Currency Trading Information

Mechanical or Discretionary Trading - Which is Best?


Discretionary Trading

Pure discretionary trading will rely solely on the traders judgement. For example a discretionary trader may spot a particular pattern developing on a chart and decide to enter a trade on that basis. It would be impossible to systemise their trading because it relies on subjective judgements and 'gut' feel.

Mechanical Trading

Pure mechanical trading involves the development of trading rules that cover every situation, from entry to exit and position sizing. The trader is executing a predefined plan. They must however take every trade that the system gives them which can be difficult if the trader begins to 'think' too much!

Both sets of trader are working hard at different times and at different things. The mechanical trader spends time developing a system and does not need to think whilst trading, merely executing a plan. The discretionary trader has to be thinking all the time that they are trading and can suffer from 'information overload'.

Which is best?

The answer is probably a combination of both approaches. Coming to the market with a proven strategy rather than relying on gut instinct is far less stressful and gives the trader more confidence. However the markets are always changing and one trading strategy will not work forever - i.e. the Turtle Traders. Strategies will always need updating.

Many traders will use a mechanical system to generate buy and sell signals but then use discretion, reading the market, to attempt to gain better fill prices.

All successful traders will use some sort of proven trading strategy to begin with but the level of discretion allowed by it will vary. A trader with no plan at all will fail.

Tim Wreford runs Online Futures Trading, a website that provides information and resources for traders. Tim also provides a free day trading system, the results of which are updated daily on the site.


MORE RESOURCES:

The Excitement of Online Foreign Currency Trading
CountingPips
In fact, foreign currency trading is one of the biggest financial markets today. It's the internet and the speed which information can be at a trader's ...



CBC.ca

Euro stronger in currency trading as Greek lifeline emerges
Corporate FX
The euro made headway against the dollar and other major currencies this morning (March 16th) as European finance ministers knitted a lifeline to support ...
Euro Weakens as EU Finance Ministers Spar Over Aid to GreeceBusinessWeek
Dollar falls against euro amid rumors of Greek aid planFinancial Express Bangladesh
Dollar falls at end of week as Greece debt worries easeXinhua

all 2,398 news articles »


Currency trading has become accessible, but it's a bad bet for the average Joe
Dallas Morning News
Today, there are 13 currency-specific mutual funds and 36 ETFs that specialize in currency trading. The amount of money in these funds has increased from ...



Currensee: The Facebook of Currency Trading Gets $8 Million
BloggingStocks (blog)
The growth of Facebook has been stunning, as the site has more than 400 million active users and is second only to Yahoo! (YHOO) in terms of traffic. ...

and more »


Michigan Business Review - MLive.com

Currency trading company in Grand Rapids is runaway global success
Michigan Business Review - MLive.com
GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP — One “pip†at a time, a small business born out of the desire to make currency trading easier has grown into an industry giant. ...



BigNews.biz (press release)

Forex currency trading system offers day trading software that guarantees results
News Broadcast
A Forex currency trading system that consistently produces results is worth its weight in gold. Guaranteed spreads of at least 100 to 200 pips daily, ...
FOREX.com Analysts Predict Choppy Seas Ahead for Traders in Second Quarter 2010PR Newswire (press release)
FOREX.com: FOREX.com Analysts Predict Choppy Seas Ahead for Traders in Second ...MyNewsdesk (press release)

all 18 news articles »


BBC News (blog)

Euro Falls Most Since January as Leaders Spar Over Greece Aid
BusinessWeek
... than ever,†said Brian Dolan, chief currency strategist at FOREX.com, a unit of online currency trading firm Gain Capital in Bedminster, New Jersey. ...
Ruble Regains '08 Level Versus EuroThe Moscow Times
Roundup: Dollar rises at end of week on Greece debt worriesistockAnalyst.com (press release)
Euro Falls on Concern Greece Will Struggle to Resolve DeficitBloomberg
Benzinga
all 2,500 news articles »


How Regulators Plan To Limit Leverage, And Make Retail Currency Trading Go The ...
The Business Insider
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has proposed rules that would reduce the amount of borrowed funds that retail investors can use when investing in ...

and more »


Canada's Flaherty Says Currency Is 'Competitive'
BusinessWeek
March 16 (Bloomberg) -- Canada's currency, trading the closest to parity with its US counterpart since July 2008, ...

and more »


FXstreet.com The Forex Market

FOREX.com Analysts Predict Choppy Seas Ahead for Traders in Second Quarter 2010
PR-CANADA.net (press release)
In its quarterly currency and commodity markets forecast, FOREX.com, a division of GAIN Capital Group, LLC, believes the US economy will continue to improve ...
CAD Consolidates After Touching New LowHoweStreet.com
Stock Traders focusing on Quadruple WitchingFXstreet.com The Forex Market

all 59 news articles »

Google News

Index | Site map
© 2009 VirBooks  Home
PLAE  | Solar System