Day trading can be a very successful trading strategy when implemented correctly.
With the know how to find favorable patterns for day trading, and the ability to determine when stocks are about to rise suddenly, day trading can become a long term method of constantly making money in the stock market.
However, it is important to be well informed about proper trading strategies and to ensure a sound plan is in place before starting.
The following is everything you need to know about forming a successful day trading strategy, including how to find favorable patterns within the market.
What Is Day Trading?
Day trading is the act of buying and selling shares in a stock on the same day based on short term price fluctuations.
Day trading involves knowing the patterns and trends of certain stocks and understanding the appropriate time to buy and sell within a very short time frame.
Perhaps the most appealing aspect of day trading is the ability to limit your risk and make money quickly, whereas a long term investment requires patience, and the money is not available on the same day the investment is made.
However, day trading takes skill and knowledge of the market to pull off on a consistent basis.
How to Day Trade Successfully
There are certain things every successful day trader does to put themselves in a good position to find favorable patterns on a daily basis.
By following the same methods utilized by the best day traders, you can also give yourself a good chance to generate a profit on a daily basis through investments in the stock market.
Know the Market
First and foremost, it is crucial to know the market well before beginning to day trade. While every successful investment strategy is built around knowing the market and connective industries well, it is even more important to be able to recognize trends in the market that are going to suddenly affect the way a stock’s value changes.
To have a good understanding of the best stocks to day trade, it requires staying up to date on all news that comes out during the day and acting quickly on stocks that show a favorable pattern for day trading.
Check Volatility
Knowing the volatility of a stock is also very important before investing into a stock, especially when day trading.
Volatility is simply the amount a stock fluctuates on a daily basis. The higher the volatility, the greater the chance the stock fluctuates. With more volatile stocks, there is a greater chance of losing a lot of money when day trading, although there is also a greater chance at generating a profit.
There is not a set rule on whether or not it is best to avoid stocks that are very volatile, but it is important to be aware of the risks involved.
Check Trading Volume
It is also a good idea to try and trade stocks with more trading volume than stocks that have less activity over the course of the day, which can be checked using a float checker.
The reasons for this are simple: the more activity there is, the easier it is going to be to get in and out of a stock quickly. Day trading requires buying and selling a stock in the very same day, which means it is important to have the ability to move quickly.
A stock with high trade volume makes it easier to sell a stock when it comes time to do so, whereas stocks with a lower trading volume may take longer to sell.
Start early
Being a good day trader requires getting ahead of the game and starting early in the morning before everyone else.
Many traditional investors make their investments early in the morning, which means the price has a greater chance to rise early in the day. By purchasing stock early in the morning as soon as the market opens, you can oftentimes get in at a discounted price, and then sell the stock later in the day after the price has increased.
Starting early is considered risky, however, and beginners should perhaps wait several hours until they get more comfortable.
Plan Your Entry Point
An entry point is the price which an investor buys an investment. It is important to plan your entry point (especially when day trading) to ensure you get in at a fair price that gives a chance at a return later in the day.
Purchasing shares in a stock early in the morning is just one example of a way to plan your entry point. Regardless of the price or time set to purchase shares in a certain stock, it is important to have a plan in place.
By planning your entry point, you can give yourself a much better chance at success when day trading.
Decide when to sell
Along with planning your entry point, it is also important to know when to sell and have a strategic plan in place for doing so.
Many of the best day traders prefer to sell early as soon as they are able to profit off of their investment. By doing so, you minimize risk and ensure a profit is made.
Avoid the mistake of waiting too long and seeing your stock’s value drop suddenly after a gain and sell earlier, ensuring a profit is gained on as many stocks as possible.
Stay Patient and Avoid Greed
It is important to remember that even the best day traders fail on many of their investments, but they know that they are going to be successful more times than not and generate a profit long term.
Therefore, stay patient and do not worry too much about a bad investment, setting a stop point in the event a stock does not go as planned.
Day trading requires you to move very fast in the day, but you should not have to think fast as long as the proper research is conducted and a plan is in place going into each day on exactly how to execute your day trading strategy.
If you have had success with day trading, share a comment with your experience, and any tips you may have in the section below.