Exactly, I thought I made it clear enough, but I guess not. I just started using stop losses as a means to manage risk. Before I would enter a trade with no plan, hoping I would exit when situations were favorable for me. I realized taking a loss in trading is harder when you're actually watching it. I'm disciplined, but only when I use a stop loss taking losses or profit is a lot harder than I thought. Stop losses seem to eliminate the indecision for me. I've literally waited waited for a stock to lose 20 percent plus before I exited the trade ....painful lesson learned.
Is this a good risk management strategy?
- Thread starter Sure Chap
- Start date
Ok, that seems reasonable.
Well, trailing stops make sense when you get already a big winner, you are near your target, but not sure if it could reverse or continue to make new highs.
For example, you can sell half and keep the other half with a trailing stop. It could give you an extra bonus.
But placing trailing stops at the start ? Nope, because you will not manage carefully your entry point. You must be confident about your timing, not about your protections.
You need to be 100% focused before you enter and minutes/hours following your entry point.
Good trades work well and fast. You can still get out fast if you were wrong.
CM
Why do you imagine that entering a position with a trailing stop, rather than with any other kind of stop, implies that you wouldn't be managing your entry-point carefully?
"It must be true: I read it at EliteTrader".
Trailing stop or any kind of physical stops : at the start, you feed traders that chase stops.Why do you imagine that entering a position with a trailing stop, rather than with any other kind of stop, implies that you wouldn't be managing your entry-point carefully?
Better wait best entry, no stops, and get out if your mental stop is reached.
When your trade is a winning one, nobody chases your stops. Money is already in your pocket.
Yes, this is my truth. Tell me yours?"It must be true: I read it at EliteTrader".
CM
Long-term successful trading is about risk management, not about highest win-rates.
Seriously? Is this it?
You think risk-management is the most important.
Nope. If that was true, all risk-managers would be rich. All quants would be rich.
LT successful trading is about skills.
You develop them with experience, testing good and bad methods, set ups ...
And finally find one that fits your own personality and history.
I agree with you, this is not about highest win-rates. I never said that. Some people got a 30% win rate and still win.
But if you consider your entry point is not key, you are not a trader : you are at best an investor, at worst a loser.
CM
I didn't say that.
Nor did I say anything like that.
Nor did I even imply anything like that.
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Amen;
but its a good start.Hint= Bull markets are NOT like Bear markets @ ALL
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Good bull market plan,[ETF or basket of stocks] never take a profit;
try that in a bear market,single stocks, you're a dead duck.You need a selling plan;average age of people is 77/+ years old; get a selling plan.
Wisdom is profitable to direct-merry Christmas-happy hanukkah.