Ironically, I'm doing well in this slow summer environment. With NG, it moves like molasses in the summer. Like watching paint dry. But the upside to that is that I can get in easily and just hold and get out easily with nice profits without getting whipsawed or stress.
With NQ, I see my setup but by the time I try to hit the ask the prices have already moved so much. By that point I'm not sure if I want to get in, because when I get it it's reversal time. Unless you have a lot of capital and willing to sit through the wide fluctuations then fast moving markets like NQ is good.
I like it slow and I can get in and get out with ease and make good profits with little stress.
Today was a total stock focused day. I've been meaning to do that since my historical stats (before 2019, in 2019 I was more focused in futures) indicate I do better in stocks.
I did well on a few trending stocks. My big mistake was getting into an option with an illiquid name. ouch. last time with illiquid name.
Then I missed my best futures plays so far NG!! It rallied hard. But I wasn't watching it. That would have been my week!
I know a lot of you guys like to focus on one instrument. For me that didn't work. I feel like on nontrend day there's not much to play. Or I would get chopped into pieces.
I guess I should still have all of my favorite futures instruments on display and add in trending stocks in the mix.
That would balance things out and I can get the best of both worlds. For a good trendy stock I just hope on with size and just hold for hours or however long. For futures, I will wait for the optimal setup/play then jump in rather than constantly in and out like in the past. It was exciting and fun but net net wasn't much profit except for the occasional good run.
I've not actively daytrade stocks in a while. it feels so relaxed compared to futures. In futures I literally watch every single tick! In stocks, I see a trendy stock I jumped on and can sit for 40mins to 1 hour with no problem. I wished I can do the same with futures then I can get my outsized gain to offsets the little losses.
While today's P&L doesn't show it, I'm directionally in the right direction with my stocks trading. I cut losses fast and rode my winners. Except for the one errant options loss. I normally do well in options. I think I have to be supercareful with illiquid names. I'm glad I cut my losses fast else it would have been disastrous.
So, I have the mechanics down. Ride winners and cut losses. Keep doing it and over time it should work itself out. On any individual trades it can be random but over the long run it should be a solid edge.
Continue to refine my trading strategy and mechanics.