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Trading Education Posted by Team Topstep February 25, 2021

Know When to Close a Stale Trade

Trading is all about getting your timing right. If you don’t have a plan for the type of trade you’re attempting, you will be left stressed out at the mercy of the markets. This week on Limit Up! Podcast, Jack, and Dan talk about the importance of timing for your trades. Listen to the episode to learn the strategy behind the timing.



Full Show Notes:

Everyone knows that timing is everything when it comes to trading. But timing goes beyond getting lucky on a big trade. Good traders have a plan and execution strategy for every type of trade they get into.

On today’s edition of Limit Up! Podcast, Dan returns after a bout with Covid (he’s ok!) to talk to Jack about the strategy behind timing. They discuss knowing when to close a stale trade, how the duration of time you’ve held onto a stock determines what you should do with it, and why you should commit to trading during certain hours. Most importantly: take time off!

Listen for their tips and strategy.

  • (00:50) – On the mend
  • (03:03) – Trading against the clock
  • (05:45) – Types of traders
  • (07:46) – Scalping against bots
  • (12:07) – Closing stale day trades
  • (18:14) – Opportunity cost in swing trading
  • (24:28) – Position trading involvement
  • (29:09) – Long-term speculation

About Limit Up!

Limit Up! is a podcast brought to you by Topstep about trading, trading psychology, trading life, and pretty much whatever else the wonderful world of markets has to offer. Two former professional traders host it, Jack and Dan, who still dabble in futures, forex, options, political betting—they basically love to follow the action. They’ll teach you how to trade, but more importantly, how to develop the habits that make traders good. Risk Disclosure: https://www.topstep.com/risk-disclosure/

Topstep is the premiere funding opportunity for traders looking to make the most market opportunities without risking their own capital. When traders pass the completely-objective Trading Combine®, Topstep funds them with proprietary money. Guaranteed. Beyond funding, we seek to instill better habits in our traders (hence the Limit Up! Podcast and other educational resources). Topstep has been based in Chicago since 2012.

Jack Pelzer is a co-host of Limit Up! He traded as part of a U.S. Treasury group for 7 years at Chopper Trading and DRW. After leaving the industry, he became a Writing Fellow and Senior Contributing Writer for The Onion. He is now the Head of Content at Topstep.

Dan Hodgman is a co-host of Limit Up! Before coming to Topstep, Dan traded 30 Yr Treasury Options and Yield Spreads. Before that, he served in the United States Marine Corps, where he simultaneously managed his own Futures Account, applying the skills he grew up learning from clerking on the trading floor. Now Dan works with the Traders here at Topstep as a Performance Coach and is a regular on the Daily Market Recap.

If you’d like to receive new episodes as they’re published, please subscribe to Limit Up! in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.

Podcast episode production by Dante32.