What is scalping

[JTrader]

Is there a named category that describes a trading style that is neither a scalp or a swing but is somewhere in the middle, if you catch my drift?

Cheers.

 

[oatman]

It used to be known as jobbing on the commodities floors years ago and scalping was a US term which we used to describe nicking off client orders. As if anyone would do that! :cheesy:

 

[JTrader]

What is the minimum length that a trade needs to last in order to be categorized as a swing trade?

Cheers.

 

[donaldduke]

Anything planned for longer that 24 hours can probably be
classified as a swing trade..

 

[dukearl]

Scalping

Scalping is nice because it is in and out and a .5 stop can be used. Personally I am using no greater than 1 pt stop.

When I enter a trade... I look to put the Stop... not the entry.. as a method.

You just need to work a lot of chart and systems, etc.. It takes a lot of work, but if you persist... whatever you put your energy into you will get.

First thing is to get a good broker and don't pay more than $5 rt if you trade the ES. If you trade a lot, you can really negotiate and get a better commission.

Good luck.

 

[TheBramble]

One of the most genuinely impressive aspects of t2w is that those who have the knowledge and ideas, share them (to a greater or lesser extent) with others. Openly and freely (with some minor exceptions).

For someone like yourself who scalps, that wasn't a particularly helpful post.

"I know people who trade and do well.. they don't put out anything on the net."

This may well say something about your own current level of success in the markets that you perhaps hadn't intended.

However, I'm sure you'll find more than enough on these boards to massively enhance your own trading performance. Good luck.

 

[BBB]

Well put Tony.

Dukearl- the number of markets are so numerous and there are so many traders in the world that even if you were to reveal your little 'secret' it wouldn't make any difference. Also, as no 2 people trade exactly the same way, with the same risk profiles, I dont think it would matter much anyway.

Also, there are quite a few scalpers on these boards anyway - and most are also very helpful in explaining the what and why of their methods.

 

[Mr. Charts]

I usually start out at 2.30 Eastern scalping. so
here are a couple of examples from Thursday and Friday.
Both trades lasted about one minute and were a combination of my own chart analysis and reading the tape.
CNET was a 12.5 cent profit

 

[Mr. Charts]

And NFLX was 13.5 cents/share

 

[TheBramble]

Isn't the mechanics of this identical to shorting?

Is that scalping - just the small timeframe (1 min in this case) in which you short & cover?

 

[Mr. Charts]

Not entirely sure of your meaning, Tony.
Those were both short scalps.
Some scalps turn into "swing" trades. For example, one last Monday turned into a 90 minute trade that netted $8++ per share ;-)
Rather a civilised way of spending some of a Bank Holiday Monday
afternoon ;-)
Richard

 

[TheBramble]

What I meant was, from your screen shots, it looked like you were 'just' shorting something over a very short timeframe (1 minute).

I didn't get any idea of where the 'scalp' came into this process.

 

[Mr. Charts]

Tony, what do you understand by the term, "scalp"?
Richard