diary of a short-term trading kook, page-26

well done kook for explaining exactly what happens to 'come of age' traders. I watched my portfolio the whole of 2008 like a rabbit in the spotlight and decided to do something in December! Now learning the difference in trading on trends! Up initially and back to 0 by March, up 60k by May and now back to 40k with the sideways trend! Your explanation of a day trade was my experience repeated many times. Decided never to day trade again.
Seems to me you have to shorten up your target in a side to down trend and be happy with less profit. Main thing is to recognise the trend. I am now only targetting companies inside trading channels for safety. I think my stops have actually cost me a lot of valuable trades and turned them into losses. Tried moving them away but not successfully so am now trying them really tight and continuing to get stopped for less than 100 a few times than losing 1000's, until the trade is established. Found the DT tread invaluable and hoping this forum can be more targetted to my style