Can Trading Automation Help You Avoid Emotional Mistakes?

DOES AUTOMATION REMOVE EMOTIONS?

I was speaking with a newer trader at an investment conference recently and he stated that he was only interested in automated trading because it eliminated emotions. He said the computer won’t experience fear after a few losing trades and it won’t become greedy after a string of winners. This is indeed true, but there are some considerations…
Let me start by saying there’s nothing wrong with looking to automate some of your trading. We have an AI based software program that automatically executes for clients that use it. It still needs periodical re-training to ensure the system is using relevant historical data for basing its new trades on but yes, it will merrily trade away based upon the input framework you have given it.

But does it remove emotions? Not for the user, no. Anyone using an automated trading platform still sees all it’s winners and losers and as a result, are still going to be bound by the same confines that a manual trader has.

Yes, a manual trader can elect to not take a trade where an automated system will still execute but the person watching the system will still go through the emotions of watching those trades sat within it.

A system operator will have the temptation to turn it off if it has a string of losers or to want to increase the risk when it’s in a purple patch. That operator may also have the emotional torment of deciding to ditch a system if its going through a longer drawdown too.

The point is, you cannot avoid the emotional side of trading. Whether you manually trade or if you use automation, you will still experience fear and greed and all the uncertainty that comes in between. What’s the answer? No matter what type of trading you do, ensure you spend time working on your mindset….

Author: Charlie Burton

Source: Charlieburtontrading.com