My friend trades nimbly, seeking +5pt NQ gains using -2.5pt initial stops... sometimes exits for +2.5pts or even +1pt on the lot. He turns 10 - 20 contracts at a time with nil slippage.
The NQ has roughly twice volume - open interest as ER, and it also has the most straight-line movement with least back & fill of all minis. ES is the worst for back & fill on a short-term basis.
At 50 NQ contracts, the entire lot fill would span about 1/2 point to 3/4s of a point during low volume periods... such as now. That would take many of the +5pt gains to +4pts, many of the scratched stops or stop & reverse to small losses.
Could probably average +10pts NQ on fifty contracts. Add contracts, reduce average points.
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I prefer the ER out of familiarity over time, and I am not a frenetic scalper. I do know that 20 ER contracts right now seldom fills smaller than 2-tick span. That is no big deal to me, but makes a difference to "scalpers".
The ES has plenty of liquidity, but takes a yeoman effort to average +1pt daily due to dead range, sideways chop, extreme backing & filling between swings. That's probably why Woodie switched to ER, as have many other retail traders.
The NQ has roughly twice volume - open interest as ER, and it also has the most straight-line movement with least back & fill of all minis. ES is the worst for back & fill on a short-term basis.
At 50 NQ contracts, the entire lot fill would span about 1/2 point to 3/4s of a point during low volume periods... such as now. That would take many of the +5pt gains to +4pts, many of the scratched stops or stop & reverse to small losses.
Could probably average +10pts NQ on fifty contracts. Add contracts, reduce average points.
*
I prefer the ER out of familiarity over time, and I am not a frenetic scalper. I do know that 20 ER contracts right now seldom fills smaller than 2-tick span. That is no big deal to me, but makes a difference to "scalpers".
The ES has plenty of liquidity, but takes a yeoman effort to average +1pt daily due to dead range, sideways chop, extreme backing & filling between swings. That's probably why Woodie switched to ER, as have many other retail traders.

