Which Time Frame is Best for Intraday Trading? | Kotak Securities (2024)

Time frame suitable for novice traders is between 10.15 am and 2:30 pm. But due to the subsiding of the morning stock volatility time frame between 10:00 am to 10:15 am can be ideal to grab any opportunity.

Choosing the Intraday Trading Chart Time Frame

To choose the best time frame for intraday trading, you need to check different time charts. You may need to look at different time frames & according to your choice to buy stocks online for intraday trade..

1-minute chart: It is useful for very short term scalping strategies and identifying opening range breakouts. Trader requires quick execution and constant monitoring for this time chart.

5-minute Chart: This chart can be useful for short term momentum trades, identifying support/resistance levels, and establishing intraday trends. Gives more context than 1 minute charts.15-minute chart: It is a popular type of intraday time frame which tends to balance capturing short term moves with filtering out noise. Key support/resistance and trend signals can be seen clearly.

30-minute chart: This chart is suitable for swing trading; less noise than lower time frames. Key intraday support and resistance levels stand out. Gives a broader market context.

60-minute chart: The 60 minute chart is used for the longer term intraday trend identification. Also helpful for seeing larger support/resistance zones for the day.

Most commonly, intraday traders often use 15–minutes or 5 minute charts. Depending upon the volume & liquidity of stocks you can choose the best time frame for intraday trading as per your need.

Should You Trade in the First Half Or Second Half?

There is nothing like trading in the first half is better or the second half as intraday trading time. Depending upon your stock analysis you can trade anytime within the market hours.

Some of the things you must know about the first or second half of intraday trading is that the first half of the day (opening bell to noon) often sees higher volatility and larger price swings as the market digests opening news/events and initial reactions play out. This can reflect more opportunities for trading.

In the early morning there are major movements in the intraday stocks. This gap and breakouts can yield profitable trade for traders. And in the midday the movement can be observed at a slow pace. At this time the volatility may or may not be low. And before the end of trading sessions, chances of trend to re-emerge & expand is high. But in contrast, the market conditions depend on multiple factors.

Should I Trade in the First Fifteen Minutes?

You can trade in first 15 minutes of the trading day but it's quite risky and its not recommendedbut on the other hand it can also present some opportunities if traded carefully.

The volatility of stocks tends to be highest at the open as the market reacts to overnight news and events. This can lead to quick breakouts but also whippy action. Opening range breakouts are common which can signal direction for the day. Watch out for support and resistance levels in the first 15 minutes of that particular stock. Look for target breakouts, gaps, volume surges, technical levels. Don't trade randomly.

You can also use wider stop-loss at first and reduce size to account for unpredictable open action. Therefore, the first 15 minutes can see tradable but requires faster reaction times, disciplined risk management

What are the Benefits Of Trading at the Optimum Time Frame?

Here are some benefits of trading at the optimal intraday trading time frame in India:

  • Improves timing: Trading at time frames aligned with peak volatility and liquidity allows you to capitalize on the maximum movement in the markets.

  • Better trend identification: Key intraday trends and reversals are clearer on certain time frames that filter out market noise.

  • Sets the pace: The chosen time frame dictates the speed and frequency of trading required. Lower time frames mean faster decision making.

  • Maximizes opportunities: Trading when the markets and stocks are most active presents more trade setups and profit potential.

  • Minimizes guesswork: Having a defined optimal time frame provides trading rules and discipline for that trading style.

  • Matches strategy to conditions: Time frame suits the strategy better, whether trend trading, range trading or scalping.

  • Risk management: Intraday time frame correlates to sensible stop loss placement and target objectives. This makes a positive intraday trading strategy for your trade.

Aligning your trading to optimal intraday time frames helps you to have greater efficiency and success rate. It provides structure tailored to share market conditions.

Conclusion

The best timing for intraday trading occurs when the markets and specific stocks experience increases in volume, volatility, and liquidity. This provides the best chance to take advantage of short-term movements and trends during the day. Trading in the share market when stocks are most active increases your chances of success comparatively to doing trade in inactive markets

Intraday trading time also allows you to align your strategy with the current market conditions and set the pace of trading required. Poor intraday timing means trading against the current market state, leading to frustration and missed profit potential. In summary, good intraday timing enhances accuracy, efficiency, and your overall success rate.

FAQs On Intraday Trading Time

When it comes to trading, the experts prefer to stick with a trading interval that's less than 30 seconds. They base their decision on their own personal trading style instead of relying on calculations, industry trends, platform, or strategy.

Timing profiles can vary greatly depending on a stock's liquidity, volatility, sector, etc. Watch and adapt to each stock's unique rhythm in the stock market.

Typical intraday time frames are 1 min, 5 min, 15 min charts. 15 min balances noise filtering and capturing shorter term moves for intraday traders.

Both times can work if you trade the prevailing momentum of an intraday stock. The open tends to see quick breakouts while the close sees huge runs into the finish.

Yes, initial volatility presents opportunities but expect whippy action and have a plan. Manage risk tightly & invest in the right moment.

To determine the ideal timing for trade, just backtest over various intraday time frames to see which strategy gives optimal research for your trading.

Which Time Frame is Best for Intraday Trading? | Kotak Securities (2024)

FAQs

Which timeframe is best for intraday? ›

Many experts state that the time frame between 9.30 am and 10.30 am is the best for intraday trading. Trading during these hours is considered beneficial. Intraday traders should avoid trading for the entire day because they might not be able to get sufficient rewards.

Which time zone is best for intraday trading? ›

Time frame suitable for novice traders is between 10.15 am and 2:30 pm. But due to the subsiding of the morning stock volatility time frame between 10:00 am to 10:15 am can be ideal to grab any opportunity.

What time should I hold intraday trading? ›

An intraday trade has to open and closed on the same day. In the rolling settlement, if it is not closed on the same day, then it goes to compulsory delivery. Hence the timing for intraday trading is from 9.15 am to 3.30 pm daily in the Indian markets.

Which time frame is best for option trading? ›

Ans: The appropriate time frame for options trading depends on your purpose and research of the trade. However, a range of 30-90 days can be a good time frame for most trades.

What is the 11am rule in trading? ›

It is not a hard and fast rule, but rather a guideline that has been observed by many traders over the years. The logic behind this rule is that if the market has not reversed by 11 am EST, it is less likely to experience a significant trend reversal during the remainder of the trading day.

What is the 10 am rule in stocks? ›

Some traders follow something called the "10 a.m. rule." The stock market opens for trading at 9:30 a.m., and the time between 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. often has significant trading volume. Traders that follow the 10 a.m. rule think a stock's price trajectory is relatively set for the day by the end of that half-hour.

Which time frame is best for scalping? ›

By repeating this strategy over time, scalpers aim to build up a series of little gains that add up to a decent day's profits. Scalpers usually work within very small timeframes of one minute to 15 minutes. However, the one- or two-minute timeframes tend to be favoured among scalpers.

How long do intraday traders hold? ›

Day traders typically target stocks, options, futures, commodities, or currencies (including crypto). They enter and exit positions within the same day (hence the term day traders). They hold positions for hours, minutes, or even seconds before selling them. They rarely hold positions overnight.

When to buy and sell in intraday trading? ›

The usual market hours for intraday trading are between 9:15 A.M. and 3:15 P.M. Usually, intraday traders do not make a trade right after the market opens as there are slightly more price fluctuations in the first hour or so.

What is the most powerful indicator for intraday trading? ›

Some best indicators for intraday include relative strength index (RSI), moving averages, stochastic oscillator, Bollinger Bands and volume. Moving averages help traders identify trends and potential reversals, while RSI and stochastic oscillators indicate overbought or oversold conditions.

Which indicator has the highest accuracy? ›

Which is one of the most accurate trading indicators? The most accurate for trading is the Relative Strength Index. It is considered one of the best momentum indicators for intraday trading. It helps investors identify the shares which are bought and sold in the market.

What is the safest trading strategy? ›

The safest option strategy is one that involves limited risk, such as buying protective puts or employing conservative covered call writing. Selling cash-secured puts stands as the most secure strategy in options trading, offering a clear risk profile and prospects for income while keeping overall risk to a minimum.

What is the 3pm strategy in the stock market? ›

Closing hour rush: 3pm often marks the closing hour for exchanges in some regions, leading to increased trade volume and potentially volatile price movements. Some traders try to capitalize on this volatility by employing short-term strategies like scalping or momentum trading.

Which direction is best for intraday trading? ›

Here are some of Vastu tips For Share Trading for successful trading. North is the best place to sit and face for trading. This direction is governed by Lord Kuber, who safeguards and ensures growth in the wealth of God and mankind. The presence of blue color can help to bring in business opportunities.

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