How to Get Started in Electronic Day Trading

Only a small percentage of those who try day trading achieve success because most are undercapitalized, lack discipline, and have little idea how much knowledge and experience are required. For the determined newcomer, David S. Nassar's How to Get Started in Electronic Day Trading Home Study Course is a comprehensive immersion that includes a well-written workbook, 10 hours' worth of audiocassettes, and a CD-ROM. Nassar, author of the book How to Get Started in Electronic Day Trading, is a trader who heads a brokerage firm offering electronic trading as well as training. He writes, "My task here is to teach you to play with fire without getting burned."

The workbook presents an overview of the markets and introductions to electronic direct-access trading (EDAT), indexes and indicators, and technical analysis. Also included are detailed explanations on how to pick tradable stocks (are you a specialist, scalper, or shepherd?); trade the news (earnings, splits, economic announcements); and profit from going short ("trading the bear inside you"). The chapters on market psychology and money and mind management are particularly astute ("The Emotional Bank Account Is Funded by Attitude"), and all are cross-referenced and reinforced in the corresponding audio tapes. The CD-ROM includes effective audio-visual presentations on the components of an EDAT trading platform, the analytical tools, trading mechanics and execution methods--most illuminating are the trades the author navigates, tick by tick, on NASDAQ level two.

In all, Nassar has done an admirable job of creating a thorough introductory training course, and his enthusiasm and passion for markets and trading are infectious. Those serious about learning to trade successfully will find this an effective--and hopefully profitable--introduction. --Scott Harrison