Meaning & Definition
Swing Trading is a strategy that focuses on taking smaller gains in short term trends and cutting losses quicker. The gains might be smaller, but done consistently over time they can compound into excellent annual returns. Swing Trading positions are usually held a few days to a couple of weeks, but can be held longer.
How Swing Trading works for traders
Swing trading seeks to capitalize on the upward and downward “swings” in the price of a security. Traders hope to capture small moves within a larger overall trend. Swing traders aim to make a lot of small wins that add up to significant returns. For example, other traders may wait five months to earn a 25% profit, while swing traders may earn 5% gains weekly and exceed the other trader’s gains in the long run.
Most swing traders use daily charts (like 60 minutes, 24 hours, 48 hours, etc.) to choose the best entry or exit point. However, some may use shorter time frame charts, such as 4-hour or hourly charts.
Let's start with the basics of a swing trading strategy. Rather than targeting 20% to 25% profits for most of your stocks, the profit goal is a more modest 10%, or even just 5% in tougher markets. Those types of gains might not seem to be the life-changing rewards typically sought in the stock market, but this is where the time factor comes in.
The swing trader's focus isn't on gains developing over weeks or months; the average length of a trade is more like 5 to 10 days. In this way, you can make a lot of small wins, which will add up to big overall returns. If you are happy with a 20% gain over a month or more, 5% to 10% gains every week or two can add up to significant profits.
Of course, you still have to factor in losses. Smaller gains can only produce growth in your portfolio if losses are kept small. Rather than the normal 7% to 8% stop loss, take losses quicker at a maximum of 3% to 4%. This will keep you at a 3-to-1 profit-to-loss ratio, a sound portfolio management rule for success. It's a critical component of the whole system since an outsized loss can quickly wipe away a lot of progress made with smaller gains.
Swing Trades vs. Day Trading
Swing trading and day trading appear similar in some respects. The main factor differentiating the two techniques is the holding position time. While swing traders may hold stocks overnight to several weeks, day trades close within minutes or before the close of the market.
Day traders do not hold their positions overnight. It often means they avoid subjecting their positions to risks resulting from news announcements. Their more frequent trading results in higher transaction costs, which can substantially decrease their profits. They often trade with leverage in order to maximize profits from small price changes.
Swing traders are subjected to the unpredictability of overnight risks that may result in significant price movements. Swing traders can check their positions periodically and take action when critical points are reached. Unlike day trading, swing trading does not require constant monitoring since the trades last for several days or weeks.
Most Used Swing Trading Indicators
1. Moving Averages
Moving averages are simply the average of the stock prices over a given period and smoothen out any erratic short-term spikes.
They are referred to as the lagging indicators as they don’t look back over past price action. Thus, Moving Averages are mainly used for confirming trends and used in swing trading.
