Pabst
Senior Member
Registered: Dec 2001
Posts: 351
06-04-02 11:53 PM
Although intraday volatility has contracted quite a bit, i.e. not many stocks quadrupling in a month like early 2000, INTER DAY (daytrading!) vols are about the same. In other words a 1 dollar range on a ten dollar stock is analogous to those 20 dollar ranges that JNPR used to have at $200. Given that one's buying power is directly correlated to the price of the underlying, this environment is no more or less difficult then two years ago. Yes trading ten times bigger costs more, and liquidity is a concern, but plenty of opportunity abounds.
daniel_m
Elite Member
Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 862
06-05-02 12:00 AM
quote:
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Originally posted by Pabst
Although intraday volatility has contracted quite a bit, i.e. not many stocks quadrupling in a month like early 2000, INTER DAY (daytrading!) vols are about the same.
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I think you've got it the wrong way around. "Inter" means "between. So interday, means "between days", or, in other words, from day to day.
"Intra" means "within". So intraday would be "within the day". Daytraders, of course, are more concerned with intraday ranges.
The "intraday" range, the high-low of the day, is a LOT smaller today than it was just one year ago, let alone in 00. Don't take my word for it, check it out on a chart yourself.
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Pabst
Senior Member
Registered: Dec 2001
Posts: 351
06-05-02 09:00 AM
Dan; Thanks for the correction on Intra vs. Inter. What I'm saying though is that the PERCENTAGE moves are the same now as always. Merely looking at a chart only gives you the true range. In fact the lower the market goes the GREATER the PERCENTAGE moves are likely to be. In the 1930's many of the biggest pct. moves occurred, both up and down. It's easier for a $2 stock to go to $3 than a $20 stock to move to $30.
daniel_m
Elite Member
Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 862
06-05-02 09:24 AM
quote:
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Originally posted by Pabst
Dan; Thanks for the correction on Intra vs. Inter. What I'm saying though is that the PERCENTAGE moves are the same now as always. Merely looking at a chart only gives you the true range. In fact the lower the market goes the GREATER the PERCENTAGE moves are likely to be. In the 1930's many of the biggest pct. moves occurred, both up and down. It's easier for a $2 stock to go to $3 than a $20 stock to move to $30.
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Ok, you're talking percentage moves. That's different. Percentage moves don't particularly interest me, I'm more concerned with how much a stock will move in dollar terms, so I prefer higher priced stocks. Eg, I'd rather trade stock ABC with a average range of $3 at $60 (roughly 5%) than a $10 stock with a $1 range (10% move). That's why I prefer trading something like KLAC rather than CSCO. For example, to make $200 (gross) I could either catch a 20c move on klac with 1000shares or a 5c move on CSCO with 4000. In the latter case, IB comissions would be $45RT, so its a better deal taking klac anyway. (Plus, I don't have any real proof, but imo, klac would move 25-40 cents as easily as csco moving 5.)
Also, if you look at a lot of the techs in early 01, that are still priced at similar prices today (there's not many!), you'll find that the percentage volatility was greater (albeit slightly) back then aswell.