How many trades per week on average?

Seeking all professional / successful traders who trade on the 4hr and daily timeframes.

On average, how many trades do you take per week? I’m currently doing about 20-30 so I’m wondering if I’m over-trading?

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That depends on what kind of trading you are doing with these TFs, but my first impression is that you probably are overtrading. :slight_smile:

I guess the first criterion is whether your current trading method is successful and meeting your objectives. If so, then no problem! But I suspect from the fact that you have raised the question here that either it is not proving profitable or not as much as you anticipated?

Since the FX market is open 24 hrs/5days then there are 30 4-hour candles forming per week and so, assuming you sleep sometimes, then you must be trading at least once per 4H candle and sometimes multiple trades within a 4H candle? - Which also suggests you are not holding your positions for very long, probably exiting within the same or subsequent candle? This is maybe not typical of trading on these TFs?

Certainly, I can’t imagine there are that many trades per week on these TFs if one is trading off S/R or trend lines or MA crosses etc?

But, on the other hand, if you are trading a method based on each (significant) candle then it is a more reasonable number (although still at the high end). Such a trading method might be, say, entering on the close of a 4H candle which has a significant body either with or contra the daily trend, and with a target of, say, 10-20 pips and a stop beyond the previous candle’s high/low. This is just an example not a recommendation! :smiley:

So maybe you could give some more detail of what you are doing and why and then it might be possible to comment more precisely?

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How many trade need to per day on average is depends on what kind of trading you are doing. Without any basic knowledge most of the trader thinks that they have to do more and more trade in a day. As a result it over traded. To get your question answer first you have to find out are you doing profitable trade in a single trade? If not, are you using the proper method for trading? If you get these answer you will automatically realize how many trade you can do per day.

@davenz
This is very individual and it is depending on your trading style, your strategy.
So there is no point to say 20-30 trades/week is overtrading.
If you follow the trading plan and execute entries according to trading plan rules than you are fine. Be it 5 trades or 50 trades per week.
On contrary you should not trade just because you feel trading opportunity or because you haven’t seen trading pattern for days.
Just stick to your trading plan.

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Yikes, Dave. 20-30? Not being judgemental, but maybe more concerned. Now, if you were trading professionally using the 5 minute timeframes and were using different instruments besides forex, then I would say you were just doing your job.

But putting in 20-30 FOREX trades per week using only higher timeframe charts almost sounds impossible. If you are making a profit, then who cares how many trades you put in a week. But guessing from the tone of your question, that probably is not the case. I trade only the 4 hour charts, and I’m lucky if I can get 2 or 3 trades to trigger per week. The last loss I took was six weeks ago, and that’s because it was a bonehead mistake and not the system’s fault.

Oh, I take plenty of losses using the 15 minute charts, but I trade those using my “fun” account. I have about $150 in there, and it’s less than I spend on a weekend out. I do all kinds of weird stuff with it. I experiment with new systems, trade the 1 minute charts, trade contrarian, etc. It’s money I could care less if I lose. If I’m bored, that’s where I go. Not my main forex account.

That’s what I would like you to do. Set up your own “fun” account using a demo or maybe $50. You’ll need to be able to trade customized lot sizes on it. Experiment all you want. But when it comes time to trade on your main account, take only those trades that you are 80% sure will win (which in reality will give you the 60% probability every trader is looking for).

Best of luck on the charts.

@davenz, do not contact this charlatan under any circumstances. You will get all the answers you need here in the forum, just ask away. There are plenty of members willing to help.

I’d be flattering myself a lot if I called myself “professional” but I am now a profitable trader (after a long time of not being one).

I’m very surprised you can find up to 30 trades per week if you’re using four hour and daily charts. That really sounds a lot, to me! I’m guessing, but my guess is that you’re overtrading.

I agree with what Manxx said.

Stay away from SteveEpperson, you don’t want him sending you messages, and he won’t help you and doesn’t know nearly as much as he pretends to, and isn’t a good source of advice at all!

I am a scalper! So, I open enough number of trades in every weekly! In average, its more than 20.

Just realised I didn’t actually answer your direct question, in my comments above.

I trade from five minute charts and I find about 20 trades per week.

I was advised to be very, very selective and take only the trades I think “look perfect” and that seems to work for me.

I could find 40 trades per week instead of 20, using the same system, but I know from watching carefully and recording the results of all the additional ones I “decline” that my win rate would be a lot lower, if I also traded the extra 20.

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Thanks for your reply!

I watch a lot of different markets which is why I’m able to take a lot of trades. I watch the majors, minors, some exotics, commodities, indicies and US stocks.

My current method has given some impressive results… I just think it’s me that’s holding it back from flourishing! I’m going to try and be more selective in my trading and cut down the amount of trades I do.

I think my biggest problem is having the ‘fear of missing out’ when I’m not in the market!

First off, I take my hat off to you trading the 5min chart - I don’t know how you guys do it!

Interesting point. I might go through my journal and work out how I can cull the false triggers and improve my win rate while lowering the amount of trades I take!

So far I am only trade around three or two times trades usually, because often I am .like with swing trading strategy because more comfortable with swing trading and I can leaving the chart awhile and do something else because also I have offline job

You can trade even on 1m chart, profitable for years.

I am a swing trader, I don’t open more than 5 trades in a week! I am comfortable with long-term trading style!

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My Strong Weak trading system which gives entry signals based on information from Daily and 4hr charts has given me
total of 39 entry signals year to date, I cannot imagine what you are looking at on a daily/4hr chart that would give you 30 entries in a week, are you actually day trading off of 4hr candles, I guess that would be possible especially if you are trading pairs outside the normal main 8

I hope you are keeping good records of our trades and weeding out the ones that keep loosing,

Yes, a 38% absolute gain is incredible with a 20%+ drawdown.

No wonder you don’t want to share the link with all your deposits riding on your account.

A lot depends on the trading style. Those who trade long-term can open 1-2 deals a week and scalpers will open 10 deals a day.

yes for long term traders 1 successful trade is enough per week. For daily traders they use to trade 2 or 3 times daily, in this way their trading is more as more than 10 trades per week. Our trading style will tell us how many trades we need.

With low targets I use to trade 8 to 10 times in a week. Other wise only 4 to 5 trades are enough , depending to achieve my targets and capital I decide I need to do more trading or not. I do not want to over trade . t is a kind of greed not give us benefit.