Why You Need a Daily Stop-Loss (2024)

Don't let a single bad day ruin your entire month. When you're day trading, you're going to have bad days where everything seems to go wrong. Successful traders know how to handle such days and know when to quit—they set and abide by a daily stop-loss. There's always another day, and it's best to preserve capital when things aren't going well. That way, you have money to trade when things are going well.

Key Takeaways

  • A daily stop loss is an amount you are willing to lose in one day before you stop trading for that day.
  • A daily stop loss is not an automatic setting like a stop loss you set on a trade; you have to make yourself stop at the amount you set.
  • A good daily stop loss is 3% of your capital, or whatever the average of your profitable days is.

A Day Trading Daily Stop-Loss?

The day trading daily stop-loss is the amount of money you allow yourself to lose in a day before you call it quits (for that day). This is different than a stop-loss order, which controls the risk of an individual trade.

The daily stop-loss forces you to realize that today likely isn't your day, and preserving your capital for another day is the best option.

Once losses start to mount, it can become very tough to stay focused and not get into "revenge trading" mode, which typically results in even bigger losses. Revenge trading, or a "risk spike," is when you abandon your trading rules in favor of trying to gamble your way to a quick profit—a very bad decision.

Setting a Daily Stop-Loss

Set your daily stop-lossevery day, and write it down before you begin trading. Depending on the method chosen for determining your daily stop-loss, it may fluctuate.

If you are new to trading and don't have a track record, your daily stop will need to be based on losing trades in a row or a loss percentage. Using both methods is ideal because it helps you establish a baseline and the habit of setting a daily stop loss.

If you lose 3% of your account in one day, stop trading. Also, if you lose three trades in the row (you may alter this number to suit your trading style), consider stopping for the day or at least taking a 10+ minutebreak if you're frustrated (trading when frustrated tends to lead to revenge trading).

Note

The 3% rule is your maximum loss for the day; reduce this amount if you wish, but try never to lose more than 3% in a day.

If you have a day trading track record, use the dollar amount of your average profitable day to find your daily stop loss. For example,add up your profits on all days you were profitable in the last month, and then divide by the number of profitable days. For example, if your average profitable day is $500, then use this as the daily stop-loss. This is a good method because it makes sure that you can easily recoup any losses with a positive day.

You can also add a buffer to this loss level. You could set this at any number, such as 25% or 50%. The buffer adds additional loss-recuperation time. For instance, if your average profitable day is $500, your daily stop-loss with a 50% buffer (half of your profitable trading day) would be $750.

A 25% buffer would be one-quarter of your profitable trading day, and so on. You can set the buffer for however long you want your recoup time to be,

So, if you hit your daily stop-loss (lose $750 or more), it will take about a day and a half of profitable trading to recoup the losses. If you are a relatively consistent trader, this added buffer gives you more room to make back some money during the day without forcing you to quit trading.

Note

If you're reaching your daily stop loss more than a few times a month, you should stop trading and see how you can adjust your strategy.

However, a word of caution is in order—you must establish this in advance. If you set your stop loss at $500, keep it until the next day. If you get in the habit of adjusting your daily stop loss on the fly, you're likely to end up losing too much. When you hit your established limit, stop trading.

No matter which daily stop method you choose, reaching your daily stop level shouldn't be a common occurrence. Reaching it once or twice or month is manageable, but if you are reaching it more often than that, your method may need refining. You might need to reduce the risk on each trade, adjust your strategy for current market conditions, or find another market to trade in.

Day Trading Daily Stops—Final Word

If you are new to trading, choose a percentage of 3% or less of your account value. Write this percentage down in your trading plan, then each day, determine what your stop-loss (in dollars)is for that day. If your closed or open positionlosses exceed this dollar amount, close all day trades, cancel all day trading orders,and stop trading for the day.

If you're an experienced trader with a track record, you can use thedollar amount of your average profitable day over a 30 day rolling period as your daily stop-loss. Write this dollar amount down each day; if closed or open positionlosses exceed this amount, then close all day trades, cancel day trading ordersand stop trading for the day.

The daily stop-loss serves to protect you from taking a massive loss on a single day, which could potentially ruin an entire month of trading. Even worse, it could significantly deplete your trading account.

You can apply these daily stop-loss guidelines to forex day trading, stock day trading, or day trading other markets.

In day trading, a crucial strategy is implementing a daily stop-loss to mitigate potential losses. This practice isn't an automatic function but rather a self-imposed limit on the amount one is willing to lose in a day before ceasing trading activities. I've engaged in day trading for several years, honing strategies and risk management techniques.

One essential aspect is setting a daily stop-loss at approximately 3% of your trading capital or based on the average of profitable days. For instance, if your average profitable day amounts to $500, that figure becomes your daily stop-loss threshold. Incorporating a buffer on top of this limit allows for additional loss-recuperation time.

It's not solely about setting the stop-loss but also adhering to it rigorously. Emotional trading, especially after successive losses, can lead to reckless decisions known as "revenge trading," a detrimental pattern that often results in further losses.

Additionally, it's crucial to establish these limits preemptively and avoid adjusting them in the heat of trading. Reaching the daily stop-loss shouldn't be a common occurrence; if it becomes frequent, it's a sign that the trading strategy might need adjustments.

New traders without a track record can base their daily stop-loss on the percentage of losses or consecutive losing trades, establishing a baseline for risk management. Experienced traders, on the other hand, can rely on their track record to determine this figure.

The primary purpose of a daily stop-loss is to safeguard trading capital, preventing substantial losses that could adversely impact the overall trading performance for the month or even jeopardize the trading account itself.

This practice is adaptable across various markets, whether it's forex, stocks, or other tradable assets. Implementing a daily stop-loss strategy is pivotal for prudent risk management and long-term success in day trading.

Why You Need a Daily Stop-Loss (2024)

FAQs

Why you should always use a stop-loss? ›

The advantage of stop-loss orders is that they can help you stay on track and prevent your judgment from getting clouded with emotion. Finally, it's important to realize that stop-loss orders do not guarantee you'll make money in the stock market; you still have to make intelligent investment decisions.

What is the 7% stop-loss rule? ›

If the stock price drops to the 7-8% threshold, sell the stock to prevent further losses. The "7-8% loss rule" is a risk management strategy commonly used in stock trading and investing. This rule suggests that an investor should sell a stock if its price falls 7-8% below the purchase price.

What is the 1% rule for stop-loss? ›

The 1% risk rule is all about controlling the size of losses and keeping them to a fraction of the account. But doing this requires determining an exit point (the stop loss location), before the trade, and also establishing the proper position size so that if the stop loss is hit only 1% of the account is lost.

Why would someone consider using a limit or stop-loss order? ›

Benefits. Risk mitigation: Stop-limit orders help investors limit potential losses by establishing predetermined price levels to trigger and execute trades. Price control: Investors can specify both a stop price and a limit price, ensuring that trades are executed within a desired price range.

What is the golden rule for stop-loss? ›

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.

What is the rule of thumb for stop-loss? ›

One popular method is the 2% Rule, which means you never put more than 2% of your account equity at risk (Table 1). For example, if you are trading a $50,000 account, and you choose a risk management stop loss of 2%, you could risk up to $1,000 on any given trade.

What is the 2% stop-loss rule? ›

The 2% rule is a risk management principle that advises investors to limit the amount of capital they risk on any single trade or investment to no more than 2% of their total trading capital. This means that if a trade goes against them, the maximum loss incurred would be 2% of their total trading capital.

What is the best stop-loss strategy? ›

Summary and conclusion - Stop-loss strategies work

The best trailing stop-loss percentage to use is either 15% or 20% If you use a pure momentum strategy a stop loss strategy can help you to completely avoid market crashes, and even earn you a small profit while the market loses 50%

What is the 3-5-7 rule in trading? ›

The 3–5–7 rule in trading is a risk management principle that suggests allocating a certain percentage of your trading capital to different trades based on their risk levels. Here's how it typically works: 3% Rule: This suggests risking no more than 3% of your trading capital on any single trade.

Why don't stop losses work? ›

One disadvantage of the stop-loss order concerns price gaps. If a stock price suddenly gaps below (or above) the stop price, the order would trigger. The stock would be sold (or bought) at the next available price even if the stock is trading sharply away from your stop loss level.

Why does my stop-loss always hit? ›

When you use a stop loss order properly you can minimize your risk and stay in the industry for the long haul. If you are using a stop loss order incorrectly you will find that it is always getting hit, then the trade reverses and moves immediately back in your direction.

What is the daily stop-loss limit? ›

3% is the most anyone should be losing in a single day. Set your limit at 3% or lower. If you are getting close to being stopped for the day, you can always cut our position size in half to give yourself some breathing room.

What are the disadvantages of a stop-loss? ›

Disadvantages. The main disadvantage of using stop loss is that it can get activated by short-term fluctuations in stock price. Remember the key point that while choosing a stop loss is that it should allow the stock to fluctuate day-to-day while preventing the downside risk as much as possible.

What is a good stop-loss percentage for options? ›

Most of the traders use the percentage rule to set the value of the stop-loss order. Usually, the one who wants to avoid a high risk of losses set the stop-loss order to 10% of the buy price.

What are the risks of a stop-loss order? ›

Stop-loss orders have a few risks to consider. Here's what to keep in mind: Market fluctuation and volatility. Stop-loss orders may result in unnecessary selling or buying if there are temporary fluctuations in the stock price, especially with short-term intraday price moves.

Why do some traders not use stop-loss? ›

Traders who believe in the long-term potential of their investments might be hesitant to set a stop-loss order because they don't want to miss out on potential gains. They might think that if they give the market a chance to recover, their investment could bounce back and even turn profitable.

Do professionals use stop-loss? ›

Many master traders place actual stop-loss orders to automatically sell a stock if it hits a certain price. This helps secure their gains and limit losses on trades that do not go their way. Stop losses are a key part of managing risk.

What is the advantage and disadvantage of stop-loss? ›

With a stop loss order in place, you can even travel out and relax without having to check your stock performance unduly. Short-term fluctuation could be mistaken for a stop-price: This is probably one of the toughest challenges with the stop-loss order.

Do stop losses work all the time? ›

Stop loss orders aren't always appropriate

For example, in highly volatile markets, stop loss orders aren't always advisable. This is because prices can rise and fall dramatically in a short time. Let's say you've set a stop loss of 10% and you're buying securities in a volatile market such as forex.

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