Swing Trading For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Introduction

Just what is a swing trader? Swing traders hold positions over several days and sometimes for a few weeks. The goal of swing trading is to profit from short but powerful moves.

Swing trading differs from the buy-and-hold approach to investing. Long-term investors may hold a security through periods of weakness — lasting weeks, months, or even years — figuring that the tide will eventually turn and their investment thesis will be proven correct. Swing traders don’t care for such poor performance in the near term. If a security’s price is performing poorly, swing traders exit first and ask questions later.

I wish I could tell you that swing trading is fast and easy and leads to overnight profits that will make you an instant millionaire. Perhaps you have seen ads about a quick path to profits by following a “proven” or “secret” system. Or maybe you’ve seen a “news story” of an elementary school teacher that became a millionaire trading stocks during her lunch break. These ads and stories are alluring — people really want to believe them.

But I’m afraid the reality is there are no sure-fire ways to instant riches. Swing trading is no different; it won’t turn you into a millionaire overnight. Period. Anyone who tells you different is either lying, doesn’t know, or has something to sell you. As a beginner in swing trading, you’ll likely lose money for a period until you master the ropes and apply the information in this book and other resources. I remember reading several ...