The '$5 Threshold' Trading Strategy Explained (2024)

Taylor Cox

The '$5 Threshold' Trading Strategy Explained (1)

Stocks that trade below $5 are considered by Wall Street to be "penny stocks." These oft-derided, decidedly risky equities are populated by both illiquid, unlisted, wildly speculative "lottery ticket" companies that trade over-the-counter, and reputable companies that are either just beginning to grow or have perhaps fallen on hard times.

Stocks that trade below $5 are considered so risky that institutional investors, including pensions and mutual funds, aren't allowed to buy penny stocks and can even be required to sell securities that fall below the $5 mark. This double-edged sword cuts both ways, however, when an issue rises above $5 and institutions are allowed to buy.

This forms the basis of the $5 threshold trading strategy.

When stocks cross the $5 barrier in a bearish manner and institutions sell, the market is flooded with shares and the price is driven down. When a stock rises over that $5 threshold, institutions and hedge funds can, and sometimes do, load up on shares which in turn drives the price higher.

Two such penny stocks with the $5 threshold approaching are Federal National Mortgage Association (OTC: FNMA) and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (OTC: FMCC). These government sponsored enterprises (GSE) have received a spike in interest as president-elect Donald Trump's administration is expected to explore privatizing them and an ongoing court case will decide the fate of the GSE's profits.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac traded at $4.35 and $4.27 in Thursday's session.

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The '$5 Threshold' Trading Strategy Explained (2024)

FAQs

The '$5 Threshold' Trading Strategy Explained? ›

When stocks cross the $5 barrier in a bearish manner and institutions sell, the market is flooded with shares and the price is driven down. When a stock rises over that $5 threshold, institutions and hedge funds can, and sometimes do, load up on shares which in turn drives the price higher.

What is the 5 rule in trading? ›

This sort of five percent rule is a yardstick to help investors with diversification and risk management. Using this strategy, no more than 1/20th of an investor's portfolio would be tied to any single security.

What is the 3 5 7 rule in trading? ›

What is the 3 5 7 rule in trading? A risk management principle known as the “3-5-7” rule in trading advises diversifying one's financial holdings to reduce risk. The 3% rule states that you should never risk more than 3% of your whole trading capital on a single deal.

What is the 5 minute time frame for trading? ›

The five-minute momo strategy is designed to help forex traders play reversals and stay in the position as prices trend in a new direction. The strategy relies on exponential moving averages and the MACD indicator. As the trend is unfolding, stop-loss orders and trailing stops are used to protect profits.

Can you short stocks below $5? ›

However, one can easily short sell stocks that trade under $5 since the SEC and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) have not set any rules that bar people from engaging in this type of activity.

How much money do day traders with $10000 accounts make per day on average? ›

With a $10,000 account, a good day might bring in a five percent gain, which is $500. However, day traders also need to consider fixed costs such as commissions charged by brokers. These commissions can eat into profits, and day traders need to earn enough to overcome these fees [2].

What is 90% rule in trading? ›

The 90 rule in Forex is a commonly cited statistic that states that 90% of Forex traders lose 90% of their money in the first 90 days. This is a sobering statistic, but it is important to understand why it is true and how to avoid falling into the same trap.

What is No 1 rule of trading? ›

Rule 1: Always Use a Trading Plan

You need a trading plan because it can assist you with making coherent trading decisions and define the boundaries of your optimal trade. A decent trading plan will assist you with avoiding making passionate decisions without giving it much thought.

What is the golden rule of traders? ›

Let profits run and cut losses short Stop losses should never be moved away from the market. Be disciplined with yourself, when your stop loss level is touched, get out. If a trade is proving profitable, don't be afraid to track the market.

What is the 80 20 rule in trading? ›

In investing, the 80-20 rule generally holds that 20% of the holdings in a portfolio are responsible for 80% of the portfolio's growth. On the flip side, 20% of a portfolio's holdings could be responsible for 80% of its losses.

What is the most profitable time frame for trading? ›

1-Minute Chart Time Frame

Because price bars occur frequently, 1-minute chart traders typically have the opportunity to take more trades per day than larger time frames. With a winning system, more trades mean more profit and faster compounding of the account.

What timeframe do most traders trade on? ›

Good examples of commonly used time frames in day trading include 1, 5, 15, 30, and 60-minute charts. Remember, choosing a trading frame that suits your strategy and trading profile is crucial. This is why practicing using different time frames in demo trading is highly recommended before making real trades.

Which trading timeframe is best? ›

For day trading, 15-minute charts and 30-minute charts are the offer optimal results. Day traders who use indicators in their day trading strategy can use a 15-minute or lower time frame. In the case of price action-based trading, a combination of the 15-minute and 30-minute time frames proves to be highly effective.

What happens if I short a stock and it goes to $0? ›

If the shares you shorted become worthless, you don't need to buy them back and will have made a 100% profit. Congratulations!

Who loses money when you short a stock? ›

A trader who has shorted stock can lose much more than 100% of their original investment. The risk comes because there is no ceiling for a stock's price. Also, while the stocks were held, the trader had to fund the margin account.

Who pays when you short a stock? ›

Since you don't own the stock (you borrowed and then sold it), you must pay the lender of the stock any dividends or rights declared during the course of the loan. If the stock splits during the course of your short, you'll owe twice the number of shares at half the price.

What is the 5 3 1 rule in trading? ›

The 5-3-1 strategy is especially helpful for new traders who may be overwhelmed by the dozens of currency pairs available and the 24-7 nature of the market. The numbers five, three, and one stand for: Five currency pairs to learn and trade. Three strategies to become an expert on and use with your trades.

What are the 7 golden rules of trading? ›

Successful day traders follow key principles of understanding the market, setting realistic goals, managing risk, having a trading plan, monitoring their performance, staying disciplined, and taking breaks. By following these rules, you can maximize your profits while minimizing losses in day trading.

Is risking 5 per trade too much? ›

A good rule of thumb is to risk between 1% and 5% of your account balance per trade.

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