Scalping is a popular short-term trading strategy that involves opening and closing multiple positions within the same trading session to earn small but quick profits. Scalpers in India can make money by leveraging small price movements in highly liquid shares. Here are some effective scalping strategies for intraday trading in the Indian stock market:
Identify Volatile Stocks
The first step is to identify stocks that show high volatility and liquidity. These stocks frequently fluctuate within a range during the day allowing scalpers to buy low and sell high. Look for shares with average traded volumes above 1 million and an average true range of 3-8%. Stocks like Reliance Industries, TCS, Infosys etc. are good for scalping. Choosing intraday stocks is a crucial part of this trade.
Use Level II Data
Level II market data provides bid and ask quotes, order volumes and depth of market. This data allows scalpers to identify support and resistance levels. It also helps gauge supply and demand zones. By analyzing Level II data, scalpers can precisely time their entries and exits. Platforms like NSE Now provide free Level II data.
Trade the News
Announcement of quarterly results, merger deals, bonus issue etc. lead to high volatility as traders react to news. Scalpers can take advantage by watching stock scrips that are due to release news. Enter positions just before major announcements and close them quickly after the news release.
Follow Momentum
Momentum trading involves taking quick profits by riding on strong price trends. If a stock breaks out on high volumes, scalpers can buy and hold as it pushes up. Book profits once the momentum starts slowing down. A pullback in prices offers another opportunity to enter.
Use MACD Crossover
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence indicator lets traders identify trend changes. Therefore, when the MACD indicator line crosses above the signal line, it indicates an uptrend. This presents an opportunity for scalpers to go long. Exit the position when the lines start converging again. Many demat apps has MACD indicators to support this strategy.
Trade Reversals
Overbought or oversold signals by indicators like RSI provide scalping opportunities. If RSI nears 70, it indicates the stock is overbought and likely to reverse. Scalpers can take quick short positions to profit from the pullback. Exit once the RSI drops below 50.
Track Support and Resistance
Price levels where rallies pause or reverses are called resistance. Levels offering bounce back up are known as support. Scalpers can buy near identified support zones and sell around resistance levels. Even small reversals from these levels allow profitable trades.
Use Bracket Orders
Bracket orders allow scalpers to set a profit target and stop loss before entering a position. This automates the booking process. For long trades, place stop loss below support and target near the resistance level. Reverse the process for short trades.
Stick to Liquid Shares
Focus on shares with high liquidity and trade volumes. Illiquid stocks have wide spreads between bid and ask prices. This eats into profits from small scalping ranges. Maintain a portfolio of 5-10 scrips across sectors.
Keep Positions Small
Don’t take large positions that expose capital to big losses. Stick to quantities around 100-500 shares per trade. Place stop losses at 1-2% of total capital. This ensures the risk on each trade remains small.
Some Of The Risk On Intraday Trading
Market Volatility
Intraday traders profit from small price changes in extremely liquid shares. Market volatility, however, can be a double-edged saber. While it can offer trade opportunities, it can increase the danger. In the event of extreme price swings in a single day of trading can result in substantial loss.
Leverage Risk
The majority of traders who trade intraday leverage to increase their earnings This means that they borrow money to invest. Although leverage can boost returns, it also raises the risk. Unlucky trading can cause the loss of more funds than the amount in the trading account which can lead to the creation of debt.
Time Pressure
Intraday trading is limited by a specific day of trading. The traders must make fast choices and complete trades within minutes or seconds. In this pressure, they can end up in mistakes such as not understanding patterns or charts, which can lead to financial losses.
Psychological Risks
The frantic pace of intraday trading can cause psychological damage which can lead to bad decisions. Trading with emotions can lead to traders taking unnecessary risks or veering off from their plan of trading, or not establishing appropriate limits on stop-loss. Mental fatigue and stress may also affect the long-term wellbeing of a person.
Technical Risks
The trading of intraday is usually dependent on the platform used for trading and the connection to the internet. Every lag, glitch or technical glitches could significantly affect a trader’s capacity to trade or leave positions at their desired levels, which can result in loss of money.
Conclusion
In summary, scalping needs disciplined risk management, quick reflexes and optimal use of trading tools. Mastering the strategies above can help Indian traders scalp profits consistently from the short-term fluctuations of volatile stocks. Just don’t get greedy and overtrade take necessary trading decisions based on data & strategies.