Three Reasons Not to Rush into E-Mini Day Trading

It seems there is a chorus of marketers hawking a variety of Forex and e-mini day trading programs on the Internet. There are promises of fast cash, 1000% returns, and guaranteed methods of trading. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Learning to trade is a skill, much like the skill set required for any job. This skill set is not acquired instantly from reading an e-book or buying a trading course. This is not to say that buying a trading course is a bad idea, in fact, it’s a great idea. But to trade effectively you need to give yourself some time to learn trading methodology, market psychology and acclimate yourself to the trading environment.

I encourage everyone to learn e-mini day trading, but I caution against running headlong into the market place with expectations that are not realistic. The first few months of trading can be disastrous without proper preparation and experience.

1. Most Novice Traders Tend to over Trade.

When considering an e-mini day trading opportunity it is important to weigh a number of factors and assess the probability of the trade being successful. Relying on rote oscillator signals or similar rate of change indicators without fully assessing the price action in the e-mini contract being traded is the recipe for failure. It is important to firmly understand the current trend in the market and the size of your e-mini futures account before entering any trade.

I regularly see new traders taking 10 to 15 trades a day. Rarely are there are this many trading opportunities during a trading session. Experience has taught me that there are 5 to 8 good trading setups each day, sometimes less.  Why do novice traders tend to over trade?

A typical reason for over trading is “chasing the market.” New traders tend to pile into trades late, usually just-in-time for the directional movement of the market to change. There are a variety of reasons new traders tend to chase the market, for the most common reason for this phenomenon is taking every single trade indicated by an oscillator or indicator. It is important to use a multi-threaded system to filter your trades in a manner that eliminates some of lower probability trades. Trade filtering is one of the most important components of any trading system. Some trading systems use trending markets and agreement between several indicators to indicate a trade. There are many filtering systems on the market and all good trading programs filter trades in some manner.

2. Most Novice Traders Tend to Trade to Many Contracts

Money management in your e-mini futures trading account is the skill that will enable traders to remain in the market for an extended period of time. On the other hand, trading the maximum number of contracts your account is authorized to trade (by the brokerage margin department) is a mistake.

A good rule of thumb for sizing the number of contracts in a potential trade is to never trade more than 5% of your e-mini trading account balance. For many smaller accounts, this will mean trading only one contract. Emotionally, trading a mere one contract is a difficult task, especially when the new trader has purchased a program that has conditioned his or her thinking to get-rich-quick. Because the margin department has authorized you to trade up to 5 contracts doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to do so.

Why?

Should you go on a run of losing trades, save 4 in a row, you can easily lose 60 to 70% of your e-mini trading account balance. Needless to say, this is a less than desirable outcome. In my opinion, most traders trade to many contracts because they have been conditioned to believe their trading system is infallible and all they need to do is follow the system and riches will come pouring their way. As I said earlier, 5 to 7% of your account balance is the maximum you should risk on any given trade.

3. Most Traders Are Not Familiar with the Psychological Factors in Trading.

I like for my first trade to be successful because it puts me in the right frame of mind. Of course, there are days when you might be stopped out on your first trade and find yourself with a significant negative profit/loss position. At this point, it is not unusual for novice traders to over trade or trade too many contracts in order to catch up.

Regardless of the day’s prior trades, is essential to maintain your trading methodology and money management system. There is always a temptation when you are having a losing day to up the number of contracts in an effort to regain your footing in positive territory. This is always a bad idea. Traders also tend to increase their risk tolerance by initiating lower probability trades when they are having a losing day.

It is essential to trade your account, not let your account trade you. It is entirely possible to salvage a day after an initial losing trade. To be sure, you are more likely to produce positive results when you stay true to your system. Negative account balances for a trading session are notorious for compounding problems. You can easily turn a modest loss and to disaster by trading outside the parameters of your e-mini day trading system.

In summary, we have discussed the importance of staying true to your system and not letting outside factors put you in the market before you are ready; over trading, poor money management, and unfamiliar psychological feelings all contribute to trader failure. In short, be fully prepared to trade before you begin trading in earnest; there is no need to rush into e-mini day trading before you are ready.

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Forex survival kit

Where do you start? Charts or methods or do you buy a DIY package or attend seminars? All this was enough to put me off before I even started! So if you are in the same boat as I was then don’t panic! There are experts telling you what do to do and how to do it, theres loads of free info to read so lets start with the first do’s and donts of forex trading..

1)      Get some help! Learning from a successful trader can only help make you a better trader. Books and programs are good if you have the basics under your belt.

2)      Never start trading with your money use demo accounts, for example Forex Automoney is a trading platform that provides training and a demo account for you to practise on BEFORE you actually put any money on the markets. An estimated 90% of new starters fail to make a success of trading as they do not practise and learn the basics.

3)      Learn to manage risk. Do not use more than 1-2% of the capital in your trading account, big trades can mean big profits but also can mean big losses. Money management is the key to long term success in forex trading.

4)      Learn your methods well. New traders often are quick at placing trades but when they start making a loss do not get out! Apply methods strictly.

5)      Trading can be very exciting however it is necessary to keep calm and have a disciplined approach rather than get carried away with emotion.

Although the starting period for new traders may not yield life changing profits instantly, many traders have built a steady and successful income.

To take a step towards becoming a successful trader try http://forexprofitcodes.com to learn more about forex trading software and training programs built by professionals designed to help new starters and professional traders alike. Find more info at http://forexprofitcodes.com.

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Stock Market – Day Trading, How Does it Work?

Day trading is the process of buying and selling securities within one trading day. Unlike other forms of trading like stocks and other securities, trading is faster.

While others think of it as a form of gambling because of the high risks involved, others see it as a profitable business option. That is why there are more people getting into it, leaving their day jobs just so they can focus on this venture.

Natalia Osorio Editor of the “Best Stock Trading” website — http://www.BestStockTradingUsa.com — pointed out;

“…For new traders, it is best to know the ins and outs of the system. Consider this as a new business venture. Know what it’s all about. If you must, enroll in a short course or take some seminars on the topic. Read books, articles or website information that you can download.

Some websites also have simulated trading that you can try and practice. This is similar to actual trading, except that there is no real money involved. Once you think you’ve learned enough, you are now ready for actual trading…”

Trading is made through trading sites or online trading companies. If you have a fast internet connection at home, and some good software, then you can do trading right in your own home. But most traders go to trading companies where they can access the market data, and pay them with commissions from their profits.

Through a trading company, you are able to purchase stocks, currencies or futures. These companies have online brokers which do the transaction for you, for a certain fee. The goal is to find the best trading company for you. They provide different services and different rates, so weigh all options before deciding on which company to join.

The first step in actual trading is to open an account with these companies. You may start with a relatively small amount, and work from there. Or you may start big. Whatever amount you decide, make sure that you don’t invest all your savings. Set aside a portion of the amount for bills payment or emergencies.

“…After opening an account, you are now ready to choose an online broker to do transactions on your behalf but still under your instructions. Companies have several online brokers, so choose one whom you think can work to your advantage. Once you’ve done these, then you’re all set!

Day trading can work for you, as it has for many others. But keep in mind that every gain is another person’s loss. So be careful in the choices and decisions that you make…” N. Osorio added.

Further Information About The Best Stock Trading Course And Additional Resources  By Visiting; http://www.BestStockTradingUsa.com

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About the Author:
Natalia Osorio runs her corporate website at http://www.OpsRegs.com where you can see all her articles and press releases.
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Choosing A Trading Style