There’s hardly been a better success story than the Indian financial markets over the past three decades, the result of which is the number of choices you as a trader can make. Take day trading futures as an example.
You could trade in stock futures, commodity futures, or currency futures all of which have multiple financial securities within and across.
To hit your financial goals, you could scalp trade, wait for reversals, or use momentum trading. But does that mean intraday futures trading is for you? Let’s examine this proposition.
What is Day Trading Futures?
If you decide to day trade futures, you’d be buying/selling futures contracts. These futures contracts are an agreement between you and another trader to either buy or sell the underlying financial instrument.
The price and end date are pre-agreed. Guess what? Both traders in this equation are obligated to fulfill the terms of the contract unless one of you exits your position.
Day trading futures means that you’d exit your position before the closing bell of the same day. This means you’d typically focus on making small chunks of profits by either buying low and selling high or vice versa.
All of this can be achieved through the right futures strategies, systems, and psychology. In order to spot profitable opportunities, technical analysis and intraday futures charts will be your best friends.
In addition, you’ll require a firm grasp of risk management and the ability to utilize intraday futures margin. If you want to know more about margins, read this blog: What is Margin in Share Market?
Pros of Day Trading Futures
You’ve got a flavor for what’s intraday futures trading. Now it’s time to evaluate the pros of trading strategy.
1. Potentially High Profits
Buying and selling futures on an intraday basis can result in substantial gains in a relatively brief time frame. Being able to capitalize on minute price swings is the key. You’d ideally use various tools like the following to find entry and exit points:
2. Liquidity
Most futures contracts have decent liquidity which means a trader can rapidly and easily purchase and sell contracts. Liquidity also dictates the desirability of a futures contract.
3. Margins
F&o intraday trading is popular because of margin and leverage. Simply put, intraday futures margin and leverage allows you to pay less than what’s necessary to enter a position.
For example, a 5x leverage means you pay 1/5th and the broker pays the rest. You could use a feature like pledging of shares to take bigger positions. Bear in mind that doing so brings its own set of risks as well.
Cons of Intraday Futures Trading
Although day trading futures have advantages, there are also possible risks to consider. Let’s examine the downsides of this trading method more closely.
1. High Risk
There is a degree of risk involved with trading futures intraday. Traders who can’t successfully manage their risks often suffer devastating losses. Intraday futures trading using leverage can amplify both gains and losses.
Dhan has features like Trader’s Control to help you manage risk. Watch the following video to know more.
2. Extreme Pressure
Trading futures contracts intraday can be a stressful experience, especially for novice traders. Technical analysis and intraday futures charts require you to be focused and locked in for the duration of the market hours.
3. High Transaction Costs
Brokerage fees, exchange fees, and clearing fees can add up quickly in intraday futures trading. The costs can easily pile up for frequent traders. While calculating gains or losses, traders must account for transaction fees.
Is Day Trading Futures for You?
Whether or not intraday futures trading is a good fit for you depends on your financial objectives, level of comfort with risk, and level of expertise. Trading futures on an intraday basis involves a certain risk and calls for market expertise, self-discipline, and patience.
Swing trading and position trading are two alternative tactics that may be more suited for novice traders or those with limited risk tolerance.
Traders with a high tolerance for risk and strong knowledge can benefit from intraday futures trading. Compared to other strategies, intraday futures trading is intense but has the potential to generate substantial returns.
However, traders must be well-versed in risk management and disciplined enough to stick to a strict trading routine to avoid losses. If you are planning to trade intraday futures, you need a well-created strategy.
Your trading plan should include when you intend to enter and exit a trade as well as what you will do if you experience losses. Risk management is key so your trading must be setup to deal with market lows.
Conclusion
If you are considering intraday futures trading, it is crucial to have a solid understanding of market trends and technical analysis, as well as the ability to make informed decisions quickly.
Additionally, you should have a well-defined risk management strategy in place to mitigate potential losses and protect your capital.
