futures:
-1415PST all markets close.
I check my positions (if I have any). Then I see if I can lock in any profit, or if I can add on any positions. I take note.
I check the daily charts for all 36 futures I follow (energy, indices, metals, currencies, grains, softs, meats... i don't watch financials [bonds etc]).
I add on any new support resistance lines or any patterns or anything I can pick up. This is my time to play around with the chart with the day ending and the new bar formed.
I take note of any futures that should be "on watch", they look good but not good enough to enter a trade.
I take note of any futures that are good to go. I write down where I would potentially enter and where my stop losses will be.
Typically other traders/brokers I talk to shoot the shit quickly and trade any ideas they have or anything they see (this can happen any time, emails etc whatever).
the above doesn't take very long, like 5-30 minutes tops ... twiddle my thumbs and wait for....
-1500PST markets open
I revise/edit my positions if need be.
I put in orders for anything new that was good to go.
between now and midnight, markets are typically slow, but may still move. Depending on my positions and how I feel. I may keep my charts open on a side window and just keep an eye on it. typically check every hour to few hours (If I'm at home that is).
-1700PST asian markets open... (Asia times depends on daylight savings)
typically doesn't matter to me, but it's good to know.
-2300PST
I scan all the markets again for any early movers.
-0000PST Asian markets close and european markets open.
Things typically start to move now, depending on how things are... I could start trading now or editing my orders if markets moved in an unexpected way.
-0600PST North American stock market opens
some futures may start to move even more.
-0830PST European markets close
good to know for day traders, there will be the end of the day run up or run down just before they close, intraday trends may reverse from all the euro day traders pulling out.
-1300 PST North American stock market closes
good to know for day traders, there will be the end of the day run up or run down just before they close.
-Before I sleep I check:
Economic Calendar - Bloomberg
I take note if any reports that would affect my positions. If there are none, then I ignore it and I can wake up whenever I want!
If there is a report that could affect my positions or affect orders I have in, I will wake up before the report.
After I wake up:
I immediately check my positions if I have any and then:
Futures - Daily Performance Leaders
I use this rather than my quotes because it's visually easier. I don't even look at anything except the big long green bars and big red bars. Anything big mover will be at the top or bottom of the list. I immediately scan for those and then check the corresponding charts.
If nothing new or exciting, or no big movers AND my positions are fine... I just take it easy and go do whatever else I want... hell I might even go back to bed (actually I usually do lol, who the fuck wants to be awake early anyway).
If there is something new or whatever, I do it.
-iphone apps: cnbc and bloomberg.
I only use them for their "alerts" for breaking news. Just nice to know, I don't trade based on any of those alerts, but you never know it could affect your positions if a war breaks out or some pipeline bursts or some politician says something stupid or some surprise announcement.
It sounds like a lot, but it's actually not that much.
I'm including most details I could think of... that would be a really busy day/night.
Most of the time markets are not doing anything, and I just glance a few times over the day (if I'm awake) and do my 5-30 minutes of planning a day and that's it.
There's no hard rules... I could decide to take a week off trading if I feel like the stress is getting to me, or whatever. Opportunities always come, if you feel stressed or fucked up just take a time out for as long as you want... that's the great thing about trading. lol. If you don't wanna work... you don't have to.
"If there's nothing, do nothing."