Skip These Trading Risk Management Mistakes

» Posted by on Dec 8, 2010 in Business & Finance | 0 comments

  • Sharebar

A trading money management system is not always part of every trader’s plan. Investors who are particularly focused on making profits may be particularly guilty of not having this element in their plans. They may not be fully aware though that to make good cash in the markets, one has to follow concrete steps.

As a trader, the best investment you can ever make is to settle for a trading system. Part of every system is a reliable risk management section. If you plan to customize your risk control mechanisms, there are some mistakes that you need to correct first.

#1- Not knowing your tolerance for risks.

It goes without saying that different people have different levels of tolerance for pain. The same is true for risk tolerance. You can always say that you know full well that risk is involved in trading. What matters more however is knowing just how dangerous trading will be for you. Your risk management system is what helps you define the amount or level of risk that you are willing to take. This can help make your expectations even more realistic since you are indicating a specific loss degree.

#2- Not specifying a stop order.

It’s one thing to know how much loss you can tolerate. It is another matter to make sure your limits stay where they are supposed to be. One way to make sure you bail out just in time from a bad position is to set stop orders. Once values drop below your predefined figure, you can take the door out.

Instead of ordinary stops, you can also incorporate trailing stops in your market risk management plan. This is a good tool to use because it allows you to ride a good trend until it starts to take a downward turn. Trailing stops rise as prices rise but stay where they are when prices start to drop.

#3- Indicating maximum loss that is too low or too high.

A critical part of your plan involves setting maximum loss. Traders who still have some ounce of fear in them may set this figure too low at below 1%. Others who feel that they know full well that trading is risky may set figures that are too high at 5% or more. Setting your sights too low in managing risk can limit your profit potential. On the other hand, setting it too high would mean facing the possibility of having to let go of a good portion of your capital. An ideal figure would be around 2%.

#4- Using trading float for a variety of investments.

Trading is similar in a lot of respects to businesses. Common sense will therefore tell you that one of the first things you need to plan for is your trading float or capital. This is to help ensure that you will only use a set amount for trading. In some cases, traders specify general floats for a variety of trading markets. If you are just starting out though, it is more sensible to reserve your capital for one market only. This is a good way to protect you from losing too much because of your lack of multiple market expertise.

It’s nearly impossible to succeed without a trading money management system. Don’t make the mistake of skipping this most crucial part of your trading system.

Get Science Of Getting Rich FREE eBook Now!



Pay with a Facebook Share
468 ad

Submit a Comment