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TopstepTrader

Living to Trade Another Day

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Here we are again sailing in the wind of massive end of month buying amidst a worldwide recession, less than stellar GDP estimates, earnings with declining revenues, and a severely depleted workforce. Nothing surprises me anymore. I suppose all we need is the Fed Chairman or ECB President to tell us that they will “do whatever it takes” to support the dollar and Euro respectively, and the markets will scream higher. We are so inclined to buy the rumor and sell the fact that this current formula, although may not really add up, actually makes sense. We've come to expect the unexpected.

 

I’m a trader and I’m looking for trades. Volatility and price action create opportunities, so even if there is no rhyme or reason to the movement, this flow allows me to increase my profit potential and find good if not great trade locations. The best way to be proficient in capturing these opportunities is to know how to trade the rest of the time when the market isn’t creating such large price movements.

 

Most of the time the markets don’t move as swiftly and definitively and the monotony can be tough to cope with. We find ourselves reaching for trades that aren’t necessarily there and displaying a clear lack of restraint in our trade execution. If your trading has been suspect, it may not mean you lack focus, but just seem to not care about losing. Going for broke and then getting mad at the market is not the answer. We know it doesn’t owe us anything and it certainly doesn’t care. We seem to believe “I’m right” and the market can’t possibly go against me. As soon as this emotion is triggered trading should be halted. You’ll tell yourself you're right no matter how wrong you are. Learn to be more satisfied with smaller profits and consistent, profitable trading will be the result. We act out of character because we’ve done well before but want more. This market, with limited resources, presents infrequent opportunities. We should only be looking for a few trades. Stay in the game and don’t force the issue. Greed is an evil you don’t want to know. Uncontrollable trading has never proved to be beneficial. If it has, it’s only been luck. We can’t rely on that. If you know how to control your trading during the tedious market days, you will know how to recognize major moves and be able to capitalize on them when they happen. Focusing on the grind will ultimately allow you to be more profitable more often.

 

 

Trade well,

 

Brian Welsh AKA Jayhawk

TopstepTrader Senior Scout and Trading Coach

 

Brian Welsh is a professional Broker and Trader on the floor of the Chicago Board of Trade. Brian also serves as TopstepTrader's Senior Scout. Brian is featured daily on the Live Squawk Radio during his "Chalk Talk with Jayhawk" sessions at 10:30am CST. Brian is also one of our professional Trading Coaches and is available for private coaching. TopstepTrader seeks to find and develop undiscovered trading talent from around the world. While in our program, those who display a strong trading skill and aptitude will be backed as a fully-funded trader.http://www.topsteptrader.com/

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    • Date: 21st February 2025.   European PMI Disappoint, Weighing on Euro Before German Elections   The Euro is the first currency to witness the volatility on this month’s PMI reports. The French, German and British PMI data have resulted in the Euro being the worst-performing currency of the European Session so far. However, will the Euro continue to decline throughout the day? European Purchasing Managers’ Indexes The French Purchasing Managers Index was the first European index to be made public. The release resulted in the Euro instantly declining 0.24%. The main concern from the French data was the Services PMI which fell from 48.2 to 44.5. Previously the market was expecting the data to remain more or less unchanged. The weak data triggered the decline which came to a halt after Germany’s PMI was released.     The German Manufacturing PMI read 0.5 points higher than previous expectations and the Services PMI was 0.2 points lower. The data from Germany was a relief for Euro investors and the price rose 0.12% higher. However, traders should note that the price of the EURUSD continues to remain 0.20% lower than yesterday’s close. The price of the EURUSD will now depend on the PMI data from the US. The value of the US Dollar will depend on its PMI release this afternoon and the Consumer Sentiment Index. Analysts expect both the US Services and Manufacturing PMI data to remain above the 50.00 level in the expansion zone. German Elections 2 Days Away Germany is set to hold a general election this Sunday, February 23rd, following the collapse of the coalition of social democrats, liberals, and greens. Given the country's highly proportional electoral system, German polls provide a strong indication of potential government formations post-election. The main concern for Germany is the AFD party who are Far-Right Nationalists. Currently, ahead in the polls are CDU (centre-right), and AFD (far right), followed by the SPD (centre-left). Traders should note that the results of the elections are likely to trigger strong volatility on Monday, but also influence volatility today. Economists may become further concerned if the far-right gains power for the first time due to uncertainty. If the government, similar to France, is unable to form a coalition, this would also be a concern for the Eurozone. Furthermore, the Euro this week is also under pressure from comments from members of the European Central Bank. ECB Governing Council member Fabio Panetta said to journalists that officials need not slow interest rate cuts, as January's 2.5% inflation is still expected to reach the 2.0% target this year. He also advised the European economy is weaker than previously expected. EURUSD - Technical Analysis and Indicators The EURUSD is trading above the 75-bar Exponential Moving Average and 100-bar Simple Moving Average on the 2-hour chart. However, the price is moving away from the key resistance level at 1.05058 indicating the price is losing momentum. The short-term volatility is indicating the price is retracing downwards. On the 5-minute timeframe, the price is trading below the 200-bar SMA and is also forming clear lower lows and highs. Simultaneously, the US Dollar Index is trading above the 200-bar SMA on the 5-minute chart confirming no current conflicts. Currently, the US Dollar is the best-performing currency of the day attempting to regain losses from the past 2 weeks. Watch today’s Live Analysis Session for more signals as they develop!   Key Takeaway Points: Weak French Services PMI triggered an initial Euro decline, but German PMI provide a slight relief. However, EURUSD remains lower than yesterday’s close. The Euro’s direction now depends on the US PMI reports, with analysts expecting US data to stay in expansion territory. Sunday's German election could drive volatility, especially if the far-right AFD gains power or if coalition formation proves difficult. ECB official Fabio Panetta suggested no need to slow rate cuts, citing weaker-than-expected economic performance and expected inflation decline. Always trade with strict risk management. Your capital is the single most important aspect of your trading business.   Please note that times displayed based on local time zone and are from time of writing this report.   Click HERE to access the full HFM Economic calendar.   Want to learn to trade and analyse the markets? Join our webinars and get analysis and trading ideas combined with better understanding of how markets work. Click HERE to register for FREE!   Click HERE to READ more Market news.   Michalis Efthymiou HFMarkets   Disclaimer: This material is provided as a general marketing communication for information purposes only and does not constitute an independent investment research. Nothing in this communication contains, or should be considered as containing, an investment advice or an investment recommendation or a solicitation for the purpose of buying or selling of any financial instrument. All information provided is gathered from reputable sources and any information containing an indication of past performance is not a guarantee or reliable indicator of future performance. Users acknowledge that any investment in Leveraged Products is characterized by a certain degree of uncertainty and that any investment of this nature involves a high level of risk for which the users are solely responsible and liable. We assume no liability for any loss arising from any investment made based on the information provided in this communication. This communication must not be reproduced or further distributed without our prior written permission.
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