How To Use Trend Following As A Market Strategy

By Chris Cole

One investment strategy for making profits on the stock market is trend following. In this system you wait for a trend to build itself and then following it, timing both your entrance and exit scrupulously. It is a method that works in upswings or downturns in the market. Rather than trying to forecast the trends, trend supporters go with trends that are established. The amount to be invested is decided by the size of the trading account and how stable the issue seems to be.

Most trend supporters invest in sophisticated software that can be programmed to exit if the trend changes suddenly. Then the traders do nothing and see if the trend reasserts itself before reinvesting. This is about following the already established pattern of certain stocks.

Price is the first rule of trend following. Other indicators are not important, although they're not completely disregarded. The second factor is the decision of how much to trade. The timing is less vital than the quantity of the trade. Then there is the exit strategy. When to get out if the trade is unprofitable or if the trade is profit-making. Eventually, you have to set a stop loss for the maximum sufficient loss.

Before entering a trade, most trend supporters will test it on their software so they can appraise the possible risks and gains. The software is programmed with diverse factors associated with the particular trade. The trader then decides if he should make the trade under consideration.

Trends are effected by events that can't be foreseen. A problem in a rising trend can go down due to an event or can go up. Hurricane Katrina is an example of an event. As soon it it became clear the hurricane would hit the city of New Orleans, gas costs rose. Trend followers in the commodities and stock exchanges commenced investing heavily in oil which drove costs up farther. There has been some feedback of trend following, particularly in the commodities market. Some critics believe that trend supporters essentially effect the market.

All stock market investments are of a hopeful nature. The technique of following trends is one of many used by stockholders. It permits investors to use downward trends as well as up swings and make a profit in any sort of market. Trend followers hold stocks for more time than those who use hot stack methods in which the buy and sell may be concluded in a couple of hours. They also take advantage of complex software which can help them in making there choices.

I you don't have a plan and the right knowledge when you enter the market, you will pretty much certainly lose money. Learn all you are able to and employ trend following along with other proven techniques and you'll make the most of your investment dollars. - 31377

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