Quote from TradingBillions:
btw how am i "overtrading"??
It means you're trading larger than what would be considered to be a "reasonable" amount of performance bond or margin per e-mini contract.
I won't keep you in suspense:
Hypothetically, here's the basic performance bond you need based on your trading style/temperament.
Aggressive = $2,000 per e-mini
Moderate = $3,000 per e-mini
Conservative = $4,000 per e-mini
(these are the day margins, for holding overnight, I would only go with twice the Conservative day margin)
***
You want to trade the number of contracts based on the worst cast scenario/what you have to lose type of mentality.
What this will do is, assuming you have a setup(s) that makes money, is allow you to gradually increase your account size as do the daily work of trading, day-in and day-out.
What you're currently doing is extremely speculative and based on serious lack of knowledge. Like the other poster said, you're gambling and risking blow-out by holding overnight - the weekend like this.
That Margin Call could easily wipe out this account
and your bank account if the market drops 50 - 100 pts over the weekend and keeps going
(these types of moves are not a rare event, btw).
Like I said, good luck and keep working and studying while you're playing around with your dough.
JJ