DrBourse
If you don't Ask, you don't Get.
- Joined
- 14 January 2010
- Posts
- 888
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- 2,088
I do not use a Conventionally Accepted Stop Loss or Trailing Stop Loss System…I feel that those systems belong to the Longer Term Investors…Once I have in my opinion, enough Signals/Signs from my Tools of Trade, I will act immediately…For example if a Bearish Candle Pattern and/or my Indicators suggest that a pullback or downtrend is imminent I will follow those signals and exit the Trade immediately…If I were to use a % Stop Loss System (of say 2%) and my Tools of Trade gave me enough signals to exit for say 0.5%, I would be crazy to hold and watch any small loss be increased just because that “% Stop Loss System” told me I had to wait till my losses reached that magical 2% - it would be easier to just give some money away…Admittedly I sometimes exit a trade early – but I prefer to be cautious – and if my Tools of Trade suggest continued uptrend then I can easily re-enter the Trade.
"You can assist whatever Stop Loss System you use by "Correct Stock Selection" & "Correct $$ Management" - for example - If you invest $50k in Penny Dreadful’s like LKO shares you will probably activate your Stop Loss System immediately, and if you are not quick enough you could lose the lot - On the other hand $50k invested in BHP shares would be a safer trade, less risk, probably less profit but better protection for your capital“.
IMO, Traders should not get too involved with Stop Loss points - I do not use a Conventionally Accepted Stop Loss or Trailing Stop Loss System….I feel that those systems belong to the Longer Term Investors….Once I have in my opinion, enough Signals/Signs from my Tools of Trade, I will act immediately….For example if a Bearish Candle Pattern and/or my Indicators suggest that a pullback or downtrend is imminent I will follow those signals and exit the Trade immediately....If I were to use a % Stop Loss System (of say 2%) and my Tools of Trade gave me enough signals to exit for say 0.5%, I would be crazy to hold and watch any small loss be increased just because that “% Stop Loss System” told me I had to wait till my losses reached that magical 2% - it would be easier to just give some money away....Admittedly I sometimes exit a trade early – but I prefer to be cautious – and if my Tools of Trade suggest continued uptrend then I can easily re-enter the Trade....- the idea is to trade when there is a trade to be made, and even then you should 'Play the Trade' (like playing a Fish), you should not trade the $$$'s - get the trades right and the $$$'s will automatically follow.
Most Traders use strict Stop Loss systems I primarily use my Indicators as my initial Stop Loss System, when they turn Negative, I jump - the other system is a "TSL" = Trailing Stop Loss of a $/c value - so had everybody been using some sort of Stop Loss they would have a small Trading Loss to use as a Tax Ded'n -
"You can assist whatever Stop Loss System you use by "Correct Stock Selection" & "Correct $$ Management" - for example - If you invest $50k in LKO shares you will probably activate your Stop Loss System immediately, and if you are not quick enough you could lose the lot - On the other hand $50k invested in BHP shares would be a safer trade, less risk, probably less profit but better protection for your capital".
Suggest that you try this site http://www.incrediblecharts.com/ , lots of FREE Educational Info...On the Incredible Charts Home page, top right hand side, do a search for ‘Stop Loss’...
Also see my Snapshots 112, 116 & 160...Then do a Google Search for Stop Loss - dozens of good explanations there...
A lot of Day Traders prefer to use alarms rather than Stop Loss Triggers..... Most of the Software Trading Platforms (Metastock, Incredible Charts, etc) have an alarm system that may be of use to you..... I have an average of 20-25 alarms that I review Daily.... You can usually set these alarms on a SP, an Open, a Close, a High, etc, some can be set for release of an announcement - lots of other parameters may be available depending on the program.... the obvious drawback with alarms is that you have to be online when the alarm is triggered for it to be of any value...
"You can assist whatever Stop Loss System you use by "Correct Stock Selection" & "Correct $$ Management" - for example - If you invest $50k in Penny Dreadful’s like LKO shares you will probably activate your Stop Loss System immediately, and if you are not quick enough you could lose the lot - On the other hand $50k invested in BHP shares would be a safer trade, less risk, probably less profit but better protection for your capital“.
IMO, Traders should not get too involved with Stop Loss points - I do not use a Conventionally Accepted Stop Loss or Trailing Stop Loss System….I feel that those systems belong to the Longer Term Investors….Once I have in my opinion, enough Signals/Signs from my Tools of Trade, I will act immediately….For example if a Bearish Candle Pattern and/or my Indicators suggest that a pullback or downtrend is imminent I will follow those signals and exit the Trade immediately....If I were to use a % Stop Loss System (of say 2%) and my Tools of Trade gave me enough signals to exit for say 0.5%, I would be crazy to hold and watch any small loss be increased just because that “% Stop Loss System” told me I had to wait till my losses reached that magical 2% - it would be easier to just give some money away....Admittedly I sometimes exit a trade early – but I prefer to be cautious – and if my Tools of Trade suggest continued uptrend then I can easily re-enter the Trade....- the idea is to trade when there is a trade to be made, and even then you should 'Play the Trade' (like playing a Fish), you should not trade the $$$'s - get the trades right and the $$$'s will automatically follow.
Most Traders use strict Stop Loss systems I primarily use my Indicators as my initial Stop Loss System, when they turn Negative, I jump - the other system is a "TSL" = Trailing Stop Loss of a $/c value - so had everybody been using some sort of Stop Loss they would have a small Trading Loss to use as a Tax Ded'n -
"You can assist whatever Stop Loss System you use by "Correct Stock Selection" & "Correct $$ Management" - for example - If you invest $50k in LKO shares you will probably activate your Stop Loss System immediately, and if you are not quick enough you could lose the lot - On the other hand $50k invested in BHP shares would be a safer trade, less risk, probably less profit but better protection for your capital".
Suggest that you try this site http://www.incrediblecharts.com/ , lots of FREE Educational Info...On the Incredible Charts Home page, top right hand side, do a search for ‘Stop Loss’...
Also see my Snapshots 112, 116 & 160...Then do a Google Search for Stop Loss - dozens of good explanations there...
A lot of Day Traders prefer to use alarms rather than Stop Loss Triggers..... Most of the Software Trading Platforms (Metastock, Incredible Charts, etc) have an alarm system that may be of use to you..... I have an average of 20-25 alarms that I review Daily.... You can usually set these alarms on a SP, an Open, a Close, a High, etc, some can be set for release of an announcement - lots of other parameters may be available depending on the program.... the obvious drawback with alarms is that you have to be online when the alarm is triggered for it to be of any value...