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Saturday, 10 January 2009

Day Traders: Habits for Successful Trading

By Tim Hunt

There is excellent money to be made in day trading, but, unlike what some may think, it is not a simple job. To be successful, you'll need to put in some work.

Trading commodities and stocks is a day job, and a challenging one at that. Though it can be lucrative, certain habits must be learned for success, and the trader with particular traits is more likely to be successful.

The first habit that must be cultivated a good sense of time. Day trading is not the sort of job for someone who is always late, or can't get out of bed before 11 AM. The best time for determining how you'll strategize to play the market on a given day is right before the opening bell. The opening bell rings at 5 AM in Hawaii and Alaska, at 6 AM in California, and at 9 AM in New York. Getting up early isn't the only requirement; you'll need to be alert and ready with a good internal clock.

A second critical habit is a good set of numerical analysis skills. Making and losing money based on gut hunches is a given, but you'll also need to make educated choices based on what you've read, summarized, and synthesized so that you can make good judgments quickly with this background knowledge. All of this needs to be done fast, and you'll need to quickly judge trends in financial markets and apply these snap analyses to your trading decisions.

Although you'll need some good quantitative skills, you don't have to be a mathematician to be a successful day trader. You can cultivate your quantitative skills with just a bit of practice.

A third important habit for day traders is observational skills combined with good short-term memory. You'll also need patience. Keep your cool even when you miss catching a stock at its highest point, or when you lose money because an anticipated low never arrived. Likewise, you must stay calm when you make a big winning trade as well.

The fourth habit you'll need to cultivate is research skills. Day trading, thankfully, does not require the same kind of in-depth numerical analysis as long-term investments, but you'll need a handle on the flow of information so that you can use this knowledge base when making quick judgments. Doing your research ahead of time is the only way to make good judgments quickly. But, don't get bogged down so much by research that you lose the ability to think and act fast.

Bear in mind that you don't have to do all of this research on your own. Top day traders have many tools and services available to assist in the research process.

If you think you are ready for a career change and that day trading may appeal to you, you'll need to start by creating a support team. At a minimum, you'll need a broker, and a few investors willing to help you level the market. Realize ahead of time that it's hard work, and will require savvy, dedication, and focus.

If, after reading the skills listed above, you think you have what it takes to be a successful day trader, day trading may offer you a challenging and fun way to make a great living. It's a job that can be a ton of fun, and can provide tremendous riches ? in more ways than one. - 16931

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