Stop Using Stop Losses

Quote from oldtime:

After being away from the market for a while and not really sure where I wanted to re enter, I signed up for every free service available and still get all their emails everyday.

I just got one from Barcharts (and keep in mind I never actually read them, as a matter of fact, it is an annoyance to have to delete them each day) but this one caught my eye.

Apparently some trader has noticed that every time he gets stopped out, he could have done better if he had just hung on.

I haven't read the email (it's already been deleted) but the only thing I can surmise from it is, the big move is coming.

Always use a stop. Always. Just make them wider. You can always stop yourself out before it gets hit, but it should be there in case your quotes freeze, your computer crashes, power goes out or you get distracted by a million other things.
 
Quote from Maverick74:

You are on food stamps though right? You said that in another thread.

The guy doesn't use stops and praises the martingale approach. Food stamps seems about right.

It's funny how some people are so against stops. A lot of times these are the same people who refuse to take a loss. Kind of like that clown who traded Russell Futures on his pay for signal site. He refused to take a loss and did the martingale thing. His up days were 1-2k a day. Then he got caught one day and lost 325k.

That's the thing with the martingale approach, it works until it the one time it doesn't. Then you blow your account out never to recover.

Like Tudor said..."Losers average Losers".
 
Quote from oldtime:

I filed as unemployed in 2011, trying to file as a trader wasn't worth it to write off the $500 laptop I bought, yes I have no W2, just dividends, INT and cap gains, and now forex which is still up in the air as to what it actually is. I took the 60/40 split, and as it so happens overpaid my estimated taxes (due to some bad decisions and a legal wash sale in the stock market) and got my refund, no questions asked (so far.)

you...sir....are what they call a pathetic loser


...mooching off the rest of us who pay "real" taxes
 
Trading without stop losses and adding to losing trades is a clear testament that the trader has absolutely no idea on how to determine key areas in the charts and/or how to enter.
 
Quote from oldtime:

After being away from the market for a while and not really sure where I wanted to re enter, I signed up for every free service available and still get all their emails everyday.

I just got one from Barcharts (and keep in mind I never actually read them, as a matter of fact, it is an annoyance to have to delete them each day) but this one caught my eye.

Apparently some trader has noticed that every time he gets stopped out, he could have done better if he had just hung on.

I haven't read the email (it's already been deleted) but the only thing I can surmise from it is, the big move is coming.



In a volatile back and forth mkt – yeah, as much as I loath saying it, no stops will work

However once the back and forth subsides – and it will – you will get your ass handed to you


Volatility makes up for piss poor trading skill… and unfortunately makes many think they can trade


Showing disregard for the inherit risk of trading is stupid OT…

just plain stupid Sir


RN
 
Quote from RedTankEra:

Trading without stop losses and adding to losing trades is a clear testament that the trader has absolutely no idea on how to determine key areas in the charts and/or how to enter.

Subtle guru post.

Link to your journal thread where you make profitable calls in real time?
 
Quote from Redneck:

In a volatile back and forth mkt – yeah, as much as I loath saying it, no stops will work

However once the back and forth subsides – and it will – you will get your ass handed to you


Volatility makes up for piss poor trading skill… and unfortunately makes many think they can trade


Showing disregard for the inherit risk of trading is stupid OT…

just plain stupid Sir


RN
yeah, that was the point, the days of getting away with it must be coming to an end, because even Barcharts are talking about doing it

the trend system is much easier

you just put it on with an 80 pip stop

when the euro bottomed out I correctly surmised that all currencies would chop and since then Martingale has been my best friend

all I was saying is, it has been so bad that they are even writing articles about breaking the rules, and for me, that is a warning for those of us that do it regularly, that those days may soon be coming to an end and time to go back to the book.

Ghheeeese, you guys sure are uptight and dogmatic

find me a rule, any rule, and I will find you a good way and time to break it and make money

otherwise read your books and do it by the book like 95% of the traders do and wonder why your results are just like the other 95% of the traders who read the book and follow the rules and all think somehow they are the 5%.
 
I come down on Opie's side. As a system trader, I exit on signal failure, not on a fixed point stop. Unless I lose my nerve first. ET's god of trading, you-know-who, he-who-cannot-be-criticised lest mods go ball-istic, famously advocated "No stops!"
 
Quote from HurricaneUS:

you...sir....are what they call a pathetic loser


...mooching off the rest of us who pay "real" taxes
I still paid taxes, I just overpaid my quarterly estimated taxes, use your refund and take an elementary reading comprehension course, or at least buy the book "Mathmatics for the Commoin Man"

btw, there's a forex trader who already has the handle hurricane, why don't you get a new handle so people don't confuse your misguided stupidity with his good name
 
Quote from Maverick74:

You are on food stamps though right? You said that in another thread.
I would be (or at least I could qualify) if I didnt have a trading account and wasn't profitable

the other thread was to illustrate the plight of the poor

who I still care about because I may soon be one if this Martingale thing doesn't work out
 
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