Earlier quoted context omitted.
I worked briefly[0] at a startup that helps get professional traders faster/easier access to reports, data, etc[1]. It was eye opening. Brokerage firms do huge amounts of research to help figure out where the market is going, then only give that information to the big fish who do millions/billions in trades. You and I are not competing in a fair game when we buy and sell stocks. I just keep my retirement savings in a…
The problem is when everyone is simply tracking an index, there are no more humans in the loop to avert disaster.
Don't Steal Money from Day Traders Before They Lose It
261–263 of 263 posts
Re: Don't Steal Money from Day Traders Before They Lose It
#262Earlier quoted context omitted.
What he describes isn't gambling though, it's a very detailed and tedious list of tasks that are apparently necessary to succeed.
>What he describes isn't gambling though... That's like saying that having a very complex system for playing blackjack to have an advantage over the house isn't gambling. My definition of gambling is "any event in which money is bet on the outcome of an event in which the user does not have 100% perfect knowledge". If you're an insider trader, you're not gambling. If you're Joe-average day trader, you're a gambler. B…
What I think you need to add to your definition is an addendum that says that what you bet is significant enough that you will suffer significant harm from losing. So if you cannot afford to lose that $5 you put down on some race, then that is significant. if putting down $1,000,000 on some event and losing means nothing to you, then are you still gambling or having entertainment.
My father's advice to me from a very young age, was to treat all "bets" as a loss anda form of entertainment. So only use what you could afford to lose. if you cannot afford to lose anything, then you don't lay down resources on the expectation of "winning", that is the mug's game. So as far as day trading is concerned, follow the rules that I set out above, which are the same rules that I received from others who have actually been successful in day trading. Interestingly enough, I have had the same advice from those who were unsuccessful and they admit they broke the rules as laid out.
Re: Don't Steal Money from Day Traders Before They Lose It
#263Earlier quoted context omitted.
> It was possible on a $30,000 capital to make (or lose) over $1000 per day. Maybe there is a typo in your example? Making or losing 3.3% in one day does not seem that impresive...
I was trading while I was still at work doing my real job, so I wasn't putting 100% of my attention to it. 3.3% daily (if you could consistently make a profit) is a very good return, think about how fast that compounds. Most savings accounts aren't even 3.3% per annum.