What is the golden stop-loss rule?
For trades such as stocks, futures, or forex, stop loss is a part of the trade, and it only works for investors if there is a stop loss in each transaction and it is adhered to. Today, I bring you a 3:1 gold stop loss rule, hoping to help with your investments.
Stop loss is a way to minimize losses in current market trades and is frequently mentioned. However, the essence of stop loss is not just setting a stop loss price. In particular, in markets such as forex and futures where long and short positions can be taken, too many stop losses will undoubtedly cause significant loss of capital. Market leaders use people's fear to cause repeated shocks, even unilateral rises or falls to trigger short-term traders' stop loss prices, and then quickly retract. The normal daily volatility of the stock market is also around 5%, so if your stop loss is set at 5%, won't it often be hit?
This requires attention to two issues: first, judging the trend of the market, whether it is a volatile market or a clear trend market; second, setting a reasonable stop loss position.
First of all, it's important to understand that the most notable characteristic of the trading market is volatility, and most of the time it's in a volatile trend, regardless of whether it's in a larger time frame or a shorter time frame. Therefore, the investment strategy for a volatile market should be the preferred strategy for short-term traders.
Secondly, identifying the range of volatility is crucial. Find the highest and lowest prices in recent price fluctuations. After a sharp rise or fall in the market, a corrective wave will form between these highest and lowest prices, sometimes lasting a long time. For example, commonly seen patterns such as triangle consolidation or box consolidation require a longer period of time before forming a new breakthrough. As for what prices to choose as the range, it depends on your trading period, whether it's daily, weekly, 60-minute, or even minute-by-minute. By using price analysis to determine the operational cycle, you will find a clear pattern of fluctuation range. The stop-loss price for such fluctuations should be set outside the highest or lowest points, and smaller stop-loss or trailing stop-loss should not be used.
When the price breaks through the highest point, it is necessary to observe its sustainability. In most cases, it will return to the range-bound area again. However, if the sustainability is strong, it continuously sets new highs, and trading volume continues to increase, a new trend can be determined, and the stop-loss can be changed to a trailing stop. Its price should be set at a price that falls more than one time period beyond the highest or lowest price, and there is no new high or low in three consecutive time periods. At this time, it can be judged that the trend has stopped and entered a range-bound market. For example, if the time period is a 5-minute candlestick chart, then the trailing stop should be set at a price formed by a relatively large 5-minute candlestick chart. But generally, it should not exceed two candlestick chart prices, because beyond this price, the profit left is often very small.
The 3:1 golden stop-loss rule in trading skills means that the profit of the take-profit point is three times the loss of the stop-loss point. For example, if you buy a stock and it falls by 7% or 8%, you should close your position in a timely manner. When your stock rises by 20% to 25%, you should consider selling some of it, and not be greedy and wait for it to rise further. Of course, the percentage values here can be changed according to the market situation, but the ratio should always be maintained at 3:1.
Some investors may have doubts, what if I set a stop loss at 8% and then the stock rises significantly, even by more than 50%, after I sell it? It seems like a big mistake to sell it, and many investors may no longer believe in the 3:1 rule. Actually, the reason why we set a stop loss at 8% is to prevent it from falling by 10%, 20%, 25%, 40% or even more. You can think of it as a small insurance premium to ensure that an 8% loss doesn't turn into a 60% loss. Isn't it easier to handle that way? For most investors, an 8% loss is manageable, but a 60% loss is a burden that many cannot afford.
In the market, human weaknesses will be reflected. When you hold a stock that falls, you will lose some capital, and you will fear that it will continue to fall, rather than hoping it will rebound to make up for previous losses. As a defensive measure, trading systems should still follow the 3:1 rule for stop losses. Finally, I wish everyone a happy investment journey.
