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Day Trading
Trade FrequencyProfit and RisksHistoryFinancial SettlementElectronic Communication NetworksTechniquesTrend followingContrarianRange tradingScalpingRebate TradingNews PlayingTrading EquipmentBrokerageCommissionSpreadMarket DataRegulations and restrictions
Trade FrequencyProfit and RisksHistoryFinancial SettlementElectronic Communication NetworksTechniquesTrend followingContrarianRange tradingScalpingRebate TradingNews PlayingTrading EquipmentBrokerageCommissionSpreadMarket DataRegulations and restrictions
Profit and Risks
Because of the nature of financial leverage and the rapid returns that are possible, day trading can be either extremely profitable or extremely unprofitable, and high-risk profile traders can generate either huge percentage returns or huge percentage losses. Some day traders manage to earn millions per year solely by day trading.Because of the high profits (and losses) that day trading makes possible, these traders are sometimes portrayed as "bandits" or "gamblers" by other investors. Some individuals, however, make a consistent living day trading.
Nevertheless day trading can become very risky, especially if any one of the following is present while trading:
* trading a loser's game/system rather than a game that's at least winnable
* trading with poor discipline (ignoring your own day trading strategy, tactics, rules)
* inadaquate risk capital with the accompanying excess stress of having to "survive"
* incompetent money management (i.e. executing trades poorly).
The common use of margin (finance)#Margin buying|buying on margin (using borrowed funds) amplifies gains and losses, such that substantial losses or gains can occur in a very short period of time. In addition, brokers usually allow bigger margins for daytraders. Where overnight margins required to hold a stock position are normally 50% of the stock's value, many brokers allow pattern day trader accounts to use levels as low as 25% for intraday purchases. This means a day trader with the legal minimum $25,000 in his account can buy $100,000 worth of stock during the day, as long as half of those positions are exited before the market close. Because of the high risk of margin use, and of other day trading practices, a day trader will often have to exit a losing position very quickly, in order to prevent a greater, unacceptable loss, or even a disastrous loss, much larger than his original investment, or even larger than his total assets.