Day Trading Versus Investing

By James Larson

There are many differences between day trading and investing. Day traders aim to make small profits many times by buying large numbers of shares and selling them within short periods of time to profit from small same day movements. Day traders can make several trades in one day and even hold stocks for a few hours or minutes before they sell them back.

There have been parallels been made between day trading and gambling. The truth is that the two don't have many similarities. A day trader must base his actions on specific data and analysis before a stock purchase and sale is made. Luck doesn't play a role in the decision making process of either the investor or the day trader.

Day traders base their buy and sell decisions on the fact that stock prices fluctuate constantly. The volatility of stock prices is what day traders depend on to make money. Conversely it is also what will determine if they will loose money. It is these daily small fluctuations that the day trader depends on to make a profit.

While a day trader is looking for relatively small returns real investors are in it for the long run and they are looking for much larger price fluctuations in stock. Investors research and buy so that their return is preferably higher than what they would get if they save their money in the bank also taking inflation in consideration.

If you are contemplating between the two then you should know that being a day trader requires a lot of time patience and practice. It could take a long time before you get used to the everyday shifts and changes in the market. The one thing you should be aware of is that you cant become an expert day trader overnight. The same things goes with becoming an successful investor.

The biggest difference between a day trader and an investor has to do with time. Investors generally hold stock and assets much longer than the average day trader. Overall there is no consensus on which of the two methods generates the most returns.

Whether you are thinking of becoming an investor or a day trader you should take some time and learn about the techniques involved. In the end if you decide to take your money into your own hands you should be able to make the right decisions about investing. - 23200

About the Author:

The best thing you can do before you begin investing is to talk to an Investment Advisor. You must to find someone in your area though. If you live in Toronto then you should find an Investment Advisor Toronto.