SCALPERS: Criteria for cutting losses / profit-taking

Everyone is arguing about different interpretations of "scalping."
I think it is very safe to assume that everyone is right and let them call their style what they seem fit.
I had thought of what daniel_m and trader963 do as liquidity trading. They call it scalping.
I think I "scalp" for hopefully .25 to 1 pt on a high volume 80.00 stock. Since most of my trades are under a couple minutes....I always thought of it as "scalping"
If daniel_m wants to call it momentum trading since moves can go 1 pt in a minute.....so be it
What ever your definition....does it really matter?
 
scalping, it its original definition, meant making the spread. simple as that. there can be no denying that.

those opportunities have kind of deteriorated now. i'm pretty sure most people would agree with that. anyone that's ever watched a nasdaq stock trade will know that quick fluctuations of, depending on the price of the stock and its "character", 5-10 cents (in 2002) that take place in 10 seconds or so. i know a couple of traders that do this kind of shit all day, like 200 times. i find it unbelievable and very exhausting. i tend to class that stuff under "scalping" too (even though it's obviously got an element of momentum in it too). because the huge number of trades is similar to the bid-ask scalper of yesteryear (and of today to those who still find opportunities for it). to me it's really the frequency of the trading and the very, very short holidng period that makes something scalping.

i know everyone puts a different spin on what scalping is, but so far i had never heard of someone claiming something to be a scalp just because it was under a point. i think that's stupid. it IS stupid.

and sdtrader, no, its not earth shatteringly important, but it's nice to get some general agreement on terminology don't u think? pretty weird world if everyone could just attribute any meaning to any word however they wanted wouldn't it.. :)
 
Originally posted by goldenarm


You probably don't trade any stocks over $20. There are many, many stocks on NYSE and Nasdaq that move more than 1 point a day. Capturing a 1 pt. move out of a 4 pt. daily move (for a volatile $50+ stock) is a scalp. Quit talking out of your ass.
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oh really... you don't say..
of course there are stocks that move more than a point a day. most don't move more than two or three points though, normally. so if you manage to capture half the freakin daily range of a stock you're gonna call it a "scalp"?? as if

oh, and i mostly trade futures now, but i'm pretty sure QLGC, MSFT, AMGN, KLAC are all over $20..
 
Originally posted by OVERtheLINE
means taking little risk. the only risk at the end of the day is the commission bill.
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right, normal traders have R:R, scalpers have R:C. 1:2 sucks.
 
So in another words, pure scalpers only exist in the floor.

Well, I guess we won't be seeing them for long anyways.... bye bye scalpers, welcome momentum traders.
 
Originally posted by bidmasterx
I see what you are saying, we are not arguing about the same point then. What you call scalper refers to both momentum and bid/ask. What I call scalpers is the guy that tries to buy at the bid and sell at the offering, the bid/ask scalper. The bid/ask scalper doesn't need the stock to move at all...he just needs people to hit the bids and lift the offers thus letting him pocket the spread. That's why a 1pt scalp seemed unlikely at first when I read your post. Do you agree with this?
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Yes, I agree. But remember, there ARE some illiquid stocks that have very large spreads.
 
Originally posted by daniel_m


oh really... you don't say..
of course there are stocks that move more than a point a day. most don't move more than two or three points though, normally. so if you manage to capture half the freakin daily range of a stock you're gonna call it a "scalp"?? as if

oh, and i mostly trade futures now, but i'm pretty sure QLGC, MSFT, AMGN, KLAC are all over $20..
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So you're telling me you couldn't find a one point scalp in QLGC over the past ten days when it moved up over 10 points?
 
Caught a good scalp this morning in QLGC. Bought 1000 shares at 41.55 and sold at 42.5. Later, I made three 25 cent plays for 500 shares apiece (but I should have held my initial lot until 44).
 
Originally posted by goldenarm


So you're telling me you couldn't find a one point scalp in QLGC over the past ten days when it moved up over 10 points?
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well, i'm not a scalper...

although, with the apparent abundance of 1 point scalps lately, maybe i should be :D
 
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