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Scalping trading requires a solid understanding of market dynamics, which can be gained from experienced traders' insights.
The book "Trading in the Zone" by Mark Douglas emphasizes the importance of mental preparation for scalping success.
To develop this mindset, scalpers need to focus on the present moment and let go of emotions that can cloud their judgment.
A key strategy for scalping is to use technical indicators, such as the Relative Strength Index (RSI), to identify overbought and oversold conditions.
The book "Scalping and Day Trading the Financial Markets" by Andrew Aziz highlights the use of RSI to gauge market sentiment.
A scalper's goal is to make multiple small trades throughout the day, taking advantage of minor price fluctuations.
According to the book "The Hour Between Dog and Wolf" by John Coates, scalpers can benefit from understanding the psychological drivers of market behavior.
Scalping success also depends on having a well-defined trading plan, including entry and exit points, risk management, and position sizing.
The book "Trading in the Zone" emphasizes the importance of having a clear plan to stay focused and avoid impulsive decisions.
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What Is Scalping?
Scalping is a trading style that requires discipline and focus. Scalp trading involves placing a high number of trades in a single day, often up to a hundred or more.
Traders are attracted to scalp trading for its potential benefits, including less exposure to longer-term risk, higher frequency trading, and the ability to fight greed. Scalp trading allows traders to set small profit targets, which can help them stay focused.
The concept of scalp trading has been around for a while, even before the trend of high frequency trading. Scalp traders use small price movements to make quick profits.
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Scalping Strategies
Scalping strategies can be as simple as having a set profit target amount per trade, ranging between 0.1% - 0.25% of the security's price.
Some scalp traders track stocks breaking out to new intra-day highs or lows, utilizing Level II to capture as much profit as possible, but this requires immense concentration and flawless order execution.
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To limit market risk, scalping involves making short-term trades that typically don't last long, thereby limiting potential liability for the account overall.
Scalpers can capitalize on slow or ranging markets, earning profit from very short movements that happen almost every day.
By focusing on profit to risk ratios and limiting the number of trades, traders can achieve greater profitability over the long run, according to a study from FXCM that showed trading less can lead to more profits.
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Trade Signals
Trade signals are a crucial part of scalping strategies, and they can be generated using various technical indicators. The stochastic indicator is a popular choice, as it can produce bearish and bullish signals that can be used to enter trades.
A short trade is triggered when the stochastic generates a bearish signal, and the price breaks the 20-period moving average on the Bollinger band. This signal is considered good.
A bullish signal is generated when the stochastic is bullish, and the price touches the upper Bollinger band. This can be a strong indication to flip long.
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After a bullish move, a short signal can be generated when the price meets the upper level of the Bollinger bands, and the stochastics cross for the fifth time. This signal can be confirmed by the moving average of the Bollinger bands.
Fake outs can occur, but they can be navigated by taking small losses and re-entering the trade with a second signal. A double bottom reversal long signal can also be used to enter a trade.
A long trade is entered when the stochastic generates a bullish signal, and the moving average is broken to the upside. The price touching the upper Bollinger band level can be a signal to close the trade.
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Pros
Scalping is a short-term trading strategy that limits market risk by limiting the potential liability for the account overall.
One of the main benefits of scalping is its ability to gain profit from slow or ranging markets, where long-term traders often earn nothing.
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Each scalping trade typically doesn't last long, which is a key feature of scalping. Scalpers capitalize on very short movements that happen almost every day.
Scalping can allow for balance growth at an incredible rate, with some traders turning hundreds of dollars into hundreds of thousands on forex, stocks, and other asset types.
A study by FXCM found that profitability often comes down to trading less, which is in line with the scalping approach of limiting the number of trades.
By focusing on trade opportunities with a greater than 1 to 1 reward to risk ratio, traders can make more money over the long run.
Scalping's ability to generate profits quickly can be a major advantage in a slow market.
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E-Mini Dow and Mini DAX Strategies
E-Mini Dow and Mini DAX Strategies are a type of scalping technique that can be employed in various markets. This strategy involves using E-mini Dow and Mini DAX scalping techniques, as introduced by Teva Lama in his book, to adapt to different market phases.
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Teva Lama's book provides comprehensive guidance on scalping, including the use of tools and automatism to trade with discipline. Lama's approach conveys his ideas through concrete examples, some of which extend over a week of trading.
To become a professional scalper, it's essential to learn from experienced traders like Teva Lama. His book, E-mini Dow and Mini DAX Scalping Techniques, is an excellent resource for those looking to master scalping strategies.
Trading and Risk Management
As a scalper, it's essential to manage your risk exposure to avoid significant losses. A good rule of thumb is to risk no more than 0.1% of your buying power on a trade. This means your stop loss order should be close to your entry price, as seen in the ORCL example where the stop loss was set at 0.1% above the entry price.
A tight stop loss order can help minimize losses, but it's not a guarantee. In the ORCL example, the second trade resulted in a loss of $6.01, highlighting the importance of proper risk management.
To limit risk exposure, scalpers often set tight stop-loss orders to exit a trade quickly if it goes against them. This approach can help minimize losses and protect your trading portfolio.
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What Is the Stock Market?
The stock market is a place where people buy and sell stocks, which are small parts of companies. It's a way for companies to raise money and for individuals to invest in them.
Scalping is a short-term trading strategy that involves making many small trades throughout the day to profit from small price movements. This can be done by high-frequency traders who enter and exit trades in a matter of minutes or even seconds.
The goal of scalping is to accumulate a series of small gains that can add up to a significant profit over time. This strategy relies on fleeting market inefficiencies, liquidity imbalances, and volatility.
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Relative Strength/Weakness Exit Strategy
A well-executed exit strategy is crucial for any scalper, and one effective approach is using a combination of technical indicators. The 5-3-3 Stochastics and a 13-bar, 3-standard deviation (SD) Bollinger Band work well together in actively traded markets.
These indicators are particularly useful for identifying profitable trades and timing exits. The best ribbon trades set up when Stochastics turns higher from the oversold level or lower from the overbought level.
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If the indicator crosses and rolls against your position after a profitable thrust, it's time to take an immediate exit. This is a clear signal that the trend is slowing or reversing, and scalping strategies can't afford to stick around through retracements.
Band interaction with price is also a valuable tool for timing exits. Take profit into band penetrations, as they predict that the trend will slow or reverse. If a price thrust fails to reach the band but Stochastics rolls over, it's time to get out.
Adjusting the standard deviation of the Bollinger Band can help account for daily changes in volatility. You can try increasing the standard deviation to 4SD or decreasing it to 2SD to see what works best for your trading style.
Risk Management
Risk Management is a crucial aspect of scalp trading. To limit your risk exposure, scalpers often set tight stop-loss orders to exit a trade quickly if it goes against them. This can help minimize losses and protect your capital.
A good rule of thumb is to risk no more than 0.1% of your buying power on a trade. This means setting a stop-loss order close to your entry price. For example, if you buy a stock at $39.06, your stop-loss order should be at $39.09, 0.1% above your entry price.
It's also essential to manage your risk per trade to your trading portfolio. Since you're a scalp trader, you aim for lower returns per trade, while shooting for a higher win/loss ratio. This means your risk per trade should be small, and you should avoid risking more than 0.1% of your buying power on a trade.
Here's a comparison of the risk management strategies:
As you can see, the 2% risk management rule is not suitable for scalpers, as it may not align with their goal of making multiple trades per day. By risking no more than 0.1% of your buying power on a trade, you can minimize your losses and protect your capital.
Remember, risk management is a critical aspect of scalp trading. By setting tight stop-loss orders and managing your risk per trade, you can increase your chances of success and minimize your losses.
Profitability and Commissions
Scalp trading can be a profitable strategy, but it's not without its challenges. Commissions can be a major obstacle, as they can eat into your profits and make it difficult to grow your account.
If you're trading with a flat rate of even $5 per trade, as mentioned in example 3, you can quickly see how commissions can add up and make scalp trading less effective. This is why it's essential to have a considerable bankroll to account for the cost of doing business.
A study from FXCM, referenced in example 4, found that profitability often came down to trading less and using proper risk-reward expectations. This suggests that focusing on quality over quantity may be a more effective approach to scalp trading.
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Profits
Profits can be generated quickly with scalp trading. In one example, a $10,000 bankroll with day trading leverage of 1:4 led to a $246.00 profit from five trades, each taking between 20 and 25 minutes.
The average scalp trade on a 5-minute chart is likely to generate a profit between 0.2% to 0.3%. This is a relatively small gain, but it can add up over time.
A $10,000 bankroll leveraged to $40,000 buying power can also produce small profits. For instance, a 15% investment per trade resulted in a $16.80 profit from the first trade.
The total time spent in each trade was 18 minutes, and the profit from three trades was $21. This shows that even with a relatively small bankroll, it's possible to generate some profit with scalp trading.
To achieve profitability, it's essential to focus on the right risk-reward expectations. A reward to risk ratio greater than 1 to 1 can make a significant difference in the long run.
Commissions
Commissions can completely expose your trading strategy, especially if you scalp trade and make more than 100 trades per session. Scalp traders often get caught in a vicious cycle of commissions eating into their profits.
A flat rate of just 5 dollars per trade can make scalp trading pretty much worthless. This is why having a considerable bankroll is essential to account for the cost of doing business.
You'll find it extremely difficult to grow a small account scalp trading after factoring in commissions and taxes. The only thing you'll end up doing is lining your broker's pocket after thousands of trades.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 1 minute scalping rule?
1-minute scalping involves making multiple trades within a minute timeframe, using 1-minute charts to capitalize on small price movements
Can a beginner do scalping trading?
Yes, scalping can be a profitable trading strategy for beginners, but it requires a solid understanding of exit strategies and technical indicators like Moving Averages and RSI. With the right approach, beginners can successfully implement scalping and achieve their trading goals.
What is the best trade for scalping?
For scalping, the best trades are typically in highly volatile markets with narrow trading ranges, such as indices like the e-Mini SP, e-Mini Nasdaq, and e-Mini Dow. These markets offer opportunities for quick, profitable trades with minimal risk.
Sources
- https://bookmap.com/blog/what-is-scalping-trading
- https://www.tradingsim.com/blog/scalp-trading-active-investing-strategy
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/active-trading/012815/top-technical-indicators-scalping-trading-strategy.asp
- https://patternswizard.com/best-scalping-books/
- https://tradingkit.net/scalping/
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