Seven Trading Secrets To Trade Futures Successfully

The most successful floor traders are those that have the most experiance, this is no coincidence at all and should be a pointer for those who aspire to become a good trader. Trading can be likened to being a sportsman, such as a golf pro or tennis champion, you need to be trained and in good physical shape. Skills are needed which must be developed over time and practiced until they become 2nd nature. Here are some of the key skills that you must develop as a trader.

1. Technical analysis can be used for futures as well as the more standard stocks, options and bonds that most people trade. This can give you a large edge over other traders who have not taken the time to study the charts support and resistence areas, trendline and patterns. learning technical analysis is really a must do if you want to trade futures successfully.

2. Always have a trading plan before you enter the trade, and more important than your entry point is your exit point. Your exit strategy could include multiple points including several price targets where profits are taken and a stop loss point.

3. The most important rule is to keep losses small, this is the single biggest mistake that amateurs make. You will have small winners, small losers and a few good big winners. The small wins and loses are a wash and the profits come from the good trades that you let run.

4. Don’t over trade, this another big mistake that amateurs make. The pros are more patient and cherry pick only the best trades when the probabilities are on their side. This takes patience and discipline. These are two of the essential skills that you must develop in your game.

5. It is important that you track all your trades and review them to see where you are making the mistakes. This is hard work, but this is what separates the professionals from the amateurs. Unless you do this you will keep on making the same mistakes. The best way to do this is to keep both a daily and weekly log.

6. Trading is a tiring activity, even if you are sitting down all day!. Don’t trade unless you are feeling both physically and mentally well, and are well prepared for the trading day ahead. Prepare for each day by 1st getting a good nights sleep, reviewing your trading plan, rules and charts before the market opens. It is also very important to be in the correct frame of mind, yiu must be confident in yourself and your plan if you are going to trade, otherwise don’t trade that day.

7. Paper trading is a good way to test out your trading system. Many people discount paper trading as not being realistic as when using real money because of the emotions involved. However here is one very important point to understand, if you cannot make money paper trading you absolutley will not do it with real money, the converse is not true however.

About the Author:

James J. Dehoiver is an master forex and futures trader and teachs online futures trading systems. Download a free advanced futures options trading ebook instantly from his site.