#美联储重启降息步伐 Recently, a friend asked me: Which indicators are actually the most useful for short-term trading? To be honest, there’s really no need to learn all those complex technical indicators. After three years of trial and error, I’ve summed up a few practical rules. I can’t guarantee they’re 100% accurate, but they can at least help you avoid 80% of rookie mistakes.

First, here’s a counterintuitive tip: Don’t rush to sell during high-level consolidation, and don’t rush to buy during low-level consolidation. Why? High-level consolidation is often when the main players are accumulating power; as long as support isn’t broken, the odds of a subsequent breakout are actually higher. But be careful with low-level consolidation; many people think it’s a bottoming opportunity, but end up seeing new lows instead. Remember this: When the trend isn’t clear, it’s better to miss out than to act blindly.

Sideways markets really test your patience. Price movements are so small they look like an EKG. If you insist on entering the market at this stage, you’ll either get stuck or make less than the fees. The right approach is to wait—wait for the price to break through the upper band or fall below the lower band. Only act when the direction is clear.

Here’s another trading logic that many people get wrong: When you see a red candle, consider buying; when you see a green candle, consider selling. Most beginners do the opposite, chasing highs and panic-selling lows, ending up with big losses. As long as the overall trend is intact, a red candle is a chance to get in at a lower price; a green candle is a signal to consider taking profits. Keep a close eye on support and resistance levels, think contrarily, and you’ll avoid a lot of risks.

The speed of a drop determines the strength of the rebound—I’ve tested this rule countless times. After a sharp drop, the rebound is usually strong; after a slow decline, the recovery tends to be weak. When playing rebounds, if it’s a rapid plunge, you can consider bottom-fishing; if it’s a slow grind down, just watch from the sidelines—don’t mess up the timing.

Never go all-in at once when building a position! I now use a pyramid-style, staggered buying approach: say you plan to buy 1,000 coins—start by buying 200 at a relatively high level to test the waters, buy another 300 if it drops 5%, and if it keeps dropping, buy the remaining 500. The lower it goes, the more you buy, which effectively lowers your average cost and prevents panic if the price pulls back after going all-in.

One last rule: After a price swing, consolidation always follows. After several days of up or down movement, the price will definitely enter a consolidation phase. Don’t be afraid of missing out and rush in at this point—sideways markets are the easiest places to get trapped. Wait for the consolidation to end and for the direction to become clear—whether it’s another rally or a reversal—only then is it safe to act.

These rules sound simple, but applying them takes practice. How to allocate funds, how to time your entries, how to control your pace—all these need to be honed in real trading. But as long as you remember these basic principles, at least you won’t make those beginner mistakes.