Showing posts sorted by relevance for query trading-process-context. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query trading-process-context. Sort by date Show all posts

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Info!! The Trading Process: Context

In this serial of posts, I volition outline the steps I become through inward the trading process. I desire to stress that at that spot are other ways of trading, as well as what I depict is non at all necessarily best for all traders. My promise is that this explication of procedure volition handle traders reverberate on their ain processes as well as tighten those up. I too promise that, inward absorbing examples of trading from many writers, traders tin to a greater extent than readily honor their ain synthesis as well as style.

The commencement pace inward trading for me is identifying what nosotros mightiness telephone phone context. Context refers to all the factors surrounding the upcoming day's trade. That includes whether the prior twenty-four hours was stronger or weaker than the day(s) before, whether we're trading inward a short-term arrive at or trending, whether markets correlated to stocks are inward a trending or arrive at mode, as well as whether volatility is expanding, contracting, or remaining relatively constant. Context too includes tidings items as well as economical releases as well as how markets accept responded to those inward recent days as well as inward pre-opening trade. Finally, context too includes intermarket themes as well as leading sectors that accept impacted the stock marketplace as well as whether those correlations accept been waxing or waning.

I late posted a collection of posts illustrating the marketplace indicators that I follow; each week, I too postal service an update of approximately of the indicators that are nearly of import to my assessment of context. Through morn Twitter posts (Key Post on My Trading Process

Preparation as well as Reasoning

How Preparation Affects the Perception of Time

Preparation as well as Execution of Trade Ideas
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Info!! The Trading Process: Stance Generation Together With The Scientific Mindset



How does a trader brand the transition from agreement a electrical flow marketplace (the 3 elements enumerated above) to genuinely formulating a trading idea? That is the topic of this post.

In a word, the trading thought must integrate the information we've gained from an appreciation of marketplace context (whether markets are trending/bracketing on longer fourth dimension frame; intermarket themes that ask maintain been operative; relevant word events as well as economical reports); fundamental toll levels (support/resistance; average trading prices; target prices); as well as solar daytime construction (whether the electrical flow solar daytime appears to move inwards breakout/trending/range mode).

As an intraday trader, I laid about the procedure of generating ideas past times formulating hypotheses equally the marketplace is trading. Many times, the hypothesis volition kickoff past times assuming that whatever has been happening at the larger fourth dimension frame--what I am identifying inwards the marketplace context--will bear frontwards to the electrical flow trading day.

Thus, on average, if I come across we've been trending higher, I volition hypothesize that forcefulness volition bear over to the electrical flow trading session. At this point, the hypothesis is solely that: an educated hunch, non a trading idea.

As the marketplace is trading, that hypothesis may gain or lose support. For instance, if I come across that, amongst each bout of selling, the marketplace holds higher upward its volume-weighted average toll (VWAP), the thought of continuing the tendency higher gains support. Conversely, if nosotros brand buying efforts as well as book wanes as well as nosotros cannot accept out prior highs, my hypothesis loses support.

If I'm thinking similar a scientist, my real-time marketplace observations are helping me to refine my hypothesis. Perhaps the stock marketplace is non moving much inwards pre-opening trade, simply I notice correlated markets (U.S. dollar, commodities) moving inwards a agency that would move supportive of higher stock prices. That mightiness non solely assist back upward my hypothesis of continuing the marketplace trend, simply mightiness likewise render clues equally to which stock sectors could most apply goodness from such a move.

Similarly, I mightiness come across emerging marketplace stocks leading a displace higher as well as conclude that such speculative persuasion could bear over to the to a greater extent than speculative areas of U.S. stock performance. Or I mightiness come across overseas markets degree off on unfavorable economical word as well as moderate my expectations for U.S. stocks on the open.

The indicate is that hypotheses are ever-evolving. New marketplace information is helping us gain or lose confidence inwards our ideas.

Once I ask maintain high confidence inwards direction (i.e., the most recent marketplace activity is confirming my prior hypothesis), I as well as thence purpose my agreement of toll levels as well as solar daytime construction to brand the hypothesis to a greater extent than specific.

For example, if we're trending higher as well as I come across signs of firmness inwards the marketplace prior to the open, I mightiness hypothesize that nosotros volition concur higher upward the overnight depression inwards Globex futures trading as well as merchandise higher upward yesterday's high price. Alternatively, I mightiness ask maintain lost confidence inwards the thought of continuing the tendency higher due to tepid overnight activity as well as failing intermarket themes as well as hypothesize that nosotros volition concur below the overnight high inwards Globex futures trading as well as merchandise dorsum to the electrical flow day's VWAP or the prior day's pin toll level.

When I refine my hypotheses, I ever brand reference to fundamental toll levels as well as my ideas virtually direction must ever move grounded inwards what I'm seeing inwards the most recent marketplace behavior. If I'm hypothesizing a tendency or breakout day, I'm looking for prices higher or lower to follow the most recent toll action. If I'm hypothesizing a hit or imitation breakout session, I'm looking lower or higher for prices to contrary the most recent toll action.

If you lot were to sentry me trading, you lot would come across me jumping from enshroud to screen, nautical chart to chart, constantly updating measures of persuasion (NYSE TICK, Market Delta); volume; correlated indexes, sectors, as well as asset classes; as well as conduct around toll levels. Cognitively, I'm continuously weaving a narrative virtually what I'm seeing: assembling the emerging marketplace information into a story trouble that makes feel to me. The hypotheses flow from this story line.

Many times, I abide by the information to move contradictory as well as mixed as well as no convincing story trouble emerges. At such times, I apply non act. Only when the information autumn into a designing as well as the designing fits into my agreement of context as well as solar daytime construction volition I entertain a hypothesis as well as elaborate it amongst toll level/target specifics.

As nosotros volition come across inwards afterward posts inwards the series, this narrative procedure of hypothesis generation continues through the solar daytime and, indeed, throughout the menstruation of asset positions. It tin ship away likewise occur at fourth dimension frames wider than intraday, equally inwards the instance when nosotros come across stocks failing to sustain forcefulness early on inwards the calendar week as well as hypothesize that nosotros volition merchandise dorsum to final week's pin level.

Once nosotros empathize thought generation equally a sort of scientific process, nosotros tin ship away amend appreciate the business office of psychological factors inwards trading. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 proficient mindset volition non pose valuable hypotheses inwards the caput of a scientist, simply the incorrect mindset tin ship away interfere amongst generating as well as refining worthwhile hypotheses. Most emotional disruptions of trading involve some sort of short-circuiting of designing recognition as well as reasoning processes.

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Info!! The Trading Process: Fundamental Toll Levels In Addition To Targets

In this serial of posts, I am outlining my trading procedure to help traders mean value through what they are doing inwards markets too why. The foremost postal service inwards the series dealt amongst marketplace position context: evaluating what has been happening inwards related markets too across related fourth dimension frames. In subsequent posts, I illustrated how context was evaluated real-time inwards marketplace position preparation too how context is integrated into real-time toll action inwards formulating too managing a trade.

The minute stage of my trading procedure is the identification of primal toll levels equally potential targets for marketplace position moves. This is where my procedure differs from that of many traders. Rather than starting fourth dimension a merchandise persuasion amongst a setup, I start amongst potential targets that I mean value are probable to endure hit. It is solely i time I induce got a target inwards need heed that I volition hold off for a possible entry signal that provides a favorable vantage grade relative to risk.

Among the primal toll levels that I most ordinarily rely upon are:

* The overnight high too overnight depression from Globex stock index futures trading. The odds are very, rattling high that nosotros volition accept out either the overnight high or depression during the regular trading hours. When stocks opened upwardly within their overnight range, I volition role early on marketplace position activeness to handicap the odds of breaking out of that range. That is oftentimes my foremost merchandise of the day.

* The book weighted average toll (VWAP) for the stock index futures market, calculated from the start of the overnight session. If nosotros opened upwardly close the highs or lows of the overnight arrive at but cannot sustain those highs or lows (i.e., nosotros run into buying or selling involvement dry out up), I volition hold off for stocks to motion dorsum into their overnight arrive at too render to VWAP. That is around other merchandise that tin railroad train early on inwards the day.

* The previous day's high too depression price. My enquiry suggests that the S&P 500 Index trades either higher upwardly its prior day's high or below its previous day's depression over 85% of the time. Relatively few days are within days, specially when book is running average or higher. If nosotros opened upwardly within yesterday's range, I volition role toll too indicator activeness to handicap the odds of taking out the previous day's high or low. That is a merchandise that tin railroad train early on inwards the day, especially during trending days.

* The evolving day's book weighted average toll (VWAP). If nosotros run into buying or selling drying upwardly equally nosotros endeavor to stand upwardly for prices higher upwardly or below the prior day's high or low, nosotros tin anticipate a motion dorsum into the previous day's range. That sets upwardly the electrical flow day's VWAP too the prior day's pin grade (see below) equally potential targets.

* The previous day's pin level. I calculate the pin grade for a day's merchandise equally an gauge of the average trading price. My historical calculations detect that nosotros touching on the previous day's pin inwards the electrical flow day's trading virtually 75% of the time. This makes the pin grade a target worth considering when markets cannot sustain moves exterior yesterday's trading range.

* The electrical flow day's projected back upwardly (S1, S2, S3) too resistance (R1, R2, R3) levels. I calculate these past times a proprietary, volatility-weighted formula too seat out them daily earlier the marketplace position opened upwardly via Twitter. (You tin follow or subscribe to the Twitter flow costless of accuse past times Six Questions That Help You Prepare for the Market Day

More on My Trading Process
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Saturday, January 12, 2019

Info!! 3 Questions To Inquire Close Your Trading

I lately wrote the post service on 3 questions to enquire close whatsoever market.  That has turned out to hold out the most pop post service to ever, which says something given 10+ years of the blog's existence.  My feel is that people recognize that at that spot is much to a greater extent than to agreement markets than trading off the latest headlines or nautical chart patterns.  The "three questions" post service is an endeavour to distill markets to their essence too supply a framework for thinking the meaning of marketplace behavior.

Similarly, people recognize that at that spot is much to a greater extent than to trading psychology than keeping their heads on straight.  The 3 questions to enquire close whatsoever marketplace follow from a center recognition:  that markets correspond auction processes.  Once y'all focus on marketplace deportment every bit the upshot of bidding too offering inwards a existent fourth dimension auction process, y'all tin enquire those 3 relevant questions.

The 3 questions to enquire close your trading also follow from a center recognition:  trading is a creative process.  Just every bit an entrepreneur succeeds past times creating novel goods too services or past times delivering goods too services inwards novel ways, the trader succeeds past times discovering too exploiting fresh opportunity.  Show me a trader who has made coin consistently too I'll exhibit y'all someone who displays uniqueness inwards their viewing too doing.  Once y'all recognize trading every bit a fundamentally creative, entrepreneurial activity, the questions to enquire close your trading follow naturally:

1)  Am I looking at novel information inwards novel ways? - You don't mine for gilt where everyone has been searching or, if y'all do, y'all piece of work novel tools that assistance y'all dig deeper too sift better.  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 wise portfolio director lately explained his success past times citing the importance of exploiting "hard to instruct data".  That's where the genuinely novel information--and the possible futurity sources of edge--lie.  For example, inwards a lately developed routine, I intermission the day's activeness inwards ES into bars that correspond a given number of trades.  It's quite mutual for a unmarried twenty-four hr menses to intermission downwards into 500-1000 bars, depending upon the bird of marketplace activity.  I therefore hold off at the volatility of each bar too the grade to which expansions of volatility upshot inwards directional cost movement.  It turns out that expansions of microvolatility that convey a directional bias precede short-term marketplace trends.  The novel information is capturing the deportment of large marketplace players who convey to instruct into their positions over fourth dimension because of their size.  If y'all tin recognize this procedure early, y'all tin ride their waves.  New information leads to new, promising trading.

2)  Am I synthesizing marketplace information, non only analyzing it? - Analysis gives us the pieces of the puzzle, but it's a perceptual synthesis that helps us seat what the puzzle represents.  Without that synthesis, nosotros can't get together the puzzle; it makes no feel to us.  Synthesis is sense-making; it's taking information from multiple sources too assembling it into a coherent marketplace picture.  Perhaps nosotros encounter a possible tendency starting per the give-and-take of microvolatility above.  At the same time, nosotros notice that i sector of the marketplace is breaking out to the upside too other run a peril assets are firming, despite a seemingly bearish information free before inwards the session.  Putting those pieces together, nosotros recognize that the path of to the lowest degree resistance is to the upside too nosotros build a solid risk/reward entry.  Too oft nosotros instruct lost inwards the weeds too overreact to unmarried pieces of data.  Our noses are therefore stuck inwards the screens that nosotros don't describe dorsum to encounter the broader context of what's going on inwards markets.  Successful traders operate amongst microscopes too telescopes, developing ideas that synthesize the here-and-now amongst larger marketplace patterns.

3)  Do I flexibly accommodate my trading style? - Traders oft insist that they succeed past times finding a trading manner that fits their personality too faithfully sticking to that style.  I've come upward to recognize the limitations of this view.  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 field agone I gave the event of the radio station possessor who played music he believed to hold out "good music".  The occupation was that musical tastes were changing too people did non desire to psyche to the music he believed to hold out good.  Rather than accommodate to consumer needs, he stuck amongst his manner too drove the concern into the ground.  Creativity agency that nosotros flexibly accommodate to changing conditions.  We don't insist that markets follow our predilections.  When I adopted cycles every bit my unit of measurement of marketplace analysis, issues of "trend trading" vs. "mean reversion trading" became moot.  At certain, early on portions of a cycle, y'all merchandise the momentum.  At other points, y'all fade directional moves.  When cycles are higher frequency, y'all merchandise inwards too out to a greater extent than opportunistically.  When lower frequency cycles dominate, y'all tin conduct to a greater extent than similar an investor.  The marketplace plays the music.  How y'all trip the low-cal fantastic depends on the music existence played.

Too many traders approach their arts and crafts every bit if they're managing a manufacturing process.  They don't recognize that they are also managing a creative enterprise.  How y'all deal an assembly occupation making widgets is unlike from how y'all deal a pic studio.  It's groovy to instruct to a greater extent than consistent past times introducing procedure command too staying procedure driven--but non if the rigidity of procedure becomes a straitjacket that limits the creative essence of managing our capital.

Further Reading:  Creativity, Research, too Development
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Sunday, November 3, 2019

Info!! The Trading Process: Solar Daytime Structure

In the get-go post service from this series that describes how I trade, I emphasized the importance of agreement the market's context: whether electrical current activity is situated inside strengthening, weakening, or stable conditions. The minute post stressed the importance of identifying toll levels every bit potential toll targets for merchandise ideas.

The concept that unites these 2 ideas for me every bit a short-term trader is hateful solar daytime structure. Each hateful solar daytime has a item construction to its toll activity too strength/weakness. Identifying the probable construction for the hateful solar daytime every bit early on every bit possible is perchance the most of import science demanded of the intraday trader. I say this because yous tin endure skilled at recognizing nautical chart patterns or reading immediate render or need inwards the fellowship book, only if yous boot the bucket hateful solar daytime construction wrong, yous tin easily respect yourself selling inwards a marketplace that is ready to breakout to the upside or buying at the incorrect fourth dimension inwards a falling market.

Day structure, for me every bit an intraday trader, trumps longer timeframe tendency considerations, though the latter are hardly irrelevant. If yous await at my recent post service where I reviewed i of my trades, you'll come across that early on inwards the morning time I was selling the S&P 500 Index fifty-fifty though all of my contextual indicators said that nosotros were inwards a rising market. The argue for this was that, at the hateful solar daytime fourth dimension frame, I was making the telephone weep upwardly that nosotros were non seeing plenty buying involvement to sustain a motility to the overnight high too would probable motility dorsum toward the prior day's pin level. In other words, I was identifying a potential arrive at hateful solar daytime early on inwards the session too keying my merchandise off of that information.

In my marketplace preparation, I intend nigh 7 hateful solar daytime construction possibilities:

1) Range Day - The marketplace volition oscillate unopen to an average toll value amongst relatively depression volatility through the day, probable ending the hateful solar daytime non far from its opening toll grade and/or its volume-weighted average toll (VWAP);

2) Upside Trend Day - The marketplace volition opened upwardly close its depression toll for the hateful solar daytime session too construct its agency higher through the day, closing close its high price. The marketplace volition tend to remain higher upwardly its VWAP for most of the day;

3) Downside Trend Day - The marketplace volition opened upwardly close its high toll for the hateful solar daytime session too travel its agency lower through the day, closing close its depression price. The marketplace volition tend to remain below its VWAP for most of the day;

4) Upside Breakout Day - The marketplace volition opened upwardly inside a range, only volition construct majority too attract participation at the upper halt of that range, leading to a toll interruption higher upwardly the range, too farther credence of toll higher upwardly the arrive at amongst enterprise volume. An upside breakout represents a transition from arrive at to upside trending conditions.

5) Downside Breakout Day - The marketplace volition opened upwardly inside a range, only volition construct majority too attract participation at the lower halt of that range, leading to a toll interruption below the range, too farther credence of toll below the arrive at amongst enterprise volume. H5N1 downside breakout represents a transition from arrive at to downside trending conditions.

6) False Upside Breakout Day - The marketplace opens inside a arrive at too moves higher upwardly the range, normally amongst express participation too majority that wanes amongst higher prices, alone to autumn dorsum into the arrive at too render toward VWAP. H5N1 simulated upside breakout represents an extension of arrive at trading conditions.

7) False Downside Breakout Day - The marketplace opens inside a arrive at too moves below the range, normally amongst express participation too majority that wanes amongst lower prices, alone to bounce dorsum into the arrive at too render toward VWAP. H5N1 simulated downside breakout represents an extension of arrive at trading conditions.

Why are these of import structures?

In arrive at markets too on simulated breakouts, you'll endure trading for moves *toward* VWAP too oftentimes the prior day's pin level. In trending too breakout markets, you'll endure trading for moves *away* from VWAP too toward the R1/R2/R3 or S1/S2/S3 toll levels. In other words, you'll endure fading toll describe too weakness inwards arrive at too simulated breakout markets too trading amongst describe too weakness during trending too breakout conditions.

Without a proper agreement of marketplace context too fundamental toll levels, it is real hard to boot the bucket a receive got on hateful solar daytime construction early on inwards the session. You'll respect yourself looking at real short-term "setups", alone to fille the to a greater extent than basic enquiry of whether toll volition motility toward or away from its most recent estimates of value (VWAP, value areas). That's non to say that trading real short-term setups cannot endure successful. Rather, yous desire to situate those setups inside a broader framework too consideration of hateful solar daytime structure, hence that larger fourth dimension frame marketplace administration industrial plant for you, rather than against you.

Key to a trader's trading is recognizing these diverse types of days. The links below should aid boot the bucket yous started; farther posts that construct on these ideas volition follow.

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Monday, January 28, 2019

Info!! Best Practices Inwards Trading: Maximizing Your Data Processing

The typical trader plant from multiple screens together with each of the screens carries multiple pieces of information updated inward existent time.  Some screens update charts; some update news; some are for messaging; some rail quotes across many markets.  No trader wants to immature lady a fast-breaking development, thence the temptation is to add together screens together with add together to a greater extent than information to each screen.  Can traders actually procedure all that information inward existent time?  How much of what appears on our screens really is information--and how much is distraction?

Today's best practise comes from Terry Liberman from WindoTrader.  He emphasizes the importance of agreement together with owning your trading information processing system.  Years of sense inward developing effective trading platforms bring taught Terry quite a fleck virtually how traders procedure information.  His fundamental signal is that nosotros cannot maximize our processing of marketplace position information unless nosotros sympathise our information processing strengths together with play to those.  One of the odd features of WindoTrader is the mightiness to overlay information displays on i another, thence that the trader tin halt visualize cost activity on several fourth dimension frames simultaneously.  For a highly visual information processor, this tin halt render a pregnant cognitive efficiency.

As Terry points out, the best practise of streamlining information to gibe your processing mode is increasingly important, given the explosion of information available to traders:

"As nosotros know, in that location is no shortage of information because this is the Era of Information Overload on Steroids.  The of import matter for those of us who merchandise is to survive able to chop-chop together with easily honor the information that meets our requirements equally to relevance, usefulness, applicability, together with fit.  

One agency to mean value virtually information processing is to recognize that information are non information together with must outset survive converted into information through your filters of relevance, importance, together with applicability.  Once they buy the farm information together with come across your criteria equally information, you lot straightaway bring cognition together with some agreement of it thence you lot tin halt brand some decisions virtually it.  And then, i time it meets your requirements, create upwards one's hear how you're going to deed on it inward alignment amongst your functioning criteria.

To increase your mightiness to collect the information your require together with procedure it, start out amongst the information you lot need, why you lot ask it, together with the do goodness it volition specifically render you lot at this instant inward time.  Next, determine both the context together with the content of the information also equally its validity overall together with its validity for you.  And finally, invention the specifics for using it together with gaining the most from it inward your pursuit of achieving your finish or goals.  To read something fun also equally idea provoking, depository fiscal establishment check out Information Anxiety."

Terry makes a real of import point:  trading is, at root, a cognitive process.  It is all virtually taking inward data, assembling information into information together with insight, together with making decisions based upon the ongoing streams of information together with insight.  How much of what is on our screens is really essential to our determination making?  How many screens would nosotros employ together with how cluttered would each covert survive if nosotros solely focused on the information most relevant to our trading decisions?

Streamlining our information processing forces us to mean value virtually our thinking together with follow our chains of reasoning inward generating audio trading decisions.  Terry's best practise is non but optimizing our screens; it's optimizing our idea processes together with and then adapting our screens to the best of our processing.  More is non better; many times it's fast information processing that is equally of import to trading equally deep information processing.  By carefully organizing what is on our screens together with how it is displayed, nosotros tin halt improve the efficiency also equally the effectiveness of our idea processes.

Further Reading:  What Trading Teaches Us About Life
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Monday, February 25, 2019

Info!! Honing Your Trading Procedure - Purpose Two

The outset postal service inwards this two-part series took a appear at procedure orientation too why it is of import to trading.  By breaking trading into constituent elements too identifying effective routines for each, traders tin flaming rest grounded inwards best practices that impart a profitable edge.  That mapping of procedure elements to outcomes is crucial:  devotion to procedure inwards the absence of a demonstrated border tin flaming entirely brand randomness routine.  Effective procedure components are evidence-based.  But how create successful traders prepare those components? 

An interesting commonality amid the Market Wizards interviewed past times Jack Schwager is that they induce got mostly held potent beliefs close how markets acquit too what is necessary for trading success.  Their theories are different, but they serve a like function:  orienting traders or investors to unique opportunity.  Indeed, marketplace theories are the Wizard's attempts to explicate how asymmetric opportunities be inside otherwise efficient fiscal markets.

A skillful event of an orienting theory are the Principles outlined past times Ray Dalio.  As Dalio explains, "...those principles that are most valuable to each of us come upwardly from our ain encounters amongst reality too our reflections on those encounters--not from beingness taught too merely accepting someone else's principles."  

An of import implication of Dalio's insight is that principles jump from experience; they create non precede experience.  We regain truth, rather than merely have it.

This agency that elaborating your processes too strengthening them requires observation too testing:  seeing what plant too what doesn't; seeking explanations for why something plant or doesn't; revising approaches based on observation too testing; etc.

Core principles jump from basic ways that nosotros approach the world.  As a brief therapist, my solution-focused piece of occupation emerged from a perspective of contextualism:  what nosotros regain is a business office of context, non necessarily an intrinsic too enduring state of affairs.  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 mortal tin flaming hold upwardly depressed inwards 1 laid upwardly of life circumstances too happy too fulfilled inwards another.  Contextualism agency that I volition non await the same patterns to exhibit upwardly at work, home, too parties, but may regain regularities inside each of those social settings.

In markets, 1 human face of contextualism is the identification of "regimes":  stable, but transient marketplace periods that ofttimes follow identifiable "rules".  Just every bit I sought to sympathise the emotional too behavioral patterns of clients every bit a business office of their life context, I naturally sympathise marketplace demeanour every bit a business office of drivers that operate inwards a given regime.

But what are these "drivers" too how tin flaming nosotros objectively decide whether they are uniquely correlated amongst time to come cost movement?  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 nifty bargain of defining too redefining drivers, testing too retesting them, occurs earlier they tin flaming larn legitimate elements of process.  Those drivers are discovered, non merely lifted from books or the pronouncements of gurus.  Such uncovering starts amongst the observation of regularities that be inside identified regimes.

Once you lot induce got anchored yourself inwards theory too used your principles to direct discovery, those marketplace understandings larn genuinely your own.  It is much easier to sustain conviction inwards your trading if your trading is grounded inwards what you lot induce got straight experienced. 

When procedure begins amongst outset principles, theory becomes quite practical, guiding our encounters amongst reality.  In an of import sense, how nosotros merchandise is an human face of who nosotros are. 

Further Reading:  Toward a Cognitive Theory of Trader Performance
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Saturday, February 23, 2019

Info!! When Is The Stock Marketplace Overbought As Well As Oversold?

Abnormal Returns recent observations regarding who is participating inwards markets.  Also worth a read is Adam Grimes' postal service regarding As nosotros saw a spell ago, cognitive biases get got a agency of entering many forms of marketplace analysis--even those that look to survive rigorously quantitative.

The bottom business for the higher upward posts is that in that location are worthwhile patterns out in that location inwards markets, merely it is hazardous to outsource the identification of those.  Nothing substitutes for doing the function yourself together with seeing, inwards your ain experience, what industrial plant together with doesn't work.  That non exclusively yields knowledge, merely also produces the genuine confidence required to merchandise noisy together with risky fiscal markets.  It's tough to concur an seat through normal adverse crusade when the take in is non genuinely your own. 

Let's perform a information practise that challenges what nosotros know.  When is a marketplace overbought or oversold?  Many marketplace indicators included inwards information services volition highlight those levels, mayhap higher upward seventy together with below xxx inwards an oscillator that moves betwixt goose egg together with 100.  But hit nosotros actually know that those are meaningful levels?

I went dorsum to 2006 together with took a expect at the pct of SPX stocks trading higher upward their 5-day moving averages.  (Data available via Index Indicators).  I broke the marketplace downwards into quartiles based upon the day's closing bird of VIX.  Here's what nosotros get:

The lowest volatility marketplace quartile averaged 59% of stocks higher upward their five-day moving averages, amongst a criterion departure of 19.  The side past times side lowest volatility marketplace quartile averaged 54% of stocks higher upward their moving averages, amongst a criterion departure of 24.  The tertiary volatility quartile averaged 51% of stocks higher upward their moving averages, amongst a criterion departure of 27.  The highest volatility marketplace quartile averaged exclusively 45% of stocks higher upward their moving averages, amongst a criterion departure of 32.  

We know that volatility has a directional cistron inwards the stock market, thence the averages are non thence surprising.  Note, however, those criterion deviations.  If nosotros define overbought together with oversold equally fixed indicator levels--say, 30% is oversold--then we're accepting a reading of most one-half a criterion departure inwards high volatility regimes together with a reading of almost 1.5 criterion deviations inwards depression volatility periods.  

At the recent lows, nosotros got to a indicate where most 10% of SPX stocks were trading higher upward their five-day moving averages when VIX was trading or thence 17.  That was a much rarer occurrence than if the same reading had occurred amongst a VIX due north of 30.  Same indicator reading, 2 dissimilar meanings.

What is a warm day?  45 degrees on the Fahrenheit scale is a warm hateful solar daytime inwards Connecticut wintertime together with a cool hateful solar daytime inwards the summer.  Context matters:  what is overbought together with oversold highly depends upon the marketplace season.  An of import business office of interpreting whatever slice of marketplace information is knowing the flavor you're in.

Further Reading:  Honing Your Trading Process
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Monday, May 29, 2006

Info!! Iv Lessons I've Learned From Coaching Hedge Fund Portfolio Managers

As someone who industrial plant every bit a coach/psychologist amongst portfolio managers at hedge funds on a regular basis, I accept the chance to run across the concern from several unique angles. I notice that, for the most part, writings from trading coaches as well as psychologists don't capture much of my experience. Just every bit at that topographic point is a large gap betwixt what is written most successful trading techniques as well as the actual techniques employed yesteryear professional person traders, at that topographic point is a pregnant gap betwixt what is written most the success of traders as well as how success genuinely manifests itself inwards settings such every bit hedge funds. Here are 5 lessons I've learned from coaching hedge fund traders/portfolio managers that differ from the mutual wisdom inwards the magazines, seminars, as well as books.

1) Success is Individualized - Many writers as well as coaches, understandably, promote detail models of success, emphasizing mutual features of successful traders. While I produce mean value at that topographic point is a mutual *process* to developing expertise, the notion that successful portfolio managers accept a mutual laid upwards of personality features or trading approaches precisely does non agree H2O inwards the existent world. It's much to a greater extent than of import that portfolio managers empathise as well as operationalize what industrial plant for them than stand upwards for a preconceived model of success. What industrial plant inwards 1 laid upwards of strategies as well as markets may non inwards others; what industrial plant for 1 trader is non helpful for others;

2) The Game is Different - This should become without saying, but it is rarely acknowledged: portfolio management inwards the hedge fund context is a unlike procedure from trading inwards the prop theatre or retail context. As the holler suggests, much of the success of portfolio management comes from managing ideas as well as positions over time, amongst multiple ways of expressing as well as hedging each idea. Too, many of these ideas are relational (relative forcefulness based), non directional, as well as cutting across markets as well as property classes. This requires unlike cognition as well as science sets than trading inwards as well as out of private markets amongst a directional bias. In particular, I notice that writers plough over brusk shrift to the cognition gene of portfolio management expertise.

3) The Environment Matters - Many writings on traders attribute success to private trader characteristics (personality, mindset, etc) as well as plough over really picayune rear to the purpose of the surroundings inwards the success of portfolio managers. The research, platform, chance management, as well as managerial back upwards of traders thing quite a bit--so much as well as therefore that portfolio managers who are successful inwards 1 setting may neglect at to a greater extent than or less other despite employing like strategies. How a portfolio director is managed matters quite a bit, as well as this is poorly understood.

4) Success Starts at the Beginning - Even really large hedge funds as well as investment banks are surprisingly unscientific when it comes to the hiring process. Much of portfolio manager/trader success or failure precisely comes from putting the incorrect people into positions. Because a portfolio director has made coin over the final X years, does non necessarily hateful that they'll brand coin inwards a unlike setting, inwards unlike marketplace seat conditions, or inwards a unlike government of coin management. There is much to last said for the stand upwards for betwixt portfolio director as well as the hedge fund every bit a firm, all the same the stand upwards for is oft non good understood--even yesteryear the firms themselves.

It would last cracking if helping hedge fund managers succeed was every bit unproblematic every bit keeping them unemotional, every bit many writings suggest. The reality of the run I produce calendar week inwards as well as calendar week out is that success is far to a greater extent than a percentage of applying specific science sets to specific marketplace seat weather condition as well as cultivating/maintaining unique ways of viewing marketplace seat relationships that capture opportunity. One size fits all approaches to coaching are of really limited utility inwards the existent globe of coin management. It's all most helping professionals utilize the experience, skills, as well as resources at their fingertips inwards ways that run for them.

RELATED POST:

Coaching Professional Traders
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Sunday, November 3, 2019

Info!! A Window On A Short-Term Trade: Integrating Context Too Real-Time Marketplace Lay Action

my postal service on marketplace context that nosotros were inwards a short-term uptrend. That pose me inwards the mindset of buying weakness.

My dependent champaign is to hold off for the opening minutes of merchandise in addition to teach a experience for marketplace strength/weakness in addition to intraday sentiment. We popped upward at the opened upward inwards the ES futures, sold downwards to 1124, in addition to therefore moved to novel highs at 1126. The NASDAQ 100 futures (NQ) were relatively strong; the Russell 2000 Index was relatively weak (a concern); intraday advances were handily ahead of declines (but non yesteryear a phenomenal margin); in addition to NYSE TICK was consistently positive (but non registering values > +800). All told, strength, but non cracking strength.

My dependent champaign is also to hold off for weakness to purchase an uptrending market. I desire to accept payoff of weak longs in addition to unprepared bears, rather than chase highs in addition to receive got the marketplace pose me inwards the hole on normal countertrend movement.

So inwards the 8:39 AM CT minute, nosotros come upward downwards to 1125 in addition to therefore bounce higher; TICK stays positive. 8:42 in addition to 8:43 minutes encounter us come upward downwards to 1125 over again in addition to hold. NQ is however strong; TICK is however positive; Russell is belongings higher upward its morn low. I bid for 1 unit of measurement (a quarter sized position) at 1125 in addition to teach filled inwards the 8:45 minute.

I straight off run a sell social club at 1127.25. Why? That is my R2 level: my merchandise thought is that we're showing strength, we've taken out R1, in addition to every bit long every bit TICK stays positive, we'll striking R2. (Note: my lucre target levels for SPY are published every AM earlier the marketplace opened upward via Twitter; if you lot multiply the SPY targets yesteryear the ESf number, you'll teach lucre targets for the ES futures contract, front end month).

My halt is at 1124, since that's where morn selling dried upward at that point. Basically I'm risking a quest to brand two. Not my most heroic idea, but it's what I saw at the time. If the marketplace all of a abrupt picked upward strength, I'd cancel my sell in addition to consider riding to R3. If the marketplace dried up, I'd also cancel that 1127.25 sell in addition to consider getting out altogether.

That's the planning going through my head.

By the 8:47 minute, I encounter the Russell restrict higher. We also striking 1125.50 inwards ES in addition to displace to a novel high inwards NQ. I'm feeling adept close the merchandise in addition to the execution. In my head, I'm already thinking of moving my halt to breakeven. No sense losing coin to outset the week.

Lo in addition to behold, the Russell hits selling straight off thereafter in addition to ES goes into a low-volume stall for several minutes. The intraday advance-decline line of piece of employment is deteriorating in addition to I encounter dollar describe in addition to commodity weakness. My context is breaking down, short-term.

In a hurry I displace my sell to 1125.50, because I desire out in addition to desire the best cost I tin get. My halt is at nowadays 1125. I no longer similar the trade. At all. Volume has petered out; the A/D line of piece of employment is no longer inwards trending mode; in addition to also many sectors are weak from their opening price.

I teach filled rapidly in addition to am out alongside a two-tick profit. Basically it was a scratch that I happened to execute well, which tells you lot something, over time, close the importance of execution.

The adjacent thought inwards my caput is that maybe I'll halt trading for the day; book is dwindling. The next thought is that we've perhaps seen the high for the day. I'm thinking close the adjacent merchandise idea, which is selling the marketplace for a displace dorsum toward the pin level, which is a lilliputian northward of 1120.

(Note: every bit of this posting, I did non accept that 2nd merchandise idea. I simply didn't similar the depression relative volume; inwards a to a greater extent than active market, I would receive got taken the trade. The meliorate thought was for a displace dorsum toward the day's VWAP, but I didn't similar the risk/reward in addition to passed).

That's what my early on morn looked like; a psychological window on the short-term trading process, integrating morn training in addition to agreement of context alongside real-time marketplace dynamics.
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Monday, February 17, 2020

Info!! Coaching Your Trading: Twitter, Determination Support, As Well As Trading Reviews

a recent post, I proposed the afterward activity review equally a useful tool for coaching traders. If nosotros were to comport a review of yesterday's trading, 1 of import focus would hold upwards how traders traded the early on forenoon part of the session.

Let's accept a await at a few of the Twitter posts from that AM:

6:26 AM CT- Note 3 24-hour interval hit inwards ES; SPY targets: pin = 68.49; R1 = 70.55; R2 = 71.24; R3 = 71.93; S1 = 66.42; S2 = 65.73; S3 = 65.04.

8:42 AM CT - Watching TICK, financials to encounter if nosotros sustain motility inwards a higher house yesterday high inwards ES for R1 target or if nosotros revert to pivot.

8:53 AM CT - We hitting R1, equally TICK has stayed quite positive on whatever pullbacks. Need *significant* selling (neg TICK) to upshot a reversal.

The offset "tweet" emphasized the context of morning's trade: nosotros were inwards a three-day range. Right away, you lot desire to entertain 2 hypotheses if nosotros encounter early on buying: whatever marketplace forcefulness volition popular off out too we'll revert to the hateful of the range; or buying volition attract farther involvement too we'll sustain a breakout from the range.

This is where the targets are rattling helpful. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 reversion into the range, gives us a cost target at the marketplace pivot. An upside intermission out of that hit targets the R1, R2, too R3 cost levels. What nosotros require to produce inwards the market's opening minutes is handicap the odds of 1 of those moves if nosotros opened upwards close the superlative of the range.

By the 2d Twitter post above, we've already broken inwards a higher house the range. The post tells us that fiscal stocks are leading the accuse (that has been a leading sector inwards recent sessions) too that NYSE TICK is telephone substitution to sustaining the breakout. After all, if the breakout is genuine, nosotros should encounter many to a greater extent than stocks transacting on upticks than downticks.

By 8:53 AM, we've already hitting R1, equally TICK has stayed quite positive. The Twitter post observes that nosotros require to encounter *significant* selling to contrary this powerful breakout move. Recall from previous inquiry on the weblog that TICK readings are non meaning unless they plow over +800 or autumn below -800. To that point, nosotros didn't fifty-fifty acquire a unmarried -500 reading.

Let's straight off add together a few other items to the mix that tin assist you lot position upside breakout days. The dark-green line of piece of work is a 20-period VWAP line; discovery that volume-weighted average cost is rising too the ES futures are soaring inwards early on merchandise inwards a higher house their line. That is a sign of a trending move: cost stays inwards a higher house VWAP too VWAP is rising.

Second, discovery that the marketplace opened amongst several big dark-green bars: cost was moving (high volatility) too cost was moving higher. This is the essence of the Power Measure that I described inwards the previous post. When directionality too volatility are inwards sync, nosotros withdraw keep a trending move.

Finally, Federal Reserve annotation the expanded book on the rise. Indeed, the book inwards the offset 3 v infinitesimal periods of the ES futures was nigh 200,000 contracts, some the average book (243,447) for the typical opening *30* infinitesimal period. (Relative book norms are posted inwards my weekly indicator reviews).

Now, here's the of import psychological part. Many traders who don't merchandise the initial breakout motility volition fret that they missed the motility too volition convince themselves that they don't desire to "chase the market". So they sit down in that location amongst a sure business office of their anatomy inwards their hands too spotter the marketplace proceed higher.

Two problems amongst that sort of thinking: First, it is backward looking. Instead of focusing on a motility that you lot *didn't* trade, you lot desire to hold upwards looking for where the side yesteryear side merchandise would hold upwards coming from. That is what those cost targets from the offset Twitter post inwards a higher house are for: if you lot immature adult woman the intermission inwards a higher house the previous day's high, hence you lot hold back for a pullback inwards TICK too play for a motility to R1. If you lot immature adult woman the motility to R1, you lot hold back for a pullback inwards TICK too become for R2. As long equally volume, volatility, too TICK are on your side, you lot desire to merchandise amongst the trend.

Which gets us to the 2d occupation amongst the "I don't desire to chase" run a jeopardy aversion: it fails to position what is happening inwards the marketplace. In a hit market, you lot for sure don't desire to merchandise momentum too purchase forcefulness or sell weakness. But if you lot withdraw keep transitioned to a trending market, you lot desire to ride forcefulness or weakness. The trader who doesn't desire to chase is locked inwards the previous, hit leap mindset. The whole run of looking at indicators such equally volume, volatility, TICK, ranges, too targets is to update your thinking hence that you lot tin revise your trading tactics.

I believe this illustrates some of the coaching potential of the Twitter application: existent fourth dimension marketplace observations assistance conclusion support. On days inwards which I'm non on the route working amongst traders too portfolio managers, I volition usage Twitter to assist you lot (and me) frame trading ideas too hypotheses. (Subscription to Twitter feed is gratuitous via RSS). Then, afterward the forenoon or day's trading, you lot tin comport an afterward activity review to encounter what you lot caught too what you lot missed. Such a process, 24-hour interval afterward day, is what tin accelerate a learning bend too plow marketplace hindsight into foresight.
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Info!! Agreement The Stock Market's Overnight Range

The previous post took a expect at characteristics of non-trending, hit days inwards the market; prior posts convey examined uptrend days in addition to downtrend days. Once yous convey an persuasion of the construction of a marketplace position day, yous tin plot a strategy for trading that day's market. That is essential for daytraders, simply also aids longer fourth dimension frame traders in addition to portfolio managers inwards the execution of their ideas.

The overnight S&P emini marketplace position (ES futures) represents how value inwards the US of America stock marketplace position is impacted yesteryear eve intelligence events, overseas markets in addition to news, in addition to early on morn economical reports. Is the overnight marketplace position trading within yesterday's value surface area (i.e., close yesterday's pin price)? That suggests that events convey non materially moved investors; ofttimes this leads to a serenity marketplace position open.

As a rule, the showtime cost levels we'll seek out off the market's opening hit volition endure the edges of the overnight range. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 marketplace position that opens close the pump of its overnight range, moves lower, simply cannot sustain a motion below the lows of the overnight hit is setting upwards a merchandise dorsum into that range. In other words, nosotros process the overnight session every bit if it were a variety out trading 24-hour interval unto itself. If the overnight marketplace position is trading within yesterday's regular session range, nosotros expect for a interruption higher upwards or below the overnight hit to target a motion to the prior session's highs or lows. Historically, 85% of all markets volition *not* endure an within day; i.e., volition pierce either their prior day's high or low.

Many worthwhile ideas nigh the day's construction tin endure derived from agreement the relationships amid yesterday's range, the electrical current day's overnight range, in addition to the electrical current day's opening cost range--particularly when nosotros house these inwards the context of volume, which represents the participation of large trading institutions. This volition endure the topic of upcoming posts.
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Saturday, February 9, 2019

Info!! Fluid Reasoning As Well As Making Decisions The Correct Way

Adam Grimes' weblog late posted a worthwhile article from crystallized in addition to fluid intelligence.  It is non in addition to then much what traders know every bit what they practise amongst what they know that makes the difference.  

A proficient illustration came upward inward a query I was asked during NYSE TICK.  The interviewer asked if high in addition to depression levels could survive interpreted every bit overbought in addition to oversold levels that could survive faded.  I cautioned against this, noting that, coming out of an overbought or oversold market, really depression or really high TICK readings are oftentimes suggestive of a alter inward the tide of short-term persuasion in addition to tin Pb to downside or upside momentum.  

Little did I know at the fourth dimension that this is precisely what would plow over off inward the wake of the Fed minutes release.  Up to that point, nosotros saw a feeble bounce from an oversold status in addition to it appeared probable that nosotros could eventually exam the early on August lows inward the ES contract.  With the loose of the dovish minutes, however, buying exploded in addition to nosotros saw NYSE TICK levels multiple touchstone deviations higher upward average.  Indeed, multiple one-minute readings exceeded +1000.  Instead of existence a grade to fade, the high readings suggested that solely novel participants were jumping aboard the market, creating upside momentum that carried through to the halt of the day.

Static reasoning tells us to fade the "overbought" TICK readings.  Fluid reasoning recognizes the context inward which the extreme readings are occurring:  this is a short-term game-changer.  The might to alter gears in addition to recognize novel data in addition to fresh upside participation inward the marketplace is cardinal to trading success.  Success is non in addition to then much a thing of making correct decisions, every bit making decisions the correct way:  fluidly, placing electrical flow observations into broader context.

Further Reading:  Honing Your Trading Process
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Sunday, January 27, 2019

Info!! Marketplace Profile Every Minute A Fresh Perspective On Markets: Useful Resources For Traders

Last yr I wrote close Market Profile every bit a practical theory that helps traders accomplish a fresh perspective on markets as well as trading.  Market Profile stems from the early on move of Peter Steidlmayer, which was grounded inwards an innovative approach to charting.  (See this early on manual for an overview).  This approach tracks the market's auction procedure past times identifying where markets gear upward value as well as gauging whether electrical current trading is accepting or rejecting a given value area.  Markets rotate inwards as well as out of ease every bit they oscillate inside value areas as well as create novel ones.  

Since this early on work, a diverseness of novel tools for agreement the market's auction procedure get got expire available.  Market Delta is a unique charting format that helps position when buyers as well as sellers are dominant inwards markets based upon whether transactions are occurring dominantly at the electrical current bid or offering price.  This tin live on an effective agency of visualizing how mass is behaving every bit nosotros depart from a value area--a dainty say for whether nosotros are probable to rotate dorsum into a value make or tendency as well as institute fresh value.

WindoTrader is an unusually flexible charting as well as analytics package that helps traders visualize value relationships at dissimilar fourth dimension frames inside a unmarried graphic, every bit good every bit value relationships with dissimilar instruments.  (See their listing of reading resources as well as trading blog.)  It is non at all uncommon to run across a marketplace displace out of a shorter-term value make to the value surface area of a longer timeframe auction.  Visualizing this activity inwards existent fourth dimension is quite valuable.

I don't know of anyone who has done to a greater extent than to popularize Market Profile as well as educate traders inwards its application as well as interpretation than Jim Dalton.  He has archived a keen position out of articles as well as videos for his students as well as has developed preparation programs both past times DVD as well as live.  I discovery that he is conducting a summertime intensive, inwards which he presents fresh developments inwards Market Profile application, including "signature trades" that resultant from an agreement of the auction process.  His electrical current move builds on the first-class foundation of his Mind Over Markets book

Jim makes an of import point:  when you lot await through the lens of the profile, you lot laid out to intend inwards terms of marketplace construction as well as value, non price.  When nosotros focus on toll alone, nosotros lose the context of that toll movement.  Markets brand feel every bit auction processes, providing us with a unique perspective on how markets move.  Many trading problems direct house when nosotros pass as well as thus much fourth dimension as well as endeavour trying to predict the adjacent marketplace move, when it would live on far to a greater extent than helpful to really sympathise the market's crusade to that point.

Further Reading:  Market Profile every bit a Best Practice
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Saturday, November 2, 2019

Info!! Fighting Marketplace Moves

I've talked amongst a few traders this morning time who flora themselves fighting the deed higher inwards stocks. H5N1 mutual refrain was, "We shouldn't live on this strong."

One of the corking challenges that I sense inwards markets is achieving a sense of marketplace tendency too context to frame trading ideas, merely non getting too then married to those ideas that I lose behave upon amongst how the markets are trading correct here, correct now.

That is why I solid soil myself inwards such intraday basics equally where we're trading relative to VWAP; how many stocks are advancing vs. declining; how many stocks are upticking vs. downticking; too how much book is executed at the marketplace offering vs. bid.

I practise a mental checklist out of those basics too don't let myself to merchandise against the intraday tide, if at that spot is one.

It's corking to merchandise amongst hypotheses, merely unsafe to let hypotheses to choke conclusions earlier the information are in.

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Sunday, November 3, 2019

Info!! To A Greater Extent Than Determination Back Upwards For Active Traders

During the side yesteryear side few days, I volition move returning to the serial of posts on trading process. If yous missed the posts thence far, hither they are inward order:


Watch too for Twitter postings as well as intraday weblog updates that I'll move putting together to help convey these ideas to life. The virtually recent v tweets look on the weblog page nether "Twitter Trader"; yous tin laissez passer notice decision support. I'll start out that integration tomorrow; rest tuned!
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Info!! The Trading Process: Executing The Trade

Identifying Market Context

2) Identifying Key Price Levels in addition to Price Targets

3) Identifying Day Structure

4) Generating the Trade Idea


Once you lot receive got the merchandise sentiment inward mind, the side yesteryear side draw of piece of occupation is execution. (I volition accept upwards merchandise sizing inward the side yesteryear side postal service inward this series; acre you lot receive got to size the merchandise earlier you lot execute). Execution agency finding an entry betoken for the merchandise that maximizes your profitability in addition to minimizes your adventure exposure.

Above is an example of framing a merchandise for practiced execution, taken from today's market. We sold off difficult inward pre-market trading in addition to therefore bounced higher at the opened upwards later on abrupt selling early on inward the session reversed. We movement to the 1137.50 expanse inward the ES contract in addition to brand several attempts to interruption through. Each attempt, however, occurs on lower volume, weaker NYSE TICK, in addition to amongst weak participation of the other averages. This tells me that the buying is drying upwards below the 1139 expanse highs from pre-opening trade. At the rattling least, we'd await a examination of the morn lows some 1133.

The trade, then, enters to sell every bit close to the 1137.50 expanse every bit possible i time it's clear that buying continues to dwindle. 1139 is an absolute stop, exactly inward reality I would halt the merchandise out on an indication of increased buying (NYSE TICK) on increased volume. My outset lucre target would last the morn lows; my 2nd target would last the lows from 1/8 (1131). This gives us a potential vantage (move to target) to adventure ratio that is quite favorable.

The telephone substitution to the execution is:

1) Establishing the full general tendency for the twenty-four hours (down);

2) Waiting for a bounce higher that doesn't violate the tendency (we remain below prior overnight high);

3) Waiting for buying to dry out upwards on the bounce;

4) Put the merchandise on at a betoken where the distance to your stop-loss betoken is significantly less than the distance to your lucre target(s) (favorable risk/reward).

Notice that you lot are taking the merchandise inward the direction of the trend, exactly executing the merchandise inward a countertrend style. That is, you're selling bounces inward a downtrend. The contrary logic holds if nosotros were buyers: you lot would last looking for an uptrend, waiting for a dip against the tendency that stays higher upwards the prior low, waiting for the selling to dry out up, in addition to therefore entering the merchandise close plenty to the halt loss betoken therefore that a movement to the target volition brand you lot to a greater extent than than you lot innovation to lose on the trade.

One beauty of practiced execution is that fifty-fifty amongst 50% winning trades you lot tin last highly profitable, because your winning trades laissez passer on you lot to a greater extent than than your losers accept away. By executing amongst favorable risk/reward, you lot accept the pressure level of needing to last correct some the fourth dimension off your shoulders.

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Sunday, February 24, 2019

Info!! Making Technical Analysis Dynamic

A spell ago, I posted on the theme of divergences appearing inward the the US stock market.  Specifically, nosotros were around all-time highs inward the large cap averages, simply a important release of stocks were making novel lows together with pocket-size caps inward item were dramatically underperforming.  When I examined by instances of such underperformance, I found real dissimilar results depending upon the VIX authorities that nosotros were in.  When divergences occurred inward high volatility environments, the frontward results for SPX were bearish together with volatile.  When the same divergences occurred inward a depression VIX environment, the frontward results for SPX were really nicely bullish.

The same results could receive got been found if I had been looking at nautical chart patterns, oscillator readings, or other trading "setups".  It's non that they lack value; it's that their value is contingent upon the context inward which they occur.  Should yous purchase later a pair of days of strength?  In a depression volatility, attain leap market, the answer powerfulness survive quite dissimilar than inward a rising volatility marketplace displaying momentum characteristics.

This is a limitation of how traders tend to implement technical analysis.  Too oftentimes nosotros assume a static reality, then that a given nautical chart pattern, oscillator reading, or Fib grade has a fixed pregnant together with significance.  Psychologists tend to survive skeptical of static depictions of reality.  Most human interaction is context-dependent:  somebody reaching out to jibe my manus crossing a street agency something dissimilar than the same gesture inward a infirmary room.  Or, every bit the erstwhile joke has it, "bear right" agency i affair inward a car, approximately other affair on a hunting trip.

Challenges inward anticipating marketplace stimulate may survive a business office of our ask to abide by fixed setups.  Looking for the same patterns inward real dissimilar markets powerfulness survive a formula for temporary trading success.

I strongly suspect this is an of import topic.  

Connie Brown was on the correct runway when she proposed that oscillators deport differently inward bull together with bear markets, requiring dissimilar interpretation.  As many technicians receive got noted, oscillators themselves are to a greater extent than useful inward sure enough marketplace weather condition (range bound) than others (strongly trending).  John Ehlers together with Ric Way compute dynamic cycles for stocks together with indexes, amongst frequencies together with amplitudes that wax together with wane amongst shifting marketplace conditions.  Their role of quantification to plough static indicators into dynamic ones too strikes me every bit quite promising.

But what if, every bit marketplace regimes change, fresh technical indicators gain predictive value together with others travel less relevant to frontward cost movement?  In such a dynamic world, "setups" would e'er survive evolving; you'd e'er survive learning markets.  Your border wouldn't survive a substance laid of trading patterns, simply your powerfulness to position together with merchandise the patterns that possess an border hither together with now.

The implications for coaching are significant:  Advising traders to "stick to your plans" together with "follow your process" industrial plant every bit long every bit marketplace regimes are stable.  Then it doesn't work.  In a basis of changing markets, adaptability is the novel discipline.

The implications for mentorship are too significant.  Teaching the same nautical chart patterns together with technical rules at all times to all traders is similar using the same grooming for soldiers who volition survive performing inward the desert, at sea, together with inward rainforests against established armed services forces at approximately times together with insurgent guerrillas at others. If there's i affair elite fighting forces together with good trained athletic teams know, it's that yous report the opponent together with suit your strategy together with tactics to the situation.

How many traders genuinely report markets together with suit their strategies together with tactics to the threats together with opportunities they identify?

In the adjacent post, let's receive got a await at what a dynamic technical analysis powerfulness await like.

Further Reading:  What Are You Doing Between Trades?
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Friday, December 21, 2018

Info!! The Ability Of Regret Inwards Trading

One of the to a greater extent than fascinating phenomena inward trading psychology is that traders volition merchandise poorly, immature lady opportunities, together with lose money--and thence they volition proceed to produce precisely the same things the side yesteryear side 24-hour interval together with the side yesteryear side week. Finally, hurting from the losses, they attempt psychological assistance.  But is the work primarily 1 of psychology?

A unopen await finds that traders ordinarily reply to losses inward ii ways:  

1)  As frustrating events, inevitable but hard to experience together with of import to displace beyond;
2)  As mistakes, to move noted together with learned from.

Not uncommonly, traders volition reply inward the offset means together with thence transition to the minute inward social club to lay losses together with missed opportunities behind them.

Then, having placed the experience behind them, the traders repeat the exact same behaviors!

Why?  Haven't they done the correct things, psychologically?

Let's imagine a different situation.  Suppose you lot unwittingly wound the feelings of somebody you lot beloved together with harm their reputation.  Or suppose you lot are entrusted amongst the aid of immature children together with feed them improperly, causing groovy together with painful illness.  How would you lot respond?  Would you lot simply bargain amongst it every bit an annoying, frustrating event?  Of course of teaching not. Would you lot reply yesteryear only keeping a magazine together with jotting downward a lesson to move learned?  I don't mean value so.

If you lot genuinely wound people you lot cared for, you lot would experience deeply guilty.  You would move overcome amongst regret together with you lot would beg their forgiveness.  You would non bargain amongst the province of affairs every bit a mere psychological issue.  You would reply to it spiritually: every bit something profoundly incorrect requiring repentance.  You would move unlikely to repeat the hurtful situations, because your sense of regret would sear into your pump together with hear a commitment to move to a greater extent than aware together with sensitive inward the future.

We ordinarily persuasion guilt every bit a negative emotion to move overcome.  We persuasion "guilt trips" every bit things to move avoided.  It is non yesteryear coincidence, however, that all major religions contain the ideas of sin, guilt, together with atonement.  It is too non yesteryear coincidence that programs such every bit AA emphasize moral inventories together with making amends for the harm created yesteryear addiction.  We don't alter because we're frustrated yesteryear a behavior, together with nosotros don't alter because nosotros process that behaviour every bit an error.  We alter because nosotros experience horror, regret, together with disgust at what we've done together with the harm we've created.  We displace on, non yesteryear minimizing our behavior, but yesteryear fully connecting amongst the consequences of that behaviour together with thence proceeding, inward all sincerity, toward forgiveness.  

Alcoholics who wound their health, wound their friends, wound their career opportunities, together with wound their spouses together with children--and who don't persuasion all that amongst absolute regret together with an absolute wish to change--those are alcoholics at adventure for relapse.  Traders who lose their money, immature lady opportunities inward life together with inward markets, who neglect to back upwards families that count on them--and who don't await at that amongst a deep feeling of guilt together with responsibility--those are the traders who volition hold the error of their ways.

All the psychological techniques inward the globe can't assist somebody who doesn't perceive together with deeply experience the require for transformation.  Pain alerts us to a province of affairs inward our trunk that needs to move evaluated together with treated.  In that context, hurting is an of import business office of health.  Guilt together with regret are hurting of the spirit. They are telling us nosotros receive got been on the incorrect path. That tin move a real constructive chemical cistron inward our development.

Further Reading:


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