There are two categories of traders: day traders and swing traders. Both trading approaches aim at generating profits for the traders. The two methods vary in various aspects, such as trading time, capital requirements, trader’s attributes, commitment, and valuation techniques.
What Is Day Trading And Swing Trading?
In day trading, participants engage in multiple transactions daily. The principal objective of a day trader is to accumulate profits from numerous trades transacted each day. On the other hand, swing traders identify swings that occur after weeks or months. They hold assets and securities for days, weeks, or months waiting for the ideal time to sell them for maximum profits. The trading methods your stockbroker will opt to use will depend on several factors. See this beginner’s guide to help you understand the differences between day trading and swing trading, or check this Robinhood app review and learn about the fees, features, pros, and cons.
Holding Time
Day traders hold assets for less time compared to swing traders. In day trading, a position can be bought, sold, and even liquefied in one day. The trader capitalizes on high-frequency trades even if they have small profits. On the other hand, positions are held for days or weeks in swing trading. Here, the trader sells the asset when the prices are favorable to make a good margin.
Capital Requirement
The capital you’ll need to start trading will depend on the type of market you are exploring. Also, swing and day trading methods will differ on their capital requirements in the different markets. For instance, you’ll need to have at least $25,000 in your account to accrue the benefits of day trading in stocks. On the other hand, swing traders do not have a minimum amount to trade in stocks.
Level of Commitment
Both swing and day traders need to allocate time each day to trading. Day trading is time-consuming and may be considered a full-time job because traders must continually track and monitor price movements. As such, they will need to set aside at least two hours for trading each day. A swing trader, on the other hand, requires much less time for trading. They can check the trades a few times a week since they deal with long-term transactions.
Personal Attributes
Day trading is not only a time-consuming task but also detail-oriented. Therefore, a day trader must be a dynamic, fast, and quick decision maker. They also need to be reasonably skillful in computerized trading and technical analysis. On the flip side, swing trading requires a lot of patience and discipline. However, it can be quite stressful since it poses higher potential risks than day trading.
Valuation Tools and Techniques
In day trading, you need to invest in competitive tools of trade since you’ll be competing against millions of high-frequency traders. A day trader should have high-quality computers, charting software, and a trading platform. Swing traders don’t require sophisticated technology and equipment for trading.
There are notable differences between day trading and swing trading. Each method has its pros and cons. If you want to open and close deals quickly, day trading might be your best option. However, you need adequate time and effort to make multiple transactions and succeed.
If you seek to achieve high-profit margins from the markets, swing trading is the way to go. It is less capital intensive and time-consuming. However, you’ll need to be patient in swing trading since positions must be held longer.
