Quote from Bernard111:
Isn't the $31.25 /tick for Tbond and $3.60 per r/t ( a typical commission) a good combination for the retail trader?
I think it is stupendous. Remember though, when I started trading bonds in 1994, I paid 45 USD a round turn via Jack Carl futures. A year or two later I found Mann Financial and paid 20 or so USD. I tried different brokers, each lower than the first, and then finally a few years back, I can't remember the exact day, I found IB via EliteTrader. The rest is history. Seriously, if anyone is wondering about making a go of trading, you need a broker like IB or an equivalent.
I don't consider myself a scalper of the T-Bond, but my minimum desired profit target is 2 ticks. Statistically I'm good for 4 - 6 ticks, with 10 - 12 ticks being and outlier profit.
As far as answering the OP's question, to keep my answer simple, I use primarily S/R, time cycles and value. I've come to some conclusions recently about day trading. I think making day trading as routine, methodical, and dare I say boring as possible, is the only way to long-term success. I think also regarding value, it isn't only value of price, i.e. are we at the bottom or top of a range. It is also about the value of time and frequency of trades. Maximize your use of time and minimize your frequency of trades.