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Why MOST Traders QuitI have said this many times. You only lose when you quit. Until then you’re either earning or you’re learning. But the issue is majority of people quit trading. And it goes far beyond just money lost. I say that because the essence of trading is playing with money you can afford to lose and you can psychologically handle. Right? So, it goes beyond money. If you’re thinking of quitting trading, first give this piece a read and let’s identify the cause and it might help you to carry on. You’re closer today to achieving your trading goals than yesterday. The Pitfalls of Financial Trading REASON #1: They blew their account by risking too much One of the primary reasons why many traders ultimately quit the financial markets is the common mistake of blowing their trading account. There are three main reasons you blew your account. You risked far too much on certain trades. You did NOT adhere to strict money management principles. Your portfolio was tiny (Under $1,000) to start off with. So the costs, the brokerages, the margins were all too much. It’s like flying a plane at a low altitude hoping you won’t strike a mountain. REASON #2: They keep adapting losing strategies based on non-tested methods Another reason for you to abandon your trading is this. Your methods, strategies and systems are losers. If you back and forward test, it yields negative results. So, technically the system is achieving what its numbers are in a way. I’ve back tested a LOT of strategies in my youth. 100s of thousands of parameters, indicators and criteria. And 89% of them were just plain losers. Don’t think by logic, that the system will work. Don’t think by a few months, will dictate a systems complete and eternal performance. Don’t just follow a trader’s strategy and adapt to your own without any backtested results. Without proper testing and evaluation, you are at risk of adopting strategies that are based on faulty assumptions or rely on limited historical data. REASON #3: They go against their strategy as their ego takes over and they lack confidence Ego is a dangerous trait to have as a trader. And with you feeling like you know better than the market and deviating from your plan, is a recipe for disaster. Do it once, you’ll do it again. Do it a few times, and you’ll get right back on that emotional roller coaster that comes with trading. And it will grow and infect your trading as it will lead to even more impulsive actions and irrational decision-making. Your confidence will get shot. Your vibrations within yourself will be depro and will reflect onto your trading performance. The psychological pressures associated with trading can magnify the impact of losses and amplify self-doubt, ultimately push you out of the game. REASON #4: They can’t weather through drawdowns NOTE: Drawdowns, which refer to the decline in a trader’s account value from its peak, are an inherent part of trading. Here’s something funny. When you go through good times with trading, it almost feels normal. And you can go through 6 months of great upside for your portfolio. But when that one or two months drawdown kicks in (inevitably it will), time feels different. It feels like an eternity of failure and with the feeling of you’re never getting out of this.. Unfortunately, many traders find it challenging to cope with these challenging phases, leading to frustration and ultimately quitting. Am I right? Well as my friend and great colleague Igor said to me: Your biggest winning streak and your biggest drawdown is still to come. So you might as well embrace it with strict money management principles along the way. Successful trading comes with the ability to easily withstand drawdowns and navigate through extended periods of market downturns. Also, psychologically you may find as a new trader that when you endure through longer periods of downside in the market, it can be both mentally and emotionally draining. Extended periods of drawdowns can cause a few problems: It can erode a trader’s confidence It can take away their optimism It can make them feel envious over other traders who are winning It can demotivate them to carry on It can cause them to make irrational decisions It can lead to over trading and revenge trading It can make them quit. They find the next “best” thing, onwards to the next holy grail (which never arrives). REASON #5: To continue the pursuit of the next “best” thing People follow where they think the quick money it. They are constantly on the quest to find their holy grail. Sure, trading isn’t for everyone. And Yes trading is the hardest and most easiest way to make an income. But, you seek will also require a ton of research, psychology, sacrifice and time. Nothing of high reward comes without a degree of risk. Bigger the reward, greater the risk. Or everyone would make a ton of money, right? So don’t fall into that trap of jumping to the next lily like a frog… Traders who constantly search for the next big thing end up chasing elusive dreams instead of focusing on developing their skills and understanding the markets. The reality is that there is no magic strategy that guarantees success in trading. The markets are ever-changing, and what works today may not work tomorrow. It is important for traders to recognize that trading success is not about finding a secret shortcut or relying on external factors beyond their control. It is about continuous learning, discipline, and a willingness to adapt to changing market conditions. Develop your robust trading plan, manage your risk effectively, and stay focused on long-term goals. Those factors alone will keep you on the right quest to trading well.
TVC:SA40Education
by Timonrosso
1
6 IMPORTANT Trading Orders You need To Know!DO YOU KNOW THE 6 TRADING ORDERS? There are many trading orders that a broker can offer. You’ll just need to confirm on the platform or give them a call, which ones they have. And it’s important to know which one suits your trading needs best. Before you buy or sell a trade, there is usually a setting that you can choose to execute your trade. Common options include: 1: GTC: “Good Till Cancelled” Where the order remains active until you manually cancel it. 2: FOK: “Fill or Kill” (Settle!) This type of order requires immediate execution of the entire order quantity. If the full amount is not executed, it is then cancelled. 3: GTD: “Good Till Date” Where you can specify a specific date until which the order is valid. 4: MIT: “Market if Touched” This order is triggered when the market price reaches a specified level (trigger price). It then becomes a market order and is executed at the best available price. 5: LIT: “Limit if Touched” If a Limit if Touched order is triggered when the market price reaches a chosen or trigger price. 6: GTC (Good Till Cancelled). This way you’ll know that your position (order) will stay in the market until you cancel it manually.
TVC:SA40Education
by Timonrosso
1
Just Don't Trade When...Just Don’t Do It Trader By now, you know what to do as a trader. I’ve pretty much drilled in your mind. You can hear my voice echo the 4 Ms. But one overlooked thing that’s also important… Are the things not to do. Let’s crack into the 5 things… #1: DON’T fear losing – It’s just the cost of trading Losing trades are an inevitable part of trading. So why fear losses if they are going to come. And it’s not just one or two losses. You’re about to take thousands of losses in your life. But don’t see them as losses. Instead, view them as the cost of doing business in the markets. Every trade carries a level of risk (hence we use stop losses in every trade). And losses are opportunities to learn and refine your strategies (if need be). So make it natural to embrace your losses as a part of the trading process. This way you’ll cut the ego, and take on each trade with a more objective and focussed point. #2: DON’T dwell on past failures – You are only as good as your last trade While it is essential to learn from past mistakes. If you dwell on them, they will excessively hinder your hard worked progress. Trading is an ever-evolving journey, and each trade presents a new opportunity. Instead of fixating on past failures, blown accounts, big drawdowns and times you just F*ed up with your trading system and mentality… Rather focus on the present and future. There is only NOW and what is to COME. So apply the past time lessons and focus on improving your decision-making performance in the next trade. You are only as good as your last trade. #3: DON’T expect fast riches – This is a slow and gradual process Trading is not a get-rich-quick scheme. If you expect to make it big in the first three years, I have news for you. Unless you already have a million rand portfolio to grow and bank from, this is going to take take. Cut out these unrealistic expectations because it’s going to be an emotional ride with excessive risk-taking. Instead, adopt a long-term perspective, set realistic goals and understand that trading success is a gradual process. Let the power of compounding work in your favour over time. #4: DON’T compare yourself to others – Your personality & risk profile shape you Each trader is unique. You are unique. Therefore, you have different risk tolerance levels, trading styles, and market perspectives. If you compare yourself to others, you’re going to feel inadequate and you’re going to enter into temptation on imitating their portfolios. It is essential to embrace your own strengths and weaknesses as a trader. Understand your personality, risk profile, and trading preferences, and align your strategies accordingly. Find what works for you and develop a personalized approach that suits your individual needs and goals. Trading is a self-learning journey that takes time and effort to master. #5: DON’T give up – You only lose when you quit! Persistence is key in trading. It is natural to face challenges and setbacks along the way. But the only time you truly lose is when you give up. Stay committed, maintain a positive mindset, and keep pushing forward. You still being in the game is what will differentiate you between failure and success. So let’s conclude what you must NOT do… #1: DON’T fear losing – It’s just the cost of trading #2: DON’T dwell on past failures – You are only as good as your last trade #3: DON’T expect fast riches – This is a slow and gradual process #4: DON’T compare yourself to others – Your personality & risk profile shape you #5: DON’T give up – You only lose when you quit! Just don’t do it, trader!
TVC:SA40Education
by Timonrosso
1
Revenge Trading is Lethal - 5 Reasons Why!Do you feel it in your bones. Where do you want to: Take trades to make up for losses? Take trades for the sake of trading? Take trades out of emotions and gut (gat feel)? Take trades to make a quick buck? If so, you have felt the power and dangers of Revenge Trading. TO put it blunt. Revenge trading is detrimental, dangerous and just plain stupid for any traders to succumb to. I feel like I can finish the article already as I have said what I needed to. Not just yet! You need to understand why Revenge Trading is to your downfall. Let’s start with these: #1: Impulsive decisions are dangerous In the heat of the moment, you just want to take an impulsive trade. This can lead to disastrous outcomes. Revenge trading happens when you want to try recoup losses quickly. And so traders abandon their strategies, systems and rules. And they take on unwarranted risks. This will stop you from making good, calculated, logical and well-informed decisions based on sound reasoning and market research. Don’t do it! #2: Trading on emotions is deadly Emotions such as fear, greed, and frustration have no place in trading. Revenge trading is fueled by these emotions. And this causes traders to deviate and steer way from their plans by instead acting irrationally. What then? Bigger losses, unnecessary risks to the portfolio and skewed results on your trackrecord. Your hard earned and timely worked on journal! Is it worth it? I think not. Cut out your emotions and work at being calm and take on the more logical approach, devoid of emotional interference. #3: Violating trading rules is damaging Every trader should have a set of well-defined trading rules in place. Not just rules but also a list of criteria. Revenge trading typically involves disregarding these rules and just going against everything you should do. Basically, what the average dumb retail trader does which results in 98% of traders losing in this financial endeavour. Violate your rules and there will be severe consequences. Loss of confidence. Bigger losses More losses Erratic wins (which make you want to do it again and again and again) Not worth it. Don’t do it. #4: Too much unnecessary risk You know you’re using your hard earned cash to trade and build a portfolio right? So why are you burning it and cutting it up like it’s nothing? This reckless behavior can lead to bigger drawdowns and can even wipe out trading accounts entirely. Don’t do it! #5: Creates an ongoing cycle of doing it again Great! Once you have violated your rules, gone against your strategy and pretty much gone ape or rogue on trading – it takes a lot to gain ones integrity and discipline back. One of the most dangerous aspects of revenge trading is its cyclical nature. Break the rule, you’ll break it again. Cheat, you’ll cheat again. Enter a gambling mentality and you’re in trouble. Bank a winning rogue trade and you’ll succumb to the trading world of discretionary action. However, if these subsequent trades result in further losses, the cycle repeats, trapping traders in a never-ending loop of revenge trading. Breaking free from this destructive pattern will then need a ton of discipline, self-awareness, and a commitment to sticking to one’s trading plan. So please be careful. Trade well! Don’t trade like gambler. Avoid the perils of revenge trading by all means, starting from today. And when you feel the need to do it (like a junkie), come back and read this article. Had to be said.
TVC:SA40Education
by Timonrosso
Traders Help the Economy in 4 Ways!When you trade and invest, there are many elements that you will continue to help contribute to. I can think of 4 main ways including: Way #1: You help with liquidity (volume) Remember, you are the intermediary in the markets. When you exchange money and buy and sell, you’re helping provide liquidity and volume. This makes it easier for other market participants to trade and manage risk. No matter how small or big the account size is, every trade counts. (Similar to the butterfly effect). Way #2: Helping our fellow brokers and managers Yes I know most people can’t stand the fact of the fat cats making millions of rands off other portfolios. But in South Africa, I find that most brokers are very small and don’t earn a lot of money. (Some small brokers earn under R25,000 per month). So when you buy and sell trades, you will help pay the small brokerage fees, which will aid to the salaries of the brokers you are using. Way #3: When you pay brokerage and fees, it creates more jobs When you pay the brokerage and trading platform fees. You are not only helping the brokers. But also the company they work for. The more money that goes into the firms, the more jobs that are created for other employees (Facilitators, marketers, support staff, risk managers, accountants, analysts, domestic workers, etc…) Way #4: This brings growth to your broker or market maker When your broker is doing well, as they have good clients and investors – this gives them a bigger incentive to help build and grow the company further including: · Better technology. · Better innovation · Better efficiency · Better features in the business This will also improve your experience with their growth developments. And so, I’m sure you can see that even if you want to trade for yourself, you will still be helping many companies, people and the economy as a whole… Nothing to feel bad about.
TVC:SA40Education
by Timonrosso
5 REASONS why BlackRock will make Bitcoin Rally!Last week, we had a huge development for crypto investors. Bitcoin really rallied… And the price rise, was largely based on BlackRock's application to establish a US Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF). BlackRock, Inc. is an American multinational investment management corporation, that serves clients in over 100 countries. . It is one of the world's largest asset managers with assets approximately worth over $9 trillion. Now BlackRock has a great track record when it comes to filing Exchange Traded Products (ETPs). They have had 575 successful applications out of 576 attempts. Now that BlackRock has applied for a US Bitcoin ETF, there are a couple of reasons why this could help boost the price and the value of Bitcoin. 1. It Boosts Bitcoin’s credibility An ETF application from a company as respected as BlackRock is definitely going to provide even more legitimacy and credibility to Bitcoin as an investment. This will attract more investors, institutions and companies to invest in the Bitcoin ETF, which will push the price up. 2. Easier to access Bitcoin If BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF is approved, this is going to make it easier for both institutional and retail investors to gain exposure to Bitcoin. And they’ll be able to gain exposure to the coin without even needing to buy, store, and secure the cryptocurrency themselves. People prefer to trust trusts, right? Moving on… 3. More volume and liquidity for Bitcoin BlackRock will open the gates of even more volume for Bitcoin. In fact, the Bitcoin ETF would increase Bitcoin's liquidity by getting more participants to trade the asset. And when there’s more volume, demand and buying – we can expect higher prices for the underlying coin. 4. FOMO for other firms You realise that this will set a huge precedent for other trusts and firms. BlackRock's move could encourage other financial institutions to adopt and create their own similar Bitcoin products into their own financial systems. 5. More trust for Bitcoin I know this is a double-edged sword argument. But I believe Bitcoin should be regulated under legitimate and transparent authorities. Last year we saw how many cryptocurrencies buckled under low management. We saw how many firms were laundering people’s money and faking their own accounts to make them seem profitable. So, we tested the unregulated and decentralised system – and it failed horribly. With this Bitcoin ETF being adopted into BlackRock, we’ll see it being reviewed and looked over by the right authorities like the SEC. This will help provide a better safeguard for investors and will boost confidence in the asset.
OANDA:BTCUSDLong
by Timonrosso
1
5 DANGERS of Trading Penny StocksJust so you know. I believe if you’re following a world renown and successful Penny Share expert, you’re in good hands. They are able to spot low risk investments and guide you through the process of owning great Penny Stocks. But as a trader , who only looks at charts – THIS IS DANGEROUS TERRITORY. Remember, Penny Shares are high risk, high volatile, low credible companies that are LOW prices i.e. Under $1.00. And so, I just want to write as a trader point of view five key reasons why penny stocks can be dangerous to traders. DANGER #1: High Volatility (Jumpiness) Penny stocks are notorious for their high volatility. These stocks tend to experience rapid and drastic price fluctuations, often without apparent reasons. I’m talking about companies that can jump 10%, 30% and even 70% in a day. The lack of stability and price predictability can make it very difficult for traders to make informed decisions. Sudden price jumps or drops can result in significant gains or losses within a short period, amplifying the risk factor. And if you place your stop loss within a tight range, there’s a bigger chance you’ll get stopped out. DANGER #2: Low Liquidity (Less Volume) Think of Liquidity like the flow of water. It tells you the ease of being able to BUY or SELL a market, without impacting too much of the price. Once again, we look for low to medium volatility. Penny stocks typically have low liquidity due to limited trading volume. With fewer buyers and sellers in the market, it can be difficult to execute trades at the prices you want. And this leads to slippage and even higher transaction costs. Also, low liquidity may also prevent you from even entering or exiting your positions quickly. And this can even TRAP you in an unfavourable market environment for an extended period of time. DANGER #3: Not Established Businesses Penny stocks are often associated with small, early-stage companies that are not yet established in their respective industries. These companies may lack a proven track record, have limited financial history, and face various operational and market risks. So if you want to invest in these type of companies as a trader, it’s better you do it with fundamentals, research, business models and future prospects. If you do it purely on speculative purposes, this could be very risky for your portfolio. DANGER #4: More Likely to Head to Zero Yes all trading requires levels and degrees of risk and rewards. But it is not worth it, if some petty company is doing really badly and is showing signs of going to 0.00. Penny stocks are more susceptible to declining in value and potentially heading towards zero. I mean, South Africa has witnessed instances where penny stocks have experienced substantial losses, which took out a ton of investors. For example, companies like African Bank Investments Ltd (ABIL) and Oakbay Resources and Energy Limited serve as cautionary tales, where investors lost huge amounts as these companies approached or reached bankruptcy. Talking about bankruptcy. DANGER #5: High Chance of Bankruptcy and Liquidations Penny stocks are also more likely to go bankrupt or get liquidated compared to a Blue-chip stock. This is because of the nature of the companies, the inexperience, the lack of funds and structure, as well as its credibility. Financial instability, mismanagement, or unfavourable market conditions can lead to the collapse of these businesses. We saw this also in South Africa with the liquidation of Sharemax Investments and the bankruptcy of Pamodzi Gold Limited. This lead investors with little to no value for their investments. So remember this as a traders We want low volatility, high liquidity (volume), credible companies with great reputations, track record and credibility. And we want attractive charts that work with our trading strategies. If you want to be a savvy Penny Share investor that's fine. But as a trader, I have given my precautions.
TVC:SA40Education
by Timonrosso
Optimal Guide to Action Trades BetterThere are only a few decisions you need to make as a trader. When you actually need to press buttons to action trades. To enter, to adjust and to exit. It’s crucial for you to know when is the right time to do so. You need to consider certain factors and criteria to enhance the chance of profitability. And at the same time to mitigate risks. So here are four optimal actions you’ll need to take. When the Trading Signals Line Up – ACTION! This one is a given. When your trading system, strategy and signal all align. This refers to the convergence of multiple indicators or technical analysis tools, such as breakout patterns, Smart Money Concepts, moving averages, trend lines, or oscillators. When these signals confirm each other, it presents a higher probability trade setup. You need to wait for the confirmation though and the go ahead. This way, you’ll gain the competitive edge for when to enter and to avoid premature trades. Adjust the Stop Loss or Take Profit Levels – ACTION! During a trade, it is essential to monitor the market closely and be ready to adjust the stop loss or take profit levels (according to your strategy). This should NOT be guess work. This should be calculated on probabilities and in a way that you can optimise the strategy in a mechanical fashion. The stop loss is a predetermined level that limits the potential loss on a trade. While the take profit is a predefined level at which a trader intends to exit the trade with a profit. As the market evolves, price action and new information may necessitate revising these levels to protect profits or minimize losses. Which we often do as traders to increase the win rate and lock in potential and minimal profits. Traders should remain flexible and make timely adjustments to ensure their trade is aligned with the prevailing market conditions. When the Time Stop Loss Hits – ACTION! In certain trading scenarios, there may be a need to exit a trade before it becomes a long-term investment. This is particularly relevant in markets where overnight positions incur daily interest charges, such as in some derivative or forex markets. Traders must set a predetermined time stop loss i.e. 7 weeks holding a trade. You don’t want to incur too many interest charges. You don’t want to MARRY a trade. You don’t want to have capital tied up in stock during nonperforming trades. This is an opportunity cost where you can choose better trades to line up. If this time stop loss is reached, it is prudent to exit the trade (no matter what time of day it is), even if it is still within the specified stop loss or take profit levels. Either you’ll take a less than desired profit or less than expected loss. By adhering to the time stop loss, traders can avoid accumulating excessive interest charges and maintain your trading strategy’s integrity. When a Freak Anomaly Spooks the Market, like a Black Swan – ACTION! In rare instances, unforeseen events or anomalies, often referred to as Black Swan events, can greatly disrupt financial markets. These events are characterized by their unpredictability and magnitude, causing extreme market volatility. Normally when a market or index moves 10 times the standard deviation of it’s normal move. When such anomalies occur, it is crucial to act swiftly and exit the trade. Trying to ride out these events can lead to substantial losses. By recognizing the abnormality and promptly exiting the trade, traders protect their capital and avoid unnecessary risks associated with highly volatile market conditions. That’s it. A few but powerful times you need to take action to lock in, protect, manage, bank and call it quits. Master this and you’ll make better and well-timed decisions and adapt your positions to changing market conditions.
TVC:SA40Education
by Timonrosso
4
Why you DID NOT take the trade - 4 REASONSSo you never took a trade again? This could be where the problems are rising. It’s also where you are probably missing out on what could help take your portfolio out of the drawdown. And sometimes, despite favourable market conditions, you may find yourself still hesitating to enter a trade. I want to explore four common reasons why traders fail to take the trade and how to overcome them. #1: The market moved too much One of the most common reasons traders hesitate to take the trade is that… The market has already moved significantly, and they fear they have missed the opportunity. However, it’s important to remember that the market is constantly in motion. The train will move and there is always an opportune moment to get into a trade. A sound trading strategy should take into account different market conditions, including volatile ones, and provide clear entry and exit points. If the market lines up despite how high or low it’s gone. Just take the trade. #2: You’re scared to lose the trade FOLO or Fear Of Losing Out is another common reason traders hesitate to enter a trade. While it’s natural to want to avoid losses. It’s important to remember that trading involves risk, and losses are inevitable. A sound risk management strategy, including setting stop-loss orders and managing position size, can help you to minimize potential losses and build confidence in entering a trade. #3: Too much money to spend Traders may also hesitate to enter a trade if they feel they have too much money to spend. Take oil for example. Most market markets (brokers) offer you to buy Brent crude but you have to buy 100 contracts as a minimum. In this case, it MIGHT be too much money to spend. Not because of how much of your portfolio you’re using up, but also because the risk might outweigh 2% of your portfolio. Then you get other markets like the JSE ALMI 40, where you’ll need to spend around R9,000 to enter a trade. It sounds like a lot (especially if your portfolio is less than 10,000. But, that’s why one should start with a larger minimum account size. I started with R30,000 in 2003 and even then it was too little to grow into a substantial amount. Then when it grew to the first R150,000, I started feeling comfortable with the portfolio size and it opened more opportunities to trade additional markets. So, that’s why if you want to take trading seriously, you got to cough up the cash into your portfolio and trade accordingly to strict money and reward management. #4: No trust in the system yet This one is a given and the most abundant reason to NOT take a trade. You might hesitate to enter a trade if you don’t have faith or confidence in your trading strategy or system. In this case, it’s essential to go back, review and test the strategy, ensuring it aligns with personal trading goals and is backed by sound research and analysis. When you build trust in a trading system, and you take the time and patience to see the good and the bad, then your confidence will grow. And that will be an essential step towards taking more trades to help grow your portfolio. Why don’t you take trades when you should? Is it because: You don’t trust your system You’re scared to lose money You don’t trust certain markets You don’t have enough money to trade different instruments You’re not ready with your strategy You don’t have confidence with yourself, discipline and emotions yet? Find them, harness them, work on them and you might have your answer.
TVC:SA40Education
by Timonrosso
5 STUPID Trading Advice SayingsIt’s true. When it comes to financial trading, everyone has an opinion, and there is no shortage of advice floating around. However, some advice is just plain ridiculous and some tips can be downright detrimental to your trading success. I want to cover the 5 stupid trading advice points, that many traders still follow and why you should avoid them by all means. #1: Go Big or Go Home This advice suggests that you should take significant risks in trading. You should aim for massive gains. And you should adopt the casino mentality of going full port! It is true that higher risks can lead to higher rewards. But when you adopt a “go big or go home” mentality, it can result in substantial losses that are difficult to recover from. Instead, follow a disciplined approach to risk management, using appropriate position sizing and stop-loss orders to protect your capital. Risk little to make a little more. Risk 2% to make 4%. Or risk 1% to make 3%. Those small gains will eventually outweigh the losses. #2: The Next Trade Will Be Better If you believe that the next trade will magically be more successful than the previous one, you’re in for a bad time. This is nothing but a dangerous mindset to adapt to. This belief can lead to overtrading and a lack of discipline when you stick to your trading strategy. To avoid falling into this trap, focus on maintaining a consistent and well-defined trading plan, rather than trying to chase the elusive “better” trades. #3: Follow Your Heart Emotions are proven to be the trader’s worst enemy. They will often cloud judgment and lead to impulsive decisions. “Follow your heart” in trading and you’ll find you’ll ignore your strategy and you’ll take irrational risks. Instead, rely on your trading plan, technical analysis, and fundamental research to make informed decisions, and always keep your emotions in check. #4: Everything Happens for a Reason When you depend on fate, the stars and the mysterious cosmic plan, it is a surefire way to lose money in trading. The stock market doesn’t work on esoterical means. It works on simple demand, supply and volume. The financial markets are also influenced by countless factors, from economic data releases to geopolitical events, and it’s essential to understand these factors to make well-informed trading decisions. Don’t rely on fate or superstition when trading. Instead, focus on analysis, strategy, and risk management. #5: Work Harder and You’ll Win More While hard work and dedication are essential for success in any field. The belief that you need to work harder in a trading day, will guarantee more wins in trading is misguided. If the environment is not conducive. Or trades have not aligned according to your strategy, it’s pointless taking more trades for gain. Think of sideways markets. Whether you buy (go long) or short (go short), you’re more likely to fail. Trading is not just about putting in the hours; it’s about working smart, refining your strategy, and maintaining discipline. Instead of trading harder, focus and develop a comprehensive trading plan, continually educate yourself on market dynamics, and consistently reviewing and refining your strategy. And of course. JUST TAKE THE TRADE – When it lines up according to your strategy. Can you think of anymore?
JSE:J200Education
by Timonrosso
When you’ve taken a trade – Let It Go!One of the key principles of successful trading is… Once you have taken the trade to just let it go and allow it to run its course. The system lined up – tick. The entry orders are all in place – tick. It matches your risk and reward criteria – tick. You know your trade size – tick. Now let it go. You may get the urge to interfere, change the levels and lock in profits early or limit losses even more. You need to resist the urge. Here are some factors to consider… Don’t Interfere… When you’ve taken a trade, it’s important to have a plan in place for how you will manage it. This means you’ve got your entry, stop loss and take profit in place. These actions may seem like a good idea at the time. But they can often lead to bigger losses, smaller profits and even missed opportunities. But then there are times where you need to adjust the course. You might even have a time stop loss. Or a strategic and mechanical criteria for when to adjust your levels. But other than that, you need to have the discipline to stick to it and resist the temptation to interfere with your trades. Don’t Get Excited When It’s in the Money One of the most common mistakes that traders make is getting too excited when they’re in the money. You might feel overconfident and “know-better” about a trade. Or you might have this irrational decision-making idea to quickly move your stops and take profits, which can quickly erase any gains that you’ve made. It’s essential to remain level-headed and stick to your plan, even when your trades are performing well. To avoid getting too excited when you’re in the money, go back to your journal and look at how your trades have played in the past. It’s important to have a clear idea of your risk tolerance and profit targets before you enter a trade. This will stop you from making any quick and unnecessary decisions along the way. Don’t Fear When It’s Going Against You Another common mistake that traders make is letting fear dictate their decisions when a trade is going against them. It’s natural to feel anxious when you’re losing money. But it’s important to remember that losses are a normal part of trading. We all take them and we are all bound to take them more times than we wish to think. To overcome the fear of losses, it’s important to focus on the long-term goals of your trading strategy. One way to do this is to maintain a positive mindset and view losses as “costs of business” and as learning opportunities rather than failures. Stay calm and level headed. Also stop risking so much that it interferes with your psychology. When you feel emotional take a step back or it could lead to even bigger losses. Don’t Watch Every Tick Finally, it’s important to resist the urge to obsessively watch every tick of the market. This can lead to overtrading and emotional decision-making. And you’ll find it will quickly derail your trading strategy. Instead, it’s important to focus on the big picture and have a long-term perspective on your trades. Close your computer once you’ve taken a trade. Or close your trading platform and move onto something else. You’ve done your job now stop watching every tick the market moves. By doing so, you’ll be less likely to make rash decisions based on short-term fluctuations in the market. I hope this helps and if there is one thing to remember out of them all. When you’ve taken a trade, just let it go and let it run its course.
JSE:J200Education
by Timonrosso
1
When to FEEL THRILL when Trading - It may surprise you!First let me tell you. NO you should not feel thrill when you take a profit. NO you should not feel thrill when you are on a winning streak. NO you should not feel thrill after a day, week or month of upside. But I’m not going to be a wet blanket. As a trader, including me, there are times to feel thrill. Trading is a process, it’s a lifestyle, it’s a game, it’s your control of your financial future. So let’s explore the times you should feel thrill. #1: Analyse the markets A major part of trading is assessing the current state of the markets and identifying potential opportunities. This involves creating your strategy, finding the indicators that work best and identifying the different systems (chart patterns, trend lines, Smart Money Concepts) etc… This process is super exciting part on the journey to becoming a trader. #2: Optimise your strategies Creating a strategy is one thing. But optimising and maximising your system is an ongoing thing. It’s crucial to continuously fine-tune your strategies and adapt to the ever-changing market conditions. When you identify areas for improvement and make changes that lead to better performance, the thrill of knowing that you’re on the path to success can be awesome. #3: Search for high probability trades One of the keys to success in trading is finding high probability trades. It’s these trades that will offer a favorable risk-reward ratio and a high chance of success (regardless whether they win or lose). The hunt for these opportunities is always fun and it’s almost like going on a daily treasure hunt. And spotting the highest probability trades, require a deep understanding of the markets and the ability to spot subtle patterns that others might miss. When you uncover a high probability trade and execute it successfully, the feeling of accomplishment is also a great feel. #4: Reading Fundamentals Sure your strategy might not comprise of fundamentals or news. But still learning about the markets, companies, indices and other micro and macro aspects, is interesting. A solid grasp of fundamental analysis is essential for any serious trader. This involves assessing the financial health of companies, industries, and economies to identify why markets move the way they do. When you can successfully combine technical and fundamental analysis to make informed decisions, the thrill of knowing you have an edge in the market is undeniable. #5: Monitor your results and stats As a trading boss… You need to track, analyse and assess your trading performance. You don’t get more power and thrill as a trader, when you have control of your financial markets. When you see your strategies paying off and your account balance growing, the thrill of your hard work and dedication materializing into tangible results is incredibly rewarding. Conversely, it’s also thrilling when you analyse your losses where you can gain valuable learning experiences. And this will help provide insights into areas for improvement and will motivate you to refine your approach. #6: Find new markets to trade Do you think I was looking at AI, VR, Metaverse type companies to trade 10 years ago? Nope! These markets weren’t in fruition with trading as they are today. So as a trader, this is always an exciting and thrilling venture with trading. To explore, adapt and add on new markets into your watch list. When you add and enter these new markets to your strategy, this can expose you to a whole new set of opportunities and challenges. And this will help broaden your horizons and deepen your understanding of the financial markets. So now you know when to embrace thrill as a trader. Use them to fuel and propel you toward achieving your goals. When else do you feel thrill?
JSE:J200Education
by Timonrosso
Gym Well - Trade Well!When you gym well, it’s like trading well. You gym to tone, to lose weight to build muscle and to build discipline. With trading you trade to build your portfolio, build confidence, create a secured financial future and work on your mindset for life. Both pursuits require consistent effort, perseverance, and a strategic approach. Gym is an important element in my life and so I want to explore the similarities between trading and gymming, and how each can lead to success in their respective domains. You Put in the Work Every Day: Gymming and Trading Like a regular gym routine, successful trading requires dedication and consistency. You can’t expect to see results overnight – you need to put in the work every day. As a trader you must constantly educate yourself on market trends, stay informed about global events, and analyze past performance to make informed decisions. Just as gym-goers must adhere to their workout schedules, traders should establish a daily routine that involves researching and analyzing the market. You Pick Up the Portfolio (Weights) as You Make More Money When you gym, you gradually increase the weights you’re lifting to build strength and endurance. Similarly, as you become more experienced and successful in trading, you can gradually increase your investment portfolio. As your confidence and financial gains grow, you may choose to diversify your portfolio and take on a variety of different assets to spread risk, lower risk, optimise and maximize your returns. Don’t Overtrain – Don’t Overtrade Overtraining at the gym can lead to injury and burnout. And if you over trade in the market, it can result in financial losses and emotional exhaustion. It’s essential to strike a balance between staying active and giving yourself time to rest and recover. In trading, this might mean you: Set your limits on the number of trades you make each day or week Identify the goldilocks zone risk per trade Know when to hault trading or lower risks during a drawdown period. And most importantly. Remember, trading is a marathon, not a sprint. So pace yourself accordingly which is crucial to long-term success. It’s a Forever Process (Takes Time) Both gymming and trading are long-term commitments. You won’t see immediate results in either pursuit. It takes time and dedication to achieve your goals and to identify your trading risk and personality. In the gym, you can expect to see gradual improvements in your strength, endurance, and overall fitness. In trading, you’ll gain experience, knowledge, and a more refined strategy as time goes on. So stay dedicated, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving your goals. Let me know if you gym and if it helps your trading :)
JSE:J200Education
by Timonrosso
2
STOP Impulse Trading at once – 5 Actions to takeOne of the most dangerous traits a trader can adopt is… Impulse Trading. This is where they take trades mainly on emotions and gut rather than sound financial analysis. This means, more risk, more irrational choices and that can lead to steering away from what works. Your proven trading strategy! And the end result, you’ll lose in the long term and end up with less confidence for your future endeavours as a trader. So let’s come up with certain ways for you to STOP the impulse trading. ACTION #1: Give it an hour When you feel the urge to make a trade based on emotions, it can be helpful to step back and take a break. One great way is to wait for an hour before you make any decisions. Go get something to eat, grab a beer, go walk your crocodile or go do something other than trading. Close your computer if you feel you’re about to impulse trade. This break can help you regain a sense of perspective and avoid making impulsive decisions that you may later regret. ACTION #2: Remember your long term goal I always say… Financial trading is a long-term game. You need to have a clear and specific long-term goal in mind that guides your decisions. When you feel the urge to make an impulsive trade, take a moment remember your trading record, journal and what works. Also, remember it’s not about the one trade but the hundreds of trades later… Ask yourself whether this trade aligns with your overall strategy or whether it’s just a momentary impulse. This can help you stay focused and disciplined in your trading. ACTION #3: Revisit your journal Your journal is pretty much your game-plan. It foretells of the most probable outcome when you follow it. And it should include a record of all your trades, your thoughts and feelings at the time of the trade, and the results of the trade. When you feel the urge to make an impulsive trade, take some time to revisit your journal. Look at your past trades and the results they produced. My favourite… Go look at your drawdowns. Go look at your biggest drawdowns. Then go see how you came out of the drawdowns and your portfolio headed to NEW all time highs. There is no better feeling than that. Do this and I doubt you’ll want to take any impulse trades again. ACTION #4: Read more trading psychology Mind is everything with trading. It’s a great way to develop your discipline and avoid impulse trading. Either go read trading books, articles, watch YouTubes or just save this article. I can almost guarantee… If you read this article, when you feel like taking an impulse trade – You will stop that primitive way of thinking. You’ll stop that inner conscience from trying to ruin your trading performance. ACTION #5: Avoid Overtrading If you find you take MANY trades at a time… You’ll be more inclined of taking impulse trades, because you feel you need to take more. Try and have a cap when it comes to the number of trades you hold. I used to never hold more than 5 trades. But over time, with adopting into new markets and evolved markets – that number gone up. Now I make sure I never have more than 12 trades opened at any one time. Remember to give yourself time to reflect, keep your long-term goals in mind, revisit your journal, and read more about trading psychology. Let’s bring back the 5 actions to avoid taking any impulse trades. ACTION #1: Give it an hour ACTION #2: Remember your long term goal ACTION #3: Revisit your journal ACTION #4: Read more trading psychology ACTION #5: Avoid Overtrading Let me know if this was useful in the comments.
Editors' picks
JSE:J200Education
by Timonrosso
7
Don't listen to your inner NINNY! I can't swear on TV :(Traders have 1 JOB!. To just take the trade. All the other stuff is semantics. But most times you’ll find your inner B I mean Ninny takes over. And it tells you: ~ Don’t take the trade. ~ You’ll lose money. ~ The stars are not aligned! ~ Blah blah fish paste! You need to stop listening to your inner F - inny, or it will destroy your chances of success. So let’s talk about the 4 common excuses traders make and how to overcome them. Excuse #1: I’m not in the mood The markets are awake with or without you. People are making money and doing things in this world. Others are taking ice baths, cold showers, hitting the gym twice a day. They are doing the hard. You need to stop the excuses of not in the mood, get off the couch and take action for your life. You are in control of your life, what you do and what you make. Do what you need to. Create a schedule that includes time for exercise, meditation, and of course trading. Excuse #2: External news event kicked in Financial markets are subject to external events that can impact trading decisions. These events can include political developments, natural disasters, or major economic announcements. The problem is. These events come daily. Every day there are new news announcements, GDP numbers, employment and jobs reports, Interest rates, inflation rates etc…If you’re not taking a trade because of one of these announcements, I’m sorry but. That’s just an excuse! If you must. Write down a few IMPORTANT news announcements that you want to watch for when you trade. Maybe interest rates in America. Maybe NFP reports, Maybe during FOMC meetings. But do the research and find out what news events are worthy to NOT take a trade. I’ve been in the markets for 20 years and I haven’t found one worthy news announcement other than NFP for Forex trading. Excuse #3: Market doesn’t feel right To you it doesn’t feel right. To you, you think the market is some sentimental machine that feels healthy or sick. To me, I see prices, risks and probabilities. I see a robot and mechanical processes with billions of dollars streaming in and out at any one second, the market is opened. You need to develop an objective criteria for assessing market conditions. Have tunnel vision and stop trying to predict the temperature of the market. It’s not human. There is buying. There is selling. There is a repetition of that every day. Market doesn’t feel right, is an excuse. Excuse #4: System lined up but it’s not perfect Ok so you have a system good. You have a strict strategy to follow, great. But the system lined up and it’s not perfect. As I mentioned before. You need to write down the rules and criteria that you can use to identify opportunities and risks. There are only three types of trades in this world. HIGH probability trade – Market lined up perfectly according to the system. MEDIUM probability trade – Market almost lined up perfectly but I will still take the trade and risk a little less. NO trade – Market did NOT line up and therefore I’m not taking a trade. So, are you going to continue to listen to your inner Busy Ninny or are you going to start making money the right way?
TVC:SA40Education
by Timonrosso
GLOSSARY Smart Money Concepts - Complete Terms!It's taking the world by a storm. Smart Money Concepts is what has become famous lately. Now I've been trading for 20 years and even I have learnt to adapt and adjust SMC to my trading strategy. I guess we have to evolve and adapt with what there is. Anyways, Today, I've written a complete Glossary on Smart Money Concepts terms for you. Enjoy! SMART MONEY CONCEPTS GLOSSARY Break Of Structure (BOS) (CONTINUATION) A BOS is when the price breaks above or below, and continues in the direction of the trend. (CONTINUATION). Break Of Structure Down When the price breaks and closes BELOW the wick of the previous LOW in a DOWNTREND. Break Of Structure Up When the price breaks and closes ABOVE the wick of the previous HIGH in an UPTREND. Buy Side Liquidity (Smart Money SELLS) Where an Order Block forms where Smart Money SELLS into retailers (dumb money) BUYING orders - Pushing the price DOWN. Change of Character (CHoCH) (REVERSAL) Refers to a much larger shift in the underlying market trend, dynamic or sentiment. This is where the price moves to the point where there is a change in the overall trend. (REVERSAL) Change of Character Down When the price breaks and closes below the previous uptrend. Change of Character Up When the price breaks and closes above the previous downtrend. Daily bias Tells us which direction, trend and environment the market is in and what we are looking to trade. Daily bias Bearish When the market environment is DOWN and the trend is DOWN - we look for shorts (sells) in the market. Daily bias Bullish When the market environment is UP and the trend is UP - we look for long positions (buys) in the market. Discount market <50% The market is at a discount when the price trades BELOW the equilibrium level. We say the price is at a discount (low price). Equilibrium Equilibrium is a state of the market where the demand and supply are in balance with the price. We say the price of the market is at fair value. Fair Value Gap (FVG) A 3 candle structure with an up or down impulse candle that indicates and creates an imbalance or an inefficiency in the market. Fair Value Gap Bearish A 3 candle structure with a DOWN impulse candle that indicates and creates an imbalance or an inefficiency in the market. Between candle 1 and 3, do NOT show common prices. The price needs to move back up to rebalance and fill the gap. Fair Value Gap Bullish A 3 candle structure with an UP impulse candle that indicates and creates an imbalance or an inefficiency in the market. Between candle 1 and 3, do NOT show common prices. The price needs to come back down to rebalance and fill the gap. Levels of liquidity The area of prices where smart money players, identify and choose to BUY or SELL large quantities. E.g. Supports, resistances, highs, lows, key levels, trend lines, volume, indicators, psychological levels. Liquidity The degree, rate and ability for an asset or security to be easily bought (flow in) or sold (flow out) in the market at a specific price. Liquidity sweep (Liquidity grab) Smart money buys or sells (and sweeps or grabs liquidity) from traders who enter, exit or get stopped. Market down structure When the price makes lower lows and lower highs. Market structure Indicates what a market is doing, which direction it’s in and where it is more likely to go. Market Structure Shift (MSS) MSS shows you when the price is breaking a structure or changing the direction in the market. Market up structure When the price makes higher lows and higher highs. Order block Large market orders (big block of orders) where smart money buys or sells from different levels of liquidity. Order Block Bearish A strong selling or a supply zone for smart money. Order Block Bullish A strong buying or a demand zone for smart money. Order block events Large market orders where smart money buys or sells from certain events i.e. High volume, supports, resistances, highs, lows, key levels, Break Of Structure, Change of Character, News or economic event. Point Of Interest (POI) POI is an area or level in the market where there is expected to be a large amount of buying or selling activity i.e. Order blocks. Premium market >50% The market is at a premium when the price trades ABOVE the equilibrium level. We say the price is at a premium (high price). Sell Side Liquidity (Smart Money BUYS) Where an Order Block forms where the Smart Money BUYS into the retail (dumb money traders orders - Pushing the price UP. Smart Money These are the smart, informed, and savvy financial institutions that invest (buy and sell) their large capital into different financial markets. Smart Money Concepts SMC is a more sophisticated method of price action to spot, identify and locate where smart money is buying and selling their positions Sweep Buy Side Liquidity (Smart Money SELLS) Smart Money SELLS into positions (and sweeps liquidity) from retail traders who are short (get stopped) and for long traders who buy and enter their trades. Sweep Sell Side Liquidity (Smart Money BUYS) Smart Money BUYS into positions (and sweeps liquidity) from traders who are long (get stopped) and for short traders who enter their trades. Feel free to print this out and have it as a guide to your Smart Money Concepts trading journey. All the best!
SP:SPXEducation
by Timonrosso
Trading Success Stoppers Part 1Trading as you know is a fantastic alternative to grow your wealth. However, it is not without its challenges. In fact, there are several success stoppers that traders face that can derail their trading efforts. Let’s look at four of them. STOPPER #1: Same Old Routine One of the biggest success stoppers for a trader is falling into the same old routine. It is easy to get into a rut and continue doing the same things day in and day out. However, this can lead to a lack of progress and stagnant trading results. Yes you need the same ‘ol strategy, risk management rules and criteria for a consistent track record. But you also need to be open to try new things and adapting to changing market conditions. You can do this by: ~ Backtesting and forward testing other strategies. ~ Adapting new markets into your trading ~ Identifying new market environments ~ Even improving your current indicators and chart layouts Always looking out for better brokers, chart platforms and sources to help your trading Improving your calculators and trading tools. STOPPER #2: Self-Doubt This can cripple a trader’s confidence and ability to make sound trading decisions. It is natural to experience doubts and fears when trading. But make sure you don’t let it take over and lead you to emotional decisions, doubting during drawdowns and missed trading opportunities because of how you feel rather than what the charts say. To overcome this success stopper, you should focus on building your confidence and self-belief through trusting your proven track record. You can do this by keeping a trading journal to track your successes and failure. Also seek out the advice of a mentor or coach, and regularly review their trading plan to ensure they are on the right track – to help with your own confidence. STOPPER #3: Procrastination Procrastination is a common success stopper for traders. It is easy to put off making trading decisions or taking action on a new trading strategy. However, procrastination can lead to you never taking action which means: No trades No consistency No growth No results To overcome this success stopper, traders should develop a sense of urgency and take action quickly. Adapt the 1,2,3 JUST DO IT mentality as I mentioned in the previous video. Break down larger tasks into bite sized and more manageable ones and set deadlines to complete on time. STOPPER #4: No Big Idea Finally, having no big idea or vision for their trading can be a major success stopper for traders. You need to know your goals, strategy, risk profile and trading personality. When you do this you will have the BIG idea on what you need to progress and thrive. Stop these stoppers before they stop you from achieving trading greatness. Tune in tomorrow for Part 2!
TVC:SA40Education
by Timonrosso
5 TIF Trading Orders You need to KnowQ. What are the 5 common TIF (Time In Force) Trading Orders to know? GTC: “Good Till Cancelled” Where the order remains active until you manually cancel it. FOK: “Fill or Kill” This type of order requires immediate execution of the entire order quantity. If the full amount is not executed, it is then cancelled. GTD: “Good Till Date” Where you can specify a specific date until which the order is valid. MIT: “Market if Touched” This order is triggered when the market price reaches a specified level (trigger price). It then becomes a market order and is executed at the best available price. LIT: “Limit if Touched” If a Limit if Touched order is triggered when the market price reaches a chosen or trigger price. GTC (Good Till Cancelled). This way you’ll know that your position (order) will stay in the market until you cancel it manually. What trading question do you have? Let me know in the comments. Can you think of anymore?
TVC:SA40Education
by Timonrosso
Revenge Trading is Catastrophic - Here's why!Do you feel it in your bones. Where do you want to: Take trades to make up for losses? Take trades for the sake of trading? Take trades out of emotions and gut (gat feel)? Take trades to make a quick buck? If so, you have felt the power and dangers of Revenge Trading. TO put it blunt. Revenge trading is detrimental, dangerous and just plain stupid for any traders to succumb to. I feel like I can finish the article already as I have said what I needed to. Not just yet! You need to understand why Revenge Trading is to your downfall. Let’s start with these: #1: Impulsive decisions are dangerous In the heat of the moment, you just want to take an impulsive trade. This can lead to disastrous outcomes. Revenge trading happens when you want to try recoup losses quickly. And so traders abandon their strategies, systems and rules. And they take on unwarranted risks. This will stop you from making good, calculated, logical and well-informed decisions based on sound reasoning and market research. Don’t do it! #2: Trading on emotions is deadly Emotions such as fear, greed, and frustration have no place in trading. Revenge trading is fueled by these emotions. And this causes traders to deviate and steer way from their plans by instead acting irrationally. What then? Bigger losses, unnecessary risks to the portfolio and skewed results on your trackrecord. Your hard earned and timely worked on journal! Is it worth it? I think not. Cut out your emotions and work at being calm and take on the more logical approach, devoid of emotional interference. #3: Violating trading rules is damaging Every trader should have a set of well-defined trading rules in place. Not just rules but also a list of criteria. Revenge trading typically involves disregarding these rules and just going against everything you should do. Basically, what the average dumb retail trader does which results in 98% of traders losing in this financial endeavour. Violate your rules and there will be severe consequences. Loss of confidence. Bigger losses More losses Erratic wins (which make you want to do it again and again and again) Not worth it. Don’t do it. #4: Too much unnecessary risk You know you’re using your hard earned cash to trade and build a portfolio right? So why are you burning it and cutting it up like it’s nothing? This reckless behavior can lead to bigger drawdowns and can even wipe out trading accounts entirely. Don’t do it! #5: Creates an ongoing cycle of doing it again Great! Once you have violated your rules, gone against your strategy and pretty much gone ape or rogue on trading – it takes a lot to gain ones integrity and discipline back. One of the most dangerous aspects of revenge trading is its cyclical nature. Break the rule, you’ll break it again. Cheat, you’ll cheat again. Enter a gambling mentality and you’re beeped. Bank a winning rogue trade and you’ll succumb to the trading world of discretionary action. However, if these subsequent trades result in further losses, the cycle repeats, trapping traders in a never-ending loop of revenge trading. Breaking free from this destructive pattern will then need a ton of discipline, self-awareness, and a commitment to sticking to one’s trading plan. So please be careful.
JSE:J200Education
by Timonrosso
16 Trading Mistakes you’re still MakingIf you’re still failing as a trader. You could be making one or more of these common and lethal mistakes. #1: No Structured Approach If you’re not following a structured approach to evaluate potential trades, you’re likely to make mistakes. It’s essential to have a well-defined plan that takes into account your personality, risk tolerance and trading goals. #2: You trade on Emotions Trading decisions should be based on facts and analysis, not emotions or hunches. If you’re relying solely on your gut feeling, you may miss important information and make poor trading decisions. Trust the chart not your heart. (I like that!) #3: Not researching each market per strategy Even if you have a trading strategy, you need to research, back test and forward test EACH market to see if they are conducive with your trading. For example. I have traded Forex since the get-go and yet the EUR/USD (Euro Versus US Dollar) is still the one currency that NEVER works for my system. This is the kind of research you should know, before you make a trade or risk a trade. Lack of research can lead to costly mistakes and missed opportunities. #4: No Specific Trade Setup It’s important to identify a specific trade setup before making a trade. You need to determine and pinpoint your exact entry and exit points, stop loss level, and price targets volume and margin requirements. #5: Not waiting for your high probability setup It’s important to wait for a clear trade trigger before making a trade. This way you’ll know what the right market, at the right time is and what you need to do to minimize your risk and maximise your profit potential. #6: Not putting in your stop loss When you trade you need to remember something. You need to set your stop loss to limit your losses. You need to set your stop loss to follow a plan. You need to set your stop loss to prevent an emotional reaction to your trading where you can take significant losses. Always, always always set a stop loss level with each trade and stick to it. #7: Setting a tight stop loss If you set your stop loss level too close to the entry price, it will increase your chance of getting stopped out. It’s important to set a stop loss level that considers market volatility and your risk tolerance. #8: No clear exit price target Yes, a stop loss is more important than a take profit price. But a take profit price is VERY important when it comes to following your Risk to Reward strategy. You need to set the take profits so you can calculate your potential gains, to lock in gains and to have a mechanical plan to follow in the future. #9: Forgetting your Reward-to-Risk Ratio If you ignore your risk to reward level rule with trading, you might as well give up trading. The key is to always make sure that your potential gains are more than your losses. If you ignore your risk to reward you will make poor trading decisions and your performance will not be stable and consistent. These are losing traits. #10: You forget the anomalies! There are times where you might need to exit out of a trade prematurely. There are other market conditions that are wile and can impact your trade negatively. Whether they are black swans, market announcements, threats, dangers, fat fingers or even news events. Don’t forget to consider the anomalies to reduce a catastrophe. #11: You buy however much you want on margin When you trade derivatives you need to remember. You will be exposed to more money than what you deposit. You can LOSE way more money that you anticipated if things don’t go your way. You need to seriously understand the risks involved with margin and gearing trading before you even commit to trading derivatives. #12: You don’t diversify Some traders ONLY trade one index or one currency or one commodity. I believe this is not very good for the future. There are times where these markets enter into a stagnant period for months upon months on end. You need to find a way to diversify and trade a few more markets, to make up for the dangers of idling markets. It’s important to diversify your portfolio and spread your risk across multiple markets. #13: You chase the next best penny thing Chasing ‘hot’ penny stocks or penny cryptos is lethal. You’ll end up emotionally involved in them and you’ll find every reason (fundamentally and technically) to hold on because they are going to the moon. Remember, you need to research the markets that work with your trading strategy over at least 5 years. Any other markets, are dangerous and can lead to you blowing your account. #14: Not Emotional control Not managing your emotions appropriately and making impulsive trading decisions can lead to poor outcomes. When you lose you’ll feel like it’s the end of the world. When you win, you’ll feel you have trading down and life. Problem is these uppers and downers with trading will have an effect in your life negatively and will end up with you making very emotionally driven and triggering trading decisions. Then POOF. All will be gone. It’s important to stay calm and focused when making trading decisions. #15: No Trading Journal What are you basing your success on? A strategy you don’t even have proof whether it works or not. If you are Not using a trading journal to track your trades and evaluate your strategy over time, it can lead to a losing performance, unnecessary losses, missed opportunities for improvement and will leave you blinded to your potential. It’s important to keep a record of your trades and evaluate your performance regularly. #16: Not Learning from Mistakes Trading is a forever learning journey. You need to learn from EVERY mistake you make and move on. If you don’t learn you’ll continue to have a poor performance. It’s important to evaluate your mistakes and make changes to improve your strategy. Maybe even document every trading mistake you make in your trading journal. This way you’ll reflect and work on them for the future. Was that helpful?
JSE:J200Education
by Timonrosso
8 Most Important Trading Levels of EntryThere are over 30 different elements you can add to your trading journal. But if you want to start off light and easier, then there are only a few KEY levels you’ll need to get into your trade and track them. 8 to be exact. These include: #1: Market (Stocks, Indices, Forex, Commodities, Crypto) What market are you trading? There are many different markets to choose from, including stocks, indices, forex, commodities, and crypto. Each of these markets has its own unique characteristics, including volatility, liquidity, and risk factors. When you specify what market you’re trading you’ll know which account to measure your portfolio. #2: Date of Entry This information will allow you to track your trades over time and evaluate the success of their strategies. Also, something not many people think about is when you’re profitable and in the money. It is also useful for tax purposes, as you might need to report your gains and losses to the relevant authorities. #3: Entry Price The entry price is the price at which a trader enters a trade. This information is critical for calculating potential profits and losses, as well as for setting stop loss and take profit levels. You’ll also know how the market is moving relative to their position and make certain adjustments to your trades (following your strategy) as needed. #4: Type Buy (Go long) or Sell (Go Short) The type of trade, whether it is a buy or a sell short, is important because it determines the direction of the trade. If a trader buys a security, they are betting that the price will go up, while a sell short trade is a bet that the price will go down. This information is important for setting stop loss and take profit levels, as well as for understanding the risk profile of the trade. #5: Stop Loss (Risk level) A stop loss is an order to close a trade if the price reaches a certain level. This is a key risk management tool that helps traders limit their losses in case the market moves against them. Also, it’s used to lock in profits when the trade is going in your favour. #6: Take Profit (Reward level) Take profit is the opposite of a stop loss. It is an order to close a trade when the price reaches a certain level of profit. This allows traders to lock in their gains and exit the trade at a predetermined level. #7: Margin (Initial deposit) Margin is the amount of money a trader needs to deposit in order to open a position. This is important because it determines the amount of leverage the trader is using and the potential risk exposure. By recording the margin requirements for each trade, you’ll be able to monitor your overall risk exposure and adjust your positions if needed. #8: Reason of Entry The reason for entering a trade is important because it helps traders evaluate the success of their strategy and make adjustments as needed. This depends on your trading strategy. Are you trading because of a breakout pattern, Moving Averages, Range bounded, Order blocks, Liquidity Sweeps, Volume Spread analyses or indicator analysis – you’ll be able to jot your entry reason for each trade. So if you’re new to trading or not worried about the extras when plotting in your journal. You now have the most important elements of a trading: Markets, the date of entry, entry price, type of trade, stop loss, take profit, margin, reason. Hope that helps.
JSE:J200Education
by Timonrosso
EXPLAINED: Calculation for CFD Brokerage with Anheuser ExampleHow do I calculate the brokerage I'll pay on a local CFD trade? You’ll need to calculate the brokerage you’ll pay to enter your trade and the brokerage you’ll need to pay to exit your trade. We’ll first need to lay out all the necessary information to calculate what brokerages you’ll pay… For this example, we’re going to use a trade example with Anheuser Busch InBev. And we’ll use the brokerage of 0.30% leg in (entry) and 0.30% leg out (exit) to pay. Here are all the specifics needed for this trade: Portfolio value: R40,000 Trade: JSE:ANH Type: Long (buy) Brokerage rate in: 0.30% Brokerage rate out: 0.30% Entry: R1,184.00 Stop loss: R1,143.00 Take profit: R1,215.00 Calculation #1: Calculating your ENTRY brokerage with CFDs Step #1: Know what your max portfolio risk is per trade Max % risk = (Portfolio value X 2%) = (R40,000 X 2%) = R800 Step #2: Find out the rands risked in trade Rands risked = (Entry – Stop loss) = (R1,184.00 – R1,143) = R41.00 Step #3: Calculate the number of CFD contracts to trade No. CFDs = (Max % risk ÷ Rands risked) = (R800 ÷ R41.00) = 19.51 SIDE NOTE: We always round down the number of CFDs, so that we risk less than what we choose to risk instead of more. Therefore, we will buy 19 CFDs in this specific trade. Step #4: Calculate your ENTRY exposure for the CFD trade Entry exposure = (Entry price X No. CFDs) = (R1,184 X 19 CFDs) = R22,496 Brokerage in = (Entry exposure X Broker rate in) = (R22,496 X 0.30%) = R67.48 This means, you’ll need to pay a brokerage of R67.48 in order to buy (go long) 9 Anheuser CFDs. Now we can move onto the next brokerage leg. Calculation #2: Calculating your EXIT brokerage with CFDs Step #1: Work out your EXIT exposure for the CFD trade Exit exposure = (Exit price X No. CFDs) = (R1,215 X 19 CFDs) = R23,085 Step #2: Calculate your brokerage leg out Brokerage out = (Exit exposure X Broker rate out) = (R23,085 X 0.30%) = R69.25 Step #3: Calculate the total brokerage for the CFD trade Total brokerage = (brokerage leg in + Brokerage leg out) = (R67.48+ R69.25) = R136.73 This means, if the trade hit your take profit level you would have ended up paying a total brokerage of R136.73 for your Anheuser CFD long trade.
JSE:ANHEducation
by Timonrosso
4 EXTRAS to add to your Trading Journal TODAYI’m sure you know by now. That every successful trader needs a trading journal. This is an essential tool to track, monitor, evaluate, record, and measure your trading success. However, I’ve come up with 4 EXTRA Journal Items that you can add to your journal that could help improve your trading, win rate and overall performance. We can call these the “Trading Journal Extras.” Let me know if you think any of these will be helpful to add to your journal. EXTRA Journal Item #1: MY EMOTIONS Emotional State When Taking Trades Trading can be an emotional rollercoaster. When you lose, it feels like everything is out to get you. When you win, it can feel like you’ve nailed life in a bag and you can do this for the rest of your life. But what if you actually journaled your emotions? Every time you take a trade or you bank a loss or gain, document it in a section saying “EMOTIONS. This element to your Trading Journal can help you identify patterns in your emotional state that may impact your decision-making abilities in the future. You will also see who you are personally and how you emotionally handle trades. Watch it improve over time. For instance, if you find that you’re more likely to make impulsive trades when you’re feeling anxious or stressed, you can take steps to manage your emotions before taking trades. This can help you make better decisions and minimize the risks of impulsive trades. EXTRA Journal Item #2: MISTAKES LEARNED Mistakes Made and Lessons Learned As a trader, you’re bound to make mistakes, and it’s essential to learn from them. So why not write them down. Incorporate the mistakes you made in your Trading Journal. This way, it can help you avoid making the same errors in the future. For example, if you realize that you lost way more than 2% for a trade. Write down where you went wrong. Did you over capitalise? Did you extend your stop loss? Did you hold on longer than you should (which the costs added up)? Did you follow your strategy and risk management rules? Write down the mistake and you’ll have a better chance of avoiding it in the future. EXTRA Journal Item #3: NEWS REACTION Market Reaction to News Events You won’t find this in my journal. But I know many traders who trade using market fundamentals and news analyses. And if you’re a day trader, Forex trader or a high frequency trader – then this item might be imperative to your trading journal. The market’s reaction to news events can cause major whipsaws, fakeouts and shakeouts. You might find it interesting and educational track how the market behaves before and after a news release. E.g. NFP (Non Farm Payrolls). Unemployment numbers Interest and Inflation rates announcements Quantitative Easing Earnings Reports and so on… For instance, if you notice that the market reacts positively to news about a particular sector or asset, you can make an informed decision to invest in that asset or sector. Similarly, if you notice a trend of negative market reactions to news events, you can use that information to minimize your losses. EXTRA Journal Item #3: TRADING LESSON Trading Lessons and Strategies Finally, as a trader, you must keep learning and growing. If you learnt something about trading, WRITE it down in a journal entry. Adding a section in your Trading Journal called LESSON OF THE DAY. Then record the trading lesson/s and strategies you learnt which can jog back your member and it can help you improve your skills, application and knowledge. The FOUR extra Trading Journal Entries A Trading Journal with these EXTRA items can help you excel as a trader. Thins like emotional state to identify patterns, writing down mistakes to avoid repeating them, tracking market reactions to news events to inform decisions, and recording trading lessons and strategies to continuously learn and improve. So here’s a sum up of the FOUR EXTRAS that you can apply to your journal. MY EMOTIONS Document emotions every time you take a trade or bank a loss/gain MISTAKES LEARNED Write down mistakes made and where you went wrong in your Trading Journal NEWS REACTION Track the market’s behaviour before and after news releases TRADING LESSON Record lessons and strategies learnt that will help with your trading Let me know if this helps and which out of the FOUR you’ll add to your trading journal?
TVC:SA40Education
by Timonrosso