Jesse Livermore Method and Rules (2024)

Trading Tips

Jesse Livermore Method and Rules

Jesse Livermore Method and Rules (1)Jesse Livermore Trading Method

Jesse Livermore is a legendary stock-market trader who made a fortune by short-selling during the American stock market crashes of 1907 and 1929. Jesse Livermore became world-known through the book written by journalist Edwin Lefèvre “Reminiscences of a Stock Operator(1923)”.

Jesse Livermore Rules

Livermore used to say: "Whatever happens in the stock market today has happened before and will happen again”

Here are some key rules by Jesse Livermore:

  1. Markets are never wrong opinions often are. Back your judgment and don't trust your opinion, until the action of the market itself confirms your opinion
  2. Few people ever make money on tips, beware of inside information. If there was easy money lying around, no one would be forcing it into your pocket
  3. Money is made by sitting, not trading. It takes time to make money. Don't give me timing; give me time
  4. Buy right, sit tight. Big movements take time to develop. Men who can both be right and sit tight are uncommon
  5. Money cannot consistently be made by trading every day or every week during the year
  6. Nothing new ever occurs in the business of speculating or investing in securities and commodities
  7. Never average losses
  8. The human side of every person is the greatest enemy of the average investor or speculator. Wishful thinking must be banished

Jesse Livermore Method and Rules (2)

The Breakout Pattern

One of Livermore’s key patterns involves trading breakouts after long market ranges. The longer the market had stayed in the range the more significant the breakout. The combination of price patterns and volume could provide confirmation for executing trades. These are some key signs for entering positions:

  • Waiting for pivotal points to enter the market
  • The first few bars after the break should move in the same direction as the breakout
  • The volume must increase during the breakout
  • After the breakout, a retracement (Normal Reaction) is likely to occur. In this case, the volume must be decreased
  • When the Normal Reaction is complete, the trend should continue in the same direction as the breakout, and volume must increase once again

If there are any noticeable deviations from the above breakout pattern, it is a sign that the pattern is likely to fail.

Chart: Example of a Breakout Pattern

Jesse Livermore Method and Rules (3)

The One-Day Reversal Patterns

The one-day reversal pattern was considered a significant signal by Jesse Livermore. There are the bullish and bearish reversals:

□ Timeframe: Daily chart

□ Confirmation: Volume

(A) One-Day Bullish Reversal:

Conditions:

(i) The close of the daily candle is higher than the close of the previous candle

(ii) the intraday low of the daily candle is lower than the intraday low of the previous candle

(iii) the volume of the signal candle is higher than the volume of the previous candle

This pattern produces a short-term buying signal.

(B) One-Day Bearish Reversal:

Conditions:

(i) The close of the daily candle is lower than the close of the previous candle

(ii) the intraday low of the daily candle is higher than the intraday low of the previous candle

(iii) the volume of the signal candle is higher than the volume of the previous candle

This pattern produces a short-term selling signal.

Jesse Livermore Method and Rules (4)

Selective Trading and Confirmation

Jesse Livermore argued that before opening any position, the market must first confirm and support any thesis. The market has to confirm the trade before the full size of the trade is executed. He used to say that ‘Markets are never wrong – opinions often are’. That means we must not trust our own opinions until the price action confirms these opinions.

Here are some more tips according to Mr. Livermore:

  • Trade only if there are real opportunities in the market
  • Use price patterns, as historically, the market tends to repeat
  • Don’t overtrade, and don’t trade every day
  • Use pivotal points to trade
  • Follow the trend and run your profits (It takes time to make big money)
  • Don'taverage downyour losses

Jesse Livermore Trading Method and Rules

G.P. for TradingCenter(c)

Resources:

  • How to Trade in Stocks, Jesse Livermore (1940)
  • Reminiscences of a Stock Operator, Edwin Lefèvre (1923)

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Jesse Livermore Method and Rules (2024)

FAQs

What strategy did Jesse Livermore use? ›

Jesse outlined a simple trading system: wait for pivotal points before entering a trade. When the points come into play, trade them using a buffer, trading in the direction of the overall market. Let the price dictate your actions and stay with profitable trades until there is good reason to exit the trade.

How did Jesse Livermore manipulate the market? ›

At the bucket shop, Livermore would place a trade on a stock that he knew was only thinly traded on the NYSE. He would then trade the shares on the NYSE to move the actual stock price substantially in the required direction. The new price would come through to the bucket shop and Livermore would collect his profits.

What is the Livermore rule? ›

Livermore's personal rule was that he would not risk more than 10% on any one trade. Livermore also stressed the fact that your stop, if hit should not generate a margin call. He felt that the last thing a trader should do is fund their account for a margin call.

Who is the richest trader in the world? ›

George Soros

This feat cemented his reputation as the "man who broke the Bank of England" and solidified his status as a forex trading legend. Soros' net worth is estimated to be around $8 billion, making him one of the wealthiest individuals in the world.

What is 90% rule in trading? ›

Understanding the Rule of 90

According to this rule, 90% of novice traders will experience significant losses within their first 90 days of trading, ultimately wiping out 90% of their initial capital.

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 5 rule in trading? ›

5% Rule: This rule applies to the total risk exposure across all your open trades. It recommends limiting the total risk exposure of all your trades combined to no more than 5% of your trading capital. This means if you have multiple trades open simultaneously, their combined risk should not exceed 5%.

Who is the best day trader ever? ›

Jesse Lauriston Livermore (July 26, 1877 – November 28, 1940) was an American stock trader. He is considered a pioneer of day trading and was the basis for the main character of Reminiscences of a Stock Operator, a best-selling book by Edwin Lefèvre.

Is Jesse Livermore a swing trader? ›

Jesse Livermore, one of the greatest traders who ever lived once said that the big money is made in the big swings of the market. In this regard, Livermore successfully applied swing trading strategies that work and which helped him achieve amazing financial results.

What is the Livermore Shakeout 3 rule? ›

The Shakeout + 3 pattern also comes when a stock starts to rally after the second leg has formed. The buy point is derived by adding three points to the low of the first pullback. So if the first low was 27, add 3 points to get a correct entry at 30.

What are the three golden rules of trading? ›

Key Rules from Iconic Traders

Cut your losses quickly: Never let a loss get out of control. Trade with the trend: Follow the market's direction. Do not trade every day: Only trade when the market conditions are favorable.

What is the 3 trading rule? ›

The 3% rule states that you should never risk more than 3% of your whole trading capital on a single deal. In order to safeguard themselves against big losses, traders attempt to restrict exposures on a single deal.

What was the original Turtle trading strategy? ›

The Turtle Trading System is a trend-following system that emphasizes position sizing, entry and exit rules, and risk management. The system is based on a set of specific rules and principles that are designed to identify and follow long-term trends in the market.

How did Livermore lose his fortune? ›

Throughout his career, Livermore made and lost fortunes trading the markets. It appears, from his interviews with Edwin Lefèvre in 1922, that the causes of his losses were: He was trading in the period before he had fully formulated his trading rules. He ignored his trading rules.

What is the oldest trading strategy? ›

The Turtle Trading experiment was seen as a tremendous success. Market conditions are always changing, and some question whether this style of trading could survive in today's markets.

What is the operator strategy in the stock market? ›

Strategies Employed by Operators:

Swing Trading: Traders hold positions for a few days to weeks, capitalizing on medium-term market trends. Value Investing: Investors seek undervalued stocks with the belief that their true worth will be recognized over time.

References

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