Traders must learn to recognize an underlying trend and trade around it to continuously make money in the markets. “Trade with the trend,” “don’t fight the tape,” and “the trend is your buddy” are all common clichés.
But how long can a trend last? When is the best time to enter or exit a business? What is a short-term trader, and what does it entail? We’ll look at trading time frames in further detail in this section. The type of trading you wish to undertake has a lot to do with your chosen time frame.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to “which time frame is best” because it depends entirely on you and your trading approach. Because time frames and trading styles are inextricably linked, you must first choose which trading style best suits you.
What is the optimal time frame for each type of trader?
Let’s take a look at some of the most well-known.
Time frame suitable for scalpers
Scalping is a trading strategy that entails spotting slight price fluctuations in the forex market and then purchasing and selling large amounts of currency in a short period of time. By doing this repeatedly, scalpers hope to make a lot of small profits that add up to a good day’s profit.
Scalpers often work in one-minute to 15-minute increments. On the other hand, Scalpers prefer to trade in one-or two-minute periods.
Time frame suitable for day traders
Day traders choose shorter timescales, with the majority opting for 15-minute to four-hour time frames. Being a day trader allows you to choose from a variety of timeframes based on the liquidity of your chosen market, the amount of time you have to make deals, and your preferred trading approach.
Time frame suitable for swing traders
Swing traders prefer longer time frames because they may take advantage of price trends and patterns that develop over time. These intervals can range from a few days to a few weeks or even months. Swing traders can make money by taking advantage of price action swings, other technical indicators, or a stop loss and profit goal.
Time frame suitable for position traders
Position traders, as the name implies, take a position in a specific forex market and hold it in the hopes of increasing its value over time. These traders are unlikely to make numerous transactions, and they will most likely work for several weeks, months, or perhaps a year.
Unlike traditional ‘buy and hold’ investors, Position traders aren’t simply putting their money in a bank account for the rest of their lives. They are trend followers, and their goal is to spot a trend, buy into it, and then sell it when it reaches its height.
Bottom line
If you want to take trading seriously, you must recognize that it is a way of life, similar to working full-time. Knowing the various time frames accessible and their pros and limitations will undoubtedly aid you in selecting the most appropriate one for your trading.
And choosing the correct trading frame is one of the most crucial aspects in ensuring you have the right tools for the job—ones tailored to your trading personality, style, and objectives.
If you have diverse trading techniques and objectives, you don’t have to use a single timeframe. It’s also possible to have short-term and longer-term trading accounts, allowing you to take advantage of all available opportunities based on your time horizon and objectives.
