When you are actively trading a given asset or currency pair, you often run the risk of “missing out” on large movements in price, as you’ve taken profits and then try to find the best way to get “back into the trade”.
Obviously I would generally “look for a bounce” in order to re-enter the trade at higher prices when shorting, but what if that “bounce” doesn’t come? You’ve booked profits on only a small portion of the move, and now run the risk of “missing the crash” as you sit on the sidelines “hoping for the ultimate level” to re-enter the trade.
It’s always a tough spot. And I can’t tell you how many points I’ve missed over the years, exiting a trade then watching it go “much further” without me. You can’t catch every single one, and you can never go wrong taking profits.
I employ a simple strategy of “getting under the asset” – placing orders several pips “below current price” when shorting ( and obviously “above” current price when getting long ) with hopes that my orders will get picked up on “further momentum” in said direction. It’s really all you can do.
If you just sit patiently waiting for a bounce, there are times ( such as these last few days with our general position long JPY ) that you may just miss the bigger ride lower, so having a couple of orders in the system “below or above” the current price “should” allow you to participate further, should the move continue.
It’s always tricky looking to “actively trade” as opposed to looking at larger time frames and holding trades longer, and it’s really a matter of preference, but I can say from experience – It’s almost “always” more profitable if you are able to just “stay in the trade”.