and that is of significance as well – a downward-sloping neckline is more bearish than an upward-sloping one.
Volume
As mentioned above, volume plays a key role as a confirmation tool and can be measured via indicators or by just analyzing its levels. Presumably, volume during the left shoulder advance should be higher than during the subsequent one, because as the head hits a higher high on the base of declining volume, this serves as an early signal for a possible reverse. This, however, does not happen every time.
The next step of confirmation comes when volume increases during the decline from the head's peak and the last nail in the coffin are when volume gains further during the right shoulder's decline.
Trading the pattern, stops and profit targets
We said earlier that the Head and Shoulders pattern is deemed confirmed if the right shoulder's decline penetrates through the neckline and a candle closes below it. As soon as that happens and you are reassured that it is not a false breakout, you can enter into a short position. However, as you already know, no trading decisions should be made on the go, i.e. you need to have predetermined where your protective stop is going to stand and what your profit target is.
Protective stop
There are two common places where you can place your stop loss. The first one, which is more conservative, is right above the peak of the head, while a more standard position is right beyond the right shoulder. You can see those visualized in the following screenshot.
The second option makes more sense because if the breakout through the neckline actually fails and the price rebounds back with such momentum that it rises beyond the right shoulder, then the whole pattern is flawed and you definitely do not need to wait for it to exceed the head as well. Besides, such a loose stop significantly increases the risk and reduces the risk/reward ratio, thus, reducing this pattern's trading appeal.
Profit target
The most common and often advised profit target is the distance (number of pips) between the head's peak and the neckline. Having estimated that distance, you then need to subtract it from the neckline, just like in the screenshot below.
And how does that translate in terms of risk/reward ratio? If the breakout confirmation (the close beyond the neckline) appears very close to the neckline itself, and we enter into a short position there, we generally have a 1:1 risk-to-reward proportion, if we use a conservative protective stop. Why?
Since our profit target is the distance between the heads peak and the neckline, if we decide to use the conservative option for a protective stop, then we will have the same distance as a loss limit, thus, reducing our risk-to-reward ratio to 1:1.
This is why, in order to improve that ratio, most experienced traders place their protective stops more often above the right shoulders peak, given that they use the head-to-neckline profit target.
However, keep in mind that this price distance should serve as a rough target, because things are usually not that straightforward and other factors such as previous support levels, crossing mid-term and long-term moving averages, etc. must be taken into consideration as well.
Two ways to trade the Head and Shoulders Pattern
There are generally two ways to trade this pattern, depending on how it plays out. The first one we've already mentioned. As soon as a candle closes below the neckline as a sign of confirmation, you enter into a short position with the respective profit target and protective stop described above.
Now for the second way to trade the H&S formation. In this case, we have a pullback after the neckline penetration, which, once support, now acts as a resistance level. This time we need to go short once the price pulls back and tests the neckline as resistance. As soon as it rebounds from the neckline, we enter into a short position, using the same principle for placing the protective stop and aiming for the same profit as in the first scenario. Here is what this would look like.