What is Intraday Trading?
Intraday trading refers to the practice of buying and selling stocks within the same trading day. The primary objective of intraday trading is to capitalize on small price movements in the market, with all positions being squared off before the market closes. Unlike long-term investing, where the focus is on the fundamental growth of a company, intraday trading relies heavily on market trends, technical analysis, and quick decision-making. Traders use various strategies such as momentum trading, scalping, and breakout trading to profit from these short-term price fluctuations. The key difference between intraday trading and regular trading lies in the holding period; in intraday trading, no stocks are held overnight.
“Intraday trading” describes the buying and selling of a security within a single day (i.e., before the market closes). This type of trading is done by traders interested in making smaller and quicker profits.
Intraday traders do not have long-term goals for their investments; instead, they are looking for short-term gains during the same trading day.
Intraday traders minimise the risk of impact from overnight events. This trading method aims to take positions for shorter time intervals and book smaller profits during market hours. Intraday traders sometimes aim to take more than one trade on the same day.
9 Rules for Selecting Stocks for Intraday Trading
Trading is all about buying and selling shares on the same day with an aim to book profits. However, to succeed as an intraday trader, you need to have extensive market knowledge so that you can select the suitable stocks which will generate profit for you.
Let’s take a look at the eight rules for the selection of stocks that will make you a successful intraday trader.
- Choose Liquid stocks.
- Look for volatile stocks.
- Invest in correlated stocks.
- Follow market trends.
- Use different strategies that can help you conduct technical analysis of stocks for the identification of buy or sell signals.
- Go for stocks of companies that have sufficient news about their business operations in the market.
- Follow the performance of various sectors in the market and invest accordingly.
- Select stocks that have a presence in the derivative segment.
- Avoid penny stock.
Additional Read : Most Volatile Stocks in India
3 Factors To Consider While Selecting Stocks For Intraday Trading
1. Liquidity
- Why It Matters: Liquidity refers to how easily a stock can be bought or sold in the market without affecting its price. Highly liquid stocks allow traders to enter and exit positions quickly, which is essential in intraday trading where timing is everything.
- How to Identify: Look for stocks with high trading volumes. Stocks of large-cap companies or those in popular sectors typically exhibit higher liquidity. Liquidity ensures that there is enough market activity to support quick trades, reducing the risk of slippage.
2. Volatility
- Why It Matters: Volatility measures the price fluctuations of a stock within a specific period. High volatility indicates that the stock price is likely to experience significant changes during the trading day, presenting more opportunities for profit.
- How to Identify: Consider stocks that have a history of frequent price movements or are currently experiencing volatility due to market news, earnings announcements, or sectoral changes. However, be cautious with extreme volatility as it can also increase the risk of substantial losses.
3. Market Trends and News
- Why It Matters: Stock prices can be significantly influenced by market trends, news, and events. Positive news can lead to a rise in stock prices, while negative news can cause a decline. Staying informed about the latest developments can help in making informed trading decisions.
Additional Read : What is Liquidity
What strategies are commonly used by day traders?
Day traders employ a variety of short-term strategies to capitalise on small price movements within a single trading session. These strategies are built around technical analysis, volume trends, price patterns, and timing. The key to successful day trading lies in discipline, risk management, and quick decision-making. Below are some of the most common strategies used by day traders:
- Scalping: Involves making dozens of trades a day to capture small price movements. Positions are held for a few seconds to minutes.
- Momentum trading: Traders enter positions in stocks showing strong upward or downward movement and exit once momentum slows.
- Breakout trading: Involves entering a trade when a stock price breaks above a resistance level or below a support level, backed by strong volume.
- Pullback or retracement trading: Traders enter during a temporary price dip within an overall trend, buying low and selling high.
- VWAP trading: Traders use the Volume Weighted Average Price to identify fair entry and exit points during intraday sessions.
- Reversal trading: Positions are taken when a stock shows signs of changing direction, using indicators like RSI or MACD.
- Gap and go strategy: Trades stocks that gap up or down in the pre-market and show continued direction post-open.
How do day traders analyze stock liquidity?
Liquidity is crucial for day trading as it ensures that a trader can enter and exit positions quickly without large price impact. Day traders rely on several indicators and tools to assess a stock’s liquidity before initiating trades. Here’s how they do it:
- Average daily volume: Stocks with higher average volume (preferably over 500,000 shares) are more liquid and ideal for day trading.
- Bid-ask spread: A narrow bid-ask spread indicates high liquidity, reducing the cost of entering and exiting trades.
- Order book depth: Traders review Level 2 data to check the number of buy and sell orders at various price levels.
- Turnover ratio: High turnover indicates frequent trading and better liquidity, especially useful during volatile sessions.
- Price impact of large orders: Stocks with better liquidity absorb large orders without significant price movement.
- Market participation: Stocks with institutional and retail interest tend to be more actively traded and more liquid.
- Intra-day price movement: Stocks with consistent intraday movement and volume spikes attract active traders and increase liquidity.
By focusing on these metrics, day traders ensure that they choose stocks that allow fast execution and minimal slippage.
How do day traders analyze stock correlation?
Stock correlation analysis helps day traders manage risk and avoid doubling down on the same market movement. Understanding how one stock’s price moves in relation to another or a broader index is crucial in a diversified intraday strategy. Here’s how traders assess correlation:
- Correlation coefficient: A statistical measure between -1 and +1 that shows how two stocks move in relation to each other.
- Sector correlation: Traders avoid trading multiple stocks in the same sector if they are positively correlated, to reduce risk concentration.
- Index correlation: Stocks that mirror index movements (e.g., Nifty or Sensex) are often traded during index-based strategies.
- Pair trading strategy: Traders identify two highly correlated stocks, taking long and short positions simultaneously to profit from price divergence.
- ETF comparison: Stocks compared with related ETFs to identify overall sentiment or sector trends.
- Correlation charts: Tools on trading platforms help visualise past correlation data and identify ideal stock combinations.
Understanding correlation helps traders manage portfolio exposure and improves decision-making during high-volatility periods.
How do day traders decide exit points for profits and losses?
Exiting a trade is as critical as entering one. Day traders use a mix of technical tools, price levels, and market behaviour to determine their exit points. Key factors include:
- Predefined stop-loss and target price: Traders always set a stop-loss and profit target based on their risk-reward ratio before entering a trade.
- Support and resistance levels: Exits are often planned near these levels to maximise potential and limit reversals.
- Trailing stop-loss: Used to protect profits by moving the stop-loss level as the stock price moves favourably.
- Time-based exits: Some traders close all positions by a specific time, especially before volatile market events or closing hours.
- Volume confirmation: A decline in volume after a move may signal weakening momentum and an exit trigger.
- Technical indicators: Indicators like RSI, MACD, and Bollinger Bands help identify overbought or oversold zones, guiding exit decisions.
Conclusion
To succeed in intraday trading, picking the appropriate intraday trading stocks is crucial; as a result, make technical analysis your companion. Moreover, by following the above tips, you will have a clear understanding of selecting the right stocks for day trading. Finally, to avoid emotional bias, ensure your judgments are data-driven.