Trade Time Frames and Trend Strategy – (Vid. 2 of 6)
Invezz is an independent platform with the goal of helping users achieve financial freedom. In order to fund our work, we partner with advertisers who compensate us for users that Invezz refers to their services. While our reviews and assessments of each product on the site are independent and unbiased, brands may pay to appear higher up our table rankings or place ads in specific areas of the site. The order in which products and services appear on Invezz does not represent an endorsement from us, and please be aware that there may be other platforms available to you than the products and services that appear on our website. Read more about how we make money >
This video looks at what time frames I use while swing trading forex, and also one of the trending strategies I use. This is video 2 in the Forex Swing Trading in 20 Minutes video series. The first video looked at what pairs to trade and how to set up your charts for easy navigation and trading.
I. Trading time frames and trends
The trading method discussed in this video takes practice to learn. Isolating the trend seems easy, but for many people it is quite difficult, especially when starting out.
First, choose your time frame combination: I like Daily and 4-Hour or 4-Hour and Hourly. Use the longer time frame as your default for flipping through charts. Watch for pairs pulling back to a trendline (within a trend) on this time frame. If you see one, that is a potential trade. Drop down to the lower time frame, wait for the consolidation, and then enter when the price moves outside the consolidation. Place a stop loss as described in the video, and a profit target at a 2:1 or 3:1 reward to risk ratio. More precise profit targets will be discussed in a future video. [I also take longer-term swing trades, that last several months, and for those I use weekly charts.]
It is up to you to find trending markets, and once you do you can utilize this strategy. If you are constantly losing then you likely aren’t isolating the trend properly, you are not waiting for the consolidation, or you are taking trades at random locations and not in alignment with support/resistance (trendlines).
Just because you can draw a trendline and see a consolidation doesn’t mean it is a good trade. Use your discretion in picking out trades that are in strong trends with multiple factors pointing toward a move in your trade direction.
II. Adjust trendlines as new price action unfolds
Understand WHY the strategy works, and not just the rules. This will help you find better trades. The strategy works because we are trading only in the trending direction. We are waiting for a pullback which means we get an advantageous price within the trend. We are waiting for the price to slow down, showing respect for our support/resistance area. The price is then starting to move back in the trending direction before we enter (consolidation breakout). And we are always making more on our winners than we lose on losing trades.
If you are isolating trends well, you should be able to win with this strategy more than 50% of the time, and more than 60% of the time once you get good with it. Winning 60% of trades, with a 2:1 or 3;1 reward to risk ratio can produce huge returns (do the math, assuming you risk 1% of your capital per trade, and thus make 2% to 3% on your winners).
Hope that helps you out!
Invezz is a place where people can find reliable, unbiased information about finance, trading, and investing – but we do not offer financial advice and users should always carry out their own research. The assets covered on this website, including stocks, cryptocurrencies, and commodities can be highly volatile and new investors often lose money. Success in the financial markets is not guaranteed, and users should never invest more than they can afford to lose. You should consider your own personal circumstances and take the time to explore all your options before making any investment. Read our risk disclaimer >