Your Trading Objective: Why is that so Important?

You've decided to try your luck at trading stocks or commodities, but so called experts tell you that you need to determine your trading objective. What exactly does that mean and why is it so important? Well, it's really a question of your trading philosophy. A trading objective basically identifies the horizon on which you've chosen to trade. For instance, a day trader will have totally different set of objectives and goals than will a long term investor. They look at the market through different sets of glasses and it can be very dangerous to your trading account to try to mix and match trading styles.

Let's first look at the most common trading objective ? long term investing. Long term traders are usually more concerned with company fundamentals such as earnings, annual growth, and sales to name a few. They may use some technical indicators such as price charts and graphs to help time their entry points, but fundamentals are generally more important to them. Long term traders are looking for that home run trade that will pay very large profits. Therefore, they can be right as little as 20-25% of the time and stay earn a nice profit. They have been known to hold a given stock for several years.

The other end of the trading objective is the day trader. Day traders go into the market each day looking for quick small moves of less than a point ? known as "scalps". They use technical charts exclusively and typically buy large positions which they often sell within minutes. Their profits on a given trade is much smaller than those a long term investor would generally make, so therefore day traders must have a very high winning percentage of trades ? usually 60% or more to be successful.

These trading objectives are two extremes and are discussed here to illustrate a very important point. If a day trader takes a position based on short term indicators from a chart or other technical indicator, it would be a huge mistake to change that trade into a long term investment because the trade setup wasn't based on a long term trade. Inexperienced traders will often do this when a short term or swing trade goes bad. Instead of cutting their losses by simply selling the position, they change it into a long term trade hoping that the position will become profitable. DO NOT change your trading objective ? stick to you trading plan. This rule will protect your account.

Chuck Cox is a Technical Writer and Industrial Scientist by professional with a background in statistics. He has used mathematical and statistical methods to invest and trade in the stock, futures, and options markets. Chuck has owned various businesses and presently operates several websites. To investigate and learn more about trading stocks, visit his website, http://www.earncashathometoday.com/trading-stocks.htm

shuttle to Midway Beardstown .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
In The News:

Google’s scam detection features, powered by artificial intelligence, are a significant step forward in safeguarding Android users from fraud.
The FBI has issued a warning that scammers are impersonating doctors, police and banks using spoofed numbers as "smishing" texts surge nationwide.
Communities with unreliable internet service stand to gain after Amazon's Project Kuiper launched its first full batch of satellites into orbit April 28.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says unsubscribing from spam might actually backfire. Learn when to avoid it and stop junk effectively.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how the first nonstop beating heart transplant, called zero ischemic time, at Taiwan hospital changes surgery.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson: FBI warns of "time-traveling" hackers.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about a soft, vine-like robot called SPROUT that aids safe survivor rescues in collapsed buildings.
Health insurance giant Blue Shield of California confirmed it had been sharing private health data of 4.7 million users with Google for three years without even realizing it.
Delta and JetZero’s blended wing body aircraft marks a meaningful step toward a cleaner, quieter and more efficient future for air travel.
Recent reports show many common passwords can be cracked in literally seconds. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how to strengthen your passwords.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Iron, a robot that stands 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 154 pounds, combines advanced artificial intelligence with human-like movement and exceptional vision.
Hertz, the rental car giant, recently confirmed that customer information was exposed through a cyberattack on one of its software vendors.
There are a number of features with AirPods you may or may not know about to take your listening experience to the next level. Kurt the CyberGuy explains.
These 35 Chrome extensions have privacy and security concerns. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says to delete them now.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says 329,000 mph fusion rocket promises to be fast, disruptive and enable deep-space missions.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a new autonomous AI is a game changer that also raises privacy risks. Is your data safe?
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says robots and drones are revolutionizing fruit farming with faster picking and smarter handling.
Landmark Admin revises May 2024 cyberattack scope to show twice as many people were affected. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives tips to help stay safe from an insurance data breach.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how Yamaha’s hydrogen outboard motor could revolutionize boating with zero emissions.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how to memorialize or remove a deceased loved one’s Facebook account and protect their digital legacy from misuse or scams.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says an Apple Watch saved psychiatrist Amanda Faulkner by detecting deadly leukemia early.
Scammers and fraudsters are increasingly targeting the most vulnerable, especially nursing homes and the personal data of their residents. Kurt the CyberGuy has safety tips.
Infected USB flash drives can spread malware among multiple organizations in ways that can easily bypass traditional security systems.

Protect Your 401K

Checked your 401K lately? Going back to about a year... Read More

A Penny for Your Stocks

According to Investopedia Inc. the penny stock market has seen... Read More

Its Snowing

The Winter Games for the Olympics are coming up soon... Read More

The Stock Market is a Roller Coaster: Prepare for the Ups and Downs

IT'S REMINISCENT OF THE OLD children's tale about an old... Read More

Learn to Calculate a Stock?s Pivot Point

Stocks breakout from properly formed bases everyday but many investors... Read More

How (NOT) to Buy Mutual Funds

When it comes to mutual funds, there is a lot... Read More

Two for the Money

Look back over the years and try to remember how... Read More

Market Experience of a Na?ve Stock Operator

Sometime in the third quarter of 1997, someone told me... Read More

Mutual Funds: The Modern Den of Thieves!

Mutual funds were created with the idea that one person... Read More

Gold Fever

Right now there doesn't seem to be any "gold fever".... Read More

Stock Market Investing Odds

The greatest stock market myth is the idea that investing... Read More

The Stock Market - How Just One Question Will Tell You All You Need To Know About Your Stock Broker

Last time we looked at the real performance of the... Read More

Choosing A Fund

For years I have been saying you must have a... Read More

What is the Most Important Indicator of All?

Most stock market traders have a favorite technical indicator.The one... Read More

A Personal Stock Market Investment Philosophy

∙ Make every investment in the stock market a long-term... Read More

Duct Tape

Did you run out to buy that duct tape yet?... Read More

War Market

There is no question that the stock market is being... Read More

The Surgeon General

The Surgeon General of the United States says that smoking... Read More

Stock Investment Advice

Stock investment advice is easy to find. Do you get... Read More

Trading For A Living - Part 1

There can't be many traders who haven't at least considered... Read More

Living Trust Investing: Income Considerations when the Grantor Dies

A common problem I often see when working with living... Read More

Financial Crime

Congress recently passed another new law that is supposed to... Read More

How To Make, And Keep, Money Trading Stocks

If you are serious about making and keeping money by... Read More

How Much Money Can I Make With Trading? What Account Size Do I Need To Start?

What account size do I need?How much money can I... Read More

Political Investing

We have two candidates for president that have really different... Read More

Green Bay Hummer H2 SUV rentals ..