As traders all we really need to know is when a market is going to stop moving in one direction then turn around and head in the other. The rest is noise. I try to concentrate most of my energy on identifying these times. The day trading information presented here is applicable to longer term position trading. Read on to learn what a market requires to make a turn.
Observation From Trading Notes:
"A significant resistance is broken on chart the beginning of strength. It starts with the previous big pivot point on the 5 min chart."
Of course, theres no way for the e-mini futures market to go to 1200 unless it goes through 1190 first, then 1194, then 1198 and so forth. Its the same with previous pivot points. You need something to hang your hat on as a reference point. A logical point in a decline is the previous swing high on a 5-minute chart. This may be too early a warning for longer term hourly swing traders, but may be perfect for the one-minute bar traders.
There is nothing cast in stone, remember that. Just find some reference point that is tied to real price action and use it as a marker. This does not mean you want to buy if the pivot point gets broken on the upside. It may be just a bear market rally. But, if you are looking at a series of bottoms while other indications are suggesting a big e-mini rally is about to occur, take notice. The break of a meaningful pivot should get you off the pot and into action. Otherwise, these things can slip by us without notice.
You may decide to buy the next correction onto the previous highs or whatever. But, since price is in the bottom forming mode, much of the time the market will come back down many times, even though it may be in a new bull market. The big move straight up usually occurs much later in the move when the shorts panic. Theres exceptions, like if the bottom turns out to be a major weekly bottom or bigger. This can produce huge lift-off moves that give little opportunity to get on board. But they are rare and not worth stalking all the time. Just wait for that correction and then buy.
One time I remember telling a successful trading friend of mine, the e-mini top forming is a big one and could be a major top lasting for weeks. He wisely said, I dont care! Im only interested in the short day swings. What difference does it make if this is THE top? He was right. "This is the BIG top" type of thinking just makes one excessively bearish and biased. Even if correct, major e-mini futures tops still have plenty of bull days and tremendous bear covering rallies to trade along the way down in a major move.
Its too easy for day traders to get, this is it it-itis, start holding overnight, and holding through the corrections, etc. Stay in the now moment all the time. Thats what counts when day trading short-term e-mini futures contracts.
Observation:
"Very few places to enter in yesterdays creeping market."
As a rule, the e-mini futures market will make it easy to get on board the wrong side and hard to get on board the right side. What I mean is that the corrections to buy are shallow and then price lifts to new highs. The e-mini futures market will shift out of character from what it was doing before, to trap participants. In fact, the market usually does what it must to screw the majority and encourage the maximum amount of trading possible.
Filling gaps is a perfect example of seeking out maximum trades. Generally, commodity markets that take off in the opposite direction of a big report's news is another example of maximum trading and screwing the majority. The market is very clever. Actually, the market is you and me.
Part Three of Five Parts - Next
There is substantial risk of loss trading futures and options and may not be suitable for all types of investors. Only risk capital should be used.
Thomas Cathey - 27-year trading veteran heads the managed futures division of Thomas Capital Management, LLC. View his TimeLine Trading market predictions and get his complete 44+ lesson, "Thomas Commodity Trading Course" - they're all free. http://www.thomascapitalmanagement.com/commodity/welcome.htm Main site: http://www.ThomasCapitalManagement.com