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Day Trading: Most Popular Articles

These articles are the most popular over the last month.
Day Trading Tools
List of the tools needed for day trading, with minimum specifications and recommendations. Includes discussions of trading computers, Internet access, direct access brokerages, trading and charting software, and market data.
Call and Put
Definition of related options phrases such as Call, Put, in the money, out of the money, strike price, option exercise, and expiration date.
What is Day Trading?
Explanation of what day trading actually is, and how it relates to other styles of trading. Includes some of the differences between day trading styles, types of trade, and day traders' personalities.
Trading Order Types
Description of the trading order types that are combined to make a complete trade. Includes market, limit, stop, stop limit, market if touched, and limit if touched orders.
Reading a Candlestick Chart
Instructions for reading a candlestick chart, including descriptions of each section of a candlestick, and how to determine the direction and range of a candlestick.
What are Futures?
Description of futures markets and contracts. Lists some of the most popular futures markets. Explains how futures trading symbols are constructed, and how tick values are calculated.
Tick, Tick Size, Tick Value
Definition of the trading terms tick, tick size, and tick value, and examples of their use in trading.
Interactive Brokers
Profile of the direct access broker Interactive Brokers or IB, including information about opening an account, trading fees, trading software, and reliability.
Day Trading Charts
Descriptions of bar, candlestick, and line charts, with the trading information that they represent, and instructions for reading and interpreting them during trading.
Trading Computers
Description of day trading computers, including laptops and desktops, with recommendations for the minimum specifications that are suitable for day trading.
Day Trading Stock Markets
Description of stocks markets and their suitability for day trading, including minimum trading deposit, margin, and SEC imposed day trading restrictions.
Profile of the DAX
Profile of the DAX futures market, including the companies included in the DAX stock index, the full contract specifications, and the market holidays.
Profile of the ES
Profile of the ES futures market, including the companies included in the S&P 500 stock index, the full contract specifications, and the market holidays.
Bullish Engulfing
Description of the japanese candlestick pattern known as a bullish engulfing, with an explanation of what the candlestick pattern means in trading.
Trading Software
Description of day trading software, including brokerage provided and third party software.
Currency Futures
Description of currency futures markets, and how they differ from currency markets (Forex). Includes a list of the most popular currency futures markets, with links to their market profiles, and contract specifications.
Futures Contracts
Description of futures contracts, including the information that they provide, and where they can be found.
Order Book
Definition of the day trading terms order book, level 2 market data, and depth of market.
Stop Loss Order Types
Discussion of whether stop loss orders should be market or limit orders, with an explanation of how each type of order can affect the stop loss.
Market Profile Charts
Description of market profile charts, with explanations of the information that they provide, and examples of how they are used in day trading.
Candlestick Charts
Description of candlestick charts, including the trading information that they represent, and the timeframes that they can be based upon.
Geographical Location
Discussion of the geographical locations of various day trading markets, and how that affects their suitability for beginning or experienced day traders.
Moving Averages
Description of simple, exponential, and weighted moving averages, including definitions, calculations, and their basic use in trading.
Day Trading Markets
Introduction to the markets that are available to day traders, including some popular futures, options, currencies, and stock markets.
Description of Options Markets
Description of options markets and contracts, and how they differ from futures markets. Lists some European and US style options markets. Explains how options trading symbols are constructed, and how tick values are calculated.
Pivot Point Bounce
Step by step tutorial of the pivot point bounce trade, including detailed instructions and charts of a real trade made using the pivot point bounce trading system.
Charting Software
Description of day trading charting software, including brokerage provided and third party software.
Strike Price and Expiration
Definition of related options phrases such as Call, Put, in the money, out of the money, strike price, option exercise, and expiration date.
Day Trading Restrictions
Description of the SEC day trading restrictions that apply to US stocks and stock markets.
Market Data Definition
Description of day trading market data, including the different levels of market data, and the trading information that each level of market data provides.
Reading a Candlestick
Explanation of candlestick charts with descriptions of each piece of information that a single candlestick represents.
Day Trading Market Data
Description of day trading market data, and the trading information that market data provides. Includes profiles of the most popular market data feeds, with the markets that they offer, their monthly fees, and their software and programming interfaces.
Long and Short
Definition of the trading terms long and short, and examples of their use in day trading.
Momentum
Description of the Momentum indicator, including its definition, calculation, and basic use in trading.
Open Interest
Definition of open interest, with explanations of how open interest is calculated and interpreted.
How Futures are Traded
Discussion of how futures markets are traded, including descriptions of futures contracts, and long and short trades.
Tick Charts
Description of trading charts based upon ticks (number of trades), including their advantages and disadvantages compared to time charts.
Buying Stock Using Options
Explanation of how to buy stock using stock options, including the price advantages that this strategy can provide, and an example of a trade made using the stock options strategy.
TradeStation Securities
Profile of the direct access broker TradeStation Securities or simply TradeStation. Includes information about opening an account, trading fees, trading software, and reliability.
How Options are Traded
Discussion of how options markets are traded, including descriptions of options contracts, long and short trades, call and put contracts, and options premiums.
Forex or Currency Futures?
Description of the currency markets, including the differences between Forex and futures markets, and recommendations for the best choices for individual day traders.
Donchian Channel
Description and example of the Donchian Channel, including its definition, calculation, and basic use in trading.
Bar Charts
Description of bar charts, including the trading information that they represent, and the timeframes that they can be based upon.
Moving Average Bounce
Step by step tutorial of the moving average bounce trade, including detailed instructions and charts of a real trade made using the moving average bounce trading system.
Bearish Engulfing
Description of the japanese candlestick pattern known as a bearish engulfing, with an explanation of what the candlestick pattern means in trading.
Choosing a Market
Discussion of the best markets for beginning day traders, including criteria such as initial trading deposit, personality, tick values, and geographical location.
News or Technical Analysis
Discussion of the differences between fundamental analysis and technical analysis, and which type is better suited for day trading.
Zero Line Cross
Step by step tutorial of the zero line cross trade, including detailed instructions and charts of a real trade made using the zero line cross trading system.
Profile of the YM
Profile of the YM futures market, including the companies included in the Dow Jones stock index, the full contract specifications, and the market holidays.
Short Term Trading Strategies
A detailed review of Short Term Trading Strategies That Work by Larry Connors. The review includes a description of the book, whom the book is designed for, and how the book can be used in your own trading.
Reading a Bar Chart
Instructions for reading a bar chart, including descriptions of each section of a bar, and how to determine the direction and range of a bar.
Choosing a Day Trading Market
Discussion of the best markets for beginning day traders, including criteria like initial trading deposit, personality, tick values, and geographical location.
Profile of the HSI
Profile of the HSI futures market, including the companies included in the Hang Seng stock index, the full contract specifications, and the market holidays.
NobleTrading
Profile of the day trading brokerage NobleTrading, including information about opening an account, trading fees, trading software, and reliability.
Profile of the NQ
Profile of the NQ futures market, including the companies included in the NASDAQ 100 stock index, the full contract specifications, and the market holidays.
Spread
Definition of the day trading term spread (or bid and ask spread), including what causes a small and large spread, and how they affect trading.
Profit and Loss Potential
Discussion of the profit and loss potential of various day trading markets, and their suitability for beginning day traders.
Day Trading Brokerage
Description of day trading brokerages, and why direct access brokers are the more suitable than traditional brokers. Includes links to profiles and reviews of some of the most popular day trading brokerages.
Stop Loss
Definition of the day trading term stop loss, with descriptions of the two most common types of stop loss, and a discussion of whether or not a stop loss should be used.
Time Charts
Description of day trading charts based upon time, such as short term timeframes like seconds and minutes, and long term timeframes such as hours and days.
TRIX Reversal
Step by step tutorial of the TRIX reversal trade, including detailed instructions and charts of a real trade made using the TRIX reversal trading system.
IB's Market Data
Description of Interactive Brokers' market data feed, including the available markets, the monthly fees, and the software and programming interface.
Line Charts
Description of line charts, including the trading information that they represent, and the timeframes that they can be based upon.
Stochastic Oscillator
Description of the Stochastic Oscillator indicator, including its definition, calculation, and basic use in trading.
Directional Movement Index
Description of the Directional Movement Index (DMI), including definition, calculation, and its basic use in trading.
Parabolic Stop and Reverse
Description of the Parabolic SAR (Parabolic Stop and Reverse) indicator, including its definition, calculation, and basic use in trading.
Profile of the EUR
Profile of the EUR futures market, including the exchange rate that the market is based upon, the full contract specifications, and the market holidays.
What are Currencies?
Description of the currency (or forex) markets, where one currency is traded for a different currency. Includes a list of popular currency markets, and trading recommendations between currency and futures markets.
ASX 200 Constituent List
The complete list of the companies included in the ASX 200 stock index, The ASX 200 stock index is the primary stock index of the Australian Securities Exchange in Australia, and the underlying for the ASX futures market.
The Bid, Ask, and Last
Definition of the market prices known as the bid price, the ask price, and the last price, with an explanation of how these prices affect day trading.
Placing Stop Loss Orders
Discussion about placing stop loss orders, with suggestions for where, and where not, to place stop loss orders depending upon how they are being used.
Day Trading Virtues
Discussion of the personality traits of patience, decisiveness, and calmness, and how they are necessary for successful day trading.
Telephone
Explanation of why a telephone is needed during day trading, with recommendations for the best type of telephone.
Volatility Ratio
Description of the Volatility Ratio indicator, including its definition, calculation, and basic use in trading.
Peregrine Financial Group (US)
Profile of the direct access broker Peregrine Financial Group or PFG. Includes information about opening an account, trading fees, trading software, and reliability.
Triangular Moving Average (TMA
Description of the Triangular Moving Average (TMA), including its definition, calculation, and basic use in trading.
Time and Sales or Tape
Definition of the time and sales (or tape), and descriptions of the information that is provided by the time and sales.
Making your First Trade
A step by step tutorial to making your first real trade, whether in simulation or live. Includes descriptions of each step, and images of the trading software and charting software at each step.
Range Charts
Description of trading charts based upon price range (difference between high and low prices), including their advantages and disadvantages compared to time charts.
Fibonacci Numbers
Description of the Fibonacci numbers, including their history, calculation, and examples of their use in day trading.
Volume Charts
Description of trading charts based upon volume (number of contracts), including their advantages and disadvantages compared to time charts.
Short Covered Call
Description of the basic options strategy known as a short covered call, including instructions for making a short covered call trade, and explanations of the risk and reward of short covered calls.
Initial and Maintenance Margin
Discussion of the initial and maintenance margin requirements of various day trading markets, and their suitability for beginning day traders.
Profile of the CAC40
Profile of the CAC40 futures market, including the companies included in the CAC40 stock index, the full contract specifications, and the market holidays.
Arbitrage
Definition of arbitrage with examples of how it can be used in day trading.
Choosing a Trading Style
Discussion of different trading styles, and suggestions for finding the trading style that best suits your personality.
Low Risk Stock Investing
Description of an options strategy that is used to invest in stock with less margin and less risk, with an example of a trade made using the options strategy.
Binary Betting
Description of binary betting, its advantages and disadvantages, and how it can be used as an alternative to regular day trading.
Drawing Upward Trend Lines
Step by step tutorial explaining how to draw upward trend lines on graphical price charts, with complete instructions and example charts of each step.
Bull Put Spread
Description of the basic options strategy known as a bull put spread, including instructions for making a bull put spread trade, and explanations of the risk and reward of bull put spreads.
TRIX
Description of the TRIX, including its definition, calculation, and basic use in trading.
Day Trading Style
Definition of the style of trading known as day trading, with examples of the types of trade that fit within this short term trading style.
Stock Options
Description of stock options' markets, including an explanation of stock options' contracts, strike prices, options expirations, and exercising stock options.
Weather Futures
Introduction to the weather futures markets offered by the CME (CME Group), including the weather events and locations that can be traded, and examples of why the weather futures might be traded (aside from day trading).
Market Data
Description of day trading market data, with suggestions for market data feeds that are suitable for day trading.
Commodity Channel Index (CCI)
Description of the Commodity Channel Index (CCI), including definition, calculation, and its basic use in trading.
Market Profiles
Profiles of many stock indicies and their futures markets, arranged by region and market type. Information provided includes descriptions, contract specifications, constituent companies, and holiday schedules.
Transact Futures
Profile of the direct access broker Transact Futures. Includes information about opening an account, trading fees, trading software, and reliability.
Fear and Greed
Discussion of the emotions of fear and greed, and how they affect traders and day trading.
Trend Lines
Series of articles about trend lines, including the information that they represent, tutorials for drawing trend lines, and examples of trading using trend lines.
Trading in Simulation
Description of trading in simulation, and its advantages over trading live when making your first few trades.
Pivot Points
Description of Pivot Points, including definition, calculation, and their basic use in trading.
Opening Gap
Definition of the day trading terms opening gap and price gap, with descriptions of the most common types of gap.
Reading a Bar
Explanation of bar charts with descriptions of each piece of information that a single bar represents.
Profile of the ZG
Profile of the ZG futures market, including the commodity that the market is based upon, the full contract specifications, and the market holidays.
Trading Stock Indexes
Discussion of trading stock indexes using futures and options markets, including charting the stock indexes while trading the futures and options markets.
Bollinger Bands
Description and example of the bollinger bands indicator, including its definition, calculation, and basic use in trading.
MACD
Description of the MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence) indicator, including its definition, calculation, and basic use in trading.
Profile of the ER2
Profile of the ER2 futures market, including the companies included in the Russell 2000 stock index, the full contract specifications, and the market holidays.
Double Moving Average Bounce
Step by step tutorial of a variation of the moving average bounce trading system, known as the double moving average bounce. The tutorial includes detailed instructions of each step of the trading system, and charts of a real trade made using the double moving average bounce trading system.
Internet Access
Description of the type of Internet access that is most suitable for day trading.
Single Stock Futures
Description of single stock futures, with an explanation of single stock futures contracts, and examples of single stock futures markets.
Live Trading Room
Definition of a live trading room, with examples of different types of live trading room.
Retail Forex Brokers
Discussion of retail forex brokers, with examples of why they should be avoided.
Relative Strength Index (RSI)
Description of the Relative Strength Index (RSI), including definition, calculation, and its basic use in trading.
Commodity Futures
Description of commodity futures markets, with lists of the most popular commodity futures markets, and links to their market profiles and contract specifications.
Profile of the Z
Profile of the Z futures market, including the companies included in the FTSE 100 stock index, the full contract specifications, and the market holidays.
Ranging and Trending
Definition of the day trading terms ranging and trending, and descriptions of the types of market that they describe.
Learning Trading Online
Discussion of learning trading from online courses, and whether online courses are an effective way of learning trading, or a convenient but less effective alternative to professional trading instruction.
Introduction to Scalping
Description of the trading style known as scalping, with examples of the type of trades that a scalper would make.
Day Trading - QuickTips
An index of QuickTips for the Day Trading guide site.
Trend Line Breaks
Definition of trend line breaks, including why they occur, and examples of how they can be used as part of a trading system.
Introduction to Warrants
Introduction to warrants including the types of warrants that are available, and the basics of how warrants are traded.
High Probability ETF Trading
A detailed review of High Probability ETF Trading by Larry Connors. The review includes a description of the book, whom the book is designed for, and how the book can be used in your own trading.
In and Out of the Money
Definition of related options phrases such as Call, Put, in the money, out of the money, strike price, option exercise, and expiration date.
Profile of the ASX
Profile of the ASX futures market, including the companies included in the ASX 200 stock index, the full contract specifications, and the market holidays.
Trend Lines - Price Levels
Description and examples of trend lines showing support and resistance, and explanations of the information that they provide about the market's prices.
Drawing Sideways Trend Lines
Step by step tutorial explaining how to draw sideways trend lines on graphical price charts, with complete instructions and example charts of each step.
Contract For Difference
Description of Contract For Difference markets, with a discussion of CFD availability, and examples of CFD markets.
Profile of the NIFTY
Profile of the NIFTY futures market, including the companies included in the Nifty stock index, the full contract specifications, and the market holidays.
TickTrader
Introduction to the TickTrader trading software, with descriptions of TickTrader's main features, and examples of how TickTrader can be used for automated trading.
Points, Ticks, and Pips
Definition of the day trading terms points, ticks, and pips, with an explanation of which term is used for which markets, and examples of how they are used when talking about day trading.
Trading Logs
Discussion of trading logs, including the information that a trading log should include, and the different formats that a trading log can be stored in.
Long Call
Description of the basic options strategy known as a long call, including instructions for making a long call trade, and explanations of the risk and reward of long calls.
Position Trading
Definition of the style of trading known as position trading, with examples of the types of trade that fit within this long term trading style.
Heikin Ashi
Description and example of Heikin Ashi charts, including their definition, calculation, and their basic use in trading.
Trend Lines - Direction
Description and examples of upward, downward, and sideways trend lines, and explanation of the information they provide about the market's prices.
Short Covered Put
Description of the basic options strategy known as a short covered put, including instructions for making a short covered put trade, and explanations of the risk and reward of short covered puts.
Ticks
Description of the market internal known as the Ticks, with explanation of how it applies to day trading.
Calculating One Percent Risk
Description of the one percent risk management calculation, with an example of how the one percent calculation is used to determine the size of a stock trade.
Overcoming Stubbornness
Discussion of why traders with stubborn personalities need to overcome their stubbornness in order to be profitable. Explains the reason why being stubborn is counter productive to successful day trading.
Long and Short Options Trades
Description of which options trades are long and which options trades are short, with reference to both the options market itself, and the underlying market.
Buying and Selling Volume
Description of buying and selling volume, including how each type of volume affects the current market price.
Discretion or System Trading
Descriptions of discretionary trading and system trading, with suggestions for choosing the correct type of trading for your personality, and examples of each type of trading.
Break Even Percentage
Description and calculation of the break even percentage, which shows the ratio of winning and losing trades that are required for a break even profit / loss.
Bear Put Spread
Description of the basic options strategy known as a bear put spread, including instructions for making a bear put spread trade, and explanations of the risk and reward of bear put spreads.
Margin
Definition of the day trading term margin, with an explanation of how margin applies to day trading, and why different markets have different margin requirements.
Profile of the N225
Profile of the N225 futures market, including the companies included in the Nikkei 225 stock index, the full contract specifications, and the market holidays.
IQFeed's Market Data
Description of IQFeed's market data feed, including the available markets, the monthly fees, and the software and programming interface.
Aroon
Description and example of the Aroon indicator, including its definition, calculation, and its basic use in trading.
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