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4 Nov 2010There are many websites that offer different automated trading systems. One can find software programs that offer alerts, automatic buys, and several other features. However, whether a person is going to learn an ETF trading system or depend on a website for it, there is some basic information that one needs to know. First, there is no one-size-fits-all system.
A person either has to find a trading system that can adapt to the many sectors they will be working in, or be able to retrieve the effective trading system for the sector they are in. A trading system that has been designed for long positions is not going to be effective in sectors that have primarily short position trading. A trader dealing with leveraged ETFs will want to have a system that they can adapt to meet the level of risk attached to this ETFs.
ETF trading is affected by thousands and millions of tiny details that impact the market. There is no system that can effectively calculate all of the details and their impact on a particular day in the market. Therefore, a person will want to take the time to find a system that most closely meets their needs, then give it a tweak to make it their own. The systems that work for some people will not work for others. Besides the market the system must also meet the personality of the trader. A low risk system, even if it is effective, will not work for a person with a high risk personality.
For a beginner, a minimal risk system that has been around a long time is the Exponential Moving Average system. The EMA involves following trends. It is used most commonly on the TLT, XLF, RTH, SMH, and a few other sectors. It has a decent risk rating with a high of about medium risk.
Using the system, a trader will go long when the fast EMA crosses above the slow EMA and the short when the reverse occurs. A trader has to leave or reverse positions on the day after the fast and slow EMAs cross. After deciding the days for the EMA (usually about 15), a person must stick to them.
Even this simple system will require that a person do the necessary research on each sector and follow their trends to make effective trades. It is important to set buy and sell limits so that one does get caught up in trading and lose more than they intended.
Setting a risk allotment that is a percentage of the total capital you are willing to risk on a position will also make the trading in this system more effective. When an account reaches the minimum, move on. Setting the number of losing trades in a row acceptable, then the percent that the account will be reduced will also help to assure an effective trade.
When deciding on the system or method that will be most effective it is important to get as much information about the system as possible before implementing it. When a system is offered that has no history of consistent success it may not be the best system to start with. Talking to a person who has expertise in each ETF trading system will help a person to find the system that will be most effective for their needs and requirements.
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