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The minimum target depends on commissions, slippage, win-to-loss ratio and % profitable of your setups. I have addressed this question in a thread "Comparing index futures", which can be found here.
Here comes an extension of the analysis to currency futures, CL, GC, SI and ZB. It is an analysis of the impact of transaction costs and slippage on the profitability of a simple strategy with
- 60% profitable
- and a win - to - loss - ratio of 1:1
…
The results suggest that with typical retail commissions (Interactive Brokers), slippage, a 1:1 win-to-loss ratio and 60% profitable, you should make it for CL and TF, if you take the ATR from a 5 min period bar. For QM you would need a larger profit target.
For TF this would be 6-7 ticks, for CL this would be 10-11 ticks.
If you want to scalp with a smaller profit target, you would either need
- lower transaction costs
- a higher win-to-loss ratio than 1:1
- a higher win rate than 60% profitable
- or a combination thereof.
To completely answer your question, I would need the following inputs:
- your transaction costs
- estimated slippage, as this depends on the setup and whether you enter on a market or limit order
- your win-to-loss ratio
- your win-rate
- your targeted expectancy
If these inputs are given, the result can be calculated.
I highly suggest you adapt to trying to scale at the targets you mentioned, and but try to catch bigger swings. I can read tape pretty well, and i can try to scalp all day long and make money... But i can pretty much guarantee you, its not worth it, and very exhausting.. I actually wait and take my trades around area's where i expect the market to pivot, and try to catch bigger profits using tape reading skills... Once you hit your first target, the risk/reward becomes skewed in your favor, since your pretty much risking the houses money to make bigger profits...
Essentially, you're winners will be larger than your losers, and therefore you don't have to be under the pressure on being right 90% of the time...
Thats something i always liked about trading
Very simply and succinctly put, but nevertheless, one of the best posts I've read in this forum. It should be mandatory reading for all novice and intermediate traders, not only for what it says, but for what it doesn't say.
