Month: April 2021

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Using Thinkorswim Web to Learn Paper Trading for Free

thinkorswim papermoney simulator for demo trading

If you want to get involved in the world of trading, paper trading is a great way to start off! For those who are unaware, paper trading involves simulated trades, which enable an investor to practice selling and buying without real money being risked. The term “paper trading” dates back to a time whereby those who wanted to become traders would practice on paper before they risked money in live markets.

Practice with paper trading

While you are learning, you will record all of the trades so you can keep track of the losses, profits, portfolios, and hypothetical trading positions. This will help to make sure that you are more prepared when the time comes to trade with your own funds. Today, a lot of the practice trading incorporates using an electronic stock market simulator, which feels and appears like a genuine trading platform.

What are the benefits of paper trading?

There are a number of different benefits associated with paper trading. Here are the top benefits:

  • You will get to practice every part of the trading process.
  • You practice in a relaxed environment without putting your own money at risk. 
  • This can also give you confidence in your ability. 
  • If you make mistakes, you can keep practicing until you feel like you are ready. 
  • Paper trading gives you the ability to test out new strategies and try different things. 
  • With no stress and no risk, it makes sense to try out your investing thoughts and strategies with paper money rather than diving right in and risking your own money. 

However, you do need to be disciplined; only make the moves you would on a real platform so you can be sure you’re truly testing your efforts. 

You can paper trade for free on thinkorswim 

One trade platform that comes with the option of paper trading is thinkorswim. Thinkorswim has a great reputation in the industry for being one of the best electronic trading platforms, and so it is certainly ideal to start off here when it comes to your trading efforts. 

How do you paper trade on thinkorswim?

It is really easy to get started with paper trading on Thinkorswim. Should you already have a TD Ameritrade account, you will automatically be registered for their paperMoney option, which enables you to practice trading immediately. So, all you would need to do is log-in and download the platform.

If you do not have a TD Ameritrade account, don’t worry; you can still try your hand at paper trading. You will simply need to register, which includes filling in your details to set-up your paperMoney account. It is not a complicated process, so you should be able to get started pretty quickly! 

So there you have it; an insight into paper trading with the Thinkorswim platform. We hope that this has helped you to get a better understanding of how you can effectively practice your trades before you commit any of your real funds. This is something that is recommended for anyone who is looking to get a foot into the world of trading. 

Want to trade paper money risk-free? Click here to learn more.

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Use Thinkorswim’s Premarket Gap Scanner to find Gap & Go Setups

use thinkorswims premarket gap scanner to find gap and go setups

Thinkorswim offers a premarket gap scanner that can be used in a multitude of ways. One of the things that it can be used for is to find gap & go setups. This might sound like a foreign concept to you. If you don’t know the ins and outs just yet, don’t worry because that’s exactly what we’re going to be talking about in this article. As such, if you would like to find out more about how you can use Thinkorswim’s premarket gap scanner to find gap & go set ups, then keep reading down below.

What Is The Pre-Market Gap Scanner?

Gaps are measured from the market’s closing price the day before to the current day’s opening price. A gap occurs when a stock opens at a higher price the next day than it closed at the previous day. However, gaps can be up or down and can occur with all stocks from all markets. 

A pre-market gap scanner is a series of scanners that are used to find the highest gapping stocks before the market opens. The gaps are important to identify as they show a sudden move by any given stock, which are often the indicator that a bigger move is coming. If you keep on top of the gaps with a pre-market gap scanner, you will be able to make better informed decisions using all the information that is available to you.

Why Use A Pre-Market Gap Scanner?

If you are closely monitoring the premarket trading activity, you are likely on the way to edging out the competition. This will help you with your day trading by providing you with insight other traders may not have. As such, you can start the trading day the right way, with all the information you need at your fingertips.

It is important for you to understand, however, that pre-market trading volume is often light, so you won’t see massive differences in the stocks. As such, when you are using a scanner, make sure that you are only looking at stocks that are trading with above-average premarket volume. This will give you the insight that you need for potential trades.

How Can It Be Used To Find Gaps?

First off, you will want to: 

  1. Run a scan, which can be done by clicking the scan button on the top of the screen. 
  2. From here, it will give you a range of defaults, but you should delete these and start over for the best results. 
  3. You can add filters to your search and one of these is ‘stock.’ If you click on ‘stock’, then change it to ‘last’ you will get a list of yesterday’s stocks. 
  4. You can set the minimum and maximum range of money for the stock price, so you can set this for the pierce range that you are looking for. The smaller the range, the less data there is going to be for you to go through. You can set this up however you want to but you’re also not going to get much from the gap scan if you set your limit too high because the percentage moves don’t tend to be there. 
  5. Once you have done this, you want to add another filter, then click on stock again. This time you’re going to be selecting the volume. Think carefully about the threshold that you want to set here so that you are getting the right data.
  6. There are of course, other filters that you can go through such as the ‘study’ filter which will give you more options to choose from. 
  7. There are also the patent option and fundamental filters for you to use depending on what you are searching for specifically. 
  8. After you have added all of your filters, click scan and then there will be a list of stocks for you to sort through. 
  9. You can add in things such as the mark percent change if you would like to filter them further which will help you find the gaps that you want to trade.

Advantages Of Gap & Go Setups

Gap & Go setups have a number of advantages which is why a lot of people choose to trade this way. The first is that it is possible to make high profits using this system. They are also super easy to identify, making your life so much easier than if you were to use one of the other strategies out there. 

If you manage to find stocks that have good volume, they will largely prove to be reliable and allow for little chance of manipulation. This means that you are getting the most out of the stocks on the market. 

The final advantage that we are going to look at is that it is perfect for day trading the market open. You want to trade at the market open or just after when it comes to gap & go setups as this is how you find the best gaps in the market. As such, if you are someone who likes to trade when the market opens as opposed to throughout the day, this is the strategy for you.

So, the advantages summed up are as follows:

  • You can see high profits
  • Gaps are easy to identify, especially using a premarket scanner like the one offered by Thinkorswim
  • Reliable information that you can use for the days trading
  • It is perfect for day trading the market open

Why Use A Scanner To Find Gaps?

This is the easiest way to find the gaps on the market. If you are going to trade gaps successfully, then the premarket scanner will search for stocks that have volume in the premarket. Every morning there are new gapping stocks that update on the pre market scanners, allowing for those people who are ready to get ready.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now have a better understanding of how you can use Thinkorswim’s Premarket gap scanner to find gap & go setups. Take this advice, and use this tool and you will be able to find gap & go set ups without much hassle. Good luck and happy trading!

Polish your trading skills with thinkorswim. To learn more, click here.

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How to Use Thinkorswim: The Ultimate Guide 2022

how to use thinkorswim tutorial for stock trading

Thinkorswim is an electronic trading platform that is provided by TD Ameritrade. You can use it for trading monetary assets. It has been geared toward futures, options, and self-directed stock traders. 

If you want to use Thinkorswim, continue reading for our ultimate guide on using the platform so you can discover everything you need to know about how to use this trading system effectively. 

Using Thinkorswim: How to Make the Most of This Platform

Once you download the Thinkorswim platform, you will notice that there are two chief segments in the working area. You have the main window, which is in the center of the trading station, and then to the left, there is a sidebar. 

The sidebar has a number of different subtabs, which contain relevant details. You can customize the sidebar, meaning you can add a whole host of different gadgets. A few examples of some of the things you will be able to add here include the following:

  • Quick quotes
  • Quick charts
  • Watchlist 
  • Streaming features
  • Calculator
  • Message center
  • Account details

With the main window, you will get the following tabs:

  • Monitor – This is a tab that enables you to keep full track of all of your trading activities, including: open positions, cash balance, statements, and orders.
  • Trade – Via this tab, you will be able to get all of the details about the tradable products that are available on thinkorswim. For every category of product, there is its own interface.
  • Analyze – As you may gather, this is a section whereby you can analyze and backtest both hypothetical and real trading scenarios. You can also take a deeper look at probability analysis, volatility, and economic databases, helping you to make informed decisions when trading. 
  • Scan – Via this tab, you are going to be able to filter through futures, FX, options, and stocks so you can determine which of the instruments offered are right for your criteria. 

There is also the navigation bar on Thinkorswim, which enables you to navigate all of the tabs and subtabs that are available. At first glance, it can look a little bit overwhelming or complicated, especially if you do not have any prior experience in trading. However, once you have had your first few sessions, we’re sure you will start to feel more comfortable with Thinkorswim and it will become a lot more intuitive for you. 

Placing a Trade on Thinkorswim

There are numerous ways you can go about placing a trade order via Thinkorswim. But, what is the best method? Well, it all depends on your preferences really! The order ticket is an easy option for setting up trades if you are not concerned about the speed. All you need to do is select a price and then choose to either sell or buy. 

However, if speed is important and you’re looking to move at a faster pace, you may want to consider the Active Trader Ladder. This boasts a quick approach for you to execute trades on forex, futures, exchange-traded funds, and stocks. 

You also have the option of creating and saving custom order templates, which gives you the ability to automate trading. To do this, you need to head to settings. From the Customize window, choose to select Order Template Selector and Order Template Editor. All you have to do from here is choose your order template prior to placing a trade, so it makes it straightforward.

There are Many Customization Options When Using Thinkorswim

Another reason why Thinkorswim is so popular is that you have the option to customize many different elements of it. From customizing the appearance of the platform to creating and customizing watchlists, there are many different possibilities in this regard. This enables you to make sure that the platform is working for you and that it is fully set-up to suit your needs and requirements.

When trading, it is vital that you keep a watch over the markets for any and all possible opportunities. To do this, you will need to set-up a watchlist. There are a number of different ways that watchlists can be used.

  1. Public Scans or Watchlists

If you want to seek stocks with a specific sort of activity or you are looking to generate trade ideas, it is advisable to use public scans or watchlists. For instance, you may want to look for stocks that are either gapping down or up, percentage changers, and upcoming dividends or earnings. To do this, you simply need to head to the menu that is situated at the top of the watchlist gadget.

  1. Custom Watchlists

Alternatively, you have the option of creating your own custom watchlists, meaning you can track your unique interests. This is something that a lot of people tend to do once they become more experienced and more accustomed to the platform. 

  1. Link Watchlists to Chart

You also have the option of linking your watchlists to a chart. You are able to scroll through every symbol on your watchlist. This is an excellent way of efficiently seeing the chart of every symbol on your watchlist. Therefore, if you have a number of moving averages displayed on your chart and you are trying to find a moving average crossover, you will be able to efficiently scroll through the charts of every symbol on your watchlist to see if there is any sort of crossover. 

*To open or create a watchlist, choose the Add Gadget option, which is the plus sign button. You will find this on the left sidebar at the bottom. After this, simply choose Watchlist. For a specific list, the menu along the top will be able to help you with this.

Final words

With so many features and resources on the Thinkorswim, you may find the platform to be a little bit overwhelming when using it for the first time. However, the developers and designers have certainly done an incredible job when it comes to fitting as many features and elements into Thinkorswim as possible! There are also plenty of great resources and educational articles that are available should you find yourself getting a little bit stuck.
Want to be a top trader using Thinkorswim? Click here to learn more.