What is Intraday Trading?
When you buy and sell stocks within the same day, this is called intraday trading. You start a trade in the morning and end it in the evening. The goal is to make small gains from price changes that happen quickly.
It moves quickly, and you have to keep a close eye on the market all day. Since you don't keep stocks overnight, you don't have to worry about what might happen after business hours. However, you do have to make decisions quickly.
Advantages of Intraday Trading
Given below are some of the critical advantages of Intraday Trading.
A regular source of income
Although intraday trading carries significant risk, trading daily for a few hours generates a steady income.
Risk
One of the most critical benefits of intraday trading is that the investment is not exposed to overnight risk. Intraday traders square off their positions before the end of each trading day. As a result, a drastic turn of events overnight does not influence the trader’s portfolio.
Returns
Intraday trading is known to generate monumental returns. Traders can take advantage of rising stock prices in bullish markets or practise short selling in bearish markets.
Lower commission charges
Brokers charge nominal commission charges for intraday traders. The brokerage fee on intraday trading is typically one-tenth if standard trading is undertaken.
Liquidity
Intraday trading requires trades to settle each day. As a result, the investor’s capital does not get blocked.
High leverage
Brokers typically provide high leverage to intraday traders, which helps in enhancing their profits.
Disadvantages of Intraday Trading
Although intraday trading is a powerful strategy to maximise profits, it carries some disadvantages:
Time-consuming
Intraday trading requires continuous stock market monitoring to assess profit-making potential.
Insufficient time to formulate strategies
Intraday trading requires traders to quickly assess the markets and place their trades immediately to capture profits. They do not get sufficient time to develop well-lit strategies.
Not recommended for beginners
Intraday trading requires you to quickly assess market trends and place trades instantly. The trader must carry some experience to analyse markets quickly while making efficient decisions.
Ownership of shares
In intraday trading, the ownership of shares is not transferred to the trader.
What is Positional Trading?
When you do positional trading, you hold on to stocks for a longer time, usually weeks or even months. When you buy shares, you expect their value to go up over time, not just today.
Because you don't have to keep an eye on the market all the time, this style is less busy. It's good for investors who can't keep an eye on the market all the time.
Difference Between Intraday and Positional Trading
Here’s a simple table showing the difference between Intraday and Positional Trading:
Aspect
| Intraday Trading
| Positional Trading
|
Holding Period
| Same day, positions closed by end of day
| Several days to months
|
Time Commitment
| High, requires full-day attention
| Lower, you monitor less often
|
Risk Level
| Higher, due to quick market moves
| Moderate, based on long-term trends
|
Profit Size
| Small profits from quick trades
| Larger profits from bigger moves
|
Stress Level
| High, fast decisions needed
| Lower, less pressure
|
Strategy Focus
| Short-term price fluctuations
| Long-term market trends
|
Positional Trading vs Intraday Trading - What to Choose?
If you like watching the market closely and making quick moves, intraday trading might suit you. It’s fast and needs your full attention during market hours.
But if you prefer a slower pace and can wait weeks or months for profits, positional trading fits better. It’s less stressful and doesn’t need constant monitoring.
Feature
| Intraday Trading
| Positional Trading
|
Holding Period
| Same day
| Weeks to months
|
Time Commitment
| High, active all day
| Lower, check occasionally
|
Risk Level
| High, quick price changes
| Moderate, long-term trends
|
Profit Target
| Small, frequent gains
| Bigger gains over time
|
Stress Level
| High due to fast decisions
| Lower, more relaxed
|
Conclusion
You can make money with both intraday and positional trading. Which one you choose relies on how comfortable you are with risk, how much time you have, and how involved you want to be.
You can also do swing buying, which is a mix of the two. Knowing about each approach can help you pick the one that fits your goals and way of life the best.