Managing risk in intraday trading involves both preventive and corrective actions. Below are some proven strategies:
Position Sizing
Determining how much capital to allocate per trade can significantly reduce the chances of large losses:
Formula:
Setting Stop Losses
A stop-loss order automatically exits your position if the stock moves against you:
Types of Stop Loss:
Using Target Profits
Just like stop losses, defining a target price ensures you don’t hold onto a trade too long:
Maintaining a Favourable Risk-Reward Ratio
The risk-reward ratio helps measure how much potential return you expect versus the risk taken:
Formula:
Risk-Reward Ratio = (Target Price - Entry Price) / (Entry Price - Stop Loss)
Avoiding Overtrading
Excessive trading can lead to:
Higher transaction costs
Emotional exhaustion
Poor decision-making
Set a limit on the number of trades per day and trade only when setups match your strategy.
Diversification Across Sectors or Instruments
Don’t put all your capital into one stock or sector. Spread exposure across different trades to reduce the risk of loss from a single event.
Using Technical Indicators to Confirm Setups
Rely on tools and indicators to validate entry and exit points:
This helps filter out false signals and avoid impulsive entries.
Limiting Leverage Usage
Intraday trading offers high leverage, but overusing it can backfire:
Reviewing Past Trades
Post-trade analysis helps improve risk management: