Nine rookie mistakes that kill your CFD trading career in AU

When trading CFDs, it’s crucial that you avoid making mistakes or learning from them if you’re already in a hole. Losing money is one thing, but you could find yourself in severe financial trouble if you make the wrong decisions. As a rookie, you will be forgiven for making some mistakes, but if you keep making them, you will not last long in CFD trading.

Click here for more of an explanation of CFDs.

Not having a plan

When you enter the world of CFD trading, you must have a plan. This plan will act as your roadmap and will help to keep you on track. Without a plan, it is simple to make decisions based on emotion, leading to significant losses. Your plan should include your goals, what you are willing to risk, and how you will manage your money. It is also essential to have an exit strategy in place to know when to cut your losses.

Not doing your research

Before you start trading, you must do your research, meaning you need to know everything you can about the markets, the assets you are trading, and the risks involved. It is also essential to keep up with the news as events can significantly impact the markets. For example, if there is a natural disaster, this could lead to a sell-off.

Over-trading

One of the biggest mistakes that rookie traders make is over-trading, trading too often and trying to make too many profits. While it is possible to make money by trading frequently, it is also straightforward to lose money. You will be more likely to make mistakes if you over-trade, and your losses will quickly mount up.

To avoid over-trading, you must stick to your plan and only trade when there is an excellent opportunity.

Not managing your risk

When trading CFDs, there is always risk involved, meaning you could lose money, even if you have done your research. It is essential to manage your risk to don’t lose more money than you can afford to. One way to do this is to use stop-loss orders, which will automatically sell your position if it reaches a certain level.

Not having patience

One of the most critical things in CFD trading is patience because the markets can take time to move, and it can be easy to get impatient and make mistakes. If you want to be successful, you need to be patient and wait for the right opportunities. You might have to sit on the sidelines for long periods.

Not using leverage

CFDs offer leverage, which means that you can trade with more money than you have in your account. While this can help you make more profits, it can also lead to significant losses. If the markets move against you, you could magnify your losses and owe money to your broker.

It is important to use leverage carefully and only trade with money you can afford to lose.

Chasing losses

One of the worst things you can do as a trader is to chase your losses, which means trying to make up for lost money by trading more aggressively. It is a recipe for disaster as it will lead to more losses and put you in a hole that is very difficult to get out of. If you find yourself in a losing position, it is vital to cut your losses and wait for another opportunity.

Not having discipline

To be successful in CFD trading, you need discipline, so stick to your plan and don’t let emotions get involved with your decisions. It can be hard to stick to your plan, especially when you are in a losing position. However, if you don’t have discipline, you will quickly lose all of your money.

Being greedy

A common mistake that traders make is being greedy by trying to make too much money from each trade. While it is possible to make a lot of money from CFDs, it is essential to remember that you can also lose a lot of money. If you are greedy, you will likely take too much risk and lose everything. It is essential to be patient and only take trades that offer a good risk/reward ratio.