Quote from Blotto:
You are remarkably persistent with your ET writings. Your sincere intent to tell the truth and help others is noted and appreciated. Thank you.
Blotto, your comment is appreciated.
Starting Out
My contributions to the ET forum are based on a corporate and professional background in this business. But my answers are confined to the ground rules for 2 general forms of question. The first group of questions are the newcomers first concern about trading in markets. Is success possible, has success been achieved by anyone else, can I become successful? The answer is YES. The second group of questions the newcomer has are about modus operandi. Is there something I should be concentrating my attention on, is there a central focus I should have and can I learn how to make money. The answer is YES
What do I myself do?
I continue to get PMs asking for closer guidance and details. I donât do that. I am not a guru, teacher, mentor, educator or instructor. I am an occasional writer at ET. I do not provide templates of my own trading systems to anyone. And it would be folly to do so. However I will set out the 2 contexts which facilitate my trading approach.
On Chart Indicators.
I do not use any of the plethora of indicators that are available. But I do have lines on my charts which provide my trading signals. These lines are not channels or auto trend lines. But they are permanent lines which draw themselves automatically according to my own settings and provide my buy and sell triggers. Therefore the newcomer needs to try one of the available on-chart indicators and make your own choice. You begin to understand the benefit and uses of an indicator when you have studied it across a number days and then sim tested it. What is also important is the type of chart you use: time, volume or range bar charts or any combination of them. Study of them and making comparisons are needed for you to start establishing your trading self education.
Market Metrics
An amateur should pay attention to what points a market provides. The money is in the daily gyrations, the swings in price occurring from the open to the close each trading day. A volatile and liquid market will offer more points. For example, measure the swings in CL using a minimum span of 40 points to identify each swing (as on a 1 minute chart). Add together the maximum points from each swing to find out the maximum points offered by the market for the whole daily session.
I have comprehensive tables of price data for markets. This is something I would not expect a newcomer to have. Also there is the large amount of time required to compile and maintain such data tables. So I am not expecting an amateur to be doing this. However I have the benefit of this set of tools. Specific parameters divide the data into subsets. Each trading day ahead will be in a subset and by continually inputting in this statistical model, clock time and number (the difference from the opening price) I am shown in advance where price is going. This adds certainty and command of the market. However I donât often comment on this part of my armory because its a professional activity.
Summary
Bottom line, the amateur can make himself or herself rich. An on-chart indicator, I suggest, will be needed as part of that process.
