How to Pick Stocks for Intraday Trading
What is Intra-day trading?
Intraday trading, is the act of buying and selling the stocks within the same day. Traders buy and sell stocks during regular market hours and close their open positions before the market closes.
How to pick stocks for Intra-day trading? (5 Simple Strategies)
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Trade in liquid stocks
Liquid stocks are traded in large volumes and allow you to enter and exit positions as needed. -
Pick stocks with medium volatility
Pick stocks with a reasonable amount of movement within a day but use the stoploss feature to minimise potential losses. -
Buy stocks that you understand
Trade in stocks that you have followed, tracked and know about. Avoid trade in stocks that you have no knowledge of; or which are manipulated or move based on rumours. -
Avoid penny stocks
Avoid trading in stocks which are available at very low prices i.e. in single digit prices. -
Make focused investment based on research
Don’t trade in too many stocks. Do your research and focus only on a few stocks that you can track and review easily.
Pre-requisites for intra-day trading
Have a trading or demat account and a bank account.
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3 Trading Mistakes that You Should Avoid
What are the top three things a trader or investor must never do in the market?
The top three would be:
1. Avoid Overtrading
Overtrading is one of the biggest mistakes traders make, and it often stems from emotions. No one has a 100% success rate in trading or investing. For example, someone might have a strike rate of 60% or even 70%, but inevitably, you will lose money three to four times out of ten.
Typically, when traders face losses, they try to recover them by becoming more aggressive, leading to overtrading. This mentality can further amplify losses. So, the first and most important rule is: don’t overtrade.
2. Avoid Overleveraging
Another common pitfall is overleveraging. When traders try to recover losses or increase their profits, they often increase their bet size, which can expose them to much higher risks. This approach is not sustainable and can lead to significant losses.
To manage your risk effectively, always avoid overleveraging your positions.
3. Avoid Averaging Losing Trades
Averaging losing trades is another mistake to steer clear of. For example, if you buy an option at a certain price and its value drops by 20%, some traders buy more. If it drops by 40%, they buy even more. This approach only compounds losses.
Instead, focus on averaging winning trades. Add to your positions when they’re performing well, and exit all positions if the trend starts to reverse. This way, you can ensure a net profit.
In Summary
The top three things to avoid in the market are:
- Overtrading
- Overleveraging
- Overaveraging
By avoiding these common mistakes, you can manage your risks better and improve your chances of success in trading or investing.
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Difference between Intraday trading and Investing
Intraday Trading |
Investing |
Short-term: A day trader has a short-term view, lasting no longer than a single session |
Long-term: An investor typically has a longer-term view stretching several months or years. |
Buy and sell: A day trader does not take delivery of the shares- all his shares are squared off before the market closes. |
Buy and hold: An investor takes delivery of his shares and sells them at the appropriate time, as per is requirement. |
Selling short: A day trader can go short; sell shares he does not own. |
Going long: Investors typically don’t short the market. They are in it for the long haul. |
Quick takes: A day trader looks to take advantage of small price movements. |
No short-cuts: An investor seek shares that will have large upside price movements over time. |
Volatility: A day trader seeks to benefit from short-term volatility. |
Stability: An investor is not influenced by sudden price swings. |
Technical: A day trader mostly uses technical analysis. |
Fundamental: An investor relies on fundamental analysis. |
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Difference between Demat and Trading account
DEMAT Account |
Trading Account |
A Demat account lets you store your investments digitally. |
A trading account lets you buy and sell shares and mutual funds. |
You can use a demat account without a trading account to transfer your shares or convert your physical shares into demat form. |
You cannot open a trading account without demat account. |
Demat accounts are offered by depository participants, like brokers or banks. |
Trading accounts are primarily offered by brokers. |

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