Re: catfish style
My purpose here is to address the topic of Trading Plans which Catfish started today. It includes Management of trading capital, trading plans and trading systems.
There is a forum already on Chart Technical Analysis so this is not concerned with how to use and interpret charts. Although, in coming up with a trading plan, it may be helpful to know what indicators are the most important for the timing of entries, stops and exits.
Management of capital is most important because if you run out of trading capital you have to quit or start over with fresh cash. There is a saying about trading that the quickest way to $1,000,000 is to start with $2,000,000.
I checked on the Internet and there is a huge number of trading plans/systems for sale from hundreds to thousands of dollars. My problem with buying one of them is how good are they and why is someone offering them for sale if they are making the kinds of profits they claim? Another thing is would I be able to follow someone else's plan or system to the letter? If not, I would be second-guessing and might never know if the plan/system worked or not.
I want do develop and refine my own plan. At least then I'll know how it was done and what all it contains. If I don't follow it, it's my own fault. BTW, I purchased one excellent demonstration of how to find and trade penny as well as higher dollar stocks. It is the only one I have bought: Greencat's CD which is available on SMC. There may be other trading demos/tools out there that are good, too.
Possible points to be addressed in management and trading plans:
1. Types of stops whether mechanical or mental: fixed dollar amount, percentage of trading capital, timed stops, trailing stops whose purpose is to keep losses small.
2. Which is best, placing an actual stop or using a mental one? Pros and cons of fixed vs mental stops.
3. Strategies in placing stops at or near trendlines, moving averages, avoid using whole numbers, high or low of the day and so on....
4. Which orders are best and when to use them: market, limit, stop and other types of orders?
5. How to determine entry, hold and exit points?
6. Reversals, retracements, breakouts, breakdowns....
7. How to determine your risk on each trade?
8. Locking in and taking your profits
9. Ways to reduce your emotional trading.
These are just some of my suggestions of things that could be addressed here.
I think many on Stock Market Cats from the newbies, novices, intermediate and seasoned pros could benefit from sharing a free exchange of information about Trading Plans. I would invite those lurkers to join in too. I found I am absorbing more good information once I started posting.
Thanks for starting this forum Catfish! :D
|