[john67]

I have been looking into various trading methods for awhile. I ran across VSA awhile back, and the premise of using volume to trade was introduced to me then. I have also discovered that MP also uses volume. Using volume as a factor just makes sense to me, which all the MACD, grid trading, etc stuff I had looked at before didn't.

Anyway, I can only trade for the 60 to 90 minutes of the day since I have a day job I have to go to after that. Can I realisticly use MP, or some derivative thereof, for entering and exiting trades during that timeframe?

I would think so based on what I have read, but wanted to get some input from others.

Thanks!

[rajatheroyal]

Day trading is also a profession.If u are not able to find time for trading then better not to trade.As far is Market Proflile is concerned it requires full attention and concentration regarding , anticipating market structure in advance and act accordingly.so if u can spend time then only think of trading.
Happy Trading;

[86834]

Personally I would say no. If you can only trade the first 60mins, then maybe you should look at swing trading. For example, i don't trade the first hour of the day as the information the initial balance gives me extremely important.

[Frank]

In my opinion, market profile is not a trading method -- it is used for context for intepretation of order flow.

That said, I think you opening 60-90 mins is excellent time to have to trade --- just have to be disciplined and not force trades just because you have to leave.

[TimRacette]

I disagree, if you trade the ES and 6E the highest probability times to trade are 10:00-11:30 EST (Euro closes @11:30). At the open I look at MP to see whether or not we are opening within or outside of value. If you're trading the 80% rule then you just need 30-mins of price action to determine whether or not the markets are likely to trade though value or not.

I do agree with raja though, even if you only trade a couple hrs of the day, there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes. I trade the Euro open & NYSE open.

[1johnson1]

IMHO- You are wasteing your time and money trying to trade. This is not a part time job. You would be better served to use that time learning to understand what a market is truly for and how and why it does what it does. If you really are serious about trading 90 mins a day -I and my trading acct. thank you

[steve46]

Ok then so much for the urban myth part of the thread....as for using MP, if you want to know whether it is a valid approach...yes...quite a few folks use it, including professionals although those of us who do use it have modified it somewhat from its original premise. For example I use a version of volume profile that I developed for my own purposes.

As regards you time limitations, actually you have an advantage IF you take the time to get a good education about how the markets really work. As you can read for yourself, the previous posters like good sheep, think you have to play during regular market hours to make money...actually...while you can make money that way (depending on your skills, education, experience) the regular trade sessions are not the place to find the highest probability opportunities. Not here to put on a seminar but when all the lemmings are leaping off a cliff I do want to suggest to a few that there may be a different course of action...lol

First, this is global marketplace...and the financial markets are interdependent. One should get a basic education about how this works....or find a trusted advisor to fill you in on the details....Second once you know how this interdepence works, you can decide which time frame is appropriate for your participation, Third, once you decide what time frame to operate on, you need a strategy...its just not that hard to figure out once you get a systematic approach in place...I use a combination method that includes a couple of ideas that work very well including "time based pivots (trademarked) , Volume Profile, and identification of supply and demand...once you have a couple of these tools in place, trading is MUCH easier, much less stressful and for once in your life, you have the opportunity to make money and have a life....

I hope some of this helps

[TheNegotiator]

Market profile and other techniques can and are applied to intraday and longer timeframe trading. I kind of agree with johnson in that if a trader only has 60-90mins a day and is not what some might call proficient, wouldn't that time be best used to learn rather than blindly trade? Also, as steve points out, markets are global. If you can only trade for 1hr because the markets of the country you live in are open while you are at work, either trade a different market(eg if you are in US trade Japanese markets) or swing trade over the course of multiple days.