On: Are You Trading or Gambling?

[auxym]

I'd argue that the reason why HFTs don't do day trading strategies, is because it's not profitable in the long run (ie, negative expected value).

Which backs GPs point.

[Anon1096 → auxym]

Hedge funds engage in day trading, and there's many successful hedge funds. So the expected value can be positive if you're sufficiently skilled.

[yomly → Anon1096]

I always find these kinds of thought processes interesting "day trading always leads to losses". As with poker, anything which is predictable can lead to meta strategy which can be gamed: this is why GTO players can be outplayed by player-focused players, at least on occasion.

But occasion matters! Life isn't a nice continuous stream, it's lumpy. Circumstantial performance makes a difference - and that's why Greece could win the Euros despite probably not being a good football team.

Day trading is probably quite a hard discipline to follow, but that doesn't mean that everyone who does it is destined to fail.

Anecdotally 50% of marriages end in divorce but that apparently doesn't stop most people getting married...