Economy
The Art and Science of Day Trading: An In-Depth Guide
Day trading is an exciting, fast-paced way of participating in financial markets. Unlike long-term investing, which focuses on gradual growth over years or decades, day trading involves buying and selling securities within the same trading day, sometimes even within minutes. This approach can yield quick profits, but it also comes with significant risks. For anyone interested in day trading, understanding the principles, strategies, and potential pitfalls is essential.
What is Day Trading?
Day trading refers to the practice of buying and selling financial instruments—such as stocks, options, currencies, or futures—within the same trading day. The goal is to capitalize on small price movements in the market. According to Exness Insights guide, day traders often use leverage to increase their exposure to the market, which can amplify both gains and losses.
Essential Tools for Day Traders
Successful day trading requires more than just a good understanding of the markets. It also demands the right tools and resources:
- Trading Platform: A reliable and fast trading platform is crucial. Delays in executing trades can result in missed opportunities or unexpected losses.
- Real-Time Data: Access to up-to-the-minute market data is a must. This includes price quotes, market depth, and news updates.
- Charting Software: Visualizing price movements with charts can help traders identify trends, support, and resistance levels.
- Risk Management Tools: Stop-loss orders, trailing stops, and other risk management tools are vital to protect capital.
- Economic Calendar: Being aware of key economic events and announcements can help traders anticipate market volatility.
Strategies in Day Trading
There are numerous strategies that day traders use to capitalize on short-term price movements. Here are some of the most popular ones.
Scalping
This strategy involves making dozens or even hundreds of trades in a single day, seeking to profit from small price changes. Scalpers hold positions for a very short time—sometimes just seconds—and rely on high volumes to achieve significant gains.
Momentum Trading
Momentum traders look for strong price movements in the market and attempt to ride the momentum to a profitable exit. This strategy often involves following news events or economic reports that can trigger strong buying or selling.
Breakout Trading
Breakout traders focus on identifying key levels of support or resistance. When the price breaks through these levels, it often leads to sharp price movements, providing opportunities for profit.
Reversal Trading
Also known as “mean reversion” trading, this strategy is based on the idea that prices will eventually return to their average level. Traders using this approach look for overbought or oversold conditions and bet on a reversal.
News Trading
Some traders specialize in trading based on news releases and economic data. These events can cause significant volatility, creating opportunities for quick gains.
Managing Risk in Day Trading
The high potential for profit in day trading comes with equally high risk. Effective risk management is crucial to long-term success. Here are some key principles to follow:
- Set a Daily Loss Limit: Decide in advance how much you are willing to lose in a day and stick to it. Once you reach this limit, stop trading for the day to avoid further losses.
- Use Stop-Loss Orders: A stop-loss order automatically sells a security when it reaches a certain price, limiting potential losses.
- Position Sizing: Never put all your capital into a single trade. Diversifying your trades can help spread the risk.
- Avoid Overtrading: Trading too frequently can lead to mistakes and increased transaction costs. Be selective and disciplined in your trading choices.
- Stay Informed: Markets can be unpredictable. Keep an eye on economic indicators, geopolitical events, and market sentiment to help manage your risk.
Psychology of Day Trading
The mental aspect of day trading is often underestimated. Success in day trading requires not just a good strategy but also a strong mindset. Here’s what you need to keep in mind:
- Emotional Control: Markets can be volatile, and prices can change rapidly. It’s important to remain calm and avoid making impulsive decisions based on fear or greed.
- Discipline: Sticking to your trading plan and not deviating from it—even when tempted—is crucial. Discipline helps prevent emotional decisions that can lead to losses.
- Patience: Not every day will offer good trading opportunities. It’s important to wait for the right setup and not force trades.
- Adaptability: Markets are constantly changing. Being able to adapt to new information and changing conditions is key to staying ahead.
- Learning from Mistakes: Every trader will make mistakes. The important thing is to learn from them and improve your strategy over time.
Day trading can be a rewarding endeavor, but it’s not without its challenges. Success requires a deep understanding of the markets, a solid trading plan, and the ability to manage both risk and emotions. With the right tools and a disciplined approach, day trading can offer opportunities for significant profits. However, it’s important to approach it with caution, as the potential for loss is just as great.
Whether you’re just starting or looking to refine your skills, continuous learning and adaptation are key. Markets evolve, and so should your strategies. Stay informed, stay disciplined, and always prioritize risk management.
Economy
FAAC Disburses 1.727trn to FG, States Local Councils in December 2024
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The federal government, the 36 states of the federation and the 774 local government areas have received N1.727 trillion from the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) for December 2024.
The funds were disbursed to the three tiers of government from the revenue generated by the nation in November 2024.
At the December meeting of FAAC held in Abuja, it was stated that the amount distributed comprised distributable statutory revenue of N455.354 billion, distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N585.700 billion, Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) revenue of N15.046 billion and Exchange Difference revenue of N671.392 billion.
According to a statement signed on Friday by the Director of Press and Public Relations for FAAC, Mr Bawa Mokwa, the money generated last month was about N3.143 trillion, with N103.307 billion used for cost of collection and N1.312 trillion for transfers, interventions and refunds.
It was disclosed that gross statutory revenue of N1.827 trillion was received compared with the N1.336 trillion recorded a month earlier.
The statement said gross revenue of N628.972 billion was available from VAT versus N668.291 billion in the preceding month.
The organisation stated that last month, oil and gas royalty and CET levies recorded significant increases, while excise duty, VAT, import duty, Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), Companies Income Tax (CIT) and EMTL decreased considerably.
As for the sharing, FAAC disclosed that from the N1.727 trillion, the central government got N581.856 billion, the states received N549.792 billion, the councils took N402.553 billion, while the benefiting states got N193.291 billion as 13 per cent derivation revenue.
From the N585.700 billion VAT earnings, the national government got N87.855 billion, the states received N292.850 billion and the local councils were given N204.995 billion.
Also, from the N455.354 billion distributable statutory revenue, the federal government was given N175.690 billion, the states got N89.113 billion, the local governments had N68.702 billion, and the benefiting states received N121.849 billion as 13 per cent derivation revenue.
In addition, from the N15.046 billion EMTL revenue, FAAC shared N2.257 billion to the federal government, disbursed N7.523 billion to the states and transferred N5.266 billion to the local councils.
Further, from the N671.392 billion Exchange Difference earnings, it gave central government N316.054 billion, the states N160.306 billion, the local government areas N123.590 billion, and the oil-producing states N71.442 billion as 13 per cent derivation revenue.
Economy
Okitipupa Plc, Two Others Lift Unlisted Securities Market by 0.65%
By Adedapo Adesanya
The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange recorded a 0.65 per cent gain on Friday, December 13, boosted by three equities admitted on the trading platform.
On the last trading session of the week, Okitipupa Plc appreciated by N2.70 to settle at N29.74 per share versus Thursday’s closing price of N27.04 per share, FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc added N2.49 to end the session at N42.85 per unit compared with the previous day’s N40.36 per unit, and Afriland Properties Plc gained 50 Kobo to close at N16.30 per share, in contrast to the preceding session’s N15.80 per share.
Consequently, the market capitalisation added N6.89 billion to settle at N1.062 trillion compared with the preceding day’s N1.055 trillion and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) gained 19.66 points to wrap the session at 3,032.16 points compared with 3,012.50 points recorded in the previous session.
Yesterday, the volume of securities traded by investors increased by 171.6 per cent to 1.2 million units from the 447,905 units recorded a day earlier, but the value of shares traded by the market participants declined by 19.3 per cent to N2.4 million from the N3.02 million achieved a day earlier, and the number of deals went down by 14.3 per cent to 18 deals from 21 deals.
At the close of business, Geo-Fluids Plc was the most active stock by volume on a year-to-date basis with a turnover of 1.7 billion units worth N3.9 billion, followed by Okitipupa Plc with the sale of 752.2 million units valued at N7.8 billion, and Afriland Properties Plc with 297.3 million units sold for N5.3 million.
In the same vein, Aradel Holdings Plc remained the most active stock by value on a year-to-date basis with the sale of 108.7 million units for N89.2 billion, trailed by Okitipupa Plc with 752.2 million units valued at N7.8 billion, and Afriland Properties Plc with a turnover of 297.3 million units worth N5.3 billion.
Economy
Naira Trades N1,533/$1 at Official Market, N1,650/$1 at Parallel Market
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Naira appreciated further against the United States Dollar at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) by N1.50 or 0.09 per cent to close at N1,533.00/$1 on Friday, December 13 versus the N1,534.50/$1 it was transacted on Thursday.
The local currency has continued to benefit from the Electronic Foreign Exchange Matching System (EFEMS) introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) this month.
The implementation of the forex system comes with diverse implications for all segments of the financial markets that deal with FX, including the rebound in the value of the Naira across markets.
The system instantly reflects data on all FX transactions conducted in the interbank market and approved by the CBN.
Market analysts say the publication of real-time prices and buy-sell orders data from this system has lent support to the Naira in the official market and tackled speculation.
In the official market yesterday, the domestic currency improved its value against the Pound Sterling by N12.58 to wrap the session at N1,942.19/£1 compared with the previous day’s N1,954.77/£1 and against the Euro, it gained N2.44 to close at N1,612.85/€1 versus Thursday’s closing price of N1,610.41/€1.
At the black market, the Nigerian Naira appreciated against the greenback on Friday by N30 to sell for N1,650/$1 compared with the preceding session’s value of N1,680/$1.
Meanwhile, the cryptocurrency market was largely positive as investors banked on recent signals, including fresh support from US President-elect, Mr Donald Trump, as well as interest rate cuts by the European Central Bank (ECB).
Ripple (XRP) added 7.3 per cent to sell at $2.49, Binance Coin (BNB) rose by 3.5 per cent to $728.28, Cardano (ADA) expanded by 2.4 per cent to trade at $1.11, Litecoin (LTC) increased by 2.3 per cent to $122.56, Bitcoin (BTC) gained 1.9 per cent to settle at $101,766.17, Dogecoin (DOGE) jumped by 1.2 per cent to $0.4064, Solana (SOL) soared by 0.7 per cent to $226.15 and Ethereum (ETH) advanced by 0.6 per cent to $3,925.35, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $1.00 each.
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