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Day trading for a living?

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Listed:
  • Chague, Fernando
  • De-Losso, Rodrigo
  • Giovannetti, Bruno Cara

Abstract

We show that it is virtually impossible for individuals to compete with HFTs and day trade for a living, contrary to what course providers claim. We observe all individuals who began to day trade between 2013 and 2015 in the Brazilian equity futures market, the third in terms of volume in the world, and who persisted for at least 300 days: 97% of them lost money, only 0.4% earned more than a bank teller (US$54 per day), and the top individual earned only US$310 per day with great risk (a standard deviation of US$2,560). Wefind no evidence of learning by day trading.

Suggested Citation

  • Chague, Fernando & De-Losso, Rodrigo & Giovannetti, Bruno Cara, 2020. "Day trading for a living?," Textos para discussão 525, FGV EESP - Escola de Economia de São Paulo, Fundação Getulio Vargas (Brazil).
    • Handle: RePEc:fgv:eesptd:525
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Barber, Brad M. & Lee, Yi-Tsung & Liu, Yu-Jane & Odean, Terrance, 2014. "The cross-section of speculator skill: Evidence from day trading," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 18(C), pages 1-24.
    2. Kuo, Wei-Yu & Lin, Tse-Chun, 2013. "Overconfident individual day traders: Evidence from the Taiwan futures market," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(9), pages 3548-3561.
    3. Hyuk Choe & Yunsung Eom, 2009. "The disposition effect and investment performance in the futures market," Journal of Futures Markets, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(6), pages 496-522, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Philip W. S. Newall & Leonardo Weiss-Cohen, 2022. "The Gamblification of Investing: How a New Generation of Investors Is Being Born to Lose," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-10, April.

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